Water Droplets

Now I am back inside, after changing out of the wet garments from the walk in the rain to observe and contemplate how it would be best to communicate what it is like observing out in the natural world. It is amazing what can be noticed, noting what then must be left unobserved, obscured by holding focus on the chosen subjects that pass by the minds eye while deliberately walking down a trail. Walking along I considered just how little I would be willing to describe, when considering the total that was before my eye out there. With so many subjects available, what is interesting, and what can be concisely worded to hold the attention of both myself and any potential audience. Here goes.

I prepared for stepping out the door into the steady almost heavily falling rain, by first retrieving a fresh change of clothing to await my return. I grabbed that old Gore-Tex coat that I now call soak-tex, it is old, put on a rim hat and out the door. First off I noticed just how heavy the rain was falling. Within moments I felt the chill of water on my skin, yet I knew it would be so. I went down the porch steps, crossed the lawn, turned right and stepped onto the muddy trail. I noted, vocalizing the words be careful, it might be slick. Immediately my pants contacted the sagging foliage heavy with water clinging to apparently every available space that could support droplets, absorbing every drop that contacted them. Again I noted the cool temperature, shockingly for a grief second. Soon the pant legs were saturated, I almost felt like a kid again out walking in the rain, just because I can.

As I walked along the narrow trail, with its water laden plants now leaning in toward the trail’s center, I noticed the droplets of water. They were both in motion and rock still. I saw little bitty ones that broke apart flying from the brim on my hat more than once, with a whack, they burst off, arching downward, passing out of sight. The drops clung to the plants keeping an equilibrium between its hydrogen bonding and gravity. The droplets suspended in what ever form shine like diamonds almost. Unlike diamonds though, their edges dome up, forming beads that can hang or stand alone. As I walked past the low branch of a pine, its needles hung down with differing sized drops at each needles tip. They hung there near motionless gleaming out with refracted backward images, reflections in a miniaturized scale, having bright crescent margins, sagging to gravity. A leaf blade of grass bent fully over with its upper surface segmented into a vee, had a solitary droplet standing on the uppermost apex of its arch. I thought it astounding, just how a drop of water perched itself forming a squat rounded dome like shape having a slightly flattened upper surface, with those crescent shaped reflections, dazzling at its edges. I also noted that some leaves seem to be hydrophobic, repelling the rain, causing the water to bead up, which is likely the same cause that formed the droplet on the blade of grass. Yet on the leaves of the snowberry bushes, this repulsion of water was more pronounced than the way water clung to the leaves of other plant species. I intuit that as the raindrops strike the leaves, the impact can disrupt its form, the collision busting the falling droplet into very small droplets. With all possible conditions available, some of these smaller fragments can again light upon the leaf and come to rest, apparently suspended on the leafs surface, in locations where the slope of the leaf was small enough to allow its rest. Water out in the natural world interacts in unique ways. It causes many of the shapes we as humans adore. All one must do is recollect the sight of a waterfall or a solitary droplet standing on the surface of a leaf while walking in the rain. Water is that precious resource seemingly here in great abundance, following gravities pull ever down via that path of least resistance.

World in Changes, a New Direction

Finally I figured out a good thing to do with this blog that fits with its original name somewhat appropriately.  Even so, this change brings with it a course correction.  No longer is the intension to communicate a political stance as it has in the past.  In spite of that, I can still depict changes in the world that can be observed on a daily basis if one chooses to look.  I always look and evaluate the things I see.  I began observing as a child.  Really what we as humans observe is based in what and where we observe that which crosses our ability to view. 

I live in rural North America, fully away from towns or cities.  It is but seldom that I find myself within the concrete jungle, paved or otherwise obscured by the creations of humanity.   I try to be outside more than I actually achieve being outside.  This thing we experience as, "getting old," combined with disability, seems to alter my will for being outside during periods of inclement weather, especially those associated with winter.   In this blog I now hope to share the experiences of observation while outside in the rather natural setting that I live around or otherwise stated as what lives around me. 

