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Mother of two adult children, freelance artist with fine works in private collections in 20 US states, 7 European countries, Africa, China, and Japan, concerned citizen of the US.
Overreaching corporate controls of food, housing, clothing, medicine, transportation, information, and education have been a serious concern of mine for decades. Consequently I've spent a great deal of time studying and practicing self-sufficiency/ removal from "the grid".
I no longer have credit cards, I raise my own vegetables and chickens, am an herbalist, a reiki master, a shiatsu practitioner who's worked with people with serious illnesses for more than a decade, as well as an ordained minister [I call myself a shamanist because it's the closest description of what I do, not because I'm from Tibet].
I've worked in construction for many years, and I've spent some time beating dead horses on the subject of independance from corporate control and learning to live a life of value as opposed to one of dehumanization.
My message to surburbanites: rototill your front lawn, grow vegetables, put up solar panels, stay home more often, make things for yourself, and cut up your credit cards.
Live your life as if truth, honor, and love were the most important things.
The corporate culture would have us believe that we owe someone rent for the privilege of being on the planet, that some pigs are more equal than others, that it's important to be royalty- as opposed to noble- and that happiness is available for purchase.
I spend a lot of time trying to figure out the truth of things.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010 Living in the Plastic Age
A wise man discusses the insanity of this year's election zoo.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010 The Ugly Truth About Online Anonymity
High-Traffic Colluding TOR Routers in Washington, D.C. and the Ugly Truth About Online Anonymity.
This is one reason I have no secrets online. For one thing, it's futile, and for another, keeping track of lies is too much work. I'd rather be truthfully redundant than live in a state of confused mendacity [poor old Karl Rove].
Those interested in democracy, freedom of speech, & datamining will find this of interest
Friday, April 9, 2010 George W. Bush 'knew Guantánamo prisoners were innocent' (2 comments)
George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld covered up that hundreds of innocent men were sent to the Guantánamo Bay prison camp because they feared that releasing them would harm the push for war in Iraq and the broader War on Terror, according to a new document obtained by The Times.
Saturday, February 20, 2010 Finding Farmworkers
In the last days of 2008, President George W. Bush's administration gave a parting gift to agribusiness: The Labor Department rescinded certain hiring regulations and lowered minimum wages for temporary foreign workers, undoing labor protections that had been in place since 1988.
Saturday, February 20, 2010 The Richest 1% Have Captured America's Wealth
What begins sounding like polemic evolves into thought-provocation of the highest caliber regarding the current crisis and the disparities between classes in this country.
Second of two articles, highly recommended reading.
Thursday, February 4, 2010 US SoldierS' Deaths Embarrass US and Pakistan
The fragile Pakistani government of Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and President Asaf Ali Zardari was deeply embarrassed Wednesday when a massive bombing killed 3 US soldiers on the ground in that country. The Pakistani public has been increasingly upset about US military and para-military (Blackwater/ Xe) actions in their country. On Tuesday, several US drone strikes killed a total of 29 persons. The controversy over wheth
Sunday, January 10, 2010 North American Imams Issue a Fatwa: AGAINST TERRORISM
Canadian and US Imams have issued a fatwa against terrorism in North America:
"any attack on Canada and the United States is an attack on the freedom of Canadian and American Muslims. Any attack on Canada and the United States is an attack on thousands of mosques across North America. It is a duty of every Canadian and American Muslim to safeguard Canada and the USA." Full text at the link.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010 Hell Freezes Over: Limbaugh Loves Union Hospitals and Socialized Medicine
When Limbaugh was released from Queen's Medical Center, he cheerily noted, "The treatment I received here was the best that the world has to offer."
Whether he realized it or not, Limbaugh was praising the care he received from union nurses in one of the country's most progressive health care systems. On behalf of the labor movement and health reform advocates everywhere, THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT, Rush!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009 Blackwater's Secret War in Pakistan (1 comments)
Members of an elite division of Blackwater are at the center of a secret program in which they plan targeted assassinations of suspected Taliban and Al Qaeda operatives, "snatch and grabs" of high-value targets and other sensitive action inside and outside Pakistan, an investigation by The Nation has found.
