Elder's Meditation on Grief

"We grieve more because we have been disconnected from our earth, our first Mother, our spiritual Mother."

--Larry P. Aitken, CHIPPEWA

Where does all life come from? The Earth. Where does everything return to? The Earth. Where do values come them? The Earth. Many people are lost because they don't know the importance of connection to the Earth. They connect to money, to relationships, to success, to goals. When we are disconnected from the Earth, we have feelings of being sad or lost. When we are connected to the Earth, we feel warm and secure.

Great Spirit, help me to stay connected to the Mother Earth.

White Bison

(Someone should tell C & B)

From the land of scary...

...more scary stuff to curl your hair.
Still cannot believe all this is happening in my home, the US of A.

Pioneering Blackwater Protesters Given Secret Trial and Criminal Conviction

By Jeremy Scahill, AlterNet. Posted January 29, 2008.

Blackwater is entirely illegal and should be obliterated at once.
The Blackwater_7 should be treated as heroes.

Breech of New Hampshire chain of custody

Please distribute widely, Digg, Blog, reprints, get this to the media, etc.

Incontrovertible evidence - ballot box rips, slices and openings: Click here -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHL_YMBolRs

BALLOTS WERE NOT SECURED FOR THE NEW HAMPSHIRE RECOUNT.

Both candidates' money should be returned because the state of New Hampshire failed to secure the recount ballots. The above video shows state officials' responses when asked who is responsible for the chain of custody breakdown, and shows specific wards and towns with ballot box chain of custody breaches.

Related videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKQEQ7qHvgM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiiaBqwqkXs

Upcoming video: On the trail of ""Butch and Hoppy" ... Stay tuned ...

Please feel free to distribute, reprint or excerpt from the information in the stories linked above, with link to Black Box Voting and the video link above.

Bev Harris
Black Box Voting
bev@blackboxvoting.org

When Outrage is not Enough

Been "away" and struggling for balance, an endless struggle for a "Libra."
Just discovered a new hero, action, and, site in John Nirenberg of Vermont (Blessed State), marching to Washington to seek out Pelosi (blood traitor), and,:
March In My Name.

Unable to go myself, this time, I will be supporting John and friends with all my might. I have been asking myself, "self, where are my heroes?" John arrived via Alternet (who got it from Julie Bolcer, The Village Voice) just in time. Can we clone him?

Best wishes to you, John. Hope you can move that barely-a-Democrat rock called Pelosi and the turn-coat, John Conyers, to put the much-needed-now! impeachment back on the table where it should have been all along!

BTW, Happy Solstice, everyone. The days for those in the northern hemisphere are now inching longer, hurray!!!

Love is the Law

Darkness seems to spread from heart to mind;
Soulless evil clings to every crime.
Eager Knights of God bedeck the scene.
Vigilantes all whose thought's are mean.

Sing the Song of Pain my heart decries.
Hollow chests of blackness to defy.
Enter bitter spirits of unrest;
Hear us now we are the sweet unblessed.

Love is the Law; it matters not the Source.
Heart is the place from which all Blessings come.
Bind not your Soul to that which is unreal;
Love is the Law, Love is the Light.

Within my hands I hold a beating heart;
A child is dying, with his Mother not.
I try to comfort him, what can I say?
You are a Blessed Soul unleashed today.

There are some evil men who like to play
With other humans, why? I cannot say.
Some twisted sickness lies within them deep.
Perhaps an ugly rage that cannot sleep.

Love is the Law; no matter which religion.
Heart is the source of all that's right.
Close not your Thought to that which could reveal
Love is the Law, Love is the Light.

Within my Home a sense of Darkness spreads;
Its stretching fingers weave an awesome thread
That reaches out to all with motive dark.
I fear the Light is now a threatened Ark.

Dominion speaks of finite latitudes,
With voices deep, all filled with platitudes.
Within that space is filled an awesome void.
How can you speak to that which is a ploy?

Love is the Law; the source of all the Light.
Heart is the place of gentle breeze Delight.
Within your grasp a single breath away
Is Heaven's Joy, Love is the Way.

Poem/Pic link: Love is the Law
Copyright ©2004 Amena Lynn Andersson

WW III?

