EKOS Communications, Inc.

As I stepped out of my car this morning, the wind pressed against my face like a moving wall of ethereal liquid. It interrupted my soliloquy of thought and consideration; its largesse surrounded and swirl-rounded me; like a fast-flowing-river around a stationary boulder (!). It was a vast, moving, corporeal wall that extended away above, like a rolling wave, and rolled over me as a pebble on the rushing creek bed. If I move into the wind, it is a head down, weight carrying, extra load experience that impedes forward progress. Dragging an anchor. However, when I move in the opposite direction, with the wind at my back, the wind lightens my steps and the movement is full sail ahead. Easy Breezy! Knowing which way the wind is blowing, the strength of the gale, or how the light breeze, as the case may be, is essential in terms of timing and “plotting a course”. At this point, the sailors among us will be nodding emphatically and, justifiably noting that while true, this is nothing new. And they are, of course right about this; for centuries the sea salts have been riding the wind with remarkable success. At the same time it is worth considering that, even in the heyday of international sailing transit, say the 17th and 18th centuries, even the best of them could be thwarted by a change of wind direction, even when they were within sight of home, they could be turned back and delayed for days or weeks, before finally touching the home shore. So, it is safe to say, that while knowing the way of the wind is necessary, it is not always sufficient. What then, is sufficient in terms of Navigation? Not so much the navigation of the seaward dinghy, although we have much to learn from the nautical navigation wizards, especially those who marked their position by sextant with celestial anchor points (!). But Navigation in terms of the sea of life. And, like the sailors of old, we must find our way also in times of duress and storm. Our biosphere, where we live breathe, and move, is floundering in a storm of a different sort. We must navigate successfully around the whirlpool of massive overpopulation, and through the tropical storm of human stupidity and greed. Not an easy task. And to plot a successful course, it is necessary to identify those factors that will seriously impact our navigation. Looking at any factor alone may not be sufficient. But when a number of key factors are considered cumulatively we open up the possibility of developing a more comprehensive understanding. For example, it is possible to test the direction and force of the wind, and it is even possible to predict the prevailing movement of the aerie sea around our lovely planet. But this information alone is not always sufficient for reliable navigation. We need to widen the circle of available information to include, for example, the location of reefs, the impact of tides and tidal currents, the location of shipping lanes, etc. The power to achieve comprehensive understanding, and especially to accurately anticipate and predict requires this type of preparatory situational analysis. I am hereby issuing forth a challenge and an invitation to any like-minded travelers who pass this juncture in cyberspace to join me in a quest to identify and articulate those situational and social factors that must be understood to navigate successfully in our beleaguered and overcrowded biosphere. I am going to attempt, through the use of poetry, prose, images and music (soundtrack) to convey moments and insights related to our beleagured, but still beautiful biosphere. The challenge I am issuing is in terms of contributing relevant material. The invitation is to participate vicariously by watching this process unfold in this juncture of cyberspace. I am concerned that those of us who are awake to the jeopardy we face, those who are also intelligent and sensitive, are suffering. We are facing a serious dilemma and bind in terms of the sustained rapier opportunism that is being loaded onto our beautiful Blue Planet. My intention is to create a cyberspace venue that showcases art, beauty, humor, and wit related to the Navigational challenges that we face. Watch this space…..