ALSO, Mike Murphy will give us a short introduction to "Peak Oil" at the table.
Salon Weekly
A Weekly Email Publication of The Lloyd House
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Growing out of the Monday Night Salon
For info about the Salon, see the bottom of this email
Join us at the Lloyd House every Monday of the year at 5:45 for pot luck and discussion.
3901 Clifton Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio
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Saturday 3 December 2005
At the table Monday , 12/12/05 : Edwin Kagin, Caeley Good, Helen Kagin, Dottie Shaffer, Yvonne Van Eijden, Spencer Konicov, Nancy Dawley, Adrienne Cooper, Caeli Good, Mike Murphy, Marvin Kraus, Gerry Kraus, Anita Sorkin, Vlasta Molak, Alan Bern, Gary Weiss, Dan Hershey, Marty Harrington, Chad Benjamin Potter, Steve Sunderland, Ellen Bierhorst, David Dean, Shari Able, David Sher, Mira Rodwan. (Welcome newcomers!)
Announcements
Mike Murphy: new salon lending library on this new shelf in the dining room. To borrow a book, write name in card in the pocket, leave in the box. To contribute a book, put index card in pocket in inside front cover.
Steve: Tomorrow at 7 at St John¹s will talk about how Islam has been hijacked by terrorists. Zaynab Something will talk, from Islamic Mothers Against Violence. (see Steve¹s write up on this in the blue section, ³Articles². )
4 Quaker Peacemakers still held inside Iraq by terrorists.
Gerry: Just read in the New Yorker, ³The young life of osama bin laden² about his childhood and schooling in Saudi Arabia. Issue with Santa on Ice flow.
Chad Benjamin: OTR (Over the Rhine) children¹s choir performing at noon on Sunday at Findlay Mkt. Chad is director. Inside.
Anita: monthly group, study group for traditional nutrition, Weston A. Price philosophy. Second Sunday of every month at 3 in the Portciuncula, basement of the Waldorf School building on Derby Ave. in Winton Place. Topics: how to come by raw milk; how to make y our own pro-biotic fermented sourkrqaut, kvas, etc . See www.westonAPrice.org
David: I have found a church fixer-upper in N Fairmount. Hoping to rennovate church, center for neo-paganism.
Steve: the first Northside event Sat. night raised over $6,000. We plan to buy old buildings and renovate Northside.
Dan: Right wing view of environment. Latest New Yorker has piece on the Kyoto agreements and Bush. Rush Limbaugh spent time presenting his (and Bush¹s) view. In the S. Pacific whole islands have been evacuated because of rising water. Arctic sea ice has entered a state of accelerating decline. By end of this century there will be no ice at arctic. Greenland... Hurricanes at intensity levels 4,5, have doubled in last few years. 2005 will be hottest year since record keeping. Despite all this, Bush, ²Global warming is a problem that either will solve itself or won¹t.² Limbaugh: man did not cause the problem, and cannot solve it, so let¹s not do anything. INtelligent design concept applied to environmentalism.
Nancy D: this week the budget appropriation will come out. Current version in Senate has a bad provision relating to arctic wildlife ... The version in the house includes a part to allow public lands to be sold cheaply for mining, e.g. nat¹l forest outside Grand Canyon.
Discussion:
Dottie Shaffer M.D. Internist also Acupuncture doc. Have an East-West approach. Cincinnati native. great new office in N. Avondale across from the Belvedere. Her phone: 221-3134.
Yale undergrad
Case Western Med School
moved here Œ98. Worked a while at the V.A. 2003 started own practice in N. Avondale.
Have two little boys, both at Montessori school "The New School" in N. Avondale.
Hand out on CDC (Centers for Disease Control, a Federal Agency) recommendations re. flu.
Two categories of relevant info: variables relating to the pathogen and those pertaining to the host.
Re. the h ost (your body), things to do in prevention: Increase your vitality. (Diet, exercise, sleep. ellen) Medicines (tamiflu, anti viral) only stops replication of the virus, not infection. Must be taken within 48 hrs. of first appearance of symptoms.
(Can y ou have flu without fever?) Yes.
fever, aches, cough, respiratory congestion (runny nose etc.).
The fever helps you fight the flu.
(Tylenol?) you have to consider the trade offs.
(Asprin?) Can bring about Ryes syndrome, so went out of fashion.
Let¹s say you have low Yin with weakness,... fever is high yang, so brings you towards balance.
Whether you survive or not has a lot to do with your vitality, how good your nutrition, etc.
(does fever kill the bugs?) fever is a way to kill them. ... but the byproducts of some viruses are very toxic.
Everybody has system weaknesses. When you get sick, do you get stuffy nose? Fatigue? Migraine? Bowel trouble? You may be more vulnerable if it is a virus that attacks your weak system. If the virus attacks resp. system and yours is weak, you might come down with it.
An herbalist says a clove of garlic and elderberry syrup will keep you h ealthy. St. John¹s wort also.
INcrease kidney and spleen energy. Eastern med. view.
Eastern med. is based on energetic system. Illness is caused by either blocked energy, insufficient, or wrong flow.
And infection means you have not sufficient energy, vitality to defend yourself.
Maybe too low yang, too low yin.
Diagnostics: talk to them, look at tongue. Pulse also, but I don¹t use the pulse as much.
(Our culture?) Other cultures accept death and illness where we are constantly trying to avoid it.
I have got calls already asking for Tamiflu.
(Anita: Sauerkraut made in the live-culture traditional way with lactobacillus also appears to have preventative properties ... a study with chickens who ate sauerkraut that was fermented, live culture; exposed to flu ... did not get sick.)
The flu virus vaccine for Œ05-¹06 is now available, but it does not include protection for the avian flu. Because the avian flu has not mutated to become a human-to-human flu yet so there is no vaccine for it. (Experts say it is inevitable that it will mutate and become a virus spreadable from human to human. However, whereas the current strain of bird flu that has infected a couple hundred people world wide is 50% deadly, epidemiologists expect that when it goes ³human² it will be much less deadly. That is the pattern ... when it mutates it becomes less deadly to humans. Ellen.)
(Could there be two waves of flu in one season?) Yes. However, the vaccine contains all the major strains likely to be abroad in this particular year.
There are two types of vaccines, those made from Killed viruses , and those made from live attenuated (or weakened) virus.
In general, Oct thru Dec is the time to take vaccine.
In this area, November is the best time.
Recommended esp. for folks over 65; chronically ill (e.g. people with asthma); children under 23 mos. of age; pregnant women; or people who are around anyone who is old, or sick, or young.
Probably the threat of the bird flu, the avian flu that hs been in the news will occur next year, not this year. Inevitable mutation to a form that will spread human to human.
36,000/year die from flu in US in a normal year.
Who has an adverse Reaction to vaccine?: People with an egg allergy have reactions. Some people have reaction to the preservative, e.g. a mercury based one.
The vaccine does not protect you until two weeks after the inoculation.
There is an inter nasal swab test to diagnose if you have flu. You have to send it in, get results. You have to swab very deep in the nasal passage ... unpleasant.
If there is a community outbreak, the CDC recomm.that people take one anti viral pill a day for seven weeks. If you are exposed during that time, the pill will prevent the virus from replicating in your body and you will have a milder case that lasts a shorter time
(Alan: I have a friend in Berlin, in her 50¹s, completely immersed in the western scientific paradigm. Had serious problems. Arthritis. Weak. All the doctors in the western med tradition ran out of options. She got a Qigong master, studied intensively even traveling to his center in India ... cured it. No more arthritis. Miracle story. Unbelievable story and I would not believe it except I know this woman and she is an unimpeachable source.)
Western med is great for acute problems, surgery, infections. But re. chronic illness they just don¹t get it. Your friend¹s story is credible to me.
There are several eastern approaches. Acupuncture to strengthen the energy system.
(If you were national health minister what would you do to address the threat of the avian flu?)
I¹d have everyone take acupuncture. weekly, practice Qigong, and if they are especially at risk, also get vaccination.
