Open Thread 1-18-2018


The censorship worked.

Until the music videos of Buffy Sainte-Marie was included in a diary last week I was not aware of Buffy Sainte-Marie. Too young to for her record career and too old for Sesame Street performances. A strong example of a resilient person.

[video:https://youtu.be/1snRp1daA3A?t=833]
At the 23 minute mark Buffy Sainte-Marie discusses her opinion on the European invasion of the Americas and racism.

"We were attacked by gangs of alcoholics, who themselves were oppressed. By a feudal system that hit them before is ever got to us. There were serial killers on the thrones of Europe and nobody says it. There were serial killer on the thrones of Europe. That was what was going on in Europe. Ferdinand and Isabella, it was the inquisition and no one says it in native American Studies.

We were discovered during the Inquisition. It was the worst possible time for European people to be going around the world and meeting the indigenous people of the world. It was the worst possible timing. It was not because they were white. It was bad leadership. Every once and a while you can get bad leadership in a group.

That was what was going on. It takes the racism out of it. It was not that they were European. they were being oppressed by those same people. Their job was to come over and oppress indigenous people where they found them. They did not know. The same time in Europe, Henry the 8th was on the thrown. He did not just kill a few wives my friends. hundreds of thousands of people tortured, murdered because he wanted it In Eastern Europe, Vlad the Impaler was on the thrown when American Indians were discovered. Charming, Vlad the Impaler, that was Dracula. That is what happened and nobody says it.

Say it, because it takes the racism out of it, bad leadership. We need good leadership. We need it in our communities. We need it in our homes. We have a dysfunctional world. We can fix it. Good leadership, start it in the home, start it in the community. Teach it in the schools.

.

[video:https://youtu.be/devgkHzK9c8]
So how do we create a society that does not encourage becoming a soldier? Unstable employment, expensive education and few options for health care push individuals towards the military. Add the idea one is serving their country it appears to be a noble idea. It is not about disrespecting soldiers, but elevating peacemakers to at least the same value as we currently assign soldiers.
__________

Ideas on growing food for others by sharing or bartering are being explored in different communities.

Forty percent of the food produced in the part of the planet we call the U.S. is wasted. Much of this waste ends up in landfills, where it produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The food–climate nexus is a window into a deeply broken system; studying it­ -- and experimenting with alternative economics within our communities -- can reveal solutions that benefit everyone.

Consider the gift economy, brilliantly on display every Sunday in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland, California. Pancho Ramos-Stierle is a driving force behind this free community farm stand, FrutaGift, which is painted in the colors of the season.

For over six years, Ramos-Stierle and his friends have gone to a local farmers market after closing time to help farmers clean and pack up. Farmers began offering their unsold organic fruits and vegetables for Ramos-Stierle to bring to the people in his neighborhood. Using this produce, he and his friends cook a sumptuous vegan meal that they bring the following week to share with the tired workers. A circle is created; everyone benefits. There is bounty and gratitude.

This short pamphlet on Harveting and Storing of Fresh Vegetables is helpful for the garden, farmers market and grocery store. When buying at the grocery store I assume the fresh produce is at least 3 to 7 days old. Nonseasonal produce such as apples, winter squash and potatoes may have already been in storage for several weeks. Generally do not buy more than 1 month supply.
__________

Pictures of nature and wild creatures take us away briefly from our trappings of modern life. One of my favorite reasons to read the Friday Photo Diary. Been checking out the sounds of birds at the Macaulay Library.

Farm Report
The effects of the longer days are effecting the animals. Egg production is starting to creep upwards. Separated last springs calves from cows yesterday. New calves are only a few weeks away.

Inventorying seeds to take advantage of specials from the seed catalogues. Curios thought, best discounts normally offered for January and February. In the South are discounts offered during your regional growing seasons?

Sky was clear earlier this week. Took the opportunity to snap a picture of Mt Jefferson with winter snow.
soe jeff snow.JPG

The excursion into the field did not go unnoticed.
soe spotted.JPG

Who knows, might have been standing on the best place to graze. They certainly needed to check it out.
soe stand.JPG

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Raggedy Ann's picture

Thanks for that pamphlet on harvesting and storing fresh veggies. I am in need of it as we ramp up our garden this year. We are also very interested in the food-barter economy. Someday we plan to have a greenhouse to be more self-sufficient and have more to trade.

Nice looking snow on that mountain. We are dry as a bone here. No measurable moisture since October. Makes me nervous for fire season. It's nice and cold, though. Brrrrrrr.

Have a beautiful day, everyone! Pleasantry

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

studentofearth's picture

@Raggedy Ann need additional snow for irrigation reserves. Not unusual for it to come in early spring. Lots of skiers complaints and Home Depot whining about low snow blower and shovel sales.

