Combining various Christian aspects with ancient pagan traditions, the early Americans began celebrating spring festivals about the latter part of the Colonial era; however the type of celebration was dependent upon the area of the country. Puritan New England saw the celebrations as pagan, and even followed very strict celebrations of Easter. The Southern states, where the climate was moderate to semi-tropical for most of the year, held planting festivals and barbecues or outdoor parties. Spring, especially for the Southern aristocracy, was the beginning of the social season start with New Orleans’ MardiGras and Charleston’s St. Cecilia Balls. This was also the beginning of the horse racing season in the South and many of the balls and celebrations coincided with the opening of the various race tracks. The Mid-Atlantic states celebrated what we, today, think of as being a more traditional Spring Festival.
Spring Festivals throughout New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania focused primarily on the planting and rebirth aspect of the season as well as the end of winter. Homes would be opened up and thoroughly cleaned while fields were plowed in preparation of the planting season. After the work was finished, quite often, the area farmers and their families would go to the local town where various festivities were held. Here they would find markets where plants and seeds were offered for sale alongside jellies, preserves and baked goods made by the local women. Music and dancing, entertainments for the children and auctions of household and farm items were always a part of these holidays. Many times the local militia units would gather and drill and often political campaigning was found. The early Suffragettes and Temperance leaders could often be found at these events promoting their causes, while the town’s tradesmen such as the blacksmiths and wheel wrights were kept busy repairing the local farmer’s vehicles.
We have festivals like this here in Oregon. Our community includes a lovely mix of families, visiting cyclists, birders nature lovers, foodies, retirees, dog parents (with dog, of course), and horse folks as well as alpaca and organic farmers. We also have barbecue and live music (although the homemade breads are just as likely to be made by the men). It is true that "The more things change, the more they stay the same"; good people can be found anywhere you find jellies, preserves and baked goods. (1)
Information on a call for papers on Disability and Religion comes to us care of Erynn at Book of Leaves who writes:
They're asking specifically for Pagan contributions among other potential topics. I know several folks on my flist who would be qualified in a number of ways to address these issues.
Perhaps you do, too. The details are below - pass it on.
For those of you attending PantheaCon in February, Erynn will attending, and I believe, presenting at least one workshop.
Speaking of PantheaCon, Ocean at Deaf Pagan Crossroadswrites that this year the conference in San Jose will offer sign language interpreters for the first time in their 15 year history. (Well done, PCon!) She also writes about theschedule of workshops and lists a link to the PDF file for same at her website. Check it out.
My tips for the 4 day party and spiritual marathon that is PantheaCon:
1. There is so much to do that it can be a bit overwhelming. Make sure you eat well and get some rest while you are there. 2. Attend any workshops offered by Anne Hill or Thalassa Porter. (Disclaimer: Both women are friends of mine, and they also offer amazing workshops). 3. When you go into the infamous Vendor Room make at least one full turn around the large hotel ballroom before you even think about spending any money. Have a good friend hold on to your wallet for a while and keep yourself on a budget; this is a dangerous place. No Pagan person should ever be confronted by that many books, sexy clothes, handcrafted goodies and shiny things all in one place - it's just too cruel.
Have fun,
Sia
*** Call for papers Title: World Religions and Disability: Cross-Cultural and Interdisciplinary Perspectives Edited by: Darla Schumm and Michael Stoltzfus Deadline for abstract submissions: May 1, 2009 Email: dschumm@hollins.edu and mjstoltz@valdosta.edu
The editors of World Religions and Disability: Cross-Cultural and Interdisciplinary Perspectives invite contributions for an inter-disciplinary and cross-cultural collection of essays that critically examine how the religions of the world represent, understand, theologize, theorize and respond to disability and/or chronic illness. Religious teachings and practices help to establish cultural standards for what is deemed “normal” human physical and mental behavior and in establishing a moral order for the fit and healthy body and mind. Religion plays an important role in determining how disability is understood and how persons with disabilities are treated or mistreated in a given historical-cultural context.
