Museum Fremen

Frustration!

2012-02-15T23:51:00.002-04:00

I'm so out of sorts I can't believe it. Most people who know me know that I'm pretty stable and organized. But lately I have been so out of whack. I'm knocking things over, spilling things and I'm just losing my head and I'm getting upset with myself. I'm really hoping that it's just a winter thing and that as the days get longer then I'll sort myself out. It's probably the most frustrated I've been in a long time. It's very strange.

It could be a lack of sleep but I think I'm sleeping pretty well. But I may be tensing at night and though I'm sleeping I'm not sleeping as soundly as I was. Certainly my mum's health is probably really bringing me down unconsciously but if I ask myself I feel like I'm resolved with the whole thing.

Then there is the state of the world. Amazing, and certainly troubling, news coming out all the time, seemingly unprecedented. But I'm also mindful that maybe all this news is something I should try and avoid. I'm always reading articles. It can be an obsession and it's not healthy; fine, civilization is destined to collapse, now move on. It's like a car crash, you always stop to gawk but what can you do but make sure that you and your family make it home safely.

So it's midnight and I should go to bed. Wonder what tomorrow will bring? I'm sure of one thing: that I'm going to spill something and curse myself for it. Or maybe not.

Thoughts

2012-02-13T18:24:00.003-04:00

Wow, I actually learned something reading the (usually moronic) comments after an article online. Incidentally I think I have a sick fascination reading these comments to see what the idiots of the world 'think'--in fact as I have pointed out before, they may actually be robots or people paid to confuse and obfuscate. But the most important thing is that someone actually had something clever to share. Bless him or her.

So the FBI has released a tender for companies to bid on (here's the actual tender). The goal is to develop a program that can scan all social marketing sites like Facebook and snitch out terrorists and other baddies. If only it was that simple. Since there aren't too many terrorists out there (unless you count some government employees--zing!) how long before they start using this tool to thwart the efforts of climate change activists or occupy people? Maybe they'll use it to keep an eye on those uppity Muslims?

But thanks to dave777 I know that the FBI once had a program pleasantly called Carnivore that already kept tabs on us (well only if you're bad). There was also a secret program at AT&T which also kept tabs on internet users. It's called Room 641A naturally after the room in which it was housed. AT&T was sued over it thanks to a whistleblower. And dave777 found a blog post about how SSL connections (like when you buy something) can actually be cracked. I won't claim to be an expert and I'll just keep my online business minimal. Nothing beats good old fashioned cash!

--

And this from a Greek protester demonstrating that Europe has some pretty big problems. People have long memories:

"I can still remember as a boy how it was during the great famine and great freeze of the winter of 1941," said Panaghiotis Yerogaloyiannis, a former mariner now surviving on a pension of €500 a month.

"We have a different sort of war now, one that's economic, that's not fought on the field. But it's still the same enemy, the Germans. And today you are not even allowed to protest. I carry this around," he said producing a wooden baton from a plastic bag, "to protect myself from the police and thugs who hijack our demonstrations."

Understanding Private Equity

2012-01-31T20:55:00.002-04:00

Came across this article explaining what a 'vulture capitalist' is and does. Basically it explains how private equity companies take over businesses and loot/run them. Anyway might be useful in understanding another murky corner of the financial system. Now back to that PhD on derivatives.

Rape in the Military

2012-01-30T17:59:00.003-04:00

The saddest thing is that we act like this is not the normal behaviour for an organization whose job is to occupy and dominate other groups.

Slow Times

2012-01-22T08:42:00.005-04:00

Had some great conversations at a gathering last night. One reminded me that humans (like other animals) are meant to slow down in winter. So perhaps my inclination toward hibernation and lethargy is actually quite natural and shows a connection to real cycles. Spring, summer and fall are more active times when most animals are making babies and preparing for the cold times to come (with the promise of spring not far off!). It's interesting that our culture has created the opposite system where frenetic work happens in seasons when we should be calm and lounging happens in seasons when we should be working. One might argue that it's a civilized attempt to screw up our connection to natural rhythms, thereby further disconnecting us from the land. But of course it's all a great debate but most of us can't quite shake the desire to cuddle up in front of a warm fire.

Also talked about the difference between 'work' and 'selling out labour'. They are very different to my mind. But to many of us work is synonymous with selling our labour. The only way you can work is to sell your labour. Mowing the lawn isn't real work, growing a garden isn't real work. Cash in hand or rather numbers on a computer screen somewhere, are the true measures of work. But of course there are other ways of working that don't involve selling our labour such as bartering or giving our labour as a gift. Flashback to Marx in high school on this one.

And is it just me or is something in the air. I think somebody has recently become the 100th monkey. I had a conversation with someone I would never have suspected who is really wanting to build a resilient life, learn to grow food, make things, do things, not just sell his labour. They are coming out of the woodwork. Bring it on!

More Voices From Occupy

2012-01-14T20:09:00.000-04:00

Bill Moyers on Occupy Wall Street from BillMoyers.com on Vimeo.

The New Canada

2012-01-09T23:31:00.004-04:00

I didn't think it would happen so fast. Have you heard the shit coming out of the mouths of the Prime Minister, his ministers and his underlings? The Dear Leader is standing up for the tar sands, whose good name apparently has been much maligned of late. Now 'radicals' and 'foreign money' are being blamed for the black eye given the tar sands internationally. Seriously, check the links. And the government even warns that they might bring down the Dear Economy, our sacred cow.

It all feels a bit 1930s to me. The outsider is to blame and defiles the purity of our land (and our dirty oil). Bad time to be an activist or to have an opinion that differs from that of the Dear Leader (and his oil buddies).

Here's a letter I just wrote to the Dear Leader, maybe you should too if this seems important (or better still do something that might actually teach him a lesson):

Prime Minister,

I'm very disturbed by your government's recent pronouncements about 'foreign money' and 'radical ideologies' opposing the tar sands. I have read comments from Conservative MPs and Minister Oliver that sent shivers down my spine. Honestly it is a tactic that was used in Nazi Germany, villifying the outsider, the other. It's pretty clear to me that your government is actively working to whip up sentiment against anyone labelled an environmentalist or even people who just want to have their say in a public process. How long before the offices of non-profits are broken into? How long before a nonviolent activist is beaten up? This is undemocratic and will only fuel a cycle of radicalization. You're on a dangerous path Prime Minister. We are going to hold you responsible. Stop the scaremongering and xenophobia right now.

And equally shamefully you are hoping to 'streamline' environmental approvals that always get approved anyway. So we need to speed up public comments and open houses because of foreign radicals. Your buddies in the oil industry are going to write you some big cheques for that one. I bet you are really happy, making a crisis and helping your oil buddies strike it rich. While the rest of us still make the same crappy wage and have to pay more for gas. Canadians aren't blind about your handouts to these corporations.

In the end there is something very wrong with the tar sands. People around the world, those 'foreigners' you speak of with such venom, know this too. We are on the wrong path. I don't expect you to see this dark path since you are blind with power but we can't keep going down this road.

Shame on you Mr. Harper!

Epiphany

2012-01-08T08:52:00.003-04:00

This morning I woke up and as usual the boy was awake so I changed his diaper and then we came downstairs together while mum got some more sleep. We played for a bit in his bouncy chair and I kept agitating the coals in the wood stove so that they would burn down and I could take them out. Then I made mum and I a chagga chai that our friend harvested and made and made some oatmeal with dehydrated cherries from our friend Xavier and some sunflower seeds. I noticed (stinky) that the litter box needed emptying and so did our human equivalent upstairs. So that's my next few jobs.

However mundane and repetitive perhaps the truth is that the everyday jobs I do here make me really happy and I just need to embrace that. Maybe my feelings of being stuck aren't so bad. Maybe we don't have to do amazing things all the time like write songs and novels. Maybe we should leave that for the manic people.

Maybe dumping the bucket can bring just as much joy.

Stuck

2012-01-04T23:47:00.002-04:00

I think I'm feeling a bit stuck. Perhaps we all are at this time of year. But in theory I have the time to do so many amazing things. And of course I am already doing amazing things. But I guess I'm feeling down that I'm not doing more. I could be writing stories, I have so many stories in the back of my mind. I used to write them on my old blog. I had some pretty good ones I thought. Or I could be building things or making plans for next season. There's going to be a municipal election and I really want to ensure that we have a good show for progressive candidates. I could be writing letters (I still do now and again). I could be doing the dishes. I could fix that pesky dripping tap. Jane and I say we want to walk up the hill every day but dressing up in all our winter gear seems so daunting to me. It's enough to dump the bucket and make great meals.

And then there is the small matter of the insanity of the world. I sometimes feel like I must be crazy because if I'm not then everyone else is crazy (well not everyone). The dominant culture is just so powerful that everyone thinks the same. And maybe I'm scared to talk back. To offer alternatives. So I dither in the margins.

Extra, Extra, Extra, Extra, Extra, Extra Civilized Strength

2011-12-27T18:31:00.003-04:00

Love this story. Drug companies are working on a super strong painkiller. As someone who never even takes Tylenol (I've probably been lucky to have only taken it maybe 10 times in my life) I have to wonder what this is for. How much pain are we in? What's causing this pain? Why don't we talk about it instead of just finding ways to avoid talking about it?

It speaks volumes to something that we have been discussing at home recently. Humans have the ability to maintain themselves in dysfunctional behaviour patterns for a long time. I have always hoped (notice I said hoped not acted to make that happen) that civilization would crash sooner rather than later since it was so dysfunctional. Clearcuts, toxic waste, nuclear 'accidents', extinctions, etc, etc. But actually we are just smart enough to keep the death train going.

As much pain as we cause and experience in our ecocide we can just make a new pill to help us keep going.

Good Music

2011-12-17T17:41:00.004-04:00

Want to make a recommendation for excellent music. Now I'm probably missing out on something but if you want to hear good new music that likely will never be played on any commercial radio (not that anyone listens to radio anymore apart from rural hermits) check out CBC Radio 2's The Signal. And of course they have a podcast and the ability to listen to past shows plus playlists.

Some interesting bands that I've heard there lately: Glasser, Dreamsploitation, Julianna Barwick and Microbunny.

Live Ammunition?

2011-12-02T19:14:00.001-04:00

Proof positive. Bless the digital camera.

Occupy This

2011-11-26T20:19:00.004-04:00

Wow, the police are really hammering all the Occupy encampments, it seems, everywhere. It's almost like there is a plan to remove them all at the same time. And it seems that the US at least there was a plan. Clearly someone in power is not happy about this movement.

And the funny thing is that if you look at it, these are just peaceful people spending time together, building interesting organizing structures and going on the occasional march. In some ways it's hardly a challenge to the powerful. Then again they are shining a huge bright light on the corruption at the heart of everything. I'm particularly happy that the occupiers are encouraging people to move their money out of banks to local credit unions.

This article presents a case why the reaction to the occupiers is so forceful. She makes an interesting point that if it was just a problem with people camping out then no one would be allowed to camp out for tickets to concerts and other shows.

November News

2011-11-26T19:25:00.010-04:00

So we are working on a greenhouse. We actually bought it last year but I was terribly intimidated so I thought to hire someone to put it up. No luck (Incidentally this is the funny thing about this region. People say there are no jobs but here is one that I would have gladly hired someone to do for me. Similarly we need an electrician to rewire our whole house--scary I know--but I guess they are all in the tar sands because even our 'local' friends can't find electricians).

So in the end I have to get over my worry about such a big project. We started in early November by hiring someone to level the ground and bring some gravel. Then we moved on to digging the foundation and putting down the tamarack 6x6s. Happily we had some really helpful and dedicated wwoofers in Hanna and Laurenz.

Then we put up the metal frame of the greenhouse. It actually only took one day! We had four of us working on that project. We actually realized that as much as we all complain about how there are 10 workmen but only one is working, some of the time that's just the way it is. We sometimes all stood around watching one person tightening a nut and bolt.

In the end, the greenhouse should look something like this. This is our friend Deb's who has the same kit as us. Go plastic!

But in between we have had snow and lots of it. Perhaps 20cm?

And for no reason here is Jane's cat Dulcie with our winter squash supply.

Book Review

2011-11-23T22:12:00.003-04:00

Wow, just finished reading Area 51: an uncensored history of America's top secret military base. It's amazing what you can piece together from declassified documents and interviews with former employees. And there is very little in the book about UFOs and aliens which are commonly associated with Area 51 (you must have watched X-Files at some point). The truth is much more sinister it seems.

It's mostly about nuclear weapons. Area 51 is part of a larger nuclear testing site/military base in Nevada. So many weapons were tested there as outlined in the book and many more remain classified. The US even tested a so called dirty bomb in the desert so they could see the results of this kind of blast. Of course they lined up animals to face the brunt of it.

Some other shocking highlights were Pacific Ocean tests in the upper atmosphere of the earth. Check out information on Teak. Though the entry doesn't really mention it, the US was unsure what the result of exploding this weapon would be. The altitude was so high (50 miles) it was close to the ozone layer. They almost blew up the ozone layer. Seriously.

And I never had heard about two instances of US bombers crashing in Palomares, Spain and near Thule, Greenland. In both cases B52 bombers crashed and their nuclear payloads spread radiation over the landscape. Both are now forgotten it seems but the release of so much radioactive material is shocking.

So what have I concluded on reading the book? Well I think I understand why cancer rates are so high around the world. The US and USSR (and China, UK, France, Israel, India, Pakistan, South Africa, North Korea) are guilty of releasing so many radioactive isotopes through their reckless testing of weapons. Similarly, the Fukushima meltdown and others have done the same. These isotopes are constantly irradiating anyone who is unlucky enough to respire or consume them.

I remember reading an article about how you can be exposed to radiation (those milisilverts we heard so much about after Fukushima) and how it may not be harmful in low doses. The real risk is inhaling or ingesting isotopes which irradiate you from within, constantly as they last for thousands of years.

All these nuclear tests and 'accidents' have just pumped up the potential for cancers to form. I truly believe that there is no use 'fighting' cancer unless you work for a complete abolition of all nuclear weapons and nuclear power.

Or maybe we can just turn Parliament pink and all will be well.

