Don't watch TV

It is a gross waste of energy for there is nothing of any importance on it. Entertain your selves by engaging each other or creating something that dosen't require pollution or mountain top removal as is required to meet the continued demand for electricity.

So may people squable about what we can do. We have no choice; we must do everything possible and we must start now. We must share our lives to encourgae true sacrifice for the truth.

Turn off your TVs, then turn off your computers.

Andrew

Just when you don't expect it

I look forward to Solstice, it will be happy indeed.

Transcending

The Concept of Gandhi Flower was born through my studies of Mohandas Gandhi; how I wanted to carry on the living philosophy of "Be the Change You Wish to See in the World". Gandhi Flower is the blossoming of wisdom.

As a child of the 80's, raised on television, fast food, new cars/clothes/toys, and the idea of 'consuming for happiness', I come from the "American Dream" true and well versed. I have found no easy way to over come the addiction to comfort and convenience that goes hand and hand with a lifestyle of on-demand commodities. The stream of posts leading up to this one are a journal of my thoughts and attentions during the struggle with aligning my moral, theoretical and practical living. Perhaps the most important part, the beginning; my departure from collegiate, professional and personal commitments to cleanse my perspective will remain in the volumes of written poetry and journal entries in the little black books I so faithfully kept on hand in my travels. The summary of those days however would be simple: There is always balance, so you must always let go to maintain. I held on to too much and I had to work so hard to keep everything as it was; An unchanging world- this is not balance.

Transcending

The new adventure: Homesteading.

I will grow a garden to provide healthy food to the community. I will continue to play guitar, climb mountains, sail, cycle, write, paint and will continue to learn new things. I will always start in the garden, and I will always come back to the garden. I have far to go; I am without any means other than desire and my talent. I am drawn to the west (I am in the east currently) and I know very little about growing food, other than you need good soil, water and sun for it to work. Seeds too, you need seeds. And love

I start with nothing; Freedom.

poem ( frustrated prose)

I gotta admit
god dammit
truth paints the horizon sun rise, set
I gotta bet truth shines through eyeballs and testicles
it shines straight through the will of man!

I got a woman
I got a famine inspiration to make something dirty
to grow from the abused "bitch mother fucked earth exploding"
mountains crumbling into valleys, for what? TELEVISIONS!
I got a woman all day long
in the garden, singing songs to make kale grow, garlic
Dreams too, like seeds in the soil
you need water, proper PH and love, man
you need love too

broken record;

hippy;

tree hugging loving mothers all over the

earth; the earth

I don't know man, your a beggar without pockets
your always gonna want with that need
find a woman
grow a garden
live your breath
die in real life

I got drunk and never stopped drinking
I got laid down and never got up
come, lie down beside me
in this garden we can both grow
on this mother we can both sew a seed
Ripped and twisted; my memory
gone from blue sky to brown
"you see only the bad things andrew"
Well I can't see through them, teacher
making me learn to look the other way

I got a woman
left me the dirt and I grow on with her famine inspiration; mother Love

breathing

"The task of education, understood in a spiritual sense, is to bring the soul-spirit into harmony with the temporal body. Of all the relationships humans have to the physical world, the most important is breathing. " -Rudolph Stiener on Waldorf Education

It is the foundation of any spiritual based philosophy, breathing. It is the constant, vital bodily intake of the nurturing world; the very connection to life. Eating and drinking too, but they require a sense of the self, breathing is 'automatic'.

In studying fear/stress, a basic response is a swallowing of breathing which results in the "grips of fear" or the reactionary tendencies and fatigue of the over stressed. Breathing is physical as well as soulful, it s in many cases, meditative breathing is only therapy needed and a crucial element to long term health. In climbing, a night and day contrast exists between climbing with mindful breathing and typical thoughtless huffing. Thought too benefits greatly from deliberate breathing, in many cases reaching a conclusion that the subject itself is unworthy of much though if any; the present is far more deserving than the supposed details of this or that. Most things seem to be more of a distraction to living than a requisite, after some even breaths.

In writing poetry, or, prose rather, I find a purer form manifests. However, I must ask a question: In a free write, is it a main-line connection to ego, or the opposite? Does one remove the conscience from the path of the ego, allow it to run amuck and spew words of deeply rooted self satisfaction?For a long time I have thought the only way to something pure (free of the ego) was through free write; in the very moment of inspiration, like an animal, hungry for the food before him; no thought, just action.

In looking back, these products have provided the most satisfaction to me for I marvel at the tangible themes, plucked from the either. Pride kills in the mountains, and ego delivers us to the exact spot. I've never been pretentious in what I've climbed, only the manor in which I did; making my way safely, understanding the risks and being able to understand and teach the process. Writing is the opposite, I can;t Begin to say why free writing feels better and seems to yield a stronger emotional work, at least for me.

I don't know really whats to come of art, but it seems the more cerebral it becomes the better chance for corruption and coercion.

Cello Joe

Good music, if you don;t already know: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=180017

Fourth Amendment

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures"

I was not so lucky. Walking through downtown Baltimore with my guitar and djembe, both in cases, I was on my way to a gig when I was stopped by police. I'm a professional musician, meaning I get paid on occasion, to play my songs in bars and other establishments and on the night in question I was going to make $100 and get a free dinner; a good gig for a solo musician.

Much of the music I write is about this world and the way things are: irresponsible consumption, war for more, social apathy. It was no surprise a that I should be arrested for standing up for my fourth amendment right to lawful search.

I had no reason to avoid being search; wasn't drunk, stoned or in possession of anything illegal. I was well dressed and happy to be going to play music. The police yelled from their car for me to "show them my guitar". Politely and with sincerity I told them I had to get to work.

When they stopped me I told them I had done nothing wrong and I was a musician going to play a gig; in the cases were instruments. I respectfully answered all their questions: where is your gig, what time, and so on. This was not good enough. They wanted I.D. and to search my bags. Keep in mind, I was walking downthe sidewalk in broad daylight, just like you. I simply repeated myself. They became angry and said they would arrest me if I didn't cooperate. I simply said I would not resist, but I would not cooperate in the stripping of my rights guaranteed under the constitution. I was a fool.

I was put in jail for 12 hours. I was not fed and I obviously never made it to the gig, so I missed out on getting paid.

The charges were dropped, as if that is any consolation. They had no choice but to drop the charges; I had done nothing wrong.

That is the country you live in. It is not getting better, at least for the innocent.

You can blindly judge me and think I did something that warranted being put on the ground, stood on by three police, cuffed so tightly that my left thumb was numb for a week; something other than telling them I loved them but they were wrong and peacefully standing up for your and my rights. You can think that and never know me, but like those police officers, you would be wrong.

Freedom is more burdensome than any career. When is the last time you stood up for yours?

Love, good food, peace, growth

poem

trickle sunlight
grow garlic in your bathtub
Treat your neighbor to your dreams; share

You shine, dreamer
I feel your love
I feel skin to sun to mine and know:

I feel love pure
Books say sinner
but who writes books
I close my eyes
I feel you
I feel love

Tell me the color of the sun
tell me the wind blows to spin turbines:

Just to electrify your desire?

I'll laugh right in your face teller
and with a grin you might tell me to die
Wisher, gone over the top
giver, put under by greedy hands
greedy hand, holding nothing; fist
greedy fists maintain facades
material bliss quits kisses from true love:

Sorry if I love e-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y

I'll love you to, killer creature

spell c-o-s-m-o-s
spell g-o-d
write a word in any language
But words; abstractions to steal action
and the real love becomes many distractions

I can live cosmos
and I can live god

I can love everybody

Humbly, I write poetry
call out "talkers"
put words in the wind
The seeds I sew
grow

the oceans of emotion

surfers claim connection, ride the wave purely with soul. sailors take the wind that is given and ask for nothing more, they are the founders of new worlds. Climbers leave behind any sense of safety to find a deeper sense of connection. Even on a bicycle you become the action and the distractions drip away in each drop of sweat. In the midst of all these expressions, emotions come and go. I find, when dormant, emotions tend to stick around, sometimes alittle too long.

