Occupy Wall Street! Donate !

Don't believe mainstream media that there is no main purpose!    30 million unemployed! 1% holds 95% of the wealth, homelessness, living wage , Simply stated "Stop the wars on the People

http://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution      Donations are needed of all types. There are many ways to help. Go to this page for things needed and ways to help. NO CHECKS only money orders!
I am here because they are helping me!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDlf-erPtzM]

Occupy somewhere near you!

To Let Sleep or To Drag Out of Bed? That is the Question.....

Just when do teenagers wake up???

I let mine sleep .....most of the time ...late. I remember as a kid sleeping late , only on weekends. My Pop would come into my room, lift the covers, jam his hand under me, sawing back and forth and say "I'm cuttin' the roots!". He would inform me that the day was gone, at 11Am I considered this the very start!

Now I have my own set of bed plants. I let them sleep. Isn't that why I have them at home? So  they can be allowed their natural rhythm, in life and "education". We know that the teenage brain is not ready for action until mid morning. Why bother fighting it? I wish I could get that Mommy out of my head that says 'time to get up'.

[caption id="attachment_984" align="alignright" width="300" caption="If you look close you can see the roots..."][/caption]

Still, the night's dishes not done are quite the test for me not to go roaring in and get them up! Yes, I have done it. But that is part of life too. Don't do the job, receive the consequences. The smell in their room is sometimes enough to rethink any entrance.

So , I can do the dishes. The smell will eventually go away (I hope). Let 'em sleep.

Empowered Birth Awareness Week & Carnival Of Chaos Sept. 3,2011!

The Carnival of Chaos shares the stage this time. We have wonderful contributions in all categories. But this time around ........

The first week of September is Empowered Birth Awareness Week (3rd -15th). A week devoted to child-birth at home or in birthing centers with midwives or doulas. Natural and gentle outside the artificial confines of the hospital. Child-birth and pregnancy are not diseases and should not be treated as such.

This week is devoted to telling the experiences of those that in the taking back of a woman's and her family's experience in the birth of a child. My family are some of those and this is part of our story.

~

When I was very young I was appalled at the films of animals giving birth. It looked horrible to me. Yuk! I vowed to never have kids. My parents laughed.I was one of six children, the fifth in line. When I was curious I would ask Mom about her births of us. She told stories of doctors, hospitals, drugs, nurses and of Dad dropping her off. She could remember the start of labor but was given spinals and that would be the end of the labor memory. When asked about breastfeeding she said she tried  it once but it hurt too bad.Actually, she said I bit her! She never questioned that this was the way to have children. So, I asked where she was born.... Her answer?

At home on the couch!

These memories stayed with me. When I was in my twenties my roommate got pregnant. Together we went to doctors appointments and childbirth classes. Talk about stares! Two girls, not a husband or boyfriend, were a strange sight in class. But I couldn't let her go through this alone, she wanted me there and I was happy to help.

When the big day arrived off we went to the hospital. I remember a cold environment. No doctor was around. The nurses were professional but not what you might call warm. We were strangers in a strange place. As labor progressed my friend was confined to the bed. we did our best breathing. Remember to breath!

In hard labor the nurses helped, measured and instructed. Then suddenly the doctor appeared. Legs up, a quick (big) cut,baby out and bye, bye doc!

I think the man was there a total of three minutes. I did not know anything about child birth then, but I knew that what I was experiencing with my roommate was NOT right.The baby was put under lights,measured and wiped. Not for about 20-30 minutes did the new mom touch her baby. The whole feeling of everything that happened was wrong.

Fast forward  a few years. It is now me that is pregnant. Luckily, through the years I had met people who had home births andI now lived in Austin ,Texas, a progressive, hippy friendly, midwife loving city. Still uneducated in the nuances of , the midwife that returned my call

[caption id="attachment_941" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="My home birth baby"][/caption]

was surprising and wonderful. Her first words were of congratulations and concern for me. This stranger, over the phone, conveyed such love and understanding that I could not wait to meet her. Not once was money or payment a concern.

Melanie's office was her home, complete with children, babysitters, guinea pigs and assistants.The exam room was a spare bedroom. The first appointment was not only about me but about her. How long has she been a midwife, how many babies did she deliver, how she became a midwife, types of deliveries,opinions and facts. What did we expect? about the birth? Of having a child? Of her? All this in one appointment, lasting over an hour.

I knew in my heart this was right. The little girl that couldn't watch birthing films and vowed to never have kids was embarking on the amazing journey of natural childbirth at home!

My pregnancy was healthy and my baby grew and grew. Melanie helped me appreciate the growing human inside. We talked to our little spirit and oohed at every kick and turn. As my belly grew, so did my anxiety. But this too was quelled by my wonderful midwife. All my fears of  a baby too big, labor too hard, pain and more were either explained or given the up to the domain of nature . You might be wondering 'what about hubby'? Well, he did his best, which was quite a lot in the realm of husbands. But a midwife. who is also a mother, can ultimately give more reassurance than a man. My husband was at appointments and all the classes, he would be my birth partner. He was indispensable.

My first labor pains came in the middle of the night. Following Melanie's advice, I took a warm shower, did not wake my husband and went back to bed. As my husband got up for work, I informed him of my labor. He said " Call me when you need me." I said " I am in labor, you are staying home!" Ooohh, now he got it.

