With a smile on our face we watched the nesting Downy Woodpeckers through the spring. Though they left us some while back, the nesting lessons are still appreciated. Natures teaching and the creative expression of art and music are staying with us as we prepare for our own nesting moment. It will probably be a lot of work, but, as well, this is going to be fun!
Along with her photos of el carpintero (la carpintera!) (and her blog of adventures), here is Isabel's Mandala, helping us focus and relax. And, lastly, I post a fantastic music video, Bouncing Stones. It's a wonderful mix of the contemporary guitar of our friend Bodhi with the Aussie late-night favorites Spoonbill, all thrown down with some very cutting edge video production. Do enjoy!
I am inspired this evening to rapidly post a link to an internet broadcast of radio news programming supporting the resistance to the military coup in Honduras. Radio Globo Honduras has been an amazing source of news and insight into the non-violent resistance to the military golpe del estado that occurred on June 28. I highly recommend giving a regular listen to Radio Globo Honduras, as a means of getting a true picture of what is happening in this small yet critical Central American nation.
While listening online I have heard on the street reports of many amazing political actions, even accounts of violent repression of protests by the military regime, making for absolutely breathtaking radio. Radio Globo Honduras has been a total inspiration to my community radio sensibilities, as they stay on the air amidst threats from the military regime to shut down their broadcasting, and remain firm in their opposition to the golpe. Not only that, last Saturday they played several hours of great cumbia--definitely a revolution that I can be a part of!
This is a must listen for anyone who is fascinated by how community radio can contribute to social movements. Check it out!
I just made my quickest trip ever to Chile. I touched the Baker river, and I charged my batteries for the next months of work. And I was a guest on the show Semaforo Cultural -- Cultural Traffic Light -- at Radio Universidad de Chile. The show is a very interesting discussion about the international day of water and issues around agua in Chile. I got to speak about the harsh situation in rural Cochrane after the multinational corporation has invaded, and how it appears through the eyes of a foreigner. I am by no means the only person on the show with something interesting to say - give it a listen, especially si es que hables español.
The fotos are from the International Day of Action Against Dams celebration in Río Ibañez. The two upper photos are courtesy of friends at Aysén Reserva de Vida, and the photos below are mine, of some people that I have met and who inspire me in this work.
My batteries are charged, and at International Rivers we are on a good advocacy roll.
I thought that I might get motivated to put together some text and try to blog about learning to dive and getting my PADI certification when we went to Utila, Honduras, in January. I am not a marine biologist, but Coral Reefs are one of the reasons why there is life on this planet, and I am glad to have gotten closer to this severly threatened ecosystem type.
Perhaps I should blog about all the radio I do with Redwood Community Radio--but I can't this time because I have not been doing any radio lately.
Electoral politics are no medium through which one should aspire to live out their ideals. It is only about making as practical a decision as possible in a civic duty that is but a small slice of each citizens political responsibility pie.
I have followed the primaries and the campaigns since they began, and a big chunk of that was during my trip to South America over the winter--back where this blog began. I have to say that I have been impressed with this country as far as what the movement to elect Barack Obama has succeeded in doing thus far. It was fantastic to see him out maneuver the Clintonistas. Nevertheless, I continue to be skeptical of the entire electoral process, and the duoploy of the major parties.
Some of my best sources for information about current events have empirical evidence that demonstrates that there are many instances in which the differences between the candidates are more stylistic than substantial. I find the webpage of Foreign Policy in Focus to be an excellent source of information on current events. There are many issues discussed by their writers in which the major party candidates are shown to have few differences.
On the other hand, one of the better informed and grassroots oriented voices of internet journalism is the publisher of Narco News, Al Giordano, who has maintained an independent blog covering the election that he calls The Field. He has continued to cover the campaign from an on-the-ground angle, looking at the work of the Obama campaign all over the country. Even though he weathered a falling out with more mainstream elements of the Democratic Machine he has continued to demonstrate support for Obama's candidacy. Considering his experience through out América, I take his position seriously.
The options are otherwise limited. I could not vote. But that is only one of the many things that I do for political expression. Hence my view that voting is a very small part of my civic duty. For being such a small part of my political expression, it is less important than others. I therefore do not worry about whether or not I can express my ideals in voting. Of the potential alternative candidates I believe I prefer Cynthia McKinney. Ralph Nader is an Has Been, and an egomaniac as well. If he truly believed in building an alternative to the duopoly he would continue to support the Green Party. Perhaps it is a misread of history to blame Florida 2000 on him, but his strategy of focusing on battleground states in the last week of his 2008 campaign is a nasty attempt to consciously play the spoiler in an election that is even more critical than the one 8 long years ago.
And what a spoiler he would be. A McCain-Palin administration would be a very rough and ugly victory, especially considering how hateful their campaign has become. One can only hope that the numbers continue to be in Obama's favor.
When it comes to survival there is nothing wrong with voting for the more palatable of some not-so-palatable choices. It is, after all, just election politics, and in this case again, just Rejection Politics 2008. I would be willing to grant Obama a landslide victory, if to do nothing more than send the Republicans home packing. The last eight years have been a torturous tragedy. I have few delusions about the Democrats, but my practical goal here is to see the USA reject the Republican platform and the McCain-Palin ticket, sending a clear message to the world, and the country, that the error is over.
In closing, I provide this video--a hilarious narrative that captures the superficiality of the electoral process, and the clear vision for what is an appropriate behaviour of the USA in the world that we must continue nurturing. So You Think You Can Be President
Thanks to KMUD stalwart and jazz and salsa horn player Jimmy Durshlag, I am starting to do a monthly set of the weekly KMUD show of Latino América Sonando. Yesterday I did the show and also got in a quick and informative interview with colleague Aaron Sanger of International Rivers.