Yoga would be the living and breathing manifestation of the the essence of these expressions. It too would provide one with the ability to be as a tree; rooted in the real earth and giving of its self to the wind and soil that is grows from. Without such a presents in one's life, adrift upon an ocean they might feel.

I have cried recently at the though of my mother's passing. And I have lied sleepless at the though of a woman. This is evidence enough, that I need a stronger connection to yoga; to living and breathing action.

I have traveled more than most in the past few years. and this in a way, deadens me to the typical enjoyments or entertainments most find satisfaction in. Boredom, as it were, is the fertile ground for innovation. I feel my soul; the fire of Aries burns hotter than before. I come full circle with a new direction, I spiral to the earth to climb again and begin a life of growing my sustenance; I create music and grow my ideas with new colors.

I planted some garlic to day in a pot. This is my purpose, now small and soon to grow to a bed; a row; and field. I suppose we are all seeds and growing is what we do best.

Peace, Love, Good food, Growth.

Horse

There has been a few times of connection with the horses. I think it was my breathing and resolve to motion; very deliberate and relaxed. I would say this, its a difficult role, to be a 'keeper' of a living thing. I can feel a guilt at assigning roles to these horses, whom I can say from even just four days observing and interacting them, they have very distinguished character and a very impressive common sense available to them; it is almost a reverence I feel due to their incarceration and beauty. I also guess the young ones must be born with a rather high level of intelligence in order to survive. Though it may not be expressed as openly as the adults I've seen very keen observations on the part of the phillies and very clear communication, such as "hey, look at this, you forgot to lock the gate" as she makes a clatter with the loose chain. Its not often you can say your are deliberately taught by another species, what you need to do. IF birds only understood air pollution.

I don't mean to say anything against a horse farm just as I don't to a rock climber or nascar driver; we all have a passion of equal value, it is in our perspectives that there is a varying level of objectivity, or, observation. A horse farm is a good thing but I can;t imagine the expense of operating a large one with all the provisions to provide a great life to the animals. I can see myself, if I could reason with the dilemma of slavery/companion, with one, or even three horses. I think caring for more would require me to have a ranch and earn money off of them somehow which would offend the slavery issue. But one horse on the fringe would be a reasonable thing.

I am told of BLM horse auctions, Wild Mustangs. These horses are taken out of the 'wild'. OF course due to sprawl development there is not adequate land for a natural sized population to roam, hence the auctions are used to maintain numbers based on remaining land. The thought of adopting a wild horse to keep wild sounds like the best option for the slave conscious.

Would you want a Mare

It is also clear that to maintain a "good relationship" both the horse and the human must respect each other's space and needs. A horse must feel secure around you and be willing to coexist. You must provide an appropriate level of predictability for the horse, and the horse must not run away when you come close. I find every new encounter with the same horse requires an 'initiation' of sorts. I have only been working around horses for a handful of days so that alone is an issue; how well to they know me? How else could I 'introduce' myself and communicate to them I mean no harm then to establish the protocol and see to it we both follow.

In my case, I need to audibly communicate more with them to keep them aware of my presents. I do this around the mares when they're out or their pens. They are walking free all around you, running by and quietly coming up behind you to observe. What happens if you mistakenly sneak up behind one? I don't have any experience doing so and I can't imagine one could amass much. When I'm with the Stallions and they're in their pens, I sometimes fall into a routine of walking by the pens not introducing my walking by and mistakenly startle one of the guys. It's only the young one and the rescued one. The others seem to be very confident, and patient, almost knowing sooner or later I'll "behave".

Where is the line between "breaking an animal" and teaching them how to work together? I felt too guilty owning a car, how could I own a live creature such as a horse, a very smart creature capable of living without my help, a long and productive life? I should learn more about earth cultures such as the native americans to see how they regarded and treated these animals of utility or means.

poem

Oh, a sunset
keep falling
oh, the love i feel
the rain and wind
keep falling
A leaf in the rain can mimic
Leaves can talk
trees in the rain
keep falling, again and again
Now mountains too
Still, for you and your need for television
Keep falling for reason why its better to
or, there is no better so don't even try
Keep falling
the air and the height
The fear and the resolution
Keep falling, as water there's nothing else

And as for the ground, take root
Grow again

West: up, Up, down

though the sun shine clearly, there are times when cloud obscure the light. to the moment, I finally have let go of an old aversion, that towards weakness.

This manifests in sharing and that is something I've not been very good at for some time. As expected though, when you "undo something" there is a sort of temporary unbalance created as everything up to the point of change was based on the previous condition. If you build a house out of wood, and then realize you wana build it out of adobe, well, the house must come down.

I feel there is a lesson learned, again and again: build from the ground; let yourself fall from such contrived heights, let go of the falsehood of the self. We are neither perfect or all-knowing, but we are indeed the only one who knows, sees and does as we, each one, does. My feel was of mediocrity, how silly. From my finger print to my footprints across the desert, I , we each are unique in our existence, and bound to one source. we are many expressions of the same energy. I celebrate this.

I let the cleaved off parts of my personality nurture the roots of my being.

On the state of things worldly

Its me who does nothing to solve problems. Its me who merely talks and has yet to walk. It is me who needs to listen to the words of wisdom. I go to work on myself, inspired by the phoenix song bird that I witnessed rise from the mud despite my infectious weakness. Her song is now her life, requiring all senses to hear and feel. I will look from afar for the light she casts is bright indeed.

With my life; my misery; my love and joy, onward to beauty beyond and the next breath.

Awake to the dawn

Amid the world, there is but one place that each of us holds. Among the masses we are but one, individually wrapped soul bouncing off the others. What of this wrapping? I look through the wasteful packaging walking down the isles of the local grocery store, is the body such to the Divine as they shop the cosmic shop for a planet to create? Silly thought. But I do revel in this packaging, and I do see it as such for a time like today clearly shows the contents within are not the same as the image of the container.

To the wearer of make-up: Wake Up, shine the inner beauty and find the complementary container your seek with your contents. The put on make-up if you so desire to express the soul. And to myself and those like me: Let the confidence catch up, stick with something; any of the beautiful things/ideas you've been ahead of for so long.

(concludes the fortune cookie portion of this post)

I"ve put my boat, the Nita Jacqueline, on "the hard" as they say. She sits floating in the air, sturdy still resting upon her keel and stands. So concludes my inaugural year of being a sailor, and to my credit (toot-toot), I didn't sink or suffer any serious damage due to negligence.

I did more than just jump off the deep end, a practice I've been working on for a few years now, but I pioneered, or, cleared the over-growth from an old path rather.

The arts of the sailor are many, and the skills I've collected as a carpenter, mechanic, climber, rigger and even artist have all helped to provide me with a good head start. I chose to get rid of my motor in favor of continuing a morally sound baseline lifestyle. There is no way around it, purchasing and burning gas for "fun" is bullshit (whom ever find offence, talk to your conscience, I speak the truth the truth). This presents a few challenges, especially to the novice seaman, namely docking/navigating in tight spots in calms -or- high winds.

At the dock, rarely will you see a sailboat softly sailing into or out of her slip, or being boat-hooked to a point where sails can be hoisted. There is no reason to motor a sailboat except that all-American condition of "Aversion to Discomfort". I am proof that, it is not a difficult thing to dock and shuv-off under sail, or skull with the rudder for I am a novice and have been doing motor less sailing for 6 months.

I was a little (a lot) nervous at first, well, for a while actually. But each time I mad good decisions in the beginning and despite my perception I always ended up with a nice smooth approach and docking. There were times I was frantic, bystanders must of been confused; to see a sailboat gracefully and without a sound drift up to the dock, with her captain running about with dock lines and fenders falling about. I still remember the motor, how on two occasions: I one fell in the water trying to stop her at the slip, and two, stalled the motor before I could put it in revers to slow the boat at the dock, having no choice but to jump ashore and cleat her, slamming her bow into the dock.

Under way, she was kind to me, and sailed as the wind itself. She is a fine boat and a finer home still. I spend this winter on projects to return her to a fully worthy bluewater boat. And I look to the southern waters of a new experience and the continuation of my living adventure.

