Malthusian Collapse

re-posted from Kerr Cuhulain's blog:

Malthusian Collapse

I heard a Christian on the radio the other day going on about how it was right and proper that we all should be having lots of children. I sat there in amazement, wondering how a person like this could justify this position in the face of the current global situation. The population of the world is now approaching 9 billion people. Our food reserves are down to record lows: In 2007 the carryover stocks were down to a 61 day supply, the lowest on record. As a result food prices have skyrocketed and there are more poor people than ever. Ever increasing populations are consuming ever increasing amounts of fossil fuels, resulting in global warming. This world of ours is being pushed to a breaking point.

Decades ago agricultural scientists came up with a “Green Revolution” involving monocultures, fertilizers and industrial type farming. This increased yields alright, giving many the impression that the crisis was over. What actually happened is that we ended up driving water tables down, pushing water resources to all time lows and leaving many rivers and bodies of water polluted with chemical runoff. Monoculture crops took everything out of the soil and put nothing back in, leaving soils depleted and eventually driving crop yields down. Much of our grain, instead of going to feed people, is going to feed animals and produce bio-fuels. The grain that it takes to feed one animal for food can feed 5 people. As Thomas Robert Malthus, in his 1798 Essay on the Principle of Population, pointed out that human population increases at a geometric rate, doubling about every 25 years if unchecked. On the other hand, agricultural production increases arithmetically. Thus unchecked population will always outstrip agricultural production. And if the population just keeps on growing, taking up more and more land, where exactly do you figure we are going to be able to grow this food?

It is time for a change, people. We have to abandon the current idea that we are “rulers of the earth” and replace it with the idea that we are “stewards of the earth”. We need to switch to sustainable farming, involving interplanting with plants like legumes to put things back into the earth. We need to compost and reduce our reliance on pesticides and fertilizer. We need to engage in smarter irrigation practices and use mulching and cover crops. We need to come up with alternative, clean sources of energy. And I really think that we need to start paying attention to the concept of zero population growth. We’ve reached the point of Malthusian collapse. We need to do this now, before we push our dear Mother Earth past the point of no return.

BB Kerr
originally posted at http://kerrcuhulain.blogspot.com/


Here are my comments in reply to Kerr's post:

I agree with this on each and every count!

I also agree with Gaelan in that, when I come to decide if I'm going to have children, I am very very likely to adopt a child that already exists on this planet, instead of creating another one to increase the population.

I also believe we (globally) should actively encourage negative population growth. Perhaps making contraceptives free or extremely cheap, so the "default" in a financial crunch is not to get pregnant but instead to NOT get pregnant. Or abolishing "child tax credit" because many poor people have children JUST to get more free money from government programs. We need to stop pressuring our children and peers to "give us grandchildren" and "don't be selfish, have kids like you're supposed to". We need to make zero/negative population growth the "norm", not continuing to breed uncontrollably and mindlessly.

And no more of this "in the future" and "our kids' generation", it's NOW, TODAY, OUR generation. We can't keep living like there's no tomorrow, or that someone else who comes along tomorrow will be able to clean up our mess. We as a planet have run amuck and it's time we gave our heads a shake and realized that our actions come with hefty consequences.

For example, the reason we're getting more cancers is due to the processed foods we're consuming, as opposed to our grandparents who lived off the fresh produce, grains, and meats on their farms.

And the reason we're getting more skin cancers and extreme sunburns is because we no longer have an effective ozone layer to shield us from the sun's RADIATION. And why is that? We destroyed our ozone in the 80s and 90s. How? Pollution that was excessive and uncontrolled and mindless of any consequence. Commercialism, Industrial Revolution: finding ways to produce consumables quickly, cheaply, and on a large enough scale to accommodate our growing population.

We need the Powers That Be to aggressively pursue a change, and to educate the people. The planet needs to pull its collective head out of the sand.


I repost this in the hopes of spreading the word and encouraging discussion and awareness.

As the First Nations people believe: we are the Caretakers of our Mother the Earth. She has given us the gift of this bountiful planet that can sustain our People and provide all that we shall desire... so long as we care for it.

gearing up for the Gathering

I've turned my living room upside-down by emptying out my closet/storage space under the stairs, in preparation for the Gathering. Not only did I have a couple sewing projects I wanted to finish for it, but I knew I had some fabrics and whatnot I could bring to help pretty up the Temple/Lair/Grotto, etc. Well. Apparently I have 6+ large rubbermaid tubs of fabric I forgot I had... THAT's where all my closet space went to!