I have been living in this local for 23 years now, granting me the opportunity to get to know what also lives in this area both fixed to it, as in the plants, but also the transient animals living in and around this  place that I call home.  During my time here, I’ve studied the flowering plants that live here.  With this, I've photographed a majority of the plants that occur here, hoping to capture images of the numerous flowers that these species create.  For these photographs I made a website which, with its  bulk is actually an inventory of a sort.  The website is located here: http://birdbox.us/plants/index.html.  I imagine or otherwise hope that within the course of this blog I will refer to the photos contained there in, because I find the plants the photographs represent as an important part of my life experience.

For subsequent editions in the blog, I will write out the observations noted during living here in this location.

Liberty Plaza, in Memorial

I am remembering the days in Liberty Plaza from here nearing on two years later.  It was a good trip but it was over all too soon.  Government doesn't want Occupy Wall Street to be now, as much as it didn't want these truths known and or talked of, in public, on the airwaves where the general public might learn something, then.  Thus the movement has faded from view.  My memory holds the truths of the days as a fond bit of understanding.  I can remember as can those who followed as closely as did I. 

I remember very well my own days, glued to my computer screen, watching the live streams that originated from the Media Tent, with the might of camera, Lorenzo, and Dwayne.  Pardon me if I spelled the names incorrectly.  There was another few broadcasters that visited as my computer screen from the Media Tent, although I can't recall their names from here, the distance of time.  Then there is the distance of it all being in the abstraction of coming from this computer thing.  What a blessing, to live in these times where things are or at least they were, possible.  Now, today, I am unsure that the kind of movement could again erupt due to government having such close taps on our information.  Yet now we better know why the failure happened.  The plans were all subverted by the infiltrators of government, spies in the midst of the good fight.

But to those who gave their all for the good cause, those mentioned above as well as all the thousands of others who were a part of the movement, I want to thank you now, before moving on to another phase.  It was a good and exciting time, one of growth.  We brought on some very small changes.  Now the world knows who the 99% are in the least.  My hat is off to you all. 

Springs loss from a winter of defeat

Spring 2012 has shown up with a huge loss of "the big Mo" carry over from the late fall and winter's devastation. The State has effectively shut it down through many schemes, from the outlawing of occupation of live-in-camps to an infiltration into the core of the individual groups. I can find but a small amount of information now days as compared to last fall, when trying to find out what is happening today. The live-streams that were so powerful in the fall have all but evaporated. They are still there, although they are with near nil content and viewership. Where is the UneditedCamera, Lorenzo? I miss the voice, the power of your rich content. It could be that I am simply missing it, through my looking at incorrect times of day or weeks, though when I now look, where is it. Truly I have not been looking nearly as much for the reason that there is little content to be found, little draw to keep me on the track of that deserving focus. I found this video this morning while watching RT.com today. Chris Hedges' interview (below) is quite telling.

The American Spring is Building

I suggest that the article from Truth Out's, Kevin Zeese, from March 23, 2012, be read by all. With the season of spring comes the American Spring and a strong possibility for the change imagined over the time period since September 17, 2011 brought on by the occupy movement. Many lessons have been learned since September 2011 that will add to the brewing hope, as spring weather allows greater comfort for the movement to again take to the streets.

Almost Gone

Similarly in this content's subject, I now point to an video interview done by Truth Out, found HERE. The unethical behavior of US policy of war is likely still just as real now as it was in the early days of our current war.

Economics and Capitalism at Work

I have to admit a decline in my own willingness to continually stay informed as to what goes on with #OWS, and Occupy in general over the past weeks. I do still regularly view livestream generally from though not exclusive to livestream.com/OccupyNYC where I also at times engage in the chatroom and attempt to observe the #OWS GA. I find the GA as a process is the only actual democracy in the US. There are undoubtedly many more real democratic processes going on other than the GA of Occupy in other locations, I simply don't know of it. Now that our federal state and local governments have for the most part become a part of the best democracy that money can buy, it no longer functions to serve the people. Thus we the people are left to pick up the crumbs and scraps that are left over.

Even the live streams I see from time to time are reruns showing a lot of violence brought on to the little people by the police who's real function is to protect the people from the possible brutality of others. The police have become the brutality they are paid to prevent in many instances. That observation is hard to digest emotionally. Thus when the livestream continually displays the reruns of this brutality, it turns me off, having seen so much of it on its original run through. I understand the the message has just cause to reveal this information about police brutality and the injustice they inflict, though I am rather unwilling to see this stuff again and again. Just as I am growing weary of hearing slogans like, "who's streets, our streets," "We are the 99 percent, you are the 99 percent," as well as so many other like pieces, redundant. With this being a fact, I watch less, and seemingly slip away from the movement to some degree.

