When Will We Know?

 msicsaF fo sngiS (don't read this backward)

Using Secret Police (or anonymous terrorist agents)
Denying Human Rights
Controlling Education
Stealing Elections
Using Military Against Civilians
Denying Reality-Constant Lies
Controlling Media
Re-writing History
Appointing Incompetent Loyalists
Rejecting Election Results
Ignoring Due Process
Normalizing Corruption
Using Fear to Gain Power
Labeling Minorities as Enemies
Blaming Other for Their Failures
Claiming to be Persecuted While in Positions of Power and Influence.

When the facts are in, and one chooses to not look away, it can really take the wind out of our sails. I've been along for the ride like all of you. What can we do about it?
Well, the citizens of Minneapolis stood together to oppose the secret police. Two our of tens of thousands paid the ultimate price for what they believed in. Their deaths, as terrible as they remain have led to many, many more American Citizens seeing through the lies we are told on an hourly basis. The tragic lesson all of these traits bring to our attention is that we have allowed our Democratic Values to be undermined by a greedy and hateful few. We are living under a system of taxation without representation right now. The very thing we fought a Revolution over. 

This 250th Anniversary of our nation should not be the swan song of an idea but a re-invigorating threshold to a better nation, one free of malice and selective prosecution (or lack of justice for some...) We need to see through the process of creating a more perfect union and make clear what our government is meant to protect us from as well as what it can offer us when we all work together for positive change. I keep calling and writing legislators and speaking out for new candidates that have ideas about a future we can all believe in. Bernie Sanders has not been wrong yet. When the current guy in charge opens his mouth you know it will be a lie and frequently one designed as an insult. 

Obligatory Review

 Happy end of the calendar year again. I'm having more than a little bit of trouble giving it the sad send off that most years get. I'm actually a bit worried about giving it the old heave-ho. Similarly, rather than the New Year being represented this year by a baby, as it has been in the past, quite a few of us seem to understand that it is much more likely to be a baby pterodactyl or giant "baby" chick that may grow bigger than human size and eat us. There is certain trepidation that comes of existential angst. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I'm a decade or more into my second half-century of life. I doubt that's it. I do understand that my contraction just there could be misinterpreted but in my efforts to shorten the string of characters, I guess I was willing to be a little vague. Please, grammar police, let this transgression slide as long as I am willing to explain myself. Later.

No, seriously, I want to do the proper send off of 2025, but the best course of action would be to have a virtually complete do-over, except with the Administration and Congress abiding by the Constitution. For readers that either have not read the document, or live under a different system of government, there are subtle differences between founding documents of other nations. I get that. However, I have to abide by what mine says. Stepping outside the limits set by whatever form of government you live under requires certain sacrifices to be made. I honor whatever form of self expression you are allowed.

I always try to side with the pro-side of issues that I have to deal with and make decisions about. Instead of thinking about boycotts as anti-such and such business practice or human rights issue, I think about the something better I do want and how to spend dollars upholding that possibility. See, every dollar, euro or yen we spend is a vote. Better that it be "for" something rather than going into what we all know we don't want. Feeling, seeing and understanding the idea of dollars being votes is even more dangerous and necessary when it is in a country that has forsaken humans and their one person, one vote tenet, used to allocate political power in our nation. In fact, a single Supreme Court Decision has upended that traditional interpretation with one that has twisted both the idea of citizens and whose "voices" are heard in an extremely different way. Corporations are now allowed to spend unlimited dollars and it is still considered "speech". 

One dollar, one vote demands that we pay much closer attention to the things we buy. I always remind people to check out the free scientific information at Environmental Working Group (ewg.org) their Skin Deep database can help guide you to products that are safe and effective that also don't ship money to corporations who don't care about toxic ingredients in personal care products. This group is so fantastic that I urge everyone to use their online database to search you water quality as well. They have a zip code searchable database, again free. The one New Years resolution that I wish everyone would commit to is to treat your body well. you deserve it! Make sure that you have good clean water, healthy food and clean air to breathe. We the People of the entire planet deserve health and safety.

A brief biochar message: www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9a8bmiOc-g&t=20s 
Thank you Joan for asking such good questions! I'm sorry that I was a bit late getting through...I'm digitally challenged.

Young Warriors

 Each generation confronts a slightly different version of the same problems. Throughout time we have had those who wish to exploit and enslave others for the sake of enriching themselves. That fact may never change. However that does not mean that the best thing to do is put your hands in your pockets and buck up under the pressures exacted upon you by the forces which seek to exploit you. The people of Ukraine have said for years, that Oligarchs see us (We the People) as shit they grow their money in. We are but vessels used to bring them their ever-expanding booty. Pirates, by definition could only take the ship and it's contents, oligarchs exact their blood money one drop at a time throughout many generations of your family tree. Until and unless we determine that we have had enough, they will continue to exploit even the most minute chinks in our armor.