10 Things

2011-11-19T00:47:00.003-04:00

Had this thought driving home tonight. I may have even generated this list before but here are 10 decisions that individuals (in North America) can make that I think would make a world of difference:

1) Move your money out of the big banks. Find a local credit union or caisse populaire instead. At the big banks profits from your money go to rich shareholders. With a credit union or caisse populaire you are a member and profits stay in the community. Members make decisions that decide how profits are spent and how funds are invested. Get involved in your credit union; don’t give your hard earned money to the banks of the rich.

2) Support democratic, transparent and local media. Since the corporate media represents the worst of journalism and corruption, more and more people are starting local media cooperatives. These groups need your involvement and your money. They don’t take money from advertisers and big corporations. This makes them credible and independent. They are the best investment you can make.

3) Minimize your contact with the global economy. All our dear leaders demand our allegiance to the global economy, sometimes shortened to merely the economy. It’s almost like we all have this family member who is a manic depressive and we have to all pray together that he stays happy. But what’s the goal of the global economy? How come we never ask that question? Is it to increase global greenhouse gas emissions to cook the planet? Sure looks that way. How about to turn all life into products (in other words dead)? Sure looks that way. A good start to escaping the clutches of the global economy is to . . .

4) Grow as much of your own food as you can. Start with potatoes, they are easy. Once you’ve gotten the basics down learn about fermenting, sprouting, preserving and canning. In case you are distracted and the weeds are growing . . .

5) Smash your television. Why are people paying to be advertised to? My crazy sister pays $70 a month for cable. Once the distraction is out of the way you should have more time for 4) above.

6) Make conscious decisions about how to donate. Most of us can probably set aside at least $100 for a worthy cause (or causes) each year. Then a tsunami strikes and we hand it over to the Red Cross in a knee jerk reaction. But is this the best use of your money? Only you can decide but I’m much happier giving it to Democracy Now! or the Halifax Media Coop (see 2) above).

7) Work less. Most of us hate our jobs, hate selling our labour. Selling our labour is very different from working, which is inherent in every organism. When you sell your labour someone tells you what to do, where to sit and how much you’ll be paid. Money is just energy, your energy, embodied in tiny pieces of paper or digits on a screen. Why not decide how you want to devote your energy? Working less gives you this chance.

8) Concentrate your political energy on the local. Engage with your municipality and work for change at this level. Politicians at the provincial and national level are bought and sold by big corporations and their ‘security’ keeps them well away from people like you. In other words they don’t listen. Local politicians in contrast live in your neighbourhood and, without party machines greased by big money, if they don’t listen you can actually throw them out. It’s also very possible for citizens to sit on local committees to guide elected officials. This is not the case provincially and federally where only experts and bought and sold politicians need apply.

9) Make time for human connections. Despite the rise of Facebook, people still like other people and want to be around them. Humans are social animals. Hold weekly potlucks with friends. Organize a monthly bike ride (no politics or conflict). Start a reading club. Coach soccer. Just be with other people. You’ll be happier for it.

10) So it’s too late and I’m off to bed. Any suggestions for #10? Use the comments button below.

The New Fascism

2011-11-10T09:26:00.004-04:00

Having just finished Pierre Berton's The Great Depression it's both fascinating and scary to pay attention to the news these days. Now the book addresses only Canada but even in our so-called democracy the forces of totalitarianism were on the march. In Canada in the 1930s, there were serious calls by elites for the merging of the Liberal and Conservative parties into a one-party state (the only other option being the CCF, the precursor to the NDP but their members were being arrested and beaten over the head). And elected governments in Quebec and Alberta particularly restricted the press and targeted anyone who they designated a communist.

We are often taught in school about the Nazis and their treatment of Jews and other 'undesirables' and we rightly condemn them. And we rejoice in our fatherland. That could never happen in Canada! Such a beacon of democracy. But many of the same things did, including the targeting of Jewish Canadians and our very own kristalnacht. Seriously.

Check out the book, you'll be amazed with the parallels to today.

I'm currently reading a lot about the European Union's current crisis (one might even say this is a permanent crisis). Now Italy is on the chopping block. The most troubling thing is that this 'crisis' is being used to rollback democracy.

In Greece the (now former) prime minister called for a popular referendum on the massive bailout his country was going to receive. Makes sense for the people to make the call on such a big decision with wide reaching consequences. Though voting once in a while hardly a democracy makes, in this case, given the popular resistance it was a commendable move. The day after he said he was calling a referendum, the unelected elites who run the EU made the referendum disappear along, now, with the prime minister himself.

Now Italian democracy (such as it is) is the next target of these elites. In return for an Italian bailout one of the stipulations is the Italy rescind the results of a popular referendum rejecting the privatization of the nation's public water supply. This was not widely reported apart from on today's Democracy Now.

Then there is the Occupy Wall Street movement around the world. Much like in the 1930s there is to be no opposition to the plans of elites. The police will make sure of that. Below is some footage of police in Oakland shooting a peaceful protestor in the head and then afterward when others come to his aid, tossing a grenade into their midst.

Even peaceful nonviolent occupations are crushed even though these gatherings are theoretically protected by pieces of paper called constitutions. Occupy Vancouver is likely to face the same violence as Occupy Oakland in the coming week.

There is a new fascism on the rise especially in Europe. Politicians are bought and sold by corporations. But as always it's up to a small number of people to act. People are starting to stand up. Maybe we should join them.

Enough

2011-10-31T23:10:00.002-03:00

This book and the interview below alone demonstrate just how insane civilization is. I really urge you to take the time to watch and think on this.

Police are the 99 Percent?

2011-10-17T19:06:00.003-03:00

Democracy Now! today was about the weekend Occupy the World protests. Lots of interesting voices that you're unlikely to hear on the lamesteam media (to quote the Tea Party).

The most amazing scene, captured on video (you can see it on the video above), was a woman going to her [sic] bank to withdraw all her [sic] money. A plainclothes cop confronted her at the front door and she said that she was going into her [sic] bank. She had her bankcard out. She showed it to him, she was well dressed even, not some dirty hippy as if that's an excuse. The cop grabbed her and a pile of other cops jumped in.

Amazingly, and the cops obviously don't understand the importance of pretending to be impartial, they hauled her into the bank branch to arrest her.

Banks and cops together at last! Oh wait, they've always been together, since the dawn of civilization.

Get Away

2011-10-16T00:30:00.002-03:00

Since moving here most of my friends are baby boomers. It's just a fact of life in the youth-depleted countryside. I'm not complaining (you can learn a lot from your elders) but it does offer some new perspectives.

I was at a party tonight and chatting with some of the people there I learned that a good number of them are leaving for a number of months this winter.

One lady told me she is going to Thailand to soak up the sun (I would assume). I guess that she gets CPP and other pensions directly deposited into her account. CPP goes a long way in Thailand.

Earlier this year we had an older, boomer wwoofer visit. She was so lovely and helpful. She no longer spends winters in North America. India is her second home.

Another couple I know is heading to either Thailand or Taiwan to escape winter. They haven't decided which yet.

Yet another boomer friend leaves for Florida each and every winter. I think she has been going down for years now. She was a teacher so she must have a fat pension.

My partner's parents go to Mexico for the winter. They have a lovely casa there and can sit back and enjoy the margaritas. I guess Mexico is a little closer than south-east Asia. Oh yeah they are going to Mexico after a family Christmas but first in November they are checking the Galapagos Islands off their life checklist. Next up Antarctica!

Imagine all the other boomers flying about here and there who I haven't met yet. Or maybe they are just one year away from retirement and then it's Brazil or maybe Hawaii instead of winter.

The lady heading to Thailand reminded me that Thailand is experiencing some massive flooding. Unprecedented really. It's a national emergency. Presumably these floods are related in some way to climate change. And climate change is related to air travel. But regardless she said that when she arrives she'll stay in the airport and fly north beyond the flood waters.

Nice to be able to get away.

OWS

2011-10-12T00:12:00.003-03:00

Really interesting stuff here from the redoubtable Chris Hedges. He presents an interesting interview on the organization of the Occupy Wall Street rebellion. So many interesting systems. It's nice to see they are working.

The Kids are Alright

2011-10-07T23:33:00.002-03:00

Wow, check out this amazing article about the student protesters in Chile. They are amazing. What organization! No shit, no surrender, no capitulation. Canadians could learn a lot from these guys and gals. And the students in the article are only 15. Bring it on!

QE to Infinity

2011-10-06T16:40:00.002-03:00

Is it just me or does quantitative easing (QE) make little sense? I mean I can understand stimulating the death economy if that's your thing. But aren't plans like quantitative easing and direct bailouts merely further lining the pockets of the rich?

In the UK today they announced QE of 75 billion pounds. The idea as far as I can tell is to pump imaginary money into the death economy which will encourage the banks to start lending again. But is there any incentive for them to do so? Why don't they just take the money on offer and lend it to blue chippers (like oil and gas companies who are such a 'good' bet and put the death in death economy) or just sit on the cash and collect the interest?

That same interest and those profits then get channeled to their shareholders also known as the super rich.

To most of us plebs, this is exactly what is going on. Governments, in our name, are printing money to enrich the super rich. And then they cut services for all of us because they can't afford them. But don't worry! Some private company will offer those services back to you. You'll just have to pay this time. Maybe you'll need a loan.

It's nice to see people occupying Wall Street and making a stink. Some of them are even calling for a revolution. But it feels more like a party than a serious revolution. Lots of hacky sacks and beans. We need some tactics.

Finally

2011-10-05T23:12:00.003-03:00

In the Prophet's (peace be upon him) time this journey would have taken weeks. But for me and my brothers the journey would take mere hours. But the dangers remain the same. Islam has always had many enemies. These days you can't even see your enemy coming.

We had a meeting with a sheikh in Ma'rib City. A courtesy visit and a chance to bring him the latest copy of Inspire. He would need a translator, if he even cared to read it.

--

It's a 40 mile drive from my house in a suburb of Santa Fe to the base. I work the night shift, eight hours from midnight to daybreak. The wife and kids don't mind. We would have just been sleeping anyway.

And even if it's dark here, halfway around the world, where I actually work, the sun is shining. Not a lot of places to hide. Point and click.

--

Along the way, we stopped for breakfast and to stretch our legs. Unlike some other places I have lived, here any house will welcome you in. Here we are all related. The poorest man can trace his blood even to dictators. But the dictator and his soldiers aren't very popular here.

While his wife prepared the meal, our host spoke of the growing rebellion in Sa'naa and truly across Yemen.

"Tens of thousands are in the street," he said. "The young men have stood up."

"And let's not forget the sisters also in the street," I reminded him. I heard his wife chuckle. "First the dictators must go and then their masters in America. Inshallah we will see it through to the end."

My hotter brothers started to speak of what they would do to Saleh and his family if they only had the chance. I hushed them as the man's wife brought in the food. Words must be clear and appropriate for each situation.

Rice and curried goat. This was my second breakfast of the day. A good start.

--

I sat down with my second breakfast of the night. The good thing about this post is that the usual rules are more slack. We can eat at our desks, if we get results. Some guys think too much and don't last long here. They never get coffee and donuts and are moved out. Me? I get results. So my CO doesn't mind that I'm not in top shape. Brains over brawn he always tells me.

I'm not interested in sweating my sack off in the desert thousands of miles from home. I'll take air conditioning, a big screen and watching the Super Bowl at the right time.

The CO came up to me as I finished the first donut and had a look at my file.

"Big day today corporal," he beamed. Beaming means someone's about to die; if he's grumpy it's just more surveillance. "The order's come down from the top. The VIP we've been tracking, Desert Dog. You've got the assignment. You up to it?"

"Sir, yes sir", I turned to my screens. You've still got to have some kind of chain of command, some kind of order. I wiped some chocolate sauce on my pants and got down to it.

--

We left the house after some hot tea. I thanked the man for his hospitality and complimented him on his wife's cooking. He had made our long journey all the more pleasant.

We had parked our vehicle away from his house some distance. For one thing, we needed the walk. Secondly vehicles have a tendency to spontaneously explode in this part of the world. One learns to look up, especially if one has a name. Our host knew mine, I'm sure. But he never let on.

--

"Got him," I reported. By now the whole room felt like it was crowding in around me. So much for air conditioning. "He's exited the building and is crossing the yard to the vehicles. Two others with him, bodyguard I suppose."

I switched to the drone screen and cast a glance to my left. Douglas had another drone in the air, backup in case something went wrong. Drones rarely fail but it's good to cover your bases. This target was clearly high profile. Not bin Laden high profile but someone clearly wanted to shut him up and evaporate all evidence that he had ever lived. We each have a file on our targets but honestly I don't need to know. What's the point? I don't decide who lives and dies.

"You are authorized to use deadly force corporal." I looked up to see the General staring at my screen. Big fish indeed.

Maybe I'll get a promotion for this one. With our mortgage and all the fees, heck even the price of gas, we could use the extra income.

Focus.

--

I got the rest of the day off. Not quite the promotion I was gunning for. Maybe a few more kills will do it.

I told my wife a very bad man had a very bad day. She doesn't really like what I do. But my job is to protect Americans. And I sleep soundly every single day.

Big Change

2011-10-01T00:26:00.001-03:00

Truth, nowhere does it lie

2011-09-24T17:12:00.003-03:00

I just have to reprint this piece by Robert Fisk on Barack Obama's speech to the UN General Assembly:

Today should be Mahmoud Abbas's finest hour. Even The New York Times has discovered that "a grey man of grey suits and sensible shoes, may be slowly emerging from his shadow".

But this is nonsense. The colourless leader of the Palestinian Authority, who wrote a 600-page book on his people's conflict with Israel without once mentioning the word "occupation", should have no trouble this evening in besting Barack Hussein Obama's pathetic, humiliating UN speech on Wednesday in which he handed US policy in the Middle East over to Israel's gimmick government.

For the American President who called for an end to the Israeli occupation of Arab lands, an end to the theft of Arab land in the West Bank – Israeli "settlements" is what he used to call it – and a Palestinian state by 2011, Obama's performance was pathetic.

