Monkeyfister

Some really fine Direction and Production values in this piece.

YouTube Video, Can't Embed It!


What.A.Production!

Is that Markos on the piano?


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Nice conversation going on over at Corrente Wire, and I thought I'd add a good essay by Dmitri Orlov for the discussion. Lambert asked about
Transition Towns, an idea started by Rob Hopkins to aid in the transition to a Post Peak Energy world. I replied, and shared a bit, and I hope others will jump in over there, and add to the discussion. In the meantime, Orlov offers a very fine set of questions about the nature of organic, needs-based organization of community, and top-down organization of communities and municipalities, as per the Transition Town precept.


via Dmitri Orlov

John Michael Greer, Sharon Astyk and Rob Hopkins have made some interesting points on the topic of community, and I wish to join the fray. In all of my experience, communities — of people and animals — form instantaneously and rather effortlessly, based on a commonality of interests and needs. What takes a lot of work is not organizing communities, but preventing them from organizing — through the use of truncheons and tear gas, or evictions and mass imprisonment, or, more recently, more subtle and ultimately more successful techniques of the consumerist political economy.

Greer wonders why people don't put more work into organizing communities; after all, this is what has worked in America in the past and how a representative democracy is supposed to function. All it should take is hard work, so why don't we hop to it? To me, this smacks of the fallacy of misplaced concreteness — roughly speaking, that just because different objects at different times carry the same label ("America"), they are somehow the same object. How representative a democracy the US ever was is rather beside the point; the point is, it was once a country where people could successfully and openly self-organize, and now it isn't. Once there were strong, cohesive communities in the US, which could organize and bring pressure to bear on their elected officials. And now, as described in Robert Putnam's widely discussed book Bowling Alone (2000), there are no such strong, cohesive communities in the US, and so... they can't organize, because, I would think, there is nothing for them to organize. Existence of communities allows communities to organize; lack of community prevents communities from organizing. That's a bit of a tautology, is it not?

As an aside, I'd like to point out that the US is not much of a representative democracy any more. It's more of a hokey-pokey-ocracy: in one election cycle, you throw your right bums out and vote your left bums in, and in the next election cycle, or the one after, you do the exact opposite. (And you shake it all around in the meantime.) The bums — the Republicans and the Democrats, that is — are perpetually locked in a loving embrace, for they truly complete each other. The Democrats tend to believe that government is there to help people, which is of course impossible for a government that's chock-full of Republicans who believe in limiting the scope of government and sabotage all such efforts. The Republicans believe in limiting the scope of government, which is of course impossible for a government that's chock-full of Democrats who believe that government is there to help people, and sabotage all such efforts. You can vote for either party if you want it to fail while producing an ever larger and more useless government.

Both parties agree that the government should serve corporate interests. They are both skittish when talking about the rights of citizens, and prefer to talk about "consumers" rather than "citizens". As a nation of consumers, people in the US have no choice but to be consumers. The ones that don't have the money still get to consume things like orange jumpsuits and prison food. Foreign non-consumers also get to consume — things like depleted uranium and white phosphorus ordinance. Being a non-consumer is not an option, and the whole world must be made safe for consumerism. Organizing against consumerism amounts to biting the corporate hand that feeds you — an ungrateful and self-defeating thing to do. So you want to organize a third party? Be my guest; see you later.

Astyk makes the excellent point regarding the destruction of community through overwork and the herding of women out of the home and into the workplace. Women can't just be (unless they are rich) — they have to have an occupation, and the default occupation — "homemaker" — carries a bit of a stigma. Women have always been the backbone of any community, and the regimentation of women's lives was a brilliant move in the direction of totalitarian consumerism, because it allowed relationships even within the family, such as child-rearing, to be commercialized. Once all social interaction is centered around consumption patterns, community as a notion becomes little more than an advertising gimmick, and self-organizing properties of society become restricted to pursuing the latest commercial fashion.

Hopkins raises an interesting issue when he mentions the common criticism of intentional communities and the Transition Towns movement that it is predominantly white, educated, and middle-class. This is hardly surprising, since these are the only people who have the resources and the connections to do pretty much as they please. They can create their alternative arrangements out in the open, as long as they don't actively threaten the status quo. They can build an entire Garden of Eden if they so desire, provided they can line up the financing and pull the construction permits. That is the essence of consumer choice, isn't it? The rich get to play, while other, less privileged parts of the population, such as the immigrants, the squatters and the homeless, the chronically unemployed or underemployed, the bums (the real ones, not the ones in government), simply don't have the same options. At the same time, their need for community is much greater, and so they spontaneously self-organize, network informally, and defend their interests as best they can. They all know that "a nail that sticks up gets hammered down" and so they don't advertise their efforts or make them official or explicit.