There goes the last moment in a string of moments past, and yet still more to come; chances for change come and go. I, among the thoughtless crowds of the Fells Point Festival, one of many displaced by the type of materialistic riff raff the congregate at such events. I was threatened by someone claiming to be part of the Living Classrooms Foundation to move my boat. In my place was 60 foot catamaran named "Executive". True poetry: Small, humble boat ousted by "big business". My love prevailed; I left the aged crew to their bubble.

I haul out the famous nameless blue Bristol 27, which will have a name come april. I set out to spend the winter working towards a few things: returning my boat into a fully seaworthy condition, record a album, travel to the mountains and play in the snow and to grow closer and to support my mother in her living while she deals with cancer.

I will be living once again in the home that I grew up in. I've been away from my family for some time, even having been back in Maryland for six months of so. I will live under the same roof as my mother and step father. It will be difficult but due to my nature, may be the last time I will have to spend with my mother. At least, it will be a chance to know her as she has become, as we all grow until we die. she has been growing too, and I have either forgotten or need to she her in her present light to grow the relationship between a mother and her son.

I will like to once and for all, celebrate all the gifts I have; all the people who are present in my life who do let me drift away to the sea of dispare. I'm a needy person, this is no secret. I walk these days with the words from a friend: "You deserve love". I continue the opening of my heart

In the wind

Three days in the bay, vague breezes to blow you over bursts, cool nights and beautiful sunsets. The life written about, I find it each day and see the breath taking scenery when I depart modern life.

My boat, even with all its problems has yet to show any signs of weakness. It inspires me to go further beyond the line drawn by our anti-adventure mainstream ethic; I like not knowing whats going to happen. My guitar does too as the songs I write continue to span the full gamut of genre. If I had a studio I could actually product the songs I hear. I will whole heartily settle for six strings aboard a crudely outfitted sailboat. My molodica also provides the sound.

I practicing my breathing I find always it works to make something happen. Strange; fantastic, I know, but I can't ignore that at times when the winds quits, and I gain presents of mind and begin to breathe, the wind starts, not once but yesterday, every time within two or three breaths. Other times the effect is internal, which is a funny concept when everything is one thing; forever and always connected through shear energy, but it releases a feeling a peace and without trying, I smile. So breathing is my yoga, my connection to, ultimately, the sun from which I come.

Evolve light, to shine through any medium, and be seen by any measure. What other than light, what other than energy can claim to be, always it is every was. Cosmic furniture of the antique variety.

To the Trees

Wana know what this life is for? Go for a walk: Thats IT! Yes, simple really, life is for you to live. It gets complicated when you begin to need things and worse, want. After a while we begin to confuse needs and wants and fins ourselves in a real pickle. War is a product not of the militairy, but of the wants and needs of us (we). There is no excuse to kill for something we want. And as far as needs, we've gone so far over-board on wants that we need so much more to cover our needs that we must take more from others.

Enough of that. If you were intreged by the title 'Gandhi Flower' you must have a pretty good idea of the roots of war. This is about celebration; "To the Trees".

Air is one of the needs I would like to focus on here. It is the co-title holder of the most important needs of us (we), water being the other. The first step in "change" is bringing an end to the current ways we do things, like using public transit instead of privatly owned cars. It will take YOUR BEST EFFORT, no one else. When a country changes it happens from the gorund up, meaning , people in their individual lives and communities will do things differently.

Television is an esy one, get rid of it. spend more time outside; thinking; meditating; exercising; conversing; playing games; cooking; creating; etc. You must seek out the ways in which you can do more of the work currently being done by consuming energy, or, by abandoning practices that undermine the philosophy of conservation, peace, and sustainablilty. The short of it is, you must lessen your consumption of energy. You, no one else.

The Plan: for the positive

For those who have stepped back and have begun to see the reality of this system, here is my humble "Plan" to continue:

Step one: Do Not Make Any Plans. Simply go to where ever it is you want to go. Don't worry if you don't know if you'll like it; thats rational and should not prevent you from having an adventure. Many people never realize the truth of who they are. They spend a lifetime toiling away, maintaining who they think they are. The most comforting thing is mortality, you don't have to worry about being wrong, just be a good person and follow the first dream that pops up.

Know Money: This stuff is like a rain jacket: When you have it you can go out in the rain whenever you want, when you don;t you can go out in the rain whenever you want. You need food and water and sleep and sex according to the primordial needs. Money is a means to these ends. With a wise lifestyle, the amount of money you'll need is easily maintained by seasonal work. Seasonal work is like a vacation where you do lots of chors, and get paid. Ask a river guide, camp consular, etc. If you got no car, you got more money than you'd know what to do with.

Know yourself: The only advice here is, don't fool yourself. You will not learn who you are at college; work; a foreign country. You will only learn who you can be under specific pressure, but you will not learn about who you are. You must go somewhere quiet and pure. For me, the deserts and mountains of the western US have help me begin the discovery of myself/the world (the same thing really)

Be humble: Don't think I'm not, that would be presumptuous and self righteous. I'm 'sharing' my experience of travel and adventure and one fact is that we are all the same before we "create ourselves". by the same, I mean when you are hungry, someone else is hungry too; when you are sad, someone else is sad too. The difference is the reason why. We're lucky, many are not and it is only those like us who can make this world a better place, and we can't do it by over indulging. They lifestyle you live is the only way you can effect the world, voting, buying "green", no impact. Lifestyle.

To suffer is to know the depths of love. The balance is welcoming both suffering and love into your heart. Whit balance you will have all you ever need. When you have all you need you must go on an adventure or you will go crazy and end up with more pointless material than you can imagine.

Peace, Peace, Peace: Live for this, its simple. We live for war, or, we work for it. Peace is achievable only if you believe it is, and then set out to speak it, walk it, live it.

One suffers, many flourish.

Tradition: Proof of Slavery

Evolution is a natural thing. We see in everything from single celled organisms to the behaviour of mammals proof that if a thing is left free to exist and subjected to the changes of environment it will evolve (or perish). 'Left to exist free'.

We, as a culture engage in the same social events (football/baseball, sixteenth birthday, 12 years of school, etc) ever since they were introduced. There are some exceptions, but we have not evolved as a society.

This is evident when we see current events and the modern problems we face, all caused by irresponsible consumption. When we look at tradition we can see a direct connection to culture action and modern problems. Why have we not changed? Simple, we are not "free".

Many will argue: "I like football", or, Covering my face with chemicals and spending more money than I make on clothes, cars and furniture is fun". I like sex, yet I refrain from engaging when it isn't appropriate. Is it beyond the realm of possibility that at some point, spending millions to play a game of football (all the private automobiles, electricity, garbage, etc) will be inappropriate? Say, if there was a war, and that war was, among other reasons, for oil/energy, would consuming that energy for fun be, how should I say this, insensitive? Some would say its heartless and completely void of reason, but they don't waste their time on words, they're busy in the garden.

Tradition is much like an anchor around the neck for it stands fast despite the changing in the wind. We are ignoring a few things, indeed. When you take a step back, unstrap yourself from all the material you work 40 hours/week; 50 weeks/year; 40 years of your life (more than half, or all of the life your natural health provides); when you look at it all, you will see a silly situation: people creating problems with their every step; people who forgot humility and push on blindly to the signs in the street that the facade is begining to look foolish as the blood spills and pollution builds; people who think freedom includes a thing like the patriot act and daily infringements of innocent people's rights here, there, EVERYWHERE. Money is a special thing. I hope its worth it.

My growth

I am realizing I put my frustration into the things I do. Instead of letting go, I express the negative in my attempts to reach out. I have accepted the opaqueness of this American Evolution; the lack of truth in direction. I still engage in discussions or arguments rather, where there are two people standing on speculation or media based opinion. I feel most times a fool.

I do sense bigotry in many opinions and have a hard time not responding to it. I try to rase questions to expose the absurdity of this blind hope. IF money makes the world go round, whats going on with the money?

I don't know whats going on. A war for more still rages and most are worried about the economy. there is a direct connection between these, I just don't know what it means for you or me. The bo0ttom line is we are seperated on many fronts, and those fronts are largely supported by opinions. I know most of all, we need to stand together, we need to be humble and accept we need everyone's help to change this country and move on to a brighter day.

Radical is the way to change. In time though, change will occur no matter what we think. Change will find us either aware of still doing the same things.

