CirclesthePlanet

Gratitude

2011-06-21T17:04:00.000+07:00

We live in challenging times. We may feel much pressure from our work situation, our family responsibilities, & the fast pace of modern life in general. Then there is the world situation & particularly the worsening state of the environment. The rapid pace of climate change is worrisome enough but then one nuclear power plant in one country can blow up & send it's toxic particles across the Planet! It could be very easy to become a pessimist about the future of mankind & the Oceans & all the species on the Planet.
One important mind-state that can help keep our sanity is having a sense of gratitude for our lives. We are going to die soon enough...whether 5 days, 5 months, 5 or 50 years from now we are going to pass away but WE ARE ALIVE NOW! It is a miracle to breathe & touch & smell & taste & & hear & look at the world around us...To feel the breeze on our skin..To take a walk in the neighborhood or ride a bike..(some of my friends can't do that & how grateful they would be if they could)
Some Buddhist teachings say that to be born as a human being is a precious thing & gratitude is a central teaching in all religions.
Whenever we find ourselves complaining about the little things in our daily lives try to change that mind-state to simple gratitude. Gratitude for food in our bellies, a dry place to sleep, a little money in our pockets, healthy bodies, & all the various people in our lives. From the slow cashier to the ones we love the most. What are you grateful for?...:o)

I am a Lazy Man

2011-04-20T14:49:00.001+07:00

I have always been lazy. There is an old picture of me as a boy in my pajama's, laying on a couch reading a'Wonder Woman' comic. I don't wear p.j's anymore but I can spend hours lazily reading a novel or magazine.
In fact, I am so lazy I have not written a blog post in months. I can't say I have been working too much since I quit my job over 6 months ago. Now don't go thinking I am a 'welfare bum' (although I have admiration for a buddy in Australia who gets by 'living off the dole') I am just living off my savings now as I worked (740-430pm M-F)in a public school for almost a year. I am hoping to last a year 'taking it easy' before going back to 'the grindstone' of a job.
They say the average North American watches 4.5 hrs a day of television. I guess if I had one perhaps I would too but I know TV is the greatest 'drug' out there. Whenever I stay in a hostel/hotel with a TV in the room it sometimes sucks me in too & after channel surfing or watching some terrible movie I've already seen before I realize hours have gone by. No, my laziness is not the 'couch potato' TV laziness. It is more a mindset.
There is an old book called 'The Lazy Man's Guide to Enlightenment' that pretty much sums up my philosophy on life. There is a vibrant world of 'Oneness' that includes us & is all around us & we don't have to move a muscle or believe any ancient nonsense to experience it. Also, that this 'Reality' is just a different form of whatever happens next. So why work so hard or get stressed out about things?
Of course if I had kids of my own my type of laziness would be out of the question. I sleep or stay up as late as I want & pretty much do whatever I want. Do some yoga, read some, eat some food, take a walk or ride a bike, spend some time on the internet, go get a massage...Whatever floats my boat.
There is a part of me that feels I should be 'doing' something to try relieve all the suffering in the world. So occasionally I'll pick up plastic trash on the beach, or hang out with an unhappy friend, or post articles I think are important concerning politics or environmental issues on my facebook page. I know it's really not much. I try not to 'should'on myself & realize I'm just one of almost 7 billion homo sapien species on this planet. That puts things in perspective.
I realize my full-time laziness will come to an end sometime. I can't keep quiting jobs every 1 to 1.5 yrs. & then taking 6-12 months 'vacation'. Eventually I am going to find a place & a woman I can live with for a long time. She may not like me taking a 12 month vacation. Even when I go back to 'work' I plan to keep that 'lazy' mindset in my off hours. 'Sloth' gets a bad rap but I think it is essential in our fast-paced workoholic culture.
Okay, I know I should rearrange these paragraphs but I am too lazy. It's time for my nap! :o)

Laughingman

2010-10-24T14:01:00.000+07:00

I've been called many names in my life. I was born Jeffrey, which according to various coffee cups & assorted novelty store items means "peaceful". In recent years I changed it to Jeffree to be a little different & honor a value I hold highly which is 'freedom'. Actually, the few years I lived in Hawaii I just dropped the Jeff & was 'Free' & my friends there still know me as Free.
'Otey' is my middle name. (Pronounced 'odie' like the Garfield dog) I was named after my Grandfather Bill Otey, a 33 yr.-old private in WWII in Patton's Army who was killed in the Battle of the Bulge. He left behind 3 young daughters, one of whom was Betty Otey, my Mom. One old friend calls me 'Otey' & I have tolerated it through the years.
'Pike' is my legal last name & the name of the late, great Charlie Pike, my childhood father. Charlie's claim to fame was being a starting point guard for the Florida Gators basketball team & it was ironic his 3 kids became Georgia Bulldog graduates. 'Pike' is also what my high school friends called me. I'm not sure why but we called each other by our last names. Instead of 'John' it was 'McGee' or 'Dryden' or 'Hannon'. It's a southern thing I guess....I did a tour in the Marine Corps & there it was 'Lt. Pike'. As a teacher in U.S. public schools I was 'Mr. Pike' & unfortunately never 'Coach Pike'. (Interestingly in Asia, I am 'Teacher Jeffree')
One of my favorite names, that I have recently reclaimed on my facebook page is 'Laughingman'. How I got that name is an interesting story. I was doing a solo meditation retreat on a friends land in north Georgia & towards the end decided to visit a bio-dynamic organic farming conference-gathering down the road. I had been in silence over a week & it was difficult being around the adults who were passionately sharing their intellectual knowledge of various farming techniques. Instead, I hung out in silence with the kids & had quite some fun. When a barefoot farmer named Jeff Poppen came by & asked me my name a kid told him, "That's the Laughingman!" Jeff proceeded to introduce me to everyone as 'The Laughingman' & the legend was born!
Soon after, I started going to Rainbow Gatherings & using 'Laughingman' as my name. Many beautiful,loving,free-spirited, alternative people know me as Laughingman. Of course, if you ever go to a Rainbow Gathering you may meet Riverman, or Forkman, or Caterpillar, or Hugger, or various other people with unique tribal names. If you meet me just please don't ask me to tell a joke to make you laugh. I'm not a stand-up comedian. Laughter is more of a feeling for me. If I'm in a good state of feeling-vibration I may help you laugh by giving you a hug or something. HA! Cheers for Laughter! :o)

Earl R. Davis 1927-2010

2010-09-02T00:10:00.001+07:00

My step-father, Earl R. Davis, recently passed away peacefully at my parents home in Lawrenceville, Georgia. I had the privilege of knowing Earl for twenty-eight years & for twenty-five of them he was a loving husband to my mother Betty Davis. I would like to share a little of what I know about Earl's life in honor of the wonderful human being he was.
Earl grew up in the Depression & joined the U.S. Navy at 17, serving at the end of WWII. He went to college on the G.I. Bill & became an engineer for a boiler-making company based in Erie, Pennsylvania, but traveled all over the world with his work. He was married for many years with his first wife & had two children, my step-brother & sister Randy & Sandra.
Earl eventually was the southeastern sales rep for his company & was based in Atlanta, Georgia. Earl & Betty first met at a famous Buckhead (Atlanta) nightclub called 'Johnny's Hideaway' & always enjoyed going back there over the years.
Betty & Earl lived together in a condo for a short time before buying an old two-story house in downtown Lawrenceville. After a few years Earl designed a much larger house which they had built & lived in for over twenty years.
Earl was a loving son to his mother Esther (whom I remember fondly as quite a spunky old woman!) & had a good relationship with his younger brother Jim, who came down from his home up north for many visits & was there for Earl's final days.
Earl had many good friends & was an excellent tennis player, regularly playing guys twenty years younger. He eventually took up golf & enjoyed going on golfing outings with his buddies. Earl & Betty loved having parties & I was lucky enough to be at quite a few, enjoying joking with his friend the Mayor & other classic L-ville friends. Earl also enjoyed having family gatherings & Thanksgiving was his favorite holiday.
Earl quit smoking 'cold turkey' many years ago but did enjoy his 'spirits' & usually had a 'nightcap' on the front porch or back patio. I cherish memories of sitting with Earl on the front porch watching the sunset or on the back patio deck, hanging out in silence listening to the crickets at night.
Earl & Betty enjoyed their retirements & every winter rented a beach house in Florida at St. George Island on the Gulf of Mexico & invited friends & family to join them. For over ten years Earl had a dog (Lab) named Jake who made the St. George trip too & Earl enjoyed his walks with Jake.
Earl was a compassionate, intelligent, & friendly man. He outlived many of his friends but is survived by other friends & many loving family members. His favorite song was a famous Frank Sinatra tune & the words speak for themselves.
"..I lived a Life that's full. I've traveled each & every highway. But more, much more than that, I did it my way!"
Rest in Peace Earl. Thank you for being a special part of our lives.
much Love, J

Ground Zero & Einstein

2010-08-25T12:49:00.000+07:00

Ground Zero- the point on the Earth's surface where an explosion occurs.

There has been a simmering controversy in the U.S. over a Muslim's group decision to build a Mosque(actually a community center) near the former World Trade Center's buildings, which is called 'ground zero' because it was the location of the Sept. 11th, 2001 attacks on the U.S. by a small radical Muslim group.
While many have defended the right of the group to build the center as a basic First Amendment issue, which of course it is, I have been wondering what Albert Einstein, considered one of the most intelligent human beings ever born, would have thought on this issue. Einstein's greatest regret was his encouragement to the U.S. during WWII to build an atomic bomb which were later used on two Japanese cities.
The original 'ground zero' can be visited today in the city of Hiroshima. From this spot the heat & fire from a nuclear blast radiated outward, instantly killing between 90,000 & 166,000 people (mostly women & children) & tens of thousands more in the days, weeks, & years to follow by radiation poisoning. A few days later another 'ground zero' blast was created in the city of Nagasaki, killing between 60,000 to 80,000 people instantly.
So, in a historical context the Sept 11th attacks with a death toll of about 3,000(almost all adults) pale in comparison to original 'ground zero' atomic bombings. But since 'ground zero' only means 'the point on an earth's surface where an explosion occurs' why should only cities (Japanese or U.S.) have memorials for explosions/bombs? The United States during the Vietnam 'Conflict' dropped more bombs & poison (napalm & agent orange) on that small country than were dropped during the entire WWII. There are tens of thousands of 'ground zero's' in Vietnam & unexploded U.S. bombs are still killing rural farmers & children in Vietnam & Laos.
In the past nine years since the Sept 11th attack the powerful U.S. Air Force has dropped thousands of bombs in Afghanistan & Iraq creating countless 'ground zero's' whose 'collateral damage' has killed thousands of innocent men, women, & children. The U.S. is even creating new 'ground zero's' in Pakistan with our dozens of air strikes from pilot-less drones(operated by an Air Force Officer sitting behind a desk somewhere) & of course the 'collateral damage' of bad guys to civilian deaths is quite high.
What would Albert Einstein think of all this? Of course, we don't know since he is long gone but perhaps one of his famous quotes would give a hint. Einstein, who lived through two World Wars, said "Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind." He probably would have spoken out against the horrific violence of suicide bombers & just as strongly against the politically calculated invasions & state-sponsored violence the U.S. waged against Iraq & Afghanistan the past nine years. Violence creates violence. Terror is terror, whether one experiences it from a fanatical suicide bomber on a city bus or a N.A.T.O. bombing 'mistake' on another Afghan wedding party.
Ground Zero. Which one would that be? When are we going to stop creating more 'ground zero's'?...

My little Dragon

2010-07-16T14:54:00.000+07:00

I have a little dragon. It doesn't fly in the air but it is still a magical beast. I turn a key & push a button & it roars to 'life'. It is made up of metal & plastic & has two rubber wheels. Just using my wrist I can make the little machine (called a scooter] go quite fast. It is quite convenient when I am in a hurry or have a fairly long distance to go, to just put in that key, push a button & scooter away to my destination.
Of course, like all beasts it demands to fed. My beast, like most other dragons, requires oil & gasoline to keep going. Gasoline is an extremely toxic liquid that is refined from oil which comes from deep under the Earth. I have no idea where exactly the gasoline in my dragon came from. It probably was extracted by some multi-national corporation operating in the ocean, some poor nation in Africa or South America, or from some regime in the Middle Eastern desert. Much ecological damage was probably created in the local communities and/or ecosystems to extract that oil but hey, the dragons must be fed.
Ecological disasters in Nigeria or the Gulf of Mexico don't really affect me but after drinking all the gas my dragon has to fart doesn't it? Actually, it is one continuous 'exhalation/burp' that comes out the tailpipe. The dragon's exhaust is quite toxic & it is quite unhealthy to be sitting at a red light with many other dragons all around you farting continuously. Of course, if a city has millions of farting dragons that is a lot of toxic air pollution being created.(that especially sucks if you are a young child who runs or elderly person who walks & lives in that city)
So as a dragon owner I am aware of the positive & negative aspects of using my dragon. Whenever possible I take public transportation (big dragons that can take many people) or ride my bike. (except when I am extremely lazy) If everyone considered the positive AND negative aspects of using their (big & small) dragons we would have healthier cities & cleaner air. The End. Have a nice day!

The Earth is Bleeding

2010-05-27T14:38:00.000+07:00

The greatest ecological disaster in the history of the United States is unfolding as I write this. For weeks, 5,000 feet below the surface of the Ocean in the Gulf of Mexico, oil has been spewing out after a rupture in a British Petroleum pipe. Millions (nobody knows exactly how much) of gallons of toxic oil has contaminated the Gulf & soon will enter the Gulf Stream & start making it's way to other Oceans around the World.
There are strident calls to boycott BP & while I agree BP needs to be punished other multi-national corporations like Exxon are just as bad. The sorry thing is these bastardly corporations are doing what they do because we are a society of addicts who think like consumers instead of intelligent citizens of Planet Earth. We drive SUV's with "drill baby,drill" stickers supporting politicians who want to do away with all regulation of corporations. We eat 'fast food' from multi-national corporations who get their 'meat' from cows which grazed in former rain forests. We turn on our air-conditioners & hair dryers which get their power from coal plants & wonder why the sky looks hazy.
The Earth is bleeding & the human species is holding the knife. The materialist world view, that the Earth is a 'commodity' or dead matter to be disposed of, is the driving force of this destruction. It allows corporations to cut down 2,000 year old redwood tree's & sell them for profit, or lets Japanese fishing boats kill whales for 'scientific research'.
Corporations, which are created to make money & care little about community or environmental concerns, are a huge part of the problem but we cannot absolve ourselves from our ecological crisis. We are all responsible for the oil in the Gulf & for the pollution in our Rivers & Sky. Each one of us can re-examine our lifestyles to try to consume less energy & make the present a little less toxic & future a little brighter for future generations.
We also can enjoy the Nature that is still unspoiled. Go camping or hiking or biking instead of shopping for the latest fashion in the nearest Mall.
It's also important to grieve. Grieve for the Gulf of Mexico & the countless sea creatures & birds that will die a horrible death for our oil addiction. Grieve for the mountains that forever have been disfigured by our digging for coal & demands for energy....and Pray. Pray that they cap that damn hole in the Gulf so it doesn't poison the Atlantic...

The Second Precept

2010-03-03T12:55:00.000+05:00

Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, I am committed to cultivating loving kindness and learning ways to work for the well-being of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I will practice generosity by sharing time, energy, and material resources with those who are in real need. I am determined not to steal and not to possess anything that should belong to others. I will respect the property of others, but I will prevent others from profiting from human suffering or the suffering of other species on Earth.

- 2nd Mindfulness Training by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh

     In simple terms 'no stealing' is explained in karmic terms as "you don't get away with anything". Someone who steals from another person is going to have a karmic 'whammy' sooner or later. A friend I know once pocketed a chocolate bar from a convenience store & within 24 hours lost his wallet. In esoteric terms we don't steal because we would be stealing from ourselves.
   Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh has a more detailed description of the 2nd Precept, or moral guidelines, with an 'engaged Buddhist' approach. T.N.H. states that preventing others from profiting from the suffering of humans or other species is an important aspect of this precept. An example would be multi-national oil corporations who buy land in poor countries & end up devastating local communities & eco-systems, or coal companies in the Appalachian mountains which do 'mountain-top' removal & in a few weeks take away a mountain that nature has taken millions of years to create. Activists who work to stop environmental atrocites
like these are actively practicing this precept. Someone who works to help native people, women, children, workers, or other species are living this precept.
   One way to practice this precept in daily life is to act on every single aspect of generosity that arises in our hearts. With material things this is a good way to practice 'letting go' or seeing how 'the more you give, the more you get' works. Of course, parents with young children know that their time & energy is the best gift they can give their kids.
   "Aware of the suffering" is how T.N.H. starts this teaching. We need to be aware, not to close our eyes & hearts, to the myraid levels of suffering on our Planet. We may not all be able to hop on a plane to Haiti (blessings to those activists!) but we can volunteer for the local food bank(like my Mom) or give some food or old clothes to a homeless person in our local town or city. It makes our own personal struggles seem a little less important when we do open ourselves to others sufferings. Namaste.

2012

2009-12-03T17:31:00.004+05:00

For anyone who is clueless '2012' is not only a recent Hollywood disaster but also also the 'end' date of a several thousand year ancient Mayan time period. According to Mayan prophecy Winter Solstice, 2012 signals a 'shift' (end/beginning) in time-space ushering in a new time period. Some say at 11:11 am on Winter Solstice in three years time the Earth will be in the Galactic Center of the Milky Way Galaxy. What will happen then?
According to the script-writer of the '2012' flick calamity will strike everywhere on Earth. The movie goes through about every disaster imaginable (except nuclear war & a meteor strike) The Earth's crust starts to melt bringing earthquakes & 1,500! meter tsunami's, the polar caps shift, & Yellowstone Super-Volcano blows covering the entire US in dusty darkness..(amazingly it does not cover the entire World as clear skies appear in the last scene as the survivors float to safety in their Chinese Metal-ship Arks)
Who knows what will actually happen at that moment in time? Do you know what is going to happen tomorrow? The fact is we don't know for certain anything about the 'future'. (except that our bodies will one day/year stop functioning)
Instead of death & destruction Optimists ('New Ager's') have a different take on 2012. To some it will be signal a new beginning for the human species. We will have a radical shift in consciousness or awakening & will realize the inter-connectedness of ourselves to all beings.
Other idea's are that the mysterious beings creating the crop circles & such ('Aliens') will finally show themselves & blow folks minds wide open...Of course fundamentalist religious folks believe that we are in 'end times' & their Savior will miraculously appear & amazingly make them disappear into 'heaven' & the rest of the 'sinners' will be 'left behind' with that bad horny devil...(actually both of those scenario's sound equally plausible..)
Here is one fact I believe. We really have no control over Nature. Can humanity stop a Tsunami? Can we stop a Volcano from blowing up? No. Some scientist's feel we are approaching a 'tipping point' in Climate Change (the melting of the Ice Caps,etc) which could result in a rather sudden Global 'Burp' which could be quite nasty (Oceans or Siberia releasing massive amounts of Methane Gas) Heck, when the Yellowstone Volcano does blow up one day it will cover the entire Planet in horrific dust..(some theorize the Dinosaurs were taken out by a Meteor creating dust that blocked the Sun out for years)
Although I believe we have no control over 'acts of Nature' I do believe we can influence the Noosphere of Humanity & that all living Beings are inter-connected. Have you heard of the 100th Monkey? A book by Ken Keyes about stopping Nuclear Arms/Wars but also an actual study of Monkeys on remote Japanese Islands. Scientists observed that one tribe of Monkeys on one Island started washing their fruit(before eating) for the first time...At a certain point(perhaps the '100th' Monkey) scientists on another Island realized that the behavior tranfered to Monkeys on the other Islands although there was no physical contact.
Why I am sharing this story is that I will go with the Optimists on 2012. There have been actual studies that groups of people who meditate or pray can lower the crime rate in cities or help individuals in physical healing. If enough people across the Planet are centered & sending out peaceful 'love/compassion' vibrations perhaps it will shift humanity into a less fearful vibration. Imagine millions of people on Winter Solstice 2012 meditating/praying for Peace. That's a beautiful thought isn't it? (maybe 11/11/11 can be a great warm-up!)
Love or Fear? I will go with Love. But even if the doomsayers are right & 2012 is the 'end' of Civilization I will still be sitting in meditation that day. I would rather sit on a beach & wait for the Tsunami to come(what a last bodysurf ride!) than be hiding in fear.
'2012' starts today. This moment. This breath. Be the '100th' Monkey. Be at Peace. Turn on your Heart-Light. Share your Love. Open Heart, Open Mind. One Love, One People, One Planet. Namaste.

