A World Apart - India & Nepal

So In 2009 I joined a group called the Sustainable Global Leadership Alliance (SGLA)

They offered a leadership training program in Sustainability, which included traveling for a month in India

Seven weekends of intensive workshops prior to departure, and many bonding experiences . . .

This group will forever remain in my heart, as I am sure many of you have had experiences of being around kindred souls, this was one of those rare groups.

We all got to know each other and learned about the dire nature of the world situation, and what is possible to do to change it, by setting an example, and changing what is inside. This is the most effective way to influence the world outside . . .

 We first spent a day in Singapore, which is a really interesting place. We visited the internationally renowned botanical gardens, and I got kicked out of a mosque for trying to sit and meditate there . . .  

    We got love for the desert plants . . .

 Singapore botanical gardens has a Bonsai garden. . .

 They even have an Orchid garden, with most of the different species in the world . . .

Next, we flew to Chennai in India

Chennai is huge and filthy, as it is one of the major economic hubs of India. The airport was crazy at first, because there were thousands of people waiting there for people to arrive. 

There are many beautiful things in this city also, the greatest for me was the shimmer in the eyes of the local street children, so down-trodden, but full of life and light.

 The countryside is so beautiful. . . it makes one wonder why we all insist on living in crowded cities. . .

I met this man at the top of a mountain called Arunachala.

 'Jodhi' which means fire in Hindi. He holds the space at the top, and lights the whole mountain top on fire for ten days in December with oil that pilgrims bring him in offering to the God Shiva.  This is his only job. . .

 These two were very kind. We shared many Chai teas and conversations. I love them, except for the fact that they tricked me into selling them my camera, and that explains why I do not have more pictures from India. . .

Tricky tricky merchants in Tiruvanamalai

We finally made it to Nepal, and Joe created a rainbow from the top of a mountain surrounded by other mountains. . .

Frack Your Country, Mother Fracker!

If you have not seen the documentary Gasland, I really cannot help you when your well water turns out to be flammable, and you set your house on fire. This is public information, but those of us(you) who get information exclusively from the corporate controlled media, will have no idea about what is really going on in the world. If something is on Fox News, or in the news paper, hell even on some of the more popular 'progressive' radio talk shows, it is a distraction from the events that should be considered real news, and a perversion of media.

There is so much money thrown at the issues these days, but natural gas extraction by means of hydraulic fracking is one of the paramount issues of our time. Even though people, animals, and the environment are getting sick around these Fracking sites, to the extent that hair falls out and people are actually able to light their tap water on fire, the regulatory agencies of the U.S. government continue to claim that the process is safe, and that none of these very disturbing occurrences has to do with the Fracking that is going on in the area. 

This is a direct result of a 'revolving door' that allows top ranking employees of these corporate giant energy companies to just come on over and work for the FDA, EPA, USDA and many other agencies. I say we fire all these people, and elect who our regulatory officials will be. Isn't that how democracy is supposed to work?

They are Fracking liars. . . 
Now, I thought that lying in a court of law was tantamount to a criminal act, and was likely to end in the culprit's prosecution, or at lest contempt of court. So why is it that most of what goes on in court rooms these days is lying , and it is being taken at face value by us the slaves as truth? The scariest part to me, is watching films like Gas Land and bearing witness to the straight-faced lies these people tell in courtrooms, and in front of thousands of innocent people, who are literally depending upon them to give us the truth about the dangers of this incredibly destructive process. . .

So here it is . . . 
I will give you the straight truth: Fracking is killing animals and humans, and desecrating the natural environment beyond a state which can hope to be repaired within the foreseeable future. 

Here is a list of chemicals used in Hydraulic Fracking . . .

Natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing chemicals with 10 or more health effects ( oh yeah thats per chemical)

• 2,2',2"-Nitrilotriethanol • 2-Ethylhexanol • 5-Chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one • Acetic acid • Acrolein • Acrylamide (2-propenamide) • Acrylic acid • Ammonia • Ammonium chloride • Ammonium nitrate • Aniline • Benzyl chloride • Boric acid • Cadmium • Calcium hypochlorite • Chlorine • Chlorine dioxide • Dibromoacetonitrile 1 • Diesel 2 • Diethanolamine • Diethylenetriamine • Dimethyl formamide • Epidian • Ethanol (acetylenic alcohol) • Ethyl mercaptan • Ethylbenzene

• Ethylene glycol • Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (2-BE) • Ethylene oxide • Ferrous sulfate • Formaldehyde • Formic acid • Fuel oil #2 • Glutaraldehyde • Glyoxal • Hydrodesulfurized kerosene • Hydrogen sulfide • Iron • Isobutyl alcohol (2-methyl-1-propanol) • Isopropanol (propan-2-ol) • Kerosene • Light naphthenic distillates, hydrotreated • Mercaptoacidic acid • Methanol • Methylene bis(thiocyanate) • Monoethanolamine • NaHCO3

• Naphtha, petroleum medium aliphatic • Naphthalene • Natural gas condensates • Nickel sulfate • Paraformaldehyde • Petroleum distillate naptha • Petroleum distillate/ naphtha • Phosphonium, tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)-sulfate • Propane-1,2-diol • Sodium bromate • Sodium chlorite (chlorous acid, sodium salt) • Sodium hypochlorite • Sodium nitrate • Sodium nitrite • Sodium sulfite • Styrene • Sulfur dioxide • Sulfuric acid • Tetrahydro-3,5-dimethyl-2H-1,3,5-thiadiazine-2-thione (Dazomet) • Titanium dioxide • Tributyl phosphate • Triethylene glycol • Urea • Xylene

- See more at: http://www.earthworksaction.org/issues/detail/hydraulic_fracturing_101#CHEMICALS



The chemicals used in this process, are highly destructive, carcinogenic, toxic, and dangerous. Many of the victims of this Fracking contamination have brought water from their kitchen sink to employees and administrators of the companies responsible for the contamination, and asked them to drink a little. Although every regulatory agency involved has stated over and over again that the water is completely safe, and in no way contaminated, no one is willing to drink it. You would think that since they were getting paid so much by the oil and gas industry to lie for them, regulators and employees would be willing to take a little taste for the camera, with a smile on their faces and proclaim "yummy! See, I told you it was safe." None of them have even touched a drop. I wouldn't drink it. After watching Josh Fox's documentary, and seeing several of the innocent victims of the contamination able to literally light their whole sink on fire with a lighter, just by holding it up to the running tap. 

This issue is of dire urgency. Potentially one of the most pressing and disturbing current events on our plate as humans in this country today. Please watch Gasland and the sequel Gasland II, and stay informed. Fight oil and gas companies, and lets work together to build a sustainable clean energy future for our children and our planet.

Chaco Canyon Overnight

Go to Chaco Canyon . . .

This place will blow your mind. It is a world heritage site, and the largest geological site in North America.

Take lots of water. I had a Camelbak. Camp overnight if you have time. There is no better experience of the canyon than if you can wake up with the sun and begin hiking and exploring.

There are two very nice stupas in Santa Fe (bottom) and Taos(top). Unfortunately Albuquerque is slacking. We have one, but it is very small, however it it said to contain one of the eyelashes of Guru Rinpoche. . . Stupas are used to assist in the amplification of enlightened energies . . . 

SouthWest Love

Welcome Home! Rainbow 2011. This was the best group possible. Your town ain't got rainbow love like this. This photo was taken by a completely naked man. . .

Ah the beginning. . .

Paul Hockett has disappeared from the face of the world, or maybe just living on Maui n style. Lov'n this guy. I took this shot at Steve-O's place, that Ryan had constructed in Hollywood, before anyone was vegan.

Brendan O'Brien

POWPOW