A new hope

Hope for change
sit at home: hope
stop the game
strain the senses to believe
Look at the picture of reality
never look at the sun
see the poster of how it is
never see it for what it is
dream america
its gona be a long night
sleep in your apathtic slumber
drift in you war time blissful restuant dinner
drive to the moon and pave space
take the change from a coffee cup give it to a homeless one
take the change from a beer and give to the coffee shop
do it like you have always done: thats change

That we believe there are many kinds of love is the greatest injury to humanity. To believe we are defined by our differences and to commit murder, either by hand, tax or patriotism is the natural result of disconnection to the one love that existed long before words, or, the concept of Gods. When we can look at our brothers and see their suffering as something disconnected from our hearts; that we aren't suffering too, we have lost love. When we see not the connection of our hearts to our hands and ignore the connection between our hands and the actions that cause the suffering of our brothers and sisters, we have become a shade of the monochrome color of oppression.

Green. A color of trees and myriad flora the world over. It is being used to justify the destruction of the world. The Green movement was hatch in a system of brutish capitalism and therefore disconnected to the true nature of conservation. Capitalism is consumption. So long as our system is maintained as is we will continue to cause irrevocable damage to our life-support systems (air, water, land). We must break the trend of Money first, everything else second or suffer as any other species that ignores nature.

I can not find a reason to support the cause amid such indefference; if I was bleeding on the street people would judge me by my clothes. If I was speaking about the solutions I wouild be labeled worng because of my grammer. I can find a reason to be the change; to abandon all of this for the sake of connect to the world as it is benith the sun, not throught he eyes of capitalism. That means I see clear cause to remove myself from your world as it ignores my suffering; our suffering.

I don't mean to say we have it worse than the sudan, or the middle east, I mean to say we're all one, and when we allow others to suffer for our bliss we condem our children to live in a world that resents them. It is a sad day when we can not break the trend of slavery; when we can't see our freedom has been placed second to money.

I cannot tell you what to do. I can say this only: If you are doing the same thing you were doing yesterday, and if you refuse to see the lack of change in our culture, you are a slave conditioned to believe lies.

What do we do? Well, it only takes "We" to be the change. I must admit, I don't what is going on today, and I no longer wish to discuss and argue about whats going on. I want to sit down and do nothing until the momentum behind this dies off and then we can see whats going on. I don't want to speak out of ignorance any longer, I want to wait for the truth. I don't want to put energy into a system of currption any longer, I want to wait for the truth. I will do my best to provide for myself and allow this system to do the same; support itself without the energy of me. This is its weakness; it can't support itself and we need only ignore it and provide for ourselves to change once and for all this modern slavery and world-wide suffering in the name of the greedy.

One thing this system needs to maintain itself is revolution. This is why we must refrian from engaging in "Re-Evolution" and once and for all evolve beyond this 2000 year old scheme.

God:Truth;Material:Love

Left, rigth, political party bullsht

There is one fact we all will probably agree on: we don;t know fro sure what is going on with our country. This is important for when we engauge in discussions we are arguing and supporting foundationless points. We are building social walls out of bullshit.



I am a passionate person; I talk loud and get excited. I am a man, weak and beautiful. I am tempered by the road, thousands of miles in a car, thousands of miles on a bicycle, thousands of miles on mountain trails and ridges. Oh yea, I went to university too. I learned how and where to look to understand something. Of all the things I"ve been accused of, and found guilty, it has never been that I"m wrong. I am passionate about things I know and love, fault me for this but you must see it as a sad man's attempt to arouse your passion and love for the life we are deprived of.



I have decided that to converse about the issues surrounding the failings of our system is a waste of time as we know not the facts other than for as long as we can remember, polititions have been lying about much of whats going on. I also feel, to engage in foundationless discussions is a good way to prevent common understanding and increase the disorganization among the people. Change has always come from people working together and the first ingreadent in working together is a common goal followed by the many ponits of orginazion. Discussions of void of fact prevent all of these things.



The questions remains: IF we need to change a s country, why are we still doing the same things we've done for the past fifty years? Anthropogentic Global Warming, War for More, Pollution of Air and Water; these are all consequences of irresponsabile consumption/lifstyle. It does no good to argue over consequences as it only serves to distract us from addressing the cause. And when we look back we can see for a long time the public has been devided by many different lines. Today the lines have gotten thicker and this is where we must start; we must come together under the name of sameness

The drifting surf

upon the harbor waters I rest upon my boat, tied to the bulkhead carrying out maintance tasks from a never ending list. I've been docked for two weeks now, most of that time waiting for two small parts that would save me $120 and restore the Nita Jacqueline to her sturdy sailing status. She is complete and now I have more land-based projects, namely, Balance the Bucks.

There is always something between us and where we want to be. Today it is playing music at the Sylvan Theatre in the shadow of the Washington Monument and sing a few songs about change from the perspective of a traveler with a diverse background. I bring the message, tried and true: Be the change you wish to see in the world. None of the "change you can believe" stuff.

I will be busy promoting this show, everyone will as we have no sponsors. You can't paly the game of greed and speak for and end to it, Del Goldfarb understands this. He's been paying for this out of pocket and doing everything personally. Small change from the norm, but paramount in meaning. There will be no signage from beer, car, or cleaning product companies. Just music from the soul to the ear hole.

After this I will be spending time with my mom, who is dealing with a cancer that has begun to advance. I will find a slip for my boat and be spending time in the house I grew up.

Being the same as you, I hope your adventures reach the horizon, and your dreams grow to the sun.

On the positive

The dreams of we. The imaginative perception we have of reality. This alone is proof we can handle the actions needed to be the change.

Truth is positive and therefore we must stand sturdy on step one: Reduce Consumption. Many problems we currently commit massive resources to will simply disappear once we become more responsible in our consumption. In fact, we have no idea how easy change is if we act rationally.

Who am I?

I am like most; I enjoy going out to restaurants and bars; I love to go to concerts and on trips; I've attended University; served in the Air Force; owned cars and have bought new clothes for no real reason. I have limited, if not cut these out of my live. There simply is no option, we must reduce our consumption.

How?

It requires two things: Knowledge and Imagination. Albert said: I simply imagine it and set out to prove it. He was wise. You too, can be wise through your actions. I would suggest taking you television and setting it on the curb. Doesn't that sound easy?

We cannot change by doing the same things, that is silly and crazy as putting the auto industry on life support. Think about this: The Air you breathe, the Water you drink. We must take that a little more serious than we do currently. Reduce.

Reduce, Reuse. Recycle garbage, and the point is to stop making garbage. IF you stop using it, they will stop making it. Again, IF YOU STOP USING IT THEY WILL STOP MAKING IT. All together now IF YOU STOP USING IT THEY WILL STOP MAKING IT.

I read T.S Elliot as I wait for this coffee shop computer to sputter through the "add-on programs" and other at large speed sappers. It is poetry, that is, these computers. We develop such technology, capable of easing the burden of this or that. But in a thoughtless culture, to implement something like the Internet, always ends up increasing the dislocation between the individual and the moment. I have decided I like books better than computers.

People too, I like them like clouds; though sometimes I want sun or a bluebird sky, the occasional puff of vapor adds just the right amount of random beauty that makes each day unique. Like a computer though, many people seem to run the same program, and are bogged down with many distractions from the main task.

Many will argue what the primairy role of a person is, as if it was something we had a choice in. Yes, we decide what to wear, who to sleep with and what school to graduate from, but we still do the same as any other homo sapien sapien: justify our existance. This is a requirnment to any organizim that departs from the natural world; they must creat a purpose.

I once read a book of philosophy, or, western thought, that challenged the need for purpose. The auther stated that life itself was reason enough; to be alive is purpose enough to exist. This plays upon the simple beauty of being. I find distraction in goals as they tend to seperate the seeker from the reason they are alive; taking for granted that life is not a garrentee and that through their actions they serve to require the siffering of others.

To the one who believes someone will always be suffering: May you eat your words.

Yes, as the Buddah in you will say, "Suffering in the basic condition of life". It cannot be avoided. It is the exploitation and persicution that can be, only through the will of the individual to seperate their existance from these wholly dispicable lifestyles. A North American is the oppressor of the world. Even more, we are chained to our roll, making us more like slaves than a "free" people.

