Rants, Muses, Books & Music (and Some Cooking Too).
It's good to see you. Come on in, leave your shoes in the hallway, we've got fire on the stove preparing lunch for later. In the meantime, browse the bookshelves and plunk down on the sofa with one, or pick out some tunes from the music library or come in to the kitchen to help with the cooking. Our special blend of tea is steeping and will be right up.
Make yourself at home...
Woke up Saturday morning to multiple text messages, between a former bass player of ours, who moved to Vegas a few years ago for a Broadway show, and my guitar player. While on tour in Florida, a peer of ours had been killed by a tractor trailer that veered off of an interstate highway.
David was a sweet and gentle guy, who had been coming to our show on and off for the past almost 13 years. During that time he went from playing in a local hard rock band with his brother and opening for KISS on one tour, to going off on his own and playing in arenas with some fairly known hard rock/metal acts. Many times he and his brother would come onstage with us, switch out with the bass and guitar players, and I'd play with the two of them on this song. Although I wouldn't say I knew him personally as a friend, there did exist a kind of affinity between us that always resulted in immediate big smiles and hugs whenever we saw each other. A real sweetheart.
One of the first things I wondered as I heard the basic details of the accident, which was that they had been stopped to fix a flat tire when a massive truck demolished their RV on the side of the road and burst into flames, was - is this another case of an overworked truck driver? For one to lose control in the middle of the day on a crowded interstate, is there some combination of overworked/underpaid guy, having to meet increasingly demanding schedules, lack of sleep, subject to penalties and even garnished wages, that led to this? All around us are signs of similar kinds of unnecessary stress and anxiety, directly related to the "new norm" of an austerity economy driven by the greed of the 1%.
Remember the story of the now infamous case presided over by the latest SCOTUS disaster, Gorusch, who wrote an opinion that ruled in favor of the corporation over "the frozen trucker"?
To a much lesser degree but in a similar vein, I wondered what was going on in the mind of a taxi driver, who I had been told, as I was packing up at 1AM at the finish of my gig, had just bumped into my motorcycle parked in front of the club, causing it to teeter and then topple over, dent the gas tank and release some of its contents onto the street. After assessing the situation, that was the very first thing I thought of. Rather than anger, ultimately I found myself strangely feeling compassion. Taxi drivers in NYC typically work 12 hour shifts (a recipe for disaster) and sometimes barely make more than minimum wage when all is said and done.
How many others in the 99% are suffering from lack of sleep, or undue stress to take on more than they should, or juggling a few jobs with uneven hours, or have demands put upon them by heartless bosses obsessed with increasing quarterly profits perpetually? I'm trying to find understanding in what may underlie in the tragic incident that took the life of a guy I knew. Again, how many of these "accidents" are the result of the many manifestations of economic stress? How about the UPS worker who last month shot 3 employees after filing a complaint with the union about being forced to work excessive overtime?
On a brighter note, lately I have been contentedly dwelling on the outpouring of some in the C99 community who have expressed interest in and shared their knowledge about Intentional Communities. There were a couple of threads (that I'm aware of) that contain a string of excellent and informative links, personal information and discussion about this.
As I find myself increasingly concerned about the future, even more so now that we're expecting another baby (woah!), more radical approaches that jibe with my sensibilities and philosophies about living are in consideration and increasingly more appealing.
If you missed the discussion about Intentional Communities, here are a couple of links. The first turns up in Meteor Man's essay "Is America Past The Point of No Return?" and is here:
https://caucus99percent.com/comment/278456#comment-278456
And then in CS in AZ's essay "Single payer, Medicare-for-all, universal healthcare: a rose by any other name" there was a little bit more on it:
https://caucus99percent.com/comment/280411#comment-280411
I'm piqued to have a wider discussion about this, and resiliency, and other cooperative ideas, of which to circumvent the failed, undignified and inhumane society we've been cornered into by global financial plunderers and unresponsive governments.
Which brings me to the next thing. CStS and I have been talking for a while about organizing a get together. There's been interest here and there, for sure. But folks, is there a real possibility for us to get something together? I realize of course it would be cost prohibitive for some, and physically difficult for others, and so on. But maybe there's a fine compromise we can find, some coordination between members that could we can come up with, to make this happen.