As usual, Hanan Ashrawi, the only eloquent Palestinian voice in New York this week, got it right. "I couldn't believe what I heard," she told Haaretz, that finest of Israeli newspapers. "It sounded as though the Palestinians were the ones occupying Israel. There wasn't one word of empathy for the Palestinians. He spoke only of the Israelis' troubles..." Too true. And as usual, the sanest Israeli journalists, in their outspoken condemnation of Obama, proved that the princes of American journalists were cowards. "The limp, unimaginative speech that US President Barack Obama delivered at the United Nations... reflects how helpless the American President is in the face of Middle East realities," Yael Sternhell wrote.

And as the days go by, and we discover whether the Palestinians respond to Obama's grovelling performance with a third intifada or with a shrug of weary recognition that this is how things always were, the facts will continue to prove that the US administration remains a tool of Israel when it comes to Israel's refusal to give the Palestinians a state.

How come, let's ask, that the US ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro, flew from Tel Aviv to New York for the statehood debate on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's own aircraft? How come Netanyahu was too busy chatting to the Colombian President to listen to Obama's speech? He only glanced through the Palestinian bit of the text when he was live-time, face to face with the American President. This wasn't "chutzpah". This was insult, pure and simple.

And Obama deserved it. After praising the Arab Spring/Summer/ Autumn, whatever – yet again running through the individual acts of courage of Arab Tunisians and Egyptians as if he had been behind the Arab Awakening all along, the man dared to give the Palestinians 10 minutes of his time, slapping them in the face for daring to demand statehood from the UN. Obama even – and this was the funniest part of his preposterous address to the UN – suggested that the Palestinians and Israelis were two equal "parties" to the conflict.

A Martian listening to this speech would think, as Ms Ashrawi suggested, that the Palestinians were occupying Israel rather than the other way round. No mention of Israeli occupation, no mention of refugees, or the right of return or of the theft of Arab Palestinian land by the Israeli government against all international law. But plenty of laments for the besieged people of Israel, rockets fired at their houses, suicide bombs – Palestinian sins, of course, but no reference to the carnage of Gaza, the massive death toll of Palestinians – and even the historical persecution of the Jewish people and the Holocaust.

That persecution is a fact of history. So is the evil of the Holocaust. But THE PALESTINIANS DID NOT COMMIT THESE ACTS. It was the Europeans – whose help in denying Palestinian statehood Obama is now seeking – who committed this crime of crimes. So we were then back to the "equal parties", as if the Israeli occupiers and the occupied Palestinians were on a level playing ground.

Madeleine Albright used to adopt this awful lie. "It's up to the parties themselves," she would say, washing her hands, Pilate-like, of the whole business the moment Israel threatened to call out its supporters in America. Heaven knows if Mahmoud Abbas can produce a 1940 speech at the UN today. But at least we all know who the appeaser is.

Go Palestine!

2011-09-17T22:47:00.002-03:00

I've been watching the Palestinian plan to to approach the UN for full membership with some amazement and not much expectation.

For a few years the Palestinian government has been lobbying governments around the world for their support at the UN. They want to be recognized as a state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as their capital. It's funny because even the Americans, the lapdogs of Israel, have wanted Palestine to have these borders.

But here they are, about to stand alone with Israel, and veto the Palestinians' request of recognition. It's quite a bizarre game they are playing. So there will be no Palestine. Not while the unjust Security Council sits. But it's likely that the General Assembly, representing all countries, will approve their request and grant them more legitimacy.

I just read a great article about the last minute lobbying of the Palestinians and the US and Israel's desperate attempts to get them to stop. It's so gratifying to see that the Palestinians have some backbone. I pretty much expected them to cave after vague promises from the US to 'get Israel and the Palestinians back to the table' (every time I hear it it makes me want to puke). All the while the paint is drying on new settlements.

Here are some quotes from a Palestinian representative heading to the UN soon:

"Mr Blair doesn't sound like a neutral interlocutor, he sounds very much like an Israeli diplomat sometimes". (Duh)

The US is "not a neutral observer, but a strategic ally of Israel". (Double Duh)

On US pressure and threats of withdrawing funding: "You don't barter for your rights for money."

Good luck Palestine--you've always been alone against the world. Maybe things are changing.

Season Scenes

2011-09-09T00:16:00.006-03:00

High speed

2011-09-04T22:49:00.002-03:00

Oh accursed high speed. We just got it. I have been reluctant to switch from dial-up since moving here. We talked about it and the price always seemed quite high. Dial-up kept us honest in a way. Just email and the news and blogging of course. No high res pictures or youtube. But since Jane moved out it seemed that it would be good to have high speed.

It's funny how you can talk yourself into it. I've justified it that if we go with high speed then I can once and for all cancel the bloated, money sucking phone that we have with Bell. They charge $40 a month for phone and an answering machine! Shit. Yak has a VOIP phone for $14 a month and I think it has an answering machine included. Of course then I have to get a cell phone in case of emergencies when the power is out. So that's more buying and selling. In the end I'm feeling guilty I guess with all this shopping around and comparing.

But the worst is spending many hours on my laptop typing away and reading articles and watching new episodes of Futurama. I always tell people that we have to smash our televisions and we certainly should. But now I'm realizing that all we've done is moved that corporate brainwashing to a smaller screen. So I have to redouble my efforts and harness what I've learned thanks to dial-up. Just get on and get off.

Season Reflections

2011-09-02T22:31:00.002-03:00

The climate is definitely changing. Our dear leader would tell us to adapt but there's no adapting to this. This summer has been super cool for us. Nights dropped to the lower teens all summer and now we are dropping into single digits at night with September. Happily we didn't have frost from May until now but it's been cool. This has meant slow growth for squash, summer squash, tomatoes, tomatillos, cucumbers and corn.

But we've had a super long season of peas and the lettuce has resisted bolting. The brassicas have done well, as have the beets. The garlic and onions are their usual successful selves.

And it's been dry, really dry. So it's cool and dry. Not the ideal combination. We haven't had rain for weeks. So I have drained my stored rainwater and now we're going to have to move water from the brook. The forecast always calls for rain in the next few days but, like tomorrow, it never comes. Even Hurricane Irene brought no rain.

So what are you going to do? I guess unless you are willing to stop the bastards that adapting is the best we can do. Pretty pathetic.

MIA

2011-09-01T22:40:00.003-03:00

Yikes, it's been a long time. I haven't forgotten this blog but important, the most important actually, things have gotten in the way.

But fall is arriving and we're having some cool nights. Still no sign of rain which would be most appreciated. We're doing lots of preserving and dehydrating and soon we'll be pulling the potatoes. It's nice to be here in such a special place. It's really so peaceful you almost forget the (civilized) world and all the nonsense going on.

More to come I promise.

Money Talks

2011-07-29T02:35:00.003-03:00

A really good interview on Democracy Now! today. A real clear analysis about this so-called economic crisis. It's focused on the United States and what's really going on. Check it out.

Mushroom Madness

2011-07-20T23:05:00.004-03:00

No this isn't a post about mushroom hunting in the woods. It's actually a story about the silly global economy, where oil fuels a completely insane production line. I'm in the city, where I just can't be comfortable. But that's another story. We're staying at Jane's parent's place and they are at the cottage (again thanks to the global economy).

Jane's mum shops at Costco, which is a bewildering place, a monstrous cavern of consumption. But you get amazing prices. I'm realizing that it's best never to even go in the automatic doors. I'm so tempted by the deals. I buy organic nachos by the kilogram there. Organic green tea? How about 100 teabags?

Anyway I was excited to uncover a plastic jar containing 1 pound of dehydrated mushrooms purchased at Costco the other day. And here's the most amazing part: it contains four types of mushroom. Porcini from Chile, shiitake from China, yellow bolete from Serbia and oyster from Montenegro. Apart from Serbia and Montenegro who are close geographically, all these mushrooms are grown thousands of kilometres apart.

Then each mushroom type is gathered and shipped to France, where the label declares the plastic jar was packed. Then the jars are exported to Canada, likely arriving in Ontario and then they are shipped to Halifax, where they were purchased.

What an amazing story! Pharaohs didn't have it this good. Think of all the greenhouse gas emissions to move these mushrooms around. But at least there were some jobs created. And you have to wonder at what point the mushrooms were dehydrated. Hopefully in the open air.

So tomorrow I'm going to make Jane a homemade veggie burger (kidney beans, chickpeas and millet base) and we'll have fried mushrooms on top. She will have a little Swiss cheese I'm sure. What decadence!

Changes

2011-07-20T21:25:00.003-03:00

Wow, I'm definitely aware of a change in myself the past few weeks. I'm really becoming more supportive and nurturing of Jane as the big day approaches. I'm anticipating her needs and making her really special food and rubbing her dear, swollen feet, driving all the time and I'm not grumbling at all. I think I used to before. Perhaps she is releasing some hormones to make me more caring. Whatever it is I'm very happy to see the change.

2011-07-19T15:35:00.002-03:00

A day alone with the internet, far from gardens, means writing. Not well but something. We should all be writing. Or gardening. Something real. I should be outside.

Here is a video from a band I quite like. This video made me think about my life. What a life it's been.

Last Known Surroundings from Explosions in the Sky on Vimeo.

Next time . . .

2011-07-19T14:03:00.002-03:00

Pies are nice but next time why don't you actually hurt him?

Mania on Show

2011-07-19T12:16:00.003-03:00

Just read a good article from George Monbiot. Generally all his pieces are at least though provoking. However he is now jumping on board with nuclear power but then so are all who have a modicum of sanity yet still cling to civilization.

The article is important because it points out the mania spouted by all governments. We have to cut emissions one day! We have to grow the economy the next! Repeat.

Nova Scotia is terrible. Our dear leader traveled to Copenhagen, jumping on the bandwagon seemingly. He came back with a plan. Yet all the while he was encouraging oil and gas in Nova Scotia, and a little fracking for good measure. At least Harper doesn't pretend that he sees climate change as a socialist plot. But Dexter, Nova Scotia's answer to Barack Obama (only white and pudgy), is 'creating good jobs and growing the economy'. That's what all his signs say anyway. Would you take a job or a habitable planet? It's getting to that point.

This death economy really is a pain. You can't have your cake and eat it too. But maybe we just have to drop these governments and start again. Expect a long fight.

Post Petroleum Human?

2011-07-13T22:18:00.003-03:00

On a whim I decided to look up Mike Ruppert, formerly of From the Wilderness to see what was happening with him. This is a guy who wrote a lot about 9/11 back in the day and then about peak oil and I appreciated a lot of his insights. It was nice to hear someone moderately sane for once. I still meet people who tell me that the hydrogen economy is coming. In fact it happened the other day.

Anyway I found the following interview with Mike which you can check out if you want.

I'm a little concerned that people are annointing Mike as the leader of some new movement. I know there is a movement but it's a slow movement, like ice melting. But I'm very skeptical of leaders and of people who bow down before them. We are all amazing and don't need leaders.

But since he's way more articulate than me it's worth listening to.

Weird moment in the video: a Volt (electric car) drives behind Mike as he is speaking. Made me think that this was a subliminal message to buy one. Perhaps he has sold out. Maybe Chevy sponsors him now.

Thanking Last Season

2011-06-20T21:35:00.002-03:00

Today I was very mindful of how much food we were eating from last season. We had two nice meals, one of veggie burgers and roasted potatoes (with lots of condiments), the other was chapattis and a beany stew (again with lots of condiments). To make these meals happen I have been going down to the basement and taking out potatoes, parsnips and lots of mason jars of preserved food. Here is a little rundown of all the great things we grew and preserved last year (and are enjoying now):

Dill pickles
Pickled beans
Mustard pickles
Green tomato relish
Sauerkraut (made from radish and turnips)
Potatoes
Parsnips
Jerusalem artichokes
Canned tomatoes
Green tomato mincemeat
Lots of various jams, syrups and applesauce
Salsa
Garlic
Pickled garlic scapes
Horseradish sauce
We made kim chi a few weeks ago from overwintered cabbage, turnip greens, kale and Jerusalem artichokes

I really encourage everyone to get into fermenting and preserving. But you already knew that. Check out the great book Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz.

Like An Animal

2011-06-18T10:37:00.002-03:00

I've been listening to some of the comments coming out of the Syrian refugee camps in Turkey and a comment that came out loud and clear (thanks to the Canadian media) was refugees referring to Syrian troops as "animals". They "behaved like animals" or "they were like animals".

Now how many assumptions and worldviews are represented in that statement. It's the same old civilized story: Animals are violent and savage. They are monsters preying on the weak. No civilized person would act this way. No civilized human being would destroy villages and force people out and torture children. These people weren't civilized humans, they were depraved animals.

There must be a lot of evidence to back up these claims since this view is so widespread. Are bears sacking cities as we speak? Have they ever sacked cities? No unfortunately most bears are smart enough to hang around the local dump, digging up a free meal. Perhaps foxes torture rabbits and their children everyday? No they are mostly looking for a meal and the fastest way to a meal is to kill your prey quickly. Torturing a prey animal just increases the chance that it might actually hurt you as it dies slowly and lashes out. Given this, it would be stupid to torture. All those nature videos of lions hunting gazelles show that, as quickly as possible, they rip out the gazelle's throat, ending its life quickly and what has been called 'humanely'. Lions have to eat too and they don't have anything against the gazelle.

No sadly the Syrian troops were not behaving like animals at all. They were all too human. Only that animal (and the specifically civilized at that) behaves in such a callous and cruel manner.

Smash

2011-06-17T12:22:00.003-03:00

In the city today. Waiting for Jane to come and get me. It's garbage day and I found a bunch of windows and seriously thick glass just down the road. I thought when she came back I could go and get them. I would need a car to move them. I'm a little sad to say that the garbage truck has just arrived. I could run out and get the glass but really there is so much glass thrown away every day in this city I'm sure. So I'm just going to sit here and type this instead.

There is so much useful 'waste' thrown away every single day here. I can't even imagine it. We could be building houses, greenhouses, amazing trellis systems. We could be increasing food production in cities. We could be building passive solar buildings (admittedly, probably not up to the building code but at this stage it probably goes too far). We could be doing so much.

But we are smashing the glass instead. We are smashing it and moving it out of the city to be buried. How much embodied energy is being lost? One day we are going to be begging for these resources. We're going to be digging in dumps and unearthing these amazing treasures building a new world with the magic of the old.