We called Melanie that morning and she said to make sure to eat well and keep moving. When the contractions are closer call again. By mid afternoon they were closer, Melanie and her assistant arrived.

 My hard labor came in the early evening. With every contraction and push words of encouragement and soothing touch enveloped me from everyone. They literally held me open for the baby to begin to pass. As the baby crowned, Melanie asked if I wanted to touched my child's head before entering this world. "No!" said my inner child! She didn't listen. With the mirror positioned for me to see, she took my hand and had me touch the head of my, as yet, unborn baby. A truly once in a lifetime experience.

With a few more pushes out came my child and up into my arms he came. Two seconds before I had felt sleepy, tired from the days labor. Now I felt like I could run around the house. My son did not cry, He was warm, moist, and velvety. He was 7 pounds and 9 ounces. Not bad for a girl that was about 105 and a size 1 prior to pregnancy!

My husband and I couldn't have planned it better. He got to take the newbie into the kitchen, while the midwife attended to me, and cook me a Mexican omelet. No where else but at home could all this be so comfortable. To me, and my husband would agree, babies born this way are more at ease, they know, and feel the love they are being birthed into. There is is no sanitized environment devoid of any feeling,  no extra bright lights nor machinery. We opted for no video nor photos. A private moment for us to remember thoughtfully.

