Archive for May, 2009

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Memorial Day 2009

May 25th, 2009


Forever War
US wars, occupations, and deployments filled the entire 1900s; nine years into the new century, there’s still no peace in sight. Will the US be at war for two solid centuries by the year 3000?From 1900-1909 US soldiers deployed 16 times: to China, Panama, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and more.
From 1910-19: 26 deployments, from Honduras to Turkey including the start of a 20-year occupation of Haiti
1917-22: WWI
1920-29: 15 deployments
1930-39: 3 deployments from China to Cuba
1040: US attacked German submarines, blockaded Japan
WWII
1945-49 occupations: Germany, Austria, Italy, Japan, Palestine, Philippines, South Korea, China
1950-53: Korean War
1950-59: 6 deployments from Taiwan to Lebanon
1959: Vietnam War; occupations in Thailand, Cuba
1960-69: 10 deployments including Laos and Cambodia
1970-79: from Cambodia to Zaire (Congo)
1980-90: 29 deployments from El Salvador to Panama
1991: Persian Gulf War; US attacks Iraq;
1991-99: 27 deployments of US troops
1999: NATO bombing of Serbia
2000: Attack on the USS Cole, deployments to Yemen, East Timor
2001: War began in Afghanistan, ongoing
2003: US invades Iraq, war/occupation ongoing
2009 US at war in Iraq, Afghanistan, bombing Pakistan
–list source Wikipedia

This long list does not include the many countries the US supplies with armaments, sometimes to both sides of a war. And we maintain over 1000 US bases in countries around the world. (See Choose Wings Foreign Policy archive 2-27-09 for a chart of US military spending vs spending by all other countries of the world.)
With each passing year, the tragic toll in lives mounts, multiplied by the grief and tears of families and loved ones. This photo was taken on Memorial Day weekend at Arlington National Cemetery, by John Moore; read his accompanying article on the Getty Images Blog .

These wars will stop when the American people finally refuse political parties that want a world empire at any cost – in lives, the militarization of society, loss of civil rights and humanity, hatred from invaded peoples, and economic ruin of ours.

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Posted in Foreign Policy

Wisdom from The Chicken Whisperer

May 20th, 2009

From the Dark Side to Sunny Side Up
This country was built by strong, resilient people. And if we can ever get out from under rule by the financial “experts” who wrecked our economy, people will rebuild again. One manifestation of that already happening is seen on the web: people helping each other, open source sharing of ideas and information, blogging, websites, videos, and thousands of grassroots movements connected by what has become the people’s media.

So much of this People’s Media has zest and humor and delight in free expression and exchange of ideas. Here’s one recent find: The Chicken Whisperer, a blog site with happy ideas, lore, and wisdom for aficionados of chicken raising, and for newbies looking to stretch budgets by keep chickens for eggs to eat or maybe to sell. Here’s the site, enjoy.

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Posted in Legalize Chickens

Cheaper solar energy with community purchasing

May 16th, 2009

Join with neighbors for group rates on converting to solar energy. 1 Block Off the Grid, the country’s largest residential solar community purchasing group, can help you join with your neighbors to purchase solar power cheaper. They offer expertise and proven experience to help you contract with the best solar installers in the region. Below is a short promo video, and their website which offers links to a lot of information about effective green energy businesses: 1bog.org

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Posted in Energy Autonomy

Why life is broken

May 15th, 2009

Humor is a quick way humans “get” ideas. This delightful video tells a lot about our complicated, frustrating world. Not surprising, government bureaucracies and big corporations are the big offenders. But you and I, in our jobs and daily life, can do a lot to fix things. In his video, Seth Grodin mentions thisisbroken.com; that website is now replaced by goodexperience.com.


Seth Godin at Gel 2006 from Gel Conference on Vimeo.

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Posted in Independence

Child trainees used by law enforcement agencies

May 14th, 2009

US Law Enforcers Using Child Trainees
ChooseWings usually reports ways individuals and communities use creative energy and take responsibility to improve lives, neighborhoods, and our country.
But today and yesterday we reported a problem so vast and damaging it needs attention by all citizens to help fix.
Yesterday we questioned the disturbing numbers of US enforcement agencies, prisons, and jailed citizens — the highest in the world. And news reports tell of increasing brutal police reactions to even minor infractions.

Legislators churn out non-violent “crimes”needing bigger police agencies that increasingly drain our economy; but far worse is the moral drain on society and enforcement agents. Today The New York Times reports a shocker: boy and girl Scouts as young as 13 being used as trainees for enforcement work mature citizens might question. For the very chilling and very real story click here.

This is our country today. It is up to us to reign in out-of-control bureaucrats with no understanding of the principles that made this country a magnet for people seeking a better life. Our hard-won individual civil rights and freedom provided prosperity and peace that shone as a beacon in a world of despair. But as we gave up those principles to power-seeking officials, we lost civil rights, our power to set our own destinies, our very moral foundation.
It is time to reclaim those lost values, to take back power for families and communities. Elite power centers are out of touch with everyday people and real life. We know better than politicians what we need, how to make our families strong, our communities peaceful and prosperous.

Please write and tell us your ideas to make a difference; help get this country on course and its people on their feet again.

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Posted in Rights and Freedom