So while I'm preparing to pack for the Gathering, I've got stuff strewn all over the living room that I intend to pack: clothes, costumes, ritual wear, bellydancing wear, what else could I possibly need wear?, supplies for a few of the workshops (visionboarding, kinky toy-making, etc), as well as radios and flashlights for Goon Squad, my Beach Bag, and I can't forget altar stuffs, etc etc. I'm taking everything because I don't know what I'll need, so better have it and not use it than not have it when I want to use it.

So, I ask of you who've been in past years: What else could I possibly need?

worthy causes

I think this is just amazing and wonderful:

http://www.cathouseonthekings.com/facility.php

need emergency crash space

I have a friend who is in dire straits at the moment.

She has nowhere to live, no money, and the couch she's been surfing on is giving her the boot any day now. She is also pregnant.

She is terrified of going to a shelter (and even if she did, they don't allow her cat, and apparently they're all full anyway).

She is desperately looking for crash space for her, her boyfriend, and 1 cat asap. She can contribute via domestic chores.

I don't know how long she would need this crash space.

If anyone can help her, please let me know.

Even better, if anyone knows of any programs or assistance that could help in this situation, please shout out. I have no idea where to send her for help.

[headdesk]

oh boy.

do we even respond to this kind of crap?

http://community.livejournal.com/dot_pagan_snark/789012.html
http://www.witchforum.net/forum/index.php?topic=12015.0
http://www.witchforum.net/forum/index.php?topic=11701.0

posted by SharpSage:
based on the little research i have done, Kerr Cuhulain was a police officer. i find it rather discomforting that someone will choose a peaceful religious path along with a profession that may require him to kill. i'm not quite sure what to make of that.

For the most part, the majority of the replies all support the warrior path and respect Kerr as a wiccan author. But I felt a need to speak up, so I simply posted the link to Scathach's website.

Any thoughts?

Toymaking Workshop

There was some talk in that red-coloured kitchen at the Motherhouse a while back. Yes, THAT kind of talk.

I had attended a hands-on workshop in the local kink community on making rubber floggers, and paid attention well enough that I could teach the workshop myself now. Also, between my handyman boyfriend and myself, we've figured out a few other homemade toys that we easily and cheaply made at home instead of venturing forth to expensive shops.

And while it is not a Scathach-related activity, it would appear that the pagan community and the kink community are some of the non-mainstream communities that tend to have overlapping members, and some interest was shown.

So now that the weather is warmer, I will be hosting a workshop at my house on how to make your own adult toys. It's cheap and easy and loads of fun!

Any suggestions on the date? I'm thinking it would take the better part of 1 day, so if we have it on both days of a weekend, people can attend either day depending on their schedule.

Date Suggestions:
May 23/24
June 13/14
June 27/28
July 18/19
July 25/26
August 8/9
August 29/30

Seattle Armouring - carpool

I am going to Seattle on Sunday.

I have room for 5 people in my PaganWagon. So far I have:

1 Geri
2 Kerry
3
4
5

Does anyone else need a ride? Chris & Lisa? Mike & Sara? Bueller?

In order to make it to Seattle by noon, I would be leaving my house before 8:00 a.m. Please arrange to arrive at my house at 7:30 so we can load up our gear (and have time to grab a coffee for the drive).

I will pick up Kerry in Surrey on the way to the border. So expect me to arrive around 8 or 8:15ish.

6765 Lakeview Avenue
parking in the cul-de-sac or in my driveway

(604) 760-1944

P.S. Bring CDs if you want something in particular played (i.e. Great Big Sea)

As many of you may already know, I have chosen (I mean, it has chosen me) to dedicate myself to mastering Earth (stone/shield).

Earth's Law is "to be silent".

Yesterday I lost my voice.

*sigh*

Thank you for assigning me the least-speaking role for the Seattle ritual. ;-)

Seattle Armouring - carpool

I am planning to attend the Armouring/Arming in Seattle on May 10th.

