Tuesday, July 13, 2010

You Decide


Geezers on parade


Our friend's car

Freeacre

My last post asked the question “Is This It?” Matt Savinar (of Life After the Oil Crash – Breaking News) was advising gathering together with old friends and basically kissing your ass good-by in response to the disaster in the Gulf. That on-going catastrophe will have hideous consequences – no doubt about it. And, the on-going wars in the Middle East as well as the potential of war breaking out between Israel, Iran, and Lebanon is also nerve-wracking as well. We could be on the verge of WWIII as the situation escalates. Who knows what the real motivation behind all this bazaar activity is? Propping up the military/industrial war profiteers? Secure limited resources, like oil and rare earth minerals? Control of the heroin trade in Afghanistan? A new Crusade against the Muslim hordes- so that, God forbid, banks never have to give up collecting interest as is mandated by Shia law). Maybe it’s part of an Illuminati master plan to siphon even more money and power into the coffers of the mega-rich. Some End Game strategy to eliminate two thirds of the population of the earth so the elites can be more comfortable, re-institute feudalism and enjoy their castles and estates with a manageable level of peasants. We know it is not to end “terrorism.” If they were worried about terrorists, they wouldn’t be suing Arizona for enforcing the laws against unidentified people sneaking into the country by the thousands.

Yeah, well, whatever…

But, right now, despite all the dire scenarios and projections, I find myself feeling unusually happy.

Maybe it’s the heat and the blue skies. After a frigid June having to worry about all the little seedlings in the garden freezing to death, we are experiencing a nice, sunny, warm July. The plants are thriving and seem to be making up for lost time. For some reason, we haven’t seen a chem trail in two weeks and the skies are back to being the high desert deep blue that is so spectacular.

Our little town’s Frontier Days celebration the week of the 4th was fun and charming. Half the town was in the parade displaying whatever it is that they are passionate about (horses, lawnmowers, antique cars, pets, etc.) and the other half was standing along the route and applauding whomever and whatever passed by. It felt like a real sincere community event. People had parties and picnics and good times prevailed.

But, the best news is hearing from both ras and Lucretia that they have found ideal places to move. Not just good, but miraculously good, in my estimation. Lucretia and her husband desired a place to rent where they could have a garden, extra space for their stuff, and that wouldn’t cost them an arm and a leg. You can click on her blog from this front page and read all about what they have found. Truly amazing. All that they wanted and much more… and in a little town called “Troutdale.” How cool is that? Parenthetically, I was born there.

Ras sends pictures of ten lovely acres that she and her bride are purchasing close to The Farm intentional community! The area has so much to offer in terms of progressive ideas with a proven track record of successful alternatives to the dismal matrix of the predominate culture. Murph would call it “fortunate.” I call it “miraculous.” Whatever it is, it’s good. Real good.

Hearing about these new possibilities is making my heart sing. Dave is also moving to Tennessee. Palooka’s Revenge is not that far away in the place he is developing. At $2,200 per acre, it’s a possibility that many readers of the Campfire might find attractive and do-able. You just never know what is going to pop up. Like my morel mushrooms that sprang up in our backyard.

Despite the greater picture on the macro-level, victories are being experienced by those seeking to live harmoniously with the earth. I am finding that encouraging. Now seems to be a good time to make it happen. Since we have no control over the larger issues, it seems we must concentrate on our own lives and local communities. Murph and I just finished watching “The Matrix” series over again. Amazing what a great metaphor the matrix is to the false construct the overlords have designed for us. Unplug, get out, see the patterns, the codes, the programming. Unite and fight the machine.

As the Oracle points out over and over in each of the three movies of the Matrix, our lives and, indeed, our reality is continually created by our choices. Having the right to choose is the basis of freedom. Without freedom, we are not fully human, We are like the poor souls trapped in pods, immersed in the delusion of The Matrix, and whose life force is being harvested by The Machine… “ The Herd”, “Sheeple,” “Consumers.”

In the movie, great courage, loyalty, personal skills, faith, devotion, and love were vital to winning the battle for freedom and to establish the peace. But underlying all of it is choice. Red Pill or Blue? You decide.

