News and the wind

At last, Israel declares a cease-fire in Gaza. It's good news, though very late. More than 1,000 Palestinians dead, and 13 Israelis. This is hardly the end of this conflict, of course, but at least a small quiet in the storm for now. Go to the NY Times to read more about it: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/18/world/middleeast/18mideast.html?_r=1&h
Meanwhile, here in Oregon, the winds are battering east county, Portland, where I live. I walked outside, and the roar was like that of the ocean. It felt like I was being washed by the wind. Cleaned.
Obama mania is back on. We're all watching for inauguration day, for the historic moment. I am hopeful. A president that represents me as an immigrant, a president who understands the world because he has personal connections to it: a mother from Kansas, USA and a father from Kenya, a childhood in Hawaii and in Indonesia. This moment feels good, because Obama has been working hard, even though he's not president yet. I'm not ready to give him carte-blanche -- I don't know that we should give that to any politician -- but I think he has the smarts and sensitivity to do well for this country I live in. And here is the rest of it.