Asia's Air (Pollution)

2009-11-03T11:34:00.008+05:00

There are many wonderful things about Asia. Most people are very friendly, the food is incredible, the ancient culture's are unique, and there is pristine Nature away from the urban area's.
However, one negative aspect that sets most of Asia apart from the rest of the World is the poor quality of Air. China's cities have notoriously unhealthy air and most cities throughout Asia have terrible air quality.
I happen to live in Taiwan, one of the four economic 'little tigers' of Asia. (others being South Korea, Singapore, & Hong Kong) Taiwan's economic growth has a cost though, as the air quality in it's major cities (where most of it's citizens live) is quite poor many days of the year.
The northern capital of Taipei has poor air quality on many days, mainly due to it's geographical location in a basin (former swamp) surrounded by mountains. Although it has an excellent public transit train and bus system there are almost one million gasoline-powered scooters in the city alone causing much of the pollution. Dust & Industrial Pollution drifting across the Taiwan Strait from China also causes air quality problems at certain times of the year.
Air pollution in other parts of Taiwan is mainly caused by local industries like petrochemical/ethylene, plastics, & other toxic factories.
In southern Kaohsiung, the second largest city, the power plant is the major source of pollution. Taiwan has some of the largest carbon-dioxide producing coal plants in the World, which is shameful to the intelligence here & harmful to the children and elderly living near these monstrous plants.
Besides the obvious solution of converting to alternative energies like wind & solar, and using natural gas instead of coal, expanding conservation efforts is a must. With an island population of 23 milllion, people should be encouraged to use fans instead of cranking their air-conditioners all the time. Industrial plants should be required to conserve energy and toxic industries like ethylene/naptha plastics should be phased out. Even simple acts like encouraging scooters to turn off their engines if sitting at red lights more than 30 seconds would help air quality. (Citizens sitting on gasoline scooters at crowded red lights are exposed to highly toxic levels of pollution particles)
A cultural aspect of air pollution unique to Taiwan is the burning of paper 'money' twice a month.(every new & full moon) Many residents & businesses burn huge amounts of colored (toxic) paper for good luck & to honor the 'ghost' ancestors. This unnecessary ritual makes the pollution even worse on these days. I think the 'ghosts' would accept a ceremonial burned check!
A different aspect of air pollution in Asia is indoor smoking. While the rest of the World is moving forward on this issue (even the pubs in Ireland are smoke-free!) Asia seems stuck in a 1950's time warp. Over 40% of Chinese men are smokers. In Taiwan, although an indoor smoking ban was recently made into law, smoking is still allowed in most pubs and nightclubs. Second-hand smoke is toxic air for everyone & even a non-smokers clothes will reek of smoke. Smoking cigarettes is the worst thing you can do for your health & if you smoke indoors around other people you are a social idiot.
People (not just in Asia) have not connected how their personal choices and actions are contributing to the problem. When we drive our gasoline machines instead of taking public transit or bikes we create more toxic air. When we leave lights on we 'waste' energy that is probably coming from a toxic power source. When we continually buy disposable 'plastic' cups/drinks that cup was created from a toxic plant and needs more energy generated to be recycled. (Reduce/Re-use/then Recycle) Do you know where the energy powering your home & community comes from? If you are not off-grid it is probably from a toxic power source.
We need to demand from our political leaders that citizens lungs are more important than industrial profit & wake up to how our daily actions are interconnected. Also, to appreciate good quality Air whenever we experience it. As the Pink Floyd song says, "Breathe, breathe in the Air..."

Stop honoring Columbus!.. Indigenous Peoples Day!

2009-10-09T18:36:00.005+07:00

Why does America celebrate the life of an Italian explorer who was responsible for the murder and eventual genocide of an entire race of people?
When Christopher Columbus landed on Haiti/Hispaniola in 1495 for his second visit, his men took captive the 2,000 friendly Taino native villagers who came to greet him. The Spaniards, under the command of Columbus, began mass enslavement of the indigenous Taino peoples. Once gold was discovered Columbus set up a tribute system and had the hands cut off of Taino Indians who did not collect enough gold dust. For minor offenses an Indians nose or ears were cut off and Spaniards even hunted Indians for sport and murdered them for dog food.
As he began exporting the Taino as slaves, the sex-trade became an important part of the business, as Columbus wrote a friend in 1500: "A hundred castelanoes (coins) are as easily obtained for a woman as a farm, and it is very general and there are plenty of dealers who go about looking for these girls; those from nine to ten (years old) are now in demand."
As the Taino natives did not make very good slaves Columbus, and later his brother Bartholomew, simply resorted to an 'ethnic cleansing' and wiping out the Taino people all together. Prior to Columbus' arrival most scholars place the native population at three million people. By 1516 the population was 12,000. By 1555 not a single Taino was alive. The Taino culture, people, and genes have vanished from the Planet.
Celebrating the life of a mass murderer is not worthy of America. There is a growing movement to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day to honor all the incredible people and cultures who lived here long before Columbus set sail for the West Indies. Indigenous Peoples Day would be joyously celebrated across the nation by the descendants of European explorers and indigenous peoples coming together to celebrate our ancestors.

Octopussy & Overpopulation

2009-09-15T00:45:00.008+07:00

Start counting out loud...1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10....That is the human population growth taking place right now on this Planet. If you continue counting for 24 hours you will get to about 200,000 which the amount of human population growth added everyday on Earth. (350,000 babies are born everyday & 150,000 humans die everyday) About 74 million humans are added each year!
For most of human history Homo Sapiens species population has been far below one Billion. In 1800 it reached one Billion, by 1960 it reached 3 Billion, & less than 50 years later is approaching 7 Billion.
Almost all of ecological & society's problems can be traced to overpopulation. Deforestation, loss of species, soil erosion, pollution, & numerous other problems have roots in mankind's relentless quest to populate the Planet. When we cut tropical rain forests to raise cattle to kill for fast-food 'hamburgers' we are basically turning the Earth into a giant human feedlot.
Octopussy is not only the name of an old James Bond movie but also a name given to the recent 'Octo-Mom', a U.S. woman with 6 children who decided to go to a fertility clinic & ended up giving birth to eight more! Now she has her own TV show & so does another family who will soon be having their 18th kid! Instead of celebrating these idiots perhaps their husband/partners should be taken to a clinic & given a few snips to end their prolific stupidity!
The fact is that anyone having more than 2 children is contributing to overpopulation. You may be a mother reading this with 3 or more children(I am not calling you stupid!) so to balance the population let's hope at least one of your kids is Gay or becomes a monk or nun!
The main factor in population increase has been the rise in production of food. With the discovery of oil & the development of the tractor humans were suddenly able to produce many more crops than just using horses or oxen.
Another factor has been Religion. 'Be fruitful & multiply' has been a Bible tenet & organizations like the Catholic Church & their opposition to birth control has made Christianity the most followed religion. Of course this has consequences as an overpopulated Catholic country like the Philippines is now a net importer of rice. (while a Buddhist country like Thailand is an exporter) Protestant sub-sects like Mormonism are prolific breeders too & obviously Christian tenets like being 'good stewards' of the Earth are not highly valued.
Despite wacko's like the Octomom the birthrate in most wealthy democracies is going down. One of the single most factors in causing a birthrate to decrease is providing education & access to birth control to women. When women are given opportunities they overwhelmingly chose to limit the number of children they have to create a better quality of life for themselves & their children. We need to support family planning clinics in every nation & community. We also need to stop demonizing women who chose to have abortions. (Without abortions the population growth would be much greater)
Kid's are great! Let's just stop having so damn many of them.

For a fascinating look at population growth & other mind-boggling global statistics/World Clock
http://www.peterrussell.com

Don't Fear the Reaper

2009-08-23T20:19:00.010+07:00

All our times have come
Here but now they're gone
Seasons don't fear the Reaper
nor do the Wind, Sun, or Rain
We can Be like they are
Come on baby..don't fear the Reaper
Baby take my hand..don't fear the Reaper
We'll be able to fly..don't fear the Reaper

(Don't Fear) the Reaper was a classic rock song from the band Blue Oyster Cult in the 1970's. The lyricist stated the song was about not fearing Death (the Reaper), and the power of Love to endure our physical Forms.
All Life (forms) are subject to Death & there is a constant flow of death & birth on this Planet.
About 150,000 People die each day. About 350,000 Babies are born every day. (another topic!)
Look around you as you go about your day. Every person you meet today, or see on the internet or television is going to die one day. So will you. If we are lucky we will die an old man or woman, surrounded by loved ones or perhaps peacefully in our sleep. But there is no guarantee of that. The only guarantee is that you, & every human being & other life forms on this Planet will die some day.
You may have a simplistic belief that on death you will ascend to 'heaven' & play harps with Jesus, or as a Muslim will be hanging out with the 101 virgins. Or perhaps you are a New-Ager & your 'guides' tell you death is like 'taking off an tight shoe'. Or perhaps you are a Buddhist or Hindu & believe in reincarnation but that doesn't change the fact that YOU, as a separate Body-Mind in THIS LIFETIME will cease to exist one day. Your children or friends may remember you for many years afterwards but eventually memories will fade, & they too will face the 'Grim Reaper'.
The more we examine, or embrace this subtle(or not so subtle) FEAR of Death that occurs throughout our experiences as a Human Being, the more Freedom we actually have. Freedom to BE fully ALIVE in this unique BODY-MIND in THIS LIFETIME.

ps (recently good friends have passed away... this is something I wrote this over 10 years ago when my father died..)

Jerry Garcia is dead. My father died in May. Summer is coming to an end and autumn slowly appears. We grieve for loved ones and let go knowing precious memories remain and their spirit lives on in each of us.
Out of the darkness of night, we see stars of light. Whether the soul lives on behind the pearly gates or is soon reincarnated again to experience this earthly realm is not as important as the love shared between sentient beings. Love is eternal and will not fade away. Love is beyond all words...Love Is! Feel it, don't think about it! Feel the inhalation...and exhalation...:)

We'll be able to fly...Don't fear the Reaper..

A ''Bleeding Heart' Liberal

2009-08-14T19:19:00.009+07:00

I was going to title this post 'The Republican Soccer Mom' or 'What Would Jesus Do?' but the fact is I'm not a Republican or a Christian. So consider me a 'bleeding heart' Liberal/Progressive.
Recently I was called a 'commie' online for sharing an article on increasing the tax rate on wealthy individuals so perhaps I will state what this 'bleeding heart' progressive's ( still evolving) political belief's are.
-I believe in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (adopted by US/UN in 1948)
art. 1 "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."
-I believe in the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, & the U.S. Constitution as a living, evolving document. (Abolishing Corporate Personhood should be the next amendment)
-I believe in the Green Party's 10 Key Values
-Money has corrupted the U.S. political system & no real change will happen without serious campaign finance reform (public-funded elections)
-Government is necessary in our over-populated, industrialized society
-Progressive taxation creates a more egalitarian, just society
-Capitalism without environmental & other regulations is a destructive system
-All workers have the right to form a union & have a living wage
-The "growing military,industrial complex" is out of control & the Pentagon's budget is obscene
-U.S. citizens are less safe because of the foreign bases & hundred's of thousands of soldiers stationed in foreign lands (other people's countries)
-Dropping bombs(& firing missles by drones) on rural villages & cities is terrorism
-Climate Change is a far more serious threat to the U.S./World than Muslim extremism
-Single Payer/Universal Health Care is a RIGHT for all people

Recently I have connected on Facebook with old school friends, many who classify themselves as Republicans and/or Christians. Although I know in their daily lives these folks are kind to their family & friends I am amazed at how 'cold-hearted' their political views can be toward others. Many post political opinion 'polls' & some of those polls are truly mean-spirited.
I wonder if the average 'Republican soccer Mom' has considered how her support for Republican politicians & policies may actually be harmful to her children's future. Republicans have been against alternative energy & Climate Change initiatives for over two decades. The last incompetent Republican President wasted eight years of action despite overwhelming scientific evidence that industrial/human actions are heating the Planet. (only 6% of scientists consider themselves Republican)
As for Jesus, wasn't he a homeless wanderer who healed the sick free of charge & talked about 'turning swords into plowshares'? Didn't he radically speak out against the wealthy & Pharisee's, who were concerned with upholding "the law" but had become hardened against the needs of the people? Which political party is the 'Pharisee's' of today? Who is concerned with morality (gay marriage) but cares nothing about people in pain & need?
Would Jesus spend waste one second listening to Rush Limbaugh or the blowhards on Fox 'News'? Would He support the 'status quo' of 18,000 unnecessary deaths a year & millions of people without insurance or support health care for everyone?
I respect people's right to protest but where was the outrage when the U.S. dropped bombs and invaded other countries? If you call yourself a 'conservative' & rant against the poor/welfare but not against corporate 'welfare' or the Pentagon's budget & military occupations you are being inconsistent (Rep. Ron Paul is the last conservative/libertarian politician with any integrity)
We need more 'bleeding hearts" in the United States. With 18,000 unnecessary deaths a year Health Insurance is a MORAL issue. We need people to realize that government policies/actions can create less real suffering in the world(by giving millions health insurance) or more suffering (military actions)...
Well, this 'bleeding heart' has ranting long enough...Maybe I've offended a few folks..Sorry, but thanks for reading!

Eat less, live longer! (68)

2009-07-27T17:27:00.005+07:00

The first thing to realize when wanting to change one's eating habits is that less food is better. In a study with rats the group that lived the longest & was the healthiest had their food intake cut by forty percent. Whales have the largest brains on the Planet & usually spend weeks at a time fasting. Perhaps 40% would be a bit too drastic for most people but cutting our calorie intake is the first step in cleansing our bodies. I read somewhere that the average American (German,etc) has up to 5 pounds of toxic waste stuck in their colon. We are literally 'full of shit!'
Eating less & doing a 'master cleanse' or some other colon cleanse is well known to have incredible health benefits.
In eating it is important to realize that the more natural or raw the food is then it will have more bio-energy or life-force. Vegetables(& fruits) that are eaten raw, or lightly steamed, are far healthier than something that has been cooked too much. Eating 'fried' food is perhaps the worst choice one can make as frying changes the molecular structure of the food to something like plastic someone once told me.
I've written previously about the spiritual, ethical, & health benefits of vegetarianism(post 62) so I won't go into detail on that. Suffice to say that eating a plant-centered diet vs. a meat-centered diet is far healthier. When you buy dead animal corpses(meat) from a store it has probably come from a 'factory farm' & you are not being aware of the hormone injections & other toxic materials that the animal has been forced to consume. You only think you need 'meat' everyday!
Vegans are even healthier than vegetarians. A vegan is someone who does not any animal products, like dairy products from cows. Are adults really supposed to drink cow's milk? Children would be much healthier too if they were given rice or soy milk instead of cow's milk.
Of course, drastically cutting back on sugar & processed food is important for health. Stop buying sugar-laced soft drinks & drink more filtered water or tea. Stop eating 'fast food' because we really don't know what we are consuming. Of course, that is the key to it all. Know what you are consuming/eating! The body is the 'temple' of the soul/spirit so give it good 'fuel'. Give it a tune-up(cleanse) & 'change the oil'(olive oil!) every few months or so. You will be glad you did!

ps. for my Asian friends who eat white rice with everything...I was told by someone (who eats a 90% raw diet) that white rice is basically 'empty' calories with hardly any nutritional value...anyone to defend white rice?

If I was President Pike

2009-07-13T15:49:00.009+07:00

If I was the President of the United States of America...

-I would demand that Congress pass a serious public finance campaign law to get the money out of politics that corrupts every progressive legislative proposal

-Call for a Constitutional Convention and encourage the next Amendment to be one rescinding corporate personhood (multi-national corporate c.e.o.'s controlled the highest levels of the last Republican White House & appear to have much influence in the current Democratic one)

-Follow the wisdom of Founding Fathers like Washington & Jefferson and decrease the standing Army (& Air Force)...the original Constitution only calls for a strong Navy (& Marines) & Militia (National Guard)...By decreasing the Pentagon's budget( currently over ONE TRILLION a year for War-related activities) more money will be freed for peaceful purposes (rather than bullets and bombs)

-Close all 727 U.S. bases in foreign countries and bring all troops back to U.S. soil...(didn't Bin Laden state one of his main reasons his Saudi men attacked was because we had U.S. troops on the 'holy land' of Saudia Arabia?)

-take steps to close the Federal Reserve Bank & set up bio-regional community banks without Wall Streets influence (how did a private bank get so powerful to 'loan' money to the U.S. government?)

-Massive investment in clean energy like solar and wind power. Nationalize natural resources such as gas,minerals, and water (Exxon's 15 billion quarterly profit will go directly in the US Treasury)

-Explain to the American people that Health Care is a basic right & 'Socialism' is not a dirty word. Overtime pay, 8 hour work days, Racial and Women's rights have all been achieved through social movements.

-Stop Corporate Welfare for huge corporations. Increase corporate taxes. (In 1969 corporations paid 29% of US tax burden and now only 6%) Greatly increase the tax on wealthy citizens making over 2 million dollars a year.

-Legalize Nature. Anything that grows in nature should not be illegal. Legalize hemp and marijuana & the coca leaf. Tax it & bring in billions for the Treasury. Re-direct (or shut down) government agencies like the DEA to go after dangerous, destructive drugs like crystal meth. Empty the prisons of non-violent drug offenders and save money by closing half the prisons.
Of course, by legalizing hemp(food,fiber, & clothing) & marijuana (medicine) we could re-vitalize small farmers and cut American's addiction to pharmo-chemicals.

-Create a Dept. of Peace. We already have a Dept. of War (re-named 'Defense') so let's balance the Cabinet.

-Make the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) a Cabinet-level department. Clean Air,Soil, & Water is a basic right for all species, especially humans.

-Change Columbus Day (a genocide murderer who was involved in the sex slave trade of girls as young as 9) to Indigenous Peoples Day to honorthe true 'Founding Fathers(& Mothers) of America.

-Appoint progressive people to make policies & be in charge of federal agencies like Rep. Kucinich of Ohio or Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin...Make Ralph Nader Attorney General. Make scholars Noam Chomsky Sec. of State & Chalmbers Johnson Sec. of Defense.

Of course, I'm not the President. Never will be. I also realize I have almost zero chance of President Obama reading and being influenced by this blog. So consider this my 'last political will & testament.' (for awhile at least) I consider myself a Progressive Democrat with strong Green & Libertarian values but realize about half of my family and friends have voted for Republican politicians I think should be serving time in prison. To me, the Republican Party has been overwhelmingly corrupted by Corporate America & over half the Democrat Party appears to be corrupted. Anyone who wants to wake up from the corporate media dream only has to read internet sites like my North Carolina professor friend Ray Bawarchi's blog.
http://www.raybawarchi.blogspot.com
or sites like
http://www.commondreams.org

Political writers more astute than myself, like Ray & noted author Thom Hartmann, are offering policies and making wise comments on our current political situation. So 'President' Pike is resigning from the world political stage for now. I will devote my energy to teaching English, learning Chinese, riding bikes, learning to play guitar & surfing, & finding time to goof off every now & zen. Good night America.

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Support the Troops!!! (post 66)

2009-05-12T10:27:00.010+07:00

This is a difficult post to write. My posts now go directly to my facebook page where I have over 200 'cyber' friends, some of them whom I know have family or friends stationed in Iraq or Afghanistan. I myself am a Marine Corps veteran, being lucky enough not to be involved in any combat during my four years of service. (Bush Sr. invaded Panama but that mostly involved the U.S. Army)
Almost 8 years ago the U.S. was attacked by a small terrorist group composed mostly of Saudi Arabians. The leader of that group had a small camp in the desert of Afghanistan. There were no Iraq or Afghan people who had attacked the U.S. but the neo-conservative US Republican President decided to invade, drop bombs/destroy, and occupy both countries. Over seven & five years later we still have tens of thousands of troops in both countries. Tens of thousands of civilians have killed by the "bad"("terrorists") and "good"(US forces)bullets & bombs. In Iraq alone over 2 million(out of 23) citizens have fled their country from the chaos the U.S invasion caused.
One of my friends on facebook has a son being sent to Afghanistan & I noticed a comment on a picture by one of his Marine buddies saying, "fire off a few rounds for me!" I also have a cousin who joined the Georgia National Guard after 9-11 so he could be sent to Iraq. Now, he will be going to Afghanistan. He believes that we need to "kill the bad guys over there so they won't kill us over here." (that was his reasoning 2 yrs ago when we last got together)

Imagine this. Imagine the the 50 United States were individual countries instead. Let's imagine that wealthy New York(US) was attacked by religious fanatics from wealthy, oil rich Texas. (but the leaders of Texas(Saudi Arabia) give oil to New York) The leader of that small group who attacked NYC had a small camp in the poor country of Alabama(Afghanistan), ruled by a different group of religious fanatics. The neo-conservative leader of New York decides to invade Alabama to capture the terrorist leader but he escapes.
Two years later the leader of New York decides to "take out" the leader of Georgia(Iraq) who had NOTHING to do with the attacks on New York. New York's powerful military destroys the country(bombing power & water purification plants)& disbands Georgia's army & the neo-conservative leaders are surprised it's troops are not greeted as hero's.
Seven & Five years later New York's troops are still in OCCUPATION of these 'foreign' lands. Over 75% of the citizens of both Alabama and Georgia want the 'foreign'(New York) troops out of their land & believe the violence will decrease dramatically when they do.

