our fallen world

From our latest issue of National Geographic:

Chance of dying from....
- Heart disease, 1 in 5
- Cancer, 1 in 7
- Stroke, 1 in 24
- Motor Vehicle Accident, 1 in 84
- Suicide, 1 in 119
- Falling, 1 in 218
- Firearm assault, 1 in 314
- Pedestrian accident, 1 in 626
- Drowning, 1 in 1,008....it goes on....earthquake is 1 in 117,127 and fireworks discharge is 1 in 340,733

I'm struck by how common cancer it. When I glance at the obituaries I always look to see what the person died as a result of - cancer is certainly up there.

From a piece talking about "how human failings are destroying the planet" (Voices column) by Bill McKibben:

"In January, a trinity of announcements sealed the mood. First, British scientist James Lovelock, who invented the instrument that allowed us to detect our eroding ozone layer, published an essay predicting that we'd already added too much CO2 to the atmosphere and that runaway global warming was inevitable. He predicted that billions will die this century. A few days later came a less dramatic but equally alarming announcement. The stead and long-serving NASA climotologist James Hansen defied federal attempts to gag him and told reporters that the calculations about, among other things, the instability of Greenland's ice shelf showed "we can't let it go on another ten years like this." If we did? Over time the buildup of CO2 emissinos would "imply changes that constitute practically a different planet." Less than ten years to reverse course. Not our kids' lifetimes, or our grandkids'. Ours.....

He goes on to make several points including the idea that endless economic growth is build on the use of cheap fossil fuel, as China is demonstrating every day. So instead of asking "Will this make our economy larger?" (in this scenario the environmentalist seeks to cure the worst effects) we need to start asking "Will this pour more carbon into the atmosphere?

The hot weather, and situation with Israel, and the latest tsunami hitting Indonesia....I know people have thought this since Jesus returned to heaven, but it does feel like the last days could be in sight. But maybe my great-great grandkids will think that one day, too.