A word about Freedom

With power comes responsibility, the word freedom should be difined by both 'power' and 'responsibility'. If we are free, then how do we express our responsibility? Going to work for 40 years? Paying taxes? If we go into detail of the real-world implications of these we find at step one or two, contridiction. When we turn tail from condriction (things that undermine freedom) we sluff on our responsibility. Remember the American revolution? That is wat it took then to be free. What is it today?

Our president is perhaps the "saviour" some claim. But he is in a system that has murdered presidents for going overboard on being responsible to freedom. The best Obama could do is open the door for the people to stand up. Governments don't change countries, people do. this is a law of nature and a constant in history.

Freedom is important, but it is much more difficult to maintain than slavery. As individuals, it is easier to be oppressed; enslaved for we are not responsible for our needs. The consumate American will say "I go to work to earn for the things I need". I say yes you do, like a cotton picker went into the field to aviod a beating. If you don't go to work, you will suffer the same as any slave.

I don't argue that we should be aloud to do nothing and enjoy the fruits or another's labor, remember I am opposed to the American Republic that has exploited poor people the world over. I mearly propose that when we have a problem, we don't solve it with bombs. We shoudl all work to the fullest of our abilities, to benefit the community. Whenever we find ourselves justifying murder/war as a means to benefit the community, we must step back and see just how big our community is. War is a means to erase the oppisition; it is a declaration of superioruty. I am right about what I say, but it is not what I say that makes me right, it is because I will not murder you to be right mearly by the absence of your view. Ah, America.

Nothing is wrong with one community being a stranger to another, its called "cultural diversity". Confict will arise no matter how well aquanted a people are with another. This is why the subject of "Conflict Resolution" is a very good one to require at all levels of education. Many are quick to say "War is Natural" and yes, to an oppresive regiem marked by a superiority complex and poor education, war will naturally be the means employed to resolve conflicts. "Pre-emptive strikes" I think was the actions of this country. On the playground we call that starting a fight. War is not natural, conflict is. There are 5 ways to resolve conflict, war is one and is a means of brute force. Sophistocation America?

Aw, shame on me. All these posts, always the same point. I"ll try to "lighten up". I'll try to ignore the war too. Yea, that'll sure hasten change. And whats the big deal anyway? No of this matters, right? Or it does, that why we drop bombs in cities where babies sleep. Ah, america. What business do we have telling anyone else how to run a country?

Peace and love and cereal boxes

"Cash for Clunkers" Great! Change you can belive in! More investing in the auto industry. How hopeful! With love: YOU FOOLS!

heavy weather

Sailiong back into the Inner Harbor, Baltimore MD, I encountered two major thunder storms just after passing the Key Bridge. The first prooved to be just strong enough to prevent me from sailing my intended course, but forced me to hold my ground by tacking back and forth in a small zig-zag. The rain was intense and the wind was in the 30mph.

The second storm was more intense, forcing be to stop sailing all together, drop sails and let the boat take care of herself. She did very well, and being in such close proxcimity of the Keu bridge gave me a good point of reference to judge the habbit of the boat lying ahull: she acted as if anchored!

Thougn My experince was outstripped, the mistakes that got the best of me would of ruslted in a torn head sail. I was prepaired to navigate throught the bridge after drippong all sail but the need was washed away with the stubborne behavior of her full keel in the conditions.

I still have much worry about heavy weather, but I know at least the boat I trust can handle it.

Strong women make the sailor go round the world.

To the Love

Still, few understand it is they who must change; it is the American Life-style that is the culprit and it is the American individual that is the promise and hope, but only through individual actions. I don't mean we are each one, alone and must isolate ourselves, to the contrary. We must take individual action and do so in the thick of our culture with encouragement and a clear message: This system is rotten, completely, and we must grow a new one from the roots.

Recycling

There was a time when the call for conservation was a three-part harmony: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. This is a hierarchy,based on effective conservation. The options to rearrange, or drop a step are not available; anything less is waste.

Today, after 30 years, recycling is common even if not practiced by everyone. what happened to step one? Why did we single out recycling? One might think it to be the most effective step of the "Three R's" but in fact it is the least. To recycle a bag, bottle, or other disposable product requires lots of transportation and processing, which is, despite the reason to recycle in the first place, highly consumptive in nature. And before we can boast the energy savings and reduction in pollution associated with making grocery bags, aluminum cans and plastic bottles out of recycled materials we must face the fact that these products are designed to be used once and sent back through the recycling process. This is not conservation but a clearly capitalistically motivated process.

Nothing is wrong with capitalism just as nothing is wrong with Communism or any other social system, they are tools for organizing and carrying out society. As tools, it is the manor in which they are wielded that can be scrutinized and deemed workable or otherwise. This form of capitalism is beneficial only to the rich, the rest of us are forced to work the majority of our lives for reasons presented under false pretences. IF there was truth to this system, why would a football player make more money that a school teacher/college professor/doctor? Why would parents be forced to leave their children at very early ages to people, who among other things, do not love the child? Yes, all arguments are ended when we look at education and the dwindling investment our country makes to the future of our children.

You can't send your taxes to the same people that buy bombs to solve problems and expect them to take education seriously. You must not take my word for it, you must look for yourself. Try calling your local government office and ask questions about important issues. Follow that up with your own research, like when you were in college, that's to say work for knowledge. I would be interested to know if you received that same prefabricated, highly calculated response that sheds no new light on already grossly neglected issues.

All arguments stop when we look at the treatment of information. From the media (yes, even NPR and John Stewart) to the EPA, and all other official channels of information there is a lack of factual information. Spin has become the focus and the quality of information has become sacrificial in the name of continuity; keep'em working. The product of all of this is apathy, and the result of that is continued increase in the severity of issues. The house is on fire, and your in the kitchen trying to get the dishes done before the fire department comes over. Don't forget to vacuum the living room.

Peace and Love are actions; Be the change

Ladies and gental man, sell your motors

Aboard my boat there is no means of propulsion other than the wind and me. A sail boat as it was meant to be: Use it with wind. I am glad to have further liberated myself from the fossil-fuel addiction. I've been sailing for a week now with no motor; dropping anchor, docking and cruising. Today is sailed in some heavier weather, 15-20 knot winds I would guess. Waves were 3-4 feet. Under a double reefed main and large storm jib, I made my way steadily. It felt good to burst that cherry and begin to know how my boat, and I do when the wind begin to BLOW. The waves in the bay shouldn't get much bigger but the winds can. I still have more to learn if I'm to keep afloat.

This is one of the hardest things I've done, single-handing a 27' sailboat. I can't say I have a firm grasp on dealing with the rig, but my mind is focused and my actions true with things become serious. The day befor the schakle for my jib broke and I have yet to outfit my boat with the proper replacment parts, just stainless steel bailing wire and some odds and ends (what duct tape tries to emulate) The wire made short work of repairing the schakle but didn;t make for ease of changing head sails in the blow. I will survive I suppose......

Dreams and Horizons

There is, to the many who seek it, an abundance of inspiration beyond the shallow materialism that distinguishes this modern society. It is a testament to the similarity of us all for there is a sunset, a mountain, a shore, a forest or desert to put each one of us beside them self in awe. Equally, we all share the same distractions that from time to time allow us to ignore the damage we do to the things we not only love, but rely upon for our vary lives. This post is for the Sun, Wind, Mountains and Oceans; it is for the health of all two legged and four legged, winged and reptilian; it is for you.

I have committed myself to sailing under wind power, or the power I can summon through the use of oars. My 27 foot bristol, whose name is still eluding me, is free from the responsibility of carrying fuel to burn, and polluting further, the over-polluted air and water of our planet. For what?

To committ fossil fuels, with all their associated probems (war, pollution, dependancy, etc.) to recreation is something we must address. Even if we choos to ignore the true culporate: design of our urban environment, we should put it to ourselves to dream of the new ways in shich we cn persue adventure free from destroying the grounds we explore. There is a way, ony though humility and objective observation can we find it. All we deserve in this ife is clean air and fresh water. May we act accordingly before we have not even a creek in all this counrty safe to drink. Am I too late?