The glass is about to smash as it's tossed in the back of the truck. So long.

Garden Update

2011-06-05T10:43:00.003-03:00

I've certainly been neglecting the old blog. Update from the summer so far: the gardens are so fertile it's crazy. A friend and wwoofer Zsolt put up a fertility rune in the garden and the dandelions and grass have certainly noticed. They are monstrous. But it seems that the effect is more widely felt and the grapes and currants and gooseberries we planted this spring have gotten the message. I'm feeling a bit daunted by the idea of growing grapes but we'll give it a shot. It would be pretty special to make a few bottles of wine out of our own grapes, perhaps with some currants thrown in for good measure.

The potatoes are all in the ground at the usual time at the end of May. I just planted some sweet corn, hoping for the best. Last year I planted corn in July but didn't make a harvest. It was close but no cigar. All the seedlings (tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, chard) are looking good and I've been potting them into bigger pots instead of planting them out early, when they are very small. I did so last year and I think I should have waited. It's nice to be able to experiment from year to year. In the ground are snow and snap peas, beets, parsnips, carrots, salad mix and garlic.

We have had lots of wonderful wwoofers through this year. Thank you to Will, Maiko, Zsolt, Susana, Emily, Marie-Eve, Patrick, Ashley and Markus! We wouldn't be so fertile without you!

Tale of Two Lives

2011-05-24T23:25:00.002-03:00

Well I find myself living between two places. In one of these places I feel like I have a purpose, like there's always something to do. In the other place I'm just killing time. I don't have an Iphone to keep myself busy like so many other people I see around me. I'm not interested in getting drunk or heading to Tim Horton's for a double double. But I have appointments so that's why I'm here. And I get to spend time with Jane so that's good. Just can't wait until it's back home.

--

And sorry in advance for yet again remarking on the Israel-Palestine business. But, with Netanyahu pulling out all the stops and Obama falling into step (was he ever out of step?), you really realize that the Palestinians are getting somewhere. If the US and Israel effectively order you not to do something then you should definitely do it.

It looks like the UN General Assembly is set to vote to recognize a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders come the fall. How the chumpy have fallen. Slow and steady wins the race. And as much as they would like to use their veto, if a significant number of states vote then even the dismal US can't stop the inevitable. I wonder what it will mean. Fun times ahead.

And the only knock against the 1967 borders is that they are 'indefensible'. Huh, they must think we are pretty stupid. What the fuck do they think happened between 1948 and 1967? That's right defence.

But of course all this is a distraction. With a state, it will just be Palestinians abusing Palestinians instead of Israelis.

Talk is Cheap

2011-05-19T14:47:00.002-03:00

Terribly sick. Miserable start of spring, and worst, I know that my annual end of May allergies are on their way. Mostly I'm spending my days shivering in bed and trying to sleep away 24 hours of each day, waking every two hours, eating very little. I haven't been ill in years I think, so I guess I was due.

Happily I am reading and listening to some great Democracy Now! shows. If you've never checked out Democracy Now! please listen and consider supporting them. We need a Democracy Now! North.

Tonight apparently Barack Obama is going to address the Muslim world or something. More meaningless bullshit. Check out Robert Fisk's great commentary on the dismal speech to come. I've included an excerpt tonight:

"OK, so here's what President Barack Obama should say today about the Middle East. We will leave Afghanistan tomorrow. We will leave Iraq tomorrow. We will stop giving unconditional, craven support to Israel. Americans will force the Israelis – and the European Union – to end their siege of Gaza. We will withhold all future funding for Israel unless it ends, totally and unconditionally, its building of colonies on Arab land that does not belong to it. We will cease all co-operation and business deals with the vicious dictators of the Arab world – whether they be Saudi or Syrian or Libyan – and we will support democracy even in those countries where we have massive business interests. Oh yes, and we will talk to Hamas.

Of course, President Barack Obama will not say this. A vain and cowardly man, he will talk about the West's "friends" in the Middle East, about the security of Israel – security not being a word he has ever devoted to Palestinians – and he will waffle on and on about the Arab Spring as if he ever supported it (until, of course, the dictators were on the run), as if – when they desperately needed his support – he had given his moral authority to the people of Egypt; and, no doubt, we will hear him say what a great religion Islam is (but not too great, or Republicans will start recalling the Barack Hussein Obama birth certificate again) and we will be asked – oh, I fear we will – to turn our backs on the Bin Laden past, to seek "closure" and "move on" (which I'm afraid the Taliban don't quite agree with)."

Sad Truths

2011-05-02T22:58:00.002-03:00

Wow, another brilliant and challenging article from George Monbiot. I especially appreciate his challenge to back to the land folks (I guess I'm one of them--just ignore my computer), around manufacturing. We obviously will need energy and mining to make gardening tools, butchering tool in the future. Anyway please check out the article. If you don't here are some highlights below:

"The problem we face is not that we have too little fossil fuel, but too much. As oil declines, economies will switch to tar sands, shale gas and coal; as accessible coal declines, they'll switch to ultra-deep reserves (using underground gasification to exploit them) and methane clathrates. The same probably applies to almost all minerals: we will find them, but exploiting them will mean trashing an ever greater proportion of the world's surface. We have enough non-renewable resources of all kinds to complete our wreckage of renewable resources: forests, soil, fish, freshwater, benign weather. Collapse will come one day, but not before we have pulled everything down with us."

"All of us in the environment movement, in other words – whether we propose accommodation, radical downsizing or collapse – are lost. None of us yet has a convincing account of how humanity can get out of this mess. None of our chosen solutions break the atomising, planet-wrecking project. I hope that by laying out the problem I can encourage us to address it more logically, to abandon magical thinking and to recognise the contradictions we confront. But even that could be a tall order."

I guess I really have to start talking to people about powering down in a real way, make it real to them. I don't feel much like a spokesman but we really need to start talking about these issues. I have no idea how to challenge all the advertising that promotes the destruction of the planet in such a pretty package. We are up against it friends. Again check out that article.

Puke

2011-05-02T22:15:00.002-03:00

The rejoicing in the death of Osama Bin Laden is enough to make one want to puke. I listened to the World at Six on CBC Radio One this evening and it was sickening to hear the joy that a bullet to the head caused. It just shows how violent and screwed up we all are. Revenge, revenge, revenge! The media, as ever, took sides, instead of just covering the news. Beating the drums of war and never, ever risking discussing complexity to confuse the plebs.

And these were grown adults rejoicing in death. The only moment of sanity came from the mouth of a babe. The comments of a little boy, whose father had been killed in 9/11 or the numerous trillion dollar wars that have followed (I'm sorry I don't remember which one) were conveyed by his mother. She happily told him bluntly of the brains splattered on the mansion walls in Pakistan. His response: "Why didn't they put him on trial"? Bless you.

Children at least know something about justice, unlike the madmen and women who lead and follow.

And never, ever do we wonder if, for all his own brand of madness (not far from our own clearly), does Bin Laden have (excuse me, had) genuine grievances. A quick list: the occupation of Palestine, Arab dictators, torture (and Bin Laden surely used it too) and secret police, corruption demonstrates that he had some fair points (Hitler had some good ideas right?).

Incidentally check out this great opinion piece from Robert Fisk. Fisk interviewed Bin Laden on three occasions and, unlike most reporters, he doesn't serve power.

Now I can get back to puking as the Conservatives win their majority. I'm sure Bin Laden would have died happy had he lived to see this result.

Back

2011-04-25T14:59:00.002-03:00

Well finally I am home and kind of settled. This is a funny year. For a bunch of reasons I am finding myself heading to Halifax now and again. Last Friday was the last time. But I'm really wanting to be home and settled and working in the garden.

Today was a lovely day and I wanted to tell you about it. It's a sunny day and the greenhouse is nice and warm. Frances and I had lunch in there. The tomatoes and onions are out in the greenhouse along with the small rosemary plant. The brassicas and just out on some flagstones as I don't want to overheat them.

I weeded a bed and I'm going to plant some red clover as a cover crop/green manure. This is the first time I've tried green manure. Then I planted a few hazelnut trees in the hedge that we are building next to the driveway. I'm easing into the season so I lay on the grass and snoozed before coming in to write this post.

As I relaxed, Buddy went into the baby barn and came out carrying a vole he had caught. I was half hoping he would help evict a squirrel that's taken up residence there.

Then a huge raven, flew over the house. The wing beats were something to hear.

Earlier a raven or crow, perhaps the same one, started cawing and flying up the drive toward the house. Frances and I were weeding and we hadn't really seen this from a crow/raven before. But then we got our answer. A bald eagle flew over our heads from behind us and cruised away. It seems that ravens and crows have the ability to push around bald eagles. I know they are very crafty.

So I'm sorry that I haven't been writing as much but I'm going to shift gears now and start focusing on the beautiful season to come.

Forgotten Bahrain

2011-03-30T15:51:00.005-03:00

Libya is providing some cover for the continued brutal suppression in Bahrain. The people in Bahrain are demanding an end to the absolute monarchy that rules them. They have taken peaceful actions and are being met by force. Even worse, the militaries of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States have been welcomed into Bahrain to aid in the violence against peaceful protesters.

The following were uploaded to Facebook today. If you've ever seen American History X you'll remember the seen where the protagonist stomps on the face of a black man. The fucking pig in this picture is just as brutal. Gotta love that wind-up. Make it count fucker, you're next.

And if these images weren't bad enough our dear leaders tell us they are doing all they can. The following is an excerpt from a letter I received from Lawrence Cannon on Bahrain.

--

The Office of the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister, has forwarded to me your email of February 17, 2011, concerning the current situation in the Kingdom of Bahrain . . .

. . . Canada strongly encourages Bahraini authorities to continue their efforts toward building a sincere dialogue that addresses the concerns of the country's citizens. I believe an open national dialogue is the only valid option to resolve the current unrest. The Canadian government calls on all parties involved to show openness in this process in order to peacefully address the Bahraini people's concerns.

Canada hopes for a prompt and lasting return to calm, democracy and respect of human rights in Bahrain.

--

Huh! What democracy and respect for human rights? Is Lawrence Cannon living in a dream world? These are our dictators. They facilitate our privilege. We might as well recognize them as such. The delusion is so strong though that we assume that everyone lives with their rights guaranteed. Not so. Ask the cop in the pictures.

Mid-East Musings

2011-03-22T18:24:00.003-03:00

A few thoughts on the so-called Middle East.

So a US F-15 has crashed due to mechanical failure today. The pilot was saved naturally. I'd like to continue the tally of cost on this 'mission'. So there are two models of F-15. I expect the more expensive one comes with air conditioning and power locks, possibly all-wheel drive. We can't tell which it is from the pictures.

The cost of this fighter breaks down like this. And don't forget inflation which I have calculated for:

F-15A/B: US$27.9 million (1998) = $37,880,497 in 2011 dollars
F-15C/D: US$29.9 million (1998) = $40,595,945 in 2011 dollars

So that makes a grand total of around $120,000,000 including those tomahawk missiles.

Just in: the Coalition of the Willing (now with Romania!) has fired 160 tomahawk missiles thus far. I'm going to stop keeping track of these expenses now as this is a stupid exercise.

Needless to say there's no cuts planned to the military but we are apparently broke.

--

Incidentally, can Libya box up that fighter and send it back to the US with a bill? Seriously arguably this is littering on a grand scale. And I'm sure that the fighter is full of toxic materials. I somehow doubt it.

--

I love these dictators holding meetings and ranting on. Just saw Yemen's decrepit 'President' barking and snarling at the head of a mammoth table. Imagine being there. Do these guys take themselves seriously? Oh yeah, the torture. They are serious.

Hidden History

2011-03-21T18:37:00.002-03:00

You have to wonder how much longer the US with their buddies in France and Canada want to punish the people of Haiti. I know they liberated themselves from slavery to France then defeated Napoleon's conquering army when it tried to enslave them again. They reached out to the United States, the supposed beacon of liberty only to suffer through 200 years of abuse at the hands of Americans, French and yes even Canadians.

But you know, all this has been said before.

And the important thing is that Jean-Bertrand Aristide is back in Haiti. No thanks to Barack Obama, he arrived this weekend to a riotous welcome. Anyway I was following the coverage on Democracy Now! and learned something that I never knew about his kidnapping in 2004. I wanted to share it with you today.

As President of Haiti, Aristide recognized that one of the major problems in his country was a lack of medical services. There are very few doctors serving the population and doctors have to go abroad to study, and many I would imagine, didn't return. In fact I have read that there were only 2,000 doctors in the whole country of 9 million. So working with Cuba (famous for the exporting of doctors) in 2001 he broke ground on a new facility to house a new medical school for his country. The University of the Aristide Foundation was opened in late 2003 and its primary goal was to train poor, rural doctors to return home and serve their communities. The school was training 247 doctors by the time of the second anti-Aristide coup, orchestrated by the United States on February 28 2004.

Outrageously the occupying US and UN forces kicked out the medical students and used the building as a barracks until 2007! Some students went to Cuba to continue their training but Haiti lost an important institution (happily the building survived the earthquake). Aristide is looking forward to continuing the work he started in 2001 now that he is back in Haiti.

But you have to wonder what kind of friend moves in and takes over an important medical school in a country that desperately needs medical professionals? We are reminded by the media and our dear leaders how poor and vulnerable Haiti is; how much better prepared for the earthquake would they have been with these doctors in the field?

I was shocked to read this hidden history. But it's nice to know that the US and UN don't give a shit about Haiti. Once you realize these things you can move on to the next logical step.

Post 200

2011-03-20T16:50:00.002-03:00

Wow, I'm already at 200 posts on this blog. Sound and fury, signifying nothing?

Blast Off

2011-03-19T23:54:00.002-03:00

So the bombing has begun. Of course there's no question that we would dare to bomb the other dictators massacring their people: specifically Yemen and Bahrain. Both of which would be pushovers, unlike Libya. And anyway that would mean that we actually stand for something and not just securing oil.