I have since had five more children. all with midwives and no intervention. Two were at  a birthing center in a hospital, one at a motel and two at home. (One of those was in the dark!) But those are stories for another time. So, I say take charge of your body, your birth and your family. Your family, your children will thank you. Look for a midwife that you like. Don't ask your doctor. And run from those that tell you it is crazy to use a midwife or doula!

~~~~~~

And  now on to the show!

Night Light

Laura Grace Weldon presents Making History Relevant posted at Laura Grace Weldon, saying, "History is always relevant. It’s the quiet reminder found in old buildings, tall trees and important decisions. Here are 25 unexpected ways to make history come alive for your family."

Chaos

Shiloh Stone presents Story in a Bowl posted at everydaygameplan.net, saying, "This game gives kids a chance to show off what they know, while you have the chance to assess their grasp of information. It's a great way to "test" completely unobtrusively."

Vehling presents Thoughts on the World posted at ihopethiswillbeanygood.

In youth we learn, with age we understand. Vehling is still young.

Night Light

Laura Grace Weldon presents Five Ways Frugal Living Benefits Kids posted at Laura Grace Weldon, saying, "Living more simply can give our kids advantages that last throughout life. The benefits include greater self-reliance, improved impulse control, even a boost in happiness!"

Laura lights the candles of many.

"Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared."

- Buddha

Chaos

Chloe presents How To Organize A Closet: The Ultimate Guide posted at Get Set Organize, saying, "I hope this is OK. Thanks. Chloe"

Tracy Rosen presents Questions about tech and children posted at Leading From The Heart, saying, "Love the idea behind this carnival - if you are looking for a host I'd be happy to host at Leading from the Heart!"

I think that is a great idea, Tracy !

Something smells

Israel Baline presents 30 Amazing Sites for Free Lesson Plans posted at Becoming a Teacher, saying, "You can get help with your lesson plans. While you can spend money for subscription services and materials, there is no need. No matter your salary as a teacher, you can afford some of the resources found online — because they are free."

It's Art

Charles Chua C K presents 10 Essential Things a College Student Should Learn posted at All About Living with Life.

What I do for Eden

Laura Grace Weldon presents The State of Library Addiction posted at Laura Grace Weldon, saying, "Nine perfectly wonderful reasons to become a library addict. Including magic water!"

I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves.  ~Anna Quindlen, "Enough Bookshelves," New York Times, 7 August 1991

Chaos

Tracy Wayne presents 10 Tricks for Finding ANYTHING on Bing posted at Dial Up, saying, "A search engine is a search engine is a search engine, and Google is the search engine, or so people think, but there are some features that Bing utilizes that can be used to augment, if not replace, the Google search. Bing touts itself as being a more “intuitive” tool, and uses logical connections to broaden or deepen capabilities. The following points are both for people who have never tried Bing as well as for those people who already use the engine."

Thanks for all the submissions and HAPPY READING! That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of chaos using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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How Much Junk ? Live a Free Life

I came across this and thought " WOW, I am not the only one who thinks this way!"

We try to stay clean and in this world it is not easy.

Read a Little,Give a Lot

While surfing one day I came across a wonderful opportunity to give to charity and allow the kids to read a virtual library. It is called We Give Books . It is by the Pearson Foundation. Just sign in (not required for donation!) and read! It is that easy.

Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him.
- Maya Angelou

For every book you read on-line one is donated to the literacy campaign of your choice. There are six campaigns and when the goal is reached for one another takes its place. We have used this for only a few days and have read 47 books. We support Bess the Book Bus because they give books to kids to take home! This year they are helping get glasses for kids in need.

Bess the Book Bus will give away 200,000 books in 2011-2012 to support the strong correlation between the number of books a child has in their home and their success in school and thus, later life. According to a study conducted by the University of Michigan, 67 percent of low -income families own no books for their children. Where middle-income neighborhoods have an average of thirteen books per child, there is only one book per three hundred in low-income neighborhoods. Bess the Book Bus is intent on bridging this gap in basic resources. The Success is in Sight tour will bring Bess the Book Bus into America's most underserved neighborhoods with the goal of getting books into the hearts and homes of the children that need them the most.

 

You can read as many books as you want or you can re-read the same one over and over. You give with each book finished!

I think that this is the best and easiest opportunity for us to expose our children and ourselves to giving to our community while ensuring a love of reading at home.

I encourage you to go and read just one so that another can benefit!

“The poor and the affluent are not communicating because they do not have the same words. When we talk of the millions who are culturally deprived, we refer not to those who do not have access to good libraries and bookstores, or to museums and centers for the performing arts, but those deprived of the words with which everything else is built, the words that open doors. Children without words are licked before they start. The legion of the young wordless in urban and rural slums, eight to ten years old, do not know the meaning of hundreds of words which most middle-class people assume to be familiar to much younger children. Most of them have never seen their parents read a book or a magazine, or heard words used in other than rudimentary ways related to physical needs and functions. Thus is cultural fallout caused, the vicious circle of ignorance and poverty reinforced and perpetuated. Children deprived of words become school dropouts; dropouts deprived of hope behave delinquently. Amateur censors blame delinquency on reading immoral books and magazines, when in fact, the inability to read anything is the basic trouble.”  Peter S. Jennison

The Assassination of Alice Walker

Is Israel planning to assassinate Alice Walker? Has Secretary of State Hillary Clinton essentially given Israel the green-light for such an operation? Most

via The Assassination of Alice Walker.