The existent literature exploring intersections between religion and disability typically focuses on a single religious tradition or cultural context, often prioritizing a Judeo-Christian approach. In response to the challenges and opportunities posed by a post-modern, pluralistic, global world, our goal in this volume is to promote interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, and inter-religious conversations regarding world religions and disability. We welcome a wide variety of methodological and theoretical approaches including ethnography, historical, cultural, or textual analysis, personal narrative, and theological/philosophical investigation. Contributors are especially encouraged to incorporate into their analysis literature and theoretical perspectives from the growing field of disability studies. Our aim is to produce a comparative text discussing religion and disability which gives voice to scholars and practitioners of many of the world’s rich and varied religious traditions.
Abstracts not to exceed 600 words are due by May 1, 2009 and should be sent to: dschumm@hollins.edu and mjstoltz@valdosta.edu.
The abstracts will be reviewed and decisions will be made regarding inclusion in the volume by June 15, 2009. Please note that acceptance of an abstract does not guarantee inclusion in the collection; editors will review and make final decisions upon receipt of the completed essays.
Any questions may also be directed to Darla Schumm and Michael Stoltzfus at the addresses listed above.
Possible topics may include, but are not limited to: Asian religions and disability Indigenous and/or native religions and disability Disability and inter-religious comparison, contrast, and dialogue Celtic, Druid, and/or Wiccan religions and disability Religious and/or sacred texts and disability Religion, prejudice, ethics and disability Religious conceptions of creation, evil, sin, healing, suffering and disability Religious/philosophical conceptions of the body or self and disability Founders of religions (i.e. Mohammad, Buddha, Jesus, etc.) and their encounters with disability The shaping of identity, religion, and disability Religious rituals and the inclusion or exclusion of persons with disabilities Critical perspectives on religion and disability Theologies of disability
Feel free to copy the following to your blog and spread the word. Let poetry bless the blogosphere once again!
WHAT: A Bloggers (Silent) Poetry Reading
WHEN: Anytime February 2, 2009
WHERE: Your blog
WHY: To celebrate the Feast of Brigid, aka Groundhog Day
HOW: Select a poem you like - by a favorite poet or one of your own - to post February 2nd.
RSVP: If you plan to publish, feel free to leave a comment and link on this post. Last year when the call went out there was more poetry in cyberspace than I could keep track of. So, link to whoever you hear about this from and a mighty web of poetry will be spun.
Feel free to pass this invitation on to any and all bloggers.
Thank you, Reya, for beginning what is now an annual event.
Here are some of the characteristics that come to the forefront this year; perhaps they come just in time:
The Ox is the sign of prosperity through fortitude and hard work. This powerful sign is a born leader, being quite dependable and possessing an innate ability to achieve great things. As one might guess, such people are dependable, calm, and modest. Like their animal namesake, the Ox is unswervingly patient, tireless in their work, and capable of enduring any amount of hardship without complaint.
... An Ox person has a very logical mind and is extremely systematic in whatever they do, though they have a tremendous imagination and an unparalleled appreciation for beauty. These people speak little but are extremely intelligent. When necessary, they are articulate and eloquent.
People born under the influence of the Ox are kind, caring souls, logical, positive, filled with common sense and with their feet firmly planted on the ground. Security is their main preoccupation in life, and they are prepared to toil long and hard in order to provide a warm, comfortable and stable nest for themselves and their families. Strong-minded, stubborn, individualistic, the majority are highly intelligent individuals who don't take kindly to being told what to do.
The Ox works hard, patiently, and methodically, with original intelligence and reflective thought. These people enjoy helping others...(more information can be found at the link above)
A 2005 article at SF Gate reminds us that Lunar New Year is a good time to clear out the old. I don't know about you, but I find it a lot more enjoyable to be clearing out the old since inauguration day.