But I read that already the US and the new 'Coalition of the Willing' have fired 110 Tomahawk missiles at Libya in one day. So let's make some calculations as to the cost of just firing these missiles. Remember these are weapons whose job it is to create nothing but burn up and destroy and sew misery.

According to a US military site, in 1999 dollars each Tomahawk costs $569,000. So I had to figure out how much that would be in 2011 dollars. I found an inflation calculator which showed that the number for each missile increases to $755,851.27 or 32.8 percent (scary and shows how quickly our hard earned money is rendered worthless--basically in 10 years the one dollar you made is now worth two thirds its value when traded for goods and services).

So in one day the Coalition of the Willing blew up $83,143,639.70. Keep up the good work boys!

Great Analysis

2011-03-13T15:25:00.003-03:00

Last week Naomi Klein was on Democracy Now! It was a really interesting discussion, one of the best I've seen. Her analysis touched on the deep transformations needed to dismantle the global economy. But we all pretend that we don't have to do this and we can just buy hybrids and change lightbulbs but it's not going to work. And this is the reason why people are starting to reject climate change (based on faith not facts) because it would mean that we have to reject the global economy. The funny thing is that really the global economy only benefits the few while leaving the planet with a legacy of destruction. Anyway check out the show below.

Voice of Bradley Manning

2011-03-11T08:43:00.002-04:00

The media likes to write articles, interpreting things for us. To my mind, however it's always best to hear from the source and make our own decisions. Words can be bent, emphasis changed, sentences dropped to paint the picture that a government or media corporation want to portray.

In this case, it's Private Bradley Manning, alleged leaker of thousands of diplomatic cables. His treatment since his arrest is shocking, though not unexpected from the history of the US government (and every single government I might add). Here are his own words on his torture and imprisonment:

Understandably frustrated by this decision after enduring over seven months of unduly harsh confinement conditions, I asked the brig operations officer, MSG Papakie, what I needed to do in order to be downgraded from maximum custody and prevention of injury status. MSG Papakie responded by telling me that there was nothing I could do to downgrade my detainee status and that the brig simply considered me a risk of self-harm.

Out of frustration, I responded that the PoI restrictions were absurd and sarcastically told him if I really wanted to harm myself, that I could conceivably do so with the elastic waistband of my underwear or with my flip-flops.

Later that same day, I was told that I would be stripped naked at night due to something that I had said to MSG Papakie. Shocked, I replied that I hadn't said anything. I had just pointed out the absurdity of my current confinement conditions.

Without consulting any brig mental health provider, chief warrant officer Denise Barnes used my sarcastic comment as justification to increase the restrictions imposed upon me under the guise of being concerned that I was a suicide risk.

I was not, however, placed under the designation of suicide risk. This is because suicide risk would have required a brig mental health provider's recommendation in order for the added restrictions to continue.

In response to this specific incident, the brig psychiatrist met with me. After speaking to me, he assessed me as "low risk and requiring only routine outpatient follow-up [with] no need for … closer clinical observation". In particular, he indicated that my statement about the waist band of my underwear was in no way prompted by "a psychiatric condition".

Since 2 March 2011, I have been stripped of all my clothing at night. I have been told that the PCF commander intends on continuing this practice indefinitely. Initially, after surrendering my clothing to the brig guards, I had no choice but to lay naked in my cold jail cell until the following morning.

The next morning I was told to get out of my bed for the morning duty brig supervisor (DBS) inspection. I was not given any of my clothing back. I got out of the bed and immediately started to shiver because of how cold it was in my cell. I walked towards the front of my cell with my hands covering my genitals. The guard told me to stand at parade rest, which required me to stand with my hands behind my back and my legs spaced shoulder width apart. I stood at "parade rest" for about three minutes until the DBS arrived. Once the DBS arrived, everyone was called to attention. The DBS and the other guards walked past my cell. The DBS looked at me, paused for a moment, and then continued to the next detainee's cell.

I was incredibly embarrassed at having all these people stare at me naked.

After the DBS completed his inspection, I was told to go and sit on my bed.

About 10 minutes later I was given my clothes and allowed to get dressed.

After apparent outside pressure on the brig due to my mistreatment, I was given a suicide prevention article of clothing called a "smock" by the guards. Although I am still required to strip naked in my cell at night, I am now given the "smock" to wear. At first, I did not want to wear this item of clothing due to how coarse it was and how uncomfortable it felt.

However, the brig now orders me to wear the "smock" at night.

Given the above circumstances, the decision to strip me of my clothing every night for an indefinite period of time is clearly punitive in nature.

There is no mental health justification for the decision. I am under 24-hour surveillance, with guards never being more than a few feet away from my cell. I am permitted to have my underwear and clothing during the day, with no apparent concern that I will harm myself during this time period.

The determination to strip me of all my clothing every night since 2 March 2011 is without justification and therefore constitutes unlawful pretrial punishment.

Under my current restrictions, in addition to being stripped at night, I am essentially held in solitary confinement. For 23 hours per day, I sit alone in my cell. The guards check on me every five minutes during the day by asking me if I am OK. I am required to respond in some affirmative manner.

At night, if the guards cannot see me clearly, because I have a blanket over my head or I am curled up towards the wall, they will wake me in order to ensure that I am OK. I receive each of my meals in my cell. I am not allowed to have a pillow or sheets. I am not allowed to have any personal items in my cell. I am only allowed to have one book or one magazine at a time to read. The book or magazine is taken from me at the end of the day before I go to sleep. I am prevented from exercising in my cell. If I attempt to do push-ups, sit-ups, or any other form of exercise I am forced to stop.

Finally, I receive only one hour of exercise outside of my cell daily. My exercise is usually limited to me walking figures of eight in an empty room.

Spot.us

2011-03-10T15:57:00.000-04:00

Spot.Us - Community Funded Reporting Intro from Digidave on Vimeo.

Team Apocalypse

2011-03-10T13:25:00.001-04:00

Further to my last post here is an excerpt from an Al Jazeera report on the toxification of the Gulf of Mexico:

"I have critically high levels of chemicals in my body," 33-year-old Steven Aguinaga of Hazlehurst, Mississippi told Al Jazeera. "Yesterday I went to see another doctor to get my blood test results and the nurse said she didn't know how I even got there."

Aguinaga and his close friend Merrick Vallian went swimming at Fort Walton Beach, Florida, in July 2010.

"I swam underwater, then found I had orange slick stuff all over me," Aguinaga said. "At that time I had no knowledge of what dispersants were, but within a few hours, we were drained of energy and not feeling good. I've been extremely sick ever since."

BP's oil disaster last summer gushed at least 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, causing the largest accidental marine oil spill in history - and the largest environmental disaster in US history. Compounding the problem, BP has admitted to using at least 1.9 million gallons toxic dispersants, including one chemical that has been banned in the UK.

Shocking

2011-03-10T09:55:00.004-04:00

It's pretty shocking of course that the elite class and their politicians are blatantly looting the public commons and squeezing everyone to feed the voracious appetites of the rich and powerful. Tax cuts for the ultra wealthy, removal of collective bargaining, cutting environmental regulations and enforcement against big polluters, bailouts for the banks, approving untested genetically modified foods, doing less than nothing about climate change, bank bonuses swelling, retirement age going up, new wars for resources (you're next Libya), expanding jails for dissidents, security certificates and secret jails, purchasing elected officials, food price rises, the toxification of the environment, extinctions of species, the list goes on. Before it was pretty hidden but as the long emergency unfolds before us they get more bold. Take what you can boys, the party's over!

What's more shocking though is that people aren't standing up against it in a bigger way. The democracy we've been sold is rotten to the core. Just look at the Conservative Party of Canada. The civilization we all love is killing the planet (don't take my word for it, open your eyes and ask some tough questions).

You'd think that people just didn't care. It's not quite that bad. Just our hearts are broken and we can't connect with one another. Hence my blog posts and your Facebook profile. But if I tried to have a meeting to talk about these thoughts, the cops, those protectors of the collapse, would be all over it.

But at some point something's got to give. Maybe it will be one more handshake between a politician and his corporate owner and whispered thanks caught on tape. Maybe the corporate media will make a mistake and actually do something ethical and ask some meaningful questions. Or maybe the price of oil will rise too high and we'll realize that industrial civilization can't continue to decimate the planet without it. Or maybe someone will stand up and start our fight back. Or all of the above.

Burn it Down

2011-03-08T10:30:00.003-04:00

Bless them, Egyptians took the initiative and invaded the state torture factory last week. That's right, people actually did this, they took back their power and did something; they didn't wait for their leaders to act, they didn't write letters, they just did it. I didn't hear any mention of this story but it's so important. People have to do this, we don't need a commission or official inquiry. Everyone knows.

So many people have just disappeared in Egypt and of course in hundreds of other countries while others have had their fingernails pulled, electric shocks applied to their bodies and others have been hung from the ceiling by their hands and feet. All in this hideous, vile place and the other franchises of civilization around the world.

We all say united: "This place must be destroyed."

Corrupt to the Core

2011-03-04T18:18:00.001-04:00

This is one of the better Democracy Now! shows I've seen in a long time. It touches on shale gas, hydraulic fracturing and climate change and then the use of propaganda on US citizens and senators. I really wanted to share.

Thinking of Wisconsin

2011-03-03T18:37:00.000-04:00

Crazy Quotes Time

2011-02-22T15:30:00.003-04:00

"Anyone who undermines the state will be punished by death." - Colonel Gaddafi

"Israel views this Iranian move [sending two warships through the Suez Canal] with utmost gravity and this step, like other steps and developments, underscores what I have reiterated in recent years – Israel's security needs will grow and the defence budget must grow accordingly."- Benjamin Netanyahu

Galactic Economy

2011-02-21T09:27:00.003-04:00

When I was a boy I dreamed of being able to travel to the stars. I used to watch Star Trek and other science fiction stories that imagined space travel and new planets. Just think of all the amazing things to see in the universe.

As time went on this adventurous dream transformed into a practical one. Though I became more skeptical over time I still remember my friend Matt exclaiming that humans had to leave earth in order to survive. Since then this mantra has been repeated by no less than Stephen Hawking amongst others. Survive what exactly, I should have asked? We both knew that the sun has an expiry date but I think he was thinking of a more civilized demise. After all we are our own worst enemies, destroying our landbases and ensuring that our children and their children suffer to the point of extinction.

Last night as I walked to my partner's parents' house, a thought came to me. They live in a well-off neighbourhood. All the nice houses and fancy cars made me think that we have chosen to obliterate the earth as soon as possible. It will be achieved through the standard channels: extreme over-consumption, depression, climate change, the toxification of the environment. If civilized humans have their way, and we brook no challengers, we can achieve our goal in a few generations. I know this is nothing new.

My important thought revolved around that imagined colonizing of the stars. Had the global economy and the people who drive it not facilitated this instant carnage . . .

(that would make a great song wouldn't it:

Instant Carnage's gonna get you,
Gonna knock you right on the head,
You better get yourself together,
Pretty soon you're gonna be dead,
What in the world you thinking of,
Laughing in the face of love,
What on earth you tryin' to do,
It's up to you, yeah you.)

. . . and instead have dreamed bigger and slowed down 'economic development' (i.e. destruction of life) they might have come up with a plan to obliterate the whole galaxy and just maybe the whole universe. Think Avatar but don't bet on the natives. Just imagine all the other habitable planets that the galactic economy and its minions could ravage and leave barren.

But maybe we could and can never leave our one and only home. Kind of makes it worth fighting for.

Movie Never Made

2011-02-18T11:36:00.002-04:00

(I thought of this song as I stared at a screen telling me about all the Bahrainis being shot and beaten and all I could do is write to our dismal prime minister)

on silver mount zion
all buried in ruins
we was dancing the hora
until we vomited blood
spinning like crazy
Shoshanna i was jonesing
the towers had fallen
and the wind called out my grandfather's name

let's kill first the banker
with his professional demeanor
let's televise and broadcast the raping of kings
let our crowds be fed on tear gas and plate glass
'cos the people united is a wonderful thing

I know that you're dying
and I know I'm unwell
and together we sashay
through variations of hell

and as you walk through valleys of fear
the lure of my past never near

oh, don't be afraid, for the parade
will not pass our way
it's nobler to never get paid,
than to bank on shit and dismay

pHarmony

2011-02-14T10:34:00.002-04:00

I had a good laugh watching this video. It's obviously true. Politicians work for the wealthy and powerful. Citizens are not powerful, but corporations are. So a crafty politician will say one thing to people while facilitating the destruction of the earth hand in hand with corporations.

Many of us don't need these videos anymore. If we created maybe 10 more clever videos like this will we stop the killing of ducks in tailings ponds? Would 100 stop greenhouse gas emissions completely?

Obviously not, though using these clever tools isn't a bad idea. It challenges the almost total state (corporate/government/police) domination of thought and discourse. You may have noticed that you aren't allowed to say (and possibly think) every thing you like. But through seeing this video, one or two people might wake up. And that's a good thing. Transformations are usually incremental. So we must continue to produce these excellent productions and grow our numbers.

But that's not enough to save ducks and stop climate change. We must think about our tactics more holistically.

Everyone Out Now!

2011-02-11T09:49:00.003-04:00

A bit cheesy but moving. A music video of the revolution.

Lyrics:

I went down and I said I am not coming back, and I wrote on every street wall that I am not coming back.

All barriers have been broken down, our weapon was our dream, and the future is crystal clear to us, we have been waiting for a long time, we are still searching for our place, we keep searching for a place we belong too, in every corner in our country.

The sound of freedom is calling, in every street corner in our country, the sound of freedom is calling.

We will rewrite history, if you are one of us, join us and don't stop us from fulfilling our dream.

The sound of freedom is calling.

Live from Tahrir

2011-02-10T15:03:00.002-04:00

Broadcasting Live with Ustream.TV

Talk is very, very cheap

2011-02-10T13:56:00.003-04:00

So much for democracy.

One of the things that always broke my heart growing up was that the US said one thing but then did another (as my dad always reminded me). They always talked about high ideals like human rights and democracy but then when it came to it they would support a dictator like Noreiga or Pinochet and even sell the dictator in question the pliers to pull out the nails of union leaders or human rights lawyers. Made with pride in the USA.