I have written previously about US militarism(post 56) quoting Martin Luther King Jr, giving figures on the insane military spending, & reviewing how much death & destruction was caused by US bombs, bullets, and chemicals in that small country. The political leaders lied to the American people then too, saying how much "we" (the US military forces) needed to be there to stop the spread of ________(fill in the blank..communism, terrorism)

Our new President got many progressive citizens votes by telling folks how intelligent he was to speak out against the invasion of Iraq in 2003 when he was a state senator in Illinois. Although over 22 Democrat Senators & 100 Democrat US Congressmen were intelligent enough to vote against the Iraq invasion he did not pick any of those to be in his Cabinet. (He even kept Bush Jr's Sec. of Defense) He is intelligent enough to know we need to withdraw from Iraq (but states we might keep up to 30,000 troops left 2 years from now!)
In Afghanistan, he wants to increase our troops by 21,000 (so far) Perhaps our new President needs to read his history books to think the US Occupation will work any better than the 500,000 troops the British Empire used or the more recent Russian Occupation that failed.

One of the stated reasons Bin Laden attacked the US was because we had over 15,000 US military forces stationed in his 'holy land' of Saudia Arabia. HOW ARE US TROOPS STATIONED IN THE MIDDLE EAST MAKING US CITIZENS ANY SAFER WHEN THE MAJORITY OF CITIZENS IN THAT COUNTRY DO NOT WANT US THERE??. Even if we "fire off a few rounds" and "kill the bad guys" those "bad guys" have friends and brothers who now become our enemies. Not only that, but our "collateral damage" has killed thousands of innocent civilians in both countries. More enemies created & lives destroyed by bombs & bullets.

"If we leave the countries will fall apart." Maybe. So what? Iraq & Afghanistan are fictions on a map drawn by colonial powers almost 100 years ago. Iraq has 3 distinct regions & Afghanistan has mountain regions that want nothing to do with the central government(led by a former oil executive Bush Jr. installed) The political talking heads & generals said the same thing about Vietnam. Democracy cannot be forced by the gun. Let the people of Iraq & Afghanistan decide their own fate.

Thousands of US troops have already died & over 30,000 physically maimed for life in our invasion and current 5 & 7 year Occupation of two middle east countries(we are in an OCCUPATION, not a War!) Some estimate over 300,000 troops(or more?) have been damaged psychologically by their time spent in Iraq or Afghanistan. Just today, news came that a US soldier killed 5 other US soldiers at a mental health clinic in Baghdad. The Generals & political talking heads will say "we need more troops" but the truth is we need we NEED TO BRING OUR TROOPS HOME!!! By all means, support loved ones serving in the military with letters & such but the best way you can support the overworked US military is by demanding from our political leaders that they cease USING our troops as occupying military forces in foreign lands.

MAY ALL OUR LOVED ONES COME HOME FROM OVERSEAS SAFELY.
MAY OUR POLITICAL LEADERS HAVE THE WISDOM & COURAGE TO BRING OUR TROOPS HOME.
MAY ALL BEINGS BE HAPPY, PEACEFUL, AND FREE FROM SUFFERING.

Free and Easy

2009-04-09T09:41:00.002+07:00

Happiness cannot be found through great effort and willpower, but is already present, in open relaxation and letting go.
Don't strain yourself, there is nothing to do or undo. Whatever momentarily arises in the body-mind has No real importance at all, has little reality whatsoever. Why identify with, and become attached to it, passing judgement upon it and ourselves?
Far better to simply let the entire game happen on its own, springing up and falling back like waves, without changing or manipulating anything and notice how everything vanishes and reappears, magically, again and again, time without end.
Only our searching for happiness prevents us from seeing it. It is like a vivid rainbow which you pursue without ever catching, or a dog chasing its own tail. Although peace and happiness do not exist as an actual thing or place, it is always available and accompanies you every instant.
Don't believe in the reality of good and bad experiences; they are like today's ephemeral weather, like rainbows in the sky. Wanting to grasp the ungraspable, you exhaust yourself in vain.
As soon as you open and relax this tight fist of grasping,
infinite space is there, open, inviting, comfortable.
Make use of this spaciousness, this freedom and natural ease.
Don't search any further looking for the great awakened elephant, who is already resting quietly at home in front of your own hearth.

Nothing to do or undo
nothing to force
nothing to want,
and nothing missing.
Emaho! Marvelous!
Everything happens by itself.

-Lama Gendun Rinpoche (this is a famous dzochen poem I recently re-discovered)

The First Precept- Reverence For Life (64)

2009-03-08T13:49:00.007+07:00

Although I am not a Buddhist I find I find deep wisdom in that path, especially in the teaching on how the Mind functions. In addition to Buddhist psychology & meditative practices are moral codes, or precepts for human beings to follow so they will not create more 'negative' karma.
Although monks & nuns have over 200! precepts to follow there are only 5 basic precepts. In short they are no killing,no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no gossip/slander, & no(heedless) use of intoxicants.
The First Precept
"Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I undertake to cultivate compassion and learn ways to protect the lives of people,animals,plants,and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any act of killing in my world, my thinking, and in my way of life."
(as stated by noted Zen Master and author Thich Nhat Hahn)

Vegetarians are observing this precept deeply as are pacifists who work to stop soldiers from being sent to kill others in far away lands. However, if that pacifist 'hates' the President who sends the soldiers to kill he is not practicing the precept.
I had a relative who after the 9/11 terrorist attack said "we should nuke the whole damn Middle East". Because of the actions of 18 men(according to U.S. govt. officials) my relative wanted to kill the entire Arab world. In his Mind, he had already killed them as anyone does when they think hateful thoughts.
Our culture is full of violence. We glorify the 'good' guy(cop,soldier) with a gun(it seems every other Hollywood film has someone with a gun in the poster) who inevitably ends up killing lots of 'bad' guys. Our children are addicted to video games which usually involve shooting and killing imaginary 'bad' guys. There once was a study which showed by the time a child is a teenager he will have watched over 18,000 deaths on television. This is the culture the U.S. is exporting to the rest of the world!( as someone who has traveled in other countries I know)
Why plants & minerals in the precept? Anyone who has ever been to a Redwood Forest knows that those tree's are great beings. There is only 2% left of the old-growth forest left in the continental U.S. and multi-national logging corporations are still cutting tree's as old as Christianity(2,000years!) As for minerals, anyone who has ever been to West Virginia may be aware of a corporate mining practice called 'mountain top removal' which is done in poor mountain communities.
'Waking Up' involves not only realizing how the Mind creates one's Reality but also how interconnected one's actions are to the World. That hamburger from McDonalds probably came from a cow pumped full of steroids & brutally slaughtered after grazing in a Brazilian pasture that used to be a rainforest.(to use one example) We stop watching/supporting violent movies & change the vibration of a room to something more uplifting. To follow the precept and path of non-violence we literally 'change the channel' of violence in our actions, diet, and most importantly in our Minds.

63-Positive Mind State

2009-02-10T20:13:00.005+07:00

A relative of mine recently had a terrible burn accident. It will be a long healing process for him but numerous studies have shown that keeping a positive mind state can speed up physical healing.
Very few of us will ever experience such drastic physical pain but all of us will sooner or later experience the death of loved ones, or the loss of relationships or jobs. While it is crucial to let ourselves FEEL the resulting anger and sadness of our loss, eventually we have to come to an acceptance of our new situation.
Acceptance is the Taoist equalibrium path to peace, the 'zero point' of everyday existence. When I am in a state of irritation or impatience I know I am in a negative state, or not accepting my situation.
We can shift our mind into 'positive' states of Being such as Joy by conscious breathing and realizing the common humanity of everyone and the divine nature of all existence.
Einstein's famous equation, "E=mc2", as I understand it, states that all matter is basically consensed 'Light' energy..Your very body is condensed light energy, ,made up of particles of the Earth & Sun...not only is ALL MATTER LIGHT ENERGY vibrating at various frequency's but everything we SEE is LIGHT...all Sounds we Hear are Light, what we Smell,Taste, & Touch is Light...When we experience higher states of consciousness we blissfully abide in the 'divine' nature of existence here and NOW on Earth...
One way to stay in a positive mind state is through Gratitude...We Re-member our original Oneness & all the beings that helped us on our journey to this NOW moment..Not only our parents but all our ancestors who walked the Earth...
The more we FEEL the more we HEAL...

62-Non-Violent Diet

2009-01-02T22:30:00.008+07:00

Do you still eat animals? Do you eat the flesh of cows, pigs, or chickens every day? Please consider the following and perhaps change your diet!
There are numerous health,environmental,ethical, and spiritual reasons for switching to a plant-centered rather than an animal-centered diet. Also, consider that 'politics' is not just about going into a voting booth every two years but how you live your life and spend your money every day. What you put in your grocery cart in the supermarket and what you eat is a big part of your 'politics'.
The human body is designed to be an herbivore. Adam and Eve in the Garden eating fruit. Unlike flesh-eating animals such as lions who have sharp teeth and a short digestive system, human's have flat molars and a large digestive tract like other plant-eating animals. Modern man has over 200 inches(18 feet!) of intestines which unfortunately is 'clogged' in most people with processed food and dead 'meat'.
Eating the flesh of animals('meat')greatly increases one's chances of getting cancer or having a heart attack.
-average U.S. man's risk of death from heart attack: 50 percent
-average risk of man who eats no meat: 15 percent
-average risk of man who eats no meat,dairy, or eggs: 4 percent
Do you have any idea what that cow or pig was fed before you consumed it's flesh? It was probably pumped full of anti-biotics and other toxic chemicals before it was sent to the slaughterhouse and ended up in your stomach.(a steer grows from 80 to 1,100 pounds in 16 months!) Unless you personally know your farmer you have no clue what you are really digesting when you eat that 'hamburger' or 'bacon' or other dead animal corpse.
In consideration of the Environment livestock production is a huge cause of Global Warming. Tropical and temperate rainforests are cleared to produce land for cows to graze and crops to feed the animals. In 2008 out of a total of 2.1 billion ton world grain harvest over 760 million tons (40 percent)was used to feed farm animals. Also, huge amounts of precious water resources are used to produce an animal-centered diet.
Ethically, if you had to kill the animal you recently ate would you? How often do you kill for your food? In our urbanized, industrialized society people have no awareness of how that 'fast food' 'Big Mac'/Cow or 'pork' loin/Pig lived or was killed. The fact is that the cow, pig, or chicken or other animal you are eating probably was killed in a slaughterhouse with horrific suffering. (If you eat tuna or other ocean fish it was probably trapped and suffocated in a huge driftnet that most likely killed dolphins and sea turtles too.)
In order to keep up with growing human population's craving for animal flesh 'factory farms' for animals are how most farm animals are raised now. Most animals are taken from their mothers at birth or shortly after and live brutal, short lives. Chickens are raised in cages without ever having felt the sunlight, pigs never touch the earth and are unable to turn around in their concrete pens, and cows are constantly attached to their 'milking' machines or raised in dusty 'feed lots' until they are killed.
A modern slaughterhouse for cows averages 'processing' four hundred cattle an hour. This involves putting cows on a conveyor belt and shooting them in the head with a steel bolt. Then, they are hooked up with one leg and hung upside down and go to the 'bleed' area where their throat is slit. Watching a PETA video of a slaughterhouse is eye-opening as you can see that some cows survive the bolt and have their throats slit alive while hanging upside down. (McDonald's allows a 5 percent 'error' rate)
A spiritual perspective considers all the health,environmental,ethical, and moral reasons in considering a vegan or vegetarian diet. All beings want to live. Cows and Pigs are intelligent animals who unfortunately are being slaughtered by the millions every day by modern Man/Homo Sapiens.
Some spiritual teachings say that from the violent deaths of most factory-farmed animals humans consume a lower 'fear' vibration from the dead animal's flesh. Ultimately, most all spiritual teachings preach of love and non-violence and vegetarianism is 'walking the talk' of peace,love, and non-violence. A growing number of people are stopping eating animals. Join the revolution!

ECO-Logical

2008-12-16T13:15:00.005+07:00

The financial crisis will come and go. Far more important is the Ecological crisis Planet Earth is facing. The Oceans, Rivers, tropical Rainforests, temperate Forests, Wetlands, and other Eco-systems are under relentless strain from our Industrialized society and our unceasing population growth. Even the Ozone layer, the thin outer membrane of the Planet that protects humans and other species from the harmful rays of our Star-Sun, has been weakened by the tons of harmful chemicals we have pumped into the atmosphere.
Global Warming is perhaps the most immediate crisis that needs to be dealt with. Humans continue to produce massive amounts of CO2 which keeps increasing the temperature of the Planet. The greatest fear is that too rapid an increase in temperature would release huge quantities of methane gas(20x more powerful than CO2!)that is currently being trapped in the bottom of the Oceans and in the permafrost in Siberia and Canada. Scientists keep increasing their predictions of temperature rise from 2(F) to 6 degrees. The last increase of 6 degrees in Planet surface temperature wiped out 98% of the Species on Earth! (Perhaps we should change the oxymoron 'War on Terror' to the 'Terror of Global Warming')
But 'fear' is not intelligent. What is needed is for people to 'Wake Up' and realize how their individual choices and actions contribute to the problem (and how Corporate actions and government inaction help to increase Global Warming)
When one starts to think ecologically on their actions they are actually showing a deep spiritual wisdom. A humble attitude that realizes that you are just one of almost seven billion of just one species on this incredible Planet. You understand how the current lifestyles of citizens in rich countries are unsustainable and a threat to a decent future for children and most of the Species on the Planet. (The average Westerner today consumes 100times the resources of a person living 200 years ago at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. Combined with the population growth(10X) and the result is a 1000-fold increase in consumption, with all the resulting increase in waste and pollution)
Ways to consider being an eco-logical versus an ego-thinking Human:

1) The 'factory' farming of cows(8-ratio), pigs(4),chickens(2, and other animals causes up to 18% of Global Warming. (Also, an incredible waste of water resources and rainforests and up to 130x the excrement pollution of humans)
Any serious eco-thinker needs to stop eating cows and consider eating less animal flesh and becoming a vegetarian. (Ego-thinking would say "I like the taste of 'beef' too much!")
2) Eco-thinkers start to become aware of their energy usage. Are you aware now of what is the source of the lights/computer you are now using? Most of civilization's energy grid comes from 'dirty' energy such as coal,gas, or nuclear power plants. Only a small (but growing) percentage comes from 'clean' energy such as wind or solar power. Unless one is 'off-grid' you don't have much choice in changing your power source but you can conserve, or limit your energy usage when possible. You can turn off lights,computers,TV's,etc. when you leave a room as one example. (Ego- " I pay the electric bill in my (hotel)/house so I will use as much as I want!")

3) What type of transportation one uses really distinguishes one's eco-committment.
Eco-best to worst-
Walking,Biking,Public Transportation(buses,metro trains)electric scooters, gas scooters, electric cars, hybrid cars, motorcycles, small cars to gas guzzlers like SUV's..
I have eco-friends who have purposely given up their gas auto vehicles to ride their bikes to work and other friends who drive 90 minutes(each way!) to work alone in their auto's. If public transportation is not available(demand it!) consider starting a car pool! Better yet, eco-thinkers try to live in close proximity to their work. (On a special note Airlines are considered the worst eco-option( although bio-fuel engines are a future possibility) If you have to fly a long journey hope that your aircraft is full and consider buses or trains instead of short flights!)
4) Reduce-Reuse-Recycle
Stop being a mindless consumer. If you need to buy something also consider the wasteful 'packaging' that comes with it. A piece of styrofoam lasts up to 500 years!
An eco-thinker will almost always tell the store clerk(who mindlessly tries to give you a bag for your one to two items) "No, I don't need a bag" (I have my own or can carry it, put in my pocket,etc)
Cook your own food(or eat in a restaurant) instead of ordering 'take-out'..
Buy a water filter or re-fill bottles from a machine instead of buying more plastic..
Order a draft beer(or make your own!) instead of drinking from can's or bottles..
_________(fill in the blank!)
There are countless ways to start to thinking eco-logically and lighten one's eco-footprint on this precious Planet..Do you care about the future? Become an Eco-thinker!

60-Meditation

2008-12-06T15:33:00.005+07:00

I had a fascinating college professor who really blew my mind one lecture. He stated "if you are thinking, you are not aware" and then gave a lecture on Eastern philosophy. That totally confused me because I realized I 'thought' all the time & assumed everyone else did too. That talk eventually led me to the Atlanta Soto Zen Center where I practiced 'not thinking' and eventually went on many different types of silent meditation retreats ranging from 3 to 10 days (even a 5 week silent vipassanna meditation retreat about 10 yrs ago)
Some spiritual teachers, like the late Osho, claim that most people are not ready for a meditation like Vipassanna because they have too much repressed energy that needs to be released before doing a long sitting meditation. Perhaps it is best to put on some dance music & shake around for about 15 minutes before trying to meditate!
Actually, there is never a time when we are not 'meditating'...Are you aware now of your posture?(is your back straight?) Your breathing?(the inhalation & exhalation thru the nostrils or the rise & fall of your abdomen) Any sensations or tensions in the body? The background noises? The words on this screen & all the colors & forms surrounding the computer? If you are, then you are practicing 'meditation'...
Unfortunately the Mind rarely wants to stay grounded in Reality, the timeless Present Moment...It wants to stay in the Past of memories or the Future of fantasies,planning,or 'worries'....So by practicing mindfulness meditation & bringing one's attention over & over to the Reality of the NOW moment One starts to have a clarity & spaciousness of Mind...
The breath is a good tool to stay present because breathing is always taking place in the NOW...on some Vipassanna 10 day retreats the first 3 days will just be spent following the sensations of the breath(not trying to control it like some yogic teachings but just being aware of whether it is deep/shallow, short/long)
Later, one starts to focus awareness into the various sensations of the body & realizes how they eventually fade away...one does a 'body scan' and feels what parts of the body are vibrating with feeling & which are not..
Moving meditative disciplines such as Tai Chi,yoga,and various martial arts, and sitting meditations such as Zazen,Dzochen, or Vipassanna are about deepening one's concentration and awareness of NOW...When the practice is over one starts to realize that Eternity, the timeless Present Moment, has no beginning or end...We can either stay AWAKE and pay Attention, BE mindful, of the NOW or go on 'auto-pilot' and stay 'lost' in the Maya/Mind...
There are numerous books to help one awaken...perhaps one of the best teachers is Eckhart Tolle & 'Practicing the Power of the Now'...May you bring 'The Miracle of Mindfulness'(Thich Nhat Hanh) to all your activities...breathing,talking,walking,eating,typing...and especially listening..
"When will the Kingdom come?" asked the pupil.
"The Kingdom will not come by expectation.The Kindom of Heaven is spread upon the Earth and Men do not SEE!"-Jesus (Gospel according to Thomas)
The purpose of Life is to SEE!-one Zen Master
LOOK! LISTEN! FEEL! YOU ARE ALIVE!!!
May all beings be happy,peaceful, and free from suffering