While the Kitchen God is on hiatus in the sky, on Earth a flurry of cleaning takes place at homes and businesses.
For some it's the standard vacuuming and dusting, but, if possible, the windows and walls get washed, neglected corners behind refrigerators and stoves and furniture get cleaned out and closets organized. What's old and not useful is discarded, what can be saved is repaired.
But the star of the ritual is the broom, which, when used, represents sweeping out any residue of bad luck from the old year, to prepare for the new.
No cleaning, especially sweeping, will be done on New Year's Day when the Kitchen God takes his place by the stove again. No washing, for fear of washing luck away. Cooking for the New Year's feast is completed the day before and knives put away so luck won't be cut but instead will flow.
Food for Chinese New Year
Here is some information on food and recipes for the celebration.
"When the flower blooms, it brings prosperity," said Terese Tse Bartholomew, curator of the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. "That's why you have to have blooming flowers on New Year's Day. No matter if you're rich or poor, you have to have it."
In Chinatown one recent afternoon, people could be seen clutching branches of pink-budding quince, trying not to poke their neighbors. Vendors haggled over prices with passers-by.
Red and yellow are the favored colors of flowers this time of year, representing luck and prosperity. Quince is used as a substitute for peach trees, which, as Bartholomew puts it, is the Christmas tree of the Lunar New Year. Peach trees represent longevity, Bartholomew said.
Oranges and tangerines, considered auspicious fruits, are also sold in large quantities during the Lunar New Year. A pair of mandarin oranges, together with a red envelope of money, is placed near the pillow of every child in the family, according to Bartholomew.
The Year of the Ox, 2009, is symbolized by two elements – earth sitting on top of earth. According to the 5 element cycle of birth and destruction, which governs the inter-relationship between each of the 5 elements, earth and earth are like brothers and sisters, they do not have birth nor have a destructive relationship with each other. They can be friends and they can be competitors.
Therefore, earth sitting on earth is not a sign of conflict. The Earth on top is Yin (feminine) earth which symbolizes a garden, the garden gives sense of harmony, peace and relaxation. The Ox underneath is actually matching, the picture of a peaceful field with ox eating grass.
It is anticipated this elemental relationship will bring a year of more harmony and peace in international relationships - a year for healing and relaxation from the turbulent times the world has recently experienced. It is a time for rebuilding and reconstructions from the damage brought by war and natural disasters, and the financial tsunami of 2008, a time to seek peace, narrow the differences between different cultures, religious beliefs and begin to care for one another, and to make some achievement in solving the global warming issue. Thus, it is a year of pure earth element and the theme for this year should be caring for our planet earth.
The Chinese calendar year goes on 60 year cycle. This means that we have experienced the same year of yin earth on the Ox in 1949, a year when the world order basically settled down, a year when countries were healing from the devastation of WWII, a more peaceful and stable environment. Though it was still a time of confrontation between USSR and the west (USSR testing their first atomic bomb in August 1949) it was still a year of no major conflicts between nations, and a year of construction and rebuilding after WWII.
Astrology is one of the earliest Chinese arts, most people in the West today are familiar with its 12 animal signs, but it has been influencing the lives of the Chinese centuries ago. Chinese horoscope is based upon philosophical or even mathematical conception of existence, though today it no longer plays such an important role in affairs of state, and yet it still absorbs the interest of millions of people all over the world.
Chinese invented a system named Jikkan Junishi (literally 10 stems and 12 branches). The 10 heavenly stems referred yin-yang principles and the elements of wood, fire, earth, metal and water. The 12 earthly branches included 12 animals: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and wild boar. The 10 stems and 12 branches were used together to create a cycle of 60 two-symbol combinations. The complex calendar, called the sexagenarian cycle. Typically the calendar is depicted in a line, but when written out in a circle, the symbols are also used to note the time of day and directions. For example, the period between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. corresponds roughly to the hour of the rat and points north. The horse indicates a two-hour interval around midday and points south.