Peace and Love are Actions; be the change you wish to see

educated, aware, outraged and active

The ficade of the american dream; secureity and a prosperious future captivate me no longer. Looking back upon a history of champions of humanity and progress and to know and accept the state of today and the prospects for tomorrow serves to douse the illusion change will come from with in this corrupt system. A fool, or a crazy person rather, engauges in the same process and expects different results.

I am also aware that to run is just as impossible, but between the two, more fullfilling and closer to the reason we claim to murder children and their families: Freedom. I will persue it by being modest and of little burden to life as a whole. I will kidd myself that I can sail away, or live in the mountains and notbe subject to the catastrophy that is the water, air and lack of conscience and awarness of people. This seems more inspiring than to trust yet another politition because he's black and a gifted speaker.

Today the head lines read of more war. I cannot believe that this afternoon, the streets are plesant, resturants are full and people are getting drunk and throwing away some much garbage.

I hold no ill wishes for this system or the perpatrators, or the supporters. I simply wish for clean air and water so I will conduct my life as if I was the only one responsonsible for maintaining the health of our life-support systems, or, the only one who could poison them.

My boat is scantly outfitted for a voyage, and I intend on pushing my limits until they break. It is healthy and promotes growth of charecter and I would rather lie at the bottom of the bay and feed the crabs than be just like all these people who don't care about what it takes to maintain this excess. I can not change them and they don't want to change. War is ignored and resturants are open.

OF love, I am taking what I need and I admit I need more than most. I am weak these days. I have gained though, my recent trip to the west has got me on the rebound. I owe much gratitude to the man, who on many occasions has been accused of being my brother, for his strenght and example he sets with is words and actions. None of us are perfect, but of all I know, he is one of the realest people there ever was. His family, not suprisingly is a true inspriation as well. To know this man, and then his father is to see the sun in everything. I express love rather crudely these days, but to them, I can only feel it and hope it makes the world a better place some how.

My immedate family has trusted me enough to put there life in my hands as we went for a sail in my boat the other day, minus my father. My mother enjoyed the peacefulness of sailing on a gental day; lying in the birth down below, rocked to sleep by the smooth motion of water and wind. My brother at the helm was where he should be; a captain. Strong willed and entirely capable, his actions upon his first sail were enough to allow me to look only at my task. I hope to spend some time with the two of us, the oldest of friends and two from eternity I would enjoy all the ups and downs of a trip intot he unknow with my brother.

And so the bottom line: Love. Give it when you can and when you can't swallow your pride and ask for it for it from everyone you meet. There is enough to go around.

Global warming: Distraction

How funny: Arguments about the reality of global warming and not a peep about the cause. It appears the media has done it again. We have avoided change, we can continue to pollute and consume irresponsibly without risk of change, just keep arguing about global warming- the result of a problem.

The environmental movement was produced to raise conflict among the masses. "Are you an environmentalist?" If not your irrational, if so, a hippy. For 30 years all that was accomplished was an endless argument that ended with a President undoing the results of a relentless effort by blindly optimistic environmentalists dedicated to change. Now, we argue over words and ignore the world. Global warming is the word, consumption is the abstract. This is a continuation of an effort to disorganize the public. Today, the asult on the environment is carried out by the corps you pay to provide you with soap, cars, gas, resturants, and of course, to murder the world of non-democratic people no matter how beautiful they are- "they are not Americans".

Peace and love are actions.

July 4 2009

My true intention is to post photos, but not owning a computer makes it diffucult. As well, the bullshit "USB" cables, that are not "universal" make my camera incompatable with the world of usb cables that don't bare the lable olympus.

So ramble.

This year's 4th stands to be better than last year's in that we can prove, as American's, we not only don't need a reason to celebrate, but with can over-look the continued dwindling of our personal freedoms. Irony knows no better event.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring, outside of food regulation, more strict indoctrination in schools, continued decrease in quality of air and water and of course, more War for________, all one can do is guess.

Clelebrate though. We are, after all, the greatest country on the face of the earth, or in the entire universe or something like that. So the problems of today shouldn't be reason enough to do anything other than celebrate; party; "drive more than last year's holiday weekend"; drink beer until you "feel happy"; generate thousands of tons of new garabage; consume tons of disposable products to recycle them in to new disposable products; sleep with strangers. Yes, all this! And then on the first working day, you can feel the same way you do the rest of the year.

Happy 4th, please think about what your celebrating and the lack of it anywhere today. War for More________.

Peace and Love are actions.

Let go of your TV

It s still our addiction to comfort and convenience that thwarts our every effort to "change". We seem to think where we are as culture is fine and the product of good practice. The truth is, we must let go of many of the comforts we've contrived over the past 30 or 40 years. "Change" looks different. So take a walk through your house and observe the profound difference between your lifestyle five years ago and today. Television? Computer? new carpet? Hows your car? Still working for fixed wages of sliding value?

The root cause for the problems of our time (war, anthropogenic global warming, air pollution, water pollution, dwindling funds for education, antiquated transportation system, and so on) is consumption. The solution, naturally, is conservation. Of course there is much more complication, but let us once and for all stop bickering about opinions on what shade things are; things are fuqed and conservation is long over due.

Recycling is not conservation, it is a highly consumptive process. Conservation would have us not using the vast majority of products we currently recycle for they are disposable/recyclable. Throw it in a land fill; waste a bunch of energy and pollute the world? Stop using disposable products.

Now we have a choice and we must choose to conserve, or more so, we must be less excessive in our wastefulness. We must look objectivly at our habbits and change them to favor conservation, not consumption. We cannot get to where we want to be morally, healthfully and responsibly if we try to maintain this current lifestyle. Let go, grow and BE THE CHANGE

wake
shine
renew
light
grow

The Inner Most

To all the junkies on the streets of New York; to all the politicians making that sweet deal; to the News personalities on saturday night, I got something better than you.

I let go of a memory, and sing a song for the sun. I write poems to people who inspire me. I'm in Utah, a land of much beauty and many crazy people. Its true, the land of Mormans has a tinge of weirdness to it but the mountains and desert take you to a place far beyond the bitter fruit of contrived religous doctrine. As it were, the other day lightening struck the Angle Moroni statue atop one of the temples leaving it blacken. A true sign from above, right?

I hope Summer Solstice finds you well. It is after all, the reason for life upon this waterey planet.

Peace and Love are actions

The New Religion: Optimisim

The soul knows truth. It is something like a book, in that, even a book dusty and unread on a shelf still holds the story in its pages. We still have our soul, some know it and practice. To them yes, be optimistic.

In terms of society, optimism is unhelpful if not completely unrealistic a prevents reaching the requisite level of seriousness in order to promote individual change. Optimism, if nothing else, is a practice in blind faith for the situation is and has always been getting worse. Disagree, then what about education, war (for more______)

Socially we are destine to ride a rougher road for say no other reason than we keep going in the same direction. Optimism is perscribed by the media/government and education. On a college campus, any college campus across the country there will be no demonstration to end the war or to stop poisoning the air or water. How can one be optimistic if society refrains from personally and publicly standing up for solutions.

Argue: Global Warming; War; Agriculture..... The topic that no one addresses is consumption, population, design. We cannot be optimistic if we don't discuss the root causes. They say "its complicated". Reason would have it that simplicity would be the solution and cause for optimism.

Quit your job

grow a garden with your neighbor

connect;love;grow;let go

Yoga

Get rid of your car; walk a lot; ride a bike a lot; quit making excuses why you can't do what is right; Do yoga in everything. Breathe; Be.

Love; learn something new when ever you don't know; challeng your perception; help when you see need; let go. Breathe; Be.

Stand in the streets; ask questions in public; BE the change; sacrifice comfort for health. Breathe; Be.

To be strong; to be wrong and move on

A rain falls in a city
streets empty and stoplights swing in the wind
mothers tears for laughter or sorrow

A gift, pure: Water




Optimism is the latest religion

The Ingredients of Apathy: A Remedy Part I

The single most harmful thing to the culture of the United States is the gross apathy its members are guilty of. Among other negative aspects of our culture, apathy allows for a lengthening of the list, or, an increase in severity such as with War for More.

