Abscence makes the heart grow fonder; distance provides prespective; power corrupts, absolutely power corrupts absolutely - Life's a garden, dig it.

All words of enormous philosophical traction.  And in keeping with the theme of distance provides prespective, I've been challenged, or have welcomed I should say, the challenge of learning while away.  Funny what you hear and what you hear that gives you reason to pause or if you're lucky, reason to question.

Sadly, smack in the middle of one of my favorite parts of the US comes a tragedy that, everyday, grows ever more amonous.  I was struck the other day by a report aired on Canadian Public radio about the impact the oil spill is having on the lives of those living in Bayou La Batre, AL.  As I do my morning due-dilegence, and comb the various news feeds, I started to get the impression that what was happening in the Gulf was strictly that