Personally is is easier to do chores without snow. Hope your day was good.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

Arrow's picture

I would have loved standing in that field. Well maybe 15 minutes if it's cold,

Your so right about our 'soldiers'. They are rural kids with C grades in high school who have no options but unloading trucks at the Wal-Mart'.

I think everyone should be 'outstanding in their fields'.

Have a great day all and get to it.

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I want a Pony!

studentofearth's picture

@Arrow may be effecting troop readiness.

Army Recruits from Southern States Most Unfit, Prone to Injury: Study

The study finds that recruits from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas "are significantly less fit, and consequently are more likely to encounter training-related injuries [TRI] than recruits from other U.S. states."

Although the South is the top recruiting region, the study, based on U.S. Army data, shows that "male and female soldiers coming from these states are 22 to 28 percent more likely to be injured" in training.

The report says, "Many states in the southern region of the United States are recognized for higher rates of obesity, physical inactivity, and chronic disease. These states are therefore recognized for their disproportionate public health burden."

In addition, the 10 Southern states "are also disproportionately burdensome for military readiness and national security," the report states.

Will be interesting how this effects austerity politics.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

orlbucfan's picture

@studentofearth Sad and pathetic, too. Sad Rec'd!!

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Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.

Lookout's picture

We never got above freezing yesterday, but the snow is gone...sublimed I guess. It was 5 degrees yesterday at dawn, and 12 this morning. A good cold winter may help reduce garden pests for next year. May as well look on the positive side.

I have not ventured into the garden this week, but the greens are probably okay under their covers. I'm sure the kale can handle the low temps, but the lettuce probably bit the bullet. Well it won't be long till time to do the spring planting.

We order seed from various catalogs, so there are occasionally specials. Southern exposure seed exchange is our go to catalog http://www.southernexposure.com/
We also use Johnny's seeds https://www.johnnyseeds.com/ I see they are having a sale.

We save some seed ourselves and plant out old potatoes and grow our own sweet potato slips. I usually buy onion sets, but we plant out our own garlic.

I hope you are all snug and warm in your different worlds. We are doing well in our corner of the planet. All the best...

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

studentofearth's picture

@Lookout Good to be able to support a Employee Owned Business or a worker run cooperative

Johnny's Selected Seeds

In 2006, through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), Johnny's Selected Seeds was sold to its employees. In an ESOP, employees receive shares of the company — not any outside investor. Within 6 years, by 2012, employees owned 100% of the company.

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange

We are a worker-run cooperative where every worker has a voice in the decisions of the company and where workers receive equal compensation regardless of the economic value traditionally placed on the jobs done. We strive to provide a flexible and enriching work environment where each person is inspired to take on multiple roles and to think creatively about how we can continue to improve our work. We have a commitment to quality in all aspects of our service to our customers.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

Lookout's picture

@studentofearth

...you need to walk the walk. We try to use worker owned business products...like Bob's red mill grains based out in your part of the world SoE.

Just imagine showing up for work one day as a company employee and leaving as an owner. That dream came true for the employees at Bob’s Red Mill on Bob’s 81st birthday. Rather than receiving gifts, he decided to give his greatest gift away—his business. Bob surprised all his employees by giving them total ownership of Bob's Red Mill through an Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP).

https://www.bobsredmill.com/bobs-way-meet

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

mhagle's picture

@Lookout

I am just now sitting down to study southernexposure.com and rareseeds.com in depth.

Thanks!

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

Lookout's picture

@mhagle

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

riverlover's picture

Many public areas, not just the National Parks are in need of repairs. Keep some of those cannon fodder safer in the US.

Sunny but cold here. 12 now. Getting up into the 20's today, yesterday's temperature differential was 3 degrees. I have to bust my car out of the ice where it bogged down Monday.

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

@riverlover That is just what we need. A WPA, by the people for the people. I wonder how we get there. And there can be no corruption, FDR was successful on that count.

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Good morning, it is raining here now in northern California. Thanks for the great farm reports, and hosting open thread, and being a student of earth. Smile

'Mates name is Wilson, the running mate of Nobody.
First, 2018
wilson18.jpg
keep flushing
Onward to 2020
Knights who say meh!

--- kill all the Public Relation departments why not
Chihuahua governor starts ‘2nd revolution’

The week-long march “for the dignity of the people of Chihuahua” is intended in part to pressure authorities to hasten the extradition of former governor César Duarte, who is believed to be in the United States.

