My Blog

Riding the STP

greatdane — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 23:36:26 GMT

If anyone is riding the STP this year, hit me up and we can connect for a pre ride safety meeting in wallingford. In the early AM.

Giving Thanks to the Cosmic Mystery - new essay by Corey Anton

greatdane — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 04:41:58 GMT

Corey Anton schooled me on some hot communication theory back in michigan. Check out his new essay for Wide-Eyed Nation. by Corey Anton CONSIDER THE NOVELTY OF COPERNICUS’S revelations about the Earth and Sun. Since the dawn of humanity everyone witnessed the rising of the Sun on one horizon and its setting on the other. “Things are not necessarily what we see,” Copernicus argued. “The Earth is rotating, and the Sun, not the Earth, is at the center of the universe.” Psychologist Allen Wheelis tells us that the Copernican discovery was two-fold: it lessened humanity’s sense of cosmic significance by diminishing the centrality of Earth but it simultaneously congratulated human ingenuity for having been able to make that discovery. All said, it forcefully advanced the prerogative for continued debunking and unmasking of received traditions. But make no mistake; no one has adequate resources and context to remove all the mysteries that comprise our lives. The world is mysterious and so are we, and both profoundly so, and yet, we so often act as if all the mystery is gone. Not only have the greatest magic tricks been revealed, but the grand cosmic mysteries of our being and origins seem increasingly passé and misguided. For example, if we were to ask your average atheists on the street if they could forgive “God,” most would likely tell you that this is misguided. “There is no God to forgive; You’re obviously confused; ‘God is Dead,’” would be the likely response. Point well taken, but I’m often left with the thought: How many people decide to call themselves “atheists” basically because they first were seduced into overdrawn expectations? Or, how many of those who call themselves “atheist” simply are fed up with fundamentalist religious-types? Admittedly, many Neo-Conservative Evangelical types do seem to be pretty deluded and worth distancing oneself from. Consider this too: if we were to ask your average Christians on the street if they could forgive God, many would likely say, “Forgive God? You don’t forgive God! God is all good and all loving and all perfect. If anything, God forgives you!” But, for the sake of argument, what if there is no afterlife? Perhaps God could not give people an afterlife any more than He could create a rock that is so heavy that even He cannot lift it. How many people could forgive (or would still believe in) God if it were the case that there is neither an afterlife nor ultimate justice? How many people would rather be atheists than believe in a Divinity who is so impotent that He’d be unable to issue cosmic justice and grant eternal life? How many people’s religious beliefs basically hinge upon the afterlife question? Is this world really not enough? And just what if the Divine Mystery that resides in the depths of our being does need deep and profound forgiveness for all the eternally unresolved injustice and terror of existence? The trouble with being born is that no one asks for it. Seriously, I never asked to be born. Were you consulted? Forgiveness in this light would not be given to some guy in the sky (here atheism may be spot on) but to our deepest sense of life’s mysteries. All animals on this planet die, but only humans seem to build theories about immortal souls. Might we, on the contrary, see that evolution evolved beings who came to know of their own death, and we, those very beings, need to forgive the mysterious origins for such possibilities. If we do, we learn to accept death and thereby to open to other people in new ways. If it is not yet obvious, my own guess is that there is no afterlife; our only persistence post-mortem is in the memories, words, and deeds of the still living. But none of that means that life itself is bereft of Divine Mystery; none of it implies that life, Nature in its grandest sense, is without spiritual import. Perhaps people have confused mystery, which is the very condition of our lives, with momentary acts of dispelling uncertainty. Perhaps there is something else too. The world admittedly has countless injustices, cruelties and senseless suffering, but it also has babbling babies, wide varieties of tasty fruits, countless genres of music, soap bubbles, butterflies, orgasms, and rainbows. Can’t we say: “Despite all that is painful, tragic and limiting, I am still thankful.” In open forgiveness and a growing sense of gratitude, without any sense of resentment regarding the fact of knowing about our ultimate demise, we accept death and hardship as the price of admission. We feel thrilled, genuinely grateful, that we received an invitation to the mysterious feast. And, just for the sake of argument, if there is no life after this one, I hope that we can learn to forgive the mystery of evolution for evolving beings who may be able to imagine more than they ever will experience. Such imaginations, fantasies about eternity, might well be one of the most mysterious fruits on this planet. And, who knows? Just maybe there is an afterlife, a wonderful one too, but for the time being I’m pretty confident that no one can know for sure. It is probably best to just celebrate the mystery of life and to be suspicious of anyone who thinks that all the world’s mysteries have been revealed. A sure sign of spiritual maturity is the ability to forgive the mystery as well as give thanks to it. Our sense of gratitude grows, in fact, only where we are able to forgive. If more people could understand this, they might be able to properly address the vast and ancient mystery all around them, the very mystery that they are.