"...I also feel that when our government, in the person of our president, can make a speech about this area, and really speak only to the Israelis and not to the Palestinians, this is unacceptable. We cannot accept this. I mean, we look at what has happened to the Palestinian people for all of these decades, and it is insufferable. We will not accept it. We will not. As Americans, with our history of enslavement of people, of segregation, of apartheid, of brutalization, of lynching, we will not accept this. We will not.

So, Gazans, and especially the children, we are on our way. We are coming. We hear you. We are coming. ...." Alice Walker

How did you celebrate the 4th?

START WEARING PURPLE! Carnival of Chaos

Welcome to the July 1, 2011 edition of Carnival of Chaos!

It has been 2 months since the last carnival. Mothers day and Fathers day are past . Mothers day was originally an anti-war protest but then, as things go, the commercialism took it to new unthinkable guilt trips upon the consumer brain. In honor of motherhood and mothers, look to the link to help out the films ¨More Business of Being Born¨ and advocate for midwives. A healthy start for the entire family, take back a beautiful birth.

Start Wearing Purple! is the song that plays and in the genre of Gypsy Punk. I love this stuff. I sing it to my kids, even though they cover their ears, while dancing around stomping in my gypsy style. Try it, it feels great! I figure it gives good memories of Mom, instead of me at the sink doing dishes.To allow your kids to see you silly allows them to trust you more.

Start Wearing Purple- Gogol Bordello

The local library reading program is in full swing, at least for our family. This year I have two that volunteer to help every week. This is, hopefully, a prelude to work experience. A chance to find out what a commitment means to those outside the family. They seem to relish the time away from the younger siblings, I can only imagine why.....

The gardens are now producing! I love the south!! Fedco Seeds is a great source that deals with small farmers and they have a great service and selection. This year we have Chocolate Peppers, Ho Chi Mhin hot peppers,green beans,sun flowers,borage,tomatoes and more.

As the summer has heated up, we have started fishing at night. It is cooler and the sunsets are quite nice. The littles love seeing the crabs,dolphins and just generally anything that happens while putting your pole in the water.

And we had a Little Brown Bat visit us.Read about it here. It was exciting to be able to see such a sight in the daylight! Nature, WOW!

[slideshow]

And now on to the Show!

Chaos....

Rethink the so called Social media. Popcorn brain is not a attribute of a healthy human.

Kathy Nelson presents 10 Examples of How Social Media Can be Anti-Social posted at Broadband Service Provider

At Bullet´s Brain words are looked at, used and pondered. This post is quite a ride. It may be interesting to read about Moses in the Qur´an - here. I think it relates well to the supposition of God. How about you?

KAZBullet presents What I'm Learning: New Words posted at Bullet's Brain, saying, "In this post, the definition of anisotropy and whether or not God is anisotropic (and what that means for us). Thanks for reading!"

Something smells....

Laura Grace Weldon presents What Movies Tell Girls posted at Laura Grace Weldon, saying, "What do movies (even kids' movies) teach our children? You might be surprised."

This post is aptly put under ¨Something smells..¨! I have also kept a close eye on the films that we watch. It is one of the reasons home education fits the way we live. Read this and look again at the toys you give your child. Recognize why they are asking for the make-up, that particular shirt, what ever the must-have is . I tell my girls and the boys how beautiful they are everyday. It still is not enough to fight ´Popular´ images.

Chaos......



Imagine the year is 2050. Peak oil has come and you are in an urban jungle. Now what? How doyou make life work without what was considered a necessity but is gone without the petroleum industry? It is more real than you might like to to consider but URBANIS has some tips. Read, too, about the Tar Sands at the Sierra club or Greenpeace. Stay informed.

URBANIS presents THE VERTICAL VILLAGE posted at urbanSURVIVALISM.

URBANIS presents PETROLEUM?THE TRUE FABRIC OF OUR LIVES posted at urbanSURVIVALISM.

URBANIS presents ALBERTA TAR SANDS posted at urbanSURVIVALISM.

Mandy presents Pre-Reading Skills posted at Raising Sparks, saying, "What experiences do children need to bring with them on their reading journeys?"

Something smells....

Once again ,Something smells is used rather appropriately. A photographer in NYC shows us how ridiculous the US ´mainstream´ media is. They can make nothing appear to be some thing!

Lionel Martinez presents Media At Ground Zero posted at ZineTv, saying, "What really happens when the media comes to town and who is really the media."

What I do for Eden

Not sure how to help the kids? Read below...

Unconditional love goes a long way!

David Leonhardt presents How to inspire your kids to greatness posted at Self-Help Happiness Blog, saying, "To be able to go on to do great things, children need encouragement and inspiration. A child will try his or her best when a parent’s support is behind them. Sometimes it’s not easy to figure out exactly how to help kids with this, but there are some things you can do that are sure to inspire."

Ann , (again,YEAH!) gives us inspiration to take it OUTSIDE!  I love Dandelions and so do my honeybees. In fact, my Dad even started to mow AROUND them even to my Mother´s

[caption id="attachment_821" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Calendula - Edible and beautiful"][/caption]

dismay!

Ann presents Outdoor Hour Challenge Spring Series #4: Wildflowers-Dandelions posted at Harvest Moon by Hand.

And, again, here is Ms Weldon. A well noted need of parents to remember to try to be gentle. Not easy indeed! I started with my first child  to only say ¨Be gentle¨ never just NO! But by the fourth no was coming out more and more. I still try and when those moments have disintegrated into mayhem we regroup,hug, kiss and apologize. I once heard for every bad comment to a child give them at least ten good ones. (the #s may be wrong but the sentiment is there)

Laura Grace Weldon presents Gentle Nurturance=Gentle World? posted at Laura Grace Weldon, saying, "There’s a connection between harsh treatment of children and harsh societies."

Besides how can you stay mad at a face like this..

Thank you all for the wonderful submissions! Great reading!

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition(probably in September) of carnival of chaos using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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A Renewed Boost for Mothers and Midwives

A new set of educational films need financial support to make them available .

 

 “More Business of Being Born” is our new series of four  films that deepens the conversation about childbirth options, supporting every woman’s right to empowerment and accurate information during the birth process.   We’ve also completed a 28-minute Classroom Version of “The Business of Being Born” with a comprehensive study guide to reach younger women in University settings.

