American Indian Heritage Month @ SFCC

Encore Presentation!!

A second showing of “Surviving Columbus: The Story of the Pueblo People” will be Monday, November 23, 2009 from 4 – 6 pm in Room 570.

Food, Inc. Screening

@ Santa Fe Community College Join Bill Potter and his English 109 classes for a screening of Food, Inc. a documentary that lifts the veil on food industry practices that have put our health, the livelihood of farmers and the environment at peril.

Tuesday, Nov. 17 from 10:00 – 11:15 with Gretchen Scott and Tanya Story, …discussion leaders

AND

Thursday, Nov. 19 from 3:00-4:15 with Michelle Roetzer, discussion leaderBoth in Rm. 216, the Lecture Hall

Dia de los Muertos – Day of the Dead

Stacey & John Maldonado’s

LOS MUERTOS FINE ART WORKS

http://www.losmuertosart.com/1945004.html

John & Stacey Standing in front of a large wall reproduction of Jose Posada’s ‘Katrina’ at the enterance of ‘The Mummy Museum’ in Guanajuato, Mexico.

‘Los Muertos’ art is all inspired by the beautiful celebration of ‘Dia de los Muertos’ or ‘Day of the Dead’. Our artwork represents and speaks from the same places of beauty and power that this holiday was built from.  ‘Los Muertos’ art is meant to show life and death as one eternal entity.  You cannot have one without the other.  In understanding death, as a part of life, you can embrace and accept it rather than fear it. It also encompasses the belief that our souls are eternal, and that each new birth or death is simply another stage in our soul journey. The symbol of the skeleton or skull is used to signify death and rebirth.  Instead of fearing death, through these symbols it is celebrated, embraced and considered to be a “moving-on” to a higher level of consciousness.

People often compare Dia de los Muertos to Halloween.  While at first glance they may appear to be similar, in truth, the two celebrations are completely different.  Halloween is a European holiday that is based on their concept of death.  Dia de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday which is celebrated in order to remember and honor the lives of their “passed-on” loved ones. Dia de los Muertos was originated by the Aztecs.  Their beliefs coincided with those of the Australian Aborigines. Both tribes considered life to be a dream, and when you die, you awake to your real life. Halloween in comparison is celebrated through symbols of witches, demons and monsters, none of which are ever portrayed in a positive light. Dia de los Muertos is traditionally celebrated on November 1st and 2nd throughout Mexico and the Southwestern United States.  In celebration, Dia de los Muertos altars are created. Upon them, pictures of the deceased are placed, along with many favorite foods, drinks, and activities the deceased cherished while they were alive.  Candles are lit which decorate the altars and graveyards to light the soul’s way back home for this beautiful reunion.  Trinkets and gifts these souls were fond of during life, are brought to communicate to the deceased  that they are still very alive in the hearts of those they left behind. The beauty of the lives they lived will continue to be remembered with joy, even though they no longer share in the same ’physical’ reality.

Humans in the Upper Rio Grande

but at school I learned that in 1492 Columbus discovered America . . .

13th Gathering for Mother Earth

September 26 & 27, 2009 Pojoaque Pow Wow Grounds

For more information http://www.tewawomenunited.org/

New Mexico Housing Authority stole $5 million from the poor and gave to themselves

Please find below an interesting story in light of these very same people, but in a different county, messing with my friend. Stay tuned for more as it unfolds . . . anonymous of course.

Audit finds massive
misspending

$2,000 briefcases; shredded files

Updated: Friday, 19 Jun 2009, 12:44 PM MDT
Published : Thursday, 15 Jan 2009, 1:10 AM MST

• Reporter: Michael Herzenberg
• Web Producer: Bill Diven

http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/politics/politics_krqe_albuquerque_audit_finds_massive_misspending_20090115110

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) – Board members and employees of the Albuquerque-region New Mexico Housing Authority stole $5 million from the poor and gave to themselves, an audit reported released Wednesday revealed.