(Difference Flu vs plague)? Plague is bacterial, flu is viral.
(you get flu shot?) Yes in previous years. I should get it, since I am a health care worker and am around people who are at risk. I also have asthma.
(preventive acupuncture?) The whole orientation of Eastern Medicine is that of preserving health rather than chasing illness. The best docs in China had patients who were never sick. Here it is the opposite.
(What is shiatsu?) (A form of body work) Shiatsu follows the meridians, no needles. Same energy system targeted as with acupuncture.
(Tai chi vs. qigong?) Tai Chi is a martial art; Qigong is for health. They look similar. Intention is different.
(cost?) there is acupunct. by physicians, ranging in cost from $90 - 120/treatment. Some insur. plans cover it. I charge $90 / treatment. And I am on all the insurance plans.
Acupuncture by non physicians in our area costs $65-90.
(What are the uses for acupuncture?)
Everything.
I use for many things. Not just for pain. Most people think of acup. re. pain or gyn problems.
Acup. philosophy is to get the person into balance.
(Yvonne¹s testimonial: Hot flashes, weight gain, couldn¹t move well, horrible menopause. For me acupuncture worked like a charm.)
(Good for preventative and also cure?) Yes. The idea is to not get sick. But if you do, you can use acupuncture to get out of that.
(Yvonne: I have regular acupuncture treatments, usually monthly, and I regard it as like going to garage and having oil change, and service on your automobile to prevent it from breaking).
(if I get flu. and I come to you, how long would you stick me?) It depends. The longer the problem has been around, the longer it takes to get rid of it. Acute case is easier.
The perfect time to get acupunct is when you aren¹t really sick, just not completely well; when you feel that things are just a little off.
Also acupuncture treatment is recommended at each change of season.
Sprained ankle, perhaps one session.
Menopause, three sessions.
Smoking cessation, 5 sessions. (I asked Dottie what her success rate is for smoking cessation with acupuncture: she said she has treated about 30 people and her overall success rate is c. 60%. That is fantastic!)
(if I¹m worried about flu, would I get acupuncture?) Yes, say the Asian flu is here. You boost your immune system, take elderberry syrup (Sambucol, available at Clifton Natural Foods -- ellen) , take garlic. Get plenty of sleep. And you get preventative, health maintaining acupuncture.
(How does acupuncture work?) It alters in the nerve muscular junction, resulting in well documented changes in the dopamine, seratonin , chemistry in the synapse. These chemicals are known to be pain modulators.
Also acupuncture at certain points brings MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging, a western medicine diagnostic like X-ray) changes.
Einstein found that energy and mass are equivalent, through his famous formula.
E=MCsquared.
Acupuncture uses metal needles. Interacts with the energy system, balances it out, that changes the body.
Sometimes I am incredulous myself. I had a bad sprained ankle, the kind where y ou are severely compromised and in a lot of pain for many days. I gave myself two treatments and it was gone! It was unbelievable how effective it was. It does not depend upon the person¹s belief in it; it even works on dogs--there are local veterinarians who use it.
(Could it be good for mental clarity?) Yes. I have treated ADD.
(Have you treated SADs, ³seasonal affective disorder², depression related to the darkness in winter?) Yes. Currently treating a couple people.
(When know you should stay home because you might have flu.?) Headache, achy, sneezing... you must know your body.
(Testimonial: acup. very relaxing... my husband ... deepest sleep. #1 treatment for shingles.) If you get it early enough it is great for shingles.
... Don¹t use chewable vitamin C because it is bad for your tooth enamel..
V. helpful for chronic fatigue.
(Collaboration with homeopath?) Sure. Individuals have to see what they are drawn to.
(Acupuncture effective with High blood pressure?) Yes. Harvard study. There is a bill submitted to congress trying to get vitamin supplements and acupuncture outlawed.
(sleep apnea?) There are a lot of physical causes. I have not treated it. I know some treatments to try.
(Is acupuncture intuitive, more like an art?) No, it is based on history and physical. Some people seem to have an intuitive sense to perceive blockage and flow.
(how know if you have a block?) You would have pain.
Yin circulates up front, of the body, yang moves down the back back. For instance, headaches, mean that energy is building up in the head because the pathway for descending down the back is blocked.
(cancer) Yes. A lot of literature documenting effective use with cancer. Also with managing the side effects of chemotherapy. Medicalacupuncture.org a physician group. Good resources.
It is great to get acupuncture as a preventive, but does not mean you can abuse yourself. The Eastern philosophy is that health is supported by ³ Exercise, nutrition, and meditation.² There are a number of ways to meditate. It is basically clearing your head. Exercise can be a med, other forms are concentration med,...
I do a concentration/relaxation form. I also exercise.
Is meditation THE ticket? No. Just one.
(What happens in an acupuncture treatment?) The patient will lie on a table for 12 to 30 minutes. I use anywhere from 10 to 50 needles. Hair-fine needles. Individual use, stainless steel. Sometimes you don¹t feel anything, sometimes a little prick when it goes in. Sometimes a sensation of deep dull achy feeling, means stuck things are starting to move.
Some acupuncturists use Moxa, an herb. They light it and put a heated ember on the end of the needle. Or can heat the needle first. Or can hook up to electricity.
(I had a friend who was injured and all crippled up. The Eastern Medicine doc. used Moxabustion. Friend lay face down, on the small of his back the doc. put pile of herb, and lit it. He did not feel anything. ) Yes I am familiar with that practice. .
There are some practices in China we don¹t do here because they seem repugnant to westerners.
(old practices coming back. Bleeding...) If I take a needle out and it bleeds, I let it bleed. Lets energy out. Indicates congested chi. I had to unlearn my western medicine, that was the hardest thing.
No, acupuncture is not tapping into the nervous system. It is about unblocking energy flow, which is not the same as the flow of electrical impulse along the nerves.
Scar tissue on the body will block the flow of energy.
~ End of Table Notes ~
Ellen¹s P.S.:
Dottie¹s presentation was extremely well received at the table and more than one salonista said they are planning to go see her for acupuncture.
This morning (Saturday 17 Dec.) I awoke having slept 11 hours, with a headache. I never get headaches. I had been feeling crotchety and irritable yesterday, big time. Our three presentations about flu suggest to me that I might have flu, very mildly, but still. So what I have learned is that when I feel flu-like symptoms I should isolate myself so as not to give it to others. I stayed away from our (very interesting and really lovely) Buddha Dharma study group in the Lloyd House Zendo every Saturday morning (see announcement below), canceled my afternoon client meeting and my evening party, even though I am sure I could have done all that. I also took the homeopathic remedy for acute flu, ³Influenzinum Œ05-¹06 200c² and went back to bed.
In addition, I notice that the assault of the virus, whatever it is, exacerbates my ³clench up and pull down² response, for which my Alexander Technique lessons and practice is the remedy. It is remarkable how much better I feel when I remember do to my Alexander Tech. ³inhibition² of the stress reaction. I am wild about my Alexander Tech. learning. Since Erik has left town, Anita Sorkin and I have had a weekly practice group, and have derived much benefit from that. Perhaps when Nancy Dawley, (our salonista A.T. teacher) returns after New Year¹s, we will hire her to come and teach us. If there are other A.T. students out there who might be interested, we¹d love to have you join us, whether or not you are currently having regular lessons.