At some point I gave up on the US. All children must grow up after all. How many times must you be disappointed before you abandon your fantasy? Talk is very, very cheap.

And now an agent of the state laid bare the US position on the peaceful Egyptian revolution. The Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg declared the position quite honestly. Whatever government emerges in Egypt in the future must "honor Egypt's historic peace treaty with Israel," he said.

"We are committed to ensuring that political changes on Israel's borders do not create new dangers for Israel or the region," he said in prepared testimony (you'd better believe it was prepared) to the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

"By working for orderly transitions, we believe we can help ensure Israel's long-term security just as we can support governments that are more responsive to their people."

Now I'm sure one of the Congressional Representatives asked specifically about Israel since he or she probably gets a lot of money from pro-Israel groups and is worried about his benefactor. But the response is telling about the US commitment to democracy. Let's do our jobs and provide some analysis.

Future Egyptian governments are forbidden by the US from making national decisions such as who to make peace with or not. Imagine a state dictated the US in the same way? Egypt can never walk away from a peace treaty with Israel. A veiled threat.
Egypt is referred to as being on "Israel's border" not existing in its own right.
"New dangers" are raised but never substantiated. Democracy in Egypt therefore could be a danger (especially since Israel has nuclear weapons).
Israel's security comes well before supporting "governments that are more responsive to their people". Notice that he didn't say fully accountable to their people. Just more representative, perhaps a demi-democracy is in the cards. Israel comes before democracy.

Really with such a biased actor as the US, none of this should be surprising. The only kind of democracy allowed anywhere in the vicinity of Israel must defer to Israel at all times. Sounds like a miserable situation and just the kind of chauvinist rhetoric that will actually lead the outcome the US and Israel claim to dread.

Lessons from the Super Bowl

2011-02-07T15:07:00.003-04:00

Like Urinating

I called a friend last night and caught him in a bar watching the Super Bowl. We had a nice chat and caught up, the game wasn't that engaging for him I suppose. I think that for most of us watching the Super Bowl is like urinating, you just do it. Such is the power of unrelenting marketing.

The British View

I'm copying this from the Independent in the UK:

If you have never watched American football, tonight's Super Bowl will be as incomprehensible a spectacle as an Aztec sacrifice would have been to the Conquistadors.

The game will be played in an air-conditioned stadium with a roof, in warm and mid-western Arlington, Texas (home ground of the Dallas Cowboys). From the roof are suspended the world's biggest HD video screens, each 60 yards long, so that the crowd in the stadium can see what's happening in close-up and watch the replays, essential to understanding the intricately choreographed brawl.

Although the rules change every year to make the game safer or more exciting for television (the latest change is a ban on hitting an opposing player helmet-first), the basics are simple.

The aim is to take the ball to the end zone of the 100-yard-long field. The team with the ball is allowed four attempts to advance 10 yards. Play stops every time the ball carrier is brought to the ground. If a team gains 10 yards, they start again with another four attempts. If they fail to gain 10 yards in three attempts, they usually use their fourth to kick the ball as far down field as they can.

There are two basic kinds of play:a run or a pass. For a pass, the quarterback, the leader of the offense, usually throws the one permitted forward pass. Look out for running back James Stark and wide receiver Antwaan Randle El.

By coincidence, today's evenly matched teams, the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers, have a history in the game's rust-belt origins and are the only remaining working-class names in the league. The team from Green Bay, a port on Lake Michigan, was founded 92 years ago, sponsored by a meat packing company. But today's game would be as unrecognisable to the meat packers of inter-war Wisconsin as it would be to most Brits.

The players – 45 on each side since the introduction of unlimited substitutions – are in action for a few seconds at a time. Ninety minutes of playing time will take three-and-a-half hours in real time.

The half-time show, meanwhile, has become a grisly index of music-industry has-beenery, today featuring the Black Eyed Peas.

Ridiculous? Of course. But what a spectacle.

Super Child Sex-Trafficking

The Independent article that I copied the above piece from would never dare be written in the US. And not because everyone knows the bizarre rules. The article actually outlines the fact that 300,000 young girls (and one would imagine boys) are trafficked to the Super Bowl each year for sex. But under the bright lights, there is no sin.

M-V-P

The game of football revolves around the mythic quarterback. The individual who leads his band of heroes to victory. Apart from kicking plays, his office is always represented. He is invariably white and tall and god-like. If someone else wins the MVP award, they must be superhuman to wrench the spotlight from this mythic character. I can't imagine how anyone else could rise above the quarterback. The whole system is rigged against it. Sound familiar?

Cheese Heads Forever

Perhaps I'll close with some moderately interesting and inspiring reasons that it's good that Green Bay one the Super Bowl. But bear in mind that this is still just football--though the fact that I'm writing about it demonstrates that I'm a sucker for all that marketing I mentioned.

So Green Bay is actually owned by the community in much the same way a credit union is owned. As of June 2005, there are 112,015 owners. They elect a board of directors who operate the team. This structure allows a relatively small place like Green Bay (population approximately 100,000) to maintain a club.

In fact no other team in the league has this structure and it could no longer happen according to the NFL constitution which prescribes wealthy ownership. They were grandfathered in given their history. And while I'm sure they generate revenue for their 'shareholders', the team operates a foundation and supports worthy causes. And I don't think, like most NFL owners, that they are doing it for tax purposes.

Clin-ton Speaks

2011-02-05T18:08:00.005-04:00

What Clin-ton meant to say . . .

PS - Hilary Clin-ton is a white guy who always wears a suit!

Democracy Now!'s Sharif Kouddous on the Ground in Cairo, Egypt

2011-02-04T10:41:00.000-04:00

Democracy Now!'s Sharif Kouddous on the Ground in Cairo, Egypt

Peaceful Protesters Under Attack

2011-02-02T10:22:00.000-04:00

Al Jazeera English: Live Stream - Watch Now - Al Jazeera English

Simple Equation

2011-02-01T09:04:00.003-04:00

I've written about this before. And anyone with any sense can see the connection. Every time the global economy grows, we humans increase our greenhouse gas emissions. These greenhouse gas emissions fuel climate change and threaten our species and all other species. So really the global economy threatens our species and all other species.

Logically therefore the global economy has got to go. There is no other sane conclusion.

The UK government just released the greenhouse gas emission numbers for 2009. Carbon dioxide emissions dropped by almost 10% from the previous year! Officials (don't you just love that title) said that this drop was caused by the bad, old recession. Boo fucking hoo. Can't they see that this is a really good thing, that they are reducing their emissions?

I'm not going to pretend that other officials (elected or otherwise) are actually going to do anything about reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that threaten our survival. A lot of people have faith in Kyoto, Copenhagen and Cancun and the One Tonne Challenge and One Million Acts of Green and other such spin. Each one achieved almost nothing (apart from maybe convincing people that something had to be done but then providing them no options for action apart from buying something new and sustainable) and there are, happily for the global economy, loopholes that you could drive a (polluting) truck through.

So our jobs are to encourage the global economy on its downward trajectory. At this point it's on its way anyway I would argue but it can always use a little push. Our survival demands it. Jobs (basically selling your labour for little pieces of paper that let you buy necessities--there are other 'jobs' and ways to live) aren't worth risking the planet. The Egyptians are doing there part as oil has now gone above $100 a barrel. Just a bit more and we'll have another recession and reduced GHG emissions. Keep up the good work!

Don't forget the equations:

global economy growth = increased GHG emissions = runaway climate change = risk to all species

global economy shrinks = GHG emissions balance = less drastic climate change = reduced risk to all species

Remember you do get to choose which one you want for you and you children and their children. But you have to act!

Transit Eyes

2011-01-27T09:49:00.001-04:00

Rain beats on the glass.
Trees wave in the wind.
Eyes forward children,
No distractions please.

One day you notice the eyes,
Dull, defeated, tired, dry
From years of misuse;
You see yourself.

But the bus stops and starts,
Down the road. To where?
You know. Get off now.
Smash the glass.

There’s always a weak point.

To Hamilton with Love

2011-01-27T08:39:00.001-04:00

All the grown ups and kids and call center attendants
catch a look to see whats going on
saturday afternoon
in a place they didn't know was there
its a ballet with sticks without any music
but that ballet looks like its danced
with yellow and green clown shoes
and everyone deserves a chance to shoot
theres a game we have saved from the man
we ain't skilled but we do what we can
theres a game we have saved from the man
we ain't skilled buy we don't give a damn
the kids play a game you could call hockey
its doesn't look like the hockey you see on t.v.
they're having too much fun
what else would you do when your growing up
there is a lot you can learn by being really awkward
you can concentrate on whats important
or how we use our words
or how we can help a friend
all the grown ups and kids and call center attendants
are all welcomed to join tie up their shoes and get out there
on saturday afternoon
in a place they're about to renew
theres a game we have saved from the man
we ain't skilled but we do what we can
theres a game we have saved from the man
we ain't skilled but we don't give a damn

A poem/song by Tom Dusome. Check out his myspace.

Leak On

2011-01-24T14:56:00.003-04:00

Blessed are the leakers, for they fuck with the powerful.

Wikileaks is certainly inspiring a wealth of knowledge entering the public domain. And that's a good thing. States (including corporations which should always be counted as part of the state) should have no secrets.

Last week a former employee of a secretive Swiss bank released a wealth of information on the rich and powerful (and corrupt of course, how do you think they got so rich and powerful) to Julian Assange of Wikileaks. Ever wondered where all your government's development money ended up, ask a corrupt dictator? Or check out these files.

Yesterday Al-Jazeera and the Guardian released secret Israel-Palestine-US 'negotiating' records and documents. As usual the Palestinians as the weakest party are expected to give up the most in any settlement. Makes sense in our hierarchical culture. And the thing is that they did and still it wasn't enough. Check out this story outlining the unenviable position of the Palestinian Authority and hailing (finally) the end of the two-state solution. Good riddance!

And just moments ago a secret NATO document was released outlining Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci's deep ties to organized crime. Apparently Thaci profits from the smuggling of weapons and drugs and occasionally he'll slip in a few human organs for a few extra bucks. But he's one of the good guys, right? I'm confused, isn't that evil? Not when you're making money baby!

Bless you leakers. I'd love to join if only I knew anything of import.

Bizarro World

2011-01-22T23:17:00.005-04:00

Welcome to the bizarro world. Today the UK's top scientist declared in typical insane fashion that genetically modified crops had to permitted in order to ensure that humans survive the next century. One wonders how invested this fucker is in Monsanto or Bayer?

It's so great. If you have any sense of sanity left your only option is really to laugh. Or book yourself a few months in an asylum. Civilized humans screw everything up and the only choice we can think of is to embrace more of the same behaviour. The earth is trying to teach us a lesson, if we only still had the ability to hear.

The worst is that the voices that would speak out against all these loony moves are starting to shut up. Climate change (scary as it is don't get me wrong) trumps everything, especially sanity.

At work the other day we were discussing pushing for a ban on hydraulic fracturing a technique for extracting methane trapped (forever) in underground shale deposits. Now if you were a sane species you would recognize that leaving these gases where they are, effectively sequestered, would be a good ideal since this was yet another of the hottest years on record. And it's not like hydraulic fracturing is benign. The technique poisons groundwater with a cocktail of chemicals and methane of course.

But a colleague said, methane is touted as a bridge between oil and coal and the imaginary future of clean energy and a thriving economy. So we can move away from oil and coal by relying on natural gas (methane) for the short-term and build our happy little wind turbines and solar panels for the long-term. The thing is, I don't hear this plan coming down from Stephen Harper or Barack Obama. Their plan and this has always been their plan, is to grow the economy. This means no slowdown on coal or oil and opening up new energy sources to feed the dreadful economy. But because someone said that methane could be a bridge energy source we can't take a strong stand against dangerous hydraulic fracturing, let alone the death economy and our overpopulation of the planet.

The worst part of all this is that when I challenged my colleagues they all admitted that this was a dream, a fantasy hope against climate change. There is no plan. It's not going to work but instead of speaking out we are going to go along with it. Maybe the elites will take this seriously and won't do what they've always done and cash in on the killing of the planet.

Our hearts are broken. Our souls are shattered. We are as impotent as, well, ourselves (I know it sounds funny coming from me). This will be my last tour with an environmental organization. This will not get results. I know that there are some principled groups out there but they are few and far between. Thankfully it's not going to take a lot of people to get us where we need to go. We just have to get away from all the poison hope infecting the world. Let's get busy.

The Kids are Alright

2011-01-14T13:55:00.004-04:00

How's this for fashionable protesters? Looking good Tunisia. Perhaps the Black Bloc could take some lessons from you. All in black but only if it's Armani. But I guess it comes down to tactics. Our state/economy has yet to collapse and the elites can pillage and still leave some scraps for the rest of us. So fashionable young people aren't out on the street in numbers. Yet.

Have you heard what started this business in Tunisia? A young man with no job and no prospects for a job lit himself on fire in protest and died from his burns. It seems that years of corruption have made a minority disgustingly wealthy and the majority trudge along (though you wouldn't know it from their outfits). Does this sound familiar?

And it seems his compatriots have gotten results and kicked out their decrepit, sleazy, violent, abusive, 23 year dictator. Way to go young Tunisia! Though I wonder who will replace him. I'm sure he will be just as decrepit etc. That's the problem. There's no solution to this one.

Stay on the streets boys. Just make sure that the fashionable stores are protected.

Fight the Future

2011-01-10T13:00:00.004-04:00

I just read this story about six Russian boys who were attacked by a mob of nationalists, fascists and drunken football fans in Moscow. Four of the boys didn't look Russian enough so they were singled out and kicked, beaten and even stabbed. One was knocked unconscious. Thankfully four unarmed police officers tried their best to come between them and the mob and likely saved their lives.

The Russian kids are tough though, one was ready to fight one on one. But it's hard to reason with a mob.

It's a harrowing story which you can read here.

The most shocking thing is that someone with a camera caught the attack on video.

Money, then God

2011-01-06T09:08:00.002-04:00

Gotta love this message coming from Mike Huckabee, potential Republican presidential candidate in 2012. I use this word a lot but this man is clearly insane to make this comparison. And I wouldn't mind if he obviously hated people and dumped pollution for a living and killed babies in his spare time. That I could understand.

