Soldiers load onto a C-130 Hercules Dec. 6, 2009, at Pope Air Force Base, N.C. More than 1,000 paratroopers donated a toy to get the opportunity to jump into Fort Bragg's Sicily Drop Zone. Other crews from the National Guard's 145th Airlift Wing from Charlotte, N.C., and the Air Force Reserve's 910th Airlift Wing from Youngstown, Ohio, participated in the 12th Annual Randy Oler Operation Toy Drop event. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Peter Miller)

Read the story here.

Adventures in kayaking with Liquid Fusion Kayaks
Hairy discovers his sea legs

In anticipation of a Thanksgiving visit from my best canine buddy, Jai-Ram, and his caregiver mother, Carol, my dad’s decided to see how I would take to messing about on the water. It was about time I got to use my life preserver (I have only worn it modeling for a segment on TV) and if I liked the experience, I could then take my visitors for a new and unique canine/human shared adventure while they are on their vacation.

Dog-friendly Liquid Fusion Kayaking is located in Fort Bragg, Mendocino County, California in south Noyo Harbor on Dolphin. It is owned and operated by my good human friends, Jeff and Cate, along with their canine children, Bear and Aften. Liquid Fusion Kayaking specializes in river and sea kayaking, with adventures and classes for all levels and proficiency, from beginners (like me), to seasoned and professional kayakers. To view the full range of services and pricing, please visit their website at www.liquidfusionkayaking.com.

The sun was shining and I was feeling very energetic as we arrived. Immediately I was greeted by Bear and Aften. There was lots of sniffing and tail wagging as introductions were made. Liquid Fusion provides everything for your kayaking trip: they have various kayaks, outerwear, life preservers, etc. Do dress warmly and appropriately for the water as it can get cool in areas and water (outside of the groomers) I have found is very cold as well as wet when encountered. Once I was dressed in my life preserver we walked a short distance to a sheltered cove on the banks of the Noyo River were a kayak was waiting. Having never been in a kayak before, my dad’s felt more comfortable having a professional instructor take me out on the river for the first time. Cate got into the kayak and when she was in position, I was gently handed to her by Jeff and placed in her lap. After a few kisses from me, I placed my front paws on the bow of the kayak and Jeff gently eased Cate and I away from shore. 

Cate and I kayaking

I was captivated immediately by the motion, sights, and sounds. We saw all sorts of birds, even the lazy sea lions on the bank of the river raised their head in curiosity and one even swam close to us, taunting me. I have to say that most of all, my reflection off the side of the kayak when I turned my head held the greatest fascination. Cate had no trouble paddling as I did not wiggle. I did turn around to give her a few more kisses occasionally, but for the most part, I just cruised with Cate on the river as if I had always been an old seafaring dog. I took to kayaking “like a fish to water”, as my new kayaking postcards attest. You can view them on my website.

With my sea legs firmly established, I was now ready to take my friend, Jai-Ram, his mum, Carol, and one of my dads, Alan, on a Liquid Fusion Kayaking adventure for themselves. This time it was Jeff’s turn to instruct and chaperone us. Arriving promptly, the four of us got dressed in our life preservers and our caregivers opted to wear water protective outwear also. Once we were all dressed, Jeff went over the route we would take, general safety tips and guidelines as well as the correct ways to use the paddle. We then proceeded to a different starting point from my previous trip, this time it was in the harbor with all the “big” boats. To reach the kayaks we walked through the harbor’s restaurant outdoor seating area, patrons were very excited to see us all parade by and lots of attention was bestowed upon Jai-Ram and me. Jai -Ram as usual wanted to stop to check for food.

Once we were at the launch jetty, Jeff asked which of our caregivers wanted to be in the front or back, as this time we were going in a two-person kayak. Carol chose the front end for her and Jai-Ram, while my dad and I were to ride in the back. Alan would be operating the rudder. Jeff showed Carol and Alan the proper way to enter the kayak and where Alan should put his feet to reach the peddles that steer the kayak. Once Carol and Alan were securely seated, Jeff helped Jai-Ram and me get aboard. Jai-Ram was a bit anxious at first, but with some reassuring from Carol, he soon settled down and we were ready to go.

