Author: Darlene Mitchell

EDITORIAL: The Curious Case of Gavin McInnes

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EDITORIAL

The Curious Case of Gavin McInnes

By Trevor K. McNeil

Autocrats Abound

Many people are attracted to powerful leaders. A fact of life validated by the history books. From the leaders of Ancient Rome or China and codified, without a trace of irony, by Niccolo Machiavelli (the origin of the term “Machiavellian”) in the 16th century. There are, of course, more recent and terrible examples but it is best not to evoke the wrath of Godwin.

Distasteful and Corrupt

Distasteful as it might be to contemplate, Donald J. Trump is among the ranks of such leaders. It is really the only way to explain his continued support even in the face of a plethora of scandals that make the Targaryens look like the Rockefellers. Despite this, or maybe because of it, there has been a noticeable raise in the number of what might be called “traditionalist” groups since The Great Orange One’s gobsmacking ascension to the very heights of power.

Ugly Americans

One of the more confusing of the groups to come out of the pro-Trump frenzy was the so-called “Proud Boys”. A self-described “fraternal organization”.  The group was not actually as bad as some. At least when it came to terms of prejudice. While all such groups claim to have members who are LGBTQ or POCs, particularly in terms of deflecting claims of racial or hetero-normative prejudice, the Proud Boys actually do. The primary requirements for membership being that one be a male and “proudly” proclaim that “West is best”.

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The Emergence of Digital Currency

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The Emergence of Digital Currency

By Jones William & D. S. Mitchell

“Cryptocurrency is a digital or ‘virtual’ currency that uses cryptography for security,”  Wikipedia

Who is Satoshi Nakamoto?

The first of two milestones in the development of cryptocurrency took place in 2008 and 2009.  The domain name bitcoin.org was registered on August 18th, 2008.  In 2009, a programmer/inventor known only by the pseudonym, Satoshi Nakamoto announced he had found a way to build a decentralized digital cash system.  The mysterious “Satoshi Nakamoto” published a paper “Bitcoin: A peer-to-peer Electronic Cash System”.  In his paper Nakamoto described a totally decentralized digital currency, with no server or central authority, thus setting the ball rolling for the emergence of digital currency.

Minimizing Duplication

Digital currencies use extremely complex encrypt sensitive data transfers to secure the units of exchange. In this regard, digital currency developers build complex code systems based on advanced computer engineering and mathematics principles. This approach renders them almost impossible to break, thus minimizing chances of duplication. The adopted protocols for digital currencies also help mask the identities of cryptocurrency users, thus making it difficult to attribute fund flows and transactions to specific people.

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I Resolve To Have a Happy New Year

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Happy New Year!

By Ross Turner

Welcome to 2019!

If it’s anything like 2018, it will be both over before you know it and close sometime in late 2035. But fret not; if the paradoxical currents of time have you feeling disoriented, it’s probably not that days-old mimosa you finally finished. It is much more likely the dizzying flurry of news, tweets, and arguments constantly vying for your attention. The country is changing and more divided than ever before, and every Tom, Dick and Harry is ready to prove it. So, in the spirit of retaining and regaining a little sanity, here are some helpful New Year’s resolution ideas for you and yours, for when 2019 is taking too long or moving too fast.

Less Face Time

I resolve

I resolve to use proper and attractive lighting

I, _______, hereby resolve to spend no longer than four hours per day on Facebook, and to limit my political arguments to two. At a time. Unless people are especially wrong, because are you really going to let that go?

I, _______, henceforth resolve to Instagram no more than one (1) meal per day and to use proper and attractive lighting so that my minced jackfruit soufflé doesn’t resemble spoiled dog food. I will also sharply limit my use of the following Snapchat filters: Big Eyes and Mouth, Big Glasses and Freckles, Crown of Flowers, Crown of Butterflies, Crown of Thorns (alleged), and Cat Ears and Nose. Dog Ears and Nose shall be used exclusively for Good Boys of the canine variety. Face-Swap is always okay.