59-Vietnam

2008-11-16T12:25:00.009+07:00

Vietnam is one of the jewels of Southeast Asia with beautiful landscapes & friendly people. Having kicked the Chinese,French,American, & Khmer Armies the Vietnamese people have now embraced capitalism & 'Uncle Ho' is now on every dong dollar waiting to be spent! (just like the King of Thailand)
When I got off the bus in Ho Chi Minh City(Saigon) I was instantly greeted by an elder woman who told me she had a room for me. I followed her through the narrow alleys of District 1, zigzagging until we came to the 'Hen House', her home she shared with her husband & severely retarded son. It was a great room (only 6us) but the neighbors across the alley were so close (& arguing so loud) I decided to move after 2 nights. District 1 is the tourist 'backpacker' district with numerous hotels,shops, & sidewalk cafes where you can drink cheap beer or tea & watch the street scene. My 'tourist' highlight in Saigon was probably visiting the War Remenants Museum which had intense pictures of the Vietnam U.S. War but also a gallery devoted to childrens paintings of peace & war.(check out my photo link..password 'breathe')
I didn't stay long in the big city and soon took a Bus up the coast. My seatmate was incredibly another American from the South(Tennesse) who told me he had already voted for McCain so we had an interesting chat. He got off the bus at Mui Nue but I stayed on a few more hours to Nha Trang. Nha Trang has a great beach with a long park buffering it from a coastal road. It has several fancy hotels but also lots of budget options. I started out in a hotel/homestay(8us)but the first night I got woken up at 1am by the elder mamasan who wanted me to close my patio door(I was on the second floor) I found out later she was worried about folks coming into my room to steal something but I decided to find a more mellow setting. I checked out the local market & met some interesting new friends. My tourist highlight was probably going to the local Pagoda with a huge white Buddha at the top of the hill. Halfway up there was an old lady with a huge copper bell who insisted I 'get in'. Then she gonged me! It was a good vibration so of course I gave her some dong which she requested.
I decided to take a ride in a mini-van further up the coast to Quy Nhon. I stayed at Barbara's Backpackers/Kiwi Cafe next to the ocean. Barbara is a former New Zealander who has lived in Quy Nhon for about 10 years. She says it is the 'real' Vietnam as it really isn't on the tourist trail (she has a point but even more real is the rural countryside where 75% of the population lives) I only stayed 2 nights but I enjoyed Quy Nhon alot. It is more a fishing boat beach but renting a bike & riding around was quite enjoyable. It was also the first town where no one was constantly trying to sell me something which one has to deal with in poorer countries. At Barbara's I met some cool fellow backpackers including a guy from Australia named Jeffery.
Jeffery & I decided to travel by train together to Danang/Hoi An. From Danang we got a cab to Hoi An. Hoi An is a great little town which is well known for it's dozens of silk clothing shops/tailors. Jeffery & I decided to share a room(15us)at a 180yr-old wooden hotel right in the central market. On his 33rd birthday we partied at a bar called Eden & had a blast with 3 young denists from England among other travelers. Jeffery was on a limited time schedule & decided to keep heading north but I decided to hang around Hoi An. I connected with a 'couchsurfing' internet friend named Nhung Lu & we met at her brother's restaurant. Nhung Lu proceeded to be my tour guide over the next several days. We rode bikes to the practically deserted Hoi An beach one day & another we took the local small boat ferry & rode our bikes on one of the islands across the bay. She even invited me to her house & cooked me a vegetarian meal we shared with her parents. Nhung Lu was awesome & everyone should checkout couchsurfing.com when they travel. Also in Hoi An I got a silk vest made & bought two silk sleeping bags that are sure to come in handy.
I could have kept traveling north up into Hanoi,Sapa,& Halong Bay but decided instead to take the overnight sleeping Bus back south. My next stop was the south central mountain town of Da Lat. It is a good thing I had one pair of long pants & one long-sleeved shirt as Da Lat gets quite chilly at night. The highlight of my two night stay was eating most of my meals at the Peace Cafe with the very talkative & friendly owner Tu Anh. Da Lat was a little too chilly for me so I continued back south to Saigon & eventually took the Bus back to Cambodia where I am staying now in the mellow rivertown of Kampot(& soon back to Thailand where my flight leaves Bangkok Dec 22)
One fellow backpacker says Vietnam has only a 5% tourist return rate but I wonder about that statistic. It's a beautiful land with friendly people. I'd like to go back one day & bike up the incredible coastline. Any takers? SMILES

Aung San Suu Kyi

2008-11-12T19:46:00.005+07:00

Aung San Suu Kyi is the World's most famous political prisoner. "The Lady" as the Burmese people call her, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 and has been under 'house arrest' by the military dictatorship in Burma/Myanmar for 13 of the past 19 years. Unlike Nelson Mandela, who was elected President after spending many years in prison, Suu Kyi was imprisoned in in 1989 after her Pary won 82% of the vote as the General's were alarmed by her fearlessness & the support she commanded. A founded member of the National League of Democracy(NLD), an alliance of 105 opposition groups, Aung San Suu Kyi is the essential figure of the Myanmar's democracy struggle.
Myanmar is one of the World's most oppressive regimes as their paranoia in refusing international aid for the recent devastating cyclone attests. Ruthlessly putting down a democracy uprising in 1988 & another Buddhist monk led protests this past Spring, the junta has thousands of political prisoners besides 'The Lady'. Recently, the government gave 65 year prison terms to young democracy activists for sending information on the internet among other 'crimes'.
Not only is the government ruthless to activists but they have also committed 'ethnic cleansing' to hundreds of tribal villages in the Shan State along the Thailand border. The junta is also incompetent in governing as 32% of children under 5 are malnourished & 57% of children in primary school have to drop out before graduating. Although the Burmese people are extremely poor the military elite is doing well. Most of the governments income comes from natural gas sales to China, Thailand, & India.
I recently felt called to visit the northern state of Mandalay, where 60% of the monks in the country live(although there are reports that the military is emptying the monasteries after the recent monk-led protests) Unfortunately, I was denied a visa by the embassy in Cambodia, probably as I have a U.S. passport as the U.S. supports strong sanctions against the military regime.(there was a huge stack of Japanese passports on the desk that were approved) Shocked that I was denied a visa for the first time ever(I have visited 13 countries) I shouted "Aung San Suu Kyi. Free the Lady!" as I was leaving. Ironically, I read in the Phnom Penh paper the Myanmar Ambassador died of a stroke the next day.

NO SMOKING!

2008-11-09T19:14:00.001+07:00

Smoking is probably the worst thing you can do to your body. You can eat fresh(not fried) vegetarian food, get plenty of exercise, drink pure water, but if you are a smoker none of that really matters. You are putting up to 4,000 chemicals into your bloodstream by smoking cigarettes. You are greatly diminishing your lung capacity & life force energy(breath/spirit)by inhaling smoke into your lungs with every cigarette. You are basically making your body a toxic dump!
Of course that is just your body but the other problem with smoking is that a smoker pollutes the air of everyone around him. Childrens lungs are particularly vunerable & I'm amazed at the stupidity of parents smoking around young children. Smoking indoors especially creates a toxic environment for everyone. Although certain progressive states in the US & many countries throughout the World are banning indoor public smoking Asia seems to be stuck in a 1950's time warp in regards to smoking. Going to a nightclub guarantees that your clothes will reek of cigs & a possible headache the next day from inhaling the 'second-hand' smoke.
For those who really want to quit & don't have the willpower to quit 'cold turkey' there is a famous book by Allen Carr that is highly recommended(google stop smoking book) Other idea's are to put your cig butts in a glass mason jar & when it is full look at all that crap you have just put into your lungs & perhaps it will motivate you to quit. The late spiritual teacher Osho had a stop smoking meditation. First, he said "Don't fight it." Realize the divine nature of all activity(walking,eating,touching,etc..)and slow down and make it Conscious instead of an unconsious habit...Then, eventually the habit will drop on it's own when you see the studidity of it one day..
It seems travelers are especially stupid in regards to smoking. Perhaps because it is cheaper or that there is more 'free time' or whatever..The other day when I was in an internet cafe, a fellow a few seats down from me lit up & while I tried to finish up quickly two young locals boys(11?) beside him started smoking too...such a great role model..
All our actions reverberate throughout the Universe...Start a Revolution...STOP SMOKING!!

Militarism

2008-10-28T12:44:00.000+07:00

"A nation that continues to spend more & more on it's military defense is approaching spiritual death."- Martin Luther King Jr.

While over one billion human beings of the planet lack safe drinking water & live in dire poverty the richest nation of the World now spends over 600 BILLION dollars a year(NOT counting the military occupations of Iraq & Afganistan) on it's military. This amount is almost half of what the REST of the 189 nations combined spend on their military.
Although he was critisized for speaking out against the Vietnam War, MLK Jr. had a higher vision for America & the Planet, one of a 'brotherhood of Man' in which Militarism & weapons of death have no part. I am currently traveling in Vietnam, a small country on which the U.S. dropped 14 million tons of bombs(7x the amount used in all of WWII) & millions of liters of toxic chemicals on from 1965-73...Over 3 million Vietnamese(50,000 US soldiers) were killed in that 'undeclared' War...Iraq & Afganistan are just the latest in over 20 countries in which the U.S. has dropped bombs on since WWII.
After WWII the Pentagon changed the 'Dept. of War' to the 'Dept. of Defense' & of course the 'military-industrial complex' started to grow..According to noted author Chalmbers Johnson the U.S. now has over 700 active military bases across the Planet..The U.S. has more nuclear,biological,& chemical weapons than any other nation..The U.S. has 12 active Aircraft carrier groups(China zero)& continues to build nuclear submarines. Besides causing death & destruction(which is the job of every military) military aircraft,tanks,missles, etc are 'single use' items while spending money on bridges,metro trains, etc are 'multi-use' & a much wiser investment of public taxpayers money than Pentagon's deadly toys..
The 'War on Terror' is an oxymoron as WAR IS TERROR..U.S. taxpayer bombs dropped on Afgan wedding parties are as much 'terrorism' as a suicide bomber blowing himself up in a market..The longer the U.S. military stays in the Middle East the more fanatical 'terrorists' will be created (Al-Qaeda stated one of the reasons the U.S. was attacked was it had over 15,000 troops stationed in Saudi Arabia in 2001) Politicians are LYING when they say they will 'WIN' the "War on Terror"...Those who forget history(i.e.'Winning' Vietnam) are condemned to repeat it...
The U.S. needs to 'lead' by cutting the Pentagon's budget & bringing the U.S. troops to the 'homeland' from Iraq AND Afganistan and closing hundreds of unnecessary military bases in foreign countries... There are more important issues facing humanity & the Planet than wasting TRILLIONS of Dollars on Militarism.

55-U.S. Election

2008-10-19T21:47:00.001+07:00

Someone once said that Democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others & that is certainly the case for the United States. No matter how dishonest & incompetent the last government was you can always kick the bums out every two or four years.
The US has a very 'undemocratic' winner-take-all system with only two main parties. The Republicans controlled Congress from 1994-2006 & the White House/Executive Branch the last 20 of 28 years. The last Republican President with any real integrity was Eisenhower of 50 years ago when he warned of the growing military complex(that was when the 'Defense'(War dept.) budget was 40 billion..now it is 600 BILLION!). The beloved Ronald Reagan of the 1980's took the solar panels off the White House & cut funding for alternative energy by 80%, cut taxes for the rich, & invaded Grenada when his poll numbers were down. The latest Republican Bush Jr./Cheney administration is considered by most scholars as the most incompetent in modern history. Their economic & foreign policies have been a disaster for the US & the World. The unprovoked invasion & occupation of Iraq has left 2 million refugee's, ten's of thousands dead & wounded, & cost over one TRILLION dollars. The 'deregulation' of Wall Street culminated in Bush Jr's Treasury Secretary getting on his knee's to Congress & asking for a 700 BILLION bailout for his former corporate cronies. Probably the biggest failure has been the inaction of the Republicans on Climate Change Initiatives. The US is the ONLY nation not to sign the 'first step' of the Kyoto Treaty & when the Repubs were in control of Congress refused to raise fuel standards on corporations or even hold hearings on Global Warming. Anyone who loves children & votes Republican is voting against a sustainable future for children as the Republicans have always put corporate profits over science in delaying action on Climate Change.
The Democrats are a 'Wall Street' Party too but there is an ongoing struggle over the direction of the Party. Progressives like Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio voted against the Wall Street bailout & tried to impeach Bush Jr. for his numerous constitutional crimes. Sen. Obama is being painted as the 'most liberal'(as if being liberal is a bad thing!)in the Senate by the right-wing corporate media but that is hardly the case. Obama is not talking about campaign finance reform, or cutting the obese military budget(he wants to increase parts of it!) or having universal health care for all like most democracies have. However, he is progressive on many issues & his intelligence would be very welcome by the World which needs leadership on numerous challenging issues facing the Planet.
There is a big debate in the progressive community(politics are either 'regressive' like Republican tax breaks for oil companies or 'progressive' like funding alternative energy) over voting for the Dems, Greens, or for Ralph Nader. Ralph Nader was the Green candidate in 2004 & has spent his life fighting against corporate power but his policies are practically identical to the 2008 Green Party candidate Cynthia McKinney.(a progressive African American former Democrat Congresswoman) The Greens are one of the fastest growing political parties in the World & their idea's(Ten Key Values) are vitally important as the Planet faces an ecological & financial meltdown.
Another candidate for President is Libertarian Bob Barr. If the Libertarians & Greens were in power at least there would be no 'War on Drugs' with tens of thousands of non-violent marijuana smokers in jail! However, the Lib's are anti-regulation/government & the environmental problems are too great & corporations too powerful to trust the 'free market' to do good.
It appears many Americans(although overworked & uninformed) are 'waking up'(or at least fed up!) politically to the economic 'trickle on' mostly Republican policies of the past eight(or 28) years...'Red' States such as Colorado,Virgina,North Carolina,Ohio,Florida, Nevada & others may help elect a Democratic Senator from Illinois(Obama) to the 'White' House. How much change Obama will make remains to be seen but his intelligence will be greatly appreciated by the rest of the Planet.
I encourage my 'blue state' friends to consider voting Green & my conservative 'Red' state friends to consider voting Democrat or Libertarian. The Republicans do not deserve anyone's vote this year.

(check out my Sept 04 'Global Bad News/Good News' too)

54-Cambodia

2008-10-03T12:48:00.001+07:00

The monsoon rains come down hard here in this unique Southeast Asia country. The huge Tonle Sap Lake in central Cambodge swells every wet season and the Mekong and other rivers drain into the sea.
While the pride of Cambodia is the incredible temples of ancient Angkor Wat, more recent history is the brutal reign of terror inflicted on Cambodians by the Khymer Rouge, who held power from 1976-1979 when over 2 million died of starvation,disease & murder. It will take generations to recover from that brutality but people here seem mostly happy & overwhelmingly young.(Over 40% of the 13 million population is under 15)
As someone who has traveled to Thailand & India, Cambodia appears to be a mixture of both. Thailand is the nearby large neighbor & both are about 95% Buddhist with similar Southeast Asia cultures. India is represented not only in cultural carvings on the ancient temples and plentiful Indian restaurants but in carefree & careless attitudes.
With a large population many people are 'underemployed' & as a tourist one is frequently asked to buy books,drugs,rides,'boom-boom', etc...."Hello sir, do you need a ride? Drugs? I have good smoke...Hash? Heroin? EX? Yabba?...Ladies?..Boom-Boom?..(walk away 2o ft..next guy...."Hello Sir? DO you need a ride?")
As in India(less in Thailand) I have also noticed a careless attitude towards littering/trash as people think nothing of throwing bags/litter on the ground & occasionally burning plastic/rubbish..When people live in poverty they don't think about environmental concerns & of course, rich nations produce the most waste...Guys here love to gamble too as there are numerous sport gambling shops or inpromptu dice or card games on the sidewalks...
My journey into Kampuchea started by bike from Poipet. Lonely Planet calls the small border town a 'cesspool' & while I think that too harsh, the muddy roads to Siem Reap were horrible for many kilometers. We could have stayed in Sisophon for the night but we(biking partner Charles) pushed on into darkness until we came to a tiny town called Preah Netr Preah. Thankfully there was a young man who spoke English & invited us to sleep at his Micro-credit office building for the night and insisted we sleep upstairs while he & his co-workers slept on the floor in the office. What kind hospitality our first night in Cambodia!..Biking on the roads is always a great expericence(check my pics) and 'Hello!' is a frequent response as children,farmers, a& merchants wave & smile.
Charles opted to go north & visit his 'god-daughter' who works at a school for one of the many N.G.O.s here while I continued to Siem Reap the next day(after 1,200km & 12 days of biking I was ready for break!) We met later in SR & my time there was mostly spent exploring the ancient temples of Angkor Wat(previous post)
After several days I decided to head south by Bus to Phnom Penh( I am leaving the bike in Cambodia w Charles as a donation to the work he does with young people here)
Phnom Penh is a' city on the go' with the streets crowded with scooters & construction going on. Many tourists & bars/restaurants are along the Tonle Sap River but I opted for the 'backpacker' options at the Boeng Kak Lake known as a 'hippie' hangout w 4$ rooms..
My main tourist visit has been the S-21 Tuol Sleng/Kymer Rouge Prison where up to 14,000 ordinary people were imprisoned & evertually executed. Hell on Earth would be the most accurate description after visiting & reading a book by one of the few survivor accounts.
Phnom Penh is hundreds of years old but most buildings have a French design influence & the building around the National Palace are stunning...
I have been here several days now as I am trying to get a Burma/Myanmar visa from the Embassy here. It was closed for several days due to the local P'Chum Ben holiday when respects are paid to the Dead through offerings made at local wats/temples.
I have plans to keep going south to the towns of Kampot & Sihanoukville on the Gulf of Thailand next. Happy Trails!
htpp://www.laughingmanlives.shutterfly.com (breathe)

53-Angkor Wat

2008-09-26T11:07:00.001+07:00

I've been to the Mayan temples of Tikal in Guatemala & Palenque in Mexico, the ancient India ruins of Hampi, & ruins in Thailand but the temple ruins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia are in a class by themselves.
Between the 9th and 13th centuries the Kymer empire was reknown for incredible achievements in architecture and sculpture. Angkor was a vast city which had a population of one million when London was a small town of 50,000.
If you ever get a chance to visit Cambodia you will surely want to visit Angkor Wat. A tourist pass costs one day/20$-three day/40 or one week/60...I got the three day pass & explored the temples by bike although most tourists opt for big bus tours or tuk-tuk drivers. The temples are a mixture of Hindu & Buddhist artwork as a later Kymer King was converted to Buddhism. Another interesting thing about the vast temple complex it that the Kymer people(Cambodians) are still living & working near the ruins. Active Buddhist temples are near several sites & huts are scattered throughout the forested ruins. Not only are there vendors of course selling everything from coconuts to books but it was intriguing listening to Cambodian guides speaking Japanese,German,French,Korean,etc as they led various tour groups. It was also nice to experience the silence & majesty of nature as most of the temples are surrounded by forest.
There are dozens of temple sites including Angkor Wat(built by Suryavarman II from 1112-52) and Angkor Thom, built by Angkor's greatest king, Jayavarman VII(1181-1219)
I could go into detail about all the ones I visited but better yet just to check out my pictures posted on my shutterfly site.
http://www.laughingmanlives.shutterfly.com (breathe)

52-Bike Trip Part II

2008-09-13T21:39:00.001+07:00

Day 6 Phitsanulok to Nang Bua (125km)

After a day of rest(& 2 massages) we left Phitsanulok in the morning on Hwy12 heading east...The original plan was to take hwy 12 across the mountains but we decided there was an easier mountain crossing further south so we turned right on hwy 11 & headed south. Hwy. 11 is a nice ride with the mountain range on the left & rice fields all around. Charles & I rode together & had good conversations & I almost hit another snake!( I ran over a small green snake on day 3!) We stopped at one of the fruit stands in the morning & I got a bag of rambutan & a dragonfruit. I also got a nice honey/peanut snack mix which I seem to have become addicted too! The riding went smoothly & we got to experience a beautiful purple/pink sunset. Just before dark we pulled into Nang Bua, which is basically an intersection of two highways. Charles spotted a '24 hr' sign which means a 'hotel'(more specifically a 'love motel'...at least it was clean & had two beds!) I found a nearby restaurant & even though I said 'ken-jay'( I eat vegetables) they still put the dead flesh in my food (I gave it to the dog) It rained heavily that night & I was glad I was in bed!

Day 7 Nang Bua to Phakti Chumphon (90km)

Today is the day we will enter the mountain range but we have almost 70km just to reach it! We rode on hwy 225 which is lots of farming country. Not so much rice but lots of cattle herders(we have past dozens the past week) & corn, peanuts, & other root crops. We think the corn grown is a GM-hybrid version as posted signs(in Thai) have a picture of corn with '999' ( or some # like that) We passed a HUGE chicken plant with two Golden Chickens at the entrance. Also lots of small vendors selling mushrooms , peanuts, & other locally grown vegetables.