Hopkins also makes the excellent point that the entire approach of "creating community" is patronizing and ineffective. Community regenerates spontaneously, given time, space, a commonality of interest, provided it is not too oppressed. As industrial economies continue to shrink and shed jobs, more and more people will be squeezed out to the margins of the consumerist universe, and, finding more time on their hands than they know what to do with, will start to reengage with other people in similar situations. Since their needs will often be coincident or complementary, they will form various types of temporary and informal groups. There is certainly a great deal that all of us can do to help, but "organizing" is not one of them. First and foremost, we should stop working so hard on destroying community, as we have been doing by leading overwhelmingly regimented and commercialized existences. And let's quit it with the political hokey-pokey — it's much too undignified

Apologize in advance to Mr. Orlov.

I am posting this whole, because Orlov provides valuable links to the best of the current voices on resilience, community, and transition. Also some of their finer essays.


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Labels: Community, Transition Towns

It occurs to me, that as long as the Wingnuts don't pull the triggers on the firearms that they brandish on the Census Workers who come to their house to count them, but effectively chase the Workers off, I say GOOD. If the Conservatives do not want Representation that passionately, then I am SURE that the Democratic Majority, should they hold it in the time, will be HAPPY to Gerrymander their District out of whatever majority status the wingnuts might enjoy, as is the Majority Party's privilege at the time. Fuck 'em if Conservatives are too damned stupid to know this.


US Constitution via US House Of Representatives Site

Clause 3: Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. (See Note 2: Amendment 14, Sec. 2 for change) The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New-York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three.

Keep it up, Wingnuts! Yer Doin' GREAT!

I'm so old, that I remember the number that Tom DeLay's Congress pulled, even before they had the proper rights to redistrict.

Ya know, when I see the TV footage, it is the same damned bunch of middle-aged White assholes smacking the cameras of the LIBRUL MEDIA with their signs that say: "READ THE CONSTITUTION!!!11!!

These fucktards only "know" two things about the Constitution:

1. There is a thing called the "Second Amendment" that allows them to point a gun at anyone they feel needs it.
2. There is something in the "First Amendment" that gives them the right to invoke Jesus' name when they pull the trigger.

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Labels: Census, Conservative Teabaggers

Well--

Spring is thoroughly on us here, in W. Tennessee. This week will see highs in the 70s/80s, and lows in the 50s. As my Tomato starters are all at least 6" tall, now (started in January), I decided that tonight was the time to top off the box, and start planting them in. Fool for punishment that I am.

I asked Tommy to go with me to my local organic Angus Rancher's farm to pick up some over-wintered, composted stall bedding, and good, old, poop (yes, beside me, Local, Organic Food Producers exist in W. Tennessee).

We shoveled it all into the bed at a mad pace, laid in a light layer of calcium and lime (to ward of Blossom-End Rot), topped it off with eight bags (3" layer) of Organic "Metromix" for seedlings, to provide Peat and Vermiculite.

I planted in two of my four varieties of Tomatoes, each along the two 16' long rails of the bed-- My compact, 16 family heirloom Romas on the East rail, and 16 Pantano Romanesco (an heirloom BIG fruit type from Baker Creek Seeds) on the West rail, and watered them in. Tomorrow, it will be 80-degrees. They have been hardened-off, and I think they'll be happy... IF they make it through the 50-degree night. My thought is that the taller Romanesco's will not be shaded by the squat Roma's, and companion plants planted between, and under will get plenty of light.

Tomorrow, I'm going to set up the drip irrigation system, lay in the hemp-twine Sq. Ft. grid, and plant in Onions, Carrots, Garlic, and Basil, perhaps some Marigolds and Nasturtiums, take some pictures, and call it done.

I wanted to maximize the Tomato production this year, and figured the best thing to do with the 2' strip down the center of the long bed, was to plant single-harvest, long-season companion plants that will benefit from the protection of the Tomato plants, and ward off some Tomato pests.

I still have the family heirloom Mortgage Lifters, and [i]MY[/i] Monkeyfister's Marvels to put in, but that is another bed-- one of the SUPER-deep beds, and that operation will have to wait for Saturday.

Big experiment with today's bed!

Right now, I'm freaking exhausted, having done all that-- plus cleaned the Chickens and the Tractors; moved them to a nice, shady patch of Clover; fed and watered them, and collected and washed the eggs... Oh- I also transplanted the over-wintered Cilantro and Parsley; harvested the last of the Leeks, and cleaned them for sale at work, tomorrow... after nine hours of REAL work at job! Only 2-acres, and I feel as tired as I did as a kid, helping tend to my Great-Grandma's 40 acres... But, I did all this in ~2-1/2 hours. Good pre-planning, and staging of some of the stuff, but still-- I am going to sleep well, tonight!

The hens gave me six eggs, today! I gave them to Tommy for the help transporting, and throwing the poop.