So I ask in earnest, is there real interest in having a C99 Gathering?
And otherwise, what's going on with you?
Back in the kitchen we're listening to:
Crosby, Stills, Nash (& Young)
"Four Way Harmonies"
(Studio & Live Outtakes, 1968-1969)
Reading/Browsing List:
"The Open-Source Everything Manifesto: Transparency, Truth, and Trust" by Robert David Steele and Howard Bloom
"The Divide" by Matt Taibbi
"Wild Tales: A Rock N Roll Life" by Graham Nash
Summer Baby Arugula Salad
Sautee a thinly sliced onion until browned and a some baby bella mushrooms in avocado/sunflower oil.
In a bowl together put baby arugula, chopped dates, chopped almonds, and diced tomato, and drizzle apple cider vinegar and olive oil over it.
Throw cooked vegetables on top and mix with two big spoons. Add salt and pepper.
Lemongrass Chai Blend
heaping scoop of dried Thai lemongrass
shards of cinnamon bark
a few cardamom pods
a few black peppercorns
A few cloves
fresh chopped ginger
Comments
Howdy Music Mark! :-)
First off, Congratulations and a wish that your lady has a safe and healthy pregnancy!! A wish for a beautiful little one to add to your family krewe of 3. I'd stop at 2 kids though. That's what I have been told repeatedly by folks who love their kids and were/are great parents. Plus, it helps the environment, natch! LOL.
Very sorry to hear about your friend's death.
I sure hope it was quick. Floridumb is loaded with unsafe road construction sites state-wide. The crackers and LTRs check for back routes and safe time periods (when possible) when having to drive. The main routes are congested, and road rage is a given. This is an over populated tourist state with one of the most corrupt, dysfunctional state governments in the nation. Enuff said!
On to music, or more accurately, the musack bizness. Mr. Biker (hubby) and I have been watching the HBO documentary series, The Defiant Ones. It's the story of Jimmy Iovine, Dr. Dre, Interscope and Death Row Records, gangsta rap, some 80s & 90s rock, and Iovine's and Dre's sale of Beats to Apple for a cool few $billion. It is high quality per HBO and very well done. You would definitely enjoy it. Check it out when you can.
I say Go (!) in terms of a C99er gathering (of the tribes). I don't know if I could attend, but I think it's a great idea. Why? Cos the krewe on here are highly informed, educated, political activists who give a damn about this country! Simple as that!
I dedicate the following to your new arrival-to-be.
https://youtu.be/EkaKwXddT_I
Rec'd!!
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
Good morning, Mark. Thanks for another wonderful essay.
Expecting another baby! Fantastic! Congratulations and best wishes. People say parents take too many pics of their first kid and not enough of their second, so guard against that.
Many people started communities all over the US when Sanders went to Vermont. He may have even lived in one -- I can't recall right now. Books have to have been written about the subject--what succeeds and what fails.
In my area, where you generally need to either call a cab, find a cab stand, or get yourself to a high cab traffic area, Uber is killing the taxi industry. So, yeah, the cabbies may have to drive longer and longer hours. Even if they don't, they have to be more tense about whether they are going to put in 8-10 hours without covering their expenses. In Manhattan and, I imagine, also in Brooklyn, cabs cruise for fares, so Uber may not be as big an issue for cabbies there as it is here? Overworked nurses, of course, are also a problem. Some of them even choose the longer hours, so they can have a four-day week. I'm not fond of that. And then, there are the ER interns and residents who go around the clock. Eeek!
I did your guacamole recipe yesterday, but sans cilantro. Neither my sister nor I like it. I don't remember her specifying her objection, but it has always tasted like soap to me. As I just learned this week, that may be genetic. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/14/dining/14curious.html Mom is gone, but I asked her sister about cilantro and Auntie said she doesn't like it raw, but she does like it cooked, so I don't know how that fits into the genetic picture.
I'll try your baby arugula salad the next time I have arugula, but will substitute something else for the dates. (Fresh figs, halved and broiled?) I'm starting to sound like a picky eater, but I'm really not.
(Speaking of recipes, you may want to change "apple side vinegar" to "apple cider vinegar.")