But before he was in politics he was a man of God. He was a minister, probably at some evangelical church, but a follower of Jesus of Nazareth nonetheless. I wonder, since we are told he is just itching to return if, after this talk by one of his homeys, Jesus has decided to give up. Repent Huckabee, your end is nigh.

But don't forget the polar bears Jesus, or the plankton or the sequoias. They still believe and need your help. They need our help too.

Rank Swell

2011-01-03T11:06:00.003-04:00

Rejoice comrades! Another country has declared that the War on the Motorist is over. Now the War on Sanity can begin!

Central to our new War on Sanity will be the electric car without which humans would die long and painful deaths. You don't want people to die painful deaths do you?

Our Dear Minister wisely declared: "This government recognises that cars are a lifeline for many people - and that by supporting the next generation of electric and ultra-low emission vehicles, it can enable sustainable green motoring to be a long-term part of Britain's future transport planning."

So buy a new car and support the War on Sanity! Don't worry if you don't have a job. There's always credit!

Britain now stands with the City of Toronto in the vanguard of the War on Sanity. Won't you join the dance?

Library Happiness

2011-01-02T22:03:00.002-04:00

Jane and I had a lovely afternoon at the public library today. Just reading books and discovering new books in the shelving cart and meeting friends.

I found a really interesting graphic novel called DMZ. It's set in New York City in the future where the US has experienced a second civil war. New York is the fault line between the sides and it's the story of a reporter there. Can't see the Tea Party taking over but perhaps this book was ahead of its time. Hard and gritty just like Battlestar Galactica.

So anyway the library. What a place! So many people, like me, must really love it and cherish it. My friend Drew once remarked to me that in all the state's efforts to destroy the welfare state, the one untouchable is the public library. We never really understood why that would be. I think perhaps it's because the library predates the welfare state. But still you'd think that the economy would much prefer we all bought our own private libraries and never shared much like private cell phones replaced public pay phones.

As I was leaving I wanted to make a stencil that said: "If you're ever feeling sad think of the public library".

A Thousand Words

2010-12-17T17:17:00.003-04:00

This picture speaks a thousand words about modern war-making.

I recently took a course led by a grizzled old Korean War and Suez peacekeeping force veteran named Robbie. On a lunch break I sat outside eating while he smoked and lamented the state of the modern Canadian military to other students.

He said that while he served he earned something ridiculous like 6 cents a day. Soldiers these days he said, expected big money and creature comforts like cell phones, video games and Tim Horton's coffee while killing on our behalf. I don't quite know if he was resentful or jealous that he had put in so much for so little. But it does speak to the changing nature of the military and how much comfort the modern solider demands. I bet the military can't wait until their have soldier-bots fighting for them.

But it is strange isn't it? These two fellows have somehow hauled portable heaters out to the middle of a hill in the presumably frigid Afghan countryside. I wonder if they brought along their Nintendo DS and text their wives and girlfriends regularly: LOL sitting on hill 4 6 daze str8.

Beware the Green Dragon

2010-12-17T14:04:00.003-04:00

There is No Head

2010-12-15T18:46:00.003-04:00

It’s pretty clear that Julian Assange is going to end up in an American jail probably for the rest of his life. After his recent extraordinary legal treatment he’s likely to suffer from a rendition on the way to Sweden. He’s lucky that he’s white or he might end up hanging.

I wanted to share a premise from Derrick Jensen which rings true in this case (and so many others): The property of those higher on the hierarchy is more valuable than the lives of those below. It is acceptable for those above to increase the amount of property they control—in everyday language, to make money—by destroying or taking the lives of those below. This is called production. If those below damage the property of those above, those above may kill or otherwise destroy the lives of those below. This is called justice.

This intense focus on Julian Assange though, once again betrays a major weakness of the state. I remember numerous marches against globalization and the police attempting to focus on people who they viewed as ‘leaders’. So they will pressure those assigned leaders, snatch them off the street, arrest them, torture them, deprive them of basic things, hold them in solitary confinement. Essentially make an example of them. The case of Alex Hundert is also exemplary in this regard.

But it’s not going to work. There are no leaders. As King Abdullah, the rotting royal of Saudi Arabia impotently demanded in a leaked cable: “cut off the head of the snake”. There is no head, my dear king. But once yours and the one’s of so many other dear leaders hit the floor then we just might be getting somewhere.

Wikileaks will go on. It is not one man. It is the truth. It is shining a bright light at the shadowy powerful. It is essential. It cannot be stopped, as much as the small-minded might hope.

So Julian Assange will be sacrificed but the struggle continues.

Love is Death

2010-12-13T10:00:00.002-04:00

Love miles. I had never considered them before. My friend Chris wrote a great opinion piece about the damaging impacts of flying this week. Flying is bad, we all know it. Actually we don't all know it. And certainly the elites don't care.

But then there are the love miles involved. We all have families scattered around the world. This is the result of Colonialism and its clever rebranding, the Global Economy. So to show our love (and apparent hate of the planet) to our families we travel to Australia, India, US, Canada, Antarctica and anywhere we're holding a family gathering. My family, hundreds of people easily wants to meet every year or so. They even have a clever acronym for it: GOM.

I won't be attending.

There are also our friends who decide to get married in Cuba or the Dominican Republic. How could you not go? Don't you love them? So our relationships and the pressures involved in them are even feeding the destruction of the planet at our tiny hands.

I can't tell them that it's precisely because I love them that I won't be going. I just say I won't be going. We all have choices after all. You don't tell others how to live.

How many of our parents, extremely privileged in their old age, have their to do lists before they die? I know many. The Galapagos Islands, China, Easter Island, New Zealand, South Africa. The list grows every day as does the death toll from climate change.

How do you talk to people about this? Tied to love, death is the other half of the coin of flying, of these international lives. How can we recognize this?

Are humans just assuming the role of the balancing force of life? Death must come with life after all. Is our job to destroy the planet? To turn it back into merely a rock in the cold universe. Or more likely to die trying. Would another species have taken this on if we had chosen to just be.

These thoughts keep me up at night. But I won't be flying anymore. So don't bother to invite me to your wedding in Bermuda please.

But for Two Condoms

2010-12-09T08:50:00.002-04:00

I just read a reasonable article about Julian Assange's rape charges in Sweden. My initial thinking on this was that this was a way to get him into custody so that he could be taken off to Guantanamo Bay to disappear for the rest of his life.

The circumstances were just so problematic: he is charged then the charges are dropped. And the charges seem a bit flimsy: not using a condom during sex? First off I don't know who on earth wouldn't use a condom with a stranger (clearly I don't know many people). But secondly why wouldn't the lady in question (who is obviously sensible) just check to make sure there was some rubber between her and Assange. Passion is passion but you usually can notice when someone is putting on a condom. It does take a little time to tear the package and pinch and roll as I was taught in health class. So it all feels a bit dodgy since people want kill this guy for what he has done.

The lesson, clearly, for anyone who would challenge the might of the state (let alone civilization) is to take every step cautiously and to avoid temptation. They will find every speck of dirt on you. They will bend people that knew you to speak against you. They will destroy you in the public mind. If Visa, Mastercard, Amazon, Swiss banks, Paypal, the Democratic and Republican parties, the EU, Canada, academics, etc, etc, etc (essentially the full state and all of civilization--apart from a few civilized hackers) are against you what hope could you have?

Temptation is a powerful stimulus. Assange has a lot of power. He's a hero and rebel. That's sexy. He obviously has let it go to his heads, both of them. This doesn't take away from his message which resonates strongly and is a challenge to the powerful and their secrets and lies. But by giving them an inch, a few it seems, they are going to rake him over the coals. Right now various intelligence agencies are combing the world for other Assange victims. What a monster! A sex fiend! You shouldn't listen to such a sinful man. Listen to sinless politicians, those paragons of virtue who have devoted themselves to the public good, who call for his death(?).

Makes you want to puke doesn't it?

Eventually the cables will be forgotten and so will Assange. This will pass into oblivion like all memory. But not after he has been discredited and savaged and broken for daring to challenge the powerful.

Now get back to work slave!

Suburbs

2010-12-08T09:59:00.001-04:00

Rural-Urban Thoughts

2010-12-03T11:41:00.002-04:00

Just a short note to share an interesting resource. I was interested in learning about the rural-urban split in Canada and by province. Things have certainly changed since the first censuses in 1851. In some provinces it went from a urban-rural split of 0-100 in 1851 to 85-15 in 2006! It's quite shocking to actually see the numbers and how far people have moved from a connection to the land.

Of note is that the Maritime provinces have experienced less of a shift overall. They hover around 55-45 urban rural split. It's caused by the smaller population generally but I wonder if this may mean that the Maritimes will be better able to weather the coming changes. Of course many of these rural people are retired seniors so I wonder if they have any projections of what will change after the baby boom passes on.

With all the corporations buying up Africa perhaps one day all the people will just be in cities and the corporations will own all the countryside. But of course that assumes a steady and growing energy base which we always have to remind ourselves won't be with us for much longer.

Kill Them All

2010-12-01T08:31:00.003-04:00

Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks has two choices: death or indefinite imprisonment. He's likely to be rounded up soon. And since the kids don't like that he ratted them out to their parents, he's got nowhere to hide. Interpol has issued a warrant for his arrest. Ecuador has apparently offered him sanctuary against the vengeful kiddies. I'm impressed he's lasted this long.

One of Harper's top advisors joked that he should be assassinated. You have to wonder about these people. If you don't like someone you just kill him? Okay I'll remember that lesson. But hmm, I don't like you very much. You can watch the video below.

The person though, who inspired me to write this morning is Mike Huckabee, the folksy Republican presidential contender. The former preacher is calling for whoever leaked these documents to be executed for treason. Maybe this is the letter of the law but I just can't picture a man who loves Jesus so much pulling the trigger. He's a preacher. A man who talks about love and Jesus in one breath and killing in another. What a wonderful thing.

WikiLeaks!

2010-11-29T10:10:00.002-04:00

I just want to say how proud I am of WikiLeaks. The best part is that some idiot in the US suggested that they be added to the list of terrorist groups. That itself should tell you a lot about how important this leak is.

And putting lives at risk? Um, the only lives at risk are those of people who are engaged in the most reprehensible actions imaginable. What you choose to do for a living matters. If you live by the sword you are very likely to die by the sword.

I want to make this clear: from my perspective any action that challenges the powerful and exposes their secrets and lies is justifiable. The last thing these powerful institutions want you to know is all the dodgy, deceitful and violent things they do in the world. Anything that exposes the truth is so important.

And the fact that the people behind Wikileaks are still alive and able to avoid the full might of the CIA and probably every other state intelligent agency is incredible. They are very special people to be able to avoid all the might of each state pursuing them and to hide the files all this time? I know that the founder is supposedly a rapist or something and true as that might be (and one wonders about the motivation behind the charges), it doesn't take away the fact that this once he and his team are heroes to the truth.

It's funny that all the states are lining up to support the US and one another after this leak. Iran is dismissing them? China has banned all reporting of the story? Surely these governments of all would make hay from secret US files? All these states are in it together. All they want is control and if one state and its secrets are shamed then they all are shamed because they each do the same thing. Pretty pathetic to watch the rats scrambling over one another.

Sorry for the rant but go WikiLeaks!

Peninsular Precipice

2010-11-26T08:33:00.004-04:00

This Korean business is quite a problem for all involved. I was surprised and slightly worried to hear that South Korea and the US had fired into North Korea at which point North Korea went and bombed an island killing four. And let's not forget that a few months ago a South Korean naval vessel was sunk probably by the North. These things can escalate pretty quickly.

This image is from BBC and shows how provocative the South Koreans were when their ship was sunk. Seems pretty clear to me that it was violating North Korea's waters and one wonders what they were up to. Maybe that's why it went away in the media quickly. The image also shows the location of the island for some context.

Ultimately this story is going nowhere. South Korea and the US, for all their bellicose behaviour and needling the north can't do a thing to get back at North Korea. If they attack in any forceful way there just might be a nuclear missile heading for downtown Seoul. The risk just isn't worth it, no matter how much the pundits emasculate you.

And so that's it. More insane behaviour on both sides. A lot of bravado and no solutions, no moving forward. And the North Korean people eat grass while South Koreans tuck into McDonald's and the whole nightmare continues.

This is the crazy thing about nuclear weapons. Once you have them, no one, not even the world's greatest superpower or whatever it calls itself, can dare to push you around.

This situation also reigns in Israel where a formidable nuclear arsenal precludes any threats from its neighbours and the only groups that stand up to it are non-state actors, who aren't troubled by holes where cities once stood. In fact it would be good for recruiting and you might just get a few X-Men thanks to the fallout. Even the mighty US has to beg Israel to stop settlement construction.

So what lesson then, do these two examples teach to Iran? Get nuclear weapons and you're relatively untouchable. A few sanctions perhaps but as long as you ensure their pain is felt by the poor alone you'll be fine.

But one day, someone will finally decide that a city has to go. And then all hell will break loose. So we had better start disarming. But the Republicans are back and this is the recession that will never end so there's little chance of that.

Fall Scenes

2010-11-16T09:09:00.008-04:00

I've been meaning to write this post for a while though now it's a bit outdated. Some friends visited from Hamilton at the end of October and we had a really nice time just before I moved down to the city. I wanted to share some photos of some of the things we got up to this fall: cider making, melon picking, pumpkin gathering and of course kraut making.

I'm going to do my best not to show anyone's face because some of my visitors were adamant that they don't want to be tracked by the authorities. Fair enough. I remember when I didn't want my details online. But pretty much everyone knows that this is my blog so what can you do? But at least I'm not on facebook.

This last one is all of us pushing a round bale up the driveway to the house where we could use it as mulch. Hard work but not if you have four friends!

Bring on 2012!

2010-11-08T14:51:00.003-04:00

I love it! Sound and fury signifying nothing. Welcome to the future. You don't have to say anything real, just make people feel good while they starve or get thrown out of their homes. And I love the bear growling. I know he would vote Republican!