You GO girls!

Broody Mama continues to move the other girls' eggs to her nest, and try to hatch the one I marked for her. I wish her all the luck in the world!

Neither of the breeds have taken to the nesting boxes in the least. So, I took them out to give them space, and will just keep replacing their hay-- save for Broody Mama's place, which she keeps very clean.

Damn. 8pm, and I still need to think about dinner!



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Labels: Chickens, Gardening, My Life As It Is, Organic Gardening, Square Foot Gardening

WOOTWOO!!

Just came in from tending to the chooks. I was totally surprised to find TEN eggs waiting for me. That doesn't include the one that I marked for Broody Mama to hatch. She added another to her nest, too!

Big day for the chickens!


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Labels: Chickens

Bill Maher gets it all absolutely correct in this NEW RULES.

VIDEO via Crooks And Liars

Democrats in America were put on earth to do one thing: drag the ignorant hillbilly half of this country into the next century, which in their case is the 19th -- and by passing health care, the Democrats saved their brand.

More at the link.


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Labels: Health Care Reform, Stoopid Conservatives

Neanderthal Man was also a product of rapid evolution, where did that land them?

via Eschaton

Apparently dead-end remnants ended up in the Teabagger Party. So stoopid, a caveman can do it!



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Labels: Conservative Teabaggers, Erik Erikson, Neanderthal Man

Keeping with my Michigan homesick theme, today, here's my cousin's company.

A.J. Bellomo Studios/Black Forest Company

A J Bellomo is a sculptor, designer, and former art educator. His works have ranged from commercial construction and community space design/landscape, to residential building/renovation and private gardens. From religious art to signage with sensitivity and warmth, wood carvings have dominated his works. He uses a multitude of media - from wood to bronze castings, found objects as well as conventional building materials depending upon the space and the client’s needs. Bellomo’s work has been added to many public and private collections throughout the Midwest.

Purpose & Philosophy

“I appreciate the richness in all materials working in visual harmony. The reason my portfolio is so eclectic and diverse is because of the people I have worked for and the conversations we have”.

What do I do?

“This site will show you what I’ve done for others. If you see something you like I can duplicate it for you. If you want something made that you don’t see I will design it with you and make it”.

If you live in S.E. Michigan, and happen to be looking for some super-fine landscaping or garden art work, Tony is the guy to call. He was an inspiration to me in my youth, and is a very ethical and talented man.


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Labels: Family

Michigan Militia edition...

Link To Video


The same Militia that gave us Timothy McVeigh.



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Labels: Dangerous Right Wing

The ice is breaking up on the eastern Great Lakes. It's always a momentous time. For months, the ice on Lake Huron is smooth and flat, then, one day in late Winter, the ice starts straining under the pressure, as it packs into mouth of the 1/2-mile wide St. Clair River, and starts exploding. Soon, Lake Huron looks like a mountainous wasteland of huge, icy spikes. Shortly after, it all starts moving downstream, with the help of Coast Guard Cutters. In the picture, my ol' hometown of Port Huron, Michigan is on the left, and Sarnia, Ontario is on the right. The water really is that blue. It's absolutely beautiful this time of year. The water moves through this little choke-point at over 7-knots!


The clearing of the ice means two things for the locals-- first, the ships start moving, again, and second-- the Smelt are running! This time of year, under the Blue Water Bridges, fishermen line the shores at night with bright lights, a long-handled net, and big coolers. The Smelt swim in huge schools downstream, get attracted to the bright lights, and the fishermen scoop them out by the hundreds. Always a good time, until you get all those damned little fishes home at 1am, and have to clean them.

There was a Beer Store just north of the bridges (There was only one span when I lived there) on the Canadian side. When I was a kid, we used to grab a friend who was 18, and when the ice was still smooth, we'd take sleds, and run across the ice under cover of night, to stock up on beer, and run back. In the summer, we'd take boats across the lake to party with Canadians on the beach. We'd park the boats on the sandbar, and wade in. They'd do the same if they saw a fire on the beach. Good times. Things have changed a lot since then, of course.


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Labels: Great Lakes

I found this at the LATOC Forum. The first lecture was pretty good. I c/p'd the poster's stuff. Though quoted, I changed the instructions, because I found the more direct method.

For those of you wanting to delve further into Permaculture, this opportunity is for you. Enjoy!

You will need iTunes to get this lecture series and it's around 10 gigabytes.

Found on the Alaska Permaculture website, this 36 part course is available free through iTunes via N. Carolina State Univ.

When you get to the iTunes Store screen, copy and paste this: HS432

into the search engine window in the top-right corner of the page. This will bring up a menu with all 36, hour-long lectures.

Seems like some worthwhile viewing, as long as the HD space holds out!


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Labels: Free Education, Permaculture