It will also highlight a battle over the revenues obtained by the federal government through the operation of bridges and how little is returned to the state.

solidarity
please come to california

Corral called it a march for federalism and a new financial system and one that is “against political corruption, with a single demand from the people of Chihuahua at its center: that [President Enrique] Peña Nieto, Luis Videgaray Caso, the foreign affairs secretary, and the Attorney General’s office streamline César Duarte’s extradition trial so he can face the courts of Chihuahua.”

--jake report
City of Oroville sues state of California and DWR

They released an 800 page document highlighting corruption over the past 20 years where they consistently put profits over safety.

According to the lawyers leading the charge water companies would have had to pay for repairs over the years, but instead hired a private firm to evaluate.

The lawyers also said that there was products bought for the dam over the years that were never delivered to the dam, but to a garage in Oroville and then sold.

--- again
Trump repeats warning to pull US out of NAFTA, again
do, or do not, there is no try

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
You're stuck in the middle (yeah, yeah)
And the pain is thunder (yeah, yeah)

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Citizen Of Earth's picture

Passing along this Microsoft blog link to folks who are wondering WTH is going on with this Spectre and Meltdown Malware-ageddon.
https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/01/09/understandin...

Bottom line:
- There are 3 Variants of the malware.
- Microsoft has issued mitigation updates via Windows Updates for 2 of the variants.
- The third variant is going to require you to install a microcode bios update to your computer from your computer vendor (not available yet from most vendors).
- The mitigation updates will affect your computer performance to some degree.
- CPUs from 2016 or later will have single digit performance slowdown. (will not be noticeable according to Microsoft)
- CPUs from 2015 or earlier will have noticeable performance slowdown. (no quantified estimate given)
- It will take years to re-engineer and manufacture CPUs that do not have the vulnerability.

Good luck to all. Smile

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Donnie The #ShitHole Douchebag. Fake Friend to the Working Class. Real Asshole.

NCTim's picture

Religion is the root of much evil. I have taken to referring to Christianity as a political movement, which often agitates the pious. It is probably better than my holiday's schtick about stopping belief in Santa Claus when I was 5 and the mystical sky being not long after that.

Distilled philosophy:

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The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -

enhydra lutris's picture

@NCTim
whether itinerant preacher, a construct based on the preachings of several such, or a total fabrication, had nothing to do with Christianity. He wasn't there when it was founded, and had no say, ever, in its formation, formalization, doctrines and dogmas, rulers,armies, conquests, wars, and multitudinous atrocities. That was all a human political and economic creation and still is.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Azazello's picture

@enhydra lutris
The Romans had a Palestinian problem. They didn't really care about itinerant preachers, of which there were many. Jesus got in trouble for his politics, for saying he was a king. That's why they crucified him, the sign on the cross said INRI, and that's why they eventually destroyed the temple.
On the other hand, I'm reading a book about the Bolsheviks right now and the author makes a very good case for Bolshevism being a religion; a millenarial sect just like the early Christians.

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We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.

earthling1's picture

@NCTim
"And on the seventh day, man created God".

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

I am so sick and tired of politicians kicking and abusing people in order to climb their precious D-Value ladders. it is disgusting. Get serious and provide blanket amnesty, otherwise stfu. DACA is Lucy with the football, that is all. Flush it, and don't ever let me hear you tell people to "get on a list" again. Hell no! NOPE
I HOPE Bacerra's past catches up to him, that would be sweet. Worst AG ever.

Young immigrants in Sonoma County join race to renew deportation reprieve

Foreign-born residents of Sonoma County have joined the rush of young immigrants nationwide who are scrambling to renew their requests for temporary protection from deportation, taking advantage of a court-ordered move by Trump administration to resume accepting such paperwork while it seeks to end the Obama-era program.

Itzel Lopez Sanchez, 22, of Santa Rosa is one of those seeking a renewed protected status with the federal government. Her deportation reprieve and work permit are up in May. On Saturday, she plans to seek assistance with her application at a clinic at Santa Rosa Junior College.

“You don’t know if it can end again, or something else is going to happen,” Sanchez said about the federal program, which has provided temporary deportation reprieve and work permits to 800,000 young immigrants brought into the country illegally as children.

I call bullshit on Ds, exploitation of immigrants from low wage regions weakened the power of local collective bargaining, simple math. They keep yanking the emo chain to acquire votes, while on their watch every labor law was gutted, reduced to nothing for low wage earners. DACA is for greedy bastards first and foremost. My brothers and sisters down south deserve better, much better. Amnesty now, then we can begin to address the overpopulation problems, and the broken systems of distribution, that's what I think.

Nobody 2018
fake democracy
maximum profit

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NCTim's picture

@eyo It is about labor exploitation. I always marveled at how the rhetoric is about immigrants taking jobs, yet the enforcement actions always focus on the individuals. Wouldn't it be more effective to go to the meat packing plant and arrest the plant manager and HR manager?