P.S. I had been complaining to someone that I really needed some Smart Person to lay out for me what is going on in the 20th century, human organization, evolution, systems ... you know. Get me oriented. Who was it, Richard Blumberg? or Steve Sunderland? both of whom have read nearly everything printed in English ever ... suggested sociologist Immanuel Wallerstein. Last week I got from the library (how I l ove our library!) The End of the World as We Know It by Wallerstein. I am thrilled. Get this:
: p. 3: ³A historical system cannot be egalitarian if it is not democratic, because an undemocratic system is one that distributes power unequally, and this means that it will also distribute all other things unequally. And it cannot be democratic if it is not egalitarian, since an inegalitarian system means that some have more material means than others and therefore inevitably will have more political power.²
and ... p. 4: (after saying that the belief in certainty is dumb and any monotheistic world religion ought to see that...) ³If everything is uncertain, then the future is open to creativity, not merely human creativity but the creativity of all nature. It is open to possibility, and therefore to a better world. But we can only get there as we are ready to invest our moral energies in its achievement, and as we are ready to struggle with those who, under whatever guise and for whatever excuse, prefer an inegalitarian, undemocratic world.²
Maybe it was Mike Murphy who told me about Wallerstein. He¹s read everything, too. I would love to study this book with others, maybe present it at the salon. I feel the confusion in my head diminishing already, and I¹ve only read four pages.
I hope that the sweet spirit of Christmas... of hope, of rebirth, of innocence, of love, of majesty .. is aborning in everyone this week, and that it is not drowned out by the sickening addiction to stuff and dollars and Œmore¹, or by intollerable pressure to provide "a beautiful, rich Christmas experience" for one's family. I remember when I was a child of about 10 (well before I discovered we were a Jewish family) people used to say, as December progressed, ³Have you caught the Christmas spirit yet?² And then one evening I found myself suddenly feeling uplifted, suddenly letting go of resentments and unhappiness like a hot air balloon dropping ballast, and feeling sweetness and love towards everyone, even moved to say ³Merry Christmas² to strangers and smile, and meaning it. It hit me then, ³Why, I¹ve caught the Christmas spirit!² Later, when I was raising my three Jewish children (hallelujah! they are grown,) I discovered the same thing in Judaism, but it comes every Friday night with Shabbat. Silver and gold, solemnity and rejoicing, forgiveness and grace. May you each come down with a really heavy case of Christmas/Shabbat spirit this year!
Don't miss the interesting article you want to read in blue section. It might be one of these:
- Systemic Constellation work article by Kenn Deigh (who will present briefly on Monday, then give demonstration at 8.)
- Steve Sunderland on the Muslim Mothers Against violence presentation at St. John's last week
Mike Murphy to present on Peak Oil at the salon Monday, 12/19; here's his essay- Election "reform" goes wrong way in Columbus: HB 3
- Black Box Voting (Go Bev Harris!) on Voting Machine story. Proof of hackabilitly
- The Religious Right on the warpath... check this out
Hugs to all,
Ellen
•
Announcements:
(plus, see below for Weekly Events that repeat every week)
* Including Holiday Gift Ideas!
12/18
Gray Road Farms Threatened
Hello Ellen.PAUL HACKETT PARTY
My Gray Rd. neighbors and I have been told
that a developer, Vandercar (sp?) has signed
paperwork with the Gray Rd. fill leading to a
purchase of the lower 45 acres of the site.
It seems that *45 acres is not enough*.
They want to buy our properties as well,
including my house
and five(?) others, Leslie Poindexter's "farm"
that the Waldorf school uses for outdoor
education, and a large amount of beautiful
open space. I am sick in my heart about the
wrongness of this plan.
Will you get this message to any and all that
might help stop this ugly, greed-fed nonsense,
please?
...
Janice Trytten
A quiet place, gentle breeze, sage smoke and cedar. WARM SHELTER Native Flutes www.sunflowertones.net
12/18
'Twas the Holiday week, when all through the State
no politicians were stirring, not even our candidate.
The anxious hosts waited at The Brickhouse with care,
hoping lots of donors would soon appear there.
Paul needs your support by the end of the year
to show D.C. our choice for Senator is clear!
So, we've asked all our friends, we hold very dear
to come out, support him, and knock back a beer.
Please join Jody Grundy, Cheryl Crowe, John Karabaic, Dan &
Lynn Ticotsky
Wednesday December 21 6:00-8:00 PM
at the Brickhouse Tavern, 2038 Madison Road, O'Bryonville.
in support of Paul Hackett for Ohio Senate
Paul will join us at 7PM for a meet and greet.
$50.00 donation suggested
Checks made out to Hackett for US Senate
RSVP requested but not required.
Cheryl Crowe: cec@exnext.com or Jody Grundy: grundyj@fuse.net
12/18
Sierra Club Calls for Immediate Action on Arctic Wildlife Refuge
ACTION NEEDED TODAY
Senator Ted Stevens is attempting to put an Arctic Drilling provision in the Department of Defense Appropriation Bill.
Please call Senator DeWine. Thank him for his past support of Arctic protection. Urge him to sign onto the CANTWELL letter opposing Senator Steven's gambit to insert Arctic drilling into Defense Appropriations bill.
CALL SENATOR DeWine at 202-224-2315
Senator Stevens should not hold the Defense spending bill hostage over the controversial issue of oil drilling in the Arctic Refuge.
12/18
Alan Hundley to offer "Tai Chi for Arthritis" at the Lloyd House
6 weekly classes, afternoons, $60, starting in January.For more information contact Alan: ahundley@fuse.net
Good for people who do not have arthritis as well.
12/17
We have lost and found items at the salon... things like serving pieces, bowls, pot holders. I've been putting dates on them. When they have sat here three months I say, let's have an auction. If I remember, on Monday we will auction them off for heat bill money. (grin). Ellen
12/18
Good News: Board of Health says NO to ELDA waste transfer Station
From: Karen Arnett <karen.arnett@fuse.net>
Date: Dec 14, 2005 5:58 AM
Subject: Board of Health acts in good conscience - denies license to ELDA for fifth consecutive year.
December 14, 2005
Update on last night's Cincinnati Board of Health meeting:
The Board of Health denied an operating license for the fifth year in a row to Waste Management for its ELDA waste transfer station. The board took this decision despite previous previous years' license denials being overturned on appeal, and in the face of a near certainty of this current decision being overturned as well. The board was explicit in making the choice to protect the affected neighborhood from yet more pollution: one key concern was for the up to 500 truck trips per day adding to the air pollution load in Winton Place/Winton Hills. The board of health also expressed concerns about Waste Management having initially won approval for the facility as a recycling facility, and about the company not having gone through the required legal channels with the city of Cincinnati to seek a zoning approval.
And in an unprecedented move the board denied an operating license to the Gray Road landfill, citing concerns over the landfill's poor track record of violations of the laws.
Karen Arnett
Program Director
ECO: Environmental Community Organization
761-6140 ext 14
12/18
Children!
Calling for Singers, Grades 4 - 8
Multicultural Youth Choir
An opportunity for young people to participate in the all-city MLK Day celebration and sing on the stage of Music Hall. Exciting, beautiful fun music, excellent way to build healing in Cincinnati across our many communities.
Cathy Roma and Todd O'Neal directing: (first rehearsal is VERY important):
Sunday, Dec. 18: 4-5:00 pm St. John's Unitarian Church, 320 Resor in Clifton
Tues. Jan 10: 6 - 8 pm
at House Of Joy, 5918 Hamilton Ave in College Hill
Sat. Jan 14, 10-11 am House of Joy
Monday, Jan 16: 11 am (rehearsal) to 2 pm (end of performance) at Music Hall
"A diverse gathering of young people from various public schools, churches, mosques, temples, and synagogues will learn and sing two pieces with the Martin Luther King Coalition Chorale. This mass chorus will be joined by members of the Clark Montessori Steel Drum Band."
No try-out required; just come!
12/18
Ed Gutfrund does workshops, Jan, Feb, March
(Ed is terrific. I don't know Mark. ellen)
Friends & Colleagues--
Ed Gutfreund is a Bodyworker and Psychotherapist, and Mark Davis is a
Bodyworker and Wellness Coach. Both are based in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Ed and Mark offer workshops for Bodyworkers, Psychotherapists, Counselors,
Physicians, Pastoral Counselors and Caregivers, and all health and
wellness professionals. These workshops explore meditative and
contemplative approaches to deepening the experience and improving the
outcomes in therapeutic relationships for both clients and therapists
alike.