Dig it! Dane and paige's beatbox/dance piece from sept 2007.

greatdane — Mon, 12 May 2008 03:04:41 GMT

This is the original version of- A Little Bit Of Mmm-Hmm. A sept 2007 performance of the dance piece that i did with Paige Barnes for Ten Tiny Dances. It would eventually morph into what it is now, but here is us laying down the roots. http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/paige%2Bbarnes%2Bdane%2Bwilson/video/x4pebn_a-little-bit-of-mmmhmmm-sept-2007_creation

New Downtempo Compilation for March 2008

greatdane — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:13:10 GMT

A spring fling for you! New downtempo compilation for your dining pleasure. You have WinRAR or another unpacker to download this. Check it out, straight from the Great Dane's mouth: http://www.mediafire.com/?thz3kbmfjzt

Hey, Portland: Great Dane + Joe Ball = Double DJ Set

greatdane — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:07:07 GMT

It all starts in Portland Saturday night, late. Glam rock going away party! Joe Ball on Funk and Soul. Great Dane on Old-school Techno. Join them for an unforgettable double DJ set. We have computers, a beat generator, a microphone, and a bunch of smiles. Be there or be excused. Costumes required! PM or call me for times and directions...

Relentless Heartache - Love Plays of 14/48 14th February 2008

greatdane — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 06:51:28 GMT

Moooooooooooooozik by dane Dance by Paige Barnes Its a collection of the love plays of theater festival 14/48 14th February 2008 - 8pm CHAC Capitol Hill Arts Center 1621 12th Ave Seatte, WA 98122 http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/26064 -------------------------------------------- Over the past ten years, 14/48: the worlds quickest theatre festival has produced more than 350 short new plays. Many of these works address the preposterous and heart-breaking way humans fall in and out of love, surrender to the will of Eros, and struggle for intimacy. The best of the best of these love plays are being restaged by the original casts and directors for one night only, Valentines Day, February 14, 2008, at the Capitol Hill Arts Center. Classic 14/48 masterpieces by Scot Augustson, Louis Broome, Carl Sander and Wayne Rawley Direction by Amy Thone, Brian Faker, Hans Altwies, Jenifer Jasper and Tina La Plant Augmented by a six piece band led by 14/48 veteran bandmaster Brendan Hogan Dances by Ten-Tiny guest choreographers Crispin Spaeth and Paige Barnes Poetry by William Butler Yeats Featuring the artistry of Alycia Delmore Annette Toutonghi Jodi Paul Wooster Kerri Brown Seanjohn Walsh Ben Laurence Mark Fullerton Keira McDonald Deniece Bleha Ben Laurence Peggy Poage James Lapan Erin Kraft Chris Stewart Alan Echison Mike Owcharuk James Frounfelter Dante Bliss Kolb Dane Wilson Matthew Richter Relentless Heartache is a production of Carl Sander, The Capitol Hill Arts Center, and 14/48: the worlds quickest theater festival NOTE: No-one under 14 years old will be admitted.

Job Search is On, like jay oh bee oh en,

greatdane — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 21:02:52 GMT

I got thwacked from my favorite cooking job last week. That means, im looking for hours at a new job. Still cooking at the veg spot, but part time only. Looking for 10 - 25 hours in a another place. Get this kool kat some work! You know i like making food and video editing/voicework. K Plz Thx!

Last seattle performance! A Little Bit of Mmm-Hmmm

greatdane — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:57:05 GMT

Spin the Bottle Next show: Friday, November 2, 11 pm The show starts at 11:00 pm at our new home: 1100 E. Pike St (on 11th Ave. at E. Pike). Map Admission is still only $9! Full bar available. The November 2 edition of Spin the Bottle features: * The world moves on the swinging hips of MISS MAMIE LAVONA & HER WHITE BOY BAND! * Beat-box choreography from PAIGE BARNES & DANE WILSON! * Mass transit cinema from KARN JUNKINSMITH! * Sultry song stylings from ALICIA DARA! * Lithuanian-inflected theatrics from PAUL BUDRAITIS! * A scamp of a short film scripted by SCOT AUGUSTSON! * Gangster poetry from SEANJOHN WALSH! * Alluring, lyrical smut from LA NELL GUISTE! * Yet more inexplicability from GUDE/LAURANCE! * And more, more, more! All held together by the mellifluous birdsong of our host, BRUCE HALL!