I do however maintain my desire to learn, where as I search out information. Then sometimes information is handed to me through an association with another person. The word of mouth spread of information is what has led me to many personal discoveries really. This one which I intend to share here came that way, in talking to another person. I found the information shared by this person to be very pointed. I also believe that his analysis of current situations of social distress is accurately inclusive of the root to the national problems that have brought the Occupy movement into being. So take a look at this YouTube video and come to your own conclusions.

As I do here in this blog, I near strictly attempt to present information that may lead toward a greater awareness and understanding of the Occupy Wall Street Movement or more accurately, the Occupy movement from where ever it may be, north south east and west. So if you choose, watch, listen and learn.

Occupy on the radio WBAI NYC

It is a new day and the general brilliance of Occupy is continuing to be brought to the forefront. Case in point is that I am listening to the streaming broadcast of WBAI radio where currently Lou Reed is speaking along with a couple of others. It is brilliant on many levels. I will post this now and amend it later as new stuff gets out and in my brain.

So it is a happy day hearing this stuff on the radio (via the Internet, due to living in Idaho). There is so much truth in what I hear here. The truth of the Occupy Movement is very basic because most people live their lives struggling and are now pinched by the problems of the day. There is so much struggle and strife for the general public now days. The economic injustice is hitting us all, where and how we live. The movement is growing and though the actual physical occupation of spaces has been squashed to a large degree, the tactic is now moving away from holding space physically for many reasons, though it is adapting in a way that continues to bring the masses of protesters out to the streets on given days to support and protest specific issues on specific days.

The protesters of NYC remain, strong and bring their message to the world. Listen to WBAI radio as shown above, today. It is worth while! Looks like they are going to stop traffic on Canal Street, maybe, if I understand correctly. The police are of course trying to suppress.

It is cumbersome staying up to date with the occupy movement across the nation with the black-out in force by the general media. But I try, and I attempt to share the small amounts of information I can find. Now in truth I could type stuff here all day long, never finishing because there is always something new and important. The fact is I do have somewhat of a life, where as I have a will to continue living and doing things of my personal goals. My music composition is important to me, a time consumptive process to be involved in.

The radio is very good to hear. I generally avoid radio entirely, as I now also avoid television, because for the most part those media outlet sources no longer present the real news in favor of their very selective info-tainment programming. They want to put their own view. Wow now the radio is talking of the same thing I was just writing!

Life is about living, and I am on my way. Stay strong Occupy, Where Ever You ARE! Learn of the truth. Go to Occupy Wall Street dot org and maybe more importantly watch the live stream presentations that can be found at Occupy Streams dot org. Again stay strong and if not already, become informed with real information.

PEACE

Salamander Slime

A change in direction for the day, a distraction from the normal of my Occupy writings and desire to spread the word about the Occupy movement as the worth while cause I remain convinced it is. Like the Occupy movement is about equality and justice I contend that this write is about one of the symptoms which causes our people to go out to the street demonstrating what they know to be the improper behavior of people in powerful places. As a people we have just reason to recall and learn from history. This leads me to the topic of the day.

The 21^st day of January, 1997, was a historical day in the House of Representatives where, for the first time in the history of the Congress, it voted to discipline the Speaker of the House for Ethical wrong-doing. The fine imposed was for the amount $300,000.00. The guilty party admitted that he'd brought discredit to the House of Representatives, by breaking its rules and for giving false information to the House Ethics Committee. The convicted was none other than then House Speaker, Newt Gengrich. Where is the legitimacy for anyone to support his run for President of the United States. We should refrain from allowing liars and crooks from running for the office of the President of this country. The GOP is really out of touch with reality by allowing this guy to even be participating in their politics.

For more information about this, read the Wednesday, January 22, 1997 article from the Washington Post here. I mean please don't take my word for it. There is a lot more to the story than what this article states. Such as what did Newt actually do that brought on his political demise? But what is more, why do we not pay attention to history for the value it provides to steer toward a better future?