I have room for 5 more people in my PaganWagon. So far I have:

1 Roseann
2 Geri
3 Kerry
4 Shelly
5
6 (suitable for a REALLY skinny bum, or a child, because it's the middle of a bench seat)

Does anyone else need a ride from Burnaby?


In order to make it to Seattle by noon, I would be leaving my house no later than 8:00 a.m. Please arrange to arrive at my house for 7:30 so we can load up our gear (and have time to grab a coffee for the drive).

I will pick up Kerry and Shelly in Surrey on the way to the border. So you two expect me to arrive around 8 or 8:15ish.

6765 Lakeview Avenue
parking in the cul-de-sac or in my driveway

(604) 760-1944


EDIT: changed departure time to 8am to allow 1 hour for border crossing (thanks Geri!)

Earth Day

Today is Earth Day. This is how I am environmentally-conscious and eco-friendly:

1. I reduce, reuse and recycle like mad, buy in bulk with less packaging, and only make 1 small/white garbage bag of garbage each week.

2. I shop local farmers markets and buy organic whenever possible.

3. I (re)use my own cloth bags at the grocery stores and said farmers markets.

4. I use my Brita water filter in the fridge instead of bottled water.

5. I wash all my laundry in cold water, and hang dry 90% of it. The 10% I put in the dryer, I put the dryer on low temperature.

6. Now that I have a minivan (eek!) I carpool by loading up all my friends and coven-mates in it every chance I get. EDIT: Since I've lost my minivan, I now drive a very fuel-efficient Toyota Tercel... and still carpool to make the most out of it being another car on the road.

7. I use those power-smart efficient light bulbs, a photosensitive night light, and turn off all lights when not in use. My outside lights are motion-activated AND have those power-smart bulbs in them.

8. I vote Green Party.

9. I manually shovel snow and rake leaves and sweep the driveway instead of using a gas-powered snowblower and leafblower.

10. I use commuter mugs instead of disposable cups when going out for coffee.

11. I keep the thermostat low and just layer on more clothing if I'm cold.

12. I use a small toaster oven instead of the regular oven when baking smaller items.

13. I'm planting my own vegetable & herb garden this year.

What do you do?

silly you tube videos

Here is the one I was telling Shelly about earlier tonight:

Bohemian Rhapsody done with outdated computer and electronic equipment

Gathering registration

I went to the website for The Gathering to fill out my registration form, but they are not available online. Help! I want to make it this year! So I e-mailed the general board and the Registrar both. Waiting with fingers crossed...

my new blog

I made myself a Scathah blog.

Excerpts of the Rituals appropriated like mad.

My own original content to follow...

...once I've had some sleep
(I'm STILL awake after the ritual!)

Arming - 5 April 2009

Scáthach Oath of Knighthood

By the power of earth, water, air, fire, and spirit, before the Gods, the Sidhe and the Ancestors, I do declare before this assemblage my fealty and allegiance to Scáthach, to its thirteen precepts, and to the rule of law.

So shall I ever defend the values of Sincerity, Courtesy, Compassion, Perseverance, Industriousness, Justice, Loyalty, Courage, Self-Discipline, Humility, Largesse, Truth, and Honor, which in this modern world are so often neglected. I take these values into my heart and soul that they may manifest themselves in my words and deeds.

Standing proud and free, radiating my inner truth, exultant in my power, I raise up my voice and proclaim myself to be a knight of Scáthach and to dedicate myself to the mastery and defense of these values. I vow to do my will while harming none. In this I am resolved. This I declare before the Gods, the Sidhe and the Ancestors.

Biodh Se!

Vigil - 4 April 2009

It was common practice for one to perform a vigil the evening prior to becoming a Knight. This normally involved fasting (a physical cleanse and purification) as well as a night-long meditation on the gravity of this oath about to be sworn. The vigil also included the preparation and dedication of one's trusted weapon to be used as their instrument to uphold the tenets of their oath.