State Auditor Hector Balderas told KRQE News 13 he’d never seen anything like it.

“This train wreck could have been prevented,” Balderas said. The operations of a public agency that was supposed to help low-income New Mexicans find shelter instead operated as an elaborate scheme, he added.

It is the New Mexico Housing Authority’s job is to locate and build low-income housing in the state. However the authority’s Albuquerque-based Region III ran wild between 2005 and 2007, according to the audit.

“They misspent that $5 million on personal expenses, salaries, retirement, trips to Las Vegas Gucci handbags,” Balderas said.

In addition to $2,000 briefcases and memberships in private clubs the audit identified one trip by Region III Executive Director Vincent “Smiley” Gallegos who had previously represented Clovis in the Legislature.

He was given per diem for travelling to Santa Fe for the legislative session in January 2006 where he stayed for 37 days and pocketed $4,200.

However Balderas said there were no receipts showing he stayed even one night, and Gallegos was never given permission to be in Santa Fe.

The activities went unchecked for years.

“Paying themselves for meetings that never occurred, trips that never occurred,” Balderas said. “So it was a big spending spree for three years all under the justification that they were buying homes for the poor.”

Now a state grand jury is investigating the operations of the Albuquerque office.

Balderas said the scheme was elaborate and well-thought-out.

“It was a three-year process,” he said. “It was a very sophisticated system in which to pump money through what looked like legitimate expenses.

“But when you look a little further there was abuses at every level.”

Balderas said he had a tough time even finding time cards for employees and that he believes many of the documents showing misspending were either lost or shredded.

Balderas wants lawmakers to make the housing authority a state agency, which would require greater scrutiny.

Hopi Prophecy

This history is from a ways west of Santa Fe, but it is close enough geographically and culturally, and it is significant enough and timely enough to add here (and yes, I know this is a run on sentence).

Hopi Prophecy (1of3)

Hopi Prophecy (2of3)

Hopi Prophecy (3of3)

Don’t Panic, It’s Shamanic ~ The August Spore

The Santa Fe Spore will be holding our monthly conversation, collaboration and planning over fine food and drink at Flying Star in the Railyard, they are open  late on Wednesdays, have good food and participate in the Farm to Restaurant Project. We can discuss other possibilities at the meet up.

This August we will be focusing on the current interest in Shamanism. What can we learn and integrate into our lives and culture that we lost as we moved away from more Shamanic or Animist societies? What do shamanic and animist ways of living, have to do with the flourishing of the human species? Bring your thoughts and ideas!

In tribal societies, shamans are healers and visionary leaders who go through dangerous initiations to gain knowledge from the spirit world. Modern culture repressed and dismissed shamanism as archaic and irrational. Today, our society seems increasingly irrational, unable to change its course in the face of looming environmental and economic catastrophe. Meanwhile, shamanic practices such as soul retrieval, journeys with sacred plants, and ecstatic dance are gaining popularity. What meaning and value do these techniques have for us today?

These are participatory events, they are what we make of them. If these ideas interest you, lets take the first step and discuss our ideas for future projects, events and actions.

Evolver Santa Fe Offline Events

http://www.evolver.net/group/evolver_santa_fe_new_mexico

STREETZEN

by Harvey So Daiho Hilbert-Roshi

http://www.upaya.org/newsletter/view/2009/07/27#story7

With palms together, Sitting zazen under the shade of a tree in the open air, Downtown Mall in the center of Las Cruces, I couldn’t help but notice a figure approach and stand directly in front of me. I sat still. Incense was burning, I had a dana bowl in front of me and some fliers on my practice beside it. The figure stood there quietly. After a few minutes, the person reached down and picked up a flier. On one side are printed instructions on how to sit zazen, on the other side are various chants and our translation of the Wisdom Heart sutra. After a period of time, the person slipped off his shoes and sat down beside me. He assumed the cosmic mudra and sat still. He quietly sat for awhile then rose, bowed, and said, “Thank you.” as he walked away.

streetZen is a practice I have adopted from Bernie Glassman’s practice of bearing witness. I sit zazen in public spaces. I sit with no agenda. I just sit. I do have a small sign that reads PEACE. Sometimes I have it out, sometimes not, but mostly I just take my seat with incense and bell. Over the last two or three years I’ve been doing this practice, I have never had a person take issue with me. For the most part people tend to smile, sometimes drop a dollar in my bowl, sometimes say thank you, but mostly they just walk by in silence.