Thursday, November 5, 2009 Girardi: A Real MVP
You win the Super Bowl, you go to Disneyland. You win the Indy 500, you drink the milk. You win the World Series, you ... help a car crash victim?
If you're Joe Girardi you do.
Thursday, November 5, 2009 Fort Hood Shootings: In Depth/ Background Coverage (1 comments)
"Twelve soldiers were killed and at least 31 injured in shootings at Fort Hood Army base in Central Texas Thursday afternoon."
Truthout covers not only today's tragedy but links several stories from the past several years to give a deeper look at what happened there.
Thursday, October 29, 2009 Pelosi Vindicated (2 comments)
Remember a little while ago Nancy Pelosi was under Full Rovebot Attack for saying that the CIA had lied to Congress? She was castigated for everything from PMS to treason? Yeah. Well, gee, color me shocked and awed, turns out that the CIA DID lie to Congress.
So now the Rovebots are all going to apologize for a. covering the lies, and b. creating new ones, right? Right?
Wednesday, October 28, 2009 Jack Rice: Pull Troops from Afghanistan Now
Former CIA guy Jack Rice discusses the whys and wherefores of Obama's impending mistake in Afghanistan.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 "See You Soon, If We’re Still Alive"
The only two Westerners living on their own in Kandahar have been bombed, ambushed, and nearly sold to kidnappers. Here's what they've learned about the country where war just won't end.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009 Mobilization for Healthcare for All
"October 15th announces the arrival of a new force on the political landscape: Americans across the country who have had enough of the insurance company death panels are standing up –and sitting in– to end their abuse once and for all. If we have to go to jail to move our nation to enact reform that finally guarantees the right to health care for all, so be it. The status quo cannot continue."
Organizing at site, below.
Monday, October 12, 2009 More Bullshyte From the Insurance Companies (1 comments)
The insurance "industry", whose only product is paperwork, needs to be removed from the discussion. Period.
Monday, October 12, 2009 Sustainable Biz Models, Sustainable Giving, Great Idea!
WHAT if you could donate money to your favorite non-profit, but instead of losing money in the deal, you actually ended up saving? That’s the idea behind CommonKindness.com, a national “coupons with a conscience” Web site launched at the end of August by two local mothers-turned-entrepreneurs.
Sunday, October 11, 2009 Jack Rice Covers the National Equality March on Air America & Blip TV
The National Equality March is part of a LGBT Gay movement demanding fully equal rights. Jack Rice of Air America radio does a wonderful job of covering the action & participants in a series of +/- 40 second interviews, etc. Here he interviews Dan Choi, the military linguist fired under "Don't Ask Don't Tell". To the right of the video screen find an "older/ newer" choice button to view other videos from Jack's day's work
Saturday, October 10, 2009 Marge Simpson on the cover of Playboy (4 comments)
As a woman, I find this fascinating. The 2d symbols of femininity have come full circle here, and the completely fake idea of what a woman is- in this case The Venus of Springfield- has taken the place of the airbrushed silicon fakes that preceded her. Those of us who are mere unaugmented flesh still cannot compete, but at least we can laugh.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009 Dzongar Choede Monks Make a Sand Mandala
In March of 2009, the monks toured Vancouver, Canada and created a Chenrezig Sand Mandala at the Dr.Sun-Yat-Sen Gardens over 5 days.
The video of the process and discussion of the meaning of the mandala are a wonderful thing to see.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 Palin Ebay Auction Godwinned
In the virtual Wild West of the Internet, there is the Law of Godwin, to whit:
"...Godwin's Law (also known as Godwin's Rule of Nazi Analogies)[1] is a humorous observation made by Mike Godwin in 1990 which has become an Internet adage. It states: "As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1."