"rasland" Now, here's a spectacular choice!

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Things are genuinely screwed up and many vectors have reached a state of extremis, but we still have today in front of us. Life After The Oil Crash is good example of what can happen when chronicling our fall from grace turns into into a profitable cottage industry, and banner ads for Ford trucks stream above the end-of-petroleum discussion pages.

Sometimes constant focus on the macro-issues just makes the whole thing too big and overwhelming. Gotta bring our attention back to our personal domains, where the sun still shines and at least small victories are still possible.

Anonymous said...

"rasland" looks totally COOL! I'd love to get back to OR and Troutdale is REALLY nice.

I know I complain alot about being stuck in Mormon HQ, BUT, below are a couple of articles from our local paper, (which is pretty good, actually) that sorta relates to FA's post.

"A Greener City

Updated Jul 12, 2010 11:34PM

Salt Lake City may be too green, literally, but should be a lot greener, figuratively.

Utah’s capital, as we all know, is located in a high desert climate, where water is scarce and Kentucky bluegrass is not a native species. Still, city residents and business owners cling to a typical landscape model that includes lots of thirsty green lawn. Mayor Ralph Becker rightly wants to change that kind of thinking.

Becker also wants to encourage the “green” practices collectively referred to as “sustainability.” Besides water-efficient landscaping, primarily on commercial property, he wants to help the city and its residents grow more of their own food, use personal vehicles less and public transit more, do more recycling, live closer together and use less carbon-based fuel and power. And he wants to start, well, yesterday."



Becker’s quiet goal: Making SLC the greenest city

By Derek P. Jensen
The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated Jul 12, 2010 12:00AM

The way Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker sees it, Mormon pioneers had it right.

Motivated by a healthy distrust of the outside world and packing little more than pluck, they settled the Salt Lake Valley with an eye toward self-sufficiency.

That meant taming the desert by growing food, conserving water, centralizing services and living wisely off the land.

Now, 160 years later, Becker, an outdoorsy Easterner drawn to Utah’s physical grandeur, wants to resurrect that thinking and cement sustainability as Salt Lake City’s watchword.

“In a way, we’re going back to our past,” says the first-term mayor, who has labored quietly for two years on an ambitious set of environmental changes designed to make Utah’s capital the nation’s most sustainable community.

But what is sustainability, really, beyond a buzzword for planners? Think solar panels, community gardens, mother-in-law apartments, narrower streets, less lighting, landscaping laws, bike lanes, permeable concrete and penalties for over-watering.

The proposed green overhaul has “unanimous” City Council consent, Becker boasts, and should be on the books by year’s end.

“I had no idea how systematic and how pervasive it was,” marvels Pam Perlich, senior research economist for the Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the University of Utah. “I’m really impressed.”



I'm hoping that Becker gets re-elected and that the Major of Salt Lake County, Peter Corroon, who's running for governer gets elected for governer. Corroon is very well liked and his views and policies are similar to Becker's.

If they're successful, I'm going to write to them and ask if they can do something about the cold weather -that lasted until JUNE this year.

Later-

Randy

freeacre said...

You might want to be aware of the sky today. Solar flare energy from a large eruption should be arriving in earth's atmosphere today. Also, there is an incoming asteroid 41 meters large and bright that is supposed to go by at only 5.7 lunar distances away.

Anonymous said...

Actually, I live in Troutdale NOW, and will be moving further east. Troutdale used to be a small town, but now it's just mainly an extension of over-crowded Gresham. The outer edge of the Portland-metro area, but still part of it. Where we're moving, just a few minutes away, we're outside the "urban zone."

Dave Eriqat said...

You really hit the nail on the head when you said we cannot control the larger, ominous events rushing towards us, so we might as well focus on making our individual lives better. Oddly enough, if enough people do that – and I have argued this point for a long time – the “establishment” will wither away and die, peacefully replaced by an unorganized populist new mindset. The people who play a role in this transformation need not even be aware that a transformation is occurring. One day they will wake up and realize that they live in a new world and that the old, ugly world based on exploitation, control and legitimized criminality plays little to no role in their lives.

