Live from the Ocean Floor: New Oil Leak 'Spillcam'

Scientists Build Case for Undersea Plumes
In oil spill saga, mysteries of the deep persist
Obama pledges to triple oil response manpower in Gulf
Coast Guard Approves Protective Sand Barrier
Track the Gulf of Mexico oil spill movement in animated graphic
Gallery: Life during oil on Grand Isle
BP Lowballing Oil Flow, Rep. Markey Says

Mikey Weinstein's Military Anti-Crusade

As reported before there seems to be a serious problem with Christian evangelicals infiltrating the power structure of the U.S. military.  One key person that has been at the forefront of exposing these links is Mikey Weinstein, a Jewish Air Force veteran and former judge advocate general.  Here is a good article that sums up the problem and the critical nature of his work as presented by Foreign Policy Magazine:

"Michael L. "Mikey" Weinstein shares his hate mail with both friends and strangers the way elderly people show off photos of their grandkids. He has plenty of it to share. For the past four years, the founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) has been doing battle with a Christian subculture that, he believes, is trying to Christianize the U.S. armed forces with the help of a complicit Pentagon brass. He calls it the "fundamentalist Christian parachurch-military-corporate-proselytizing complex," a mouthful by which he means holy warriors in contempt of the constitutional barrier between church and state."  ...(Cont.)...

More:
Military Religious Freedom Foundation
Top Ten Ways to Convince the Muslims We're On a Crusade
Religion in the War Zone
Jesus Rifles -- The Resurrection 
Here is a video example of the problem


"The Army insists that the new Spiritual Fitness Center at Fort Hood is not religious, but merely spiritual. This video walkthrough tells a different story -- the truth."

Religious reporting and the best of Pagan journalism

This post in a sense circles around a couple of issues with respect to religious coverage and journalism.  First is the state of religious journalism. There is some news on this front as reported by The Pew Project For Excellence In Journalism:

"Religion-related issues drew more attention in new media than in traditional press outlets. In a separate analysis of blogs throughout 2009, religion-related news made a list of top stories in 11 out of the 45 weeks studied. The topics that showed up in new media ranged from a Swiss ban on construction of minarets to a French trial of a group of Scientologists to the debate about same-sex marriage.

The importance of new media platforms as a place for news and discussion about religion may grow as the number of religion writers in traditional news outlets decreases. According to the Religion Newswriters Association, at least 16 major print news outlets have reduced or abandoned their religion beats since 2007."  ...(Cont.)...

As I have stated before, as traditional media outlets shrink back, new media is moving to fill the gaps. So, that brings up the second question - "how does it relate to coverage of Pagan and Wiccan issues?" That is a complex question which Jason Pitzl-Waters continues to examine over at The Wild Hunt Blog:

"...As for Pagans we need to continue doing it for ourselves, so we can continue to participate and influence the conversations over faith on the Internet and in the news."  ...(Cont.)...

One of the new Internet religious portals that is doing a good job for Pagans is Patheos.  They have a Pagan portal with lots of Pagan content that is run by Pagans.  This leads me back to Jason and The Wild Hunt because Patheos has an interview with him that centers on the topics in this post. The title of their post is Patheos chats with Jason Pitzl-Waters about Pagan media.

The Poison Plants of Witchcraft

Here is an excellent and interesting herbal article from the blog - The Witch of Forest Grove

"Once a long long time ago when humans could commune with plants, the spirits of the dead, and the gods the people learned of the Solanaceae genus of plants – of both their great powers and their dangers. But those who knew of the secrets of these plants were greatly feared and cast out of society as the Solanaceae could bring entire kingdoms to their knees. And it did, many times, when those who knew their secrets used them against enemy kingdoms and armies as the first chemical warfare. Those who are most famous for their knowledge of the Solanaceae may sound familiar: Circe, Medea, Hecate – great sorceresses and a great queen each known for their skill with poisonous plants. The Solanaceae are Atropa Belladonna, Datura, Henbane, Mandrake, Nightshades, but also the more familiar sweet and hot peppers, potatoes, tobaccos, and tomatoes."  ...(Cont)...