The meme has recently become a form of comedic preemptive strike.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 It's Good to Be The King (3 comments)
The awesome tale of Peggielene Bartels, Washington D.C. secretary- AND the King of Otuam, Ghana.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 Pants on Fire: Tea Party Numbers Photo Fudged (2 comments)
Turns out the photos used to back tea partiers' claims to a million attendees were actually of a Promise Keepers rally in the 90s. Details in the article.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 Mad As Hell Doctors On the Move (3 comments)
The Mad As Hell Doctors have a Facebook site where they're chronicalling their adventures as they cross the country advocating for single-payer healthcare. Here's some coverage from Colorado's 9News.
Please sign up for their facebook if you're interested in pursuing a single-payer plan.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 More on the Mad As Hell Doctors from HuffPo
Mad As Hell Doctors are crossing the country advocating for single-payer. Please support them. This is an article on Huffington Post about them and their mission.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 Me Talk Presidential One Day
Matt Latimer, former speechwriter in the Bush administration, gives a glimpse of 20/20 hindsight into the economic meltdown as seen from inside the Bush White House.
Sunday, September 13, 2009 Joe Wilson, Total Hypocrite
Joe Wilson in actuality voted to pay for illegal immigrants' healthcare in a bill that was passed in 2003.
While in the meantime, the current bill specifically does NOT allow for illegal immigrants to be covered.
Lying hypocritical liars who lie. It's what the new America will be built on, apparently.
Friday, September 4, 2009 Amazing [FIXED] Time Lapse Video of LA fires (2 comments)
The Station fire North of Los Angeles on 8/29/2009; 7:00pm tp 9:30pm.
Shot from Mulhulland Dr. just South of Universal Studios.
[previously erroneously linked to two guys in a sauna due to my wildly varied tastes]... O.o
Thursday, August 27, 2009 Single Payer Cartoon
A cartoon that even the hypnotized will hopefully understand. Share widely!
Monday, August 24, 2009 Jimmy Carter: Losing My Religion for Equality (1 comments)
Excellent opinion piece by Jimmy Carter, who is severing his ties to the Baptist Church. In my personal walk [as an ordained minister- comparative religion/shamanism- Reiki master, and counsellor], having seen misogyny in many faiths [including so-called "Goddess" worshippers], this is a very welcome talk.
Monday, August 10, 2009 My Favorite Astrologer Covers PCBs
I've nominally known Eric Francis for about 15 years now- I still owe him a painting. Aside from writing an astrology column for a local magazine that redefines that particular form of fortune cookie, he also is a fine investigative journalist. The attached column is about PCBs and New Paltz SUNY, both personal issues to me. Should be to everybody else, too...
Tuesday, July 28, 2009 Diamonds Are a Wound's Best Friend
Interesting information about the potential uses of nanodiamonds in treating wounds.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 Retroactive Investigations: Jesus Plus Nothing (3 comments)
In March of 2003, Harper's Magazine published an article about "God's Soldiers", aka "The Family". Many members of The Family have been involved in the Federal government in recent years. I think a little retrospection could be a good thing, and so I'm adding this link. Ruminate at your leisure.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 Village aims to kick carbon habit
One community that is trying to become the first zero carbon village in England is Ashton Hayes, Cheshire.
It's the sort of attractive village you will find on the outskirts of many large urban areas...
But look more closely and you will see solar panels, wind turbines and other renewable and low carbon technologies. ~BBC News
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 Iraq Veterans Make Art From Uniforms (1 comments)
A subject near and dear to my heart: Iraq veterans have made a world-touring art show by shredding their uniforms, making paper out of them, and making art out of that. ~BBC News video
Tuesday, July 7, 2009 DOJ Reveals Details About Cheney's Interview With Patrick Fitzgerald (1 comments)
In early fall 2003, as the scandal over leaking a covert CIA officer's identity was exploding, President Bush claimed not to know anything about the leak and called on anyone in his administration who had knowledge to come "forward with the information so we can find out whether or not these allegations are true." How disingenuous the president's appeal was has been underscored again by a new Justice Dept. court filing.