Dave - Erstwhile Urban Wanderer

su said...

yes the words on the news pages speak of horror.
and yet my world, despite being mid winter is about healing, rejuvenation, beauty, laughter, simplicity and and increasing amount of laughter.

how beautiful is it when one's happiness is no longer dependent on external factors.

Anonymous said...

Bastille Day. A day to make choices. To say 'no,' and walk away
from dehumanized designs.

"...We want our rights,
and we don't care how.
We want a revolution,
NOW!"

-from Marat/Sade

-rp

Anonymous said...

http://spaceweather.com/images2010/14jul10/coronalhole_sdo_blank.jpg?PHPSESSID=p1d5ln0lihtukkaaj465hi3gv0

I hope sunspot 1087 isn't taking aim for a kill shot...

-rp

Anonymous said...

Here's one to contemplate for the rest of the day.

http://www.stevequayle.com/News.alert/10_Photo_of_Day/100714.photo.of.day.html

RAS said...

Happy Bastille Day everyone.

Thanks for posting the picture, fa. We consider it to be a great choice too. ;-) It's like a little bit of heaven on earth. Our survey is tomorrow and after that we'll close.

Dave -where are you moving to in Tennessee, if I can ask?

Anonymous said...

More on the sustainability efforts here in Mormon HQ.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=11571566&hl=5

Ok, so maybe I'm a little hard on
'em. And... maybe I'll hang out here for a while, I guess.

-Randy

murphy said...

Randy,

Yup them dudes do have some redeeming values on some issues. I reckon that's true of all groups.

Dave Eriqat said...

RAS,

I'm not sure if I'm the "Dave" referred to in the essay, but on the off chance I am, I moved to Kentucky, not Tennessee, although I'm only ten miles from Tennessee and visit the state often.

Anyway, I moved to the little town of Hickman, Kentucky, right on the Mississippi River.

I bought a tiny house on a generous lot, on which I hope to grow a lush fruit and vegetable garden, and more. Here's a photo of the lot (http://daveeriqat.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/my_yard.jpg), just waiting for me to do something with it.

Dave - Erstwhile Urban Wanderer

freeacre said...

Sorry, Dave, it was me that misinformed. I was thinking Tennessee rather than Kentucky. Sorry, Kiddo. But I am excited for both of you.

Anonymous said...

Yeah Murph, you're probably right. But wait! Maybe not. Neocons. Now THAT group probably has very few redeeming qualities. Ha!

More sustainability in SLC...

"Working to get more community gardens in Salt Lake

July 15th, 2010 @ 9:28am
By Mary Richards

SALT LAKE CITY -- If you want a row or plot in a community garden in the Salt Lake Valley, get in line: a long line!

Right now there's an eight-year waiting list to get into one of the five community gardens in Salt Lake County operated by Wasatch Community Gardens. Community garden coordinator Brit Merrill says interest just skyrocketed because of the economy and a desire to eat more organic, fresh foods.

"The majority of people (on the list) live in an apartment or their backyard is too shaded. A lot of people just want to be a part of something," she says.

Merrill says 60 percent of the gardens are reserved for low-income growers. They are working with Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County to open up more space.

"Food that travels 500 miles and has sat in fridges and trucks is not going to taste as good as something you go out into your backyard to pick or down the street to your community garden to pick," Merrill says."

Damn straight! I picked a half dozen tomatoes yesterday along with a few marion berries. Yaaa aahh meeee!

-Randy

mrs p said...