Down east North Carolina is dominated by cotton and Tabaco. There is a migrant farmer worker underground of exploited people living in shack barracks, paid little to nothing and abused. Speak up and get turned in. It seems to me that turning in an undocumented worker is an admission of breaking labor law and should result in the caller being arrested.

BTW, those same farmers are mostly right wingers. Obviously, they were not paying attention when Georgia screwed the pooch.

Georgia's Harsh Immigration Law Costs Millions in Unharvested Crops

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The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -

@NCTim they are in court, where justice takes forever, if ever. The concern drips down, and glazes the ground.
California officials concerned about possible ICE sweeps

SACRAMENTO — California's attorney general said Wednesday he is concerned about open-ended immigration sweeps at a time he and other state officials say the Trump administration should be concentrating on deporting dangerous felons.

Attorney General Xavier Becerra said while it is the federal government's responsibility to protect the nation's borders, the goal should be public safety, not deporting otherwise law-abiding immigrants who are in the country illegally.

"We will, as always, work with our federal partners in every respect to go after drug dealers, human traffickers, potential terrorists," Becerra said. "We're not in the business of deportation. We're in the business of public safety."

He forgot "We're capitalists" and "That's the system." Btw, the follow on to Jerry Brown's system quote was "We try to mitigate that." which brings me back 'round again to yoda. Decades later, NOPE. D-diddly-done I am. There has to be a better way. Did I mention Sonoma County's criminal court software is another massive boondoggle from hell? I feel sorry for my cousin on the bench, he should be retired by now. It's too effed up.

California, a Texas Corporation.

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NCTim's picture

@eyo

Trump’s Farm Policy: Agribusiness First

The current administration has consistently moved to further tilt the agriculture marketplace in favor of the big meatpackers and agrochemical companies, while significantly worsening conditions for many farm and food system workers

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The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -

what a nice OT. I like the idea of helping to clean and pack up the farmers market and then redistribute the left-overs. So smart.
I've been reading Eric Toensmeier's Perennial Vegetable Gardening.In it he introduces extra-nutritious vegetables from around the world that can function as perennials. I'm going to try and trellis a few of the plants he suggest this year to function as a sun shade on the side of the house that gets too much sun exposure here in the summer.

That was mimi's entry that talked about Buffy Sainte-Marie last week. I was so glad that she brought her up and yes, Buffy Sainte-Marie is an amazing artist and person.

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enhydra lutris's picture

@randtntx

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

mhagle's picture

Thank you SOE. This morning I have had the opportunity to watch all of the videos, follow all the links, and download the pamphlet. I feel full. Wow.

Buffy's message = "it's not racism, it is bad leadership" . . . talking about feudal Europe meeting the new world. That's something missing from our Western Civilization history lessons. We always view feudalism as being unique to the middle ages, but in fact it was still part of the 19th century. Not an expert here, but reading Michener's "Poland" opened my eyes. Also remembering family stories. My dad always said that his family had no love for Norway. They were happy to leave, because at that time they were considered second class citizens. My great-grandfather won an international art award for his ski design. However, he was only able to receive the second place trophy because he was a second class citizen. Several of my aunts have traveled to Norway to see this trophy in a museum in Telemark. That generation was still pissed off about what they did to their grandfather. On my mom's side, my great-grandmother was a servant girl who was forced to herd sheep in Lapland in the summer. Life wasn't so great in Europe, that's why they emigrated. Certainly, you would think that if Americans were truly knowledgeable about why their great-grandparents, etc., came to this country, they would be more sympathetic to immigrants. I'ts all the same. My parents spoke Norwegian in the home, so I usually bring that up when I hear people complain about someone speaking Spanish.

Back to Buffy. Wow. I also appreciated how she encouraged us to make education wider through artistic expression. And who is surprised at the censorship? Hearing about it is still creepy.

Pity the military is a major source of jobs. I have two close family members who have good jobs in the army, where opportunities like that would not have been available elsewhere. They are getting close to having 20 years in now. These jobs do indeed need to evolve to peace keeping and building ventures.

This food sharing effort is close to my heart. I don't know about organizing movements, but it is pretty great to share eggs and veggies. Giving away cucuzza (Italian zucchini) was especially fun. They are funny looking, but taste great. My Italian mother-in-law remembers them from childhood. I don't give with the motivation that I will get back, but that usually happens in some way. Giving grows. Generosity begets generosity. Like in your story. It creates a circle.

Have not perused your veggie storing pamphlet yet, but downloaded it for later. The bird song library link I sent to my daughter. She put a bird feeder outside her bedroom window this year, and is starting to be a bird watcher. She will love this.