Monday, July 6, 2009 Thousands Riot in Northwest China
BBC News slideshow. In Urumqi, Xinjiang province, thousands clash in the street, apparently over the murders of two Uighur workers who were falsely accused of raping a Han woman. Xinhua reports 140 killed, 816 injured. Uighurs report much higher toll. More at Wikipedia site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_2009_%C3%9Cr%C3%BCmqi_riots
Sunday, July 5, 2009 Newly elected Akwesasne chief plunges into battle over armed border guards (1 comments)
Today Mike Mitchell, 61, will be sworn in as Akwesasne's new grand chief. "People understand in our area why we take such a hard stand. And they support us. But they also want to see this matter (resolved)," says Mitchell.
Sunday, July 5, 2009 Sarah Palin's Executive Column
Please read this, penned by Mrs Palin herself, and tell me- do you feel as lucky as I do right now? I think I'll go buy a Lotto ticket.
Saturday, July 4, 2009 Akwasasne Border Crossing Closing Enters 2nd Month
Christine Graef of Indian Country News [.net] reports on the situation in this pdf dated July 2nd.
MCA Grand Chief Tim Thompson said "We ask you to begin a peace fire in your communities- call your MP's call your political reps, provincial and federal to force the government to meet with the Akwesasne leadership to resolve the current situation that we face."
Friday, July 3, 2009 Rush Limbaugh Is Still a Big Fat Idiot
Joe Conason writes about Al Franken's 7-months-in-coming victory, and the big fat idiots in the MSM who can't handle it.
From Salon.
Thursday, July 2, 2009 Yet Another Reason to Love Guys Named Matt (2 comments)
The guy in my life who has redeemed men in general is named Matt. Here's another guy named Matt Taibbi, yet another exemplar who redeems the entire gender, discussing how "what happened... had nothing to do with supply and demand...it was banks like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley that were primarily responsible for that. "prices now have very little to do with that market as a result of that change..."
Tuesday, June 30, 2009 Project Vote Smart
My dad sent me two links to the following organization. Voting activism is a cause near and dear to my heart: I became the naugahyde-dress lady at the polling place because Dad- a former IBM exec- had taken it upon himself to become a maven of BlackBoxVoting'dot'com in the wake of the 01 fiasco.
Put it this way, if Dad recommends these guys, the rest of us would do well to check them out/weigh in. Site has much to offer.
Monday, June 29, 2009 Advocacy and Change in Federal Indian Law
Indian country needs to strip away the pretense of conquest and reveal the underlying reality of federal Indian law: a system designed to suppress sovereignty of Indian nations in keeping with a tradition of Papal Bulls and Christian political theology. Indian country needs lawyers not afraid to argue for indigenous sovereignty and against the pretense of conquest through discovery.
Thursday, June 25, 2009 Citizen Tube
Citizen Tube is a youtube-associated blog page that features current video footage being smuggled out of Iran on proxy servers, via expat Iranians, and etc- video that is unavailable in the MSM. Highly recommend.
Friday, June 19, 2009 Firing Back on Right-Wing Domestic Terrorism
Factual response to the "talking points" being manufactured by the Chronically Fallacious on the subject:
"I'm... appalled... by the conservative myth-making that's going on around the very serious issue of right-wing domestic terrorism. So it's obviously time to pull together another "Firing Back" piece to give progressives what they need to separate fact from fiction when these talking points start flying." ~Sara Robinson
Monday, June 15, 2009 Too Poor to Make the News
BARBARA EHRENREICH, author of "Nickled and Dimed", talks about her findings regarding those whose losses during this Depression are less "sexy" to the news media than others'.
Saturday, June 13, 2009 Slutty Gorilla Airline Attendants? or: The Silverback Hath Spoken (1 comments)
Amazing. A comedian is chastised for cracking jokes about an also-ran VP, but a sitting First Lady can be disparaged by being connected to an escaped gorilla by a SC GOP activist, and the MSM doesn't even blink.