Hey everyone, we watched "Crude" last night rented from Netflix.
"Crude" was well worth the watch! It tells the story of 30 K Ecuadorians attempting justice from and for compensation and cleanup of approx. 27 years of Texaco (now Chevron merged) poisoning the Cofan peoples and many others in the Amazon Rain forrest, (the Lungs of the World), by systematically blatently careless reckless dumping of toxic waste from crude stations and "pits" (about 18 million gals of oil spilled) probably more, 17 Hundred square miles of toxic waste. Texaco, of course, denies any wrong doing and plans to exhaust the people in years of lidigation. Now going on 18 years? Texaco managed to get the case moved to Ecuador where everything was corrupt until Correa became el presidente. Also not to celeb gush but Sting and his wife Trudy get involved and public awareness made greater by a lengthy article in "Vanity Fair" with Leonardo Dicaprio on the cover. Partially shown in the film is a 2007 Sting benefit concert, with Cameron Diaz introducing Sting. Another highlight is when Jimmy Smits presents the lead lawyer for the Ecuadorian people, Pablo Mendoza, the CNN Humanitarian Award. Do see this film! Everyone in the Gulf should definately see this film! The case is still pending. mrs p

mrs p said...

Not to raise your BP (blood pressure) level any more than it already is...didn't somebody in here talk about this guy once?

Fabirce Toure, (nicknamed Fabulous Fab) V.P. and head speculator at Goldman Sachs supposedly one day before the GOM Spill emailed his girlfriend saying they, (Goldman Sachs) were "shorting" the Gulf and "one oil spill and they'd be rolling in the dough" and "Suck it fishies and birdies". Now under supposed investigation and being sued by the SEC. I found a few sources by googleness where this is reportedly what he said. Wicked! mrs p

freeacre said...

Su & izod - so nice to hear from you and be once again reminded that our peace and happiness comes from within. It always amazes me to see children laughing and playing in the most difficult circumstances. It is good to hold on to that part of ourselves. :)
Dave - let's hope the transition to a better culture will be as easy as you envision. But, I think it's going to be a real dogfight.
Randy - it's encouraging that your Mormon brethren are getting into sustainable gardening. Very cool. You might check out your local Grange.
mrs.p - we watched "Crude" a few weeks ago. Unbelievable damage there by the Big Oil miscreants. Great effort by the locals. I gotta think that this damage to the Gulf is part of our karma. What goes around, comes around. I wish a big sinkhole would open up under Goldman Sachs.

Anonymous said...

You mean Grange's are not just in Bend, but other places, fa? If so, I'll have to do some clicking...

But, the Murry, Utah farmer's market opens on the 30th, which is awesome! Come that day, I'll put the paniers on my bike, ride through a few hoods and arrive at a very nice, huge park where a good many local farmers set-up shop to sell fresh produce. Can't wait!

Randy

freeacre said...

Oh, yeah, Granges are all over. They started in Europe in the 1600's as an association of rural farmers (peasants). Migrated to the US and really got going after the Civil War. Men, women, and children all got an equal vote. When this country was mostly rural, almost everybody belonged to a Grange. Now, since only about 3 percent are farmers, the Grange has died back. But, the halls and the infrastructure is still there. Hopefully, as the localization and permaculture movements get going, the Granges will have a new mission. I'd hate to see it die out. They are responsible for getting the congress to mandate listing the ingredients of the food we eat, for one thing. Locally, they do all sorts of good things.

Anonymous said...

fa, ha yes that would be marvelous, (Goldman Sachs sinkhole)--they own a huge chuck of BP stock. Actually could happen but for the GOM's sake I hope not really. Slimy Goldman Sachs is where Meg Whitman made all her millions. Evil! She's running on the Republican ticket for Governor of California against Jerry Brown who's a dem. When Jerry was previously Gov of CA he refused to live in the Gov's mansion and went to live in a low income neighborhood to get a feel for the community. We think he's an okay guy certainly night and day compared to Meg Millionaire Whitman. God help us if we get her for Gov. She'd be like a female Pete Wilson. He was really bad, ran the state into the ground just like Arnie did. If Jerry Brown gets Gov some heads are going to roll! mrs p

Anonymous said...

http://birdflu666.wordpress.com/
Framing Jane Burgenmeister


http://www.examiner.com/x-10438-Human-Rights-Examiner~y2010m6d2-Petrochemical-forces-shoot-Indigenous-Brazilians-800-attacked

Amazon indians attacked a couple of months ago

This stuff is turning my stomach