The Mountains, the SOA, and Ernest

Really, where does the time go? It's already mid-August, the U.S. debt default crisis averted, albeit conditions, our garden is in bloom, I finished a Hemmingway novel, and we've been to the mountains with family and friends, white water rafting and camping and boating the last two weekends.

Clear Creek in Idaho Springs is an excellent place to catch some great frothy river fun this season, we tackled some class four rapids, luckily we didn't lose Phil, he almost fell in! Then we enjoyed Tommy Knockers brewery in town and the pinball arcade. Lake Dillon is also gorgeous, we shared a pontoon with family and friends then camped up Swan Mountain in prospector with a lake view. The Dillon BBQ festival was tasty, they had hot jalapenos, shrimp bombs, pulled pork tacos and more, and the Dam Brewery was there serving cold beers.

Our garden is turning out, I'm glad we have another round of green beans coming, small red tomatoes, over 6 feet tall sunflowers and some herbs; I made an organic pasta sauce for the manicotti tonight with fresh basil and Italian parsley.
I also decided that a tall iced cold glass of Celestial Seasoning Blueberry Green tea with mint from the garden and blueberries is my favorite drink this summer. But if you want a beverage with more kick, recently I tried a spicy Bloody Mary, and great Southern cuisine at Shugs in Boulder, it's great!



Tomorrow August 16th, is a White House Call In Day put on by the SOA Watch to ask the Obama administration to close the SOA or WHINSEC formerly the School of the Americas. The SOA has been open since 1946 located in Benning, Georgia and has graduated murderers and terrorists claiming the lives of many innocent people in Latin America. SOA graduates participated in committing a military coup in Honduras in June 2009 and removed democratically elected President Manuel Zelaya and replaced him with an oppressive regime. I first heard about the SOA in college when I heard an activist priest come to campus to talk about his efforts in closing the SOA. The push for the Call In Day is to make aware that sixty-nine members of congress will officially request that President Barack Obama sign an executive order shutting down the SOA/WHINSEC thus ending funding a school of assassins and saving the United States $180 million over the next decade.

$180 million over the next decade may not be that much but it's a chunk of the $917 billion over 10 years we are supposed to cut or $5 billion cut out of our "budget". Of course there is opposition to cut defense spending from the right but that's expected, right? Then of course there is a difference between defense spending and security spending so which does closing the SOA fall under? Either way it's a huge questionable expense our resources should not be going towards, it's nauseating to think about actually.

It was funny to hear Mr. Obama talk about "other stuff" in referring to Biomass for Energy and the potential for that industry to create jobs, which was the question, "How will renewable energy create jobs?" He had a town hall on CNN this morning in Minnesota, and while it's a step maybe he could elaborate. The debt deal certainly doesn't sound like a job stimulator much to economists, democrats and critics dismay, but there is one thing I agree about. We must stop playing politics when trying to solve our issues and take the best ideas regardless of affiliation. The Industry Hemp initiative is another cause to take up, talking of the best renewable resource besides solar energy, that could create jobs, with California farmers in the front running.

I've just finished 'The Sun Also Rises' by Hemmingway and on to 'Tender is the Night' by Scott Fitzgerald, two classics I've always meant to read, and what a perfect summer to do so. I love the simple but rich, honest and telling prose of Hemmingway.

"Enjoying living was learning to get your money's worth and knowing when you had it. The world was a good place to buy in. It seemed like a fine philosophy. In five years, I thought, it will seem just as silly as all the other fine philosophies I've had." -Ernest Hemmingway 'The Sun Also Rises' 1926

Achieving Balance

There was a moment this past weekend when Phil and I were hanging out in our backyard on Sunday, watching and listening to the celebratory war zone sounds and lights of neighborhood fire works that I had to think of the headlines of our $14.3 trillion national debt ceiling being reached. The 4th of July was a long weekend this year, being on Monday, a time when everyone tries to de-stress with all the food, booze, driving to see family, friends and getting a good spot for a free firework show. But the debt ceiling debate was on the fringes of my mind, and I thought for how long can we go on celebrating like this until our government slowly takes away public programs and government jobs and maybe even collapses altogether? I told Phil, wouldn't it be easy if the U.S. could just declare bankrupt like individuals and just start all over with a clean slate? I mean is that possible? What would the ramifications be..?