What the hell does BushCo think he is doing? Threatening Iran when we cannot even manage Iraq and our military forces are stretched to the breaking point, as is our economy, is bad enough. But, now, threatening Russia (with an anti-missile shield on its borders) to the point that Putin Warns NATO Against Border Buildup while NATO criticized the US decision as "regrettable."

This cannot go on. Putin is as much of a bully as BushCo and is pushing hard to make Russia a super-power again. With BushCo starting wars whenever it feels like it, for purely greedy reasons (power, oil, wealth, dominion), wherever it feels like it, this could all escalate way too fast and hard. Can you say "cold war" or maybe "radiatingly hot war?" That is all this planet needs to finish it off, once and for all. These little power kings are as crazy as loons. They must be removed from power right now, before it is too late. Ever seen "On the Beach?"

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Sigh.

Addendum: Just noticed that Digby has some words on this subject area. Always a good read and thought-provoker, Digby.

Stolen "Thank Yous"

I am pretty busy this week,especially today so I am going to cheat and pass along an email of "thank yous" sent by the Center for American Progrss Action's "The Progress Report," as I've not a bit of originality at hand at the moment and I found this list to be a good one. And, my regrets to all Native Americans for being of the race that wrecked their nations and this land since setting foot on this continent. Wish it had never happened. Here's hoping all people learn to truly live together in Peace in future.

21 Reasons To Give Thanks

We're thankful for our country's troops.
We're thankful the minimum wage has been increased for the first time in a decade.
We're thankful MC Rove has more free time to work on his dance moves.
We're thankful Congress has "wasted time" trying to end the war in Iraq.
We're thankful radio stations don't play "Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran."
We're thankful for journalists like Molly Ivins, who was never afraid to "raise hell."
We're (not) thankful for wide stances.
We're thankful to Michael Moore, whose documentary SiCKO started a national discussion on health care reform.
We're thankful people don't call us Buzzy, Cookie, Brownie, or Scooter.
We're thankful we can now call Al Gore the "Oscar-winning, Emmy-winning, Nobel Prize laureate" former vice president of the United States.
We're thankful Andy Card and Alberto Gonzales won't visit our bedside if we're sick in the hospital.
We're thankful not all Dick Cheney's cousins think like he does.
We're thankful to be considered one of the "ten most dangerous organizations in America."
We're thankful that visiting the Mall of America isn't really like visiting Iraq.
We're thankful President Bush isn't giving out any more back rubs.
We're thankful for 12-year olds who can take down Rush Limbaugh in a fight.
We're thankful our Halloween costumes aren't very "original."
We're thankful no one (except the birds) gets hurt when Dick Cheney goes hunting now.
We're thankful for "phony soldiers" who have the courage to speak out about the war in Iraq.
We're thankful the "Commander Guy" has only 425 days left in office.
And last but not least: We're thankful to The Progress Report readers for their tips, energy, and support.

Every one of those thank yous contains a link on the original page, so, to really enjoy this list, please follow the link above.

Oh yes, please have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving while never forgetting the millions in the world who are suffering and would like to be sitting with us.

Waterboarding...a detailed description to give you the Willies

Want to know what waterboarding is all about? I just read a detailed description on Daily Kos that gave me all I'd ever want to know and more. Don't read this while eating.

Things That Are Not Torture by Hunter.

I suggest this be done to all of this current administration as well as our Congresspersons, and, especially, all members of the injustice department so that they can have a better understanding of just what exactly we are doing to our prisoners.
You know, in the name of education.

BTW, I just blogged this on Daily Kos at the above mentioned site:

Put It On Your Blogs, E-Mail It Everywhere...
We can put it out there. We can snail-mail, e-mail, and hand deliver it to all and sundry. This is what we do if we are serious about making change. If it is "in their faces" in a really big way, I believe that it will have effect. I am an ancient grassroots, house-to-house canvasser and I know that we can make a difference. Believe it. Calling a Senator at home, actually talking to this person one on one, can be an amazing experience, for both. Try it on for size. Just sayin'....

I mean every word of that, so, get to work, my friends.

Urgent Action Needed on FCC Docket 06-121

Thanks to a diary heads-up by Sharon in MD on Daily Kos, I read and responded with e-mails galore after following all sorts of provided links and reading Bill Moyers Journal (and others) on the subject.
(snippet from Moyers Journal):

Despite overwhelming public opposition from across the country and the political spectrum, the Chairman of the FCC, Kevin Martin, isn't letting up in his relentless push to allow a handful of media giants swallow up more of your local media.