We finally entered the hills/mountains & started our climb to Phakdi Chumphon. Uphills give one a great lung & leg workout! After about 15km or so we passed a resort but decided to go into town and try our luck..We made it into Chumphon about dusk & rode around the small town(only about 15o meters long on two lanes) Right when we decided to turn to the only Wat in town a woman called out in English to us to sit down outside her clothing store. She moved back here with her Pakistani husband(who has been here over 20 yrs) from Bangkok several years ago. She offered us her brothers empty house for us to stay at which was very close by. After leaving our gear there & a quick shower we went back to town & ate 4 pad thai dishes & went to the local internet where the folks where very friendly too.
Day 8 Phakdi Chumphon to Chaiyaphum 90plus-km

The morning brought pouring rain & we went to our new friend clothing store where she made us some coffee. We considered staying an extra day but when the rain let up decided to get on down the road. It was a steep uphill leaving P.C. but eventually turned into rolling up & down hills (the downhills are always nice!) It was beautiful countryside with passing still more cow herders & agriculture land & forested hills. Charles had problems with his seat & I had more problems with my gear(backpack & guitar) rubbing my back tire occasionally.
We rolled into the larger town of Chaiyaphum where the traffic was slow as the streets where flooded because of the rain. Our first stop was a Vegetarian restaurant(the first I have seen since Chiang Mai) which had great food & a friendly owner who spoke English & recommended a nearby guesthouse. The husband/wife there were friendly & we had a good stay there.
Day 9 Chaiyaphum to Prathi 85km

Leaving in the morning at the guesthouse we met a Chinese teacher who was living/teaching there & then we ate breakfast at the vegetarian restaurant. We said goodbye to our English-speaking friend & then got on the road, eventually turning southeast on hwy 202. It was a nice road with beautiful countryside. Charles continued to have problems with his recumbent seat & we stopped at a Wat to work on it. There didn't appear to be any monks around & interestingly, one of the temples appeared to be a crematorium with a chimney smokestack & big oven to burn the bodies. We soon got back on the road & passed various villages & vendor stands. In the early afternoon we came to the town of Sida, in which we hoped to find a place to stay. In asking Thai folks for directions to 'hotel' or 'guesthouse' we got all sorts of answers & directions. One man sent us about 2 kilometers down the road where I decided to ask the local police.(or perhaps highways patrol office) They were all enjoying a meal & drinking beer & in their broken English told me there was no nearby place to stay. Chas & I decided to continue to the next town of Prathi. When we arrived we found one '24 hour' hotel which was a dive & eventually found the 'Banana' for 350 baht. Afterwards we went back into town & I had fun talking to the lady vendors in the market about being a biker & 'ken-jay'...Chas found some new guy friends who offered him beers & told us where the local internet shop was...
We are only about 3 days from the Cambodian border...I will probably not write anymore until Cambodia as it will be(as the shirt says) "same, same, but different!" Most Thai people are very friendly & of course, knowing the language would help tremendously. Biking is a great way to travel as it has given me a new perspective on the world & the beauty of the countryside is incredible. It certainly is a 'warrior' path as one is living with the elements of intense Sun, wet rain, wind, & sometimes hills to climb. Biking will get you in shape! Go for a ride!

51-Bike Trip!

2008-09-09T14:18:00.001+07:00

One interesting way to travel is by bike. Not motorbike, but pedal power on a bicycle. My older hippie friend Charles, whom I first met in Hawaii, is a long-time bike touring advocate(http://www.bikepaths.org/ is his website) & offered to tour with me. Charles has been living in Cambodia & agreed to meet me in Chiang Mai & do a long trip through Thailand, all the way to Phnom Penh.

Our first task was to buy a bike in CM for myself(Charles brought his unique low-riding recumbent(seated) to tour with...it gets lots of stares & shouts from locals as they have never seen one....I was just going to buy a used bike(as I plan to leave/give it to friends of Charles in Cambodia) but at our first shop decided a Marin/USA 'Quake 5.0(made in Taiwan!) mountain bike was too good a deal at 10,000baht(about 300$us) to pass up....We had a rack put on it and I loaded my heavy backpack AND guitar strapped on the back and were ready to ride!

Day 1 (Chiang Mai to Lampang) 100plus km

We got a late start(9:30) but finally got out of CM onto Hwy 11 heading south...My first recollection of that day is a car overturned on the highway(bikes are safer!)..Eventually it started to rain(monsoon season) & I quickly covered my gear & myself with a poncho...We soon hit our first large hill & I overtook Charles(the recumbent bike is slow going uphill).....We soon proceeded to make our first touring riding 'buddy' mistake as I rode into a gravel driveway to a store for water(I left the road) & Charles biked past me when my back was turned....I thought he was still behind(& he thought I was ahead) so I went ahead a bit & waited..& waited....eventually it dawned on me he was ahead so I biked hard up a long,huge hill /mountain & soon found Chas taking a snooze under a shed....I wore myself out with the exersion but we still had many kilometers to go to Lampang...I let Chas take the lead & struggled with poorly situated gear(my guitar strapped to the side) creating a wind drag in the continuous rain...Around darkness we made it into Lampang & a cheap hotel(100baht/3$us) with a bed.shower, & a fan which I used to dry my gear by hanging it on anything I could find in the room!...

Day 2 Lampang to Wang Chin 70km

I decided I was carrying too much gear so left 2 shirts & towel for the cleaning guy & had Chas carry my small(but bulky) mosquito net...I also situated my guitar on top of my backpack so the weight is more evenly distributed(next time I will travel with side paniers/bags that most touring folks use!)...From my grungy hotel room(dirty walls,etc) balcony it was a nice sight to see literally hundreds of bikers of all ages biking through town on a Saturday morning(the traffic was stopped by police so it must be a special event)...We eventually got riding on our bikes too & Chas & I had our first big conflict...He had shared earlier that he had got lost for two hours leaving Lampang riding in circles on a previous trip & when we got lost looking for the 'backroad' in our first 10 minutes I insisted we just take hwy 11...The rookie(me) got my way & I'm glad I did as we soon realized it was a very special bike day as the 'Tour of Thailand' bike racing tour was doing a big bike race(250km) & the pack soon zoomed past us...I got to chat for awhile(& take a nice picture) of the guy in the rear while biking!...While the road racing bikers turned left back up to Chiang Mai we turned right up over the hill/mountain heading south...Thank goodness, there were coconut vendors before the hill to quench the thirst from the hot Sun!...We had a brutal uphill climb up a large, long mountain & soon I was way ahead of Chas. We had agreed to take a back road to Wang Chin and I remember passing one little side road & thinking that could not be our turn. I keep going & soon reached the summit & decided to go down instead of waiting for my riding buddy. It was a steep & fast downhill & I had a terrible feeling I had passed the turn already( & did not have the energy to climb the hill again!) I gave a shout of relief on reaching the bottom & seeing the sign to turn to Wang Chin! I stopped & had a soy milk & the kind kids at the 'bus stop/station' let me check my email on their computer. Chas eventually rode downhill too & we turned onto a smaller two-lane 'back road'...About 10 km down the road we stopped at a 'hot springs' where unfortunately the springs were too to do anything but boil eggs(basket & eggs provided!) We did get a nice papaya salad there though & left to make it to Wang Chin before dark. Just before Wang Chin there was a man who spoke English & offered his uncompleted house for us to stay at but without water to shower we politely declined. We agreed I would take the lead on finding lodging & our only options were to stay at the Buddhist Wat/Monastery(with no bed) or the local nice hotel on the River...We pulled in at dark as the friendly owner was roasting corn & potatoes on a fire with her family...She only charged us 300baht for an awesome room...only problem was there was one bed but they had extra bedding/mattress so Chas voluntered for the floor....We took nice hot showers & afterwards I let the teenage kids play my guitar by the fire(the English speaking owner had left) and we went back across the river into town to try to find vegetarian food(the 'corn' grill was kind of small for two extra folks!)...We stopped at a friendly restaurant(only two were open) & I ordered some hot soup which unfortunately had 'pork'(pig flesh) in it...That is a problem being a vegetarian & traveling in a country & not knowing the language...I made the mistake of drinking the broth which ended up giving me a powerful 'cleanse'!

Day 3 Wang Chin to Sawankhalok 90plus km (hwy 1125 to 101)

I had a powerful dream which awoke me at 4am but went back to sleep & we got another late start(the earlier start the less the Sun/heat)...One of the nice things about traveling on smaller highways is that you have more trees to shade you from the brutal Sun...I wear a baseball cap under my helmet to shade my face & change my white t-shirt to a long sleeve & have sunscreen to protect my skin...We had a nice riding day along hwy 1125 passing rice fields & small villages...Occasionally there are stands of locals selling produce or fruit & we stopped at one.(see pics) I have a craving for delicious dragonfruit & they were also selling hot corn-on-the-cob! Quite a deal at 10 baht a bag..(also bought bananas & an apple) One of the guys wanted us to marry his teenage daughter(or sister?) which brought giggles from everyone but which we politely declined (it annoys Chas as he gets that all the time & he feels it insults the girls) We stopped for a late afternoon papaya salad in the town of Si Satchanalai but decided to keep going another 30 km to Sawankhalok. We reached there around dark & found another nice, friendly hotel for 260 baht(with 2 beds!) The town had an internet shop which I used to check email & Chas used to download his(he is traveling with a small computer) Chas left the shop early & when I returned to the hotel I decided to check out the hotel restaurant & order some food. There were also 3 people sitting beside me & found out they were the karoke 'entertainment' It was raining so the local crowd never showed so I encouraged them to play for me/themselves so I turned down the TV & he got on the keyboards & the women sang a few songs. It was a good time but soon the place closed early & we said our goodbyes & I went upstairs to pass out!

Day 4 Sawankhalok to Phitsanulok 100plus km Hwy 101 to hwy 12

We got an earlier start today & checked our email & got some fruit before leaving town. I decided to wear my (only) black sweatpants as I had small sun blister on one of my legs.On the outskirts we stopped at a friendly bike store who offered us water & we got to sign his guestbook. Unfortunately he did not have a mirror( to keep me from turning my head all the time to look behind me) or a kickstand (the poor metal quality one I bought in CM broke the first day!) After 3 days of hard riding I'm getting in good riding shape & Chas & I cruised quite brisk on the flat 101(he says we cruise at 22km/hr)...We cruised so fast we missed two of our turn-offs for shortcuts to Phitsanulk!(plus the road signs are in Thai!) One thing we didn't miss is a massive spraying of some type of insecticide that guys with big blowers on their backs spray walking down the side of the road(I actually gave them a wide berth but still got a small dose) Even in cities they spray this stuff with huge white clouds following in their wake!

We eventually made it to the 4-lane of Hwy. 12 & decided to skip the famous ruins/town of Sukhothai & head east. We made a nice stop about 15km down the road at a very nice bar/restaurant owned by Belgium guy who has been living in the Kingdom for 26 years...We continued cruising & had an even faster pace as I rocked out to some rock & roll Chas has uploaded to my mp3-player..We rolled into the large town of Phitsanulok & crossed the river & found another nice hotel for only 300baht(7th/top floor with nice view of the town & mountains)..even has TV with BBC news & Fox 'news'( what propaganda crap!) I got a nice 'pad thai' meal( Chas got a salad) & then I went to get a Thai massage at one of the three massage places across from the biggest hotel in the city. She was small but strong & gave a great massage to my sore leg muscles. We are staying an extra day here (I am typing this on the 5th day with kids around me playing video games at a local internet shop) I'm going to get another massage(200baht here/150 baht usually) as we will soon be going over LARGE mountains on the way southeast(we are avoiding Bangkok area) to Cambodia...The journey continues...

50-Global Bad News/Good News

2008-09-04T23:09:00.001+07:00

First, the bad news.

The 'tipping points' of horrific Climate Change/Global Warming are ever closer, yet Coal Plants are still being built at an alarming rate & we are still burning massive amounts of fossil fuels.
Over 35,000 human beings(mostly children) die of starvation or malnutrition everyday while 40% of the grain grown worldwide is used to feed 'farm' animals (like cows,pigs, & chickens) so we can slaughter them(millions daily) for flesh/meat consumption.
The 'dead' zones of the Oceans are increasing, rainforest's are still being clear cut, and the population of the Planet keeps increasing everyday putting stress on all ecosystems.
The United States is spending 650 BILLION dollars a year on it's military while 48 million of it's citizens have no health insurance.
There are still thousands of nuclear weapons (many on 'hair trigger' alert) and it only takes one to poison the Planet.

Of course, that's not news you'll get from the corporate television media. They will probably give you gory details of the latest sensational murder, the latest celebrity news, or whether the stock market is up or down the past hour!

There are three broad paths the future of the Planet is heading & two fall into the 'bad news' category. The most powerful one right now is without a doubt is Capitalism/Consumerism. Whenever Capitalism lands in a country it spreads like a 'matrix' & dominates it's surroundings. Advertising is a multi-billion industry & has no morals. Corporations are designed to make money for their share-holders & don't care if the product they are selling is toxic chemicals or cancerous cigarettes. People are called consumers & environmental & cultural aspects are not even considered. The most powerful nation in the World, the U.S., is dominated by corporate C.E.O.'s who control the Executive Branch of Government (the current Treasury Dept head who pleaded for a 700 BILLION bailout of Wall Street firms was a former CEO of an investment bank!) Capitalism does raise the standard of living of countries but if corporations get to decide the future of the Planet then Nature is doomed & future generations will have a consumer 'bar-code' embedded in their skin. Not only are multi-national corporations the problem but the whole mentality of Consumerism is a type of mass psychosis like watching several hours of television every night or millions of young folks addicted to violent video games. Unlimited Growth is the ideology of a cancer cell. Economic concerns need to be balanced with environmental & other issues for a sustainable future.

The second most powerful force on the Planet is Religious fundamentalism. The concept of the 'chosen people' is predominant in most religions & especially Judaism, Christianity, & Islam. Whether it is an Islamic fundamentalist 'suicide' bomber trying to kill as many 'non-believers' as possible or a Christian US President declaring a 'crusade' of a 'War on Terror' the result is the same as innocent people die from dualistic thinking. Religious fundamentalists claim their holy book is the only truth & force children to believe what they believe.

If politics in the US continues to be dominated by religious fundamentalists the US citizens will lose many freedoms & if religious fundamentalists continue to gain power & influence in the Middle East the outlook for peace is bleak. Religious fundamentalists believe in literal Armageddon & when enough people believe in a possible future if just might happen. Conflict is the most likely present/future outcome for growing religious fundamentalism.

The third force that is growing in the world is what might be called a Spiritual Revolution. This 'Third Force' emphasizes cooperation instead of competition, tolerance instead of hatred. It is represented by many different groups and movements all across the Planet. The Environmental, Democracy, Women's & Children(Human) Rights, & Indigenous People's Movements are all part of this non-violent Spiritual Revolution.
It is represented by the movement towards respect for International Law & documents such as the International Declaration of Human Rights. Thousands of N.G.O. groups such as Amnesty International & the Sea Shepard & Greenpeace are on the 'front lines' of trying to stop violence.
Authors such as Eckhart Tolle (The Power of Now, A New Earth) are at the forefront of helping usher a new consciousness & create a more peaceful world.
Thousands of people all over the World are Waking Up to how interconnected their actions & thoughts are throughout the Planet. Every act of kindness reverberates throughout the Universe. LOVE WILL OUTSHINE the suffering! MAY ALL BEINGS BE HAPPY AND FREE!

The Busy Backpacker!

2008-08-24T14:06:00.000+07:00

Well after writing about being a 'lazy backpacker'(my last post) the Universe decided to yin/YANG me by sending to Pai my awesome 20something friend Kristina. I first met Kristina when she was a student activist at UH-Hilo in Hawaii and a few years later she was one of only two(out of 23 million) people I knew when I moved to Taiwan. Now, she is currently a bilingual business consultant in Taipei & came to Thailand on a short 'visa run'. Lucky me!
She made the most of her time here & inspired me to ride on an elephant among other adventures! Kristina got massages EVERY day & also daily 'shots' of wheatgrass juice at Kae's Good Life place...A fellow vegetarian, we also ate lots at Charlie & Leks restaurant with their great papaya salad & Gae's veggie stand's incredible avacado salad..
We went to both waterfalls & soaked several times at the various hot spring spa's...On her last day Kristina even got a great Tattoo from Salha, who did the Buddha on my back two years ago, and will do an amazing Tree on my calf muscle in a few days...
Our biggest adventure was a two day Whitewater Rafting trip on the Pai river. We started with two rafts with 3 guides & 10 backpackers...One raft stopped after one day but our '2 day' trip kept going as we camped overnight in remote jungle...Our raft had two Thai guides, Chi & Ran, & Bernhard (from Paris) & Timo( from Stuggart, Germany) & K & myself. Lots of fun! Our 'Captain' Chi was quite a funny guy & we all managed to get wet quite often, even floating down the river(with our life jackets) when the rapids weren't too big...The bottom of our raft tore around lunch on our second day but we still managed to float with river water several inches deep in the raft!...We ended near Mae HongSon & the 3 hour ride back to Pai over the large mountains was quite scenic...
I've only a few days left in Pai & then down to Chiang Mai to meet an old friend for a long bike trip to Cambodia!

48-The Lazy Backpacker

2008-08-03T20:24:00.001+07:00

I'm a lazy backpacker. After working Monday-Friday for about one & a half years, with only 2 full weeks off I'm in no rush to do much of anything. While many backpackers fill their day with cooking or massage courses, hiking treks, or ride around on their polluting scooter all day I prefer to walk or somedays rent a bike to meander around.
I start my day by getting up whenever I feel like it. I then do some sitting Vipassanna meditation, followed by some Yoga postures such as the Sun Salutations...Afterwards maybe play my guitar or read a good book....If I have fruit I'll eat it or perhaps make my way to a vegetarian place for a late breakfast/early lunch...I guess I'm a 'foodie' as eating out(usually twice a day) is a big part of the day....The other day in Pai, I spent hours at 'The Good Life' cafe having a fascinating conversation with an Aussie named Ross who is convinced the huge physic particle-smasher machine in Switzerland is going to create a minature black hole that will grow & eventually swallow the Earth in a few years! The great thing about Pai is it is such a small town that you get to meet some interesting folks & I've met cool folks from the Netherlands,Germany,France,England,Israel,& all over the world.
Lately, I've been quite the internet junkie as I've got email accounts,a myspace, facebook, and other sites I check out...I feel I need to spend less time on the web and more playing my guitar!
I'm in Chiang Mai now, having just done a 'visa run' to Mai Sai on the Myanmar border(you need to leave Thailand every 30 days to renew your visa) I had a great conversation with Leaf(in Van with his wife & cute young son) about Buddhism and Christianity. Leaf & his family recently went to the World Rainbow Gathering in China(only about 30 folks) and live mostly in Varanasi,India on the Ganges River, one of the oldest known cities in the world.
Mostly I've been in Pai(where I'm going back to tomorrow) I'm staying at the 'Misty View' huts across the River from town, where I stayed 2 years ago. I'm so lazy I just step out barefoot to the back of my hut to take a wee, being careful not to step on the little frogs! Donald & I did a bike trip around part of the beautiful valley one day & 'Kona Ray', another old buddy from Hawaii, has been here 7 months and took me to a sweet waterfall where I got pounded & rejuvenated by the water! Ray invited me to open mike at the 'Bebop' where I watched him play a mean harmonica & a couple of grey hairs on guitars jammed out & sounded great. Life is good...

Old Friends

2008-07-24T16:02:00.000+07:00

I've been back in Chiang Mai for the past week or so after my too short stay in Pai. I have two old friends from Hawaii who I've been spending time with here.
One, with whom I've been spending the most time with is Sumay, whom I first met in Hawaii, & have been cyber-pals all the years since she has been living in L.A. & I've been all over! Sumay is here getting inexpensive dental work done in CM & we have been eating out at Aum, May Kaidee's, the Juice Bar & other great veggie places. Also, we have been checking out the numerous Wat/Temples of CM(some over 600 yrs old!), the weekend & famous night market(she bought a nice pair of thai silk pants for about 6us!) & even walking to the two CM 'mall's' to check out electronic goods(Taiwan has better deals)
Another old friend from Hawaii here is my old buddy Donald. Donald is an interesting fellow who has had many shamanic experiences & is currently just on a 'juice' diet(no solid foods, brought his own spirulina & whey powder mix) Donald is here in Thailand for four months because he has had 'visions' of meeting certain Buddhist monks. He spent at least two weeks in Bangkok which was not very enjoyable & now he is up north(here) & considering checking out Pai to rejuvenate as per my suggestion. I'm sure I will be crossing paths with Donald many times over the next few weeks & always enjoy 'Little Wolf's' company.
Another old friend whom I met just briefly for a few days is Manna. Manna is a brother I met in Bangkok two years ago before the Rainbow gathering & we met by chance on the streets of Chiang Mai a few days ago. Where my path led me to 'ground' as a teacher in Taiwan for one & one-half years Manna just kept traveling. He spent 4 months in China(mostly in Yunnan) & 7 months in northern Thailand in Pai. He is now heading for the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia for a few months, then perhaps keep going south to Indoenesia & end up in his home country of New Zealand where he was pleased to learn the next World Rainbow Gathering will be in Jan/2010. Manna is an interesting character & perhaps we will meet again!

45-Pai

2008-07-15T16:23:00.001+07:00

The mountain valley of Pai is perhaps one of the most beautiful places I've ever spent time in. I took a comfortable mini-van 3 hour ride up the lush northern mountains with only one other tourist( a waitress from Austria) as it is 'low season' here. The cool mountain air was a relief and I got a 100bt. room at Mr. Jan's GH, complete with an herbal garden surrounding my bungalow. So nice to fall asleep to the insects chirping instead of having to wear ear plugs! Pai is considered a 'hippie town' with lots of long hair local and 'farangs'(foreigners) Lots of farang have decided to stay here too & one is the scholar mystic Garuda(whom I wrote about in my blog 2 yrs ago) I met Garuda again(playing chess outside a store with another fellow) & he invited me to his house the next day. Garuda married a local aboriginal woman named Lotus several years ago & bought a plot of land with a house & has been here ever since. He writes mystical books & also offers 'deep breathing' workshops to encourage folks to fully experience their bodies and emotions. I had a wonderful. peaceful few hours 'breathing' with Garuda and got a copy of his last book & a peek on his computer of his upcoming one.
My last full day I rented a bike and crossed the river and did a big circle loop of part of the valley. I went the way with lots of uphills so I was quite tired, but satisfied as I completed my bike ride and sat down at Kay's outdoor stand for a nice orange ice shake. Right now I'm sitting at the most comfortable, cushy chair internet cafe I think I've ever been in(if it didn't cost 30bt. an hour I'd stay here all day!) Tomorrow I travel back down the mountains to CM to await my friend. I hope to be back to Pai soon.