12 Minutes Max, 7-8 Oct. 2007 at On The Boards- Dane Makes More Noises With Mouth...

greatdane — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 07:12:45 GMT

Im kicking it with an expanded version of a duet with Paige Barnes. More beats. More hotness. More longing glances! 12 MINUTES MAX OtB’s oldest program is a showcase for new experimental work. Each evening 5-7 artists have 12 minutes or less to try out new material and works-in-progress in OtB’s studio theater. Performances are curated by different members of the arts community 7 times a year. Tickets for 12MM are $8 and are only available one hour before show time in the Studio lobby (No advance sales) The performance begins at 7pm Upcoming 12MM and Auditions Oct 7 - 8, 2007 Curated by Brangien Davis (Editor in Chief, Swivel) & Nancy Guppy (Host & Producer, City A Go Go) ° Spilling from the margins of Seattle’s experimental performance/film scene, Today! is a high contrast, post-indie pop/rock foursome made up of Paul Moore, Dayna Hanson, Maggie Brown and Dave Proscia. (Music) ° Mary Purdy brings a sprinkling of sensuality and physical comedy in two new solo works. (Theater) ° Dayna Hanson presents a dark and concise new solo dance, set to a moody guitar score by Dave Proscia. (Dance) ° Leeni performs two original songs composed on an old Nintendo Gameboy with Ukulele off her new CD “8 Bit Heart”. (Music) ° OntheDouble (dutch) performs theatrical double dutch jump roping routines. Their newest theme – Space, the final frontier. (Jump Rope) ° Godfrey Daniels, aka Randy Minkler, is a silent, larger-than-life, internally driven puppet that expertly manipulates a big red ball. (Puppetry) ° Paige Barnes, a modern dancer, meets a modern beat-boxer (Dane Wilson) for a sexy engagement on a tiny stage. The two unexpectedly intertwine, flirt and play their way into each other's hearts. (Dance) ° Utilizing “radio play” techniques, Annex Theatre performs a short humorous play written by Bret Fetzer and Juliet Waller-Pruzan and directed by Brendan Healy in which Frankie wakes up one day without her vagina. (Theater) CONTACT Our Administrative Offices are open 10-6pm Monday through Friday. The phone number is 206.217.9886. Click here for our staff list. On the Boards The Behnke Center for Contemporary Performance 100 West Roy Street Seattle, WA 98119

Fall Kick Off at Velocity Dance Center, Dane Makes Noise From Mouth

greatdane — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 02:36:43 GMT

Im kicking it on Saturday night for Velocity's Fall showcase. Paige got the tiny stage from last week's show, and here we go with our piece from ten tiny dances- "Little Bit Of Mmm-hmm". A little nervous since the massive monkees are on the same night so the hip hop aesthete of seattle may be in attendance. Check it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Velocity Dance Center presents: The Fall Kick-Off Extravaganza September 22, 23 & 24 at 8pm at Velocity MainSpace Theater, an eclectic mix of some of Seattle's most talented and charismatic dancers come together to benefit Velocity Dance Center's programs. At least five different artists show work each night corralled by Seattle's most enchanting emcees. All artists and emcees have donated their time and talents. The annual Fall Kick-Off Extravaganza is one of Velocity Dance Center's most high-energy weekends of dance. Each night the performers change, each night is one of a kind, and each night is a benefit to support Velocity Dance Center, the hub of contemporary dance in Seattle. FALL KICKOFF ARTIST LINE-UP: Friday, September 21: Maki Morinoue & Selfic Ng-Simancas, Amelia Reeber, Today!, Amy O'Neal & Zeke Keeble, Crispin Spaeth, Alex Martin Saturday, September 22: Pat Graney, Daniel andsomesuperfriends, Paige Barnes, D9 Dance Collective, Massive Monkees, Seattle Dance Project Sunday, September 23: Juliet Waller Pruzan & Stephen Hando, Cheronne Wong, CanCan Castaways, Ricki Mason & Jody Kuehner, Scott/Powell Performance, Cruz Control, Pablo Cornejo, Jessica Jobaris & Luke Allen Performances: September 21, 22 & 23, 2007 @ 8 pm Velocity MainSpace Theater 915 East Pine Street, 2nd floor Tickets: $20 each night On-Line: www.brownpapertickets.org Info 206.325.8773 or www.velocitydancecenter.org