Upcoming workshops:
* January 14--Presence for Bodyworkers
* February 11--Presence for Pastoral Counselors and Caregivers
* March 4--Presence for Psychotherapists and Counselors
Contact info:
* web: http://presencepractice.com
* email: info@presencepractice.com
* phone: (513) 542-6917
Presence describes our capacity for being awake and aware within our
experience. To be present is to be connected to and inseparable from our
internal experience, relationship with others and with the world. Being
effective in relationship can be a function of the degree of one's
capacity to stay present, especially so for those working in therapeutic
alliance.
Presence workshops explore the theory and practice of staying connected
and aware in therapeutic relationship. The workshop environment is
conversational and experiential as we explore:
* techniques from both contemplative spiritual and contemporary
psychotherapeutic traditions that build one's capacity for remaining
focused and mindful
* particular obstacles that arise for those in therapeutic roles
* exercises that help integrate these approaches into daily work with
clients and patients.
Presence workshops can help health and wellness professionals:
* be more effective as therapists
* experience more fulfilling work with clients
* maintain healthy and appropriate boundaries
* improve self care and self management
* reduce caretaking fatigue and burnout
Please see our website for further information or contact us via email or
phone. We would also appreciate your forwarding this message to any
colleagues who might be interested. And let us know at
info@presencepractice.com if you would prefer not to receive occasional
workshop updates.
We are in the process of opening our new office suite at 951 W North Bend
Road in Cincinnati and have treatment rooms available for leasing by
health and wellness professionals. We also have a friend in Hamilton, Ohio
with practice space available. Let us know if you're interested in either.
Thanks,
Ed and Mark
12/10Let's start with 10 minutes, if that's alright. Mike
Salonista Mike Murphy to present on a(nother) Peak Oil Conference
Monday 12/19
From: <mmurphy10@fuse.net>
Date: Fri, 9 Dec 2005 21:57:40 -0500
To: "Ellen Bierhorst" <ellenbierhorst@lloydhouse.com>
Subject: Re: Weekly 12/3/05 - 3
Ellen--Enjoyed Shirley R's presentation (on homeopathy and flu) last Monday at the salon) immensely. May go to her. ....
As to 'Peak Oil,' I'd like to give a 10 minute presentation a week from Monday, on the 19th, if that is okay. And because it is so emotionally and culturally charged a topic, I guess it will need another 10 minutes for questions. And, of course, it will become an increasingly pervasive concept in the months and years to come, like the sea is to an island, like the sky is in Great Plains, like water is to fish. A constant.
Hi Mike,
Sure. Only... be advised that on the 19th Ken Deigh and his partner Patricia will be also doing a special presentation on Hellinger Family Constellation work. And, if there should be a huge "current event" we'd need to discuss that as well. Just to be fore-warned. Will that suit?
e.
Three Last-Minute Tri-State Treasures:
Tri-State Treasures is a compilation of unique local people, places, and events that may enrich your lives. These treasures have been submitted by you and others who value supporting quality community offerings. Please consider supporting these treasures, and distributing the information for others to enjoy. And please continue to forward your Tri-State Treasures ideas to jkesner@nuvox.net.
Thank you to those who edit their submissions to conform to the Tri-State Treasure format; it saves me a lot of time & effort.
I'll be away for a few weeks. My best wishes to you all and your families for the Holidays and for the New Year. Please support your community treasures, and see you in 2006.
Sincerely, Jim
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cinderella [through Friday 30 December]: Embrace the music. An all new family musical just in time for the holidays, this Cinderella reminds us that even if the shoe fits, it may be the wrong size. Filled with magic, music, & wonder - Cinderella will ring in the holidays with song & celebration. Join them for this fractured fairy tale framing a heart-felt tale of longing & belonging. "...the best show of the season for young audiences!² ~ Rick Pender, City Beat. $5 off adult tickets on Wednesday-Friday 14-16 December if you mention this message. At Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, 1127 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. More info @ 513.421.3555, Jocelyn.Meyer@cincyetc.com, & www.cincyetc.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tri-State Treasures is compiled by James Kesner.To submit Tri-State Treasures, or to request your email address to be added or removed
from the list, send an email to jkesner@nuvox.net and specify Tri-State Treasures.
11/19
Bargain time for intuitive divination by Malidoma Some student Susan Crew, Ph.D. She is amazing! Shamanistic "reading" on your life and/or your issues, problems, questions. Ancient African roots. If you have been curious about or utilized Tarot, palm reading, I-Ching, etc. you will be fascinated, possibly thrilled by this. ellen
Connect with the wisdom of ancestors, elemental spirits of water, earth, nature and mineral, and wise beings from other dimensions.
Dear Friends, Colleagues and Kindred Spirits,
During the months of November and December of 2005 I will be doing divinations for a fee of $20.00 rather than my usual fee of $60.00 to $100.00.
(This is a spiritual technology taught to me by Malidoma Somé www.malidoma.org and the shaman of the Dagara people, Burkina Faso, West Africa.)
I will be sending all the money I receive for these divinations to the Shaman of Burkina Faso with whom I studied, and to the people in Dano, home of Malidoma Somé.
Peace, Susan
Susan B. Crew, Ph.D.
513-559-1193
www.numinousity.net
Susan@numinousity.net
12/19
Kenn and Patricia Deigh Present on Hellinger Constellation Work
at Monday Night Salon, 19 December
And... See Kenn's piece in "Articles" below
They will give a short introduction at the table, and then at 8, after the salon, will give a demonstration upstairs in the zendo. Free!
Systemic Constellation Work is a means by which we can reveal
and resolve hidden dynamics within our family systems which contribute
to current pain or dysfunction. By working with the representatives in
the field, we can discover solutions so that the individual and the
family soul can move toward greater clarity and healing. The work is
done in a group setting, allowing opportunities for participants to act
as representatives of various parts of the client¹s system. This allows
the client to observe their own dynamic from a new and more conscious
perspective.
Kenn and Patricia were introduced to Systemic Family Constellation Work
in Cornwall in 2001. They pursued training in Germany and the United
States, successfully completing a two year certification course with
Heinz Stark, Bert Hellinger's protégé, in 2005. Both Kenn and Patricia
share a deep enthusiasm for Systemic Constellation Work, fueled by
their own experiences with the healing effects of this powerful tool.
Their work as a couple, with complementary communication styles, is
rare among Constellation facilitators and allows for a greater dynamic
clarity in the field.
They also will be presenting a workshop here during the winter, perhaps in February. Stay tuned.
7/16/05
Retreat Space / Temporary Lodging
at the Lloyd House
prices to be negotiated
By the day...week...month.
Reference required
This is a new idea I just got. Instead of a permanent housemate, we could have "bed no breakfast" guests. Know anyone who needs this... a weekend getaway? Mad at the spouse? Want to meditate or write or heal? The Lloyd House is quiet, comfortable, jolly. Plus, massage available at special Lloyd House Resident rates with Neil Anderson, L.M.T.
**********************
2 Different Spaces Available at Lloyd House
Fabulous Clifton Gaslight Castle; warm, multicultural environment
2 miles from U.C. 1/2 mile from Mitchell Ave. exit I-75
Call Ellen: 513 221 1289
Third floor walk up. (A) One room with sleeping loft, private bath, share kitchen
Room has ethernet for high speed internet connection: $10/mo. extra
Share: third floor meditation/dance/yoga room
first floor TV/VCR/DVD, iMac w/ high speed internet, dining room, veranda
Off street parking, spacious yard, gardens, sauna, workout room
2 hours per month building maintenance/yard care/housmates meeting
Laundry (indoor lines for drying) free
and (C) First Floor large office, share powder room, share waiting room/living room/ parking.
Rookwood fireplace. 18 x 18' (very spacious).
Has its own entry as well as access to public waiting room. Super for any kind of office, studio, body worker, practitioner, ...
Minimum age: 25
Monthly house contribution: $350; $430 (more if you use A/C, internet)
Available 1 September, 2005
Other housemates include: me, Neil Anderson (our fabulous massage therapist), Alan Bern (musician, doctoral student CCM).