What you are entering now, Mr. President and Mr. Vice President, will tend to draw you away from your ethical center. But we, the nation that you serve, need you to hold the ground of your deepest values, of our deepest values.
Beyond this moment of high hopes, we need you to stay focused on our shared hopes, so that we can continue to hope, too.
We will follow your lead.
There is a story attributed to Cherokee wisdom:
One evening a grandfather was teaching his young grandson about the internal battle that each person faces.
"There are two wolves struggling inside each of us," the old man said.
"One wolf is vengefulness, anger, resentment, self-pity, fear...
"The other wolf is compassion, faithfulness, hope, truth, love..."
The grandson sat, thinking, then asked: "Which wolf wins, Grandfather?"
His grandfather replied, "The one you feed."
Thank you, Dr. Watkins. that is a lovely story and one I will keep close to my heart. As a feminist, I can celebrate that fact that the Rev. Sharon Watkins is the first woman to lead the National Prayer Service. Speaking spiritually, she had, as t'were, the last word in this inauguration and it is therefore fitting that she should quote the first people.
I hope that President Obama is blessed with an appreciation for all wild creatures, including wolves. I notice that he already has what many call wolf wisdom.
Wolf is the pathfinder, the forerunner of new ideas who returns to the clan to teach and share medicine. Wolf takes one mate for life and is loyal like Dog. If you were to keep company with Wolves, you would find an enormous sense of family within the pack, as well as a strong individualistic urge. These qualites make Wolf very much like the human race. As humans, we also have an ability to be a part of society and yet still embody our individual dreams and ideas.
In the Great Star Nation, Wolf is represented by the Dog Star, Sirius... thought to be the home of the gods by ancient Egyptians...still considered so by the Dogan tribe in Africa. It stands to reason that Native American peoples would formulate this same connection and adopt Wolf people as the clan of teachers.
Our stylish and thoughtful First Lady makes some interesting choices, both in the causes she supports and the clothes she chooses to wear. Here is what she said about the dress she wore to the Swearing In Ceremony:
Toledo, who only learned that Obama would wear her design early Tuesday morning, told The Associated Press, "It's not just my moment and hers, but it's the world's." She said she chose the "lemon grass" color of the outfit for the optimism it represents, fitting as the Obama campaign based its message on hope and optimism.
"That color has sunshine in it," she said. (1)
She was smart enough to wear a dress with silk layers and a pashmina lining (2) that would keep her warm, and she walked on high heals, in the cold, and she stood during much of the parade, smiling and waving and looking like she appreciated every single element of that day. Well done.
I am very pleased to see her focusing on the needs of military families, as well as keeping a close eye on her need for balance and the needs of her girls.
This article also contains some lovely pictures of the Obamas. They look like a close and loving family. I love that. This is energy we need right now.
(1) Earthwise readers will appreciate the layers of meaning in her choice of lemongrass as a color - we know this herb. Lemongrass oil is associated with cleansing, healing, purification and the relief of depression - appropriate, yes? I often use it in ritual. Auroshikha and Troika both make a lovely incense from lemongrass.
(2) Wool gathering from these goats is sustainable and cruelty-free
That moment when the camera turns and we see the a flock of white birds sweep gently past the capital building while hearing this music played by a uniquely American quartet sums up so much of what I feel about this frabjous day. That, and seeing all the beautiful faces of those people standing shoulder to shoulder in the Washington Mall and watching the joy in the streets and all around the world. (1)
'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
"'Tis the gift to come down where you ought to be,
"And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
"'Twill be in the valley of love and delight."
Blessings on you and your family, Mr. President. Do good work.