Street practice is nothing special, but it is free. As i take my seat on a sidewalk, I often think of Buddha sitting in parks, teaching by his practice of deep samadhi. I am no Buddha, but I practice. The other day it was 105 degrees and I recall last winter’s wind blowing through my robe. I consider Case 43 of the Blue Cliff Record, the koan asking about hot and cold: I notice beads of sweat develop as my face offers flies a place to dance.

Just sit.

Last week a little boy, in father’s hand, dropped a dollar in my bowl. I put my palms together and bowed.

I invite each of you to take up this practice.

May we each be a blessing in the universe.

Green Drinks International

Green Drinks International
http://www.greendrinks.org/

Every month people who work in the environmental field meet up at informal sessions known as Green Drinks.

We have a lively mixture of people from NGOs, academia, government and business. Come along and you’ll be made welcome. Just say, “are you green?” and we will look after you and introduce you to whoever is there. It’s a great way of catching up with people you know and also for making new contacts. Everyone invites someone else along, so there’s always a different crowd, making Green Drinks an organic, self-organising network.

These events are very simple and unstructured, but many people have found employment, made friends, developed new ideas, done deals and had moments of serendipity. It’s a force for the good and we’d like to help it spread to other cities. Contact your local node to get the latest info about coming along.

The Santa Fe Alliance is hosting Green Drinks here in Santa Fe

Essence of Permaculture

A 16 page summary of permaculture concept and principles taken from Permaculture Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability by David Holmgren.

http://www.permacultureprinciples.com/

It contains an introduction to permaculture, thoughts about the future of the movement and the values and use of the permaculture principles. A great way to expand your knowledge in preparation for the full length book.

This pdf eBook contains interactivity that is best viewed using Adobe Reader, available from www.adobe.com

English eBook download (468k pdf)
Spanish eBook download (612k pdf)
Portuguese eBook download (620k pdf)
Hebrew eBook download (2.2MB pdf)

“America honors leaders not politicians: Stop Global Warming.”

Yeah, its a bit old, but I wanted to post it anyway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The 11 activists charged Wednesday were released on their own recognizance after the court hearing. The activists were from eight states — California, Connecticut, Illinois, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina and New York. A trespassing conviction carries up to six months in prison and a $5,000 fine, prosecutors said.

In this picture provided by the environmental group Greenpeace, Greenpeace climbers rappel down the face of Mount Rushmore National Memorial in Keystone, S.D. on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 to unfurl a banner that challenges President Obama to show leadership on global warming. Obama is at the G8 meeting in Italy to discuss the global warming crisis with other world leaders. A federal prosecutor says a dozen people were taken into custody on Wednesday after the incident.
(AP Photo/Greenpeace, Kate Davison)

http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/us/midwest/nat_ap_sd_environmentalists_unfurl_banner_on_mount_rushmore_20090709649_2621366

Beyond Money: What Comes Next?

Come to our second monthly meeting!

As well as discussing the event topic this month, I would like to hear from people where they would like to hold these events and what kind of format they might be.  As of now we are meeting and having discussions. Maybe we could arrange to meet at a local cafe and have a more casual event. Since these events are sstill pretty small, these more casual events could serve as a springboard for more formal events in the future. Just a thought for next time.

Let me know what you are thinking.

Ampersand Sustainable Learning Center

Ampersand Sustainable Learning Center in Cerrillos, New Mexico, is a place to explore sustainable living. Our off-grid site demonstrates sustainable systems including permaculture, land restoration, organic gardening, passive solar design, and wise water techniques. We build with natural and salvaged materials, cook with solar ovens, and rely on rain catchment.