44-Back in the Land of Smiles!

2008-07-15T15:58:00.001+07:00

Yes, I landed in Bangkok on July 4th & it's good to be back in the Kingdom of Thailand. My travel plans are to stay in Thailand for perhaps 3 months(will have to leave every 30 days to do border 'visa runs') & also visit Cambodia for a month & possibly northern Myanmar. I have a return flight to Taiwan around Christmas & hope to do some subbing work & help out with the first Taiwan Rainbow Gathering. That's 6 months down the road though & for now I'm content in the Land of Smiles.
I didn't stay long in Bangkok but took an uncomfortable overnight Bus ride up north to the city of Chiang Mai. My favorite guest house is now listed in Lonely Planet & is way too crowded so I ended up finding a nearby room with a private bath for only 150baht(about 32=$1us) It wasn't a great choice as the nearby Disco blasted it's hideous drum and bass 'THUMP-THUMP-THUMP" from 11pm-4am! It did inspire me to write a letter to the local paper as I felt sorry for residents there(Also to buy some earplugs!)
CM is a nice city with wonderful crafts & clothing at the nightly & weekend markets where they shut the streets down in a section of the 'old city' It also has nice vegetarian restaurants like 'AUM' and of course, numerous places to experience a full-body(fully clothed) thai massage(only 150bt!) I needed the massages as I had two fevers my first week in Thailand. Perhaps from lack of sleep my first 2 nights or eating some street vendor food in Bangkok but whatever it was I'm fine now. An old friend is flying into CM on the 18th to spend time together & get some inexpensive, quality dental work done so I've decided to leave the city & head up the mountains to the village of Pai.

TAIWAN

2008-01-10T22:14:00.000+07:00

Nihao! Wow I can't believe this blog has been in 'hibernation' for more than one year! Well, actually I can as I've spent all of 2007 & half of 2008 not traveling, but living and working in Taiwan as an English teacher. Most of my time has been spent living in the capital of Taipei and working Mon-Friday 130-700pm(great hours!) week after week...A big part of my life has been as 'Teacher Jeffrey' to 10 rowdy age nine 3rd-graders & 19 age eleven 4th-graders..These are very smart kids who go to Chinese school and then come to my private school to study English with U.S. textbooks in Spelling,Literature,Social Studies, & Language Arts. It was certainly a challenge trying to keep young children staying focused for the long(2 & 3 hour!) classes. Hopefully they learned something from me!
When I wasn't teaching I was chilling in my tiny rooftop studio in the University(Shida) district right next to a busy nightmarket. I also spent time with a few very special friends whom I went swimming, biking the river trails, and exploring the city with. As my studio didn't have a kitchen I basically ate out every meal. As a vegetarian, Taiwan is a great place to be as there are numerous inexpensive veg buffets to choose from.
It was also nice not having to have a vehicle(although there are 23 million people in Taiwan & 11 million scooters!) as I took the convenient Bus system to get to the great MRT(Metro) which I took to work everyday.
I quit my job June 20th & decided to circle the island as I rarely had gotten out of Taipei while working. I first went to the stunning East Coast & visited my buddy Justin & his big pet pig Noah(Justin had encouraged me to move to Taiwan & I lived with him for two months on arrival) I bought a cheap bike & then biked 165 kilometers down the beautiful coastline heading south. After camping 3 nights I left the bike in the town of Taitung & got a Bus to the big southwestern port city of Kaoshiung to stay with my buddy Cato. Cato introduced my to all his soccer buddies & my liver took a beating but we had lots of fun. From there it was on Tainan where I spent time with my buddy Abe & a few other hip friends (I took over Abe's teaching job in Taipei when he moved south to work on his doctorate)
Finally, it was the train back to Taipei where I spent one night with Mr. Brian Funshine & his wife Jenna & 2 nights with the sweet & lovely Lucy before taking off for the airport & Thailand on July 4th. Taiwan is a very special place with cosmopolitan big cities, lots of pristine Nature, & friendly people. I plan on coming back to live & teach, probably in the south with more sunshine than Taipei, when my new travels are over.

Thanks for Reading!

2007-01-05T21:40:00.000+07:00

Ha! I guess you're reading this so MAHALO for checking my writings & travel info...I've been traveling(this time) for over 7 months!...as much as I'm tempted to keep going as long as my ATM card keeps spitting out Baht or Rupees I've decided to 'settle down' in Taiwan & teach English...got a good friend there who lives in a small town on the east coast with hot springs & surfing nearby & a good ex-pat community....I may be there awhile..(or just save up money & keep going...Austrailia & Brazil have yet to be experienced!)....
So this blog is mainly my experiences & travel tips for Thailand,Laos, & India (I regret not visiting Cambodia!)...my cousin asked me which countries were the friendliest & I have to say all the countries are friendly!..it's good to get out of the tourist areas & big cities where folks don't smile as much but everywhere I've traveled in Asia there are smiling faces & kind people...it's also been enjoyable meeting interesting fellow travelers from across the planet....the culmination of this journey was the recent World Rainbow Gathering in southern Thailand where I camped with several hundred people from 40 different countries...at the dinner circle we hold hands & usually do a chant like this...
We are a Circle, within a Circle, with no Beginning, & never Ending (repeat)
& then a long AUM, representing the totality of all sound(among other things) & the SILENCE afterwards....
Happy Trails, jFree

41-Taking a Poop

2007-01-04T18:08:00.001+07:00

One of my last memories of India is on the train ride north to Delhi...in the early dawn on the outskirts of the sprawling city the train passed dozens of people squatting next to the multi tracks taking their morning 'dump'...
I first learned the health advantages of 'squatting' vs. 'sitting' in my massage course in Atlanta years ago by a yoga-massage teacher who explained the recent western way of sitting on toilet was not as healthy on the bowels as the ancient practice of squatting...until recently though I was still addicted to the western habit of 'toilet paper' for 'wiping'....in Asia people clean themselves with water as it is more hygenic & the plumbing systems clog with paper (so baskets are provided in hotels/hostels)...in India though, at Amma's ashram there are no baskets!...adding to that fact was that my western roommate for awhile didn't use paper & got me wondering how 'sanitary' my practice of bagging my soiled paper to dispose of in the trash cans outside really was....soooooo, at least in Asia, which provides hoses or buckets of water for cleansing no TP FOR ME!!!...SAVE THE TREES & BE an ECO-Squirter not Wiper!!..SMILES...

40-Hippies in Hampi

2006-11-26T01:52:00.001+07:00

If you ever make it to India, be sure to visit Hampi, in the state of Karnataka...Hampi is a small village now but was a famous Hindu kingdom city(Vijaynagar) from 1300-1500's until it was ransacked around 1556...the ancient ruins(some dating back to 10th century) are spread over many kilometers & the hilly landscape is strewn with surreal huge boulders...
I am staying across the River(take the 10rup 'ferry' boat) with lots of Israeli & European backpackers(Hebrew is spoken as much as English)...lots of cheap GH's & restaurants(the menu's are the same but the cooks vary!)...Hampi is one of the 'Amsterdam's' of India where folks freely roll their 'spliff's' in the cafes....I'm in the Laxmi GH across from the Laughing Buddha rest. for 100rup a night...I rented a bike for 4 days & enjoyed biking around the local villages...my favorite place so far has been hiking up the Hanuman(monkey) temple on top of a huge stone mountain with an incredible 360 degree view & sublime sunsets(see pics!)....I was meditating there yesterday with my eyes closed & when I opened them a monkey was about 12 inches away sitting peacefully(he must have known my Mayan sign was a Blue Electric Monkey!)....this is a very mellow place with a special vibe & I may stay here until my flight to Thailand...

Boats,Buses,& Trains

2006-11-26T01:14:00.000+07:00

After a nice 5 hr backwater boat journey(http://www.gorillaeyes.photosite.com) back to Alleppy I caught a Bus back north to Ernakulum & spent the night at a hotel near the Train station. The town was saturated with barefoot male pilgrims with black clothing(making their way south to a huge annual festival)
In the morning I got a train ticket north to Margoa. Unfortunately all the sleeper tickets were taken which left only the 2nd class 'free for all' cheap seats!...Five cramped people per wooden bench...I started to ponder if the next 14 hours would be the most uncomfortable of my life when a man on the bench opposite jumped atop the upper luggage rack & gave me the incentive to do the same on my side...I shared it for a few hours with another Man but by nightfall spread out my air sleeping pad & got some sleep...the Train arrived at 4am in Margoa & I decided to stay until the reservation counter opened so I could get my ticket to Hospet/Hampi(only twice weekly) the next day...I spent time talking to jeremy from Quebec who had been living in southern India for a year & was on his way to Gokarna Beach...
In town I got a local Bus to the nearby village beach town of Benaulim. A local Goan girl on a scooter picked me up & took me to her families GH called Paxta where I got a nice room for only 150rup. It was only one km. from the beach where I chilled & dipped my feet in the Arabian Sea in the afternoon....
She gave me a ride to the Train Station in the morning where I got the morning Train to Hospet...Shared a 2nd class sleeper with 2 recent university graduates from northeast India...The 8 hr. journey was very pleasant with beautiful scenery as the Train went through the western Ghats mountains from Goa into Karnataka & passed thruough the Duhhsagar Waterfalls...

38-Guitar Blues

2006-11-23T10:45:00.001+07:00

Panic. That's how the mind felt about 1 hour into the 5 hr. backwater boat journey back north. Oh Shit! I left my guitar next to the coconut tree by the River at the Ashram! I rushed below deck to check to see if somehow it was with my backpack but alas, no dice. After that realization the mind calmed down & I pondered whether some of the local workers by the River 'groundscored' it or returned it to the Ashram. It was a nice little Jasmine backpacker I had picked up in Arcadia, California about 2 years ago & I still hadn't really learned to play it!....I decided to let it 'go' & email 'Recycling'Bill at the ashram to give it to him if it was turned in(it was)......I vow to play my next(Bigger/easier to play) Guitar more!!

37-Morning Notes

2006-11-23T10:33:00.001+07:00

14 Nov Ammaritpuri Ashram

Sitting at a desk up high above the ground(16th floor) looking out into the Arabian Sea...I just finished my morning meditation & yoga (6 Sun Salutations,Warrior,Plow & Boat)...at first the Mind was scattered as usual, discourse thought from here to there...but at some point I just became centered & still...simply aware of the sounds (far off waves on the shore, crows squaking, engine sound of Bus, hammer banging,..also aware of the sensations of the body-hands touching knees, slight skin pressure of my foot on the floor mat...awareness of the breathing....& simple awareness of 'no thought', just Being, Awareness....is this the 'no self' awareness?...what else is there?....perhaps deeper levels of 'emptiness' as the Buddhists would say or energetic 'fullness' coming from an esoteric Western view.....

Amma's Ashram

2006-11-10T14:21:00.000+07:00

Amma is an amazing 53-yr. old spiritual teacher known as the 'Hugging Mama' Guru who is said to have physically hugged 24 million people. Amma states her 'religion is Love' & besides giving healing hugs her organization has manifested an incredible amount of charitable projects. They have built over 100,000 homes for the homeless, give 50,000 pensions for the elderly & desititute each month, built a hospital giving medical care to the poor, and support a vast range of educational institutes from primary to post-graduate. Her ashram(www.amritapuri.org) is home to over 3,000 residents including families & university students who live here & walk/commute to several colleges across the river.
Amma travels 8 months of the year so she is not here now (I'm still not one of the lucky 24 million!) but it is a very peaceful but busy place. The ahram compound is built between the Arabian Sea (the big Tsunami flooded the Ashram 2 yrs. ago) & a large River over which is a pedestrian bridge connecting the Ashram to the local town.
The most imposing physical structures are the gigantic high-rise towers, the largest of which I am residing in. I was on the 12th floor but have moved up to the top(16th) floor with probably the best view in the place. From my room & side patio there is an amazing view of the Arabian Sea & the River & endless tropical greenery of coconut palms. The multi-color sunsets & sunrises laced with fog coming up from the earth is stunning.
I've met many interesting disciples, devotees, & fellow travelers while here. My first flatmate was Richard, a nice young guy from England. He shared his travel stories from his adventures in several countries in southern Africa a few years ago which he highly recommends going to. (even though he did get malaria & was robbed one night!) My current flatmate is Jonathan from Quebec but most recently Kauai in Hawaii & amazingly we realized we met each other at a potluck dinner there on a beach 4 years ago!
I'm giving seva(service) working on the recycling/trash crew in the morning. It's run by a hard-working guy named Bill from Vancouver,B.C. & other devotees from Australia, England,& Spain. The Ashram is certainly not quiet with workers hammering & devotional singing occuring every morning & evening, sometimes annoyingly on loudspeakers around 5am & late at night. The energy is very peaceful though, & I'm told when Amma is here giving darshan(hugs) the place is packed(at least 3 to a room) but has an amazing vibration at times.
One of the few negative aspects of the ashram that bothers me is the lack of compassion towards the two elephants that live here. Although they are allowed to 'walk' around the compound once or twice a day the remaining time they are chained to a tree on a short metal chain by the incinerator. They are not happy & perhaps someone will forward the letter I wrote to Amma(put in the suggestion box) to build a Pen for them!
The fee is only 150 rupees a day(for shared room) which includes simple meals(lots of white rice)...There is also a good 'western' cafe where I've been eating most my meals.....If you find yourself in southern India take a backwater cruise & stop at the Ashram!..(also Amma may be coming to your country as she travels extensively throughout the year)

35-Kerala Backwaters

2006-11-06T15:47:00.001+07:00

In the morning I went down to the canal boat jetty and got a seat on a small ferry boat heading south to Kollam. It rained heavily at the start of the journey & everyone in the forward deck except myself (dry in my cheap rainponcho) went below.
The scenery of the backwaters is stunning...Views slowly change from narrow canals and dense vegetation to large lakes, open vista's, & dazzling green paddy fields. The slow boat passes Villages & tiny settlements on narrow strips of land with people doing daily chores such as washing clothes at the Rivers edge. Clumps of African Moss float downstream as men in canoes throw nets for fish.
We took a side canal to a nice restaurant. Our lunch consisted of waiters putting down a large green leaved 'plate'(organic/no waste or dishes to wash!) & serving rice & assorted food on it....the French & Austrian travelers next to me asked for utensils but I ate with my fingers like the other Indian tourists...
Soon after lunch we came to the sea entrance (where the Arabian Sea & backwaters converge)..fisherman from small boats returned from the sea and dozens of tripod roped logs(Chinese fishing net platforms) on both side of the canal boat route stand in the air like soldiers at attention.
About 3 hours from Kollam the startling high-rise buildings of Amrithapuri Ashram emerges from the greenery. At the Ashram I got off the boat with four other backpackers from Iran ( I thought they were from Israel!)...I ended up having some nice dialogues with Farshid from Tehran (we both dislike our Presidents!)

Allapuzha

2006-11-06T15:18:00.000+07:00

After 3 nights in Kochi I left early but just missed the 8am Kochi-Ernakulem ferry & spent the time chatting with Izabella from Ireland. After the crowded morning ferry ride I shared a taxi with a woman from France to the Bus Station. There I got a Bus to Allapuzha which is a departure point for for backwater ferries to Kollam & Kottayam , the Kerala backwater setting for Arunhati Roy's Booker Award Novel 'The God of Small Things'.
On arrival in Allapuzha(or Alleppy) I went to the Canal but just missed the 1030am Ferry to Kollam. (Amritapuri Ashram is one of the stops) The numerous 'touts' or salesmen/hustlers found me however as I was the only white man in sight. Friendly but annoyingly persistent with offers to stay at their home/hostel, ride their canoe/boat & even an offer for a scooter ride to a restaurant around the corner(for a fee of course)...I'm realizing that in any tourist area I'm considered a 'living ATM machine' and to keep walking is the best policy to disengage touts.
I kept walking around the busy little town & eventually let myself be led by an old man smoking a bindi to a cheap hotel. In the lobby I met Skanda K. a local businessman who invited me to his childhood village where he recently bought land.
Thumpolly Village, a few km. from Alleppy, is nestled in coconut palm groves with sandy footpaths leading to small houses located between waterways & the Arabian Sea. Skanda gave me a tour of his land & we visited the nearest house which had a large number of folks remaining from a wedding the previous day. Although I rarely drink or eat meat they insisted I have some of their homemade alcohal drink(strong as moonshine!) & I ate some spicy fresh fish. Afterwards we walked a short distance to his elder Uncle's house who joined us for a tour of the village. We had chai tea at a teahouse & then went to a private clubhouse for 3 'toddies'(low alcohol drinks)...Skanda's Uncle invited me to his daughters wedding Dec. 1st & I promised I would attend if still in Kerala. ( I have no idea where I'll be Dec. 1st but my flight leaves from Delhi Dec.8!)

33-Kochi (Cochin)

2006-10-29T21:54:00.001+07:00

Kochi is Kerala's prime tourist destination spreading across islands in location between the Arabian Sea & the backwaters. It's history goes back to 1405 when the royal family transfered here & attracted Christian, Jewish, & Arab settlers from the Middle East who started the still thriving spice & tea trade.
I arrived early in the morning in the small town of Ernakulam Bus Station & shared a 3-wheeled taxi with Mami, a young Japanese woman, to the main boat jetty. There we took a small ferry across the Harbor past Willingdon Island to the peninsula of Fort Cochin(Kochi)
Kochi is a sedate small town with short intense rains from the 2nd monsoon season(sept-oct) leaving the big oak trees dripping on the cobblestone streets, giving the town a sleepy feeling.
I ended up getting a nice room in a local familys house('The Taj Mahal') near the post office. Walking up the stairs past a large portrait of the 'hugging'Guru Amma(I plan to visit her ashram next) I felt I was in the right place.
That afternoon I met Tiffany from Texas, a pre-med student from Austin, & we hung out at a cafe & went to Kochi's(only) evening entertainment, the ritualized dance-drama theatre performance of Kathakali. Traditional performances lasted all night until dawn but modern performances last 90 minutes or less. The performance included an all male cast consisting of 2 drummers, 2 singers, & 3 costumed 'Gods' who did ritualized slow movements most of the play.(see pics at www.gorillaeyes.photosite.com)
One day in Kochi I rented a bike & rode all over the peninsular island past the Naval Housing, Jew Town(actual name), & into Mantancherry where most of the local population lives. Groups of kids playing Çricket or soccer, women in multi-colored sarongs walking together, men in traditional 'skirts', vegetable & fruit stands, handmade 'sweet' shops all are part of Kochi life.
I biked into the tourist market in Fort Cochin & stopped for a snake charmers performance consisting of an old man lifting the lids of his 2 straw baskets(the home of 2 cobra snakes) whenever people gave him some rupees(see pics!)
I had lunch one day with Merete from Copenhagen as we keep crossing paths(in Bangladore & here) & may meet again at the Ashram.

2,462 Kilometers

2006-10-26T19:06:00.000+07:00

Although I've got friends doing yoga retreats north of Delhi in Reshikesh & have met many travelers heading west to the deserts of Rajasthan I decided to head south....way south...I bought a Train ticket from New Delhi to Bangalore...a 41 hour journey of 2,462 miles for only 562 rupees(about $12)....all the train carriages were 2nd class 'sleepers' which meant either 2 or 3 layer sleeping berths at night...I had an 'upper' which is the best as it stays in place the whole time whereas the middle berth is collapsed during the day & the lower berth is used to share 2 or 3 seats....I thought I was going to be the only 'white guy' on the train(& have six seats to myself) when right before the Train left 3 older (white) women & a bearded fellow came to claim the seats....Russians who spoke little to no English...(found out later they were going to Sai Baba's ashram near Bangalore).....there was a nice Bangalore computer IT fellow who had the top bunk across from me who was the only person I really chatted with a bit....
I find Trains much more comfortable than Bus journeys..(I actually sleep well with the rolling motions)..plus you have the various vendors walking the carriages shouting "Chai", or "Coffee!" or selling food & hawking in Hindi....& of course you have the Toilets....squat & hold on to the handles & please don't poop or pee in the Stations because it goes right down the hole onto the tracks!....
I made it to Bangalore with no problems, had a great Southern Indian Thali Lunch for 30rup & then got a cheap train to Mysore a few hours away...got a room for 90rup(Green Hotel) near the Maharajah Palace which I checked out the next day with Thousands of other Indian tourists...(you are herded like cattle through the very beautiful huge palace)....caught an overnight Bus to Fort Cochin the next night...

