Will We Wake Up Before It's Too Late?

Sudan, the last male northern white rhinoceros, died one year ago today.

What happened to bring this iconic species to the brink of extinction? In a word --- poaching. Northern white rhinos, like so many African species, once were abundant throughout Uganda, Chad, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). But by 1995 only about 30 Northern white rhino remained in DRC’s Garamba National Park. Today only two females survive, making this subspecies functionally extinct. 

If humans are to have any hope of saving this species from extinction, it will be through development of a very complex and expensive in vitro fertilization of a surrogate Southern white rhino female using eggs from the two remaining females and stored Northern white rhino semen. The very endangered black, Sumatran and Javan rhinos are under ever-increasing pressure from habitat loss and/or poaching. 

There could have been as many as 800 Sumatran rhinos remaining in the wild in 1986. Now, just 32 years later, official estimates suggest there are fewer than 80 rhinos, but many experts believe even that figure is overly optimistic, with some stating there could be as few as 30 animals surviving. (Source: Save the Rhino organization). 

 Sadly, the threat of extincting facing rhinos isn't an isolated case. Elephants, giraffes, gorillas, orangutans, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, lions, jaguars, rays, sharks, marine turtles, pangolins, whales, narwhals, hippopotamus and monk seals also are at risk of extinction. 

Poaching of animals to feed the insatiable demands of China, Vietnam and other Asian countries for the body parts of elephants, lions, tigers, rhinoceros to make ivory trinkets, 'magic potions' and 'magic wines' that purportedly cure cancer and increase virility continues unabated. The dumb thing is that rhino horn and pangolin scales are made of keratin -- the same substance of which our hair and fingernails are made. There is nothing curative or magical about keratin, or about lion and tiger bones.

Indeed, some scientists have warned that the earth is well on its way toward a sixth mass extinction. Even bees -- so crucial to food supplies upon which we humans depend -- are facing serious problems. Our oceans are filled with tons of plastic pollution. The current American administration is rolling back a variety of longstanding environmental protections designed to keep our air and water clean and safe. The Endangered Species Act is being weakened and protections removed from wolves. Population growth in many parts of the world, especially in Africa, combined with loss of habitat, put additional pressure on wildlife.

I don't want to live in a world without wildlife, where the air is unfit to breathe and the water is polluted. I want to be able to continue to watch and photograph elephants, leopards, giraffes and other wildlife going about their business as they have for tens of thousands of years. I want to be able to hear wolves howling in Yellowstone, and to catch a glimpse of a magnificent grizzly sow with her cubs. 

I'm glad I am old and won't be around to contemplate living in a world devoid of these animals that place such a key role in a healthy ecosystem. Experts say we have a scant 11 years to take serious action against climate change. 

Will people wake up before it's too late? I'd like to think they will, but I'm not at all optimistic.

A Dream Fulfilled

Sometimes, dreams do come true.

I recently returned from a trip to Egypt and the fulfillment of a dream I have had since I was in high school. I have always wanted to visit the pyramids of Egypt, see the Sphinx and visit the Valley of the Kings. My fascination with the ancient world began when I studied Latin (for 4 years) in high school. Ancient Rome, Greece and Egypt were subjects that really appealed to me. I haven't yet made it to Rome or Greece, but both places are on my list of places to visit. But when I saw that Road Scholar offered a trip called 'The Best of Egypt," I knew I had to go.  

The first morning in Cairo, I opened the drapes in my hotel room and gazed out at two of the pyramids in Giza. What an exciting sight that was! My group spent that day walking around the three pyramids, and then going to see the Sphinx. Although the pyramids are no longer at a distance from the urban area, and the presence of incredibly persistent vendors hawking wares to tourists was annoying, just standing there gazing at structures that were built more than 4,500 years ago was awe-inspiring. 

We walked around some of the earliest pyramids ever built, the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid. It was obvious from the appearance of the Bent Pyramid that the ancient Egyptians were still perfecting the design and construction of pyramids when the Bent Pyramid was built. 