Our whole approach to sustainability is about your relationship with your resources. We start with the basics: water, food, shelter, and energy. We are simply gathering, experimenting with, and demonstrating sustainable solutions for living in harmony with our bioregion.

Ampersand hosts workshops and volunteer opportunities for everyday folks wanting to respond intelligently to the state of the Earth . People often come to learn a specific skill, and discover they also build confidence and find inspiration for their next sustainable project at home. We offer a place where people connect, share resources and meet like-minded folks in order to encourage wise practices to grow roots everywhere.

It’s clear we need to re-think our relationships with our resources at this point in history, and our vision for moving in to this new era includes joyful community interaction and mutual support for transitioning our lives. Ampersand is a place that inspires other sustainable projects and acts as a support for their evolution.

http://ampersandproject.org/index.html

Permaculture for Renters

http://permacultureforrenters.com/

Over the years, I’ve often wondered at the unique and sometimes confusing situation of the urban-renter-beginner-permaculturist: trying to figure out how to utilize the ethics and principles of a framework originally conceived to develop areas thousands of acres in size, while often finding oneself without access to an area even hundreds of square feet in size.

While most permaculture teachers will tell you that the ethics and principles of permaculture are not limited to rural broadacre applications, the vast majority of literature on the subject (not to mention course curriculum) displays no uncertain preference for rolling food forested hills, cascading ponds, and just beyond, the beckoning vastness of Zone 5.

(My point of entry into this wonderful world, Permaculture Two, mostly referred to properties that were comparable in acreage to the more notable state parks in the area!  Meanwhile, I was trying to figure out how to reconcile a desire to grow massive amounts of food with reality that I couldn’t dig up the lawn.)

The Goal

The overarching goal of Permaculture for Renters, both the workshops and this blog, is to dispel the myth that you need to own, or have access to, large amounts of property to integrate the principles of Permaculture in your life.  It’s an antidote to “I wish I had the space to insert-homesteading-activity-here,” and a little dose of empowerment for the landless many.

http://permacultureforrenters.com/

Permaculture in Action – Greening The Desert

Permaculture in Action – Greening the Desert – Geoff Lawton’s Ground Breaking implementation of Permaculture in The Dead Sea Valley. This video illustrates how Permaculture design techniques can restore a Salt Ridden Degraded Landscape to a flourishing and diverse Oasis.

Dryland Permaculture Strategies

Dryland Permaculture Strategies – Part 1

Dryland Permaculture Strategies – Pt2

Dryland Permaculture Strategies – Pt3

Edible City

Could this happen in Santa Fe?

Edible City is a documentary film that explores the issues of food justice, security, and sovereignty through a comprehensive view of urban farming in the Bay Area a grassroots effort that sees people responding to climate change, rising food costs and gas prices, and increasing health concerns by strengthening connections to the food they eat and reaching out to their local communities.

The Story of MyFarm from San Francisco to Santa Fe?

A short glimpse into the kind of world we are creating at MyFarm in San Francisco. We are creating a decentralized urban farm. We grow vegetables in backyard gardens throughout the city. By increasing local food production we are creating a secure and sustainable food system. By connecting people with their food we are creating an understanding of and respect for our greatest gift … earth.

If the members of a local community want their community to cohere, to Flourish, and to last, these are some things they would do:

From “Another Turn of the Crank”
By Wendell Berry

Via http://tribes.tribe.net/thelandspeaks/thread/cd97770c-ff9e-4f62-8384-cd9cbf69d08a
If the members of a local community want their community to cohere, to
Flourish, and to last, these are some things they would do:

1. Always ask of any proposed change or innovation: What will this do to
our community? How will this affect our common wealth?

2. Always include local nature – the land, the water, the air, the native
creatures – within the membership of the community.