Beautiful photos as usual.

https://www.rareseeds.com/ Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds Stumbled upon this site this morning when searching for yam seeds. Instead I found:

Jicama-LSS-000_1592.jpg
Jicama or Yam Bean
5 Reviews | Write a Review
(Pachyrhizus erosus) 120 days. Long vines can grow twenty feet long and produce delicious tubers. These have become very popular in the last few years. Very long season; these must be started very early in all areas except the deep South. Caution: The seeds and pods are poisonous, Only use the tasty roots. Pkt (25 seeds) $2.50
Customer Reviews
Related Items
Jicama or Yam Bean
Overall Rating: 5.0
Number of Reviews: 5

Review:
We live at around 7000' here in Colorado and the seasons can be very short and unpredictable here. We have always loved growing unusual things and love that Baker Creek has so many unusual plants to choose from. We were excited to try the jicama but knew it would be a little iffy at our location. We started seed in early March and then transplanted them out into our high tunnel around the end of April. The first year we grew them (we had started them later then we do now) I was disappointed at first as the plants never got very big. I was surprised though when early fall I stuck my finger in the ground and found a nice sized jicama underneath. The next year we started them earlier and they grew larger and produced two to three jicamas per plant that averaged around two pounds each. These have now become part of our staple crop for market and it is awesome to be able to finally taste a homegrown jicama! Very sweet, juicy and crisp! They do split easy with over watering though.

I think I am going to order some Jicama seeds. I was looking for yams though, after learning last week that they were not the same as sweet potatoes. Watched so many inspirational videos about yams, but especially liked this one on foraging for yams.
[video:https://youtu.be/3rjfjtYOFgk]

Hope to grow them using this method:
[video:https://youtu.be/F-qlo_RqSZA]

This is all part of a quest to truly discover foods that grow well in my area. Discovering cucuzza was nice surprise this past year. Looking forward to growing yard long green beans and more collards. Started tomato seeds last week and hope to put in good sized plants by March 1. Short day onions are on my dining room table waiting to be planted. Excited to see what I might find on the rare seeds site.

This is all for now . . . . have a great day! Thanks for the OT!

Smile

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

@mhagle that old bank building is pretty cool. It is right across the street from Penry Park (a.k.a. Cannonball Park), the most visible place we could find to Occupy Petaluma. I did support Occupy as much as possible from outside the city limits. Every day there would be a shift of people on all four corners with great signage. I remember Tim Nonn was a guy who got Kamala Harris (I think?) to put a moratorium on foreclosures for the holidays. Merry Christmas. Last I checked, he was elected to a school board in Rohnert Park. Awesome guy, very kind, he got royally screwed by Wells Fargo. I wonder if Harris lunches with Mnuchin these days?

http://www.petaluma360.com/news/7816381-181/seed-bank-leaving-iconic-petaluma

After nine years spent in one of Petaluma’s most notable historic buildings, The Seed Bank is set to relocate in the coming months.
...
“This is an incredible building, but it’s really big and we just don’t need that much space at this point,” manager Ellyn Mavalwalla said.
...
“It’s a triangle – seeds, sustainability and supporting local businesses,” Mavalwalla said.

triangles for peace
---
Bird nerds call it "birding", not "bird watching", I don't know exactly why. Maybe because the birds are also watching, it is redundant. Bird watching what? I love birds, here's an Anna stopping by for a drink:
annashummingbird.jpg
mine mine all mine

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NCTim's picture

@eyo We have ruby throated hummingbirds. They seem to love petunias, so I always have petunias on the back porch.

Better, there is an owl in the neighborhood. Often heard but rarely seen. Recently, I was walking along the greenway, when something big came through the canopy, crossed the trail and into the canopy on the other side. I took me a minute to figure out it was the owl, and by that time it was gone.

We also have red hawks. The astute observer can detect the squirrel chatter, when the hawks are circling above.

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The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -

hecate's picture

@mhagle
Dotard Twitler were time-warped back to your great-grandfather's time, he would be screaming about the Norwegians rowing over from their shithole country to bestain the Americans.

For the vast majority of their shared history, including the period in the mid- to late 1800s and early 1900s that comprised the biggest wave of immigration from what is now Norway to the United States, Norway might have been on the president’s so-called manure pile.

Norwegians, based on their mostly rural, low-income occupations such as farming, fishing and logging, arrived in the United States with the lowest earning potential of any national group. Even after 30 years in the country, the authors found, Norwegians had failed to find higher-paying work and close the gap with either native earners or most other European immigrants.

By that same measure, even second-generation Norwegian Americans had failed to assimilate and move into higher-paying occupations than their immigrant parents.