I think that people are becoming more aware in regards to some of what is happening, but only due to their own personal struggling, caused of the times, rather than out of their need or willingness to pay attention, to the why of the conditions, they now must live in and with. Those we pay to be leaders, are not leading toward a brighter future, but rather, to their own individual greater grasp on personal wealth. We individuals now have no representation in the halls of the Congress. I know this myself through my own participation in the system, wanting my voice to be heard by my own Representatives. I can see from the replies that I get in response that what I wrote to them was likely not even read, let alone considered as to its own merit. Generally these replies are non-germane to the issues or thoughts I expounded upon in my attempt to communicate with my representatives. It is a disgustingly broken system now. This is but one of the reasons, there is need for this Occupy Movement.

We
Are
The 99 %

December 7, a Proposal

December 7, a day which will live in infamy" President Franklin Roosevelt said of 1941. He was right as today, 70 years later the day was marked in recognition.

Yesterday, in my own thinking of December 7, I came upon a thought that I retain as something that could be helpful for the Occupy Movement. I can state it as the beginning of a proposal, or possibly a complete proposal, that could help bring people to the movement and hold those now committed. There are many days in the calendar year of importance to the people. Different countries have unique days known as special to their societies. Were us Occupies, to adopt these days as our own, in some special unique way, we could benefit from it. These days can reflect both the tradition, and how that tradition fits with the movement in today's form, ie. December 7, the day that brought the USA into WWII, was also the day that the military industrial complex was born. The day could be used to identify how all those people sacrificed, and how we now have the need to shift away from empire and war. This melds with the Occupy movement quite closely and can be used as a rallying cry. Though it is too late to use this example this year, it does potentially provide an illustration of similar days. Christmas is coming, a day of waste and excess for so many. It is also a day of giving which is supposed to represent personal sacrifice. (I admit I have a negative view of Christmas) There are numerous angles that can be used to help promote Occupy, on these days through out the year. Martin Luther King Jr's. Birthday, a day to bring continued awareness of the racial inequality experienced by minority groups around the world. The list goes on.

It is an idea in the least. I present it to the world.

Now today is the anniversary of the death of John Lennon. "Imagine," "give(ing) peace a chance," and "power to the people."

The DC Thing, Occupy

For hours now I have been watching the #OccupyDC live stream for near 3 hours now. It is another typical response by the law enforcement community, here after referred to as "peanut heads". The barricades went up and on it goes.

The conflict started because #OccupyDC movement took the stance of creating a symbolic and functional gesture centered around housing. They have constructed a pre-fabricated small building in the park ( in a matter of just a few hours, during the night time hours of last night). The structure represents the homeless and the foreclosed upon.

The demonstrators are reading the 1^st amendment to the Constitution, meanwhile the peanut heads are bring in a Armored Personnel Carrier. The chant is great, "We are stronger than your armored vehicle..." This is quite a scene. There are 6 protesters sitting on the trusses of the roof structure, refusing to come down. The peanut heads are attempting to remove the protesters from the roof. They have a giant inflatable bubble to use as a potential safety device so they can likely knock down the people from the roof, or otherwise bring them down. Who knows what peanut heads may think. The Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) is a HUMMER. Now the peanut heads are standing on the APC, probably to employ pepper spray. Pepper spray is a chemical agent illegal in warfare as stated in the Geneva Conventions and signed by the USA, but the peanut heads believe it is okay to use it on civilians in our current police state. Watching this unfold on livestream

To be continued. ************************************4:02 PM Pacific Standard Time USA

I guess two of the protesters have come down from the roof to be arrested. This whole scene is very disturbing to my soul. It is somewhat of a stand-off still, though the peanut heads are still proceeding with their attempt to remove the protesters from the structure. It is quite a scene. Now, 4:09 PM, the peanut heads are employing a cherry picker to extract the protesters. ************************************4:13

The peanut heads have put a person in the cherry picker. I guess they will now try to extract the protetesters. In the background, the crowd is doing their "People's Mic" though I can't understand the words spoken. This is seemingly a comical scene. One protester successfully removed. Off to jail he goes. Occupy the bucket, the commentator said. And now there are 3.

************************************4:24

And it continues. The cherry picker is up, to apprehend another protester. The protester is waving a US flag at the bucket. These last three are holding out. The cherry picker has been retracted. Tactic next will be employed. Two peanut heads in the cherry picker bucket, getting ready to go up again.