The tranquility of the trip

Jeff instructed us how to steer ourselves out into the harbor, as he settled into his kayak. The water was calm as we exited the harbor joining the Noyo River. It did not take long for Alan and Carol to get into the rhythm of rowing, mastering the steering and for Jai-Ram to relax. As we meandered gently along, Jeff directed our gaze to various spots along the river bank that held a treasure trove of bird life: King Fishers, Herons and several varieties of ducks. Jeff also pointed out Osprey nests and shared his and Cates previous encounters of other wildlife sightings. We exchanged greetings with the people fishing from a bridge that were just tickled to see two adults and two canines passing them by in a Kayak. As we progressed further the river became crystal clear and we paused to take in the breathtaking beauty of the mirror reflection of the overhanging tress and ourselves perfectly reflected, even the usual wiggle worm Jai-Ram, became as motionless as the water.

Noyo Harbor, Fort Bragg

Kayaking is a wonderful way to have more quality experiences and time with your pet. It was a magical time being in an environment where the only sounds were the conversations of nature. The time passed by effortlessly and with Jeff at our side navigating the odd branch and natural obstacle was a breeze. Jeff was even kind enough to bring his water proof camera along so he could take mementos of the trip for us. There is something so special and enchanting about sharing this experience with our human caregivers. We are safely secure in their laps, front paws resting on the surface of the kayak, the flow of air as we glide over the surface of the river gently caresses our fur and the odd drop of water that drips off the paddle gently reminds us that staying put safely in the kayak is very wise.

I strongly encourage you to check to see what kayaking opportunities exist in your area and especially if they are pet friendly. White water rafting and sea kayaking require much more experience and expertise. PLEASE do not take us out into water that could be unpredictable. The trips I have recounted to you were with trained and licensed instructors on a very gentle and shallow part of the Noyo River. There is something to be said “for messing about on the water” kayak style.

I give Liquid Fusion Kayaking four very enthusiastic paws.

Attention: This article is taken from ISSUE #1 of The Peace Report.(PDF download page)

By James M. Branum

In this article:

Hello everyone!

You’re reading issue #1 of The Peace Report, a periodic newsletter published by myself. The Report will include commentary and news on issues in G.I. Rights work, with a special emphasis on the Southern Plains region of the United States (Oklahoma, Texas and surrounding states). I will also be providing a report on my work for my supporters and friends (including the members of Joy Mennonite Church, Oklahoma City Friends Monthly Meeting, and the Oklahoma Center for Conscience).

Some of you already know me, but for those who do not, I am a 33 year old solo practice attorney. I work almost entirely in the area of G.I. rights law, with a special focus on US Army discharges and court-martial defense for soldiers who go AWOL or who take other actions of public resistance to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I am based out of Norman, Oklahoma, but take cases from the surrounding region (as well as select GI resistance cases in other locales).

My philosophy of legal representation is as follows:

1. As a Mennonite/Quaker Christian, I believe in peace. I support individual soldiers in following their conscience but do not support the institution of the military in any way shape or form. I tell clients that from the beginning so they can decide if I am the kind of attorney they want to hire or not.

2. I believe in non-directive counseling techniques. I do not tell clients what to do, but rather give them the information to make their own decision.

3. I believe in zealous representation. I always seek to be civil, but am willing to fight hard, even if it means going to the press or seeking congressional help.

4. I take seriously the role of an attorney as “counselor,” (an old concept but one that is still in the legal ethics code here in Oklahoma) I not only tell my clients what the law is, but I will also seek to help them to explore the ethical, spiritual, political and social aspects of possible courses of action.

5. I believe that the “poor should not be denied justice” (see Amos 5:12), so I use an income-based sliding scale in setting my hourly rates. I also seek to help war resisters find assistance in raising funds for their legal defense.