We were able to enter three tombs in the Valley of the Kings (or, more exactly, enter the burial chamber of three tombs.) The tombs of pharaohs were far underground and very expansive, so only the burial chambers are open to the public. Included on the tour was the burial chamber of the boy-king, Tutankhamun. The Valley of the Queens was a bust, as only one queen is known to have been buried there. The bombs of the other ancient queens have not yet been located. I paid 300 Egyptian pounds (just more than $17) at each site to be allowed to take photographs inside the tombs. For me, as a photographer, it was worth the cost.

We spent some time at the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, viewed the temples of Rameses II at Abu Simbel, and marveled at how they had been raised some 200 feet and moved inland 600 feet to save them from the waters of the artificial Lake Nasser. We ended the trip with a visit to the Egyptian Museum, where we saw ancient statues, as well as the gold mask and other items taken from the tomb of Tutankhamen.

Egypt cannot be called a beautiful country. It doesn't have much natural beauty. Some 75 percent of the land is desert, with nearly all the people living in the Nile valley, which provides the country's only source of fresh water. The Cairo area is home to 24 million people, which means a lot of traffic, poverty and trash.There was no beauty to be found there, aside from the lovely garden at one of our hotels.

Throughout the trip, I was saddened by a couple of facets of contemporary Egyptian society. One if the unimaginable amount of trash in the streets, in irrigation canals and just about

everywhere I looked. The other thing, which I unfortunately expected to see, were the large numbers of dogs and cats wandering the streets. I also noted the huge number of horse-drawn carriages offering rides to tourists and locals alike. That in itself isn't so bad, but these carriages were on extremely busy, noisy, crowded roads in cities such as Cairo. I also saw some donkeys being ridden by adults, who weigh too much for a donkey to safely and comfortably carry. These animals truly are beasts of burden, carrying everything from bundles of alfalfa to saddle bags filled with who knows what.

The Egyptian people really seemed to appreciate foreign visitors. As one of the speakers who addressed our group pointed out, since the 'Arab spring' revolution in 2011, Egypt's income from tourists has dropped from $14.4 billion/year to around $6 billion per year. The country is struggling economically. Long known for its quality cotton production, owners of most of the cotton processing factories fled the country in the aftermath of the 'revolution' of 2011 that saw the ouster of former president Hosni Mubarak. We heard a local perspective on the Muslim Brotherhood and its 1-year reign in Egypt (it was not well thought of).

We stayed in some wonderful hotels. In addition to the one with views of the pyramids, we stayed in a hotel that used to be a palace and has beautiful gardens. We stayed in a resort on Elephantine Island, just a 2-minute boat ride across the Nile from Aswan. The final hotel, in downtown Cairo, was beautiful but too modern and urban for my taste.

I had some memorable experiences with locals:

• On the short flight from Luxor to Aswan, I sat next to an Egyptian man who is a tour guide for French-speaking tourists. We chatted for several minutes, and he explained the design of the ring I had bought in Luxor. He recounted his visit to the US and said that when his 9-year-old twins learn English (this year they are learning German), he wants to take them to the US. He then asked about my Kindle, having never seen, or even heard, of an e-reader before. 
• An experience of a totally different kind occurred in the Aswan airport. Airport security is burdensome at best, but on that day I felt totally violated. I went through the metal detector with no issues, and my backpack passed through the x-ray machine. I put my shoes on and picked up my bag, and was told to wait. A brusque woman who spoke almost no English then proceeded to removed everything from my backpack as I tried to explain to her what each item was (there was nothing dangerous or forbidden in the pack). The bag was then x-rayed again, leaving me to reassemble the items from the bin in which she had tossed them. People in my group reported that I looked ashen during the process. I have gone through airport security all over the world, and never have I felt so upset and violated.
• As I was sitting on a bench in Cairo, waiting for the rest of the group to shop in a large, crowded market, I was approached by two girls. One asked whether I speak English, and I replied that I do. She then asked if she could have her photo taken with me. I said that was fine. I should have asked to take a picture of Noor and her friend, but by the time I thought about it, they were gone. 
• A shopkeeper in one of the shops at our hotel, when I told him I had no money with me, told me to take the leather passport cover I wanted to buy, and bring him the money when our group returned from the day's outing. I paid him before we left for the day.
• A shopkeeper in a shop at another hotel fixed me a cup of tea (I watched him open the bag that held the tea bag, and the pot to boil the water was in plain view in the shop). Then he started getting creepy, calling me 'my queen' and telling me how women who marry Egyptian men are very happy. This guy was probably 25 years younger than me. The next day I was looking for a coffee cup to buy. Unknown to me, he ran the shop that sells coffee cups as well. After I unsuccessfully negotiated the price with him, he asked me out for a drink. I declined.