Nigerian Witch-Hunter Explains Herself in Houston Texas

Here is more disturbing news from the African Witch hunts as reported by The New York Times

"HOUSTON — At home in Nigeria, the Pentecostal preacher Helen Ukpabio draws thousands to her revival meetings. Last August, when she had herself consecrated Christendom’s first “lady apostle,” Nigerian politicians and Nollywood actors attended the ceremony. Her books and DVDs, which explain how Satan possesses children, are widely known.

So well-known, in fact, that Ms. Ukpabio’s critics say her teachings have contributed to the torture or abandonment of thousands of Nigerian children — including infants and toddlers — suspected of being witches and warlocks. Her culpability is a central contention of “Saving Africa’s Witch Children,” a documentary that will make its American debut ... on HBO2. "  ...(Cont.)...

Gulf Oil Spill Update

Here is some more sad news from the Gulf as reported by BBC News:

"The first oil from the Gulf of Mexico spill has entered an ocean current that could take it to Florida and up the east coast of the US, scientists say.

A "small portion" of oil sheen is in the Loop Current, which circulates in the Gulf, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said.

Diluted oil could appear in isolated parts of Florida if persistent winds pushed the current that way, it added.

European scientists warn the spill could reach Florida within six days."  ...(Cont.)...

More Bad Oil Production News
Scientists Fault Lack of Studies Over Gulf Oil Spill
Gulf Oil Spill: The Black and Oily Demise of Wildlife
Peak oil production coming much sooner than expected
EPA Gives BP 24 Hours to Stop Dumping Toxic Chemical on Gulf Spill
Big Oil’s friends on Capitol Hill block spill liability increase
Deepwater drilling is inappropriate, period
U.S. thirst powers push for Canada fuel

video
Gulf Oil Spill MUCH WORSE News
GULF OIL SPILL

It looks like people of European ancestry are part Neanderthal after all

Here is an interesting finding reported in naturenews

"...Already, analysis of the Neanderthal genome has helped to resolve a debate about whether there was interbreeding between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens: genome comparisons suggest that the two groups mated an estimated 45,000–80,000 years ago in the eastern Mediterranean area. The sequencing study, from a consortium led by Svante Pääbo of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, found that the genomes of non- African H. sapiens today contain around 1–4% of sequence inherited from Neanderthals." ...(Cont.)...

Iceland volcano continues spectacular eruption

Here is a video from yesterday by the Associated Press.

Francisco Aguabella - sacred drummer of Santeria religion -dies at 84

Francisco Aguabella died Friday, May 7th. of cancer at his Los Angeles home. Aguabella was a sacred drummer of the Santeria religion who was born in Cuba.  He performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, Eddie Palmieri, Carlos Santana and the Doors among many others.


Here is an obituary from CBC News

"Francisco Aguabella, an Afro-Cuban percussionist whose rhythms backed up Peggy Lee, Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Sinatra and Paul Simon, has died at his home in Los Angeles after battling cancer. He was 84.

A master sacred drummer of the Santeria religion, Aguabella played in Havana's leading nightclubs in the 1950s, where he was seen by legendary dancer and choreographer Katherine Dunham.

He left Cuba to work with Dunham on the 1954 film Mambo, starring Shelley Winters, and then went on to share the stage with Lee, Gillespie, Tito Puente and others." ...(Cont.)...

More Francisco Aguabella
Francisco Aguabella - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
YouTube
Francisco Aguabella w santana "a la escuela"
FRANCISCO AGUABELLA at Yerba Buena Gardens SF 2009
Congas Francisco Aguabella and the Cuban Masters  
Sworn to the Drum
Francisco Aguabella y el Jazz Latino
Francisco Aguabella "Sentimiento de un Latino"
francisco aguabella-agua limpia todo
Rumbeando en California - Part 1

Pagan Summer Gatherings and Festivals

This last weekend I went to the Pagan Alliance Festival in Berkeley,CA. Northern California Local Council of CoG had a booth where we shared information and sold a few trinkets.  At noon there was a parade around downtown Berkeley.  We had probably over 50 pagan vendors of various types. The main ritual happened at about noon with many participants. There was an ongoing stage with musical and dance groups of high quality, and probably around 500 folks attended Saturday's varied activities. I will have many photos of this event on my flickr site shortly.  Such events are important meeting places for the Pagan community, so I thought that I would provide at least a partial list of  upcoming summer Pagan gatherings and festivals happening around the country for folks to check out.