One of my favorite blogs Our Finite World lays down nicely the possible options with scenarios in which governments can deal with debt. Here are the first three which we hear about often option 2 more than any of them: (1) inflate your way out of the problem, (2) cut programs and/or raise taxes, and (3) restructure debt, perhaps delaying repayment and giving bondholders a “haircut” on promised payouts. While we continue to hear about the first three options in the press/maelstrom of Republican vs. Democrat redundant squawks and finger pointing, no one is talking about options four and five.

Option four is my thought on what if the government could just go bankrupt and our debt forgiven, "A debt “jubilee”." As the author describes, the problem with this would be the "assets underlying some of the debt, and the question will be, which of the several possible claimants should get the underlying asset." Senator Ron Paul has a similiar minded solution in which the U.S. Treasury could just ask the Federal Reserve to rip up 1 Trillion of debt. Of course that has ramifications as well one being the Fed uses the interest on the debt owed by the U.S. Treasury to fund some of its operations like the Consumer Protection Bureau. And other ramifications like well it just looks bad, like we can't live up to our obligations. The author of the Times blog seems to see it as a good idea, admitting that it's only short term to keep government services running for another year before we are in the same situation, and that "It's definitely better than defaulting. And it is probably better than massive cutbacks in government spending that could potentially send us right back into a recession anyway."

That brings us to Option 5 - "looks like the easy way out. Just give up, and let a new government come in, and start with new programs and a blank slate. Or a revolution or civil war might produce this same result." Which to me would be the result of Option 4 and possibly the cue for the Venus Project to introduce it's resource based economy proposal on a mass scale. History has shown us that governments are capable of collapsing, remember the Soviet Union and as the Finite World author cites, the breakups of Czechoslovak Socialist Republic and Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia. If you read for a few minutes the proposals of the Venus Project, it actually makes sense. What if money were out of the picture, and everyone was pursuing what really made them happy and contributed their resource for the greater good of our earth and humanity? Why is that so crazy?

Lets go back in history and to Noam Chomsky and his reminder of the economic system as part of the "New Deal" that happened after World War II called the Bretton Woods system. He says, "The Great Depression and the war aroused radical democratic currents, taking many forms, from the antifascist resistance to working-class organization. These pressures made it possible and from a different point of view, necessary - to permit social democratic policies." The Bretton Woods established "the right of government to restrict capital movement. In dramatic contrast, in the neoliberal phase that followed, the U.S. Treasury Department now regards free capital mobility as a 'fundamental right'." Isn't the Fed buying up U.S. Treasury bonds a great example of how the U.S. moves capital to cover its ass as it pleases?

The finite world blogger offers a great step that would improve current conditions that are parallel to an idea of stimulating job growth - inflate salaries. This means not just CEO salaries. "If salaries are inflating and enough people are working, then business revenues and government revenues will inflate as well, so that repaying debt plus interest won’t be too terrible a task. At this point, there is not even a hint that salaries are inflating, and that the unemployment problem has been solved."

While we hear about how our president and government should be doing something about the unemployment rate until our ears bleed, and a few friends or acquaintances continue to job hunt, these are just some possibilities to think about. And if you are the working-class and are working to organize to improve our financial situation for a more transparent credit market, or any social situations, more power to you.

This music album by Actraiser 'The Art of Balance' certainly promotes balance with its diverse genre offerings and smooth production so I thought I'd highlight it and the theme of Balance. I wrote the album review and starting today it is now available on Cold Busted, check it out at the free listening booth, it's very fitting for summer weather or anytime.

Buddhism and Bacon

This last weekend I felt like I was on the go the whole time but for great reasons - Friday I went to Denver to catch up with some old friends and support Recon, a local Drum and Bass and Dubstep night. I had a great time!

On Saturday Phil and I both drove to Denver to catch the Cherry Blossom Festival in Sakura square. There was lots of cool vendors and it was right by the Denver Buddhist Temple where we caught a short lecture from Rev. Fujii. It was an introduction of sorts to Buddhism, a short history and some concepts one being something so simple: a snake is a snake and a rope is a rope. If you think a rope is a snake how stressed you will be, do not mistake one for the other. Be able to see things as they are and not how you want them to be. How wonderful!