Ten Tiny Dances , Danes performs in this weekend at the CHAC.

greatdane — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 08:07:08 GMT

A duet with incredible local choreographer Paige Barnes on a tiny stage. She dances and you know what i do. Let your mind wander this weekend. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 14-16 Doors: 7:00pm Start: 7:30pm An experiment in confined space, Ten Tiny Dances is a performance form dedicated to fostering inventive work in an artist-challenging, audience-friendly environment. Featuring new work by ten of Seattle's most committed choreographers working in the field of contemporary dance, this edition of Ten Tiny Dances will feature ten short dances created expressly for the 4'x4' stage. Good things come in small packages. The super-charged lineup will include: Paige Barnes, Heather Budd, Stephen Hando & Juliet Waller Pruzan, Dayna Hanson, Aiko Kinoshita & Aaron Swartzman, locust, Wade Madsen, Crispin Spaeth Dance Group, and more! CHAC Showroom 1621 - 12th Ave. Seattle Tickets: $12 advance, $15 at the door ALL AGES w/ 21+ Bar ADVANCE TICKETS: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/18338 More Info: www.crispinspaeth.org

NorthWest New Works Festival - On The Boards - 15-17 June 2007

greatdane — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 20:57:10 GMT

Oh yes... They let me out for some air... I will be introducing vocally and beatboxily for Paige Barnes and the Grizzlies. Support your local abstract experimental dancers and performers at the NorthWest New Works Festival. At On The Boards in Queen Anne, Seattle, WA. See 18 artists and companies from around the region showcase cutting-edge, risk-taking performances over the course of 2 weekends on 2 stages. Its $14. And its yours to remember. Weekend 2, 15-17 June Studio Showcase, June 15 at 8pm & June 16-17 at 5pm Liminal Performance Group - Theater/Music (Portland) Paige Barnes and the Grizzlies - Dance/Animation (Seattle) Hand2Mouth Theatre - Theater (Portland) Helsinki Syndrome - Theater/Stuff (Seattle) Mainstage Showcase, June 16-17 at 8pm David Schmader - Theater/Solo Performance (Seattle) Selfick Ng-Simancas - Dance (Seattle) Kerry Parker - Dance (Pullman) SuttonBeresCuller - Multi-media Performance (Seattle) Lobby Installation, prior to Mainstage showcase June 16-17 at 7:30pm Nicole Mion - Dance Video (Vancouver BC) Over the last 24 years the festival has become the Northwest's premiere laboratory for the creation of cutting edge, risk-taking performance. During the course of 2 weekends on 2 stages audiences can experience a spectrum of brand-new performances and works-in-progress by Pacific Northwest-based artists and ensembles. These artists are defining the region's future in dance, music and theater. Don't miss your chance to see tomorrow's innovators today. The festival lineup was curated by a panel of peer artists and arts administrators from the region. "It's the best deal anywhere in Seattle for such exciting work" -Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Comics and Relationships

greatdane — Wed, 09 May 2007 04:34:56 GMT

Two of my other favorite things... R. Crumb and his wife Aline get interviewed in Heeb: Coincidentally, the magazine's cover illustration for that issue (#12) is by legendary underground comic artist R. Crumb, who is now living in the south of France. His wife Aline Kominsky, an artist in her own right who is interviewed in the issue, has another "husband" in a happy relationship all around — as described in a New York Times profile of the couple titled "Mr. and Mrs. Natural" (Jan. 21, 2007): The Crumbs have long had an open marriage, that brave (and largely discarded) institution of the 1960s. Mr. Crumb travels to Oregon once a year to rekindle a relationship with an old girlfriend. Speaking of [his wife's other husband Christian] Coudurès, Mr. Crumb said, “Between the two of us, we kind of make an ideal husband, because he can do all the masculine things I can’t do.” He cited Mr. Coudurès’s talents for wiring, plumbing, engaging in shouting matches with the highly energetic Ms. Crumb and driving a car. “If she ever started making comparisons about our lovemaking technique, I might get jealous,” Mr. Crumb added. Their daughter, Sophie, is not so sure about the arrangement. She called the idea of her mother’s having a second husband “gross.” Nonetheless, the strong-jawed Mr. Coudurès, 61, has become a part of the support system that frees Mr. Crumb to focus on work. The Frenchman, who has a thick mane of black hair, does handyman chores. His daughter Agathe McCamy, 35, helps Ms. Crumb color her comics. “I am a Situationist,” Mr. Coudurès explained in French after sharing a dinner with the Crumbs next to a gently crackling fireplace in his kitchen. He was referring to a European avant-garde philosophy born in 1957 and championed by Guy Debord. “I am an adventurer of the present.”