 I was fortunate that the other 15 people on this trip (one Canadian and 14 Americans) all were delightful people and experienced travelers. Having easy-going, like-minded traveling companions made a world of difference. We enjoyed several evening presentations by local experts on such subjects as Islam and contemporary Egyptian society. We had a brief ride on the Nile in a felucca, a traditional sail boat. 

This is one travel dream that I can check off my list. It was well worth the many hours of air travel it took to get to Cairo. I learned a lot about this ancient land that has fascinated me for several decades. And I encourage anyone interested in learning about ancient Egypt to give serious consideration to visiting. The country is as safe as is anyplace in the world. The people are friendly and eager to welcome visitors.

Where else can you stand in the presence of structures than are more than 4,500 years old, ride a camel and cruise down the Nile?

Let's Appreciate What We Have

I needed this recent reminder from a Facebook friend: I smile because I appreciate what I have.

There is nothing I want that I don't have and can't get, aside from warmer weather. I detest cold weather, and I have been miserably cold for many weeks during this colder-than-normal winter. 

But I have a beautiful house to help keep the cold out (although it is a house that is expensive and difficult to heat because of its five skylights and numerous windows). Those same skylights and windows let in a lot of light, which is important to my mental well-being. I also have warm clothes to help keep me somewhat warm. 

I have a nice, reliable car. I have health insurance and physicians that I like and trust. I have a pantry and a freezer filled with food. I have three dogs to keep me company. I have received a good education, and my mind is still sharp. I am in good health, with no serious medical issues. I have enough money to allow me to travel several times every year.

There are many who struggle to survive, who have so much less than I have. I have seen this during my travels to other, often 'third world' countries. I have seen women working as bathroom attendants, handing out toilet paper in hopes of receiving a small tip. I have seen that people often live in ramshackle 'houses' or in buildings that are nothing more than shells. People often are reduced to begging for a few coins so they can feed themselves and their families.

These experiences do make me appreciate the things I have. Sometimes I just need to be reminded of the many blessings in my life.

The Economics of Wildlife in America

I don't understand it.

Why does the small number of hunters in the United States (about 11.5 million people, according to the Department of the Interior in 2017) have so much power and influence? There are many more people who want to protect wildlife than who want to kill it. And I'm not talking about hunting animals such as deer, elk, moose, rabbits and squirrels to put food on the table. I'm talking about hunters who get a thrill out of killing foxes, bobcats, cougars, bears and wolves, whether for 'fun' or for their skins.

This same study reported that the survey, "the 13th in a series conducted nearly every five years since 1955, shows that the most substantial increases in participation involve wildlife-watching—observing and photographing wildlife. The report indicates these activities surged 20 percent from 2011 to 2016, from 71.8 million to 86 million participants during that time. Expenditures by wildlife watchers also rose sharply—28 percent—between 2011 and 2016, from $59.1 billion to $75.9 billion. Around-the-home wildlife-watching increased 18 percent from 2011, from 68.6 million in 2011 to 81.1 million participants in 2016. More modest gains were made for away-from-home wildlife watchers: 5 percent increase from 2011 to 2016, from 22.5 million to 23 million participants." (https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/new-5-year-report-shows-1016-million-americans-participated-hunting-fishing-wildlife)

So if these figures as reported by the US Fish and Wildlife Service are true, I again ask, why do hunters and their lobbies have such an inordinate amount of influence over polices that affect wildlife? If wildlife watching generates nearly $76 billion dollars, and hunting generates only $25.6 billion, this means that watching wildlife contributes three times as much to the economy as does hunting. 