 
More than two decades ago, I was privy to a long and detailed conversation amongst a group of about twenty High School-aged young people and although what they were talking about was far outside my own experience, it held an integrity that is rare in the world we are seeing unfold around us. Remember, no oligarch-owned media empire will educate us about things we need to know to fight them. These young people, who are now heads of households, were talking about how to value corporations and how to behave, knowing that some corporate entities were funding fascism, undermining communities like their own or exploiting the workers or ecological resources. They directed and selected where to shoplift and what corporate entities to "attack", whether through deception, or misrepresentation, outright theft of resources "owned" by those corporate entities and/or disruption techniques designed to cripple them. Please understand that I cannot advocate illegal behavior unless it stops an even greater crime from being perpetrated. I understand why some feel they have no other choice, but I will not advocate for anarchy.

However, I do understand what emotion, reason and morality motivates people who will fight to the death for their community, those who would practice malicious compliance to allow the oligarchs to fail, which they have always done and those patriots who let their own integrity lead them to the choice to let their rank incompetence operate within oppressive systems. Instead of turning in your fellows as the government is telling you to do, turn in those at the top. Don't buy or patronize any of the oppressors tools. The only language they speak is money. We can no longer afford to give it to them, it has only made them spoiled and to believe that they are entitled to their privilege. In a case I am very much aware of, ULINE Corporation's owners flooded fascist organizations with many tens of millions of dollars between November Elections that gave the win to Biden and January Sixth, when conspiratorial forces, at the behest of "their president" attacked the Capitol, police and our elected representatives in order to "Stop the Steal" which is a fiction of convenience for the oligarchs. Election lies alone have done more damage to our nation than any foreign army ever has. The packaging giant makes money on everything you see that has their logo on it.

Please share this with those real people, those you love and care about, those who can see that they are being lied to in order to support a system that hurts us all. Speak out, speak truth to power, through any platform you can find.

Give

I was listening to Ted Talks, as I do from time to time and came across one from Rhua Benjamin, regarding UStopias. This was recorded long before our former President had the "insightful" epiphany that USA, has the word "us" in it. In any case there were some things I have known and integrated in my life, my experience, world view; things I often say or tell people about, which is the concept of thriving. It is, in many ways, like the Basque region's Mondragon systems of ownership and co-operativism. These co-operatively owned ventures benefit everyone and everyone matters enough to be supported and provided safety and sustenance. Ustopias can be formed at many levels and reflect the same underlying understanding which is we are each valid, valuable and as human beings, deserve enough. Enough to thrive!

UStopias we create together willfully wide awake, that allows each and every one to thrive. We enter into this co-operative behavior cycle that gives to every member of our family, home, business, life the full measure that their needs dictate, enough. This line of reason was cross pollinated with knowledge that arrived a couple weeks ago that I was not sure how to integrate, but now makes perfect sense.

People of a certain age may remember the Polaroid Land Camera,which at the time was revolutionary in that photos could be made and developed in your hand within a few minutes! Anyway, the Land fellow the camera got it's name from was tasked by NASA to research geniuses, because they knew that they would need a lot for the space program. What Land and his fellow researchers found is that among 1600 children between four and five years old, 98% are considered geniuses, because as they defined it, they used their creative imaginations to solve problems. By Grade School, that number had dropped to 30% in High School, the number dropped to12% and as adults, only 2% retain this ability. To be Genius. IMHO, we always have a choice, unless we were one of the dullard children to start.

Unlearning the constraints of sport and all forms of competition seems to be impossible, but humans are made to cooperate and be geniuses, so what stops us from utilizing our inherent ability to utilize our creative imagination to problem solve? In F-1 for instance, the difference between first on the starting grid and last was 2.5 seconds. Typically a lap would last more than a minute, perhaps as much as a minute and a half. The difference is nearly imperceptible between these elite competitors. Certainly not enough to make a difference if they were, in virtually any field other than auto Racing or perhaps at Mission Control at NASA.

When we stop policing the limits of our imagination, we find opportunity for work that does not push us into an early grave. That genius potential lies within all of us, the results of everyone thriving is worth whatever it "costs". There are rising calls for redistribution of wealth, co-operative ownership of not only housing, transportation infrastructure and banking/finance, but the educational needs for future generations can only benefit from less focus on competition for scarce resources and abundance through cooperative effort.

In my charmaking, the material would be useless when it is first made, only through investment of time, energy and consideration for all the organisms I coax to thrive in the char, once they thrive, they create their own thing, soil and that renews and replenishes itself in ways that benefit future generations as well as ours. I believe we are the macrocosm of the soil microbes that exist under our feet. We can live integrated into something much more rewarding for all of us, perfecting the give away is not something we have been trained to do well, yet; however when we find our way to do better, things will get better.