You Will Need:

• herbs and/or oils for cleansing and purification (ie: benzoin, cedar, clove, copal, frankincense, myrrh, pine, rosemary, sage, thyme, etc)

• clean ritual wear or clean white robe (pj's or undertunic also acceptable)

• (optional) candles, incense, soft music

• (optional) candles, incense, salt, water, etc if you use the physical elements when Calling the Quarters

• cauldron

• mugwort tea

• your magickal weapon (either cleaned and polished beforehand, or whatever you would need to clean and polish it)

• incense for meditation and prophetic dreaming (ie: anise seeds, bay, damiana, frankincense, gotu kola, jasmine, myrrh, nutmeg, rose, etc)

• (optional) tea brewed from mugwort and valerian (to induce prophetic dreams)

• paper (journal, Book of Shadows, etc) and pen

I - Cleansing & Purification

In readying oneself to perform any sacred ritual, it is best to partake in a ritual bath to cleanse the mundane and any negativity from your physical body.

Cast a circle in your bathroom as a means of clearing away negativity and creating a safe space to perform your ritual. You may use as simple (Pushing Sky) or as intricate (Calling the Quarters complete with lighting candles and walking the boundaries of the circle with each element) means to cast circle as you so desire. As with all ritual and magick-working, use whatever works for you and discard that which doesn't. Make your own reality.

Draw a hot bath and sprinkle in any herbs or oils associated with cleansing and purification (a few examples would be: benzoin, cedar, clove, copal, frankincense, myrrh, pine, rosemary, sage, thyme).

(optional) You may also light candles the colour of (ie: white, silver, grey, blue) or incense of the scent corresponding with cleansing and purification energy (see above).

You may conduct this cleanse in silence, or play any soft calming music that relaxes you and helps you to ground and release tension and negativity.

As you soak in the bath, visualize the negativity being washed from you, psychically as well as physically. Relax, let go, and clear your mind. Empty yourself of tension and negativity as if you were wiping clean a slate in order to start anew. Become One with the All, seek to become Nothing. Mind like water; mind like the moon.

When you finish your bath, put on a clean white robe (there's that white of purification again) or other clean ritual wear. Clothing worn specifically for ritual is a physical trigger for our subconscious that puts our mind into an altered state where it recognizes that we are about to do something “sacred” or out of the ordinary mundane routine.

II – Cleansing of Weapon

Retire to the location where you will conduct your overnight vigil. If you have Pushed Sky, your circle/sphere will have moved with you. Expand your sphere to fill the space in which you will work. If you called the Quarters, you may wish to do so again in this new location.

If your weapon requires mundane cleaning of dirt or polishing (in the case of metals), you may do so now (if you had not done so beforehand).

Fill your cauldron with tea brewed from mugwort (mugwort tea is used to cleanse magickal tools). If moonlight is able to stream into the room, place the cauldron such that the moonlight touches and charges the water. Use this water to magickally cleanse your weapon.

“I cleanse and consecrate this [athame/wand/grail/stone/etc] as a magickal tool to aid me as I walk my spiritual path. Let it be a tool through which I focus my will and power to effect the changes I would make in the world around me.”

III – Meditation on your Magickal Weapon

Compose yourself as necessary to visit the astral temple, Dun Scathach.

Once inside the Dun, go to the Armoury with your magickal weapon. Here you will meditate on your choice of weapon, and how you will wield it in service to your oath as a Knight. Connect with the psychic manifestation of your weapon in the Dun; visualize yourself armed with it, working with it, learning it and learning from it. Listen to all it has to teach you.

IV – Meditation on your Oath of Knighthood

While you are still inside the astral temple of Dun Scathach, shift your focus now to your upcoming oath of knighthood. Think on what it means to be a Knight of Scathach. Meditate on the 13 Precepts, the Scathach Code of Chivalry, the 7 principles of Bushido, the 9 noble virtues of Asatru, and the 12 Aepling pews.

Why do you want to be a Knight?

As a Knight, what do you have to offer? How will you serve?

Think on your Magickal Name (if you have not chosen one yet). Let the Divine inspire you and guide you in the choosing of a name that is appropriate for you at this stage in your spiritual practice.

You may also open your mind to creative inspiration in designing your personal banner or vexillum (Lesson 10). Since you are already focusing on taking this step from Squire to Knight, you may reflect on anything and everything associated with the Arming Ritual (choosing your Name, your “I Am” statement in the Song of Scathach, your warrior markings/facepaint, your banner design, etc). Incorporate any or all elements that occurred to you during your meditations in the Dun.