This is where we need your help.  We’ve made these films with a microscopic budget, once again funded out of our own pockets.  The original filmmaking team has worked for free, but we’ve come as far as we can on our own.  We made these films because we wanted women to question the established business of birth – the idea that every birth is an emergency requiring doctors, painkillers and myriad medical procedures. We’ve reached the conclusion that a healthier birthing process means healthier babies and healthier moms; however, our films can’t have any impact if they are not seen. We need a budget to promote and market these videos, to make sure that they reach as many expectant parents as possible. To acquire that budget, we need your help.

To help go here

This is a great endeavor. to make available the knowledge of options and remove any myth of doctor and midwife in the process of birthing. Use a midwife!

I voted for Luna Maya! Update- Luna Maya WON! Good luck to them

LUNA MAYA, CASA DE PARTOS Luna Maya Birth Center works to ensure that all women in Chiapas have access to humanized health care, including safe and humanized birth. We believe that women in Chiapas have the right to make informed choices about their bodies and have access to the necessary resources to ensure health and wellbeing. We believe in access to safe motherhood as a human right leading to the empowerment of women, enhancements in quality of life, and the strengthening of families. Our organization is dedicated to the holistic health of women and families and to the promotion of sexual and reproductive rights and the right to safe motherhood. We invite you to get to know our center and the services and educational programs we offer! Up and Coming at Luna Maya... Vote for Luna Maya!!! Dear friends, We need you help and support.  Beginning May 16th, Luna Maya Birth Center, as a Birth Trust grant finalists will be eligible to compete for an additional $5,000 grant. Floradix is sponsoring this and we are calling it the Floradix Favorite Award. The prize will go to the grant that receives the most votes, but ANYONE can vote in this—one time. Voting will last about two weeks and conclude May 30th, 2011. Vote today, vote for Luna Maya. Here is the link to vote: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/520740/03a4cbba0547 Please pass on this information to all of your contacts. Thank you,2011 Capital Campaign Luna Maya needs your support!  We are in the midst of a fundraising campaign for much needed support that will let us continue our work with women and families in Chiapas, México.  You can collaborate through cash donations, through the donation of computer equipment and medical supplies, through hosting a fundraising event in your city, or through our new program Sponsor a Birth!  As of september 2009 we are no longer funded and would like to be able to sustain our low prices and service to the community. We need your help! Click on any one of the links to read more and help us continue our important and unique work.   Notice  Please note: At this time we are not accepting apprentices who are not Mexican and do not live in Mexico. We are focusing on increasing the number of midwives who serve women in Mexico. If you are not Mexican or do not live in Mexico please do not apply to our apprenticeship program. For interested applicants, our following opening will be in January 2012. Thank you. Q'anil Nacer Childbirth Education and Beyond Our commitment to birth is profound and we know that birth entails more than a woman and a baby, it involves immediate and extended family, our community and our culture. That's why we support your choices, growth and consciousness through our education and community building program. "Q'anil Nacer" includes Prenatal Yoga (monday to thursday 10am and monday and thursday 6.30pm), Yoga for Kids (monday and thursday 5pm), Childbirth education class (wednesday 5pm-FREE), Mamas Group (1st tuesday 5 to pm 7and 3rd wednesday 11 to 1), MamaBaby Yoga (wednesday and friday 4pm and monday and thursday 12pm). We also hold courses such as: Prenatal Massage: a 3 session course designed to promote contact and physical communication between the couple during this time of stretching and expanding! Fridays 5 to 7pm Infant Massage: Touch is our first lagunage. Learn how to massage your new baby, understand her/his communication and connect ourside of your womb during this 4 session course. Saturdays 10 to 12pm Pregnancy Celebration: Celebrate your big stretch, your fertility and your motherhood during this feminine ritual. Designed for women only we will paint our dilation mandalas, sculpture our clay birthing Mama and Cast our Beautiful bellies. Saturdays 1 to 3pm.

Paint!

Go sit outside! Paint! We like to give the kids a couple of cans of paint and let them loose. It is amazing what they come up with.

[slideshow]

Every artist had a beginning, what is yours?

About Face

I like to make people smile.

I like to make people see,

who they are looking at

when they look at me.

I am different that what you think

My outside gives no clue 

to the me that is the inside,

 the part of me that is true.

To you my hair is tangled.

To me it is spun gold.

My clothes may seem dirty,

for me they are stories untold.

My face is scarred and scary

but what it does not show

is the me that is on the inside

                                                     the beauty that only I can show.

I am quick and happy and funny.

I like to make people smile.

Look at me from the inside

and remember me for a while.

CARNIVAL of CHAOS- May 2, 2011

Welcome to the May 3, 2011 edition of Carnival of Chaos.



A lot of spam this time around, so we will try bi-monthly unless there are suggestions to other ends.

This past week we saw tornados rip towns apart . Only the Grace of God keeps them from our door step. There were the May Day memorials that remind us that the 8 hr work day was not given freely and that there is much to do so we can reap the fruits of our labor.

And  America can now gloat that we killed a mere human by the name of Osama Bin Laden. Will the wars started in his name now end?

´Almost no one in the U.S. has read Bin Laden's first statement in response to 9/11, which so conflicts the later 'confession'. Here it is, from September 17, 2001:

"I would like to assure the world that I did not plan the recent attacks, which seems to have been planned by people for personal reasons. I have been living in the Islamic emirate of Afghanistan and following its leaders' rules. The current leader does not allow me to exercise such operations."

We've been asked to accept without question his other statements of 'confession'. So how do we make sense of the above statement? Or how do we make sense of his second public statement in regards to 9/11, given on October 16, 2001:

"I have already said that I am not involved in the 11 September attacks in the United States. As a Muslim, I try my best to avoid telling a lie. I had no knowledge of these attacks, nor do I consider the killing of innocent women, children and other humans as an appreciable act. Islam strictly forbids causing harm to innocent women, children and other people. Such a practice is forbidden even in the course of a battle." Hard facts