No smoking in house.
I am looking for: rock solid good vibes 24/7. Also rock solid financial reliability. Also, prefer a person who will enjoy the Monday night Salon and is interested in building community here. Eventually want to explore sharing ownership and all responsibilities.
Please pass the word to any of your contacts who might know of folks looking for a place to live/work.
ellen
12/10
Local Psychologist, Jungian, and Shaman SUSAN CREW to give seminar:
Dreams & Creativity
This exciting course will allow each participant to connect with the "artist within" that creates stories, dramas and images each night in dream time. It is also a powerful way to tap into that part of yourself that loves to play & knows just what you are to become.
We will delve into our dream life through making art. We will paint, draw, make stories, create dramas. Each person will have opportunities to share one of her or his dreams with the group, as a focus of our work.
6 WEEKDAY Sessions, 1/12/06 through 3/2/06, 12:00 to 2:00 pm (no class on 1/26 and 2/16). $99.00 at Essex Studios
Registration required at least 5 days in advance. Full fee of $99.00 due at time of registration. Min. 5, max. 8 participants.
Susan B. Crew, Ph.D.
513-559-1193
www.numinousity.net
12/18
County Commissioners voted to "privatize" Drake Hospital!
Thanks Nancy Dawley for keeping us informed.
Ellen,Dear Nancy... yes, give us the info. on what to expect in 4 years. Recently, Drake has been a wonderful service for long term and chronicaly ill hospitalized people who couldn't pay private care. I dread to see what this will mean. ellen.
The horse is already out of the barn. The commissioners voted today 2:1 to move the management of Drake Hospital to Alliance. This is supposed to save tax payers money, although about $10 million/year of the tax levy will go to the Health Alliance for the next 4 or so years to help them support the hospital. Once that is complete, Todd Portune's question was how will Alliance manage to support it from then on without cuts in service.
Doesn't seem like a need to publish a report, unless just for general information about what to expect in 4 years
Any disagreement?
Nancy
Cathy Roma and St. John's Music Series
Jan 28, Sat. 8 pm
Sonic Om: Indian Percussion and Dance music
with Kanniks Kannikeswaren and friends
St. John's U. Church on320 Resor Ave 45220
$10 students and seniors, $17.50 others
Free Childcare
9 April 3 pm
Proud and Peaceful: A concert featuring Piano, Voice, and Comedy: Alix Thio, John Wright, Steve Mallory and Terry LaBolt
St. John's U. Church on320 Resor Ave 45220
$10 students and seniors, $17.50 others
Free Childcare
Weekly Events that repeat every week
12/10
Need a cool holiday gift?
Neil Anderson gives a fantastic massage. Give a half hour or full hour massage with Neil at the Lloyd House. Can't be beat. Massage is a health and vigor restorer, a tool for self empowerment, a wonderful way to be nurtured, ... good for what ails you, man woman or child. Call him.
559-1726.
Reasonable rates.
Alan Bern calls Neil a "massage virtuoso". It's true. ellen
12/10
11/27
Local Artist (and Earthsave organizer) Mary Ann Lederer offering paintings for Gifts:
Colorful, original, "primitive"
Original paintings make wonderful holiday gifts!
Colorful paintings about animals, people and the earth
Available by appointment.
Call: 513-591-3003 or email: ledererm@nuvox.net
Card and some posters also available.
(Not only is the art wonderful, but it is great to support this local artist who is disabled and inspiring. ellen)
12/18
THE VEGETARIAN CATERER in Northside
(LOCATED INSIDE APJONES PIZZA)
Specializing in Vegetarian & Vegan Dishes & Bakegoods
Vegan Pizza , Hoagies & Sandwiches
Decorated cakes & cookies made to order
Let us cater your next party or event
Appetizers, Entrees, Soups, Salads & Desserts
Mawusi Tafari, Owner & Vegetarian
4252 Fergus Street
(Located behind the AP Jones Café¹)
Phone: (513)542-VEGE(8343)
³The Fruit of the Spirit Is Love²
Announcement. Dr. John A. Kelly is beginning a local speaking tour on Healing the Racial divide. he is available to speak to your church or group.John completed his training at the Layministry Academy of the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church on June 1. Dr. Kelly has a degree in Sociology from West Virginia State University, a traditionally black institution. He earned his master of social work degree at West Virginia University. John earned his doctorate in counselor education at the University of Cincinnati specialializing in multicultural counseling. He is a member of the board of directors of the Reconciling Ministries of the United Methodist Church. He is also on the board of directors of the Unity House World Peace Center. Dr. Kelly will present for the benefit of a love offering. Please contact him to schedule a speaking date at 242-7088; John is a member of the salon.
11/12
Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center Events:
Remember WOMEN IN BLACK VIGILS continue weekly
Mondays
5-6 pm
Grassy island at corner of Vine St. and Central Pkwy
Wear black or dark- colored clothes.
All are welcome!
513-579-8547
12/3/05
Tender Yoga with Nonegenarian Phil Nightingale
St. John's Unitarian Church on Resor Ave in Clifton
Tuesdays 10:00 - 11:30
Easy, gentle yet effective yoga for "the rest of us". No one too old, too infirm, too stiff for this class.
11/21/05
buddha dharma study group
New group formed at Lloyd House to study the Buddhist scriptures from the original (most ancient) Pali texts.
Saturday mornings 9:30 - 11:00
We will be slowly working our way through "In the Buddha's Words", translated and with introductions by Bikhu Bodhi
with foreward by the Dalai Lama.
This is a tasty little group. We will give you a copy of the book. Come join us!
Format:
9:30, arrive, remove shoes, come up to the (beautifl) third floor meditation room.
9:45: meditation for ten minutes
9:50: the leader for the week reads the short passage, next in sequence. Then the leader shares her/his reactions and thoughts. Then we go around the circle, everyone sharing or passing. No interruptions. After everyone who wants has given their response, we have open discussion until 11:00.
11:00: tea in the dinning room.
We have a web forum. Richard Blumberg has been studying this material for years. I love to listen to him explain it. He is the guy who gave that excellent introduction to Buddhism last year at the salon.
I have been meditating for decades, but had never studied the sutras. This is a treat! ellen
12/3
Good Odd Jobs Man Available Cheap
Noli Tobias, age 31, Philippino man, Physical Therapist awaiting U.S.
licensure. Married to Vietnamese woman, U.S. citizen.
Will work for $8 / hour. Housecleaning, maintenance jobs, yard work, etc.
I have met Noli and like him a lot. Seems reliable, intelligent, pleasant, competent. Such a deal! ellen
- end of Announcements -
Articles
12/17
Discovering Systemic Constellation Work
Kenn Day
Our bellies warm from hot tea with milk, fresh scones with clotted
cream and strawberry preserves, we meandered down the curving lane
toward Rosemerryn House. It had rained - yet again - leaving the air
with a slightly fresher dampness and cooler than the afternoon had
been. Lisa began telling me about a friend of hers in Germany who had
introduced her to a new kind of family therapy. "It's truly amazing!
And I can't really do it justice in words."
"Can you show me?" I asked.
We returned to the B & B and swept into the seminar room, with Lisa
still talking.
Lisa is a lanky blonde German women who I met at Mystery School
several years ago. Her english is fluent and she is sharp as a tack,
so if she was impressed with this new technique, it seemed like it
would be worthwhile exploring.
Lisa had all of us sit down on cushions around the edges of the room,
facing inwards to create a large open circle. Then she settled
herself and took some deep breaths while looking intensely at each of
us in turn. Finally she settled back on her cushion and asked if
anyone wanted to volunteer. My hand popped up but Jason, one of my
students also volunteered and I passed to him.
I won't go into the details of his work, but I will describe the
basic process we went through. Lisa had Jason sit beside her and
asked him a few questions to determine just what it was she was going
to be working with, then she asked him to choose someone to represent
himself, his mother and his father. He did so and then she had him
gently guide each representative to the place he intuitively felt
they belonged in the circle - which she began calling the "Field".