That's not a critique of people from Norway, or of farmers and lumberjacks in general. Instead, it's evidence that assimilation is a difficult and gradual process. It takes generations, perhaps a long as a century, to catch up to the native population. On the whole, the immigrants of today look to be on a path similar to that followed by Norwegians and others in their study.

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Citizen Of Earth's picture

I'm rapidly becoming a Buffy Sainte-Marie fan boy.
It is amazing how we gin up so much worship for 'The Troops'. Mentioning that "It's for the troops" seems to validate any sociopathic idea you want push. It helped Trump make non-patriots out of the kneeling football players who were simply protesting social injustice. Now we have the sociopathic Repub Freedom Caucus threatening to shut down the gubmint unless spending is increased on the already insane Defense budget. The insanity just won't end.

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Donnie The #ShitHole Douchebag. Fake Friend to the Working Class. Real Asshole.

NCTim's picture

@Citizen Of Earth Don't you mean the economically disenfranchised brain washed people who fight other peoples battles, to protect other peoples wealth, while those people's children go to frat parties? Veterans, actually everybody, do not want to hear, "You were duped and used".

A sad old soldier once told me a story
About a battlefield that he was on
He said a man should never fight for glory
He must know what is right and what is wrong
- Gram Parsons, My Uncle

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The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -

Citizen Of Earth's picture

@NCTim

In the '60s it seemed like every band had at least one.
Nice Steve Earle video, had not heard that one before.

And yes, dumbfounding that The Troops haven't figured out they are being used by the Rich SOBs.

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Donnie The #ShitHole Douchebag. Fake Friend to the Working Class. Real Asshole.

thanatokephaloides's picture

@Citizen Of Earth

And yes, dumbfounding that The Troops haven't figured out they are being used by the Rich SOBs.

That day will come. And Cat help the 1% when it does!

Diablo

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"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

hecate's picture

So how do we create a society that does not encourage becoming a soldier?

And the answer is:

It’s simple. There’s nothing at all complicated about it.
War—There won’t be war when you decide you won’t murder other human beings.

You cannot hate without hating all; and you cannot kill some without killing all—because the welfare of any man is the welfare of all men. Through violence men are made to enslave and murder one another; through violence the world has been turned into this unimaginable hell; through violence the rulers of this hell are enabled to maintain their positions.

Killing is not permissible. When that is understood, there will be no serial killers.

As for this:

Unstable employment, expensive education and few options for health care push individuals towards the military.

It is anathema to excuse a serial killer because s/he needs a job, or health insurance, or an education. No one gazing at the guts spilling out of the cooling bodies of their dead children ever said it was a-okay because the serial killers who snuffed out their lives were just trying to earn some money, get their teeth fixed, go to a school.

Add the idea one is serving their country it appears to be a noble idea.

The notion that one is "serving their country," by becoming a serial killer, is an obscenity.

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs,
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots,
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of gas-shells dropping softly behind.

Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time,
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime.—
Dim through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,—
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori
.

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TheOtherMaven's picture

Ferdinand and Isabella were not - quite - contemporaries of Henry the 8th (Henry the 7th, yes, but he was another serial killer anyway, just didn't kill off wives - he couldn't afford to). Vlad the Impaler was earlier (d. 1477), and spent most of his career standing off the Ottoman Turks, who were as bad as he was, or worse. His successors - and there were a lot of them, because the political situation went chaotic - mainly caved.

She could mention, but doesn't, that Ferd and Izzy were directly responsible for messing up the "Holy" Roman Empire - their daughter Joanna married Philip of Hapsburg and begot Charles I/Emperor Charles V, during whose rule Mexico was invaded and conquered. The Hapsburgs ran Spain into the ground, mainly because of a seemingly endless supply of Mexican and South American gold and silver (but also because of their nasty habit of inbreeding).

Catherine of Aragon was Ferd and Izzy's youngest daughter, and as Henry the 8th's wife had one all-important job: produce a male heir. She failed, with one live daughter and a lot of stillbirths/miscarriages (Rh factor? Kell factor? Just really rotten luck?). Henry didn't kill her off, he did something worse - he divorced her, and discarded her like rubbish (partly because she wouldn't go quietly).

And yes, it was Ferd and Izzy who ran the last of the Jews out of Spain - in 1492, when they conquered Granada, the last Muslim holdout.

Ferd and Izzy have a lot to answer for.

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There is no justice. There can be no peace.

enhydra lutris's picture

She never really caught on except among the fringe residents out on the society's fringes.

Food sharing needs to be greatly expanded, as does food production, not by the pros, but by all the hoi polloi. Grow what you can, eat what you need and share the rest unless you need the revenues from selling.