He made it official on Tuesday: He intends to lift the longstanding ban that keeps one company from owning both the daily newspaper and a radio or television station in the same market.

Martin is pushing this hard, allowing little time for the public to know about much less respond to this effort to remove a bit more democracy. Here is what I wrote to the Chairman and the Commissioners, though I added some thank yous to the ltrs to Copps and Adelstein, the outspoken Dem minority commissioners who have opposed Martin's proposal:

I am adamantly opposed to "Media Ownership Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking - Docket 06-121," the proposed lifting of the longstanding ban that keeps one company from owning both the daily newspaper and a radio or television station in the same market. There is a good reason for this ban as it protects the important democratic tool of multiple opinions and free speech offered by multiple owners of mass media and local ownership of local newspapers, radio and tv stations, currently being discriminated against under this administration.
We in Maine and all across the country value and need our local stations and believe that big media is already too big. It should have a greater number of restrictions, not the reduction in restrictions currently being proposed.
Media consolidation is a patently bad idea. Please do not lift the ban. This is a plea for continuing the democratic principles under which the FCC is supposed to function.
Thank you for reading this and giving it your consideration.

Not eloquent, but, hopefully, it will help. Feel free to paraphrase but please do contact the FCC before the deadline, this December 11.

Links:
How To Contact the FCC
Bill Moyers Journal on this subject
More helpful links from Bill Moyers Journal
Media Consolidation: A primer on making your opinion heard (very helpful)

Thank You, Grist, for a Great Debate!

They all did well, imho. For me, Kucinich wins all the honors; but,then, I am just a tad partial to the man. He is so passionate while maintaining balance and showing tremendous intelligence and understanding. And, he still owes no big corporations any favors, a huge plus in my book. The man may be short, but he is huge in intelligence and kindness, he is plucky, a real scrapper, and he is experienced. He could really deal with "the powers that be" unlike some of the other, less experienced candidates. Still has my vote.

Hillary was booed (inappropriate and just bad manners) but, mostly, just boring. She speaks well, with pauses in all the right places, but with a total lack of passion. And, she seems to have nicked Mr Edwards ideas to boot! Why is it I cannot seem to trust her. I love the idea of a woman finally making it to the Presidency, but, Hillary? She is so married to the reigning system.

I like Edwards and I feel he did particularly well at this debate. He is a very likable human being, despite his southern accent (worse than Kucinich's physical height, imo, lol). My biggest concern is his lack of experience.

Honestly, any of these three would be a huge improvement over what we have currently!
But, I still think Kucinich should be Pres. Truth is, were it not for Kucinich pushing all the big issues since day one and Gore pushing the global warming number, this debate would never have taken place and certainly, Hillary would not have said any of what she did say tonight. Thank you, Messrs Gore and Kucinich.

The Forum, itself, was so much better than any of the MSM versions that I felt great all the way through with no rise in BP or need to take Tylenol. This is the way all Presidential Forums should be, with intelligent questions and plenty of time for answers.

But, most of all, thank you, dear Grist, for providing us the live feed which could not be found anywhere in the MSM, not on CNN, MSNBC, or even NPR. We luvs ya, Gristy, baby.

Article Filled with Drought Data...and, Good Questions

After posting in September about my trip crossing the USA, reading this article felt like confirmation of my own interpretation of experiential data. The USA and the world is in big trouble. Yes, whether you believe in global warming (I do)or not, the big bad is happening. And, we are contributing. To our own peril.
Be that as it may, what will happen, in future, if all these endless droughts do not end? Tom Engelhardt asks some great questions and poses some interesting predictive scenarios.

As the World Burns: How Dry We Are

The only data I found missing was that concerning the other great changes/severe weather I experienced in the USA this year, that being the overwatering of certain areas. The flooding in the lower mid-west, the endless rain in northern New England, especially, Maine which my son has taken to calling "American England."

Kucinich Shines Through

I refuse to vote once again for the least harmful of the "win-ables." Dennis has been my candidate from the start. No one else comes close in intelligence, integrity, and spunk than Dennis Kucinich (perhaps Gore, but he refuses to enter the race).
Hope this mass-media, tv-controlled, rather stupid citizenry wakes up and votes for him before hell takes complete control.