Distraction is the main ingredient to our cultural apathy for if we knew how powerful our individual actions are we would stand in the streets, and be the change instead of hiding in our homes, restaurants or gyms believing in change. The media plays the largest part, to include movies, the whole of television/cable programming as well as the news. From John Stewart to Sean Hanity, media serves to relive pressure from a frustrated public. Movies play on themes with social significant as well as release perennial favorites such as the terminator and a few other iconic films this winter/spring. Music can be seen as a far departure from the 60's and 70's when entire albums were released and the pop charts were full of socially charged music addressing war, civil rights and so on. To day music, from one genera to the next, sings about the same things, and provides blindly optimistic songs to address the continued decline.

Distraction is the first aspect that should be addressed for when an individual becomes aware they will begin to challenge the norm as a result of their search for truth. IT is this challenging of the norm that will raise awareness to distraction and as a movement will have a synergistic dynamic almost like wild fire. The norm is a very fragile thing, this is why it is defended with such ferocious dedication. Even a republican or Democrat will adopt the ways of a communist when in the company of such a society. 100 people actively engaged in challenging the norm would have a very effective impact on the whole of a community in any city.

Fear is the second ingredient to apathy and as where distraction brings the individual into apathy fear galvanizes and prevents self initiated awareness. The exposing of fear becomes the key to over coming it. If it is the unknown we fear, then we must travel into the unknown to expose that fear or face living our life void of ever awaking to reality. As to the question of reality, to the ignorant it becomes all too clear in mostly disagreeable ways; as consequence.

What you think is what you see and what you see is what you think. The first step is to treat your perception as you do your body; you don't eat garbage and expect a healthy life, so why do we entertain garbage/misinformation/lies and expect a healthy perception? Avoid the media and keep your train of though pure until you learn about the behavioral science behind media and can fairly see a story for its spin and social impact it tries to elicit. Fortunately it has become very clear what the aim of mass media is. All I mean to say is, look beyond the answers to see the old questions dusty and unanswered; see the beneficiaries for who they are: dogs looking for bones, or Kings maintaining their rule.

A college education is rather common these days so what do we need with 'expert opinion'? Educated minds can achieve objectivity and avoid opinion all together and make decisions based off of observation alone. Opinions do rule the working class, his is one what to prevent organization: prevent objectivity.

I will write more after discussion so that we may proceed with more input.

The Web Does Not Exist

The Tao Te Ching opens with " the name that can be named is not the eternal name", or something to that effect. The web is a sorce of unverifyable mess; you use the web to reserch things on the web. It is enivetable that a day will come when the web, which we seem to turn to for or connection to the world, will be mearly be a scriped story to influence the many demographics of world citizens.

Some might think I'm crazy, and they would be the ones still watching the news and forming their opinions off of that garbage.

Solutions

People often scoff when I mention solutions. Are we that conditioned that we can't accept someone might know or see things alittle better than others? Are we that stupid to think the situation is beyond understanding, or that is is so complicated inside and out that you can't even begining to see the picture?

The one thing you need most to solve problems is creativity. The one things slaves lack is creativity. Solutions only require commitment. Lets look at the average American, at least the ones that I meet: Higher education, owns a car, works a lot, drinks alcohol, has new clothes and/or spends money on sports, votes, pay taxes, ignores the war, believes lying politicians.

The problem is not Anthropogentic Global Warming, which is a consequence, the problem is consumption. "Do without", and "do it together" are the solution. Sacrifice and commitment, community and connection.

My Town

I'm spending time as an observer. I don't relate to most people these days for they continue to neglect their responsibility to be the change. IT is rare to find a person who inspires participation; most people say, do, and think the same thing.I find it interesting that people will attach some kind of uniqueness to their community. I find all places to be, where it counts, the same.IF we can over look race, ethnic influence, social class, all places today, after decades of homogenization, and relatively the same. The charm of a small rural community is present in a small city neighborhood. The truth is, many people who live in the 'country' work in the city, so the country is an abstract and real only in the ether.The color of a car is irrelevant much as the level of fuel efficiency; a car is still a gross waste of all things needed for healthy life of a planet full of creatures. A city or town is designed with 'commerce' in mind, with health being a sacrificial second or third even when the lowest contractor always gets the bid to improve your streets; handle your garbage; manage your drinking water.It is about time we look at the meaning of things or face the result of a meaningless culture. Aw yea slaves, the best is yet to come.

Dead Fish and the Future

What is water to every living thing on the planet? Life!

There is no rational explanation for what is going on with our water. Dead fish are caused by algae. What causes the algae!? People are so foolish and hopelessly confident in the promises of officials and politicians.

To the dead fish: don't worry, we've got it all under control. MORE GROWTH AMERICA!!!!!!!!!

memorial day

What I observed was a day of carefree, typical american consumption. Tha Army Band did show up in the Inner Harbor to paly "show tunes" benith a flag at full mast dispite the natinal day of mourning.

All I wish to say is please stop and think; turn off your TVs, put down your books and stand in the street; look for change. If you don't see it, be it.

Lots of "Falling"

AS a process, we are at a time when we must make substantial change in order to continue to enjoy evolving as a species in nature. We are falling, right now, as we have witnessed time and time again throughout history. We cannot make the mistake and look at the recent turning of events as random. History is written by the stronger hand. It reflects the side of victory and can be seen as a lie for no other reason than it never admits the atrocious mistakes made. No thing, is perfect. Any thing that claims to be right every time, should be scrutenized very seriously.

MEasure your culture by these simple truths: Food is freedom (what is the quality of food)
Education is freedom (what is the quality of education), Water is freedom ( what is the qualtiy of water) Love is freedom (what is the quality of love)

We have seen the budget for education get cut for over a decade. Durring that time the budget for War increased. If you don't think for yourseft today............

The rise and fall of renewable energy

The first wind farm went up in the 70's. 40 years later the obstacles before renewable energy are largely unchanged.

The biggest problem is the cost of putting electricity into the grid. The government wants to provide financial incentive to projects. This is a good idea but only if the prevent the current "big power" monopoly from imposing requirements on renewable energy that make it difficult to operate.

Here are some of the basics I learned from my reserch and work in the Renewable Energy Field:

1) Renewable energy, unlike fossil fuel, is "flow limited". This is the reason energy conservation is crucial to a renewable energy scheme. Big power penalizes renewable energy based on the fact that some days the sun won't shine or the wind won't blow.

2) It must be local; decentralized to be successful. This is the reason it will never exist as it should: Energy for the people; Free. Due to Zoning laws which are not only for building safety but also for political/financial reasons, it can be difficult to create a renewble energy utility in a neighborhood. In some cities, you can't hang dry clothes; you must use electricity to dry your clothes.

The Renewable Energy Business is not an industry for an industry is defined as "organized economic activity". So far, Renewables operate under the exploitation of the existing Big Power Company.

The problems that stand to prevent community owned Renewable energy utilities are zoning laws, mis-information, and manipulation of the energy system. They own the grid and force Renewable Energy Utilities to pay "Wheeling Fees" to put energy into the grid. They charge a wind farm to give you energy and charge them when the wind doesn't blow. I can say this; the current system is set up not to change. Energy production is a fundamental aspect of American life and it is not going to change freely. If Obama is serious he would first grant open access to Renewable utilities to put power into the grid free of charge. The grid belongs to the people, it is approprait to call "emminant domain" as it is crucial to the health and well-being of our communities.

This is a good place of Obama to start to bring about a change: let the people have access to Renewable energy without big power fees designed to cripple the Renewable energy industry. They serve only to increase the burden on Renewable Energy Development.

Educators: Expanding

What does it mean to be an educator? Where does the job begin; is it even a 'job'? I have been observing educators for a number of years, and have in my own work, served as educator to adults and children in the various disciplines of the wilderness realm. I am finding many of those responsible for teaching our children about the world, have themselves, many aversions to the realities that surround us.

What ever happened to Socrates? It would seem our general approach to education aims to instill a "know it all" mentality, or worse as I am told over and over by products of the higher educational system, that there is no 'right'. This would mean there is no wrong and would beg the question: What are we really teaching our children? Educators today lack the ignorance, or, humility to surrender to the role of teacher. I am constantly amazed at the level of distraction educators exists. Enamoured by pop culture; propagating the social oppression of glamour (make-up, socialized beauty, expensive material). This is just one example.

