In Dakota Gentle Persuasion Works

Not a landslide victory yet, but persuasion rather than violence in North Dakota produces results

PERSUASION FOR INSECURE WRITERS & WORLD AT LARGE
Monthly IWSG Comfort Zone

In Dakota, peaceful protest works. Request by gentle persuasion to Obama Administration has resulted yesterday in action to re-route the Dakota Access Pipeline ——not across, under or through Sioux Tribal lands or the Missouri River—but ‘elsewhere’.

Patching Over the Past
Standing Rock victory is in great part due to cooperation from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who administer Missouri land owned by the federal government. They support peaceful suggestion of an alternative route.

While I may seem cynical to mention that Texas oil interests will not suffer, as Midland, TX last week prepared to bring in the big drills and fracking equipment to its newest discovery in the Wolfcamp shale oil and gas field; I prefer to believe that President Obama’s Administration denied further access in North Dakota for altruistic and environmental reasons. The last days of his presidency have been marked by sincere effort to reach out to historical enemies and patch over the past. Obama will be remembered/honored in the Orient because he apologized to Japan, while accompanying its prime minister to visit Pearl Harbor.

German Kanzler Angela Merkel holds Europe in the balance

A year has come and gone since the cluster of (enlightened) world nations agreed—in Paris during pre-Brexit-days of a United Europe—to work together more closely on world Climate emissions and future cooperative projects.

On the change in U.S. presidency, German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke to affirm her welcome of close cooperation with the United States, on the basis of

…democracy, freedom, respect for the law and the dignity of man, independent of origin, skin color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political views.

Our Future in Disarray?
These ‘conditions’ of a future relationship between U.S.A and Europe’s most successful nation are not lost on Oxford historian Sir Michael Howard, who described Merkel as speaking
—true to her Atlantic Charter heritage— as beneficiary of the special relationship forged by Roosevelt-Churchill, in 1941.

One might hope for a future alliance of nations. But Howard sees only doom and gloom—

Massive coronal hole—sunspot—curves towards Earth December 7th—watch out—solar wind incoming

“Brexit is accelerating the disintegration of the Western World”
Sir Michael Howard
Regius Professor of History,
University of Oxford

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, a “light magnitude” 4.3 Richter earthquake registered yesterday noon in the Petrolia volcanic fault, south of Ferndale, CA. Since seismologists liken this multi-faceted triple junction of the Gorda tectonic plate to its famous So.Cal. neighbor, the San Andreas Fault, in frequency and ferocity, other mini-aftershocks are expected.**

Yet this roller-coaster world is still turning. Thank you Angels, historians and philosophers.

What has all this to do with our (writing) inner child? we ask ourselves. Our sci-fi guru Alex J. Cavanaugh may have the answer. His newest CassaDawn was released yesterday. Congrats, Alex.

And, the rest of us IWSGers will just have to hang on to our hats. 😉

**postscriptum 12/08/2016 Mini shocks were expected—not major—off Ferndale, CA. Lo & behold, December 8th 8a.m. saw a crushing Mag.6.5 quake hit six miles below sea level due West of that quaint little town. People on their way to work swerved to a halt until the tremor passed. 🙂
©2016 Marian Youngblood