Then she had Jason come back and sit beside her and observe the
"constellation" formed by the representatives. As one of those
representatives, I was surprised to find myself experiencing physical
sensations, emotions and an awareness of information within the
family, that I had no other way of knowing. Lisa was right. There is
no way to put into words the profound strength and depth of this
work. We were able to reach back to Jason's ancestors to unravel
entanglements in the family that went back generations.
The results of the constellation were clear and immediate. Our dinner
that evening was interrupted by a call from Jason's mother - just
hours after we completed the work. Her call was just what Jason had
been hoping for. Over dinner, Lisa explained more about the work we
did. It was pioneered by Bert Hellinger, who worked as a missionary
for ten years with the Zulu before leaving the catholic church and
beginning his studies in therapy. He had been ready to retire several
years ago but was persuaded to do a few workshops to show others how
he was working with family constellations. Over twenty years later,
he continues to develop new innovations and still has yet to retire.
The constellation technique is based in experiential group work, led
by facilitators who help the representatives to reveal hidden family
dynamics, release entanglements in the system and allow the love to
flow down through the generations so that life for the client can
become more fulfilling today. The work is being used for families,
professional organizations and other systems to clear away obstacles
and allow for a free flow of energy within the system being addressed.
My wife Patricia and I were so impressed with the work that we
traveled to Berlin the next year to experience more in depth
constellations with Analie Schmidt and others. Still hungry for more,
we entered a two year certification course with Heinz Stark, one of
Bert's proteges and have just recently graduated - still excited
about this powerful new technique and ready to help bring it to America.
For more information on Soul Solutions with Ken Day and Patricia
Sheerin email enki@one.net or call (513) 481-3080. The next workshop
will be held at the Vernon Manor on Saturday January 21, 2006.
12/18/05
Steve Sunderland on Muslim Mothers Against Violence presentation at St. John's
Dear Friends:
Peak Oil, Iraq & the Need for CommunityThe war in Iraq continues with the president announcing the deaths of 30,000 Iraqis and over 2100 American soldiers. Violence and bravery seem to also fill our media as the election is about to occur in Iraq. And, we hold our breath for the four Quaker peacemakers who are currently being held hostage by an Iraqi terrorist group. The announced date of their death has already passed but there is no word. So much news to digest and grieve about this brutal way of solving problems and conflicts.
Hidden from view is the toll that terrorism is taking on Molems who do not identify with the terrorists, and those Moslems who feel that Islam has been deeply dishonored by those using violence in the name of this holy religion. "My children are being threatened and hardened by having to defend our religion," Ms. Zeinab Schwen, co-founder of the Cincinnati based, Moslem Mothers Against Violence, says with a bitter and strong passion. "We are Americans, full citizens of this country, and my children were born right here in Cincinnati," she continues, "and I do not like how we are being treated by either Americans or terrorists." A group of 14 people listened to her stirrring presentation last night at St. Johns Unitarian Church. Ms. Schwen and the Peace Village have agreed to visit schools, colleges and religious institutions to discuss the irrationality of responses to all things Islamic. Our goal is to increase peace through understanding, through sharing stories of fear and ignorance, and it joining together in partnership to educate about Islam our fellow students and members of religious institutions.(Please write me if you would like us to visit for a conversation.)
Ms. Schwen, a Palestinian by birth, raised in Egypt, possessing graduate degrees in pharmacy from both the University of Cario and the University of Minnesota, is an American citizen, married and the mother of 3 high school and college aged children. Zeinab, as she prefers being called, is a very attractive woman in her 40's, with blazing brown eyes, a wonderful bright smile, and a fearless soul. She wore a lovely suit and, around her neck, a lovely light brown and white scarf. Our group met with the Rev. Frank Carpenter, as kind host, in a large meeting room in his church. This is the first of a hoped for series of discussions in many sites.
Zeinab gave us the history of this new organization, founded immediately after and in response to the bombing in London, England, in July, 2005. "The bombers were home grown young British people, average and well educated members of the London community. If they could turn to suicidal bombing, what would prevent our children from going that route?," she asked in a way that both dumbfounded us and brought questions of what could motivate young people to take this course of action. We didn't know what brought young people to such a level of sacrifice and to violence, and we were eager to hear what Zeinab could do to help us understand. "Since September 11, 2001," she said, "women wearing the head scarf and men who have been identified as Moslem have been subjected to an experience of hatred, distrust, and frustration." Zeinab had noticed, as had other Moslem mothers in our area, that their children were being placed in school situations that they were unprepared for. No longer seen as Americans, or, as regular kids, they were now the victims of hard looks, prejudiced comments, and scary actions that brought a new pressure to their relationships. How much pressure could they take? Would their good hearts be changed by the dramatic shift in symbols and actions of their fellow schoolmates? "What would keep them from turning violent?," Zeinab asked with heartfelt concern.
"We are good Moslems, and believe that Islam is a religion of peace,and means, "inner peace by following our God," she began an answer to what were the principles of her religion. "Any action that links violence to Islam is wrong, and what the non-Moselem world is seeing is the opposite of our teaching about being a good Moslem," she continued."No one is to be treated violently, Moslem or non-Moslem, according to our teaching," she said with determination to us, "and non-Moslems are to be treated with kindness and gratitude,especially if they are of a different faith." Clearly, her grip on her strong feelings was relaxing as she felt that we could hear what was giving her heart so much pain.
"Don't you see," she said as she removed her scarf and placed it on her head, "that I am the same person, whether in the scarf or not?" We sat awake to what she was teaching, seeing her now as a religious participant endangered by the simple act of wearing her scarf so beautifully around her head. A silence fell over us, perhaps the quietness of the horror imagined if we had to brave the stares and comments of the women of Islam. "I do not have the courage to wear my scarf outside of my house and I am so angry about this situation," she suddenly said. We were tongue tied, almost speechless, and amazed how deeply identified we felt with her. "Maybe we could wear scarfs in church?," I heard someone muse. Suddenly, the academic part of this discussion seemed irrelevant. Curiosity about what Islam is and how it works was superceded by what citizens of this faith are choosing to do to survive in our community, a community that until a second ago, seemed "safe" to all religions.
"We must roll up our sleeves and work together," Zeinab said as she unwound the scarf. A part of me wanted to shout: "Don't take off your scarf. You are safe, here. In this place and with these people, we are all Moslems." Zeinab may have sensed this but she continued to take the scarf and place it gently on her shoulders. The air in our room from so many breaths held, seemed to return. We were back to that place where fear slips under consciousness, the place of pseudo-Americanism: the belief that we are all protected by the law.
We met for 90 of the fastest minutes I have ever spent, each one packed with the double-meanings of fear and enlightenment. All of us in the room were older than Zeinab, old enough to remember the terrible yellow star, the stories of brave people who refused to abandon the persecuted, old enough to remember the taking of the Japanese Americans, and old enough to remember Rosa Parks being threatened by another terrorist ideology. Now, in this old church on a cold December night, we were being asked to join in the struggle for justice for Moslems and for ourselves. We heard the still strong cry for America to be America, to be a place that we can embrace our Moslem family as strong and beautiful citizens of our country. Thank you, Zeinab and the other Moslem Mothers Against Violence for your faith and trust. Thank you, group, for overcoming the fears and joining in our effort to understand and change.
In peace,
Steve
12/18/05
Mike Murphy to present on Peak Oil at the salon Monday, 12/19
By Mike Murphy
Why are we in Iraq? The short answer is, ‘peak oil.’
It certainly isn’t because of any supposed 9/11 connection. That was a fairy tale, told to us to whip up a war frenzy against Iraq. To stampede Congress and the American people into supporting the White House plan to attack and occupy Iraq, and to place US military bases in the Caspian Sea/Persian Gulf region.