May he be blessed with with far sight of hawk who flies both high and far but never forgets the way home. May the winds carry his words, uplifting all who hear them. May he draw strength from the earth, and from his own, deep roots and may these simple gifts keep him strong and connected. May his strong passion for knowledge and wisdom be strengthened by the fires of freedom, bravely tended by those who went before, and rekindled by all of us standing together this day. May compassion, tolerance and deep tides of understanding flow through him like water. May he ride out the storms that come in safety, while guiding us all to safe harbor, ensuring a better future for all our children and the renewal of a dream.
Why sage the White House? Because we need to. That ...man and his evil friends are leaving behind some very bad mojo.
Picture the prince, such as most of them are today: a man ignorant of the law, well-nigh an enemy to his people's advantage, while intent on his personal convenience, a dedicated voluptuary, a hater of learning, freedom and truth, without a thought for the interests of his country, and measuring everything in terms of his own profit and desires. - Desiderius Erasmus
The clean-up starts today.
Like many others, I'll be doing my own little blessing and cleansing ceremony from here. I wish I could be with them in D.C. Thank you Kate Clinton, this is such a lovely idea. (1)
Other folks will be using their brooms to sweep the place clean, as t'were - also a good idea.
It is fitting that this work should begin on this particular day. For further inspiration, I recommend reading President Elect Obama'sessay on Dr. Martin Luther King.
Do good work.
Hope and Faith on Inauguration Day: Let the Dream Continue.....
A number of people have weighed in on the issue of Rick Warren (AKA Obama's favorite fundamentalist) speaking at the Inauguration. The Wild Hunt has a collection of these essays that are worth reading. Speaking for myself, Mr. Warren's presence will not spoil an event which I plan to celebrate with joy and gusto.(2)
I look forward to hearing the remarks of Josephy Lowery, a noted civil rights leader and gay Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson. A woman, the Rev. Sharon Watkins, will lead the National Prayer Service, which is a first worthy of our attention. So, the Christian community is represented by a white Evangelical who is on the forefront of the aids issue and global warming but sadly far behind the times on gay rights, choice and respect for other traditions and faiths. But, we will also hear a noted black civil rights champion, a gay Bishop and a female leader of that faith, all speaking on the same day. It's not the diversity I dream of as a Pagan but it is more diversity than we have seen thus far. I will be interested to see who speaks to the heart of the nation in their remarks.
Update 11:00 am:Shame on HBO (and how sad for us listening to NPR which was relying on the HBO feed) for not airing Bishop Robinson's opening prayer for the President to the entire nation. Here is the link to his invocation.Here is an excerpt:
Bless us with tears – for a world in which over a billion people exist on less than a dollar a day, where young women from many lands are beaten and raped for wanting an education, and thousands die daily from malnutrition, malaria, and AIDS.
Bless us with anger – at discrimination, at home and abroad, against refugees and immigrants, women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
Bless us with discomfort – at the easy, simplistic “answers” we’ve preferred to hear from our politicians, instead of the truth, about ourselves and the world, which we need to face if we are going to rise to the challenges of the future.
Bless us with patience – and the knowledge that none of what ails us will be “fixed” anytime soon, and the understanding that our new president is a human being, not a messiah.
Bless us with humility – open to understanding that our own needs must always be balanced with those of the world.
Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance – replacing it with a genuine respect and warm embrace of our differences, and an understanding that in our diversity, we are stronger.
Bless us with compassion and generosity – remembering that every religion’s God judges us by the way we care for the most vulnerable in the human community, whether across town or across the world.
Meanwhile, the earthwise and those who celebrate interfaith efforts will do what we have always done, which is to celebrate our own traditions and join with others of like mind without official sanction or support.
We must be the change we wish to see
This is a good time to remember as Gandhi said, that the "We must be the change we wish to see". Expectations are high for Mr. Obama, it's true, and I also ask, "What are we going to do to support him and our country?" As one student writer recently wrote for The Nation
If we as a nation are to have any hope of successfully confronting the challenges we face, it is essential that our definition of what it means to be an American be expanded and enriched.