Last month I spent a week on a photography trip to Yellowstone National Park. My group was there to photograph wildlife, and of course, we all hoped to see some wolves (we didn't). We spent three nights in the small gateway town of Gardiner, Montana, just outside the park's north entrance. I have never seen so few people in the park in the four times I have visited in the winter. Many businesses were closed for the winter -- more than during previous winters. Several had closed up shop for good. 

We concluded that the ongoing killing of some of Yellowstone's most well known, and most visible, wolves is having a detrimental impact on tourism. Most visitors to the park want to see wolves. As the chance of seeing wolves diminishes with their decreasing numbers, I predict that fewer people will choose to visit the park, particularly during the winter slow season.

Perhaps it is time to reconsider the amount of influence hunters hold over the country's state wildlife agencies, as well as over federal decisions involving wilderness and wildlife. Perhaps it it past time to listen to the tens of millions of Americans and visitors who want to spend their time and money to enjoy non-consumptive uses of these national treasures. A living animal such as a grizzly or wolf can thrill thousands of people over the years. A dead bear or wolf brings pleasure to but a single person. 

Something is seriously wrong with this picture.

The Self-Righteous Among Us

Why are people so self-righteous?

From spending time on social media each day, I have concluded that the US is full of self-righteous people. The biggest offenders are vegans, anti-abortion advocates and the religious right. Perhaps Americans have always been this way, but I suspect things are worse now than in the past because these self-righteous folks now have a public platform to promote their righteous beliefs.

See, I pretty much follow a live-and-let-live philosophy of life. And I really resent being told how I should feel about something or which rules I should follow in my life. I am more than capable of making my own decisions. I don't need some zealot telling me that what I do or eat or believe is wrong. The positions espoused by these people are not morally superior to those held by others, despite what they may claim.

I might be following a post on Facebook about a terrible case of animal abuse when -- you can bet on it -- somebody will say something like "How can you be so upset about an animal when millions of babies are murdered every year and nobody cares?" I have several problems with this. First, abortion is legal in the United States. Second, most of those so-called 'babies' are little more than clumps of cells with no consciousness and no ability to survive outside the womb. Third, my impression of the so-called 'pro-life' movement is that they really don't care about the child or mother once the child is born. So they really should be called 'pro birth' advocates. Fourth, what have these people done to help the situation? How many children have they adopted or otherwise supported? Finally, nobody is forced to undergo an abortion against their wishes. Abortion is a choice, and it should remain such.

Vegans aren't quite as self-righteous as the anti-abortion crowd. Again, in comments following a post about an egregious case of animal abuse, invariably someone will chime in about the billions of farm animals (sorry, farmed animals in veganspeak) killed to feed people every year. With vegans, it seems to be an all-or-none issue. Either people are animal killers, or they are vegans. I abhor animal cruelty, and I do what I can to avoid things that involve cruelty of any kind. But I cannot be vegan. While I haven't eaten pork for decades or beef for several years, I still eat poultry, fish and eggs. I switched to vanilla almond milk a couple of year ago to avoid the cruelty inherent in the dairy industry, but I enjoy yogurt and cheese on a regular basis. I won't eat anything that is boiled alive (lobster and crabs, for example), and I find shrimp to be disgusting. I won't eat any kind of fish that is endangered, such as swordfish. I eat eggs, but I buy eggs only from free range chickens. If I am someplace where something is served that I don't or won't eat, for whatever reason, I simply don't take any of that particular food. I don't make a scene, and I don't lecture about the evils of pork or any other food.