It was fun to share with the KMUD listeners a bit more information about our work to protect rivers in Patagonia!
As an aside, a month ago I did an interview with my friend Burke Stansbury, who is the Executive Director of the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador-CISPES. I aspire to bring a mix of news and good music to the two hour set when I get a chance to get behind the board en la radio comunitaria de los redwoods.
Though the show is only archived for about 15 days, you can go here and listen to the Latino América Sonando show I did yesterday. With a touch of patience and a few minutes wait for the finish of the previous program and the start of the show you will get a two hour south of the border music and news extravaganza--or something like that...Que lo disfruten!
The summer in Alta California is moving right along, and before we know it we will be in full autumn mode. Work continues unabated, including an interesting restoration job I did in helping clean up loads of scrap metal off a parcel that will become part of the Humboldt Redwoods State Park. I have been making my living again as a garbage man for the earth.
In this day and age it is an extreme challenge to maintain the quiet rural rhythms that are so grounding for those of us living on the Lost Coast. Chop wood, carry water, these are the breathing tasks of living in the woods.
The drive for culture is incessant in this internet age. Keeping up on music for the occasional radio show becomes more than a hobby, it becomes a monumental production project. But who cares? Music is freedom. I have been to a few fantastic shows lately, seeing Radiohead play in Golden Gate Park down in The City, and recently catching Ozomatli again. Looking ahead I will catch Fishbone at the Mateel Community Center's Pipejam next weekend. Then there will of course be Earthdance, which will be the perfect party to bring the summer to a complete close.
Oh, and don't forget that I will be seeing Willie Nelson tomorrow!
Those are the spikes in social activity and artistic stimulation. The majority of my time is definitely dedicated to those down to earth chores that make country living so transcendental. Perhaps the big city is in my future again, but for now I relish the tranquility of the hills, and the power of the flowers.
Patagonia Rivers Update
The companies have turned in the Environmental Impact Study for the construction of the 5 dams on the Pascua and Baker Rivers. A friend from Puerto Montt wrote an email about the two shipping containers worth of material that made up the copies of the EIS that were turned in officially. It is a bulky and unyeildy document, the kind designed to obfuscate and distract.
Interestingly, but not surprisingly, the 2000+ kilometers of transmissions lines are not included in the study, revealing the entire environmental review process in Chile (free trade partner with the USA!) to be asburd and scientifically untenable. Any ecologist knows that it is all about cumulative impacts, but once you consider those issues the proposal loses all charateristics of environmental responsibility. So such an analysis is avoided. Such is the nature of the politics of natural resource conservation--keep the legitimate science to a minimum, and the greed for profits at a maximum.
Nonetheless, even poor hidroAysén has conceded that getting approval for the project could take more than a year, and in the meantime the pressure heats up to get Home Depot to stop providing commercial cover in the USA for the dinosaurs in the Matte and Angelini groups that keep stumbling forward drunkenly with this irresponsible project. There is still quite a bit of work ahead of us, but protecting the wild rivers of Patagonia from massive hydro development is still an attainable vision.
Summer is here, in all it's over heated intensity. Not much has been happening on the Patagonia River Campaign front, and here at home I am holding down the rural living front, appreciating the living things all around me, such as the early blooming black dahlia in my yard.
I continue to volunteer at KMUD radio, and will do my Black Dahlia Manyhues Radio special tonight at midnight. Either listen live or check out the KMUD archives.
Material for tonights show includes pieces from the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival which, despite some rare and weird moments, was quite a cool weekend gig. Regardless, the best music of that weekend was the Seun Kuti gig I saw at the Mateel Community Center. A great show by a very interesting and articulate artist.
More than two months have passed since I posted anything at this blog. Just goes to show how exciting travel down to South America can be. Here at home I just try to work hard, be smart about water, and make sure everything is fire safe.
The occasional radio shift is a cool outlet. Otherwise, I am keeping a keen eye on the craziness of a world long off it's rocker.
In the meantime, Patagonia's rivers still run free. That is certainly a relief!
It has been a year since I started doing volunteer shifts at KMUD as an engineer and programmer, amongst other chores. I enjoy being involved with this grassroots media effort. You can listen to KMUD (Redwood Community Radio) on the internet at www.kmud.org or if you are local you can tune in on your very own radio!
Radio is a special medium that continues to be effective and relevant even as technology for global communications advances rapidly. We are working at KMUD to raise money for the next half year of operating. Please consider joining the 'mud as a member! Go to the KMUD website and give a listen and make a secure donation.
Hopefully, as well, as the broadcasting season goes on I will have some new and unique radio to be posting here on the vozsilvestre blog. Stay tuned!
Si Yo Fuera Una Iguana Marina de Las Islas Galápagos!
Orquídea
Mata Atlántica Brasíl
respect artistic property
Todas las fotos publicadas en este blog son del autor menos aquellas que hayan recibido otro crédito. All fotos on this blog are by the author, unless otherwise indicated.
Bienvenidos a la voz silvestre, una publicación dedicada a la comunicación y difusión de mis aventuras y labores.
This is an Internet publishing effort intended to share with friends, family, and the general public the excitement of my travels and work.
Enjoy!
With a smile on our face we watched the nesting Downy Woodpeckers through the spring. Though they left us some while back, the nesting lessons are still appreciated. Natures teaching and the creative expression of art and music are staying with us as we prepare for our own nesting moment. It will probably be a lot of work, but, as well, this is going to be fun!
And, lastly, I post a fantastic music video, Bouncing Stones. It's a wonderful mix of the contemporary guitar of our friend Bodhi with the Aussie late-night favorites Spoonbill, all thrown down with some very cutting edge video production. Do enjoy!
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