Thanks for the pamphlet. There was a time when I would buy selected things at the Oakland produce market, in season, and try to preserve it for the future. Now we preserve some of the products of our yard, but I should probably consider expanding what we preserve by purchasing at farm stands. Storage space, however, is already at a premium. All the same, I will clip and stash that pamphlet here and there.

We who understand need to constantly educate folks that nobody in the military is serving the country. They are serving the oligarchs, the weapons makers and the plundergarchs out trying to control and exploit all the rest of the world. Nobody is attacking us and nobody is likely to. We need no huge standing army. Killing for hire, though a job, is not a noble one. Today's armies are brigands with uniforms, hitmen for a different kind of mobsters, but mobsters all the same. Gunslingers. The US has no noble goals, causes or aims.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

UNCENSORED Buffy
http://bsnorrell.tripod.com/id99.html
Whoa, tripod.com with a lycos ad. Blasts from the pasts.

When I was ten I ran away from home with a hobo stick, to be with AIM on Alcatraz. LOL! I don't remember how far I got, but I definitely remember that hobo stick, my bindle of crackers and a peanuts book. I had to turn back after all the crackers were gone, defeated by hunger already. Every one of my family had a very good laugh at me for a long time after that, haha lucky me
http://www.siouxme.com/alcatraz_np.html

The beacon flashed incessantly. On. Off. On again. Like some sort of traffic light gone crazy, it pierced the nighttime mist over San Francisco Bay, sending a message from Ghirardelli Square to Alcatraz Island five miles away. There, cheers erupted as the light flashed the words, "Go Indians!" It was the autumn of 1969. Thousands of American Indians occupied the abandoned remains of Alcatraz, the federal penitentiary that housed America's most notorious criminals until closing in 1963.
LaNada Boyer inside one of the Alcatraz guard barracks where occupiers lived from 1969-71. Much of the graffiti from 30 years ago remains throughout the island today. Photo by Linda Sue Scott.The occupiers held the island for nearly eighteen months, from Nov. 20, 1969, until June 11, 1971, reclaiming it as Indian land and demanding fairness and respect for Indian peoples. They were an unlikely mix of Indian college activists, families with children fresh off reservations and urban dwellers disenchanted with what they called the U.S. government's economic, social and political neglect.

I also lived in Pacific Heights once or twice, Pelosi's district. Last time was the mid 70s version of "returning home to live with parents" for my own parents, plus kids. The whole family including aunts uncles cousins would meet there on Christmas eve every year. It was an Italian Villa called the Casebolt House and the attic had an awesome view of Alcatraz island. The basement had a room with a marble floor, I'd skate around in my socks after the butler waxed it. Sliding down the bannisters from the third floor was a real thrill, slipping off the inside would mean landing on the first floor, ouchy style. Thanks goodness it never happened to me. Lots of other stuff happened, but not that.

My poor parents, did they have the right approach after all? Smoke and drink, die young, be happy. I took a different healthier path, which I now regret. Resolving to be more careful in the asking department now. Thanks.

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studentofearth's picture

@eyo
Standing Rock. Decided to send in the mercenaries to infiltrate and disrupt.

Alcatraz was different. Despite its chaos and factionalism, the event resulted in major benefits for American Indians. Years later, Brad Patterson, a top aide to President Richard Nixon, cited at least ten major policy and law shifts. They include passage of the Indian Self Determination and Education Act, revision of the Johnson O'Malley Act to better educate Indians, passage of the Indian Financing Act, passage of the Indian Health Act and the creation of an Assistant Interior Secretary post for Indian Affairs. Mount Adams was returned to the Yakama Nation in Washington state, and 48,000 acres of the Sacred Blue Lake lands were returned to Taos Pueblo in New Mexico. During the occupation Nixon quietly signed papers rescinding Termination, a policy designed to end federal recognition of tribes.

Oregon was leading the way for Indian Policy Changes in the 50's.

Eisenhower’s secretary of the interior was former Oregon governor Douglas McKay, who spoke for powerful timber and water resource developers in the West. There is evidence that McKay wanted his home state to serve as a showcase for the new direction in Indian policy. The effort to terminate the Klamath and other Oregon tribes, as historian Donald L. Fixico argues, “implied the ultimate destruction of tribal cultures and native life-styles, as withdrawal of federal services was intended to desegregate Indian communities and to integrate Indians with the rest of society[MY1] .” In the Klamath situation, other forces were involved—the actions of a coercive federal government eager to force termination and the attractions of the extensive ponderosa-pine stands on the reservation.

Klamath water wars that devastated the Northern California fisheries over Tribal water rites had participation from Washington DC.