Ancient Ways Festival - May 19-23 -  Near Livermore, CA
Rights of Spring - May 26-31 - southwestern Massachusetts
Moondance - May 27-31 - Dragon Hills, Georgia
Heartland Pagan Festival - May 27-31 - Leavenworth County, Kansas
Wellspring Gathering - May 27 - 31 - Sherman, NY
Pagan Camp Out - May 28 - 30 - Stanardsville, Virginia
Spring Goddessfest An Event for Womyn - June 10 - 14 - west of Austin, TX 
SerpentStone Litha - June 11-13 - near Sevierville, TN
Celtic Midsummer Faerie Festival - June 12 - 13 - Fair Oaks, CA.
Wicker Man at 4Q - June 17- 20 - Artemas PA 17211
St Louis Pagan Picnic - June 12-13 - St. Louis, MO
Hearthstone - June 18 -20 - Lake Luzerne, NY
Sunfest at Ardantane - June 18-20 - near Jemez Springs, New Mexico
High in the Pines Mystical Faire - June 18-20 - Northeastern Arizona
Summer Solstice Campout - June 18-22 Payson, Heber, Arizona
The Mother Earth Gathering - June 18-20 - Silverton, Oregon
Covenant of WISE - Litha - June 19 - Georgia
Free Spirit Gathering - June 15-20 - Darlington, Maryland
Midsummer Gather - June 20-27 - Blue River, Wisconsin
Midsummer Gather - June 20-27 - Near Richland Ctr, WI, Illinois
Wic Can Fest - June 23-27 - Mansfield, Ontario, Canada
The Shenandoah Midsummer Festival - June 25-27 - Middletown, Virginia
Dreaming - June 17-21- Dragon Hills Retreat, near Carrollton, GA
The Pagan Campout - June 18-20 - Eastern Washington, Northern Idaho
North Bay Reclaiming - Summer Solstice - June 20 - Sebastopol, CA
WISTERIA SUMMER SOLSTICE GATHERING - June 20-27 - near Athens, OH
PAGAN SPIRIT GATHERING - June 20-27 - Camp Zoe, Salem, MO
Pagan Wilderness Weekend - June 24-27 - Boonville, North Carolina
Pagan Pathways Festival - June 26 - Cartersville, GA
Ravenwood - Jun. 30th.- Jul. 5th. - Marin County,CA
STARWOOD FESTIVAL - July 6-12 - Pomeroy, Ohio
Chesapeake Pagan Community - July 8-11 - Darlington, Maryland
SUMMERSTAR - July 15-18th - Columbia River Gorge, Washington
GATHERING OF THE TRIBES - July 15-18 - Near Waterloo, Iowa
OUTDOOR NATURE JAMBOREE - July 15-18 - near Carrollton, GA
CHRYSALIS MOON - July 21-25 - French Lick, Indiana
Redwood Coast Druid Gathering - July 23-25 -
Humbolt County, CA
The Earth & Sky Pagan Campout - July 23-25 - Redmond, WA
Green Spirit Festival - July 30-Aug 1 - Barneveld, Wisconsin
Dragonfest - August 4-8 - near Fairplay, CO.
HootnAny - Aug 5-8 - Warsaw, Virginia
World of Faeries Festival - Aug 7-8 - South Elgin, Illinois
CoG Merry Meet and Grand Council - Aug 12-15 - Indianapolis, Indiana
Sacred Harvest Festival - Aug 7-15 - Clark's Grove, Minnesota
WomenSpirit Elderflower Festival - Aug 12-15 - Mendocino, CA
Mountain Triune Faire - Aug 19-22 - Mt. Storm, West Virginia
Goddessfest - Aug 20-23 - Starr, South Carolina
Vermont Witchcamp - Aug 21-28 - Plymouth Vermont

English Pagan police get right to take off Pagan holidays

We here in the United States think it is news when a school district recognizes Pagan holidays, but it looks like England is just a bit ahead of us in this regard as reported by the Times Online:

"...The Pagan Police Association claimed yesterday that it had been recognised by the Home Office as a “diversity staff support association” — a status also enjoyed by groups representing female, black, gay, Muslim and disabled officers.