A love poem to everyone i know.

greatdane — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 18:15:18 GMT

at the far edge of earth, night is going away. another poem begins. slumped over the typewriter i must get this exactly, i want to make it clear this morning that your face, as it opens from its shadow, is more perfect than yesterday; and that the light, as it hesitates over the approach of your smile, has given this aching bed more than warmth more than poems; someway a generous rose, or a very delicate arrangement of sounds, has come to peace in this new room. denis johnson

Hawaii Five O

greatdane — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 20:24:58 GMT

We were all eating noodles in honolulu when the cops walked in. I said it looks like the hawaii five o before i realized my words. Even the kopps laffed.

This saturday, 10 Feb. United Aquarius Front Birthday Collection

greatdane — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 01:10:24 GMT

Put down your shovels for a little while and come over to my house on saturday for all of the aquarius birthday parties come together with vegan snakks and music and we have a television that we can blow up, however, if you dont know where i live, let me know...

Modern kinda guy.

greatdane — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 07:44:55 GMT

* "I'm a modern man, a man for the millennium, digital and smoke-free, a diversified multi-cultural post-modern deconstructionist, politically, anatomically, and ecologically incorrect. I've been uplinked and downloaded, I've been inputted and outsourced, I know the upside of downsizing, I know the downside of upgrading. I'm a high-tech lowlife, a cutting edge state-of-the-art bi-coastal multitasker, and I can give you a gigabyte in a nanosecond. I'm new wave, but I'm old school, and my inner child is outward bound. I'm a hot-wired, heat-seeking, warm-hearted cool customer, voice-activated and biodegradable. I interface with my database, and my database is in cyberspace, so I'm interactive, I'm hyperactive, and from time to time, I'm radioactive. Behind the 8-ball, ahead of the curve, riding the wave, dodging the bullet, pushing the envelope. I'm on point, on task, on message, and off drugs. I got no need for coke and speed. I have no urge to binge and purge. I'm in the moment, on the edge, over the top, but under the radar. A high-concept, low-profile, medium-range ballistics missionary. A street-wise smart bomb, a top-gun bottom-feeder. I wear power ties, I tell power lies, I take power naps, I run victory laps. I'm a totally ongoing bigfoot slamdunk rainmaker with a proactive outreach. A raging workaholic, a working rageaholic, out of rehab and in denial. I got a personal trainer, a personal shopper, a personal assistant, and a personal agenda. You can't shut me up, you can't dumb me down, 'cause I'm tireless, and I'm wireless. I'm an alpha male on beta blockers. I'm a non-believer and an overachiever, laid back, but fashion forward, up front, down home, low rent, high maintenance; super size, long lasting, high definition, fast acting, oven ready, and built to last. I'm a hands-on, footloose, kneejerk headcase, prematurely post-traumatic, and I have a love child who sends me hate mail. But I'm feeling, I'm caring, I'm healing, I'm sharing, a supportive, bonding, nurturing, primary caregiver. My output is down, but my income is up. I take a short position on the long bond, and my revenue stream has its own cash flow. I read junk mail, I eat junk food, I buy junk bonds, I watch trash sports. I'm gender specific, capital intensive, user friendly, and lactose intolerant. I like rough sex, I like tough love, I use the F-word in my e-mails, and the software on my hard drive is hardcore, no soft porn. I bought a microwave at a minimall, I bought a minivan at a megastore, I eat fast food in the slow lane. I'm tollfree, bite size, ready to wear, and I come in all sizes. A fully equipped, factory authorized, hospital tested, clinically proven, scientifically formulated medical miracle. I've been prewashed, precooked, preheated, prescreened, preapproved, prepackaged, postdated, freeze dried, double wrapped, vacuum packed, and I have an unlimited broadband capacity. I'm a rude dude, but I'm the real deal, lean and mean, cocked, locked, and ready to rock; rough, tough, and hard to bluff. I take it slow, I go with the flow, I ride with the tide, I got glide in my stride. Drivin' and movin', sailin' and spinnin', jivin' and groovin', wailin' and winnin'. I don't snooze, so I don't lose. I keep the pedal to the metal and the rubber on the road. I party hearty, and lunch time is crunch time. I'm hangin' in, there ain't no doubt, and I'm hangin' tough, over and out." GC