It reminded me of a book I read recently by Thich Nhat Hanh a Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist 'Be Free Where You Are' in which he says: "If there is despair in you, you need to recognize that energy and not allow it to overwhelm you. You have to practice in such a way that you transform the energy of despair and attain the freedom you deserve - the freedom from despair." Do not despair when a rope is a rope and not a snake, right?! There was also two paper crane origami displays (see pic) that I believe were made as a benefit for the victims of Japan's recent devastating earthquake and tsunami and part of a raffle to donate for their relief through the Buddhist Churches of America.

In quoting Thich again he teaches a practice of "cultivating compassion." He says, "But I know that compassion is not possible without understanding. And understanding is possible only if you have time to look deeply. Meditation means to look deeply in order to understand." Being aware and mindful was also something the Rev. Fujii talked about will illustrious examples. I walked away from the festival with this knowledge, a souvenir fan and some unfiltered sake after a lunch of sushi and small frozen yogurt blueberry mochi, plus I got to see my dad and his girlfriend so I'm glad we went.


Sunday we decided to catch a ride with my sister Angela and my nephew Tosh to go to Keystone, Colorado for the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival in River Run! Here is a pic of Phil enjoying a chocolate dipped piece of bacon with ice cream. My favorite was the beaver tail, a maple butter pastry with maple and bacon crumbles on top! There was also bacon wrapped meatballs, really spicy jalapenos and bacon and a pork loin cabbage bacon plate that was delicious. There was a funk band playing, the weather was perfect (sunny, in the 70s with a breeze) and I had the privilege to eat various bacon dishes with some of my favorite people. The drive home was numbingly full and reminded me of why I love Colorado so much - the mountains are beautiful. And YES, I did my Bikram yoga on Monday which was much needed after all the weekend fun.



BY THE WAY..uncured bacon is the best for you, nitrate free and especially Nitrosamine free as possible.

Summer Solstice and Our Little Garden

Today is the first official day of summer, Summer Solstice 2011. Here are some summer solstice poems I like:

  ''It is summer, it is the solstice
the crowd is

cheering, the crowd is laughing
in detail

permanently, seriously
without thought''

William Carlos Williams (1883-1963), U.S. poet. At the Ball Game (l. 31-36). . . Oxford Book of American Verse, The. F. O. Matthiessen, ed. (1950)...


On The Roofdeck

The lonely, grated metal table starts the day,
an adjustment is made to apprehend
that the other chairs are empty. The June morning
beautiful and still to be, should woo me with
its early luminescence. Yet
the appetite is not shared, lost somewhere in memory.

How lucky the horizon is blue and needs
no handwriting on its emptiness. I am
written on thoroughly, a plagiarized novel
found again. I remember the predictable plot too late, realize the silly, sad urgency of my plight.

'Do you always watch for the longest day of the year
and then miss it?

I always watch for the longest day in the year
and then miss it.'

poem I found online by Gary Freeman

Today was one of those off days, think it got to 80 and I enjoyed it, went for a run with Phil in the early evening, I pulled a few weeds in the garden, let our cat out in the backyard to do her dusk dithering. We ate Veggie Korma for dinner again (I used organic pasta sauce instead of tomato sauce and organic heavy whipping cream, red or yukon gold potatoes and this time almonds instead of cashews but both are yum) topped with fresh cilantro from our herb garden - such a treat especially if you want to take a break from meat. Then I watered the garden only a little since it rained yesterday and then completely forgot to watch the sun set. I think it was 10 minutes after 9pm though that I noticed it still wasn't completely dark so it must have just set.

So far I've used cilantro from our garden for the Korma, and hopefully for a pico de gallo soon, and mint to make Mojitos (with organic sugar is best and fresh squeezed lime juice, I used Ron Rico Caribbean rum, not bad), rosemary on potatoes and basil and the Italian parsley for a home made pasta sauce. I am meaning to make a cat nip tea the next time I have a head ache and a chicken mint recipe soon. Here is a page with gardening tips, for those who are interested. We added organic compost to the soil before planting but I still feel like a gardening novice. I am hoping for some tomatoes, strawberries, squash, green beans, blueberries, cucumber, peppers, carrots and sunflowers (the lettuce already died) sometime this summer. If anyone wants to trade their seeds or recipes with me let me know.