Today is about service. Let us not forget those who serve overseas, and let us offer some form of community service, ourselves.
Tomorrow we party.
Sia Honor the Past, Celebrate the Present, Create the Future
(1) You can read more about this at the link above which takes you to Ms. Clinton's website. Also, the Bay Area Reporter states that a lesbian couple joined the Obama train ride and notes that:
Lesbian comedian Kate Clinton has organized a "saging" at a popular gay spot in Washington, D.C., to "lift out the bad spirits out of Washington, D.C. and, symbolically, out of the country," prior to Obama's inauguration on Tuesday. While Clinton and a shaman will be carrying out the ceremony in D.C., Clinton is urging others to do their own "saging" wherever they are – at 6:15 p.m. on Monday. Clinton will serve as one of two emcees for the "Inaugural Peace Ball:" at the National Postal Museum on Tuesday night, along with author Alice Walker, singers Holly Near, ToshiReagon, Joan Baez, Harry Belafonte and others.
I am reading The Anthropology of Turquoise: Reflections on Desert, Sea, Stone and Sky which is just about the best nature writing I've found since Annie Dillard. Poetic, clear sighted, funny, fully alive and achingly aware, the book is by Ellen Meloy, who left us far too soon.I will be in the high desert this September and her books are coming with me. These are Eating Stone, The Last Cheaters Waltz, the Anthropology of Turquoise and Raven's Exile.
I finished Nation by Terry Pratchett a while back and I was thinking about it's lessons again today. It is a novel written for young people which deals with the idea of belief in the gods and cultural teachings, some of which survive after a disaster hits a small island nation and some of which does not. As readers of this blog know, I love Pratchett's work and this book is no exception. No matter your age, I think you will find something of worthy and compelling in this story.
Another book by Terry titledWintersmith is good read for anyone who is snowed in just now.
The sun came out the last two days and I am feeling much better as we dance the last turn of winter. The days are getting longer now and the light is changing and the nights, for now, are clear. Standing under a glittering dome of stars last night helped my mood immensely, as does seeing Mt Hood gleam across the valley under it's thick cap of snow.
I took a walk with Madam, my dog, in the very early morning last week and we found a lacy spider's web on a moss covered branch near the river. It was full of water droplets that had condensed on the web. Each drop shined in the sun like so many tiny crystal balls; each one a little round rainbow. Some days I just stand still in awe, looking at the beauty around me. Gods, how I wish that I could paint. Someone asked us all the other day - as seekers always do - where it is that the earthwise can find the teachers to take us to the next level of our practice. My best answer for that has always been "Ask, and the lessons will come. They will come from the oddest places and often from people you don't expect. Just keep asking." As for me, I hope that reading writers like Dillard and Meloy and taking my daily walks with god-in-the-form-of-dog, is teaching me how to look more closely at the world so I can take in more of it's mystery and joy. Does looking closer take us any deeper into wisdom? I think it does, especially with such good companions as these to share the journey. I need this wisdom every day and my thanks go out to friends and the many fine writers who choose to share their insights with the rest of us. I don't have a lot to offer to their wisdom but I'll try. (1) Take a look at the picture of the necklace I've posted here. The stones aren't a perfect match but they make a lovely, potent circle. Earthwise lessons are like that. Don't expect to learn everything about your practice from books, rituals, teachers or groups. I know that many of us long for guidance and some guidance from those are further along the path is both is good and necessary. Let us ask ourselves if they have life wisdom to go with that learning. It also important - I would even say crucial - that we allow this journey to become one that is uniquely our own. Our connection to the sacred (however we choose to define that) is one only we can forge. For what it's worth, few of my deepest Pagan experiences were anything like the mystic costume fantasy we read about in books; so much of it is simple, daily and quiet. We don't need to create intense drama every time we want ritual, and certainly not in our teaching, which is best done when it's heart to heart. I would urge any seekers to look for bits of wisdom and experiences that will mix in ways that form a greater and more beautiful whole. We will find wisdom and connection when and where we least expect them but only if we have learned to recognize their value. To anyone else they will seem like so many rocks and burdens. We look and then we see and in doing so we find gems of meaning that were hidden and unregarded right under our feet. From this we can make something special, a necklace, prayer beads, altar stones or art; something that truly suits our unique, creative spirit and supports us every day we walk this path.
