Category: Culture

Opinion: Choose To Re-Use and Re-Purpose

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Opinion: Choose To Re-Use

REFUSE THE REFUSE….. CHOOSE TO RE-USE

By Jennifer Troy

Organic and Natural

The amount of “wasteful waste” accumulated everyday, world-wide is staggering. Here in my corner of the world, Portland, Oregon, waste is everywhere. We have careless waste, we have intentional waste, we have good intentioned waste, we have plastic waste and we have paper waste, just to mention a few.  It is my wish to draw attention to waste that need not be wasted. Sometimes we accept a premise just because everyone else seems to accept it. Human beings are sheep.  I hope to convince you that often the things we do because we think it is the “right” thing for the environment may in fact be short-sighted and wrong. Shockingly, “organic” and “natural” may not always be the best answer.  I believe with all of my heart re-use and re-purpose in the end will be the best way forward.

Paper or Plastic?

Take as an example, the recent “Paper or Plastic” epidemic sweeping through the nation. We did it!  We finally got the public involved in saving the environment by ousting plastic and replacing it with the greener choice of paper. We’ve been so successful that half the rain forests of the Pacific NW and elsewhere are being systematically destroyed, not to mention the massive amount of paper in its many forms is now rotting in our landfills. Repeat after me, “re-use and re-purpose”.

Re-Use and Re-Purpose

Plastic or Progress?

Paper or Progress?

Natural means natural…. not sustainable, durable or reusable as it’s synthetic counterparts. “Synthetic”? “Synthetic”? That means man-made. Yes, man-made. These textiles were designed to be reused. Designed to be washed and NOT discarded. Why on earth have we put so much energy into creating, recycling and re-purposing plastic if we’re now simply going to ban it? Wake up, America there is a better way, there is progress.

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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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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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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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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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Russell Means: Native American Warrior

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Russell Means-Native American Warrior

by D.S. Mitchell

Russell Means & Dennis Banks Prominent Militant Native American Activists Talk to Press

Champion of Native American Rights

Russell Means was a champion of Native American civil rights. Means drew public attention to the mistreatment of native people “with audacious and controversial actions that were equal parts protest and theater,” said biographer Michael Ray.

Charismatic Leader 

From the 1970’s thru the early 2000’s Russell Means was as famous as Sitting Bull. Means, tall and ruggedly  handsome with long traditional braids was a charismatic Native American actor, activist, painter, politician, musician and writer. Means was born in 1939 on South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Reservation. His Lakota name “Wanbli Ohitika” means “Brave Eagle.” His mother was a Yankton Dakota Sioux and his father an Oglala Lakota Sioux.

A Harsh Life

His parents left the reservation in 1942 at the beginning of WWII to escape the poverty and depression of the reservation. They settled in the San Francisco Bay Area where his father worked in the shipyards. In his 1995 autobiography Russell Means described a harsh life with his alcoholic father and abused mother. He himself describes how he fell into “years of truancy, crime and drugs”, before finding purpose in the American Indian Movement.

In 1964 Means Joined His Father And Other Indians To Occupy Alcatraz for 24 hours

1964 Alcatraz Occupation

Means and his father joined a protest occupation of Alcatraz Island, in San Francisco Bay, CA. in 1964. The protest lasted a mere 24 hours. Native Americans were protesting against the U.S. government for treaty violations. In his autobiography Russell Means remembered the 1964 Alcatraz event as the catalyst for a life time of activism for protecting the rights of Native Americans.

The American Indian Movement

In 1968 Dennis Banks, Clyde Bellecourt, Eddie Benton Banai, and George Mitchell came together to form the American Indian Movement. AIM was a militant American Indian civil rights organization.  The goals expanded quickly, broadening to “turn the attention of Indian people toward a renewal of spirituality which would impart the strength of resolve needed to reverse the ruinous policies of the United States, Canada, and other colonialist governments of Central and South America.” AIM’s goals were economic independence, revitalization of traditional culture, protection of legal rights, and most especially, autonomy over tribal areas and the restoration of lands that they believed had been seized illegally.

Dennis Banks, Russell Means, and Clyde Bellecourt in 1971 the Heart of AIM

Dennis Banks, Russell Means, and Clyde Bellecourt in 1971 the Heart of AIM

A New Voice
Into a violent and turbulent times Russell Means emerged as the voice of AIM. In 1970 he became the first National Director of the American Indian Movement. Aim became involved in many violent and highly publicized protests in reaction to abhorrent government policies toward American Indians during this time.

Modern Day Warriors

Means’ and other AIM members cultivated a tough persona which they felt was necessary to face the “dark violence of police brutality and the voiceless despair of Indian people.” The view of these activists as “warriors” was essential to the movement.

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Affordable Housing: When?

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Affordable Housing: When?

By Jones William and D.S. Mitchell

Struggling Families

HUD is one of the most important departments of the federal government.  A primary function of HUD is to provide subsidized housing for the nation’s poorest citizens. One-in-four poor Americans receive a housing subsidy. Through rent subsidies HUD turns “un-affordable housing” into “affordable housing”. Most people receiving housing subsidies are the elderly and/or disabled. Without government help low-income people are in danger of eviction, and homelessness.

Affordable Housing Under Ben Carson

HUD Secretary Ben Carson will  through budget requests and accompanying legislation, increase rent burdens for everyone in HUD subsidized housing. The timing for this action is difficult to understand. “As homelessness increases and affordable housing and the housing crisis intensifies in communities across the country, the administration is focusing its efforts on increasing rents and other burdens for the lowest income and most vulnerable households,” said Diane Yentel, president & CEO NLIHC (National Low Income Housing Coalition) in a Feb. 5, 2018 editorial.

An Uncomfortable bed

Affordable housing in America has become both a social and economic crisis, with those on the lower socio-economic strata being forced to bear the brunt of the suffering. The most recent estimate of homelessness in the United States is 553, 000. That’s about the size of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Location, Location

Cities such as New York, Seattle, and San Francisco have higher than average living costs. In Seattle the minimum wage is $13.00 per hour.  Despite such a high minimum wage it would still require $26.00 per hour just to keep up a modest one bedroom apartment under the 30% established affordable housing threshold.

The New Minimum Wage

An American worker must earn no less than $20.30 per hour to afford even a modest two bedroom apartment and not pay more than 30% of his income on rent and utilities. Take note, that is triple the federal minimum wage. It means the worker earning the current minimum wage “would need to work 16 hours a day, every day of the year to be able to afford a basic two bedroom apartment. If someone is sleeping eight hours a night, they would only have time to work or sleep-and that would be it” says Andrew Aurand, V-P for research at the National Low Income Housing Coalition which is responsible for the study. This may be just one of the reasons that Bernie Sanders found such a devoted coalition among voters old and young.

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