That brings us to the religious right, those so-called Christians who believe everyone else should be compelled to live according to their religious principles. Those on the religious right are to my mind the most hypocritical, self-righteous people around. They see nothing wrong with discriminating against gays and lesbians as they strive to protect "the sanctity of marriage," when so many of the 'righteous' are guilty of multiple divorces and adultery. How many of these so-called religious leaders have been found to have adulterous relationships and frequent visits to prostitutes? And I resent the in-your-face brand of Christianity these people espouse. If they oppose the gay lifestyle, they should avoid it. If they are anti birth control or anti abortion, they should reject birth control and abortion for themselves. But don't try to force your beliefs, regardless of how strongly you adhere to them, on others. The US was founded as a secular society where people are free to practice whatever religion -- or follow no religion -- they so choose. Christian beliefs should not be taught in public schools other than in a comparative religion course or lesson. The populace that doesn't follow the beliefs of the Christian right should not be forced to live according to their interpretation of the Bible.

I also strongly dislike Christians who feel it necessary to make a public show of their faith. I seem to recall something in the Bible about saying one's prayers in private and not making a show of praying. Wearing a cross around the neck is fine. I have no issues with that. But is it really necessary to point to the sky or kneel every time a football player scores a touchdown or a baseball player hits a home run? Utter a private prayer of thanks if need be, but self-aggrandizement is offensive. Do they really believe that God helped them score that touchdown or hit that home run?

The bottom line for me is the ability to consider both sides of an issue and then decide for myself how to live my life and what to believe. I, like millions of others, have my own moral compass. Trying to force me to think a particular way or follow a certain way of living will not work. I resent the efforts by some to inflict their way of thinking and living on me. I don't care which religion, if any, people follow. I have friends who are Christian (both Catholic and Protestant), Jewish and Muslim, and a few who are atheist or agnostic. All are fine with me. Follow whatever religion makes you happy. But don't try to force your beliefs -- about religion, abortion or veganism -- on others.

Somehow these actions make these 'righteous' folks seem anything but.

Why Can't Americans Spell or Write Properly?

Why are Americans so illiterate?

Maybe they're not illiterate (unable to read and write). But I am often appalled by the poor spelling, grammar and punctuation I see in Facebook posts. I realize that people sometimes make typographical errors as they enter their comments. I'm not talking about being able to write a thesis or college-level paper. But come on, is it so difficult to use the proper word or spelling? And what about punctuation? Is it not important to be able to communicate our thoughts clearly and unambiguously?

Here are a few examples of common errors:

• 'Prolly' is not a word! 'Probably' is a word.
• 'Their coming over to watch the game' is not correct. 'They're coming over to watch the game' is correct.
• 'How do you like you're new car?' is not correct. 'How do you like your new car?' is correct.
• Sentences are meant to have a period at the end of each thought and not be a run-on thought that goes on forever and ever with absolutely no punctuation why can't people understand that (This is the type of thing that drives me crazy. I have seen many lines of text with no punctuation -- not even a comma, much less a period to break up the text into readable thoughts).

These are basics of spelling and word usage that people should have learned in middle or high school. Seeing so many people -- most of them native speakers of English -- unable to use basic English correctly makes me wonder about the state of American education, as well as the lack of communication skills of much of the populace.

I realize that in the age of text messaging and the many abbreviations that go along with this shorthand method of communicating (LOL, ROFL, CU, etc.), spelling and proper sentence construction have fallen by the wayside. But not everything involves a text message or tweet. Sometimes we need to be able to communicate a thought in clear, understandable English. Sadly, I believe we are failing.

Not everyone is born with good writing skills. I consider being a good writer to be a gift, much as being a good singer or talented artist is a gift. But everyone should be able to construct a proper sentence and spell basic words. If unsure about the spelling of a particular word, use an old-fashioned dictionary or thesaurus. Or look it up online. Such a simple thing can keep people from looking stupid or illiterate. We all should also be able to correctly use words such as your and you're, and their, there and they're. These words are homophones, words that are pronounced the same but spelled differently. And they definitely have different meanings. They are not interchangeable.