OK, enough about the lawyer part of what I do.

The other side of my professional work is that of ministry. I serve as the Minister of Peace and Justice at Joy Mennonite Church; which basically means that I preach for the church on a monthly basis, I try to find ways to engage my congregation on peace and social justice issues, and otherwise do my work as a lawyer but with the blessing and encouragement of the church.

I have to be gone a lot from Oklahoma because of my cases, so part of the reason I am writing this newsletter is to be able to connect with my congregation even when I am away.

OK, on to the report . . .

Part of what I’ve done is more informal in nature. I’ve made friends with the people who hang out there (a mix of active duty troops, recently discharged vets, friends and supporters). I even lived in Killen part-time for awhile. I was so blessed to be invited into their world.

That said, it is not an easy place to be sometimes. The folks there will tell you stories that will make you shudder. Some of these guys have seen things that no one should ever have to see. All you can do is try to listen and be there for them, but so often it does not seem like enough. And their personal lives are complicated. It is understandable, but a lot of the folks at Fort Hood self-medicate to deal with the pain of PTSD (which rarely gets treated at Fort Hood without a fight), and romantic relationships get complicated too. There’s just a lot of hurting going on. The reality is that you can’t isolate the effects of war. It does not stay in Iraq, and is does not even stay on post. It bleeds out everywhere.

With regards to the legal work, I have helped a few soldiers there with administrative discharges (mostly trying to help soldiers get Medical discharges instead of being chaptered out on bogus grounds). I have also had the opportunity to represent two war resisters, Victor Agosto and Travis Bishop.

Both soldiers were resisters to the Afghanistan war and both were from the same unit, but otherwise their stories were pretty different. Victor resisted because he believed the war was illegal under international law. Travis resisted because his faith in the non-violent teachings of Jesus.

The outcomes of the cases were radically different too. I was able to get Victor a sweet plea deal (a summary court-martial with only 30 days in jail, under conditions that would result in him not having a criminal conviction on his record), while Travis got hammered with a Bad Conduct Discharge and 12 months in jail. Part of the reason for this was because Victor resisted months before his scheduled deployment, while Travis went AWOL the day of his scheduled deployment. Still Travis’ harsh sentence was painful.

I should add too though, that Travis made a deliberate decision to plead not guilty. It was a gutsy move (one that likely got him several additional months in jail) but was one that he made so he could present the arguments that he wanted to present in trial: namely that the Army should not be allowed to prosecute him for refusing to deploy when he was never told that he had the right to file for C.O. (conscientious objector) status. In fact, Travis did not learn of his right to file for C.O. status until he was informed of this right (by volunteers with the Under the Hood Café), THREE DAYS before his scheduled deployment.

Both Victor and Travis were powerful witnesses of what they believed. They both spoke eloquently and were both heard around the world (press coverage ranged from the Killeen Daily Herald, the AP and the New York Times, to news outlets from around the world (including even Radio Havana Cuba!)

But the story doesn’t end there. Since being released from jail, Victor has continued to speak out (most recently to audiences in New York City, Denton, TX and in Austin). He is going to college next semester in Florida, but I have confidence that he will continue to agitate for positive revolutionary social change wherever he goes.

Travis Bishop of course is in jail, but that hasn’t stopped him being an activist. While locked up in the Bell County, Texas jail trial, Travis met another Army inmate who was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to eight months in jail (primarily for the “crime” of going home to take care of his family), Leo Church. Leo and his family ended up hiring me to help him seek an early release and to help get the word out about how the Army treated one of its own. (you can read more about Leo’s case on page 10 of this newsletter or at freeleochurch.wordpress.com)

After Travis and Leo were moved to the brig at Fort Lewis, the fight continued. The Fort Lewis brig was severely mistreating its inmates (including 3 occasions of illegal monitoring/recording my phone calls with my clients), videotaping strip-searches and having female guards watch male inmates when they were showering and using the restroom (among other things). Once Leo and Travis got the word to me about this mistreatment, I arranged with a local attorney in the area (Legrand Jones) to assist me on the case. We both ended up getting to see the guys, and in the end were able to secure some concessions from the Fort Lewis brig command. We are still of course monitoring the situation though, as some problems are still going on (namely that much of the mail sent to Leo and Travis is not actually getting to them). I also am continuing to pursue post-trial clemency and appeals on both cases.