What Our Co-op Will Accomplish

This link takes you to notes for biochar classes
I hope they find you in good health.
Our property is just under two acres but we will sequester ate least two tons of carbon on site and we include biochar soil enhancement in all of our bedding plants. We are creating a gathering space and refuge for rest, relaxation and recovery from daily stressors. Our time signature of life is determined by what needs to be done when and as we develop more and more site specific ecotours, we also adapt them to be on-site specific as much as possible. We have been helping to teach about nature in ways that exhibit qualities that are worth mimicking. The inevitable principles that keep nature stable that can assist humans in becoming more resilient, more attuned to natures cycles so that our members can guests can thrive. In addition to sharing produce and insight, members and guests will also be invited to events through the seasons and benefit from the abundance of our land. To find out more or join, contact biocharmaster@gmail.com

Building Char Reserves

Carbon sequestered may have more and more value over time because it has the possibility of replacing the carbon we have so zealously burned and released into the atmosphere. In my humble opinion, Mamma Earth is trying to sequester carbon herself, the only way she can, massive charred forests. We have had them in the U.S. as well but the black ash is a gold mine for soil formation. Nature will reclaim charred logs in hundreds to thousands of years, which leads to the reclaimed forest soils. I teach how to transform lifeless and sterile char into the best emulation of soil for your location. The process is not unlike making beer or saurkraut. to be brief, it requires a host of soil precursors and enough mpoisture so that biology can literally take root in th esoil emulating pores of the biochar.
Many use the term biochar to stand in for any charred woody biomass. I dosagree. That, I call char, as in charcoal. You wouldn't want to put it in your garden, that's for sure, unless you wanted to make paths of it, intentionally. However, when you spend about six weeks, enriching and adding many and varied foods for soil life, it completely transforms the char, enlivening it, creating colonies of healthy microbial community that can be spread over a large area. A 1% concentration in soil doubles crop production, reduces irrigation needs by half, makes nutrients available in soil twice as long, and increases CEC (Cation Exchange Capacity) which helps feed pllants more appropriately. Doubling of plant biomass is a huge pay off, but the healing that is done to the soil itself will pay incalculable benefits, for generations if we treat it well. To research further, check out Gabe Brown's work restoring cabon to his soil. Armoring the soil is essential. Guarding the surface from direct Sun exposure, raindrops and wind helps the biology of the soil to stabilize and diversify. The more broad and prolific the microbiome becomes, the more stable it is as well. In this time of climate destabilization, having any soil that is resistant to both flood and drought, which again, the 1% concentration of quality biochar can achieve. Not tilling, a gentle opening of the soil with a braodfork, insertaed and leaned back on ten or fifteen degrees, just a bit to get air into tight soils, can be helpful, but keeping the majority of large and small structures in the soil intact is essential to soil health. That is why you armor as well, to protect the "little ones" in the soil profile who make it possible for both air and water to get in! When you till, the first thing to go is the large structures, and their carbon reserve in the soil gets lost. Next to go with continued tilling are the small structures and then, you just have dirt.
Just as I feel strongly about keeping the word char for sterile charcoal distinct from biochar which is alive and emulates healthy native soils. If you have ever seen dirt and know what soil is, you could not argue that those two words apply to different materials as well. I have been so dirty that I had soil on me, but the vast majority of it we prefer to leave in the garden beds. We have a preliminary hand wash prior to going in the house and that water gets used on plants often. Keeping your biochar at home becomes essential when you know how transformative it can be. Keeping living roots in the soil because they are the large structures that also help get air, moisture and sugars, when they are healthy; into the soil to feed microbes.
Fostering diversity also helps to stabilize both microclimate and helps feed a thriving soil microbiome. If you apply these five principles, your soil will revive and you can do all of this with virtually no inputs. I have and I can guide anyone through the process.

Traitors at the Helm

I have taken the long view for over half a Century. I detest ever having to say I told you so. Now we know that the Hippies were right! I've written this before, but we now have a transgression so vile that it deserves repeating. The five Supreme Court Justices, who allowed landowners to fill and grade over wetlands, the same ones that protect from flood and contamination of the aquifer, upon which we all depend. That is a serious erosion of both the Clean Water Act and fifty years of law. Chief Justice, John Roberts, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Grosuch and Amy Coney Barrett have in one decision cast over half of all wetlands as developable, (to the wolves) leaving each of the fifty states, free to develop their own rules, or not; a vacant, unscientific, ignorant of physics, "let er rip." message to millions of private landowners who want to "develop" in wetland. What it means though, is put impermeable surfaces out there. One of the most repugnant and sad features about the case that the desision was made upon, is that the landowners were told, before they did any work, by consultants they hired, that wetlands existed there, they just ignored the professional, hauled in tons of gravel, graded it flat and began to build. Anything without a "permanent connection" to a flowing stream is now exempt from the intent and words of the Clean Water Act. If that is not treason, I'm not sure what is!class="separator" style="clear: both;">