Cheney personally called Sue Ellen Wooldridge in early 2001 to talk about the water situation in the Klamath Basin, where tribal interests clashed with non-Indians. At the time, Wooldridge was Interior Secretary Gale Norton's legal counselor.

The call mortified Wooldridge, she told The Post, and it was clear that Cheney supported the non-Indians. "The fact that the vice president was interested meant that everyone paid attention," she said.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

SnappleBC's picture

I came across this on another blog and how could I not burst out laughing? This is the single most clearly distilled version of the "Democratic message" I've ever read:

“it’s all your fault for not backing who WE wanted who would have been GREAT just like everything before was FINE until YOUR RACISM AND MISOGYNY ruined everything!”
IanWelsh.Net - Comment by MojaveWolf

Maybe it's just me but that's some damned fine writing! Here's my version:

We stand behind the right of gays to get married (sort of). We don't think they should have food, shelter, healthcare, clean water to drink, clean air to breath, a healthy ecosystem, or a safe world. But they absolutely should be able to get married!

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A lot of wanderers in the U.S. political desert recognize that all the duopoly has to offer is a choice of mirages. Come, let us trudge towards empty expanse of sand #1, littered with the bleached bones of Deaniacs and Hope and Changers.
-- lotlizard

studentofearth's picture

@SnappleBC the voters will follow. Worked for the Republicans - Reagan, Sonny Bono, Schwarzenegger, Pence (radio) and Greg Walden (Oregon radio. Democratic voters have been trained to follow the herd.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

earthling1's picture

Have always held Buffy Sainte Marie in high esteem and with the same respect as Joan Baez and Janis Ian. Courageous women speaking out about war and suffering and inequality at a dangerous time in America.
Universal Soldier was purposefully ignored in playlists on what was then predominately AM stations during the Vietnam War.
Heh, AM was all we had as FM was still being expanded.
And thanks for the pamplet on harvesting.
I didn't know how broccoli could be so hardy as I still have 3 plants from last spring producing crowns after several exposures to sub freezing temps.

Januarybroccoli.jpg

I'am going to leave them grow till spring just to see what happens.
They taste fine.
I look forward to exchanging ideas and tips here with everybody as spring planting approches.

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

studentofearth's picture

@earthling1 One of the limitations is the requirement of rich soil to produce well. This will be a good test of the Terra Preta soil method mentioned last week.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

mimi's picture

can't listen to and hear anything anymore. Grrrr. That's my second computer which gives up. But from all I can read, this is a treasure of an Open Thread with great comment links. If it rains it pours around here. I wished I could talk about it, but no words get over my lips. It's all in the back of my mind.

So glad you are all here and give your best.

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thanatokephaloides's picture

The censorship worked.

Until the music videos of Buffy Sainte-Marie was included in a diary last week I was not aware of Buffy Sainte-Marie.

That's odd, as I've been aware of Buffy and her work since my early adolescence some 50 years ago. Truth be told, I was glad to hear she was still living!

However, I do realize that there was a real effort in the late 1960s by President Johnson to keep her music from being broadcast..... Bad

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"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

studentofearth's picture

@thanatokephaloides the popular historical views at the time. Late 60's was grade school for me. Grew in a small conservative town, 2 am radio stations, 3 TV stations in the valley had signal boosters reach over the mountains and 1 local newspaper. Parents trying to survive and provide a better childhood than theirs.

It continues to amaze me the differences of life experiences collected and expressed by the members of C99. What is common knowledge or feeling to one member another member may be totally naive. The value of the site is the space to express and discuss those thoughts without instant criticism that is our greatest value and enhances each of our lives.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

thanatokephaloides's picture

@studentofearth

The stages of our lives are windows to the world and the popular historical views at the time. Late 60's was grade school for me.

Myself as well. Of course, my Mom was a progressive anti-war activist in the conservative town I lived in. (I protested the bombing of Cambodia at her side at age 11!) And we had lots of Native Americans about, who were damn proud of their sister Buffy and demanded to hear her music whether USAF SAC and their Commander-in-Chief Lyndon Johnson wanted it or not!

Wink

It continues to amaze me the differences of life experiences collected and expressed by the members of C99. What is common knowledge or feeling to one member another member may be totally naive. The value of the site is the space to express and discuss those thoughts without instant criticism that is our greatest value and enhances each of our lives.

This, most certainly! A major reason I keep reading c99 is what I learn every day from doing so!

Smile

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"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

earthling1's picture

@thanatokephaloides
I'm a bit older.
In '69 I was married, had a newborn, had just enrolled in Jr. College, and was working full time.
My only brother was somewhere in the jungles of Vietnam.
I so wanted him home. Eventually, he did.

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.