2024

The world feels a great sigh of relief now that 2023 will soon be gone. With the next breath, we wonder if the 2024 dragon will bring peace, prosperity and cover up all the losses, pains and calamities of 2023. From a materialistic and rationalistic viewpoint, the answer seems to be a cynical maybe. Those with religious beliefs and longings have a beautiful answer. With the grace of God, we can overcome all the hurts, fears and uncertainties. Doable? Yes!

The Dubai World Summit last November sent a message filled with hyped up slogans that we will reverse the bad effects of pollution, hotter weather, bigger and stronger storms, floods, ice storms, droughts. It also suggested that using oil and coal to power the world’s businesses and industry is over and that renewable cleaner sources like wind, tide, etc. will be the answer. When the Dubai Summit attended by more than 80 of the worlds’ nations ended, the world’s biggest exporters/sellers of oil which power the engines/generators of all cars, trucks, boats, planes, electric power plants said they will continue producing and selling oil.

However, as a sign of contriteness, regret and heroic sacrifice, they mournfully said they will cut in 2024 by 10% their production and sale of oil compared to 2023. If this is not greed and callousness, give me a new dictionary. The expected promise before the start of the Dubai Summit was disregarded. Instead, as if challenging the world weary victims of climate change and pollution who are gasping for clean air and water they are repeating lines from 2 films: Casablanca – Rick, “I stick my neck out for nobody” and Magnum 44 – Clint Eastwood’s “Go ahead make my day.” Somewhere, over the rainbow blue birds fly.

If tiny little bluebirds fly then why oh, why can’t I?