As a believer , I accept that he was not lying.

In our small world , ALL the kids have had fevers. It has been a long week of up in the night, glasses of water and lots and lots of hugs. How many kids can sleep in one room? all of them! The family bed is the only way to give all the love there is to give when they are sick.

And now to the show.....

Chaos

Pamela Jorrick presents Joshua Tree posted at Blah, Blah, Blog.

What a great trip! Camping is what we do,too. Even in the backyard in summer, a tent is a humble abode. That park offers classes that would be interesting to attend, http://desertinstitute.homestead.com/classes/index.html .

What I do for Eden          

Read Aloud ... Dad presents How Reading Aloud Made Me A Better Father posted at Read Aloud Dad, saying, "My babies' naturally limited (non-existent) ability to respond verbally to my words was somehow an excuse for me to limit my own communication. I simply found no easy way of talking to my kids, so I usually played around silently. Unfortunately, it somehow felt natural not to talk to someone, who does not know how to talk back. Many fathers may find themselves in the same position. So let me be clear, I did it all wrong."

READ! Out loud or to yourself, it will speak volumes! We read to the littles and my husband and I read to each other. It let´s us read the same thing and it is a level of closeness that is not alway´s shared. Try it!

Thank you for the submissions.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of chaos using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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Earth Day , Late

Earth Day is my wedding anniversary. We did not really plan it, it just happened. But if I WAS to plan a wedding that would be the day. My wedding was earth friendly. Shorts,tank-top and in front of a judge in Austin,Texas. No fuss , just romance. I hope my daughters do the same.

In commemorating Earth Day , our family has watched the movie/documentary ¨Dirt!¨. It is full of information and inspiration that, if you are a caring person, you can help restore earth´s original Eden. Maybe not right away but for a future generation. It is also a maddening film to see how we have pillaged resources. And  to add to it they developed a site to encourage us to BE THAT HUMMINGBIRD!


We also watched  ¨Flow; for the love of Water¨ another excellent film. No matter how much you think you know there is more to learn. Did you know that the American company Bechtal privatized the rain!? In Bolivia with the insistence of the World Bank! Some info from their site and movie:

Of the 6 billion people on earth, 1.1 billion do not have access to safe, clean drinking water.
(www.charitywater.org)

While the average American uses 150 gallons of water per day, those in developing countries cannot find five.
(www.charitywater.org)

There are estimates that from five hundred thousand to seven million people get sick per year from drinking tap water. Erik Olson, Deputy Staff Director of Barbara Boxerʼs Environmental and Public Works Committee (EPW), FLOW.

The water and sanitation crisis claims more lives through disease than any war claims through guns.(www.water.org)

According to the National Resources Defense Council, in a scientific study in which more than 1,000 bottles of 103 brands of water were tested, about one-third of the bottles contained synthetic organic chemicals, bacteria, and arsenic. (www.nrdc.org)

Water is a $400 billion dollar global industry; the third largest behind electricity and oil.  CBS News, FLOW.

Next time your run the water to brush your teeth just think about it.                                      Next time it RAINS, think about the idea that someone, some corporation,                               thinks they OWN THE RAIN!! And when will it happen here?                                                    So for us, every little thing we can do is helping recreate Eden.                                           Compost your food and garden waste, garden, catch rain and conserve.

CLEAN WATER LINKS

Global Water Organization
NRDC
Oxfam
International Rivers
Pacific Institute
Polaris Institute
Riverkeeper
Delaware Riverkeeper

Milwaukee Riverkeeper
Potomac Riverkeeper
Sierra Club
Waterkeeper Alliance
Be Water Wise
Nuba Water Project
Wastewater Works
Clean Water Action

African Boreholes

Water Pure International

Whenever The Need

Hydraid

More links for Ethnic Studies

Thu, April 21, 2011 3:49:25 PM
ETHNIC STUDIES WEEK LINKS
...

OOPS!In the last email I forgot links for Ethnic Studies Week.
SECOND ANNUAL ETHNIC STUDIES WEEK OCTOBER 1-7 2011 website. You can register your endorsements, report on your plans, and volunteer under the CONTACT page.
http://ethnicstudiesweekoctober1-7.org/
Save Ethnic Studies. The Tucson Unified School District Mexican American Studies and supporter website. You can read the latest and send them funds through this website
http://www.saveethnicstudies.org/

Roberto Cintli Rodriguez regular commentaries on Tucson and Arizona developments blogspot.com/-LHiIa_nwgOo/Ta3Gqx04U8I/AAAAAAAAAK0/1s0bNse_eZc/s1600/No%2BMexicans.jpg

Carleen Sanchez and Maythee Rojas on the importance of Ethnic Studies and ES
week on KPFK April 20.
http://archive.kpfk.org/parchive/mp3/kpfk_110420_190050femmag.MP3

Sundiata Cha Jua ��s Introduction to the Special Issue of the Black Scholar on ethnic studies. ���Defending Ethnic Studies in Arizona: Obama, the Rise of the Hard Right, Arizona and Texas and the Attack on Racialized Communities Studies��
http://works.bepress.com/sundiata_chajua/20/

Thanks, to the 19 of you who responded right away to the last mailing and sent in endorsements and a few who volunteered, and to those who forwarded the email. I will publish the endorsement list May 9 on the website, to give you all a chance to get them in. Remember I can't assume you or your organization is endorsing unless you tell me.
Take care, Anne
Tucson Unified School District Mexican American Studies

Ethnic Studies Week- 2011 Help needed!

Wed, April 20, 2011 10:10:12 AM
ETHNIC STUDIES WEEK 2011
...
From:
"winkl002@umn.edu"
...
View Contact
To:
*** Arizona law HB2281 banning ethnic studies,targeting Tucson School District, Mexican American studies dept, is now law.***
_______________________________________________________________________________

Organizing for ETHNIC STUDIES WEEK OCTOBER 1-7 2011 has begun! ENDORSE AND START PLANNING.

In this email:
1. 1-6 more volunteers needed for National coordinating committee. 2. Endorsers sent in so far. 3. Bi-weekly newsletter launched May 16. 4. Please send this out to your lists with your name on it.
1. NATIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE This year we are putting together a national committee to deal with national coordination and publicity. We have three people so far. We need 4-10 people. If you are interested or can think of someone in your community who was involved last year and can be counted on to take one aspect of the national work ( for example, twitter, or face book, or press releases)please respond ASAP. This is all volunteer work. We want to have a committee together by May 9. Please respond if you are thinking about it and want to know more.

2. ENDORSERS OF ETHNIC STUDIES WEEK Following the March mailing, these people and organizations sent endorsed Ethnic Studies Week 2011.

**The National Association of Ethnic Studies
**The Chicano Studies Department of University of Minnesota **American Ethnic Studies program, Willamette University, Salem, OR
**K-12 Council of the California Federation of Teachers
**Emily Drew, Assistant Professor of American Ethnic Studies and Sociology, Salem OR
**Adela C. Licona,Assistant Professor,Department of English Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English program, University of Arizona
**Wendy Cheng, Assistant Professor,Asian Pacific American Studies | Justice and Social Inquiry,School of Social Transformation
Arizona State University
**Jenn Laskin, Pajaro Valley Federation of Teacher Local 1936,>Grievance Officer
Classroom Teacher @ Renaissance Continuation High School. **Elaine Chan, Wesleyan University. **Brittany Lewis, University of Minnesota
**Anne Winkler-Morey, Metropolitan State University.
This year I think we will have one list of individuals and organizations. (still figuring that out) SEND IN YOUR ENDORSEMENTS TODAY!

3. BI-WEEKLY NEWSLETTER until October 7, begins May 16. To have your news included in the first edition, respond by May 9. Newsletter editor will be Brittany Lewis. She will introduce herself in the first edition. The newsletter will include updates from Arizona by Roberto Cintli Rodriguez, reports from YOU about developments in your area, and, primarily, developments in the organization of Ethnic Studies Week 2011.

4. PERSONAL FORWARDS AND REPOSTS!! The most powerful publicity is the personal. Please commit to spending about 20 minutes total in the coming months, reposting or forwarding this announcement and the first few newsletters to your mailing lists WITH YOUR NAME ON IT. Last year Arturo Aldama did so early on and he recruited about 40 people in a matter of days. Many others followed suit. Your name is the most powerful persuasion to those you know. Last year we had 225 initiators from 25 states. That means there were 25 states and many localities that we never reached and not from lack of trying. The whole Southeast with the (important!) exception of Tallahassee FL, did not participate.

Thank you for everything you do to support ethnic studies.
Anne Winkler-Morey, Ph.D, Community Faculty, History, Metropolitan State University. Initiator and National Coordinator, First Annual Ethnic Studies Week, 2010
Convener and member of Coordinating Committee, Second Annual ESW 2011.

IISA Makes his first Banana Bread!

IISA got up at around seven AM and started mashing bananas. ¨This is for you!¨ he said with his sparkling blue eyes.
¨Did you take care of your bed?¨ asks Dad.
¨Yes¨
¨Then you can make what you want.¨

So he did. Mashed banana , sugar, milk and egg. Zeda helped by the addition of flour. Recipe? IIsa  just knows!

Into the oven it went. One hour, 350 degrees. Out came a very nice banana bread. Not too sweet either.

He and his siblings enjoyed it the entire day.

Never can tell what they will do next.

Carnival of Chaos! April 2011

Wow! This has been a very busy Spring and what a wonderful turn out for the carnival! I have to say I hate spam but the decision to keep truckin´ on  has paid off. Thank you all so much for the submissions!!

Since it it spring here in the south we have already planted parts of the garden. Sorry , Yanks. But our days have been in the 70ś  , so in go the tomatoes! We are also working bees and our first attempt at raising queens. Nothing could be more ¨educational¨ for the children than helping with these endeavors. We learn more each time we plant a seed or open the hives. 

The migrations are on, too. Hummingbirds, Monarchs, worms, and more. Don´t forget to plant something for the bees!!!

[caption id="attachment_588" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="It is spring! Worm migration"][/caption]

Add to that all the current events of the world, makes for a full plate of erudition. Do you know what an Alpha particle is? How far and fast radioactive particles can travel?

Welcome to the April 2, 2011 edition of ...........

[caption id="attachment_315" align="alignright" width="179" caption="Click Here!"][/caption]

 

Chaos

Chris Brandon presents Hello World posted at BreakSolid.   A new site with an old perspective. Implementation  and distribution of knowledge as well as overcoming the chasm of mainstream media needs to be addressed.

We all need outdoor time and especially the children. Ann shares one of her activities for winter. Ann presents Outdoor Hour Challenge Winter Series #9 Mammals and #45 Squirrels posted at Harvest Moon by Hand.

[caption id="attachment_591" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Can you name these tracks?"][/caption]





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

William Hambleton Bishop, MA presents Chaos is the result of resisting what is | Thoughts from a Therapist posted at Thoughts from a Therapist, saying, "chaos and resistance"

I love this submission! Chaos defined? And yet we are given thoughtful contemplation of our individualness in the world. ¨The Tao of Pooh¨ was my favorite book in college and helped me on in life. Is rejecting what is, the same as resisting what is?



Richard Tyler presents The N-Word, Huck Finn, and Racism in Society posted at Live Your Way, saying, "This is an article about racism in society today, the good, the funny, and the informative."

As a transplanted Yankee, I have come to see many sides of this issue. Everyone has a reason for using, or not, the word in question. I, however, can not imagine Twain´s work without it.

What I do for Eden

Read Aloud ... Dad presents The Secret How To Become A Read-Aloud Ninja posted at Read Aloud Dad, saying, "Do you want to become a Read-Aloud Ninja? I never knew they existed until yesterday. The word "ninja" in kanji script  Like any martial art, you have to perfect your technique if you aim to master the art."

Thanks R.A.D.!! My Dear Old Dad  read to us every night he was home.(Firefighters are home only four nights a week)We had a chair in the room just so he could read for more than a few minutes. Alice in Wonderland, Arabian Nights, Aesop´s Fables, The Charge of the Light Brigade are just a few of the writings he read. He also told stories without books, tales like the Three Pigs and the like.



Danette presents Make Your Child Laugh: The Developmental Stages of Humor :: Help! S-O-S for Parents posted at Help! S-O-S for Parents.

My eldest, Griffin, just yesterday said that his favorite sound in the world is Abdur Rabbi (4yrs) laughing!



Socratez presents Why Knowledge Is Essential To Live Your Life posted at Socratez Online.

If you can learn anything it should be that there is ALWAYS more to learn!