Shopaholic

2010-11-08T14:08:00.002-04:00

So I'm in the city. Fortunately for me, I've managed to find a job and I'm feeling pretty blessed right now. I'm starting tomorrow and looking forward to earning a little before going back to the farm. I guess I'm really a farmer now that I travel to earn real money. I'm just lucky for a degree which makes getting a job a little easier. Not all farmers (and others besides) are so lucky or privileged.

But since I've been in the city I've noticed a few things. Once Dan and I came to the city and shortly after we arrived our stomachs were both grumbling and upset. Dan figured that it might be the crazy energy of the city, all those people, few other animals, cell phone towers, wireless routers. It was something to experience. I suppose that we could have eaten something funny but that's doubtful.

So what have I noticed since being here. For one, my stomach has been really bloated. I am cutting wheat out of my diet. Perhaps my colon is crying out for wheat in vain. But I'm just bloated and haven't figured out what's causing it since I mostly always eat beans and rice, and I'm trying to eat fruit in between. It's quite a journey to understand your digestive system without just taking a pill.

More importantly and shockingly for me, I find myself looking through junk mail and other ads, looking for deals for home. I want to get my mother a printer since I've wrecked the last two freecycle finds and I'm sick and tired of dodgy used printers. I found a really good deal on a new model but it still vexes me that I'm such a shopper, especially of this new thing.

Now that we have internet at home I waste hours looking for (albeit useful) stuff for our home. Sewing machines that could handle a lot. Crocks for fermenting. External DVD players for my base-model laptop. At least I'm not after a cell phone. Perhaps I should chill out and maybe buying a few things that would actually be useful is not the end of the world. Still I don't want to be a shopaholic!

Silenced

2010-10-22T11:46:00.004-03:00

I first heard of Alex Hundert on the Sunday Edition. Normally focused on pompous middle class issues and politics, Michael Enright devoted his weekly essay to Mr. Hundert and his Kafkaesque situation. This was an unlikely start of a journey into the ongoing erosion of civil liberties in Canada.

Alex Hundert along with hundreds of other 'activists' was arrested in advance of the G8/G20 summits in Toronto in June. Thinking that 'activists' have dear leaders like themselves, the cops assumed that if they dragged away some of the more vocal 'activists' that the protests might fall apart. No such luck there. But the world had a great view of the new Canada: fake lakes, security fences and mass arrests.

But back to Mr. Hundert. He is facing three conspiracy charges. He was released on $100,000 bail and subjected to house arrest with some conditions around non-association with other arrested 'activists' and a ban on participating in political demonstrations.

Given his experience he was invited to take part in a panel discussion on the police response to the G8/G20 protests in September. A panel discussion apparently is a political demonstration. So he was rearrested and subsequently released with new bail conditions which according to the Toronto Star: "They include a clarification of the no-demonstration rule, to include a restriction on planning, participating in, or attending any public event that expresses views on a political issue".

That last point deserves to be written a second time: "any public event that expresses views on a political issue". This is typically Canadian, being nebulous in statements that could be read quite radically. Arguably eating is a political act. And what's a public event?

This is quite shocking behaviour and many different organizations and individuals, many of whom may never have given a damn about Mr. Hundert are now taking notice. What if this could happen to you? Imagine being forced to be apolitical?

I just had a thought, perhaps his conditions could have forced him to spend 8 or more hours a day at a mall windowshopping? Or maybe they could have forced him to watch Entertainment Tonight with a quiz that if he failed he would have to return to jail.

What surprises me the most is that they are not getting on with his trial and the trials of numerous other 'activists'. Obviously this man and his compadres are evil and should be jailed along with other evildoers. Why allow them to continue to be free to read Chomsky and plot the downfall of the state? Get them into jail and destroy their spirits. The case against them must be rock solid to allow for such stringent bail conditions.

They tried and convicted Colonel Russell Williams pretty quickly and he was one of our prescribed heroes. So when are these trials going to happen? Or can we just assume that Mr. Hundert and his fellows will merely be on permnent house arrest since they are such a nuissance to the state?

Priorities

2010-10-08T12:32:00.002-03:00

I'm looking for a winter job. One place that I check, reluctantly of course, is the government's job bank. Today on my visit I looked at the features section in the lower right hand side. Now presumably the Government of Canada doesn't charge for people to post jobs on this site. However the jobs listed in the features section speak volumes about the state's priorities.

RCMP recruiting, Canadian Forces--both military and civilian jobs, and of course workers for the 'oil sands'. Kind of speaks volumes doesn't it? Especially that last one, which is clearly out of place given that the 'oil sands' arguably have no connection to the federal government. The feds actually own pieces of GM and Chrysler but you don't see ads for those jobs.

Let's come up with a new slogan for the job bank: "Cooking the planet while happily quashing dissent at home and abroad".

Up, Up and Away

2010-10-07T15:13:00.005-03:00

I just got what I thought was my credit card statement in the mail. Happily I rarely use it but I'm glad to have it in my back pocket. So I was ready to make my usual payment of a hundred dollars, usually the purchase of some gasoline to travel to Halifax or something like that. But when I opened the letter it seems that they are offering to raise my credit limit once again.

I had to laugh out loud. I can't remember exactly but about 6-8 months ago I was offered another raise of about $2,000. The funny thing is that I don't have a regular income to speak of but I guess I'm a reliable customer because I always pay my bills immediately. But I guess they're hoping that I'll start spending like a madman, and maybe I'll pay them some interest and get into debt. They don't know me very well.

(Incidentally I just got a call from a company hoping to restructure my mortgage. Good luck.)

Desperation abounds it seems. Lacking imagination these companies keep trying their old tricks, but it's over. The chickens, I hope and pray, are coming home to roost.

We must all avoid debt at all costs. I can't shake the feeling that soon, as the economy collapses due to a lack of abundant, cheap energy, debt will logically become the basis of the reincarnation of the pre-oil economy: the slave economy. So if you have debt obligations from the six cars you own, or the three houses or the new 3D television you bought on a payment plan, then you and your family will be sold into slavery. Ideally for the powerful, debt will be transferred to the next generation and interest accrued so that a long-term slave supply is assured. Instead of tractors and pesticides, you'll have slaves and hand weeding (and if you've ever hand weeded carrots get ready for purgatory).

Incidentally check out news that debtors prisons are growing in the US. Is this the start of the future? Debtors prisons are supposed to be illegal but not in this climate. The silly thing is that it costs so much to incarcerate someone so how do these prisons break even? Well I guess that's why we have private prisons to manage the slave, uh I mean prison population.

Things are happening so fast it's certainly hard to keep up and it just makes me incredulous. And still there is no revolution?

But for now I'll take the offer. Or maybe I should do something unexpected and decline it? Nah, maybe I'll buy an ivory backscratcher someday. On credit of course.

Facebook

2010-10-07T11:01:00.002-03:00

I'm feeling a bit left out. I think that I'm losing touch with people, even people who don't live that far away, because of facebook. Or more accurately my decision not to join the website and share all my information online.

My friend chastised me yesterday for not being on facebook. He was partly joking but partly serious. He lives not too far away but I hadn't been able to reach him by phone for weeks. Finally we met up yesterday. But I had missed

And then there's a good friend who I haven't heard from in probably more than a year. I write emails to him probably every month or two but get no reply. I hear second hand about his life from friends. The funny thing is that we have a lot in common and are theoretically following parallel paths in life, albeit on the other sides of the world to each other. I assume of course that he is upset with me but won't communicate anything to me. So I'm in a void. And I fear that it's all because of facebook.

There's this subtle push to join facebook, spread by each and every user. Even those people who hate facebook but still remain members. The funny thing is that I don't think I've ever been congratulated for holding out. But if I was online, think of all the news I would be privy too. But how hard is it to write an email, or letter for that matter, or to pick up the phone?

Pretty hard obviously.

As I write this I'm reminded of an episode of Star Trek the Next Generation. Bear with me. I used to watch this show as an impressionable teenager. In the episode in question, an officer returns from a vacation to the ship and proceeds to spread a game that he was introduced to. The game it turns out gives extreme pleasure and brainwashes the crew to the whims of an alien species. It was totally Invasion of the Body Snatchers in space. At the time, and obviously I'm still thinking of it, it really left an impression on me. So naturally I'm not going to give in.

I have this feeling that I wrote a similar blog entry once upon a time. Well it remains a feature of all our lives.

Degrowth

2010-09-30T14:43:00.002-03:00

Just learned about an interesting new initiative coming out of Europe. It's called Degrowth. It advocates something I've long dreamed of: a movement away from economic growth as the means of judging our success on this planet. And since ultimately the end result of endless growth is death (see cancer), we really should jump on the degrowth train.

Mostly I'm happy that someone, somewhere is willing to have a frank and realistic discussion about these issues. Of course they also include voluntary population reduction as an important cornerstone of their movement. To not include it would be insane.

Here is the declaration from their last conference held in Barcelona:

In the midst of an international crisis more than four hundred researchers, practitioners and civil society members from forty countries gathered in Barcelona in March 2010 for the Second International Conference on Degrowth. The Declaration of the First International Conference in Paris in 2008 noted the looming multidimensional crisis, which was not just financial, but also economic, social, cultural, energetic, political and ecological. The crisis is a result of the failure of an economic model based on growth.

An international elite and a “global middle class” are causing havoc to the environment through conspicuous consumption and the excessive appropriation of human and natural resources. Their consumption patterns lead to further environmental and social damage when imitated by the rest of society in a vicious circle of status-seeking through the accumulation of material possessions. While irresponsible financial institutions, multi-national corporations and governments are rightly at the forefront of public criticism, this crisis has deeper structural causes.

So-called anti-crisis measures that seek to boost economic growth will worsen inequalities and environmental conditions in the long-run. The illusion of a "debt-fuelled growth", i.e. Forcing the economy to grow in order to pay debt, will end in social disaster, passing on economic and ecological debts to future generations and to the poor. A process of degrowth of the world economy is inevitable and will ultimately benefit the environment, but the challenge is how to manage the process so that it is socially equitable at national and global scales. This is the challenge of the Degrowth movement, originating in rich countries in Europe and elsewhere, where the change must start from.

Academics, activists and practitioners met in Barcelona to structure proposals toward an alternative, ecologically sustainable and socially equitable degrowth society. The conference was conducted in an inclusive and participatory way. In addition to standard scientific presentations, some 29 working groups discussed hands-on policies for degrowth and defined research questions, bringing together economic,social and environmental concerns. New ideas and issues absent from mainstream dialogue on sustainable development were put on the table: currencies and financial institutions, social security and working hours, population and resource consumption, restrictions to advertising, moratoria on infrastructure and resource sanctuaries, and many others. A wealth of new proposals evolved, including: facilitation of local currencies; gradual elimination of fiat money and reforms of interest; promotion of small scale, self-managed not-for-profit companies; defense and expansion of local commons and establishment of new jurisdictions for global commons; establishment of integrated policies of reduced working hours (work-sharing) and introduction of a basic income; institutionalization of an income ceiling based on maximum-minimum ratios; discouragement of overconsumption of non-durable goods and under-use of durables by regulation, taxation or bottom-up approaches; abandonment of large-scale infrastructure such as nuclear plants, dams, incinerators, high-speed transportation; conversion of car-based infrastructure to walking, biking and open common spaces; taxation of excessive advertising and its prohibition from public spaces; support for environmental justice movements of the South that struggle against resource extraction; introduction of global extractive moratoria in areas with high biodiversity and cultural value, and compensation for leaving resources in the ground; denouncement of top-down population control measures and support of women’s reproductive rights, conscious procreation and the right to free migration while welcoming a decrease in world birth rates; and de-commercialization of politics and enhancement of direct participation in decision-making.

We assert that these proposals are not utopian: new redistributive taxes will address income inequality and finance social investments and discourage consumption and environmental damage, while reduced working hours with a reinforced social security system will manage unemployment.

As the economy of wealthy parts of the world quietly contracts and our damage to the environment through new infrastructures and extraction activities is constrained, well-being will increase through public investments in low-cost social and relational goods.

Every new proposal generates several new objections and questions. We do not claim to have a recipe for the future, but we can no longer pretend that we can keep growing as if nothing has happened. The folly of growth has come to an end. The challenge now is how to transform, and the debate has just begun.

Prophet?

2010-09-24T18:23:00.003-03:00

There is a lot to learn about introspection, critical thinking and being conscious in this interview with Gideon Levy, an Israeli journalist. In general, he says all the things I think about the Israel-Palestine conflict. It's worth a read though he (much like myself) laments the disappearance of the truth when the whole world is full of sheep.

* I realize that this isn't quite a Museum Fremen entry but truth must be part of any future so we'll allow it.

Museum Fremen

Frustration!

Thoughts

Understanding Private Equity

Rape in the Military

Slow Times

More Voices From Occupy

The New Canada

Epiphany

Stuck

Extra, Extra, Extra, Extra, Extra, Extra Civilized Strength

Good Music

Live Ammunition?

Occupy This

November News

Book Review

10 Things

The New Fascism

Enough

Police are the 99 Percent?

Get Away

OWS

The Kids are Alright

QE to Infinity

Finally

Big Change

Truth, nowhere does it lie

Go Palestine!

Season Scenes

High speed

Season Reflections

MIA

Money Talks

Mushroom Madness

Changes

Share

Next time . . .

Mania on Show

Post Petroleum Human?

Thanking Last Season

Like An Animal

Smash

Garden Update

Tale of Two Lives

Talk is Cheap

Sad Truths

Puke

Back

Forgotten Bahrain

Mid-East Musings

Hidden History

Post 200

Blast Off

Great Analysis

Voice of Bradley Manning

Spot.us

Team Apocalypse

Shocking

Burn it Down

Corrupt to the Core

Thinking of Wisconsin

Crazy Quotes Time

Galactic Economy

Movie Never Made

pHarmony

Everyone Out Now!

Live from Tahrir

Talk is very, very cheap

Lessons from the Super Bowl

Clin-ton Speaks

Democracy Now!'s Sharif Kouddous on the Ground in Cairo, Egypt

Peaceful Protesters Under Attack

Simple Equation

Transit Eyes

To Hamilton with Love

Leak On

Bizarro World

The Kids are Alright

Fight the Future

Money, then God