Noam, Wellness and the Weekend

I've started my summer reading with Noam Chomsky's Hopes and Prospects admittedly quite slowly to absorb the knowledge; one topic I've read recently is his take on Neo-liberalism.



Chomsky critiques this term by positing that what it refers to, the "socio-economic regime is not new, and it is not liberal" but affirms that it is a "common enemy of democracy and development in the modern period". Rightly so as he further supports these assertions: "Reviewing the neoliberal experience of the preceding quarter century, a study of the Center for Economic and Policy Research finds that it has been accompanied by slower rates of growth and reduced progress on social indicators- the most meaningful measure of social health. That holds for countries from rich to poor."

Lets review some facts on health in the United States. Currently cancer is the cause of at least 2 out of 10 of all deaths in the U.S., vitamins and minerals are often lacking in processed foods and this is correlated to ADD/ADHD in children, nearly 6 out of 10 Americans over 20 are overweight (sic Gilbere 'Chemical Cuisine'), and proven birth defects from herbicides have been published to name a few.

So while growth and productivity in the U.S. economy began to slow in the mid-1970s when neoliberal policies were imposed and our health compromised, economic "gains were heavily skewed toward the rich". With poverty comes shortcomings of educating our population like Detroit's staggering 47% illiteracy rate. I'm sure we've all heard of Michael Moore's Roger & Me and General Motor's oppressive and job killing hand on Flint, MA. Other not so visible examples include Corporate Human Rights Abuses in Nigeria and Paraguay, consequences of so called "free trade agreements". And lets not forget Monsanto's RoundUp Ready and seed patenting crimes and role in making GMOs rampant in the U.S. food supply (see The Future of Food).

If there is anything that should be most valuable to us, it should be our health. If our government and their agency the FDA isn't looking out for us, to protect us from corporate toxicity, we have only ourselves to look out for each other. Demand truth in labeling practices and shop locally and when you can organically and preservative free as possible. That is why I support and shop regularly at our local farmers market Sprouts, and try to attend Colorado's Boulder and Longmont Outdoor Farmers Markets.

My boyfriend Phil and I went to the Farmers Market today in Boulder and I picked up a bottle of wine of berries & grapes grown in Palisades, CO for my dad and soap and cleanser from Fort Collin's Queen of the Meadow for myself. Queen of the Meadow makes all natural beauty care and household products, check out their ingredients and most helpful page on ingredients to avoid. We also had the pleasure of enjoying a free little concert from Boulder's Kutandara Center which featured an ensemble of people playing various xylophones, shakers, trombone, sax and a singer. Such warm and sunny music and musicians playing beautiful music from Zimbabwe!



Unfortunately, neo-liberalism policy appears to be still supported by our government as indicated by recent headlines signaling corporate "'triumph of the market,' thanks in large measures to public subsidies, public sector innovation and development, protection, straight bailouts and other such devices". In the face of all this I see mainstream media like CNN somewhat questioning rich, out of touch presidential candidates that are as Noam puts it "packaged and sold like toothpaste and cars and life style drugs, and by the same industries dedicated to delusion and deceit."

When it comes down to it, who is looking out for your health and for the health of your loved ones other than yourself and the few select independent outlets, health and earth conscious brands and resources like farmers markets that I am so grateful for? To me, it's important to be as mindful as possible and to take care of each other. Happy Fathers Day to all the dads out there!

PS. I meant to mention last weekend, last Sunday was also the annual Gay Pride parade in Denver, my friend Drea, took a cool pic. So many things happening this summer, can't do em all..! But had to give a shout out.

Welcome To My Thought Blog

It's the start of the summer of 2011 and I just turned 27. What better way to communicate my passions than with a blog to write about them and outside of the often stark and stifling world of Facebook and other social media I don't want to entirely succumb to. I'm hoping you'll find my blog educational and stimulating while I share my thoughts and what I've learned, about the things I am most passionate about - politics relating to our food, our water, our cosmetics, U.S. immigration, foreign and economic policy, all kinds of music including my DJ fun, restaurants and recipes as well as books and poetry I love. So, alas, another blog but it will certainly serve as a therapeutic tool for myself, nothing wrong with that. And for those wondering about the name "Vox Pastiche" I mostly love the way it sounds and think it'll do as far as defining this as a space for my voice about things that inspire art drawing on various resources...something like that.