When I was working out my thoughts about this some years ago I wrote an essay titled "The Shadow Knows". It's not an answer for everyone, it is simply my own answer, which in brief is this: We get beyond teachers and circles and at this point we learn from ourselves and our choices. We turn around, look in the mirror and ask the hard questions that lurk in the shadows. We go back to blood and bone. In doing so we often find others on the path who ask the same questions and who aren't afraid of the answers. Sometimes we walk a path together for a while, not in ritual, per se, but simply by living as earthwise people every day. It may come to be that the only rituals we do are to go outside and say "Thank you" or that we keep them only for special times in our lives.
Paying attention was crucial for me then and now. Clearing out my emotional closet was also key because there were things there that were standing between me and my highest good (define that as one will). This is a challenge, a deep one, but there is no pass or fail here. It is simply that we choose to walk through this time and learn what is next for us or we do not. The essence of this journey for me was to seek my highest good, as I said, but also to find the will and the wisdom to follow it.
So, for what it's worth, I'll offer the link to the essay: The Shadow Knows
Take what you need and leave the rest. It may be that no one can lead us because the path becomes so deeply individual at this point - that's necessary because so much of it is about healing - but it still doesn't mean we walk alone. Many of us leave our original circles, groups and teachers at this point. Many go on to find our teachers in the oddest of places. Some of us find that we need to seek out new companions, as well, people of like mind, people who's emotional and spiritual health matches our own, and we start our own circle, avoiding some mistakes of the past while we learn from each other. It's always been that way; few of us have ever found everything we need ready made.
Like so many others, I watched the TV closely yesterday to see the fate of those on flight 1549. It was only later, sitting with my partner and discussing the crash, (1) that I realized what a lovely bit of poetic justice had just occurred; a story about a real hero (and an honest to gods pilot) had pushed the fake one off our collective stage. It seemed fitting that no one was paying much attention to President's Bush's last pathetic attempt to rewrite history; we had better things to think about.
My thoughts go out to the family and friends of those who survived that day and to all those who rushed in to help.
As the daughter of an engineer who helped design many of the safety systems on today's modern airplanes, including I might add, the inflatable evacuation slide you see in this picture, I would also like to tip my hat to the engineers and technicians involved; the men and women who design these planes to withstand just such incidents and who keep them running well so that you and I can come safely back to the arms of our loved ones. Kudos, as well, to the boat captains who responded so quickly, the coast guard divers who plunged into icy waters to help others, and to the plane's personnel and passengers who kept their heads and handled this terrifying emergency so well.
May courage like this come to you when you need it most.
There is another bit of poetic justice I would like to share. Almost 50 years ago to the day, my father, then a newly minted aerospace engineer, stood at the bank of the East River at night, in the bitter cold of winter, and watched crash experts carefully pull the bodies of fathers, mothers and young children out of the water after a passenger plane crash-landed in the water. Few survived that crash and even though reasons for the crash had nothing to do with him, I know that the sight of those families haunted my father in a ways that his experiences in WWII never did. (2) On that day he said to himself what hero's say in such cases, "This will not happen again, not on my watch". These are words we can take to heart as we move forward as a nation to fix what has been broken by those who betrayed our trust.
Go well, stay well,
Sia
Photo: from the BBC, taken by a passenger on one of the boats who then helped several people to safety.
(1) As the daughter and wife of engineers in a family with a long history of producing all types of same (including aerospace, mining, electrical, mechanical and software engineers) on both sides, we take such stories pretty personally around here. Woe unto you if you produce a movie or a book and you get the science wrong.
