Sometime around 32,000 years ago some shamans and possibly the earliest artists of humankind rendered what are now the oldest pictorial creations existing on earth that we know of. Filmmaker Werner Herzog was allowed, with a group of archeologists and paleontologists, to enter the Chauvet Cave in Southern France and carefully capture on film scenes painted on the walls of the labyrinthine tunnels deep inside a mountain, probably only lighted with torches, whose entrance was subsequently covered by a landslide for 10s of thousands of years. The film, which has now been released on video, is titled CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS. It is not 'cinemascope' or 'Imax', but is one of the most moving film experiences of our time. The only real drawback I found is some of the narration which shows the unfortunate neglect on the part of Herzog to read Graham Hancock's book SUPERNATURAL before releasing and editing this movie. One would do well to read the book, as it will greatly add to the viewing experience. That said, seeing the images slowly pan across the screen was a deeply emotional and spiritual experience for us, almost impossible to put into words. Herzog also readily admits to being profoundly affected by the invisible presence of the creators of the early mammal scenes. How beautiful it is that our ancestors left for us this astonishing gift, and to be discovered at this moment in time. Personally, it was interesting that, coincidentally, I am at this time reading the very dense scientific volume by David Rains Wallace titled "BEASTS OF EDEN, Walking Whales, Dawn Horses, and Other Enigmas of Mammal Evolution". Please view this film and see how you're affected by it.
On the other end of the spectrum, I just watched THE LAST MOUNTAIN. Very disturbing, but at the same time, one of the most important documentaries made. It brings up all the charges and emotional and spiritual responses to the enveloping presence of Wetiko psychopaths enacting the Metaphysical War on Gaia, and throws in our faces the true nature of the legions of humanoid tools lost in material self-interest, and their hopelessly suicidal ignorance. It's about mountaintop coal mining in Appalachia, and the infamous Massey Energy company.
While some families are dying of brain tumors, having autistic children, nature is totally raped, and the Wetiko CEO made $200 million in one of the most impoverished areas of the country, other miners are waving flags, cursing at Robert Kennedy Jr., blasting treesitters with sonic weapons, and calling themselves 'environmentalists'. I have to express my deep respect for the young people who are able to practice nonviolence both in this situation and in all the Occupy Movement situations around the country. I would not be able to do it. I've never taken the training, but I really don't think I could pass the exam. I just don't consider Wetikos as beings worth giving any quarter. They, and their ponerized minions and thugs are definitely not worth trying to engage with in normal civilized terms. Reason, logic, facts, human spiritual qualities have zero effect on them, by definition, and by abundant examples throughout history and in our era. Some of us, by nature, are better suited to creative monkeywrenching and such. I have intervened in animal cruelty and would be hard pressed to stand by while a Native Elder (and veteran) gets pepper-sprayed and suffers a stroke by the Phoenix pig-shits.
Sorry, but I really don't have anything particularly pleasant to say or share. Kind of in the "drag of doom" modality a lot lately. But I guess I'm not the only one.
A fair amount of buzz here in NM about a certain lizard - the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard - vs. Big Oil. Lizards vs. jobs, right? And it brings out the wetiko politicians, "people" like Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM), a despicably vile hater of all things wild, natural, who encourages bulldozing of creeks, unregulated logging, threats of gun-violence against Forest Service agents, anything that'll get the job done to waste as much natural world as possible. Always a lot of flags and guns involved with these Repugs and their moronic minions. I just don't know how this level of numbers of armed-to-the-teeth cult-followers of psychopaths can be dealt with. "Total destruction, the only solution"? So be it.
Ok, fuck it, I'm just going to post this: Horse Meat Inspection Ban Lifted in U.S. -
"TULSA, Okla. -- Horses could soon be butchered in the U.S. for human consumption after Congress quietly lifted a 5-year-old ban on funding horse meat inspections, and activists say slaughterhouses could be up and running in as little as a month. Slaughter opponents pushed a measure cutting off funding for horse meat inspections through Congress in 2006 after other efforts to pass outright bans on horse slaughter failed in previous years. Congress lifted the ban in a spending bill President Barack Obama signed into law Nov. 18 [ed- promised he wouldnt].
Dave Duquette, president of the nonprofit, pro-slaughter group United Horsemen, said no state or site has been picked yet but he's lined up plenty of investors who have expressed interest in financing a processing plant. While the last three slaughterhouses in the U.S. were owned by foreign companies, he said a new plant would be American-owned.
"I have personally probably five to 10 investors that I could call right now if I had a plant ready to go," said Duquette, who lives in Hermiston, Ore. He added, "If one plant came open in two weeks, I'd have enough money to fund it. I've got people who will put up $100,000."