((If at any point during either of these meditations in the astral temple you inadvertently fall asleep, pick up where you left off when you do wake.))

V – Wakefulness or DreamState

You may spend the entire night in wakeful vigil, meditating on this Knighthood ascension.

Alternately, you may also conclude the meditations and choose to sleep. If you choose to sleep, you can tell your subconscious to continue to reflect on these meditations and to remember your dreams upon waking.

It is at this point that knights traditionally slept with their weapon at their side. You may wish to place your magickal weapon under your pillow, or on an impromptu altar at your bedside.

Pay particular attention to any dreams you have this night, as they will offer enlightenment on this knighthood and weapon dedication. Your subconscious will likely continue the meditation you consciously began, and accordingly will communicate same in the dreaming state.

Upon completion of these meditations (or upon waking in the morning), you may wish to journal on what you learned and/or make notes in your Book of Shadows.

fetlife.com

Because I know a few of you are kinky and into bdsm culture, I'm passing this on.

fetlife.com

It's where ALL the cool kids go! seriously, there are SO many local people I know who are on this site already. check out my friends list and see if you know them too.

I'm DangerGrrl on there.

Angela

3 bedroom for rent $1500

Our obnoxious noisy neighbors upstairs finally moved out! YAY!!!

But they pulled a Midnight Move and left the landlord in the lurch with a vacant suite and no tenants. But that gives him time to clean up the place and do some reno's and upgrades (eg replacing the linoleum with ceramic tile). He's been so busy with that that he hasn't even bothered to advertise the place yet.

I said I'd spread the word around my circles of friends to find out who's looking for a 3-bedroom because, honestly, I'd rather have friends upstairs I can live with than more crazy kooks the landlord decides to rent to.

So here's the details:

3 bedroom (upstairs of one side of a duplex house)
full 4-piece bathroom (sink, toilet, shower, bathtub)
master bedroom has 3/4 ensuite bathroom (sink, toilet, shower)
hardwood floors, carpet in bedrooms
wood fireplace
fridge / stove / dishwasher
washer & dryer
large backyard (landlord mows the lawn)
large balcony on front (off the living room)
parking for 1 car in carport, all others on gravel driveway or street
quiet cul-de-sac in suburban family neighborhood

South Burnaby area (between Deer Lake Park and Kingsway)
between Edmonds and Metrotown
here

2 blocks to buses on Kingsway
halfway between Edmonds skytrain and Royal Oak skytrain stations
(bus 106 travels to Metrotown busloop/skytrain and to Edmonds skytrain)

Pets Negotiable. The landlord likes pets, he grew up with them and enjoys them like they're family. His wife is allergic. They're mainly concerned that any pet(s) in the suite are (1) controlled such that they don't bother the other residents living in the duplex, and (2) are cleaned up after and controlled such that they don't damage the suite or dirty it up beyond salvage. I already warned him that almost all of my friends have, at the very least, one cat, so he knows you will likely inquire about your pet being allowed.

He was asking about $1500 of the previous tenants, so rent should be in that price range.

And please, for the love of all that is holy (and to ensure mine and Logan's sanity), do not apply if you have hyperactive and/or noisy uncontrollable kids! This is a quiet adult-oriented house; the other 3 units are quiet and well-behaved and after several years of those bratty kids upstairs, we all want it to stay quiet and well-behaved!

If you're interested, comment or contact me and I'll put you in touch.

Angela

hakama pants

A few of you have commented on the hakama pants Kerr and I wear with our gi's

Here is the link if you want to buy your own: http://www.budovideos.com/shop/customer/product.php?productid=17213&cat=&page=1

Angela

healing energy at last coven meeting

Thank you to everyone for the healing energy you toned at the last meet.

Later that night, before going to bed, I went to the Dun. I wandered around a bit in the dojo and tried some katas (wow, I need practice!) and wrote in that blank hardcover book on the pedestal before the dojo. And then I started towards the tower to hang out in the circle of standing stones...

...and woke up 2 hours later on the couch.

After going to bed properly, I woke up in the morning completely healed from that nasty phlegmy cough that has been triggering my asthma all week!

This was a MUCH more effective result from the toning than I've ever had in the past, and I attribute it to going to the Dun myself and working there in conjunction with receiving the toned energy. It's not enough to ask for healing and sit back and let it come to you, you have to go out and get it yourself too. It's like that story of the guy who says to God "why did you never help me win the lottery?" and God says "I tried, but you didn't even buy a ticket!"