What does give me hope, though, is the response of the G.I. activist community at Fort Hood. Shortly after the shootings, the Fort Hood IVAW chapter and the Under the Hood Café issued a joint statement in response to the shootings. And then, on November 10th, my friend and client Michael Kern attempted to hand  President Obama a letter (when the President visited his barracks at the Warrior Transition Unit at Fort hood, a place where soldiers suffering from PTSD and other combat injuries get treatment they need in preparation for either a medical discharge or continued military service).

Michael told the President, “Sir, IVAW has some concerns we’d like for you to address.” Obama refused to take the letter, but the Secret Service did get the letter afterwards (and hopefully will see that the President receives it) I’ve reprinted the letter on the back page of this newsletter. Words fail me in expressing how proud I am  of Michael for doing this. I know he will catch flak for it but hopefully knows he did the right thing.

I also should mention that I was quoted in the November 10, 2009 New York Times story, “Few Can Avoid Deployment, Experts Say” (see http://tr.im/jmbnyt3 ), in which I and three other attorneys discussed how the alleged shooter had options to seek a discharge from the military, even if those options were difficult.

Dustin’s story is pretty intense. Instead of trying to retell it, I’m going to quote from what was written about the case at CouragetoResist.org (which will be italicized below):

In May 2002, after five months in the Army, then 19-year-old Spc. Dustin Stevens refused to graduate with his 82nd Airborne Division training unit. “I knew in my heart and in my mind, I couldn’t kill anybody and couldn’t be a part of an organization that did so,” he explains. Instead of discharging Dustin as a conscientious objector, his command simply ordered him to go home and await discharge papers. In January 2009, during a routine traffic stop, Dustin was shocked to learn that there was a warrant for his arrest. He was immediately arrested, turned over to military police, and was held on restriction at Fort Bragg, NC.

Dustin Stevens was one of about 50 soldiers held at the 82nd Holdover Unit awaiting likely AWOL and desertion charges. They lived in a legal limbo of poor living conditions, verbal abuse, and arbitrary punishments while waiting for up to a year to be actually charged and court-martialed. These soldiers were subjected to many months of unjust and illegal punishment prior to their day in court.

Hundreds of supporters wrote military authorities, “We respectfully request that the Army improve living conditions, reassign sadistic supervisors, end all informal punishments, and expedite resolution for these soldiers so that they can return home to begin rebuilding their lives as soon as possible.”

Shortly after Dustin first contacted us, staff organizer Sarah Lazare travelled across the country and not only met with Dustin and other members of his unit, she also recorded an interview with their commanding officer! After her first article was published, living conditions improved.

This fall I traveled to Fort Bragg, NC for the article 32 (preliminary hearing) in the court-martial of Dustin Stevens. Following this hearing, we knew we had to get ready for a fight. There was no way we were going to let this command lock Dustin up. We had to find a way to keep Dustin’s trial from moving forward.

We (Dustin, the folks at Courage to Resist, and Quaker House) were trying to find every way possible to apply pressure to the authorities at Fort Hood and get them to back down from the court-martial. Three things happened next that brought things to a boiling point.

First, Sarah Lazare co-authored with Dahr Jamail another article “Echo Platoon,” which turned on the heat.

Second, hundreds of petitions were signed and delivered to the Echo Platoon command demanding justice.

And finally, we got Chuck Luther involved.