Ichi-go ichi-e

greatdane — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 05:52:20 GMT

Ichi-go ichi-e is a japanese term translated as: one encounter, one opportunity. This idea was popularized by a japanese 'tea master' Sen no Rikyu. His idea was that every tea ceremony was one and only. Ichi-go ichi-e is linked with Zen Buddhism and concepts of transience. The term is particularly associated with the Japanese tea ceremony, and is often brushed onto scrolls which are hung in the tea room. In the context of tea ceremony, ichi-go ichi-e reminds participants that each tea meeting is unique. The phrase ichi-go, ichi-e--"one encounter; one opportunity"-- was popularized by Ii Naosuke in a treatise he wrote in the 19th century entitled Cha No Yu Ichi-e Sha. Ii used "ichi-go; ichi-e" to describe the spirit of the tea ceremony. The temporal quality of the art of tea, he said, "gives a feel of the exquisite evanescence of nature." The practice of the budo achieves a similar quality. Like the rising of a full moon on a particular autumn night, every session, every performance of technique, is unique. The budo are ripe with the flavor of ichi-go; ichi-e. Ichi-go, ichi-e; one moment in the endless flow of time. From trying to get a feel for a technique by studying the frozen images of photographs in a book, to the frustration experienced by those who try to follow and copy the spontaneous and endlessly mutable waza of the great masters of the martial Ways, we have all grappled with the elusive impermanence of the budo. The temporality of these arts, however, brings those of us who practice them into a profound confrontation with our own mortality. This facet of the martial Ways is one of such importance that I don't think it can be overemphasized, particularly in our times. While au courant New Age philosophies would have it otherwise, a central rationale for following the path of the budo is in coming to grips with our relative unimportance in the world. No matter how skillful or front kick or shomen uchi or harai goshi, they cannot defeat Death. No matter how we polish any of the techniques of our Ways, their lasting effect is far less than that of a pebble thrown into the ocean. This climate of what seems to be futility on a cosmic scale, of the essentially tragic nature of reality, carries a sense of gloom and despair in much of Western thought. In Japan, on the contrary, it has been elevated to the level of an aesthetic concept. Mono no aware, the "recognition of life's impermanence," is one of numerous terms in Japanese cultural thought that denote a deep appreciation of how wonderfully precious life comes to be when we come honestly face to face with its brevity. The current headmaster of the Urasenke ryu of chado, Sen Soshitsu XV, was talking about the ultimate goal of all the forms of the Japanese Do when he said that they excite us to "do our best to realize each precious moment." In the theatre of the budo, where with even the most conscientious of participants the possibility of terrible injury or even death is ever present, is a splendid opportunity to realize in action the words of the tea master Sen. The daily attendance to an ikebana arrangement in the dojo is a rite that reinforces this mentality. It is a perfect way to generate attitudes consistent with an appreciation for every moment.

6 and 7 May Seattle Tilth Edible Plant Sale

greatdane — Wed, 03 May 2006 23:25:23 GMT

If you are looking for a good time, check out the Tilth plant sale. I will be working the sale on Sunday if you want to see the real deal. And of course, lots of treats...