************************************4:30

I am awaiting phase next. The crowd is chanting. The peanut heads are making some kind of move. or not. The cherry picker is in action, moving toward the protesters on the roof frame. And now there are 2.

*************************************4:51

And then there was one. Peanut heads are going to sent the bucket back up for the last guy, The crowd chants "David, David, David." I lost my signal :( Signal is back. Still no movement on the roof, David remains. I am cooking dinner, eek.

It is over, Phase I removing the persons from the Structure, 5:32 PM. Sad but true, David -vs- Goliath, David lost.

It has been an interesting yet predictable event. The peanut heads are certain to get their way, still, for a while yet at least. I am now wondering what will happen in Phase II the removal of the structure. I do hope they don't destroy it and make the raw materials go to the refuse heep. I watch the logging trucks haul our forests to the mill nearly every day, and it is simply sad to think of the waste, yet again.

Occupy LA, Raided

The big night-time raid on OccupyLA is still in the works. I have been watching the livestream for quite some time now, since I was unable to sleep. The occupiers were up in the trees, so the authorities brought out the cherry picker to somewhat safely retrieve people from the trees, before arresting them. The mayor of LA is about to speak on the livestream. It is quite a scene in LA this morning. The Mayor is commending the Police Force as professionals doing their job to what is obviously with his approval. I always wonder what the imperative is causing this reaction to Occupy, over time. Peaceful demonstrators intend to express their thoughts, as is guaranteed supposedly by the Bill of Rights. Well the statements were spoken, it was brief. I guess that is the conclusion of the Raid on OccupyLA. And maybe not, as there are still protesters in the trees. Now the LAPD is bringing in the barricades to seal off the area for future, which will exclude people from the area. Kind of weird.

OccupyOakland, did take back and occupy Oscar Grant Plaza, at the corner of 14^th and Broadway on the 29^th. They erected a teepee, to be a symbol for the native culture that once lived. I personally can not understand the symbolism, though I don't need to.

West Coast Port Shutdown - December 12, 2011

The Next big, really really BIG, day of action for the Occupy Movement is planned for December 12. The plan is to shut down the entire west coast sea-ports to all shipping. Much in the same way that Occupy Oakland shut down the Port of Oakland on November 2, this day's action is organized to shut down the entire west coast in a like way, PEACEFULLY. The entire plan is sketched out in the following link here expressing the need and the cooperation between the Occupy movement and the various local and national labor unions representing the 99%.

Meanwhile, across the continent, Occupy Wall Street has filed a legal suit against the City of New York to be reimbursed for the books destroyed by the NYPD action that removed the people from Liberty Square in the early hours of November 15. The times are exciting.

Follow all the action around the globe by watching the Occupy Livestreams at occupystreams.org

Two other hot spots are Occupy Philadelphia and Occupy LA, both of whom are being contended upon by their local police to leave their respective occupy sites.

Tomorrow, November 29, Occupy Oakland is again going to re-take the Oscar Grant Plaza, establishing yet another Occupy at that location. See their statement on their occupyoakland.org website.

Still Recovering

I am still fighting the virus, and lack the energy to stay strongly informed about what is going on with Occupy Wall Street. Hopefully I will regain my strength and ability to strive in keeping up. Today I did find a very good article in The Nation.com on line edition. This article, written by William Greider will appear in December 12^th issue of "The Nation Magazine." I find the article to be worth the read, found here. I also found a video from November 12, held at "The New School in New York City," and sponsored by "The Nation Magazine. Included in the panel are: film maker Michael Moore; Occupy Wall Street organizer Patrick Bruner; member of the Applied Research Center and publisher, Rinku Sen; journalist, William Greider; and Author Activist, Naomi Klein. This conference was called "Occupy Everywhere: On the New Politics and Possibilities of the Movement Against Corporate Power." It is worth the time to see, or I considered that to be the case personally. The entire panel discussion is found here.

I believe the movement might be taking a short and well deserved recess. There are events planned, and so I believe the movement will again be gaining both strength and participation in the days to come.

WE
ARE
THE
99 %

Shall again ring out through the streets of the nation, because it is true!

Buy Nothing Days

Now for the 20^th Annual Event, please participate!

The image is a link to more information.

I remain feeling pretty wimpy from the virus that attacked my body. Turkey day alone.