...Probably because he's not very funny.
Saturday, June 13, 2009 All About Irving
"Mastercard and the Extremist Settlers of Silwan" mentions our own Irving Moskowitz and his shenanigans in Israel. Seems the Florida Bingo King likes to stir things up on many fronts, including here at home. Quite the busy little feller!
The link is to the "Political Research Associates" site, one that appears to be quite useful to those of us who prefer to identify real individuals, rather than shadowy bogeymen.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 March of the Secularists
Larry Beinhart believes the pope is out to get him.
A link to a thoughtful piece in the Hudson Valley's Chronogram Magazine.
Friday, June 5, 2009 Harvard: Medical Bills Underlie 60% of US Bankruptcy (1 comments)
Concrete research that helps us "follow the money" when discussing the issues around Single Payer.
A Reuters story, with thanks to Truthout for the heads-up.
Thursday, May 28, 2009 US Military On High Alert as North Korea Ends Truce
Seol, South Korea - The U.S. and South Korea put their military forces on high alert Thursday after North Korea renounced the truce keeping the peace between the two Koreas since 1953.
The North also accused the U.S. of preparing to attack the isolated communist country in the wake of its second nuclear bomb test, and warned it would retaliate to any hostility with "merciless" and dangerous ferocity.
Sunday, May 24, 2009 Rick Bragg: My Kind of Town
Some lovely writing:
"...I did not want sugar white sand, because the developers and tourists have covered up a good part of the Alabama coast, pounded the dunes flat and blocked out the Gulf of Mexico and a large number of stars with high-rise condominiums. You see them all along the coast, jammed into once perfect sand, a thumb in the eye of God."
Friday, May 15, 2009 Lt Ehren Watada Wins Victory: Legal Limbo Continues
A real American hero.
"It is my conclusion as an officer of the Armed Forces that the war in Iraq is not only morally wrong but a horrible breach of American law ... As the order to take part in an illegal act is ultimately unlawful as well, I must as an officer of honor and integrity refuse that order," Watada said in a public statement.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009 Dahr Jamail: 70,000 US Troops Dead in Iraq (1 comments)
"We know that the death tally in combat is more than 4,000... What we do not know is that these do not include suicides or post evacuation deaths induced by lethal wounds received in combat, nor even the deaths of over 1,000 private contractors. If we include all, we have a total of over 70,000, but the military intentionally camouflages and segregates the numbers in three categories that are extremely difficult to access."
Thursday, April 30, 2009 Slaughtering Iraq's Minorities
The First Christians are being systematically slaughtered as a result of the Bush War on Islam.
Way to go. More genius in action.
"The Chaldeans were the first to embrace Christianity in the Middle East. Their history dates back to Babylonian times and some say they were the ones who built the tower of Babel. Their language is still Aramaic."
Tuesday, April 28, 2009 Smithfield "Boss Hogg" Farms Linked to Swine Flu Outbreak (3 comments)
Courtesy of Truthout: Swine-flu outbreak could be linked to Smithfield factory farms.
In December 2006, Rolling Stone Magazine published an article called, "Pork's Dirty Secret", a telling indictment of factory farming as perpetrated by Smithfield Farms. Now this...
Friday, January 23, 2009 To Support and Defend: Message to US Senators and Representatives
Philip Butler, Phd, Commander, USN [ret]: "I, therefore, call on my elected representatives in the Senate and House of Representatives to bring criminal charges...There is no other option if you are to carry out your responsibilities. Citizens of the United States and of the world are watching you. Do your duty. Support and defend the Constitution of the United States."
Read it, respond, and help push for prosecution.
Saturday, January 10, 2009 The Highest Finance
Want to be a part of the kind of finance that is changing the world?
Check out this page, watch the video, and have a hanky- and your checkbook- handy.
Friday, January 9, 2009 Free Market Myth
Dean Baker on "deregulation" vs "regulation", an eye-opening, myth-busting, educational piece. Highly recommend!