This fiercely patriotic culture comes from our educational system. It is common knowledge that we have been fighting a war for six years based on a lie. IT is not so clear that we, or our children even, feel it is a bad thing; to drop bombs on civilians for no good reason. Our economy too, is based on "limitless growth", or, a fairy tale. What do we not teach our children of the problems so they may understand how to "do it better". We shelter our children, just as we shelter ourselves, form the truth.

The commonality among the stereotypical educator is they blend in with the general populace who wallow in apathy. In the respect, we can only see a continued decline in our culture as we instill thoughtlessness in our up and coming generations.

FUN HAPPENS; EXPANSION MUST BE FACILITATED

Many educators strive to make things 'fun'. What ever happened to the concept of balance? Is it sound philosophy to make our educational environments as shallow as our social environments? I am talking about children in the woods/wilderness. If our only role as educators is to teach the child about the world and how to think freely (a parent instills morals, in theory), the outdoor classroom provides the perfect platform to accomplish this. First and fore most, you must work for every inch you travel, and the deeper you get the more humble you become.

If we can accept that our children are bombarded with distraction: TV, video games, news/mis-information/propaganda, etc, then a moment spent in the wilderness in a program that is not concerned with 'fun' is a rare moment of opportunity for the child to over come distraction. You must remove the distracted one from the environment of distraction and let them realize they ways in which they were distracted. Only through questions can a teacher, or, facilitator unlock the students mind, opening it to a wider view of existence. Than is what life is about, at least, that is what my life has been about.

I can't say to any degree of certainty, that the time I have spent with children and adults has had any positive impact on their lives or our culture. I can only say I have given them a rare opportunity to grow off of reality; to suffer for the truth rather than for a contrived system. I don't entice them with 'fun' for I have complete faith that a child will never forget how to have fun, and its this faith that allows me to confidently provide them with the myriad other stuff they need to be well-rounded human beings.

As always, I would love to hear what you think.

Peace and love are actions

The Fall of Rome: Back to the Drawing Board

Rome: Christianity

I'm often asked what my vision for a better government is. My answer, though not definitive, acknowledges in the least, the gross deficiencies of our grand government and the appropriate remedies. It is a question of design, nothing more.

If your to redesign something, you look for problems and change the design to eliminate them. Anything less is 'mitigation' and in no way will solve a problem but simply prolong the inevitable.

What went wrong with the roman empire? I don't know, but if I look at whats going wrong with the empire that came next I think we could figure it out. If society is a natural thing, it can, like a dog, be trained to behave in predictable ways. I won't say controlled cause a dog still chases birds, barks at other dogs, etc. Even a trained dog wears a collar and leash, just in case.

When the many Gods of the roman empire could not keep the people in line, they were replaced with the one god of the Christian Empire. As usual, wars were fought for the new God and wealth was acquired. There was a refinement in the social 'collar', the end of days was written, or "the Revelation". This would serve to further galvinize the ruling classes control over the masses as things fall apart, which they naturally will always do under systems that serve to keep the rich rich and poor poor, or, avoid change.

When Rome fell, who fell? Was it the ruling class or simply the social structure? A time of disarray and confusion, as any magician will tell you, is a time when you can disappear or do any number of mind boggling things to the unsuspecting masses. A card trick is a practice of the minipulation of distraction; the goal is to control perception. A good trick defies the physical laws of our planet, so it would seem. A good ruling class would do the same, hence, God.

I don't mean to hurt feelings, but Rome falls, Christianity rises, and what changes? There is still the same conquering mentality and the previous progression of atrocity continued unchanged, they just cited a different Deity. The masses went from fearing many gods to fearing just one who was more powerful. Rome was the first mega society that reached such a height in intellect that it would be very foolish to think that, in falling, it caught the elite with their pants down. A wise man knows which way, and more importantly, when to get out of harms way.

I always though a government truly interested in serving its people would go to great lengths to educate and empower them. A wise system would in the least, understand that even the best ideas will soon become antiquated and incapable of serving. Naturally I would think a good government would humbly yield to new ideals. To base a system of governance on the model of bureaucracy is a good way to ensure its demise for adaptability and a dynamic nature are the mark of endurance.

The problem with Rome is they though it would last for ever, and just as Hitler, they went about taking the world under that idea. Hitler was red-neck, and the "Romans" eventually put together a system that had its demise engineered into it: Christianity. The only way you can truly maintain control of a thing is to deprive it of freedom and destroy it if it revolts. Slaves maybe, but we are not dogs. Rovolution is the result of stifeled evolution and it is not the answer to opression, freedom is.

I can not keep my thoughts to a constant theme as you will never understand what is going on if you root yourself in any one discipline. This is the great failing of college for to focus your studies on a single discipline is to limit you ability to understand the world. I don't kid myself, I understand very little, but I am not blind in my idealisim to the flag waving full mast, shamlessly amid a war claiming our sons and daughters in the name of....... what was it?

Sorry Jesus, you did a good thing but your heritage is that of Herrod, or wonder woman for that matter. Myths never change, they are just adapted to the culture. And the story of today is the same as yesterday.

The truth will set you free, but first it makes you miserable. Happiness is a thing for slaves and is different from contentment. New shoes make you happy, so do car crashes or sports injuries. Contentment comes from within; it is as all things true, already present. You need only look through the myriad distraction to see.

Peace and Love are actions

The fall of Queens

The notion that we have an opportunity under the current system of government, to effect change is void of objective observation. The only commonality in the history of government, is every one of them has always done absolutely anything they want regardless of the needs of the masses. We must relinquish our grasp on the illusion that we have a say in our government.

We are all 'idealists' based on the definition of the word. Some however base the idealism on subjectivity, or, prejudice. One who feels objective is an impossibility says so from a closed-mind for, just as learning itself, to be objective requires an honest effort by the preciever. If objectivity was not possible there would be no diversity in the body of philosophy, it would all be based on literal; personal experience.

The bottom line is we must understand our limitations, or, socialized blinders, and open our eyes to this setting sun, for when it rises we will have yet again, missed an opportunity for real change.

What needs to change? Apathy for one. To be against a war that carries no official reason (WMD's were never found and the tip that started the war was later revealed to be a lie), you must look at the ways in which YOU contribute to the war effort: funding (taxes) demand (oil) and ideology.

Struggle is the mark of birth. Ours and every other Affluent nation struggled against an oppressive government, and they did so alone. This is the concept of sovereignty and If we think we're helping anyone in the middle east by bombing their cities, occasionally murdering swaths of civilians: men women and children; if we think we can instill a good government from a historically corrupt and divisive government such as our own, your not idealistic, your a fool.

The best we can do for the middle east is refrain from infecting them with our brand of governance. Democracy? Wrong. It was called a Republic up until a few years ago. Semantics is beneath a government, at least it should be when we can't get a handle on homelessness, or education. They call it a "Representative Democracy" now and very clearly propagates the lie of democracy. What is more important, the name of a thing, or the meaning of a thing?

How can we, a republic, bring democracy to the world, especially when we utilize the more brutal and selfish method of conflict resolution to carry it out. Communism was not the problem in the USSR, and capitalism is not the problem in the US, it is leadership for a system is merely a tool to accomplish society, and you must appraise the system not by its paper appearance, but by the streets on which we slave away endlessly awaiting a place at the table with Monsanto, Exxon, the Corn Industry, etc.

Wait for tomorrow; good slave. But We own today and this is what WE must do:

a) organize locally: Look for radical organizations in your city, learn what their doing, respectfully challenge them with questions and learn if they are truely a movement of peace and change.

or)

b) leave urban centers; alleviate the burden on the system, grow your own food in a small community that understands sustainability as a concept and practice, not a commercial.

or)

c) wait, and take what comes.

I don't know if I am right, I can't find anyone that can offer anything other than opinion to dispute my observations. I believe in truth and if you open your mind, travel and help others you will see one truth: our similarities are far more important than our differences, this is what makes a communtiy work.