Vape Away

greatdane — Wed, 03 May 2006 23:24:20 GMT

I am always skeptical about 'reports' because mostly they say whatever the originators designed them to say, but here goes... Vaporization A "Safe And Effective" Cannabinoid Delivery System, Study Says Leiden, the Netherlands: Vaporization is a "safe and effective" cannabinoid delivery system for patients desiring the rapid onset of action associated with inhalation, but who are seeking to avoid the respiratory risks of smoking, according to clinical trial data to be published in the Journal of Pharamceutical Sciences. Researchers at Leiden University's Institute of Biology (the Netherlands) found that use of the Volcano vaporizing device delivered set doses of THC to subjects in a reproducible manner while suppressing the intake of respiratory toxins. "Our results show that with the Volcano, a safe and effective cannabinoid delivery system seems to be available to patients," investigators concluded. "The final pulmonal uptake of THC is comparable to the smoking of cannabis, while avoiding the respiratory disadvantages of smoking." Cannabis smoke contains many of the same carcinogens as tobacco smoke, including greater concentrations of certain aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzopyrene, prompting concerns that chronic marijuana inhalation may be a risk factor for tobacco-use related cancers. Previous research by California NORML and others have demonstrated that cannabis vaporization suppresses many potentially harmful respiratory toxins by heating cannabis to a temperature where active cannabinoid vapors form (typically around 180-190 degrees Celsius), but below the point of combustion where noxious smoke and associated toxins (i.e., carcinogenic hydrocarbons) are produced (near 230 degrees Celsius). A 2004 protocol by California NORML and MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) to investigate the types of emissions produced by cannabis vaporization was recently rejected after an 18-month regulatory delay by NIDA (US National Institute on Drug Abuse), which stated that the study would "not add to the scientific knowledge base in a significant way." "The US Institute of Medicine and others have repeatedly called for the creation of a non-smoked, rapid-onset cannabis delivery system to administer reproducible doses of active cannabinoids to patients," said NORML Advisory Board member Dr. Mitch Earleywine, author of Understanding Marijuana: A New Look at the Scientific Evidence. "These data confirm that vaporization can deliver all the essential components of medical marijuana safely and effectively while suppressing the intake of carcinogenic smoke. Now the Drug Czar's office and the Food and Drug Administration can rest assured that patients may receive the therapeutic relief they need without suffering from the unwanted health risks associated with smoking." For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, or Paul Armentano, NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at (202) 483-5500. Full text of the study, "Evaluation of a vaporization device (Volcano) for the pulmonary administration of tetrahydrocannabinol," will appear in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Sheeee-it...