Link to Alternet article & video:
Kucinich on Bush, Cheney: "Don't Wait, Impeach Them Now!"

The Black Pot & Kettle Thing

An excellent Alternet article, Four Myths Government and Media Use to Scare Us About 'Dictators' elicited several excellent responses from its readers, one of which, by Dawn L., I felt could have come from my own mouth. Here 'tis:

Isn't it fascinating, the way our current administration seems able to rationalize on the basis of 'don't do what I do, do what I say'?

If a nation is run by a corrupt dictator and his equally corrupt bunch of cohorts, if it represents a possible nuclear (or WMD) threat to others, shows a blatant disregard for human rights and plunders the resources of its own country and her people, that is a bad, bad thing and has to be rectified ... if necessary, by invading with massive armed force and killing indiscriminately until the balance of power has been altered.

Unless, of course, that country happens to be the good ole U.S. of A ... then it's just business as usual and it's fine because God is on our side.

No wonder Jesus wept!

We are the biggest threat to world peace and the environment currently in existence.
When will we get it together to change this, hum? Before or after we have obliterated life on earth? sigh.

DC Citizens Denied Representation and Right to Vote.

What a disgrace.
How can this be possible?
After 206 years, these folks are still outcasts in this country, without representation or the right to vote.
Disgusting...and, we call ourselves democratic?

206 years and still no House seat for D.C.

Signs of Global Warming Across the USA?

My trip west and back again has ended and I am now trying to put it all in perspective while resuming the usual fall prep for winter here in Maine (and adjusting to the cold...brrrr...the rest of the country is still in late summer, but not here).

The mid-West was flooded in many areas with higher than "normal" rainfall prevalent. The far-West was dry, dry, dry with hotter, drier weather than "normal." In the northeast, it apparently seldom stopped raining, at least in downeast Maine. My garden is full of slugs and waterlogged. Vegetable returns are poor thanks to the slugs but the flowers are abundant and very welcome.

Burning Man was as amazing as always. More on that later. It was very hot, dry and playa dusty, per usual.

I am happy to be home but missing the warmth of the west. These old bones do not love the damp cold. Will be digging in to fight the good fight for Mother Earth and all her children, as soon as I get done with all the laundry. .

Bright Blessings to all!

On the Road, Again...

Dear Readers,

Thank you for your kind responses to my last post. I am healing and feeling more "my old self" every day.

I shall be hitting the road with my son, the truck driver, for a 3 wk spree. Well, it is a spree for me, work for my son for at least 2 of those weeks. We are going to Burning Man and will be living the life for 1 wk at Black Rock City. We have planned and waited all year for this wonderful event and I'll be damned if I am going to miss it for a little heart attack. Anyway, I will be with my son 24 hrs a day while on the road and he will see to it that I get the attention I need should I need it. Am packing my boatload of pills, low-fat, low sodium foods, and lots of loose, comfortable clothing. While at BM, I will have volunteer MD's and RN's at the Med station and will be a Medevac ride away from the Reno hospital should things get serious.

Hopefully, I will return with good stories to tell and some pics of the grand sites and artwork to share.

Peace and good will toward all (well, almost all),
GentleBreeze

US Medical System:On the one hand...