Diwali

2006-10-26T18:39:00.000+07:00

I took an overnight Bus from McLeod Ganj down the mountains to Chandigarth...besides the fact I almost 'lost my cookies' from the way too fast driving of the driver I did sing some songs & play guitar with 2 young recent college grad girls from Chand....they knew 'Cats in the Cradle' & 'Hotel California' among other western pop hits...they invited me to celebrate the Diwali Festival with them there but I decided to keep going to New Delhi(plus they both smoked 'Marlboro's' & that is way too much chemical tobacco smoke for my lungs).... After a much mellower morning ride I arrived in N.Delhi & walked to the Parhaganj section(people I have met from Delhi have told me they don't go there as it is so dirty & dusty)...There are lots of locals & tourists who do stay or shop there though...I stayed there because it is cheap(150rup) & across the street from the ND Train station...
Diwali is an annual Hindu Celebration of 'Good over Evil' among other things...a 'Festival of Lights' where people light candles in homes & such....more than anything else though it is like the US 4th of July Celebration in which almost Males light FIREWORKS....LOTS of Fireworks...LOTS of Smoke & NOISE...pop-pop-pop- BOOM!!..from dusk to late at night the city sounded like a war zone...in the morning the haze from the festivities was still lingering(although the papers said the noise & air pollution was less than previous years)...the festival was to last several days but thank Krishna it appeared most everyone had lit most all of their crackers the first night....

30-McLeod Ganj

2006-09-30T21:18:00.001+07:00

Dharmasala is located in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh & known as the home of the Dali Lama & the largest exile Tibetian community outside of Tibet...McLeod Ganj is a few km. uphill where Dali Lama actually lives & most of the hostels & shops are located...I'm at the Green Hotel for 100 rupees a night..the days are sunny now & the nights are cool....I just found out on arriving that a 10 day Vippassana Course starts tomorrow so I'm going to do another course...up at 4am, 12 hours a day meditation...time to put on my spiritual warrior mindstate & massage my knees!...if I become enlightened I'll let you know(on the 12th)....buddha blessings to all....

Oct 18th- Well I'm not sure I'm enlightened but I did survive the longest 10 days of my life...I left the Centre & walked back down the hill to McLeod...stayed 2 nights at the Loling G.H. for 75/rup. then one night down the locals footpath across a sadly polluted(with plastics,ect.) stream to a small hostel a local Himachal Indian took me to...the view was nice & the hot water shower was heavenly but I froze my buns off from a lack of blankets...so I hiked back to town & have been staying at the Tibetan Ashoka G.H. for 90/rup. No hot water but the room is decent & the view is awesome....I hiked back up the hill to Dharamkot & the Centre for an evening meditation(for old students) one night but mostly I have been meditating on my own twice a day as Goenka recommends....Another day I walked to the nearby town of Bagsu & hiked up to a beautiful waterfall past the town...the waterfall has 2 'shops' on both sides selling snacks & such...above the falls local Indian women were washing & drying carpets & down river monks were washing & drying their maroon robes on rocks....my big hike was yesterday when I did a 9 km. hike above Dharamkot to the meadow of Triund at 2,900 meters(around 9,000 ft.)...there are a few teashops along the way which made for nice reststops...I passed a big hiking group from England on a 5 day trek & wished I had my camera as local women with huge firewood bundles & local men shaving sheeps wool were on the trail too...At the top I had a Chai at a tarped teahouse & meditated for World Peace & Healing & good vibes for everyone!...the clouds parted at one point & had a great view of the snow capped peaks across the valley...as I was in shorts with sandals(no socks) I soon rapidly descended which was good as a light hail shower started shortly.....
One of the great things about traveling is that you meet people from all over the world...one night I had dinner at a great Indian restaurant with folks from Brazil,Japan,& Taiwan & today I had lunch at the cozy 'hole in the wall' Sunrise Cafe & listened to conversations at the table in Hindi & Hebrew!....one thing you notice about traveling in Thailand & especially India is how many Israeli travelers there are...(it is a ritual for young folks to travel after mandatory 2 years military service)....I had some good conversations with Israeli men while traveling in Thailand but here I've been meeting more Israeli women...I had a 3 hour conversation one night with 2 young Israeli women on the whole Palestinian issue...they are very passionate about their nationality & feel sad how the 'terrorists' have created fear in everyday life(checking out who is on your Bus,ect)....
I also finally checked out the main temple here & got to see the Museum there which focus is on Tibet's recent history since the brutal Chinese invasion in 1950. During the Chinese 'Cultural Revolution' over 90% of the Temples were destroyed & tens of thousands of monks,nuns, & others imprisoned or killed....China is still putting activists in Prison or executing them & doing massive environmental damage to Tibet's pristine lakes & forests....
Not only is India the birthplace of Hinduism(80% of people), Jainism, & Buddism but has one of the largest Muslim populations in the World....although with the Tibetans Buddhism is a huge influence here every morning at 5:15am near my guesthouse someone with a beautiful voice sings a Muslim prayersong for a few minutes that is very nice (in Thailand a Mosque did the same with loudspeakers that was not so peaceful!)....thanks for reading!...

The Wrong Bus/ Golden Temple

2006-09-30T20:53:00.000+07:00

'Is this the Bus to Dharmasala/mumbo-jumbo?).....'Yes..(mumbo-jumbo/Amritsar).....I saw 2 white foreigners up front so just assumed they were going to Dharmasala & even aske d another local who said 'Yes' to Dharmasala.....about 100 kilometers later at our lunch stop a friendly computer student named Rehul told me No, I was headed to Amritsar!....oh well, I'm not on a time schedule anyway....
Amritsar is in the Punjab state & is a Sikh holy city....Sikkh's from all over India come here to pray at the incredible Golden Temple which is surrounded by water & an enclosed marble circular path...priests keep a continuous reading of the Sikh holy book & pilgrims throw coins & bills in the centerof the Temple(which priests stuff in a big box) while chanting & singing happens....I stayed at the free(donation) dorms & ate the free group meals at the temple....besides my time at the temple complex I went out to explore the town with some young English folks who just came from Pakistan....

28-Delhi

2006-09-30T15:04:00.001+07:00

After getting my 3 month tourist Visa from the Chiang Mai India Consulate & a roundtrip Bangkok-Delhi airticket from Air India it was hello INDIA!!...I took the Bus from the Delhi airport to the Paharganj section near the New Delhi Train Station....Paharganj is the 'backpacker' section of Delhi & I stayed in the Vivek Hotel on the Main Bazaar for 250 rupees(45 rupee's=$1)....the dusty street of the Main Bazaar is intense with many hawkers('Friend!, Sir! over here!,etc.)...many bike rickshaws but the constantly 'BEEP! horns of the motorcycles or taxis is worse...also many beggars...crippled or deformed folks, women with babies, elderly....my first night I met a new 'friend', Raj from Kashmir who was hungry so I bought him a meal(he ordered the most expensive thing on the menu)....my first day after arriving I went to the N.D. Train Station to get my ticket north...I went first where the locals go...after finally told to go to 'counter #9'(my 4th counter) & being 12th in line & watching the first guy take 20 minutes I gave up...then I remembered the L.P. guidebook mentioned the 'foreigners' advance ticket office on the upper floor of the Station....much easier....
My last morning I took a cycle rickshaw across Old Delhi to the magnificent Red Fort..the guy earned his 75 rupees for petaling across town in traffic...I took some good photos,chatted with some local guys, & did some yoga in the lawn...that afternoon I took the Jan Shatabi Express to Chandigarth...sat next to Anuj, a very friendly guy who used to work as a waiter in Dubai(rich country in the Middle East)....got a 3-wheel moter-taxi & spent the night in the dorm at the Bus station...

27-COUP D' ETAT!

2006-09-21T21:34:00.001+07:00

I didn't find out about the Military taking over the government until I checked the BBC news on the internet yesterday. I then learned from a local that that 'tanks' were stationed at the U.S. Consulate so I walked over & took some pictures(www.gorillaeyes.photosite.com) It appears the much respected King of Thailand has given his approval of the Military's actions. The Prime Minister was a controversial political leader whose 'get tough' policies led to 3,000 'drug dealer's' deaths by the police & much violence in the southern Muslim provinces(Interestingly the top General of the Coup is a Muslim in this overwhelmingly Buddhist country)
A famous comment goes something like " Democracy is a terrible form of government but better than anything else"...I hope that Democracy in Thailand is restored before too long as it is much better than 'Martial Law'(No Constitution, No Parliment,Political Parties & all political gatherings over 5 people banned)......As much as I dislike my own(U.S.) President I would rather see him legally Impeached for violations of the U.S. Constitution(particuarly the 4th,6th & 8th amendments)than the Military rolling into Washington & disbanding Congress...but Thailand is a special situation with troops pledging loyalty to the King.....
My greatest political concern is the illegal actions of my own government(Invasion & Occupation of Iraq with 130,000 troops & now talk of bombing Iran?!) The greatest human rights violations in Southeast Asia is the Myanmar/Burma military government actions & the continued 'house arrest'for many years of Democracy leader & Nobel Prize Winner Aung San Suu Kyi, 'The Lady' as the Burmese people call her ..Myanmar is one of the worse military regimes on the planet & it's people have been suffering for years under Martial Law...

Visa's & Visions

2006-09-19T20:38:00.000+07:00

Sometimes a traveler feels the need to put the backpack down & stay in one place for awhile....I've been staying in Chiang Mai at my favorite Guesthouse in a nice room since I finished the Thai massage course....alot of quiet time...yoga,reading,meditating,etc...I originally had plans to help Scout for the Rainbow Gathering but for a variety of reasons my tent I bought 2 months ago has not been used... Now it seems that the Thai Govt. is changing the Visa Rules so that the days of unlimited 30-day 'visa runs' to the border are over....it appears I'm going to India sooner than I expected...I'm now waiting on my India Visa & may fly to Delhi as soon as the 25th!....I've been reading the 1,100 page! Lonely Planet India(great history & info) & Salman Rushdie's classic novel about India 'Midnight's Children'....I plan to head north from Delhi & explore one or two provinces of the NorthWest & perhaps do some Vipassanna Meditation up near Dharmasala(Dali Lama/Tibet community).....I'm getting a roundtrip though as I want to come back to Thailand to experience the World Rainbow Gathering in December....then, in January perhaps look for work teaching English somewhere in Asia(Thailand,China,Korea,Japan,or Taiwan)....or maybe by then a different VISION of how best to Serve will manifest....

25-Thai Massage

2006-09-11T12:14:00.001+07:00

Getting a cheap(usually 150 baht) Thai massage is one of the great things about coming to Thailand...I've had over a dozen(at less than $4 why not!) and never received a 'bad' massage...(with Thai massage one is fully clothed...'oil' massages are more expense)...I finally got smart & decided to take a class to learn how to give Thai massage...there are many schools & teachers but I was very pleased to take Wasana's class in Chiang Mai recently...there were only 3 of us in the class...myself & Annemiek from Holland & Sara from Germany....in 5 days I learned to give a one hour or two hour massage, ate great home-cooked meals from Wasana, & kept a step-by-step picture book to use later...if you make it to Chaing Mai & want to learn thai massage call her at 01-9523765.....

24-Religion

2006-09-03T22:23:00.003+07:00

I'm not a Krishna..some people think because I have a wierd haircut I'm Krishna but although I admire the Krishna's for their joyous chanting & feeding poor people for free I don't need to worship the cute little blue boy...I'm not a Christian,Muslim,Jewish, or even a Buddhist ....
I have problems with religious 'dualism'...heaven/hell, good/evil, spirit/matter......I'm a non-dualist....heaven & hell are feelings & places here on earth, there is a little 'good' & 'evil' in every human heart, the spiritual world is Here & Now if we slow down enough to Feel & See the Mystery.....'God' is a concept but refers to a vastness beyond our intellect....we don't need a priest or a 'holy' book to 'know God'....the 'Big Bang' is ongoing...every expanding & contracting breath is an ongoing process of Energy, God, the Universe.....we are the wave & the ocean...every being in the Universe is interconnected with everyone else...so like the song says, SMILE on your brother(sister) everybody get together & try to LOVE one another right NOW....

Politics

2006-09-03T22:23:00.001+07:00

Air pollution is a serious problem in Thailand. In most large cities here, especially Bangkok, many people wear masks while driving or walking because of the car exhaust pollution. Although the entire world could be using ethanol fuel grown from corn(which produces water as exhaust instead of toxic fumes like gasoline) political decisions by powerful nations keep money flowing to multi-national oil corporations. Twenty-six years ago Republican President Ronald Reagan took control of the U.S. government & took the solar panels off the White House & cut funding for alternative energy by 90%. Twenty-six years later the U.S. has a Republican 'oil man' from Texas as President & has appointed former corporate C.E.O.'s to run the government. Mult-national oil corporation's profits have never been higher.
The most serious politcal problem facing mankind & the planet is not the 'War on Terror' (WAR is TERROR!) but the rise of corporate power & consumerism...Corporations have acheived legal 'personhood' in the United States & many muti-national corporations have greater finiancial wealth than entire nations....Corporations are created for the main purpose of making money for their stockholders & care nothing about clean water or air & notions like equal rights & justice....
In each democracy there is usually one political party(Republican Party in U.S) that is corrupted completely by corporate power. The challenge for Progressives is to take over the other 'Wall Street' Party(Democrats) & make it a true voice for peace & justice....(or join small progressive parties like the Greens)....only if progressive parties take power can laws be passed to regulate corporations, stop pollution, & create social justice....

SEX

2006-09-03T22:10:00.000+07:00

Gotcha!.....of course I like Sex!(don't you?).......although I let a radical Earth First! very macho man with honey-smeared lips kiss me on the lips(he kissed everybody) one wild night in the Tennesse forest years ago all my lovers have been women....I worship the female body!...more orgasms for world peace!

21-Kanchanaburi

2006-08-31T11:59:00.001+07:00

I'm in Kanchanaburi, staying at the C & C Guesthouse with a 70 baht room literally floating on the River Kwai..(yes, very near the WWII & Hollywood famous 'Bridge Over The River Kwai'...go ahead & whistle the song now that it's in your head)....sleeping on the River is nice except for the loud tourist speedboats that go by occasionally..(but the waves they make give the room a nice rocking motion!)....My friend Watcharee & her daughter live near here...Watcharee used to have a 9 to 5 regular job but now she makes unique silly little jewelry men she sells to girls at local night markets & does fine for herself....she took me today at sunset to the most incredible Wat/temple I've seen in Thailand a few km. out of town with a huge Buddha on top of a hill overlooking the valley....of course I didn't bring my camera!...there is also a 'Tiger Temple'(live tigers!)& various waterfalls & other sites nearby but I've decided to leave tomorrow & head back north to Chaing Mai by Train...I want to replace an mp3 player I bought there but mainly visit a Wat there where one can do intensive Vipassanna practice..(I considered going back to Suan Mokkh for another 10 days but will go North instead)...PEACE

Ko Chang-20

2006-08-22T21:43:00.001+07:00

Ko Chang is a beautiful island in the Gulf of Thailand near Cambodia, the interior is a protected national park & most of the beachs on the west coast...I was told by several folks to check out Lonely Beach & finally got there after a windy ferry ride & long pickup(taxi) ride...Lonely Beach is a very mellow place with very laid-back locals & few tourists in the summer...I stayed in a hut on the beach for 100 baht/night...met lots of cool travelers including Dominico(elementary school teacher from London), Alexandra(a Polish english teacher in Tokoyo), Marie from Copenhagen & several others....lots of 'chill' time playing the guitar & reading...a good book by Kevin Patterson on his adventure sailing from Canada to Tahaiti(& Back)...also 'The Poisonwood Bible' by Barbara Kingsolver about a missionary family in the Congo in 1960's....most of the days were cloudy but did get some sunshine before I left...

19-back in Bangkok

2006-08-17T13:03:00.001+07:00

after the retreat I went with fellow meditators to Chiaya & had good time chatting about our experiences & eating some sweets & such...one older gentleman from America was working as a college literature professor in Oman & shared how after the invasion of Iraq even the young women in that liberal Arab country hate America(thank's to Junior/Cheney & fellow Republicans!).....at the train station there were no more 2nd class tickets so I got 3rd class for 211 baht to Bangkok.....in car 13 with all thai people & 3 other farongs...I sat next to Michelle from Colorado who was returning from the annual huge full-moon party on Ko Phangon...also Shawnee & Alan, Americans from the retreat who were heading back to Guilin, China.....we survived the straight seat train ride(I got about 1 hour sleep) & in the morning made it into Bangkok where we got a taxi to Banglamphu, the backpacker section of town...Alan knew of some cheap guesthouses by Santichaipraken Park(Phra Samane Fort) by the Nam Chao Phraya/river(cross the dirty canal by the fort & ghouse's on the left...cheap 100-200baht) ...I mainly hung out with Shawnee & Alan(Michelle went on to Laos) in the famous backpacker Bangplamphu/Khao San road area which has a variety of hostels,restaurants/bars & street vendors, shops, clothing,ect....... After 2 nights I left by the River Ferry to the elavated Sky Train which took me to the East Bus Station where I got a Bus to Ko Chang Island....

10 Days of Silence

2006-08-13T13:10:00.000+07:00

"Reality is a Spiritual Activity. The World practices Buddism." -Dogen(13th Century Japanese Zen Master)

If you ever find yourself in Thailand and want to experience a 10-day silent Buddhist meditation retreat go to Suan Mokkh International Hermitage which has retreats starting on the first every month(costs 1,500 baht)...that includes 2 vegetarian meals & a concrete room with a window, a mat & wooden pillow!(I didn't use it) to sleep on....the bell-gong rings at 4 am & a short reading & meditation starts at 4:30...yoga at 5:15 to 7:00am then back to the beautiful open-air meditation hall by two ponds to have the first dharma(truth) talks by one of the monks...breakfast(which I usually skipped at 8:00 then'chores'(mine was scrubbing the stairs of the 2 men's hot springs!) then 10-1230pm a talk & sitting & walking meditation which was quite substantial since it was the last meal of the day(monks there only eat one meal a day so it is usually a large meal)..rest until 2:30 then sitting,walking & a chanting until 6:00 when the gong rings & tea is served...can go to the hot springs or rest until 7:30 then back to the meditation hall for sitting, a group silent walk around the pond & then a final meditation period until 9:00pm....we started out with about 60 or so folks & about 50 or so made it until the end...(it was interesting to hear everyone's experiences & accents from different countries when we communicated with each other on day 11)
The meditation taught was called Anapanassina which is similar to Vippassanna..it teaches there are 16 steps/stages to the meditation but we mainly focused on the first few in which one concentrates on following the breathing....one notes the breathing coming into the nostril area & how the breathing is deep or shallow..one can 'chase the tiger' by following the breathing into the abdomen but eventually needs to 'guard the gate' by leaving attention at the nostrils...as the days progressed my breathing got deeper & then more subtle....of course the mind will constantly try to wander into the 'past'(memories) or 'future'(plans,fantasies,ect)....anything but staying with the sensations & experience of this NOW moment...some sittings(30 minutes to one hour) I was really present to the breath, sensations on/in the body,my posture, sounds,ect....& sometimes totally lost in thought(I wrote alot of emails)....but usually would 'wake up' once again to the Reality of the Present Moment...
I also enjoyed the daily yoga sessions which I have gotten away from & realize is so important to my body...I also realize that I really don't need much food(some folks fasted a few days) as I was fine with one meal a day(I did usually go back for seconds!)...overall a great purification of mindbody...the meditation was not as intense as the 11-12 hours daily sits of the Goenka- Vippassana retreat I did in Mexico 2 yrs ago(www.dhamma.org Centers all over the world) as this was geared more towards those just learning to meditate but still was challenging & worthwhile to me....

17-Suan Mokkh(before)

2006-07-31T11:42:00.001+07:00

After spending a few days at the 'Cabana' beach near Chumpton on the Gulf of Thailand(went for a nice ocean swim for the first time in months!) I'm further south near Chaiya at the Suan Mokkh International Hermitage...they have silent retreat for 10 days at the start of every month & I have a few hours before it begins then no reading,computers, ect. for 10 days...this place(I registered this morning/1,500 bt. for meals,ect) is very peaceful & even has hot springs!..founded by a famous Thai monk named Buddhadasa who passed away several years ago....I've done several silent retreats before & it is always a good purification of mind-body with a renewed clarity of mind & usually insights obtained into the psyche....maybe I'll get some clarity on 'my future'(or why I'm so interested in it!)...I was recently called a 'butterfly' by someone which means a man who goes from flower(woman) to flower...there is some truth to that because I haven't let myself 'settle down' or found someone to travel with...maybe 10 days of meditation will enlighten me to these ponderings or at least 'settle down' the mind to BE HERE NOW with choiceless awareness to WHAT IS..the SUCHNESS of the ETERNAL PRESENT....AMEN!.....smiles!

