And the Golden Monkey Wrench goes to?

Tim DeChristopher!
What nerve! How can that man walk with those HUGE balls!?
No one was hurt and no property was damaged.
God love him for taking a stand and doing something we might think impossible.
Disrupting big business, land grabbing hyenas.
I have a new hero and so do a lot of other people.

http://oneutah.org/2008/12/20/why-i-disrupted-a-fraudulent-auction/

http://www.backpacker.com/blogs/627

We need more people like this and I'm hoping that the change in Washington will embolden us all.


Now, I'd like to open up a discussion about marijuana/hemp.
Why is it illegal? Is it because people who enjoy it are usually pacifists who like to bake brownies and hang out at peace rallies? Or is it because it's an ancient, medicinal herb that can take care of a lot of ills and can't be patented? Oh, dear.. it might cut into the profits of the pharmaceutical industry. We can't have that!

Alright, flippant rant aside. Lets get down to business.
Here in Tucson, I read an article.. ok, I skimmed it.
Some big law enforcement guy suggested that marijuana be legalized for the soul purpose of cutting into the profits of Mexican drug cartels. Smugglers are getting very resourceful and the cartels are becoming rather brazen. Police officers and officials are being threatened and killed.
Over something we could all be growing in out back yards if the government wasn't so stupid!
Does anyone remember what good prohibition did? Oh, yeah, it made insane profits for organized crime. Nothing is sweeter than forbidden fruit.

Now, the smokable stuff aside. Lets talk about industrial hemp.

http://www.votehemp.com/index.html

http://www.thehia.org/

Oh, and did you know hemp seed is wildly nutritious? Not to mention pretty damned tasty.

http://www.healing-source.com/

Let's see. As a fiber, hemp makes a wonderfully durable fabric, rope, paper and is an annual. That means it's very sustainable. Save the trees!
The seeds are full of tasty goodness. The oil can be used for bio fuels and cooking.
Oh, and let's not forget the medicinal qualities.
WOW! All this from a simple, disease resistant, drought tolerant, annual plant.

Uh.. why is it illegal again?

If I'm not getting through then try this.

http://www.hemp.co.uk/

It's time to use out brains and stop the propaganda.

http://www.reefermadness.org/propaganda/prop.html

Sustaining..myself

k
I have always been and will always be a solitary practitioner.

When I was 16, I wanted to be a hermit because I thought all people were cruel and stupid.
But being a human makes me crave companionship. So I dreamed of a cabin in the forest where I was self sustaining with a garden, chickens and goats. Alright, so I needed to go into town once in a while to trade for a few things. Get my fix of human company and news before heading back to the wild.

"I know God promises not to give me more than I can handle. I just wish he didn't trust me so much."--Mother Teresa--


Life can be a challenge.
This has been a rough year, for me at least.

This past week put me on notice. I have graduated from a teacher's guidance.
It stung a little bit to be shoved out of the nest but tough love is still love.

I was forced to take stock of myself which can be a very scary thing. My dream world never fails me.

In the dream, I learned how to fly using simple tools. A basket I could sit in, a sage bundle and a large cloth to catch the smoke. It was like making smoke signals but I flew on the smoke.
I was so excited! I had to find my shaman friend and show her how to do it. But every time I tried to go to her, the magic failed me and I called her on the phone. Modern magic is cool too.
She told me that I needed to teach this skill to other people first. When I tried, I couldn't seem to explain myself and the simple technique. People laughed and called me crazy. I began to cry.

Sidebar: I might be good at written communications but I sometimes wonder if I'm speaking in tongues. I try to express myself in words but what I think is a good explanation comes out as something completely different than intended and people get upset with me. I used to dream of being a mute too. My loose cannon mouth can do a lot of damage when I don't want it to.

Back to the dream. There I am, crying and feeling like a failure when someone I have come to love very deeply appears. He makes the mean people go away and I explain what I was trying to teach them. They had broken my basket, tore my cloth and stomped on my sage bundle.
My very dear, friend helps me find another "basket" which turns out to be a large, cardboard box that fits the two of us. I fix the sage bundle as he goes and finds another cloth. The new one is a beautiful, batik sarong.
I teach him how to fly and he has no trouble understanding my directions. In fact, he begins to finish my sentences and we both work the magic and fly to a deserted house where we light a fire and sit. Watching the stars and roasting marshmallows.

Now, I have had a while to chew on this dream and think about its meaning.
What I got was another story.