(2) The crash was due to a small, technical design flaw which came to light that day on a plane that had been flying safely for years before my father even started his career. This is the sort of thing that keeps these men and women awake at night.
The rainforests of the South Nguru Mountains in eastern Tanzania were virtually unexplored until the arrival of Michele Menegon, a researcher from the Natural Science Museum of Trento, Italy, in 2004. She immediately began compiling a comprehensive list of reptile and amphibian species in the area. Five years later, a total of seventeen previously unknown species have been discovered.
Read the whole story at the link above - it will make your day.
A little cafe near Portland used to have this painting of a skinny, golden-eyed black cat on their wall. This little cat looked, as my father used to say, "like trouble waiting to happen". Underneath her portrait were the words "Bad kitty - Offender of Justice". It was a sweet painting, one clearly done by a Cat Slave like myself. I sometimes think about revisiting that cafe and asking if it's for sale.
I was reminded of this artwork just recently when I read an article about Frankie the cat burglar. Frankie doesn't steal because he's poor. Frankie steals because he can.
Temple Grandin would call this SEEKING behavior (1). I'd have to add a bit of larceny-as-PLAY in there, as well.
Go, Frankie.
Sia
Endnotes:
(1) The caps are her doing. If you like reading about animals, you'll want to check out her new book titled Animals Make Us Human. You can listen to an interview with Dr. Grandinhere at NPR.
Why you should adopt a black cat instead of an orange one? Do dogs need a pack leader or a poppa? And how do you to draw blood from an antelope without terrifying it? These are some of the questions author and animal advocate Temple Grandin answers in her new book, Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals.
Oh, to be atCES now that winter's here. I would go as much for the sunshine as the tech, since it's in Vegas, but like everyone else, we are traveling less, so I will content myself by reading about it on CNET.
Today we look (yet again) for the propane truck to arrive. If the truck driver sees the tiniest bit of snow, he scurries like a timid groundhog back into his truck and won't come down our road for another week. (1)
Sia
(1) Our home and water heaters both run on gas and we have a propane tank in the side yard. Try getting that re-filled during a snowstorm....which is why I spend my time reading up on solar panels and affordable electric systems. One of these days, we'll get off the grid, but that day is not yet here.
Starting with the new year, Oregon and Washington are launching e-cycling programs to help keep electronics out of landfills.
As of January 1, it is free to drop off items like computers and TVs at permanent collection sites.
Read on to see where these are located, and how to find local sites across the US.
Steve Jobs:
On different yet related note: My best wishes go out to Steve Jobs and his family on his attempts to improve his health. May he have a steady recovery and many more years to be with his children and focus on the greening and improvement of Apple products. Business Week reports that:
..investors are becoming more interested in the big consumer and tech companies. In part, that's because President-elect Barack Obama promised to cut global-warming emissions and is including green energy programs in his massive infrastructure stimulus plan. The U.S. could adopt a so-called cap and trade program for greenhouse gases, which would place limits on emissions. The policy would likely make fossil fuels more expensive, producing a ripple effect on balance sheets of these sprawling companies. Wal-Mart (WMT), for example, produces nearly 20 million tons a year of greenhouse gases, about the same as a utility.
Consumer and tech companies have additional financial incentives to go green. Increasingly, consumers want products that use less energy and they're avoiding companies associated with environmentally harmful practices or products, Ceres argues. That presents companies with an opportunity to be more competitive and enter new markets. IBM and Wal-Mart, for instance, are pushing for the development of products that help cut energy and carbon use—from more efficient flat-screen TVs to so-called intelligent energy grids that can monitor energy use and adjust pricing accordingly.
Here's to offering more good news throughout 2009,
Photo:Green witch costume at buycostumes.com. Do you suppose if we all wore this when we marched in and made our demands to corporations they might pay a bit more attention?