greatdane — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 21:34:48 GMT

This came across me through the mail from moveon.org, beware the future ramifications of this... ___________________________________________ 23 April 2006 Do you buy books online, use Google, or download to an iPod? These activities, plus MoveOn's online organizing ability, will be hurt if Congress passes a radical law that gives giant corporations more control over the Internet. Internet providers like AT&T and Verizon are lobbying Congress hard to gut Network Neutrality, the Internet's First Amendment. Net Neutrality prevents AT&T from choosing which websites open most easily for you based on which site pays AT&T more. Amazon doesn't have to outbid Barnes & Noble for the right to work more properly on your computer. If Net Neutrality is gutted, MoveOn either pays protection money to dominant Internet providers or risks that online activism tools don't work for members. Amazon and Google either pay protection money or risk that their websites process slowly on your computer. That why these high-tech pioneers are joining the fight to protect Network Neutrality1—and you can do your part today. The free and open Internet is under seige—can you sign this petition letting your member of Congress know you support preserving Network Neutrality? Click here: http://www.civic.moveon.org/save_the_internet/?id=7375-5636708-2SmJ.VMvsEzlIoPoxJf6RA&t=4 Then, please forward this to 3 friends. Protecting the free and open Internet is fundamental—it affects everything. When you sign this petition, you'll be kept informed of the next steps we can take to keep the heat on Congress. Votes begin in a House committee next week. MoveOn has already seen what happens when the Internet's gatekeepers get too much control. Just recently, AOL blocked any email mentioning a coalition that MoveOn is a part of, which opposes AOL's proposed "email tax."2 And last year, Canada's version of AT&T—Telus—blocked their Internet customers from visiting a website sympathetic to workers with whom Telus was negotiating.3 Politicians don't think we are paying attention to this issue. Many of them take campaign checks from big telecom companies and are on the verge of selling out to people like AT&T's CEO, who openly says, "The internet can't be free."4 Together, we can let Congress know we are paying attention. We can make sure they listen to our voices and the voices of people like Vint Cerf, a father of the Internet and Google's "Chief Internet Evangelist," who recently wrote this to Congress in support of preserving Network Neutrality: My fear is that, as written, this bill would do great damage to the Internet as we know it. Enshrining a rule that broadly permits network operators to discriminate in favor of certain kinds of services and to potentially interfere with others would place broadband operators in control of online activity...Telephone companies cannot tell consumers who they can call; network operators should not dictate what people can do online.4 The essence of the Internet is at risk—can you sign this petition letting your member of Congress know you support preserving Network Neutrality? Click here: http://www.civic.moveon.org/save_the_internet/?id=7375-5636708-2SmJ.VMvsEzlIoPoxJf6RA&t=5 Please forward to 3 others who care about this issue. Thanks for all you do. –Eli Pariser, Adam Green, Noah T. Winer, and the MoveOn.org Civic Action team Monday, April 24th, 2006 P.S. For a reminder of why this is important, check out the coalition we're launching today: www.SavetheInternet.com P.P.S. If Congress abandons Network Neutrality, who will be affected? Advocacy groups like MoveOn—Political organizing could be slowed by a handful of dominant Internet providers who ask advocacy groups to pay "protection money" for their websites and online features to work correctly. Nonprofits—A charity's website could open at snail-speed, and online contributions could grind to a halt, if nonprofits can't pay dominant Internet providers for access to "the fast lane" of Internet service. Google users—Another search engine could pay dominant Internet providers like AT&T to guarantee the competing search engine opens faster than Google on your computer. Innovators with the "next big idea"—Startups and entrepreneurs will be muscled out of the marketplace by big corporations that pay Internet providers for dominant placing on the Web. The little guy will be left in the "slow lane" with inferior Internet service, unable to compete. iPod listeners—A company like Comcast could slow access to iTunes, steering you to a higher-priced music service that it owned. Online purchasers—Companies could pay Internet providers to guarantee their online sales process faster than competitors with lower prices—distorting your choice as a consumer. Small businesses and tele-commuters—When Internet companies like AT&T favor their own services, you won't be able to choose more affordable providers for online video, teleconferencing, Internet phone calls, and software that connects your home computer to your office. Parents and retirees—Your choices as a consumer could be controlled by your Internet provider, steering you to their preferred services for online banking, health care information, sending photos, planning vacations, etc. Bloggers—Costs will skyrocket to post and share video and audio clips—silencing citizen journalists and putting more power in the hands of a few corporate-owned media outlets. To sign the petition to Congress supporting "network neutrality," click here: http://www.civic.moveon.org/save_the_internet/?id=7375-5636708-2SmJ.VMvsEzlIoPoxJf6RA&t=6 P.P.P.S. This excerpt from the New Yorker really sums up this issue well. In the first decades of the twentieth century, as a national telephone network spread across the United States, A.T. & T. adopted a policy of "tiered access" for businesses. Companies that paid an extra fee got better service: their customers' calls went through immediately, were rarely disconnected, and sounded crystal-clear. Those who didn't pony up had a harder time making calls out, and people calling them sometimes got an "all circuits busy" response. Over time, customers gravitated toward the higher-tier companies and away from the ones that were more difficult to reach. In effect, A.T. & T.'s policy turned it into a corporate kingmaker. If you've never heard about this bit of business history, there's a good reason: it never happened. Instead, A.T. & T. had to abide by a "common carriage" rule: it provided the same quality of service to all, and could not favor one customer over another. But, while "tiered access" never influenced the spread of the telephone network, it is becoming a major issue in the evolution of the Internet. Until recently, companies that provided Internet access followed a de-facto commoncarriage rule, usually called "network neutrality," which meant that all Web sites got equal treatment. Network neutrality was considered so fundamental to the success of the Net that Michael Powell, when he was chairman of the F.C.C., described it as one of the basic rules of "Internet freedom." In the past few months, though, companies like A.T. & T. and BellSouth have been trying to scuttle it. In the future, Web sites that pay extra to providers could receive what BellSouth recently called "special treatment," and those that don't could end up in the slow lane. One day, BellSouth customers may find that, say, NBC.com loads a lot faster than YouTube.com, and that the sites BellSouth favors just seem to run more smoothly. Tiered access will turn the providers into Internet gatekeepers.4 Sources: 1. "Telecommunication Policy Proposed by Congress Must Recognize Internet Neutrality," Letter to Senate leaders, March 23, 2006 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1653 2. "AOL Blocks Critics' E-Mails," Los Angeles Times, April 14, 2006 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1649 3. "B.C. Civil Liberties Association Denounces Blocking of Website by Telus," British Columbia Civil Liberties Association Statement, July 27, 2005 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1650 4. "At SBC, It's All About 'Scale and Scope," BusinessWeek, November 7, 2002 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1648 5. "Net Losses," New Yorker, March 20, 2006 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1646 6. "Don't undercut Internet access," San Francisco Chronicle editorial, April 17, 2006 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1645 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscription Management: This is a message from MoveOn.org Civic Action. To change your email address, update your contact info, or remove yourself (wilsondane) from this list, please visit our subscription management page at: http://moveon.org/s?i=7375-5636708-2SmJ.VMvsEzlIoPoxJf6RA