Endorsement would mean that chief constables could not refuse a pagan officer’s request to take feast days as part of his or her annual leave. The eight pagan festivals include Imbolc (the feast of lactating sheep), Lammas (the harvest festival) and the Summer Solstice (when mead drinking and naked dancing are the order of the day)." ...(Cont.)...

The Dream of the Earth by Thomas Berry

I found the link to this video over at the Bioregional Animism Blog



From Wikipedia
"Author Michael Colebrook describes two key elements in Thomas Berry’s thinking: “Firstly, the primary status of the universe. The universe is, ‘the only self-referential reality in the phenomenal world. It is the only text without context. Everything else has to be seen in the context of the universe’. The second element is the significance of story, and in particular the universe as story. ‘The universe story is the quintessence of reality. We perceive the story. We put it in our language, the birds put it in theirs, and the trees put it in theirs. We can read the story of the universe in the trees. Everything tells the story of the universe. The winds tell the story, literally, not just imaginatively. The story has its imprint everywhere, and that is why it is so important to know the story. If you do not know the story, in a sense you do not know yourself; you do not know anything." ...(Cont.)...

More on Thomas Berry
Books By Thomas Berry
YouTube:
Thomas Berry on Nature and Humans
Thomas Berry: The Great Story
From the DVD Thomas Berry Speaks
Pt. 1 Thomas Berry The Great Work
Pt. 2 Thomas Berry The Great Work

Defending sacred Eagle Rock

Here is a story from a remote area of upper Michigan as reported by Greg Peterson of Indian Country Today: 

"BIG BAY, Mich. – As the spirits whispered through the towering pines on 40 mile per hour winds atop sacred Eagle Rock, American Indian warrior Levi Tadgerson said, “you can feel our relatives and the spirits with us.”

He stood on the cliff’s edge looking out upon northern Michigan’s Yellow Dog Plains for another approaching storm – literally and figuratively – as Tadgerson’s fellow warriors are trying to stop an international mining giant from destroying the site where Ojibwa ceremonies have taken place as long as elders can remember." ...(Cont.)...

A Spiritual Response to the Gulf Oil Spill

The Huffington Post is a major on-line news outlet. Today there is an article in it by a Pagan -Wes Isley - titled A Spiritual Response to the Gulf Oil Spill

NY Times photo

Swimming through patches of oxidizing oil mingling with chemical dispersants used by BP to break up oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill, a sea turtle surfaces to feed this week in the Gulf of Mexico.

"By now we're all aware of just how disastrous the recent Gulf of Mexico oil spill is in terms of the potential environmental and economic damage. But as a person of faith who follows a nature-based spirituality, I believe crises like these affect us at the soul level as well -- but no one's talking about that. And while the spill is a tragedy we will surely talk about for years to come, I also believe it provides a pivotal opportunity for the wider Neo-Pagan spiritual community to show how our faith can help point the way to a more responsible use of Earth's resources." ...(Cont.)...


More on the Gulf oil spill...
oil spill gulf of mexico 2010
Louisiana oil spill five times worse than first thought
Oil Containment Box Falling Into Position
By Any Measure, Gulf Oil Spill Is Big
Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Captured by NASA Satellite
Oil spill in Gulf of Mexico reaches US Gulf coast
Oil Spill, Gulf of Mexico, This Is About To Get Very Ugly
Oil Spill 2010: What's at Stake for the Environment?
Gulf of Mexico: Oil slick threatening Wildlife
Valdez Victims: Gulf Coast Has Long Road Ahead
Dead Sea Turtles Washing Up Along Gulf Coast 
The gulf spill and the need for clean energy
The Oil Spill's Impact On Gulf Coast Wildlife
Update from The Times-Picayune
Breton Island - National Wildlife Refuge
CNN - Flying over the Gulf Coast slick
NPR - Bracing For Disaster In The Gulf Ecosystem
Salon - How to guarantee a Gulf oil spill
In Wake of Oil Spill, Most Americans See Need for Clean Energy and Climate Legislation
LA Times - Gulf oil spill: American Bird Conservancy maps the risk areas
Wildlife Rescue Efforts
INTERVIEW-Gulf oil spill might have surpassed Exxon Valdez
Washington Post - After Gulf Coast oil spill, scientists envision devastation for region
The Gulf Oil Spill: 6 Ways to Help

"Here's a list of some of the groups working on the oil spill that get three- and four-star ratings from charitynavigator.com."