Good morning C99 family.
Looks like we're in the midst of another goddamn heatwave here, with upper 80's-low 90's (which of course translates to a real feel of almost 100). Ugh!
Last week during a brutal mid 90's day it was so hot in our bedroom, that even with the AC on, I still felt the need to turn a small fan on. Plugged one in into the same wall socket and, saw a fiery flash. Pulled out the fan and noticed the AC now didn't pump cool air out anymore. Tried taking the plug for the AC out and then plugging it in again, and saw the sparks again. Wtf? Means dealing with the landlord...
I'm going to take the Boy to the park before it gets too brutal to be outside. Cabin fever yesterday as we stayed in all day after a short morning walk to see the dogs in the park and move the car.
Someday (soon) I'd like to see a C99 Gathering!
"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"
- Kurt Vonnegut
Good morning everyone....
Summer is threatening to return to Michigan. Would I fly off to attend a c99 gathering? Do I have to get on a plane? I'm not good with standing in line and authority figures. Am I up north on summer vacation? Michiganders are like the Swedes - when summer finally shows up, nothing gets in its way. But yes, I would like to meet and say hey to the kindred souls on this blog. I'm just not optimistic about a time and a place, but I would like you to give it a try. I think Detroit did one or two in Oregon.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Good morning all.
Congratulations on the baby. Babies and children can be such a joy, one of the supreme joys of life, definitely difficult, but phenomenal.
From what I can see, the average worker's life in our country has gotten worse in my lifetime. It was suppose to get better, remember? There used to be a notion of more leisure time, longer vacations, shorter working hours, more rewarding work, etc. We have engineered just the opposite. All the while the American worker has increased productivity but has not reaped benefits from that increase. In my experience and among the people I know, work has become extremely stressful and exhausting. In Texas we have opened up our highways to truck drivers from Mexico who do not have the same kinds of rules regarding consecutive number of hours you can drive etc. It seems to me that our highways have gotten more dangerous and congested since then.
I am going to read the links you posted on intentional communities. I missed those articles. In my limited experience with intentional communities I have encountered some of the problems that can seem to be insurmountable. I will read those articles with interest.
I would be interested in a C99 meeting.
congregation of like minds
From your intentional community concept, a couple pictures come to mind. One is in an urban setting. An older hotel or tenement occupied for a spell with revolving doors. The other is more rural, a neglected house and barn with surrounding fields. Tee-pees and RV's. A functioning well and outhouse. PV solar and scratching the soil. Both have merits which will take some organisation.
Back in the kitchen, wanted to share yesterday's creation. Zucchinis sliced in half on the grill with a miso and ghee baste topped with parmesan. Mmm good. Ginger simple syrup with lime and seltzer.
Wow, a birth and a tragic accident. You've some powerful heavies. Blessed be your sanity.
Zionism is a social disease
Another baby! Wonderful news!
A meet up would be interesting.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Good morning, Mark ~~
I'm interested in a meet-up, but would need to plan and save for it. I'm hoping we can connect when I am there late next week. I need to get with my hostess for our "plans."
Congrats on the baby. I admire folks who have children in these challenging times. I'm guessing my parents felt the same when I had mine.
We're hoping for rain. It's hitting everyone but us - always in the donut hole. It will be our turn, though. Hopefully soon.
Have a beautiful day, folks!
"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
Good morning, Mark. Congrats! Thanks for the OT.
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 --
Re intentional communities.
The comments you linked to on intentional communities are among the most hopeful I have read in a while. It is definitely an idea worth considering. As I mentioned above, I see a lot of problems with them, but the status quo looks extremely bleak and new ways of doing things are obligatory.
Intentional communities
Here's a couple of successful communities that we are familiar with in our area.
Sonora Cohousing
Milagro Cohousing
It is not easy. It's takes money, and work, and a lot of focus on the intention part of it. Every community is different, and how it works depends on what the members want to create. A dedicated core group is essential, with the expectation of turnover and some people who don't stay for whatever reason.
Conflict resolution training and experience are also important, because any group of people will have conflicts at times. This doesn't mean it can't work. However, cohabitation is a huge leap. We look at it as a future possibly, but so far the people we consider our communities/extended families here do not live in a shared space. Maybe down the road. We've looked at possibly pooling resources to buy an old, small apartment complex, with perhaps six to ten units, and converting it to a shared intentional community.