Something smells...

Tara Forte presents Top 30 Ghost Blogs posted at Forensic Science Technician, saying, "While ghost hunting shows display cheesy scenes of lamps being knocked over and too many people shoved in a room looking for an”experience,” ghost blogs do the exact opposite, creating an intimate storytelling environment the reader can be sucked into for the moment, no matter what they think about the afterlife."



I always liked Ghost stories around the campfire.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of chaos using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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Subject: Nuclear disaster in Japan

Hi,

The disaster unfolding in Fukushima, Japan is a terrible reminder of the dangers of nuclear power.

Right now the President has $36 billion in taxpayer giveaways to the nuclear industry to build more plants here in the US in his proposed budget. Join me and tell the President and your members of Congress that there is no place for taxpayer giveaways for nuclear energy in this year's budget. Just click the link below...

http://us.greenpeace.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=801&s_src=taf

When Capitalism goes unchecked....A lesson in History

Originally posted in the WSWS, this is a lesson we all can understand. Never forget that the want of money can lead many people to the disregard of others. This is again happening. Unions are why you have your children in school and not working beside you in the factory or fish house. They are why you have a forty hour work week and some safety in the workplace. Much suffering and many deaths were caused by those that profited from the toil and sweat of the workers. Route out the infiltrators in the unions , take back the union for the worker and support others when they need it.

100 years ago: Triangle fire kills 146 in New York City

Tenth floor of Asch building after Triangle fire

On March 25, a fire broke out in the Triangle Shirtwaist factory, which was located on the eight, ninth, and tenth, and eleventh floors of the Asch building in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. Before the blaze could be brought under control 146 garment workers died, most of them Jewish and Italian girls and young women.

The disaster, one of the worst in the history of US industry, illustrated in the most horrific fashion the brutality of American capitalism. The women, whose wages were not enough to support a family and were typically handed over to parents, worked in appalling conditions.

Their workplace was littered with the flammable cotton refuse used to make shirtwaists          (women’s blouses). To control “worker theft,” factory owners Max Blanck and Isaac Harris had factory doors locked from the outside; in the aftermath of the fire, charred bodies were found grouped together around these still-locked doors. The fire department of New York, the largest and most advanced city in the US, had no means of reaching the women screaming for help from the high rise factory. This resulted in dozens of women jumping to their deaths to avoid the flames.

A court acquitted Blanck and Harris of all wrong-doing that year, and a later civil settlement resulted in just $75 payment to the families of each dead worker. Taking into account a sizable insurance settlement, the owners actually gained money as a result of the tragedy.

It is often claimed that the Triangle fire encouraged the advance of reform in the US, and especially in New York. While this is undoubtedly true, the main impetus to reform was the threat posed by the growing militancy and radicalism of the workers. The garment industry was home to some of the first large industrial unions in the US. One of these, the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, had in 1909 been at the head of the “Uprising of the 20,000,” largely immigrant garment workers in New York City. At the same time, socialism was exerting a profound and growing influence among New York’s immigrant workers.



For many more photos go to Cornell University

 

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="366" caption="Fire fighters arrived at the Asch Building soon after the alarm was sounded but ladders only reached the sixth floor and the high pressure pumps of the day could not raise the water pressure needed to extinguish the flames on the highest floors of the ten-story building. In this fireproof factory, 146 young men, women, and children lost their lives, and many others were seriously injured. Photographer: unknown, March 25, 1911"][/caption]

A police officer and others with the broken bodies of Triangle fire victims at their feet, look up in shock at workers poised to jump from the upper floors of the burning Asch Building. The anguish and gruesome deaths of workers was witnessed firsthand by many people living or walking near the corner of Greene Street and Washington Place. Others read about it in the many newspaper reports circulated during the following days and weeks, bringing the conditions of garment worker into public scrutiny as it had been during the shirtwaist strike of 1909. Photographer: Brown Brothers, March 25, 1911

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="650" caption="After the Triangle factory fire was extinguished, broken bodies, hoses, buckets, and debris around the building testify to the extent of the struggle and the scale of the tragedy. Photographer: unknown, March 25, 1911 "][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="650" caption="International Ladies Garment Workers Union Local 25 began the strike with $10 in their treasury. A special edition of the city's Socialist paper, The New York Call, told the story of the strike in English, Italian and Yiddish. Copies were donated to local 25 by the publisher and sold by union members to raise money for strike expenses. Photographer: unknown, December 1909"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="605" caption="Shirtwaist strikers march in snowy streets, often without warm clothes or sturdy shoes. Photographer: unknown, ca. 1910 "][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="650" caption="Women who were arrested on the picket lines and sent to Blackwell’s Island wear “Workhouse Prisoner” signs claiming their service with pride, and were cheered by other strikers and supporters. Photographer: unknown, ca. 1910 "][/caption]

Is it wrong to want food for your family? Is it wrong to want a roof over your head? A warm dry place for your children to rest?  From each according to his ability, to each according to his need. Then and now it is a fight! Never let the mind of the oppressors rest.

Some Days

Some days are hard. The kids fight all day over nothing and the very soul is harmed by the sheer feelings involved when days are torn. My intention is to always regroup and start again but some day s this is too hard.
Detention, in school we got detention for many offenses. So, now I will try it today,detention. There they can sit and work or think of how they got there. They did not listen to reason. Detention......some days....