I, _______, from this point resolve to keep my tweets to under 25 a day, to master Proper use of Capitalization and Speling, to be more consistent and transparent in my lies, to make new Fox and Friends, to learn to President good like Putin, and to finally put Eric up for adoption.

Go Outside!

Frantic bird house painting

Financially induced panic birdhouse painting

I, _______, solemnly resolve to get out in nature at least once a month, and to leave my cellphone at home. Well, maybe in the car. But I should put in my purse just in case. Hold on, I’m getting a call.

I, _______, resolutely resolve to pick up a new hobby this year, among them possibly: anxiety knitting, stress furniture-making, worry yoga, neurotic beekeeping, fret cycling, financially induced panic bird house painting, or CrossFit.

I, _______, resolve to resolve to meet new people, have their backs, help them up when they fall, carry them up wind from tear gas, bring ample water and protective gear, have a clear list of demands, make the elites tremble, fear nothing but fear itself, E pluribus unum.

You Can Do It

I, _______, here and now resolve to eat more healthily. I resolve to have a salad with every pizza, to drink more water than I get from opening my mouth under the shower head, and eat at least one entire stick of celery, for some reason. And, from now on, only unfrosted Pop-Tarts. It’s time to grow up.

I, _______, decidedly resolve to kick a few of my vices. No longer shall I have my pre-glass of wine before wine. No more will I procrastinate on the things I really need to do, starting tomorrow. Never again will I eat half a box of cookies before bed, even though they’re sitting there, right by the bed, right now, just waiting, so delicious.

I, _______, finally resolve to take care of myself, to spend more time around the good people in my life and let them know they’re appreciated, to slow down a bit and enjoy the small things, and of course, to bumble through my resolutions and sometimes fail, knowing I’ll get another chance soon enough.

With this exhaustive list of all possible resolutions in mind, there’s no way this won’t be your best year ever. And if it’s not, that’s okay. 2035 is right around the corner.

Editorial: Teen Suicide Streaming

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EDITORIAL:

Teen Suicide Streaming

By Trevor K. McNeil

Thirteen Reasons

There is often a debate about whether art is imitating life or life is imitating art. Then there are cases when the situation is clear. The thoroughly depressing Netflix series, “13 Reasons Why” is based on the Young Adult novel of the same name. The book, and now the series is a direct response to instances of teenagers, and even younger kids, posting social media videos that either directly detail their plans to commit suicide, or are released just before these  young people tragically take their own lives.

A Playlist on YouTube

So-called “suicide videos” have become so common they almost constitute a genre unto themselves. There are even playlists of them on YouTube. Let’s all just take a minute and reflect on that. Everybody thoroughly disgusted and disturbed? Good, then we’ll continue. While they came as something of a shock at first, suicide videos are really more of a natural side-effect of social media itself. Give people the ability to record and release anything and they will. For better or worse.

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The Value of Vaccinations

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The Value of Vaccinations

By Michael Leonard Douglas & D. S. Mitchell

History

Have you ever heard of the Black Death? Only in text books I’m sure. This was a time before vaccinations. In 1347 The Black Death arrived in Europe. Over the next five years the devastating epidemic would kill 20 million people in Europe alone. Prior to reaching Europe The Plague is believed to have taken the lives of over 200 million people worldwide.  The first recorded “pan epidemic”. It was one of the most devastating periods in human history.

A Scratch Or A Cut

I have wondered what it would have been like to live in a world without vaccines.  I’m sure I would have died at an early age as did most people before the modern era. The first efforts to inoculate a human being against disease was in China as early as 900 BCE. At that time smallpox was rampant in China. It was observed that if a person survived smallpox they would be immune to further outbreaks of the disease.

Chinese Physicians

To protect people from infection, ancient Chinese physicians would cut or scratch the skin of healthy people and then rub powdered smallpox scabs or fluid from pustules into the cut in the skin. Another method was to blow powdered smallpox material up the nose of a healthy person. This exposure to live bacteria and viruses was called inoculation or variolation. This was a precursor to modern vaccination. In 1700 the wife of England’s ambassador to Turkey, Lady Montagu, brought news of this Eastern practice to England.