@CS in AZ Thank you for those
Thank you for those links. I will read them.
I like your ideas. Shared living space is something that does not appeal to me at all. I do like your idea of a small apartment complex, it allows for independence. I agree, a strategy to resolve conflict must be in place at the outset.
Baby is great news...
congratulations; hoping little ones inherit your writing style, which i love.
Good fortune with the AC; i have to travel down the mtn tomorrow, not looking forward to the heat and humidity...onward.
Sorry, how remiss and rude of me not to congratulate on
the news of your baby. Hope all goes well for you and your new child.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
U.S. sanctions Iran BECAUSE they followed the agreement
but they didn't smile
Congrats on the baby news!
We had two in our forties, now 16 and 18. They are great. You will enjoy the journey!
Sorry about your friend. Like randtntx said, our freeways are insane now in TX. I stay off them as much as possible. One horrible construction site is I35 near Temple. Many deaths there according to a truck driver I visited with about a month ago. The driving lanes are very narrow with no shoulders. It seems like drivers have become crazier here in recent years. Many pass in no passing zones. I don't get that. Maybe it is because they do not teach driver's ed in school anymore??
A meetup would be cool. Don't know if I could come, but it would be fun.
Intentional communities. I enjoyed reading through those threads. Lots of good thoughts, plans, and projects. I think I have been personally going this direction for quite a few years, but never called it that. We have 60 acres. Most of it is pretty, but not suitable for homes or conventional farming. But it is like maybe the kids will need to live here. A widowed sister-in-law would like to winter here. My thought is shipping container homes. I have been testing this possibility with the container we turned into a music studio. We have learned some lessons . . . like . . . insulating reflective paint is not enough. And, condensation sucks. Plus, basic composting toilets don't work with teenagers who don't empty them! But it is a wonderful space. We have 4 windows, a regular door, and the giant container doors. We plan to put on a metal roof with insulation and siding with insulation. The inside is metal industrial looking.
And the expansion of the chicken area for egg production. We have about 40 birds and will probably get a dozen eggs a day soon. They are not for sale. Only to eat and give away.
Working on the "food forest" for this same reason. Expanding with the round bales and raised beds. Will plant more fruit trees this fall. Experimenting with aeroponics in the house.
Sewing! Right now we get the cheap clothes from overseas sweatshops. Can container ships navigate the upcoming superstorms in the oceans?
Here are two great videos on recycling.
[video:https://youtu.be/9t10W4FxRnI]
[video:https://youtu.be/NEuL1vUKByY]
I have been working on this post off and on since this morning. Time to quit I guess.
Marilyn
"Make dirt, not war." eyo
Congratulations! You have joined the list for places for
where people from this community can live together when the shit hits the fan.,
The shipping containers sound like a great idea for living space. They are probably bigger than tiny houses and won't need as much work done to them to make them live able.
Please repost your comment in another open thread so you can get more eyes on it.
The message echoes from Gaza back to the US. “Starving people is fine.”
Shipping container homes . . . .
A decent space can be created very inexpensively. Especially if you are only accommodating a single or a couple. Bedroom on one end. Bathroom/closet on the other. In between is living/kitchen. We will have a better picture once we finish the roof and siding. Even as it is, it is not that expensive to heat and cool. A dehumidifier must run constantly though.
I am also part owner of the family farm in Iowa. That is 80 acres of prime farm land in Iowa. However, there are 5 other owners so who knows what will ultimately become of it.
Marilyn
"Make dirt, not war." eyo
@mhagle Shipping containers
Shipping containers are an interesting idea. I've seen pictures of some that were put up by an architect down in the Marfa area. They were modified in innovative ways and very attractive as I remember. And you have 40 chickens? Wow, I'm impressed. I enjoyed the recycling vids. That is exactly the kind of solutions we will need to employ for our communities. It's a fantastic idea on several levels. It builds community, it taps into our creativity, it's a better way of exchange, of course it functions as a way to recycle instead of throw away, and it's fun. Thanks for taking the time to let us know.