The full truth is much worse. The evidence is very, very strong that there is US government complicity in carrying out the stunningly sophisticated, multiple jet-liner hijackings and attacks in seemingly unprotected American skies. Available evidence indicates this all happened not because of any incredible “breakdown” of US intelligence or military preparedness--but because of a deliberate “stand-down” of our intelligence and military forces. That is, there is strong evidence that high level government officials, probably in the CIA, and apparently even the White House, are complicit in the 9/11 attacks. .
Probably the most accessible book covering this evidence, and analyzing it, is “The New Pearl Harbor: Disturbing Questions about the Bush Administration and 9/11” by an outstanding American investigator, David Ray Griffin. A longer, more comprehensive work is “The War on Truth: 9/11, Disinformation, and the Anatomy of Terrorism,” by a highly regarded British scholar, Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed.
In fact, Ahmed amassed so much information in his researches that he had to put his findings into two books, the other of which is “The War on Freedom: How and Why America was Attacked September 11, 2001,” also highly informative with excellent analyses.
The second reason given for the American attack, invasion and occupation of Iraq is to remove Iraqui weapons of mass destruction [WMD]. However, this was another fable, also fed to us to fan the fires of war within us. There were no WMD, and our government knew it, and the world knew it. Scott Ritter, the American inspector, knew it. So did Mohammed el-Barradei, who was given a Nobel Peace prize for his work.
Why is the US in Iraq? Oil, and the control of the major sources of oil in the world, is the real reason why we attacked, invaded and occupied Iraq, and have put bases in the former Soviet transcaspian region.
It also a fact there were plans on the table to topple Afghanistan and invade Iraq well before the 2001 9/11 attacks, all because of the desire to control the Caspian Basin/Persian Gulf oil and gas. Especially since there was no other global power ready to challenge the US move to do so. But China and Europe were potential, if distant, contenders.
And because of ‘Peak Oil.’
Peak Oil
The world has used up half the known oil in the earth. Beginning in 1859, it has taken us 146 years to do so.
The next half of oil supplies is expected to be used up in 40 years, at the accelerated and accelerating rate we are using it.
‘Peak Oil’ means we are at the peak of oil production. From here on out, the oil we obtain will be increasingly harder to get. Either because more and more of it comes from under the North Sea, or the Arctic Ice cap.
Or because getting it requires more energy expenditure, more processing. Like, we can use existing technology to gasify coal, or we can ‘cook’ tar sands to obtain oil. But these steps are more difficult ways to tap the energy of fossil fuels, than simply tapping an oil gusher.
So, the honeymoon’s over, as the experts say.
Soon, very soon, we must find another way of living. Because, no matter how many wars we fight over the last remaining drops of ancient sunlight, it is going to run out, and we will have to change our way of living.
We are like an addict, needing to face reality and get over our habit. If we don’t, we will continue to behave like a crack addict, going to any lengths to satisfy our habit, which already includes lying, stealing and killing. The sooner we start, the better. We need not go ‘cold turkey.’ We can let ourselves down easy. But to do so, we need to get beyond our fear and greed methods, our ‘complete military dominance’ practices, our selfish and short-sighted visions and policies.
PowerDown, Go Local, Build Community
We need to cut wa-ay down on the energy we use, like to maybe 20% of what we presently use. Of course, we need to use as much passive and active solar as we can for home heating and hotwater heating, as storage of photovoltaic for lighting and transportation.
We also need to explore and utilize geothermal, both hot springs and the much more prosaic passive annual heat storage only 8-feet or so underground.
Going local, strengthening the local ecomomy, is also wise, because it eliminates a lot of today’s transportation of goods like foods and clothing. A local economy is the basis for a local community, too.
We will also find that it is sensible to minimize importing our entertainment and social support system, to find satisfaction in local activities. In short, we need to ‘power-down, go local and build community.
If we are serious about doing these things, we can not go about attacking and occupying other nations on false pretenses. Much of the “insurgency” is in direct opposition to the US occupation of Iraq. Yes, some of it is terrorism against civilians.
But war is a maddening experience, driving people to do mad things, to strike back in terrible ways, sometimes against rival ethnic groups, who seem to be in cahoots with the occupying forces. Today’s suicide-bombing of a bus-full of Shia civilians is an example.
If we pulled our troops out of Iraq, there might still be fighting. But there might be less fighting.
Yes, Iraq might become fragmented. That’s not bad. Yugoslavia came apart, and though there was unfortunate blood-letting, these things can be managed without killing. Look at the separation of Czechoslovakia into the Czeck Republic and Slovakia.
Given the fact that we Americans want to dominate the remaining oil & gas resources in the world, it seems unlikely we will readily withdraw from Iraq and the Caspian region. Unless we reconsider our policies. And we citizens can have a voice in that re-thinking.
We Americans should look at the consequences of what we are doing We need to look at not only the Iraqui insurgency, but the influx of Muslin volunteer terrorists and home-grown terrorists. We also need to look at the very un-democratic regimes we are supporting in places like Uzbekistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
We need to learn the difference between indigenous home-grown democratic movements that have sustainability, and those token steps we urge upon our client governments, which often fade away like the morning dew.
We need to re-think how we use the world’s remaining petroleum resources, whether burning it up is the wisest course, or are there longer-term and better uses.
We also need to be thinking and planning and working toward building that solar-based, locally-organized economy and community that is most likely to be sustainable in each region of the post-carbon world.
We Americans must outgrow this temporary fit of total military dominance we have allowed to embrace us. We the people must take upon ourselves the responsibility for helping to develop a vision of a sustainable global society based on caring and sharing. It’s our opportunity to help the world to grow up.
· ** Best single book on these important topics is the mercifully short (163 pages) “The End of Fossil Fuel & the Last Chance for Sustainability,” by John G. Howe.
· If you want more, I recommend the three mentioned above—“The New Pearl Harbor,”
· “The War on Truth,” and
· “The War on Freedom”—
· plus two more: Richard Heinberg’s “A New Covenant with Nature: Notes on the End of Civilization and the Renewal of Culture” (Quest Books, $20);
· and “Alternatives to Economic Globalization:A Better World is Possible: A report of the International Forum on Globalization”, ed. By Cavanagh and Mander, 2004.
Some other useful books include:
· Hubbert’s Peak: The Impending World Oil Shortage, by Kenneth S. Deffeyes, Sept 2001.
· *The Party’s Over: Oil, War and the Fate of Industrial Societies, by Richard Heinberg, April 2003.
· Crossing theRubicon: The Decline of the American Empire at the End of the Age of Oil, by Michael Ruppert, Oct 2004.
· Blood & Oil: The Dangers & Consequences of America’s Growing Dependency on Imported Petroleum (TheAmerican Empire Project), by Michael T. Klare, Sept 2004.
· Powerdown: Options and Actions for a Post-Carbon World, by Richard Heinberg, Sept 2004.
· Oil, Jihad and Destiny: Will declining oil production plunge our planet into a depression? By Ronald R. Cooke, July 2004.
· The Oil Age is Over, by Matt Savinor, May 2004.
· Out of Gas: The End of the Age of Oil, by David Goodstein, Bef 2004.
· The Empty Tank: Oil, Gas, Hot Air, and the Coming Global Financial Catastrophe by Jeremy Leggett, Nov 2005.
· Petrodollar Warfare: Oil, Iraq and the Future of the Dollar, by Wiliam R. Clark, May 2005.
· The Long Emergency: Surviving the End of the Oil Age, Climate Change, and Other Converging Catastrophes of the Twenty-First Century, by James Howard Kunstler, April, 2005.
· Democracy in Small Groups: Participation, Decision Making & Communication; John Gastil, 1993
· Save Three Lives: A Plan for Famine Prevention; Robert Rodale, 1991.
· People Before Profits; Charles Derber, 2002.
· Communities Directory: A Guide to Intentional Communities & Cooperative Living, 2000 edition.
###############################################12-11-2005 END
12/18
H.B. 3 in Columbus
End of Democracy in Ohio?