Smallpox an Ancient Problem

Smallpox was a disfiguring and often fatal infectious disease that plagued humanity for at least 5,000 years.  In 18th century Europe smallpox was widespread and was believed to kill 3 out of every 10 people who contracted it. Of the 30% that died most were young children, making smallpox a death sentence for the most vulnerable. Many survivors were left terribly disfigured from scars from the rupturing skin pustules.

Enter Edward Jenner

Edward Jenner was an English country physician.  Dr. Jenner observed that dairy workers who had been infected with cowpox, were immune to later smallpox outbreaks. This observation led him to inoculate a boy with cowpox. Later, Jenner would infect the same boy with fresh smallpox and when no disease developed Jenner concluded that the boy was protected against smallpox. His work would lead to what would become **”attenuated vaccines”. In 1801 Jenner published his findings in his treatise, “On the Origin of the Vaccine Inoculation” Jenner summarized with the hope that “annihilation of  smallpox, the most dreadful scourge of the human species, must be the result of this practice (vaccination).”

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Homeless Housing….Beneficial or Detrimental?

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HOMELESS HOUSING:

BENEFICIAL OR DETRIMENTAL?

By Jennifer Troy

Beneficial Or Detrimental?

This may seem an odd question. How could housing the homeless be harmful? While the primary concern is getting people off the streets and into shelter, there are no means implemented to further their self-sufficiency and independence.

Homeless Housing Increasing

New communities of tiny homes and pods are sprouting up everywhere. The communities provide shelter, food, pet supplies, and cohabitation with others who all take part in the daily workings of the community. This is a tremendous step toward providing homeless housing for street people. Yet no measures are in place to keep the ball rolling.

As An Example

I live in Portland, Oregon and I can only speak from my experience in that geo-political sphere. Take for example the recently implemented Women’s Village in the Kenton area of North Portland. Two years ago community resources came together and took fourteen women off the street and housed them in individual “pods” where they can have a sense of privacy and safety within a working community.

Neighborhood

The surrounding neighborhood has wholeheartedly supported this endeavor. Neighbors made it their mission to drop off donations of food, clothes, toiletries, bedding, furniture and pet supplies, etc…to provide for the needs of the women in the pod community. This neighborhood’s heart warming embrace of the Women’s Village has been amazing.

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The Truth About The Wiccan Religion

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OUT OF THE BROOM-CLOSET:

TRUTH ABOUT WICCAN RELIGION

By Trevor K. McNeil

Wicca?

What comes to mind when you hear, or read, the word “Wicca”? Wiccans are often the subject of fascination, conjecture and fear. Those belonging to the Wiccan religion are some of the most maligned and misunderstood groups of people on the planet. Wicca has become short-hand for “otherness” if not outright evil. Neo-paganism or pagan witchcraft is a contemporary religious movement that attempts to recenter the spirit of humanity on nature and the shared duality of divinity.

Hundreds of Thousands Executed

The Witch hunts in Europe between the 16th and 18th century led to the murder of an estimated 100,000 people, mostly women. Natural events including the devastating Black Plague contributed to near hysteria. Many Christian followers believed the Black Death was an organized effort by Satan and his witches against the Christian Church. From the Salem Witch Trials of 1692-1693 to the Cult Scares of the late 1980s and early 1990s, those who have strayed from the established theological line of Christianity (or Islam)(or Judaism) have faced intense hatred and abuse.  The dominant religious doctrine of the community requires that the dominant religious force must squash those who profess another belief system. It has nothing to do with finding out who these “others” are and what it is they believe. The backlash seems particularly violent when a religion promotes women and encourages their power.