When I was very young, I had spirit guides who were teaching me. What plants were good to eat and how to speak to animals. The world was a magical place and I danced though it joyfully.

Something terrible happened to me and my spirit was shattered. I could no longer hear my guides though I could still speak to certain animals. It has been a long journey. Picking up the shards and slowly putting myself back together, spiritually. There are still a few cracks and chips but I'm dancing along the path. Alone most of the time but I hook up with fellow travelers every now and again and we share stories.

It's all good.

Letting go when it's time.

Death comes for us all. No matter what we do or how hard we deny it.
I don't HAVE to do anything but die.

I am a care giver and I am on deathwatch with one of my clients.
Death doesn't frighten me. I've courted it on many occasions.
What scares the hell out of me is dying badly. I see grown children going to ridiculous ends to prolong the life of a parent. Even though it's only prolonging their suffering.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/07/magazine/07DYINGL.html?_r=1

Being a shaman and knowing others like me who don't fear the reaper. Makes me wonder why modern humans do what they can to stay in this life as long as possible.
Being hooked up to machines and pumped full of drugs isn't my idea of a "good death".

What happened to the old ways? Elders used to know when it was their time to take that one way walk into the woods and were allowed to go.
I don't want to be a burden on anyone in my tribe. When I am no longer useful and my stories have all been told. I want to greet Death with a smile and no regrets.

http://www.livescience.com/history/top10-after-death-1.html

In my family we have somewhat of an Irish wake. Drunken reminiscing, lots of food, tears and laughs.


Now, what about euthanasia for humans?
Remember the Hemlock Society?
I know there are religious people out there who will talk about "God's will". That's fine. Talk to someone else.
I work with a very religious woman who keeps wondering when God is going to take her home.
She's in a lot of pain and likes to spread the misery around to the rest of the family. Not very "Christian" behavior if you ask me. But what do I know?
She's not terminal. I fear she's going to linger a long time and drain her family emotionally and financially. It's hard to witness this type of dying process.
Alzheimer's disease terrifies me. I can't imagine a worse way to go. My son and I always say. "If I get Alzheimer's I'm going to kill myself before I forget."
In 10 years it's going to be so prevalent that medicare won't be able to handle it. Screw the drugs that make people linger. We put down animals for lesser things.

http://www.assistedsuicide.org/

Where does an individual's rights end? When do we allow the government to step in and force us and our families to suffer? Enough is enough.

Don't fear the reaper.

Sustaining our personal economy.

Bailouts!
Banks, Insurance companies, The Big Three... Institutions who have fondled billions of dollars and made risky and/or stupid decisions when they of all people should have known better. The government, like the parents of spoiled children hand over money likes it's penny candy!
Where's MY bailout!? I keep to a budget and pay my bills but emergencies happen and next thing you know. You're in debt up to your eyeballs. My tax dollars along with my son's and future generation's tax dollars are going to pay for this bailout. Eventually, yes but for now, I'd like to know one thing.... Where in God's green acre is all this money coming from??? I thought the United States was broke and in hock to China?
Watch the news and see that the rest of the world is going broke as well.
What happened to fiscal responsibility?
Think no one cares about you? Try missing a few payments.

Alright then. As usual, no one cares about the peasants. Except that we're well enough to work and pay taxes. Looks like we have to look after ourselves.
What would happen if this insane, consumer based economy suddenly shifted to something.. Oh, I don't know.. A sustainable, barter based economy. Necessity is the mother of invention and change. More and more people are shopping at second hand stores. Using coupons, buying less and sharing more.
Next time you buy anything I dare you to look where it was made. I remember a time where made in the USA meant quality and job security. Now, all we can afford are things made in China and when we make a service call we get someone in India.

I'd like to issue a challenge. Lets be the change we want in the world. Stop giving global, earth defiling, soulless companies our money. If that's not possible. I say put them on a strict allowance. Stop feeding the monster or put it on a diet.
Lets start with debt consolidation. If you go to a bank be prepared to be bent over a barrel. I've found a better way.

http://www.prosper.com/

Then, there is the task of every day living. We need to eat, pay bills, buy clothes, gifts and other things that make life interesting. Why not do it on the cheap?

http://tightwad.com/index.htm

http://www.allthingsfrugal.com/

http://frugalzeitgeist.com/

Make it fun. Treat it like a sport and compete with friends. Share tips and tricks.
We're sure not going to get a bailout. I'm tired of trying to achieve the "American dream" It's like running on a wheel and I'm not getting anywhere.
Time to stop the madness and get back to basics.