3. Always ask how local needs might be supplied from local sources,
including the mutual help of neighbors.

4. Always supply local needs first. (And only then think of exporting their
products, first to nearby cities, and then to others.

5. Understand the unsoundness of the industrial doctrine of “labor saving”
if that implies poor work, unemployment, or any kind of pollution or
contamination.

6. Develop properly scaled value-adding industries for local products to
ensure that the community does not become merely a colony of the national or global economy.

7. Develop small scale industries and businesses to support the local farm
and/or forest economy.

8. Strive to produce as much of the community’s own energy as possible.

9. Strive to increase earnings (in whatever form) within the community and
decrease expenditures outside the community.

10. Make sure that money paid into the local economy circulates within the
the community for as long as possible before it is paid out.

11. Make the community able to invest in itself by maintaining its properties, keeping itself clean (without dirtying some others place), caring
for its old people, teaching its children.

12. See that the old and the young take care of one another. The young must
learn from the old, not nessisarily and not always in school. There must be
no institutionalized ‘child care’ and ‘homes for the aged’. The community
knows and remembers itself by the association of old and young.

13. Account for costs now conventionally hidden or “externalized”. Whenever possible, these costs must be debited against monetary income.

14. Look into the possible uses of local currency, community-funded loan programs, systems of barter, and the like.

15. Always be aware of the economic value of neighborly acts. In our time the costs of living are greatly increased by the loss of neighborhood, leaving people to face their calamities alone.

16. A rural community should always be acquainted with, and complexly connected with, community minded people in nearby towns and cities.

17. A sustainable rural economy will the dependent on urban consumers loyal to local products. Therefore, we are talking about an economy that will always be more cooperative than competitive.

Ten-lined June Beetle – Polyphylla decimlineata

Just the other day one of these fellows visited my home. I was surprised at how large he was and startled when he hissed at me as we tried to catch him to put him outside.

He got some lint hanging out at my house.

Check out these links to find out more info on this guy . . .

http://bugguide.net/node/view/207325#288706

http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/detail.asp?recNum=IS0028

MAXIMIZING MEDICAID AND SCI IN NEW MEXICO

I am dealing with something very much like the situation I cut and pasted below. I will post more as the situation develops or is resolved. Has anyone else out there had a similar experience?

via http://www.nmpovertylaw.org/Report-Maximizing%20Medicaid%20and%20Covering%20Adults%20Report-2009-01-27.pdf beginning at the bottom of page five

MEDICAID ADMINISTRATION AND PROGRAM ISSUES
Applications are Automatically Denied by Computer Even for Eligible Applicants
In 1994, HSD changed the way it programs its computers and instituted an “auto-denial” function. This computer function is different from “automatic closure” which many have heard about. Auto-denial is the computer function which results in HSD’s computer automatically denying an application 45 days after the applicant submitted it, with a computer generated notice stating that HSD is denying the Medicaid application for failing to provide the necessary information to complete the application. The problem is that, according to HSD’s data, half of the applicants who are automatically denied have not first been informed what they need to provide in order to complete the process. Others have been told that they have provided all the information but they still get the auto-denial notice, indicating that the proper information was not entered into the computer before the auto-denial date kicked-in.

Federal regulations require the state to process all Medicaid applications within 45 days of receipt. The state is also required to give each application an individualized review, and approve or deny the application on the merits.  Applicants for Medicaid have a right to a needs-based decision by the 45th day after they submit their application.

Moreover, the law requires that Medicaid applicants are told what information and/or documentation they need to provide to complete the application, and that they be given at least 10 days to do so before the state denies their application. By law, caseworkers should not allow the computer to automatically deny a case simply because the application is incomplete.
New Mexico is illegally depriving tens of thousands of people their due process rights through auto-denial. This must be stopped, both to decrease the outrageous numbers of people who are uninsured, and to avoid exposing the state to legal action.

Recommended Solution: Eliminate the auto-denial function on the computer and institute other procedures to ensure timely and proper processing of applications.