Trains & Boats

2006-07-27T20:44:00.000+07:00

I finally got to take a long train ride!..I took the overnight 'sleeper' from Chiang Mai to Bangkok...beautiful scenery & quite comfortable...it was only 530 Baht for an 'upper' berth/bed & had fans & open windows which was nice with the wind blowing...I spent a little time in the 'cafe' car with some folks who were having a good time singing songs on the LOUD stereo but mainly was back in my comfortable seat finishing reading 'Angela's Ashes' by Frank McCourt about his 'miserable Catholic childhood' in Limerick, Ireland..a great Pulitzer prize book...at night the train porter comes by and pulls down the upper sleeping berth & makes the bed...only have curtains for privacy but actually was quite comfortable & soothing to sleep to the train rolling along the track...we got in the classic Bangkok station at 5:55 am & I had reserved the next train south a few hours later...an 'express' which was had air-con & reclining seats & included lunch...I ate the chicken with the rice which was the first flesh/meat I've had in a long time...(I eat alot of pad thai & fried rice!)...the scenery south was beautiful too...I got off in Chumpon & took a 3-hr. Bus ride to the Adaman sea side town of Ranoog....I'm here because I needed to do my 30 day 'visa run'..this morning I took a 'taxi truck' for 11 Baht to the thai immigration where I get my departaure stamp...then I connect with a woman who connects me with a long wooden boat ride to Burma for 150 bt....I hop on the back of her motorcycle to the pier where there are 2 older Austrian men living in Phuket who will be on the boat with me...a young thai guy is our 'captain'..first we have to get gas nearby in the port for our loud old motor then we stop at another Thai checkpoint on the water...then its across the bay to Myanmar/Burma..a loud,wet ride...we finally make it to the first Burma border post where our guide takes our $5(unfortunately which supports the military regime there)& our passports & comes out shortly & then on to the next place where he does the footwork for us again...Burmese guys on shore are asking if we want any 'pills' which the Austrian gentleman tells me is Viagra which sell for about $2 here versus $60 in Europe?...we decline & never leave the boat...he comes back with my passport stamped & I realize they give 3 days to stay in Burma which I didn't know...our return is a little slower(less wet) & the 'ex-pats' from Europe give me a ride in their car to the thai immigration again which stamps me for another 30 days in the Land of Smiles....SMILES to you...

Garuda & mystic musings-15

2006-07-21T12:44:00.001+07:00

Perhaps the most interesting character I met in Pai was an elder named Garuda..Garuda is a poet & author who also shares a daily 'breathing' class each morning at his place in Pai...He spent 4 years training under Alexander Lowen who discovered that most Westerners are shallow breathers who don't fully inhabit their bodies..(are you deeply breathing right now?)...just sitting with Garuda was a good experience for me as he challenged and reminded me to breath more deeply....
Living the Traveling Life leaves plenty of time for reading...just finished Garuda's 'Poems from Pai', also 'Dharma Gaia:Essays on Buddhism & Ecology' by various authors, & finally read 'The Electric Cool Aid Acid test' by Tom Wolfe about ken Kesey & the Merry Pranksters...my favorite book though is a tiny little Shambala classic called 'The Zen Teaching of Huang Po' which is a collection of dharma(truth) talks by a Chinese Zen Master from 9th Century?....What is Buddha?...Mind is Buddha....very Mind-blowing!...

14-Pai(part II)

2006-07-11T11:11:00.002+07:00

On the last day of my first visit to Pai(5 days) I went to an all day trance dance party at the Mango Place then across the street to 'Good Life' which had an outdoor fire & drum circle...I met lots of cool folks who have lived here for awhile & kept in touch with one new Brazilian friend who encouraged me to come back for a longer visit so here I am again....my first 3 nights I stayed at the 'Family Place' near the river...huts were very small but nice elder & daughters(family!)..experienced a major flood which I wrote previously about in my email....I took my $2/day scooter & took bridge across the river to 'Misty View' which has nice hut's for only 100 bt/day..very peaceful & higher ground!....some interresting folks in other huts including a Japanese woman who has been traveling 8 months(& soon going back to Japan with Thai vegetable seeds to plant)..also Claire from France who I took sightseeing to the waterfalls & elephant camps...at an outdoor party one night I met local woman named Bee who told me she works as cook at a resort 6 days week/ about 9 hours days for monthy minimin wage salary of 6,000 baht a month which figures out to 30baht an hour(less $1).....weather is gray alot as rainy season is here...going to switch to renting a bike as I need the exercise!...here for at least another week but I'm thinking of doing a meditation retreat soon....peace...

No Worries!

2006-07-07T17:09:00.000+07:00

some of the blogs I have written are sharing experiences of a rather personal nature...some of my closest friends are a bit concerned...to those worried about buying the herb(mom!) please don't because it's all been given away(or smoked!) & I have no plans to buy/smoke more....to those worried about me inviting 'strangers' back to my room & having wild sex I can assure you it ain't happening!...(I have had sex with someone but she wasn't a 'street girl' & no, it won't be in my blog!)....SMILES for all....

12-Brief Stops

2006-07-07T14:46:00.001+07:00

After 5 days in Prubang I took a Bus (incredible mountain views) down to Viang Viene(?) a small gravel road town that is known for its incredible countryside & outdoor adventures..tubing down the river & kayaking are big...(unfortunately I managed to badly bruise my food in Prabang & didn't do the activities)...I only stayed 2 nights & met some cool travelers...the town is known for about every other restaurant repeatingly showing replays of the TV show 'Friends'...surreal........just a short time in the capital of Vietienne too...a nice dinner at an outside dinner on the Mekong(further south than Prubang)...at the Bus station taking the Bus back to Thailand I had a great experience with the local folks as I had to spend all my 'kip'(currency)...I bought a cheap watch & a bunch of fruit which I shared with everyone..smiles all around...
Just across & down the river is the Thai border town of Nong Khai which a nice guesthouse on the Mekong called Mutt Mee where I stayed 2 nights...I then made my way back up north by (cheap!) govt. Buses staying one night in Lampang & back in Chiang Mai 2 nights...enjoyed the Sunday market & went to a pub & watched England lose to Portugal..also biked to the Airport 'Mall' to buy an inexpensive digital camera...was packed with locals(few farongs) who seem to want to be consumers like America & Japan consumeristic cultures...even had a 'parade' of children walking around with signs singing & saying 'shop' at this particular store!...

11-Political Ponderings

2006-07-03T01:51:00.001+07:00

Did you know that Laos is one of the most heavily bombed nations in history?....from 1965-1973 the United States dropped millions of tons of bombs in Laos during the Vietnam War..there are still bombs killing farmers & children in Laos from that time...as inept & corrupt as Bush-Cheney & the current Republicans are I would say Nixon & Kissinger killed far more people & were much worse war criminals....but learning of the fact of the illegal bombing & the fact the bombing was kept secret from the American people for 4 Years(!) reminds me that the United States government still lies..what comes out of the White House is as much Propaganda as anything Bin Laden says..

Luang Prubang-10

2006-07-02T23:30:00.001+07:00

Luang Prubang is perhaps the most beautiful city I've ever visited...high on the banks of the Mekong River & nestled in a beautiful valley with green hills all around it is also a World Heritage site with 66 wats/temples with over half active with monks living in them...I stayed at a guesthouse in a great room for 40,000 Kip(4$)...the night market is great & the 'city'(more like small town) is very peaceful to stroll around at night(very hot during the day)..the former Kings residence is now the national museum with great artifacts....Pousi Hill is Wat on a hill in the middle of the town & a great place to see the sunset & the entire valley....also L'stranger is a nice bookstore/cafe which shows movies every night..I watched the excellent 'Capote' there one night....kind of hung out by myself(after the first night!) & played guitar & read...one thing that stays in my 'heart-mind' is my experience of the market one day when I went early & felt real suffering from certain vendors(so many!) pleading with me to buy their bags,ect...Laos is much poorer than Thailand....

9-Border Town Scam

2006-06-29T18:18:00.001+07:00

After a long day(sitting) on the slow-boat on the Mekong I am ready to get off the boat...I'm the first brave farong off the boat at our overnight stop at the village of Pat Beng..there are many local young /old men waiting for us & of course I get the most aggressive who insists on showing me a cheap guesthouse...we walk up the long hill to the one lane town & he shows me a room with a tiny window overlooking the Mekong for 1oo baht(less $3)...I take it & then he puts the hard sell on me to buy some weed..I tell him no thanks but he opens the bag & has me smell it..what the hell it's been awhile & I'm tired..he starts at 600 & we get down to 100 & a couple of rolling papers & then he leaves to find more rich farongs....5 minute later a knock on my door..it's a local guy I remember from the boat who is friends with the other guy & wants to smoke some....sure what the heck & I let him roll us one & we play the guitar a bit then he leaves....10 minutes later another knock.... a guy I don't know want to come in..okay you want to smoke to huh?...when I hand him the joint he goes into this 'you are in trouble, unless you give me 100 $ I call the cops'(he has a cell phone in his hand)...I'm a little stoned but 95% certain he's full of B.S.(we are in the middle of knowhere on the Mekong in Laos!)..I grab the joint & go off on him a bit & push him out the door....5 minutes later he's back & lowers his 'call the cops' threat to $10...I kind of go off on him again about bad business karma after I bought weed from his buddy then give him 8,000 Kip(about $1) just to leave me alone..he comes back a 3rd time but I ignore him & he slides the money under the door.....wow, what a comedy of errors I created...LIVE & LEARN....

8-Riverboat Journey on the Mekong

2006-06-23T15:23:00.001+07:00

After an all-night mini-bus ride from Pai to the border town of Chiang Kong I get my Thailand exit stamp and take a boat across the Mekong River to Huay Xai, Laos...I get a 15 day visa at immigration & pay for a 2 day boat ride($9) at a travel agency where I also exchange some money..the Laos currency is the Kip which is 10,000=$1 so I get a huge bundle of 2,000 kip bills(20 cents?)...finally make it to the long wooden boat which has the engine in the back & wooden seats with thin cushion for passengers...although there are many boats all the 'farongs/foreigners' & locals get packed onto one boat..I guess I'm lucky because I have a small wooden bench all to myself....the first thing about the Mekong is that it is WIDE & the color of mud/brown...also the beauty of the green hills & mountains along the Mekong in Laos is stunning...(I will get a camera!)...memories.....stopping at every thatched- huts on-stilts Village to pick up local folks or drop off folks...speed boats occasionally roaring past us (passengers w/ lifejackets & helmets!).....our lunch 'stop' we stay onboard and the children 'hawkers' come onboard from a Village to sell Lao beer & mostly package-processed 'crap'(chips,cookies,etc)& which many tourists get..I buy some local mango slices & nuts....one stop there is a man in a cheap towel sarong with a Boars head & various flesh/meat parts of the body in a bucket..local Lao men jump off & the bargining begins...when we leave most of the Boar,included the severed head joins the boat...thankfully the guy who bought the severed head leaves a few villages later...then the next stop a live Boar joins the boat tied to the bow!(he/she doesn't like that)...but maybe it's all good because there is a Buddhist monk in front with the 'Capt.' to bless us all...the journey took 2 days(18 Hours?) with a overnight stop in Pat Beng before coming into Lubang Prubang late afternoon...lots of folks read books or played card games...I read & played a little guitar & am so thankful I brought my camping pad which saved my ass(literally!)......

PAI

2006-06-17T16:11:00.000+07:00

So here I am in Pai(pronounced BI) in the mountains of northern Thailand near the Burma border...I finally 'escaped' the Chiang Mai 'vortex' & wish I had come here sooner!...this is small town nestled in a beautiful valley with mountains all around...the river flows by the town which experienced 2 major floods last year in Aug & Sept....a very chill place..today I went for a bike ride on a big loop through the villages across the river, came back for a coconut ice-shake, & then went to the pool for a swim!(the river is low now)...I'm staying at the Tonsa in town for 150bt/night..lots of Israeli's in rooms around me, very nice folks....I rented a scooter for past 3 days & explored the waterfalls, elephant camps, & had a nice soak in the 'camping' hot springs with a friend from UK yesterday(....had a wild time one night at the Be-Bop club with some other folks..ended up on stage banging the bongo's with the band...the girls have pictures of me dancing so hopefully they'll send them(yes, I don't have a digital but maybe before too long)...I leave tomorrow night on an overnight Bus to Chang Kong/border of Laos..then a slow boat down the Mekong River to Luang Prang...at least 15 days in Laos then back to NE Thailand.....Pai is great & I will probably be back here(there is a Rainbow 'scout' council here in Sept)...met a German girl today at good vegan dinner who has been here four months!....(except for the internet 'cartel' here of 1 baht a minute!)....blessings to all...

Backpackers

2006-06-06T21:55:00.000+07:00

I'm a backpacker..I've got a small backpack & a small guitar...no suitcase or fancy hotels for me...I just need a bed or a hammock or tent to lay my head down...having my own bathroom is nice but sharing a shitter/shower is no big deal....so I finally found a great hostel in Chiang Mai...Julie's Guesthouse is great...cheap(90-140 Baht for a room) with 3 nice communal spaces to meet people..(other backpackers!)...I've been meeting lots of interesting folks....of course the Thai guys that run the place are cool..I've met two interesting Americans...one a young bro from New York(going to U of Miami Law School in fall) who left to do a Buddhist meditation retreat nearby...also a wildman salesman who used to be a traveling Deadhead...we realized we had both been arrested in downtown Atlanta the same night in 95 before a show!.(long story but me for playing my drum in the street & him for selling beer!)....an interesting bro from the Phillipines who teaches English in Bangkok....some cool folks from Amsterdam....an nice bro who has been voluntering in orphanages & helping build alternative houses & a wild woman tour guide....some cool girls from London & an awesome Swedish girl who is here 'in training' everyday at a gym for Thai boxing(use legs & arms)...& I'm going out dancing tonight with my 'buddy'(she's dating a nice Thai guy) a wild redhead from British Columbia who used to be on the Canadian water-polo team (the brutal stories she tells!)....I'm sure to meet meet many more interesting, cool backpackers on my circle around the planet....time to boogie...peace vibes from Chiang Mai...

Chiang Mai-5

2006-06-01T14:36:00.001+07:00

This small city is starting to grow on me...perhaps it was when I was resting after my herbal sauna(120 Baht) & talking with a doctor who used to live on the Big Island but now has several businesses here and has called Thailand home for 10 years....that gave my mind something to ponder...or perhaps it is the incredible cheap food(Gap's vegetarian buffet every night for 2$)...had another massage yesterday and later at night went dancing at the 'THC' rooftop hippie club with dayglo- psychedelic drawings and rugs & pillows to sit on....I'm on my 3rd hotel..first the Rama for 200 Baht, then 'Mr. Whiskey's' for only 100 Baht but the ants on the bed & big-screen TV blaring at 6am was too much....now I'm on my 3rd night at 'Same-Same'(but different!) for 180 Baht with a great big rooftop room...but gonna look for something a bit cheaper (i'm going to be traveling awhile and need to make my money last)....because of the fiscal budget & because I haven't really felt the need I haven't been drinking alcohol which is where they say a traveler pisses his money away...yesterday though I sat at the Same-Same cafe and had 2 cheap beers & a nice chat with an Irishman who just pulled up on his motorcycle (bikes,scooters, and m-cycles cheap to rent here)..he has been in Chiang Mai 3 weeks & loves it....I may stay here a bit longer then head up the mountains toward Pai......the moonsoon rains have arrived but it only rains once or twice a day for a short time...I'm still single but starting to feef my Mojo rising!...to be continued...

Chinese-American Friendship Day

2006-05-31T15:33:00.000+07:00

I decide to keep traveling north to Chaing Mai so back to the Bus station for another 5 hour ride...the next town up a bunch of Chinese University students get on the Bus and a talkative female student, Yang Jian Lin from Kunmzing, China sits besides me...they have been studying Thai language but she has studied English for over nine years so she gets to practice with me....she wants to be a travel/tour guide and tells me I must come to China since I'm 'so close'....the next town an Indian businessman sits nearby and it appears we have an international conference on the Thai Govt. Bus to Chaing Mai.....on arrival we all go our separate ways and I get a 'tuk-tuk' to the 'inner city'....I wander a bit & eventually find a decent hotel...at night I meander to the famous 'night market' which necessitates walking past all the 'girlie' bars...I can't resist going down one mall area which has bars on either side with a huge boxing ring with 2 Thai kick-boxers going at it in the middle...every bar has several ladies inviting me in for a drink...it is the 'slow' season here and I'm a popular guy!...I chose the safe route though and keep smiling & walking....I finally find the market & get a great deal on some silk 'drawers'(underwear) for 65 baht...eventually I make it back to the hotel room without being sidetracked by wine or women...

Ayutthaya & Phitsanulok

2006-05-30T17:02:00.000+07:00

I'm still not 100% but decide to rent a bike for 30 baht to explore the nearby temples...this city was the Siamese royal capital from 1350 to 1767 & actually had about one million people living here(small town now) I ride all over as the various temples are spread out...by one park I discover about a dozen elephants and their trainers and stop and watch for a bit..one elephant is determined to eat some grass & seems to care less his trainer sitting on his neck is bopping him with a stick...I enjoy the bike ride after so much sitting/sleeping the past few days...upon return to 'Bj1' one of the Thai men there wants to shake my hand after finding out I lived in "Hawhy"(Hawaii)....I eat dinner nearby and try to help the owner with her Engish homework but most of it(adverbs,adjectives,etc) is too difficult for me!
The train tracks are still down but I'm determined to continue north so I catch a bus about 5 hours north to Phitsanulok...most of the tourist go to the nearby ancient ruins/town of Sukhathai but I decide I'm gonna check out the 'less traveled' town...I stay at the 'London Hotel', actually a cheapie described as an 'old wooden, Thai-Chinese Hotel that is as close to an early 20-century rooming house you'll find'.....the town comes alive at night with lots of vendors set up along the river..the bridges are lit up with colored lights and I find it amusing a small park near my 'hotel' is lit up with Santa's reindeer...another thing is the KING is everywhere..not just on every denomination of bill but his picture is literally on almost every block of every city I've been at..the King smiling,scowling, playing the sax, playing the guitar..good thing he is supposably a good guy!...

Heading North

2006-05-30T16:24:00.000+07:00

Well Bangkok I hardly knew ya!...I'll have to visit again sometime...actually I was on my back sleeping much of my few days in the big city as I must have caught a fever from the freezing flight from Taipai and then landing in the humidity of Bangkok...I got a great Thai massage for only 180 Baht which helped quite a bit...other highlights were checking out some temples(Wat's) including the famous golden HUGE 'Reclining' Buddha, riding the passenger ferry on the wide Mae Nam Chao River & riding the famous tuk-tuk's in the infamous Bangkok traffic...Luke headed south with his cousin but I bought an overnight 'sleeper' train ticket north to Chaing Mai....upon arrival to the Train Station I find out a 50-yr. Flood has wiped out the northern line(& killed dozens of people)...I'm all packed up however(& not wanting to head back to the 'ghetto') so I buy a ticket to AYUTTHAYA the next town north....it appears I'm the only white person on the train(it's late) and upon arrival the town appears very sleepy except for the tuk-tuk driver who wants 50 Baht(the train ride only cost 20!)...I'm using my 'Lonely Planet' travel book as my Bible at this point and tell him to take me to the area with lots of hostels...he drops me off in nowheresville but certainly saves me a long walk from the train station...lots of barking(at me) dogs on the streets but hardly any people...I finally find a place mentioned in the Guide but alas it is full but the kindly lady tells me where to go nearby with lots of hostels....I evenually throw my pack down at 'BJ1'(yes, that's the real name), a local family-type place for only 100 Baht....I could fit 4 people in my bed but tonight it's just me and my guitar...

Bangkok-1

2006-05-30T15:59:00.001+07:00

After 4 flights(Hilo-Honolulu-Japan-Taiwan-Thailand) I finally arrive in the 'Land of Smiles' at 1 am...At the airport taxi stand I connect with a fellow American named Luke and we share a taxi to the infamous 'backpacker ghetto' of Khao San Rd...upon exiting the cab a Thai woman tries to hand ME money & led me to a cheap hotel to stay at but I decline as Luke wants to check out a hotel his cousin might be staying at...we wander around, the humidity soaking us..lots of folks about as a 1am bar closing time in effect..one nice small alley has carpets and candles laid out with people lounging around...a fellow asks me to sit and play my guitar(yes I'm carrying a small backpack & small guitar)...soon though an Israeli brother comes by and tells us there are rooms at the 'Green House' where he works...he leads us to a hotel with a room with 3 beds, a window,& overhead fan for 420 Baht..(37 Baht=1$)....since it's 3 am they give us the first night free which seals the deal...I'm beat and call it a night but Luke heads out for more excitement on the streets of Bangkok...