While history has pretty much absolved Nero of the dastardly act of 'fiddling while Rome burned' -- the violin wasn't invented until the 15th century -- the phrase has survived, and its meaning is clear: to neglect priorities during a crisis.
The modern crisis is global warming, and its latest evidence, clear navigation for the once eternally frozen Northwest Passage, has countries and corporations (bless their pecuniary hearts!) scrambling to capitalize on the new shipping lane.
Are we CRAZY? Are there people out there who actually listen to the claptrap spewed by Rush Limbaugh and the rest of the global warming naysayers? If we don't start thinking big picture soon, the third planet from the sun won't be included in it.
Canada wields the big stick here; because the gateway to the Passage sits in their territorial back yard, they can shut down this rush to plunder with some righteous environmental action -- and the U.S. could step up, too, by sweetening international trade pacts with the Canucks to help compensate for any 'benefits', however misguided, that are foreseen by the Limbaugh nutsos.
The Universe is watching, people; let's try to do the right thing, once!
Don't forget that the great Roald Amundsen, the famed South Pole explorer, was the first person to traverse the Northwest passage.
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