Massive Changes to Ohio Election System
(this article written by Common Cause Ohio before the vote.)
December 6, 2005: With your help we've pushed hard for true election reform in Ohio. Earlier this year we slowed the passage of H.B. 3 and Substitute H.B. 3 (Sub H.B. 3), damaging election legislation that would have hurt Ohio voters. Now, however, this legislation is back, and we need your help to make sure that lawmakers don't harm the electoral process in Ohio by rushing to pass sweeping legislation under cover of the holiday season.
The original H.B. 3 passed the Ohio House in May 2005. Last week the Senate introduced a 396-page rewritten version of the legislation into Committee to be fast-tracked to passage this week. Sub H.B. 3 has been updated, but this proposal still contains many provisions that will reduce voters' access to the polls and make registering to vote and voting more difficult in the Buckeye state.
As anticipated, the Senate added a voter identification requirement to the Bill. If passed, all voters would be required to produce an accepted form of identification at their polling location every time they vote. The updated Sub H.B. 3 also includes stricter penalties that may have a chilling effect on voter registration drives, eliminates mathematical random recounts and post-election audits done on newly acquired electronic voting machines and raises the threshold to qualify an initiative for the ballot.
We're urging Ohio leaders to deal with real election fraud, not add burdensome requirements that will restrict eligible voters on Election Day. Rather than legislate true election reform that would improve poll worker training, strengthen accountability and security procedures, and make provisional ballots the safety net they were intended to be, the Senate seems on track to restrict the ability of voters to cast their ballots in a system that is accessible, accurate and accountable.
Please take action today and contact Senators on the State Senate Rules Committee (go here for a list and contact information) and let them know there is no rush to vote Sub H.B. 3 out of committee before year's end. Sub. H.B. 3 could be a vehicle for positive change, but lawmakers, advocates, and citizens need to work together to protect the rights of Ohio voters. Call your state Senator today and ask him or her to slow down the Sub H.B. 3 process - the rights of Ohio voters are worthy of a careful, open and deliberative process.
Defeat of Issues 2, 3, 4 and 5 Doesn't Mean the End of Reform
November 14, 2005: Last week's defeat of Issues 2, 3, 4 and 5 was disappointing, but in the wake of the grassroots campaign to pass 2-5 we are already making plans to continue the fight to for fair redistricting and fair elections in Ohio. This fall's effort marks the beginning of a fair redistricting movement that will continue grow in Ohio, as well as across the country in the coming months and years.
As part of the Reform Ohio Now team, Common Cause Ohio was a leader in the effort that achieved several high water marks in recent months:
*
Half a million signatures from Ohio voters over the summer to get Issues 2-5 on the ballot.
*
12,000 supporters across Ohio.
*
Distribution of 2 million pieces of literature.
*
Thousands of phone calls to Ohio voters in the days leading up to the election.
We're disappointed that the initiatives, and the redistricting initiative in particular, didn't win on November 8 but this fight has just begun. We will continue to challenge the undemocratic, rigged system of elections that leaves the voters unable to elect those who best represent their interests and we look forward to working with reformers and party leaders to enact this change.
Common Cause has worked for more than 30 years on redistricting and we certainly won't stop now. We knew when we launched the Ohio and California campaigns that we would face tremendous opposition from entrenched incumbents, both Republicans and Democrats, and from special interests. The Ohio redistricting campaign helped to start a national dialogue on the issue and we intend to push ahead to hold politicians accountable in Florida, Massachusetts and in other states. Thanks to all of you who participated and please stay with us as we look ahead.
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But our side lost:
Elizabeth Motter sends this:
Hello everyone,
HB3 passed the Senate on Tuesday. The Dems fought hard, but all of
their amendments were tabled and they were of course out-voted in the
end. Several Senators distinquished themselves by the vigor of their
opposition: Fedor(in particular), Miller, Roberts, Fingerhut, Dann, and
Hagan. Brady was absent. The 11th vote came from Republican Tim
Grendell, who stood by the Dems through it all. Below is a link that
will take you to a list of the Senators with links to contact them. It
would be so nice if some of you could write/call and thank them for
their efforts. It has got to be hard to go to work day after day and
see everything you believe in and stand for being levelled. Grendell
definitely needs to be thanked as well.
http://www.senate.state.oh.us/senators/by_name.html
Elizabeth
12/18
Bev Harris, heroine of "Black Box Voting" on Proof of Diebold Lying re. Hackability of Voting Machines
BREAKING : Due to contractual non-performance and security design issues, Leon County (Florida)
supervisor of elections Ion Sancho told Black Box Voting that he will never again use Diebold in an
election. He has requested funds to replace the Diebold system from the county. He will issue a formal
announcement to this effect shortly. This comes on the heels of the resignation of Diebold CEO Wally
O'Dell, and the announcement that a stockholder's class action suit has been filed against Diebold by
Scott & Scott.
Black Box Voting: http://www.blackboxvoting.org
Leon County Election Supervisor Ion Sancho:
http://www.leonfl.org/elect/MeetTheSupervisor.htm
Finnish security expert Harri Hursti proved that Diebold lied to Secretaries of State across the nation when
Diebold claimed votes could not be changed on the memory card.
A test election was run in Leon County Tusday Dec. 13 with a total of eight ballots - six ballots voted "no" on a ballot
question as to whether Diebold voting machines can be hacked or not. Two ballots, cast by Dr. Herbert
Thompson and by Harri Hursti voted "yes" indicating a belief that the Diebold machines could be hacked.
At the beginning of the test election the memory card programmed by Harri Hursti was inserted into an
Optical Scan Diebold voting machine. A "zero report" was run indicating zero votes on the memory card.
In fact, however, Hursti had pre-loaded the memory card with plus and minus votes.
The eight ballots were run through the optical scan machine. The standard Diebold-supplied "ender card"
was run through as is normal procedure ending the election. A results tape was run from the voting machine.
Correct results should have been:
Yes:2
No:6
However, just as Hursti had planned, the results tape read:
Yes:7
No:1
The results were then uploaded from the optical scan voting machine into the GEMS central tabulator.
The central tabulator is the "mother ship" that pulls in all votes from voting machines. The results in the
central tabulator read:
Yes:7
No:1
This exploit, accomplished without being given any password and with the same level of access given
thousands of poll workers across the USA, showed that the votes themselves were changed in a one-step
process. This hack would not be detected in any normal canvassing procedure, and it required only a single
a credit-card sized memory card.
On Oct. 17, 2005 Diebold Elections Systems Research and Development chief Pat Green specifically told the
Cuyahoga County (Ohio) board of elections that votes cannot be changed using only a memory card.
Video of Pat Green, Cuyahoga County
According to Public Records responses obtained by Black Box Voting in response to our requests shows that
Diebold promulgated this misrepresentation to as many as 800 state and local elections officials.
In other news, a stockholder suit was filed today against Diebold by the law offices of Scott and Scott:
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/12-13-2005/0004233556&EDATE=
Diebold CEO resigns: http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=175001748
# # # # #
Black Box Voting is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501c(3) elections watchdog group. This organization is not affiliated in
any way with any political party or any vendor. Without your important support, we do not exist. To donate:
http://www.blackboxvoting.org/donate.html or mail to:
Black Box Voting
330 SW 43rd St. Suite K
PMB 547
Renton WA 98055
The original research of Black Box Voting and its founder, Bev Harris, has been covered by ABC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC,
CNN, and Fox TV national news, as well as by the New York Times, Time Magazine, and most other major news outlets in the U.S.
,Black Box Voting
,
To unsubscribe, send an email to: unsubscribe-160264@elabs3.com with the address: ellenbierhorst@lloydhouse.com in the subject line.
12/18
I got in the mail an alarm from Walter Cronkite. It appears that the Religious Right has won 165 co sponsors in congress to introduce a horrible legislation to allow churches to participate in political campaigns in ways we though unconstitutional.
"Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act H.R. 235"
Check out details at
http://interfaithalliance.org
end of articles
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