Feminism

Gerald Gardner and then Alex Sanders and his wife Maxine introduced a new paganism in the mid-twentieth century. Despite its relative modernity, the roots of Wicca go back to the time of Celts and Druids. This “new paganism”  believes humanity’s religious life should “center on ritual nature veneration, natural cycles and magical and spiritual learning”. A distinct difference between Wicca and the other world religions is the concept that divinity is both male and female. In fact, when questioned many Wiccans noted their attraction to the non-patriarchal world view of the Wicca religion. In Wicca the two genders complement and strengthen one another. Feminism has always been an integral feature of the religion. The Wicca religion has an innate gender equality view.

Definitions

Simply put, people who practice the Wiccan religion are nature worshippers. Not in the literal sense of praying to trees, but in that they see every part of nature, including humans, as being part of an interconnected, sacred whole. As with most other pagan faiths, Wicca has many deities associated with it. There is a pantheon of gods and goddesses, some emphasis on goddesses, from which Wiccans pick and choose according to their personal preference. Unlike other faiths, these deities are entirely optional, not only in terms of which one you can choose to associate with, but whether you choose to believe in them at all.

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13 Ways You Already Practice Witchcraft

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Take Another Look

Maybe it is time to take a new look at neo-paganism. As I look to 2019 I hope for more openness and inclusiveness. Just because someone, or something is different from our previous experience doesn’t mean it is something bad or to be feared.

Be Curious

My first wish is for us all to stop being afraid, and start being curious. When we have the courage to explore the people, and the customs of those “new scary” people we quickly see little difference from ourselves. Be open. Be welcoming. You will quickly learn that understanding and friendship are only a smile and a hug away. It is only fear and ignorance that keeps us prisoners of hate.

Eat The Chow Mein

I can remember when I was very, very young I refused to eat “Chinese” food. If they had just told me it was American I would have eaten it, and loved it. It’s all about prejudice and fear of what is different from our experience. Don’t let the fear ruin your chance to make great discoveries. Open your world, eat the Chow Mein, you’ll love it.
D. S. Mitchell

Donating Triggers Good Vibes

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Donating Triggers Good Vibes

By Brett Kondratiew

Giving vs Receiving

Remember back all those years when as a child, you couldn’t wait for Christmas. What marvelous presents am I going to get this time?  It was all about you, but as you mature, you realize that it’s the giving that makes you feel good. That giving makes you feel better than receiving.

Scientific fact that donating makes you feel good

Donating to your charity of choice is pretty much the same; and the reason behind it is has some scientific evidence. The reason we feel good about it, is because it activates the pleasure centers in the brain. Donating is a real “mood booster” much like the feeling that many feel when they exercise.

Helping Others in Need

Fortunately, most of us in the western world were born into favorable circumstances.  Therefore, I believe it should be an obligation of those with abundance to help those in need. Donating is not just for human beings. Animals suffer all forms of cruelty and because they are helpless and without a voice, the question of donating should be a “no brainer”. Whether it be to stop poaching of elephants or to end the clearing of the Orangutan habitat for palm oil production animals face daily victimization by humans. Only the really insensitive would not feel a need to help.

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Seasonal Cheer

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Seasonal Cheer

By Ross Turner

 

Gather ‘Round The Fire

It seems to happen every year; the crisp air rolls in, the coats come out, the trees put on their show, and lo, the holidays are upon us. The holiday season is a time of celebration, togetherness, and generosity.  Starting with Thanksgiving, peaking with the December biggies of Hanukkah and Christmas, and capping off with the ever-rowdy New Year’s we give thanks, reunite with family and friends, and spread as much seasonal cheer as possible.

Fruits of our Labor

As it has for thousands of years, the cold of fall and winter tended to draw people indoors and into close proximity with one another. Huddled inside and harvest gathered, there was little to do but tell stories, play games, cook and eat together, and generally enjoy the fruits of the year’s labor. The Danish have a word for this: hygge, or “a mood of coziness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment.” Though many of us don’t farm for a living anymore, we carry on this tradition symbolically in our yearly coming-together for the winter. Yet for those without a warm den to retreat to, or people to fill it, these times can feel anything but cheerful.

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