...it is terrific, if you arrive at the ER on the right day with the right diagnosis. I know first hand, at least for Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, as I have just had my first, hopefully only, heart attack. I have learned much this past week. I have learned that women display completely different symptoms when having a heart attack. For instance, I had no heart pain, just extreme fatigue, jaw, neck,left arm and upper chest ache. I could barely move, but did not have that heavy weight/pain in the heart muscle itself that most men experience. Because of the lack of pain, I initially ignored the symptoms. Except for lying down for a few hours, I did nothing different. Then I went to the beach to gather seaweed for mulching the garden and, then...whoa!... big jaw,chest,left arm ache and extreme fatigue. I almost could not move to get home.
I finally decided to call my MD who did immediate enzyme testing and sent me to the best hospital in the area, bypassing the hospital with which she was affiliated. Because of the diagnosis sent ahead by my MD, I spent almost no time in the ER waiting room, going first before others in more obvious pain but whose diagnoses were not life-threatening. Everyone was very kind and attentive. The ER wasted little time setting up endless bloodwork, taking rather repetitive histories (I must have told the same story at least 6 times on admittance along with my list of current meds (there is way too much redundancy), doing physical exams, monitoring heart rate, BP, etc. Was admitted to the floor after about 6 hrs (waiting for a room to open up) where more of the same questions and tests were repeated. I was scheduled, after talking to the primary physician, the cardiologist, the assistant cardiologist, and some other members of the team, for a cardiac catheterization and possible stent placement for the next day, though I was told it probably not take place until the day after. Fortunately, I did get the procedure done the next day and all went well, the 3 stents were placed in the RCA, and I made it through recovery without problem. Though I had to do some fast-talking, I was released from the hospital the next afternoon on a ton of new meds. I pushed for the release as I knew the bill was already going to be more than I can ever pay for in this lifetime. And, because I had not slept since entering the hospital as the endless treatments and bloodwork had me on an every hour to 2 hours schedule around the clock. Sleep is necessary for healing, and, I was not getting any.
So, on the good side, the service provided was excellent, though there was really massive redundancy which might be cut back. The professionals were great and all involved in my care were thoughtful, attentive, and responsive to my needs. Great care!
On the other hand, the negative side, living on a meager monthly check and no insurance at this time, I will be in massive debt for the rest of my life. Not easy to live with, especially since this all happened about 3 weeks prior to my getting on Medicare.
Great timing, eh? Still, had I not listened to my inner voice and taken myself to the MD, gone to the hospital, and had the stents placed, I would have gone off on a month tour of the USA and a date with Burning Man with my trucker son, spent the week at BM biking and walking miles; probably would have had a massive MI instead of a smaller one, hundreds of miles from the nearest hospital, perhaps dying on the road to somewhere.
Sure wish we had a single payer Universal healthcare system; and, so do all my doctors.

Why We Must Stop This War (Photos)

Snagged from Daily Kos diarist Miguelmas' diary page The Pictures They Don't Want Us To See, photos by the incredible Rick Loomis of the LA Times. All are excellent, but the "Projects" called "New Battle" and "Iraq" supply great reasons why the Iraq war must stop now.

Go to Rick Loomis' site, hit "Projects" then select "New Battle" and/or "Iraq" to take a look. Be prepared to see the truth. This is what Loomis delivers without holding back, Goddess bless him.

Thank You, Congressman Michaud

I am proud to say that my Congressman did the right thing and voted "no" on the "FISA bill." As to the other 41 Democrats who voted "yea" and the 9 Dems who did not vote at all, I say "a pox on your houses!" Shame on you! At a time when this administration has accrued too many powers, some illegal, all anti-democratic, to vote to give that little worm Gonzo and his evil bosses, Chainer and Chimp, yet more power is simply obscene. We really need to clean house.

And, why the hell did we not even know about this vote in advance? We could have, perhaps, done something to change the outcome, made phone calls, sent e-mails, essentially harried the Dems who were planning to vote yea or abstain from voting. Where was our warning signal, our wake-up call?

If you want to colour code my fear of an administrative coup (which actually has already happened, quietly), colour it red. We are in deep doodoo, fellow Americans.
And, now, we may lose California to a reorganization of representation, giving them a Republican majority to win the 2008 election?

Is it time to move, yet?
(Oh, forgot, cannot get a passport without a year-long wait, now...closing the borders?)

My thank you letter to Congressman Michaud:

Thank you very much for voting against the "FISA bill. It disturbs me greatly that this vote came without warning and that so many Democrats supported it when AG Gonzales and the White House have amply demonstrated that they rate impeachment, not extended powers. Thank you for your sanity and your loyalty to the Constitution and the citizens of this United States of America.

The sky is falling, the country is falling, the bridge is falling

Bridges, dams, roads, levees, undergrounds, pipes, drinking water, schools, laws, justice, lives...all falling apart while the Republicans keep money rolling from citizen pockets to corporate and corporate-lovers' pockets, blocking, at all costs, any money from going to support, repair, or create infrastructure in this used-to-be-democratically-run used-to-be-republic.

For more details, check out "Deferred Maintenance" at Daily Kos

I have not been able to post this week. Yes, busy with garden and freezing garden produce, but that is not the main reason. I just cannot seem to stop vomiting. Perhaps I should stop listening to what is going on in Washington.