Recent surveys have shown that the majority of Americans reads one book or fewer in a year. One book! I read 25 (usually more) books every year. And I'm not talking about comic books, or about books with more pictures than words. I read biographies, historical novels, and other 'high brow' non-fictions offerings.

I always have been an avid reader, even as a young child. I used to love ordering books through the Scholastic Book Club. It was such an exciting day when the books I had ordered finally arrived. I now have close to 300 books on my Kindle. I have spent several hours during overseas flights reading rather than watching movies to pass the time.

Reading has so many benefits. I learn new things. Reading helps me better understand historical events. I learn new words. I am entertained. I gain new perspectives. I also believe that my love of reading is in large part responsible for my ability to spell correctly. I couldn't be a writer while being unable to spell.

One study reports that the average American reads only at the seventh or eighth grade level. Is it then any wonder that critical thinking skills are so low among American citizens? If we can't read and comprehend something written at a higher level, how can we be expected to analyze and understand it?

I'm not the grammar police. I don't correct people's online spelling or grammar errors. But I do cringe when I read such things, and I do have to wonder about the intellectual capacity of the writer. Perhaps it is this lack of critical thinking that has divided our country into two such disparate camps.

I have no answers. Perhaps we need to return to the days of spelling tests and instruction in parts of speech and sentence construction. I used to hate diagramming sentences, so I hope there is a better way to teach these essential skills. But they are essential skills that everyone needs to master.

The Decline and Fall of the Human Race

I have come to the conclusion that the human race has reached its pinnacle and is now moving backward. How far back remains to be seen.

Humans have developed wonderful technologies and made amazing advances in the sciences and medicine. But we have apparently lost our souls, our humanity, our sense of compassion and our concern for the planet on which we live. Consider the following:

• It appears that we have learned nothing from centuries of warfare, as countries continue to engage in wars across the world.
• Battles over religions continue, with adherents of various religions trying to force others to live according to their beliefs, and worse, murdering those who don't adhere to their way of thinking.
• Far too many are still unable to see past differences in skin color, religion or nationality.
• Our sense of community is practically non-existent.
• People continue to force animals -- dogs and chickens -- to fight for their lives as 'entertainment' and greed.
• It's all about 'me.' I want what I want when I want it. People with this way of thinking don't care who gets in their way.
• We are destroying the only home we have, through overpopulation, pollution and  greed.
• We are forcing many species of plants and animals toward extinction through loss of habitat, hunting for 'trophies' and for supposed magical cures.
• Violence against others who are somehow different is increasing, whether they are Jewish, Muslim, gay, transgender or anything other than straight, white and Christian.
• Mass killings in the US are so commonplace they barely rate a mention in the daily news.
• Sympathy for others, whether immigrants or animals left outside in -40 F temperatures, is on the decline.
• Many people communicate primarily electronically, mostly via text message, rather than face to face. We don't engage with others as we used to.
• Road rage doesn't just involve shouting at someone any more. Now it's just as likely to involve someone pulling out a gun and shooting at the other driver. In the state where I live, a 6-year-old girl was fatally shot in a road rage incident.
• A disgruntled former employee may well return to his former place of employment and shoot his manager and former co-workers (and yes, nearly all these attacks are carried out by men). 
• Civil discourse appears to be a thing of the past. When is the last time you saw a reasoned conversation by people with different opinions? Now people simply resort to name calling and insults.
• American judges (certainly not all, but far too many) are failing to impose serious sentences on those convicted of serious crimes. Animal abusers get off with a fine and a few months of probation. A pedophile in his 60s was sentenced to a prison sentence of half the typical sentence, while the two teenage girls he sexually assaulted were labeled by the judge as "aggressors."
• We are killing our oceans and our marine life with tons and tons of plastic. 
• Too many people seem to think that laws are meant for everybody else, but not for them.

Unless an awful lot of people step up to stop this decline in how humans act and treat each other, I'm glad I won't be here when the species finally destroys the planet, the resources on which life depends, and our society. It won't be pretty. It isn't too late to make a change, but time is short and we all need to act NOW.