National Audubon Society, is working to aid birds and habitat affected by the spill.
National Wildlife Federation, is responding to the spill.
Greater New Orleans Foundation, is assisting locally.
Matter of Trust is accepting donations of hair, fur and nylons, which are used to aid in the oil response.

Debby Griffen, the Witch of Simsbury Connecticut

Here is an interesting story about a legendary woman from 17th. century rural Connecticut as reported by Catherine Guarnieri of The Register Citizen.

"Back in the year 1680 or so, there lived alone on the fringe of Simsbury village a woman named Debby Griffen. She was tall, thin and had the kind of eyes that would bore right into your soul, and stuck pretty much to herself. So of course she had to be a witch!

Since it was obvious that she wanted to be left alone, and didn’t attend the local church services, a lot of rumors sprung up around the woman. And, as time went on, the tales became taller and more ludicrous.

Since she was the subject of so much speculation, the town elders always had someone watching her. After all they didn’t want grandpa turning into a toad unexpectedly. How would you explain that to grandma?

So it was learned that most of Debby Griffen’s time was spent gathering berries, nuts, mushrooms and herbs, as well as a fair bit of hunting." ... (Cont.)...

Beltane Fire Festival in Edinburgh Scotland

Here is more news on Beltane celebrations around the world.  This report is on the Beltane Fire Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland from the BBC News

"Thousands of people turned out to watch the pagan-inspired spring rituals at the annual Beltane Fire Festival.

The participatory arts and drama event symbolises the beginning of summer and celebrates an ancient Celtic festival.

Beltane 2010, which was held on Calton Hill in Edinburgh on Friday night, featured dancing, a costumed parade, drumming and fire.

During the event the Green Man is killed as god of winter and reborn as spring to consort with the May Queen." ...(Cont.)...



Beltane 2009
Beltane Fire Festival Edinburgh - 2009
Beltane 2009 Edinburgh
Beltane Edinburgh 2009
Beltane Fire Festival - April 30th 2009
Beltane Fire Festival Part 1
Beltane Fire Festival Part 2
Beltane Fire Festival 2009 - The coming of the queen 
Red rushes
Beltane Fire Festival 2008  
Beltane Fire Festival 2008

Robin Goodfellow

May 1, 2010
It is with the deepest sorrow that we must announce the loss this evening of one of our own CoG members and an long time member of the NROOGD community, Robin Goodfellow. Robin, who is survived by his wife Gaia, was a member of the NROOGD community and CoG in the greater San Francisco Bay area for more than thirty years. His deep spirituality, unique ritual style, and dedication to the Craft will be remembered and carried on by those who knew him and share his love of our religion.

Those of us in this area who attended the public NROOGD Beltane had the fortune to see and visit with both Robin and Gaia earlier today. Robin died of complications from long standing diabetes. He went home from ritual this afternoon and slipped into a diabetic coma from which he could not be awakened. Gaia called for medical support imediately but he could not be revived. He died at home.

Greg and Rachael


 
MM all!
Went up to the house and saw Gaia last night and took her to dinner at her favourite little local Kensington Restaurant.

She says she would appreciate receiving both snail mail and phone calls.

Her mailing address is:
11 Edgecroft Road
Kensington, CA 94707-1412

I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter to what name you address mail.

The telephone # is:

(510) 526-8268

She was heartened to receive the printed out emails and pictures I took up lasst night, and is comforted by the love and good thoughts y'all are sending her way! I will be printing out any that come in today and takiing them up to her this evening, along with the details of the Parade this Saturday. She intends to be there and is looking forward to seeing folks.

BB
Kitty ;-)

Local Northern California Beltane Celebrations

I have been busy this weekend participating in Beltane rituals and documenting them with photographs.  You can have a look at the photos on my flickr page

NROOGD Beltane ritual - Live Oak Park - Berkeley CA

Berkeley Morris Dance Troupe - Dawn, Mayday, 2010 - Inspiration Point, Tilden Park, Berkeley CA