:-)

Angela

Indifference

re-posted from my coven's e-mail list:

By Kerr Cuhulain, author of Wiccan Warrior and Full Contact Magick

Last night at our Scathach training meeting at the Motherhouse I addressed the assembled members. Here is what I told them:

On January 10 I worked police dispatch for district 3. This is the south east corner of Vancouver, a large and busy district, especially so on a Saturday night. At about 2230 hours it was raining mixed with snow. A lady was walking home with her child in the 7800 block of Champlain, which is a major thoroughfare in this part of the district, composed of townhouses, a school, a community center and some minor businesses. Suddenly a 12 year old Asian boy ran up to her dressed only in flannel pajamas in his bare feet in the rain, telling her that his parents were fighting and begging her to help him. She refused, pointing to the Royal Arch Masonic Care Home that they were in front of, and telling him to run there, as they would help him. She then walked on, leaving him to his own devices. She told us later that she last saw him running towards this care home. About 15 minutes later she arrived home and, starting to feel a bit guilty I suppose, called 911.

Needless to say the call taker that took the call was appalled. So was I when the call appeared on my dispatch screen a moment later. The call taker immediately tried calling the Royal Arch home to see if the staff had the kid with them. No one would answer the phone there.

Meanwhile I’ve got the sergeant heading over with multiple police units, one going to the complainant’s home to get more details and one straight to the care home to see what they could tell us. The staff came to the door when the police officer buzzed the intercom. The duty nurse told this police officer that yes, the boy had come to the door soaking wet in his pajamas, crying, begging for help. The care home staff refused to open the door for this boy as it was “against their policy” and told him to seek help elsewhere. The last that they saw of him he was running away from their front door. Needless to say the police officer at the door blew a fuse and demanded to know why they didn’t call 911. If you can believe it, the nursing supervisor then told this police officer, “Oh yes, we did call 911.” The police officer got REALLY angry then. He told her that we WERE 911 and we knew for a fact that they had made no such call. They hadn’t. I can’t imagine how they thought that we’d think that they had.

Due to the bad weather our helicopter with its infrared scanning equipment was not in the air, but I threw every other resource that we had at this. Units checked every single street and the dog unit checked all the trails in the vicinity: Unfortunately our dog unit couldn’t track the boy because by the time we got this call and he’d got to the scene so many people had come and gone from the care home that it would have been impossible to tell who he was tracking.

Assisted by the call taker, I checked the history of every block of houses out several blocks in every direction looking for any residence that might have a history that would give us a clue where this kid might have come from. Even if the family involved had an extensive history, all that it would take is for them to move to a new house where we hadn’t had any calls yet and we’d never be able to find them that way.

The call taker and I found nothing useful.
The initial area search produced no results.

The duty officer (basically the acting chief constable) arrived on scene and got units to go door to door from the care home outwards looking for anything that would help. In the first 15 minutes of this door to door search we discovered 6 witnesses, all who had seen the following: Our Asian boy in his pajamas in the middle of Champlain Crescent, trying to stop passing cars, yelling and calling for assistance.

All of the cars drove around him and went on.

Not one of the 6 witnesses called 911.

After three hours of searching we never found him.

The dispatchers and call takers in the ops room shook their heads and said things like: “What is this world coming to?”

Some people in the Pagan community have asked me: “Why would you want to create an order of Knights?”

Because this is what the world is coming to.

I heard a lot of people on the ops floor say things that night like: “When you hear of things like this you wonder what hope is there for the world.”

Some people in the Pagan community say: “An order of Knights? That’s rather archaic. What use is it?”

Why are we all gathered together as an order of Knights?

WE are the hope.
We came together, attracted by the precepts and principles of our order. WE stand for honor and responsibility. WE are the example for the rest of our community and the rest of the world.

I know that every single one of you in our Order would have done everything you could to help this poor boy. We have ALL taken an oath to help the weak. That’s just one of the reasons that I’m so proud of you all.

I can only imagine what he must think having reached out to so many who simply turned away. Let us all hope that this boy is found safe and that a solution is found to his problem.

BB
Kerr