Chuck was a godsend because he knows how to work the system. Chuck is a former US Army NCO (He testified on behalf of Travis Bishop at this trial) and now fights tirelessly as a civilian advocate for vets as part of the group <a href=”http://www.disposablewarriors.com/”>Disposable Warriors</a> (named that because they fight for the rights of combat vets that the Army wants to throw away). Chuck’s efforts consisted of some major behind-the-scenes lobbying (including getting help from several congressional offices).

Chuck’s efforts were the straw that broke the camel’s back. The authorities at Echo Platoon knew they could no longer abuse soldiers with congressional offices investigating. Echo Platoon was shut down and all of its “inmates” were sent to other units at Fort Bragg.

A short time later, I got another call. The prosecutors at Fort Bragg informed me that they would entertain a request for a Chapter 10 discharge in lieu of court-martial. We promptly submitted the request and about 24 hours later got word back the Commanding general at Fort Bragg had signed off on the chapter. And little over week later, Dustin was on his way home.

Dustin is still fighting though. He hasn’t retired from his role as whistle-blower, but now is speaking out for the many soldiers who were already prosecuted while at Echo Platoon, and who are now in prison

Other Cases

I have lots of other cases that  do not make the news or that stay quiet because of the needs and desires of the client. These cases have been widely varied, but the overwhelming trend of late has been that more and more soldiers are seeking discharges due to mental health issues or concerns of conscience. I also expect that military free speech issues will be a rising concern.

I guess that is it for this month. I’m shooting to get this out monthly but I’m making no promises.       – James

CAIR speaker to Muslims: OK to attack Fort Bragg.

MUSLIM MAFIA
CAIR speaker to Muslims: OK to attack Fort Bragg
Exhorts Islamic faithful to target planes carrying ‘82nd Airborne’

Posted: November 11, 2009
1:48 am Eastern

© 2009 WorldNetDaily

Imam Zaid Shakir

A Council on American-Islamic Relations adviser and regular speaker at its events has suggested Islamic law permits Muslims to attack C-130 military transport planes carrying the 82nd Airborne out of Fort Bragg, N.C., according to a stunning new book exposing Washington-based CAIR’s inner workings.

Radical Islamic cleric Zaid Shakir, a frequent guest speaker at CAIR events, tells his Muslim audiences: “Jihad is physically fighting the enemies of Islam to protect and advance the religion of Islam. This is jihad.”

Acceptable targets of jihad, he says, include U.S. military aircraft.

“Islam doesn’t permit us to hijack airplanes filled with civilian people,” Shakir once told a Muslim audience. However, “If you hijack an airplane filled with the 82nd Airborne, that’s something else.”

The 82nd Airborne Division’s elite paratroopers fly out of Fort Bragg, N.C., which is part of North Carolina state Sen. Larry Shaw’s district. Shaw is CAIR’s new chairman.

The recording of the lecture, which Shakir gave earlier this decade to a Muslim audience in the San Francisco Bay area, was obtained by the authors of the bestselling “Muslim Mafia: Inside the Secret Underworld That’s Conspiring to Islamize America.”

The bombshell revelation comes in the wake of the worst military massacre at a domestic U.S. military base in American history, and the worst Islamic terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11.

Last week, Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan allegedly gunned down in cold blood more than 50 of his fellow soldiers preparing to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan from Fort Hood, Texas. Eyewitnesses say before opening fire, Hasan jumped up on a desk and screamed, “Allahu akbar!” like the 9/11 hijackers. The suspect fatally shot 13, including a security guard. The death toll is actually 14 when a slain unborn child is counted.

Imam Shakir also gives his blessing to the use of bombs as a weapon of jihad, as long as the explosives hit “select” targets and are not indiscriminate in their destruction. Civilians can be a legitimate target, he says, if “there’s a benefit in that,” according to “Muslim Mafia,” co-authored by former federal agent P. David Gaubatz and investigative journalist Paul Sperry, author of “Infiltration.”

Even “old elderly men” and “women who are conscripted” – including Israeli and American women in uniform – are eligible enemy combatants in jihad. “This is Shariah,” Shakir asserts in a CD recording of one of his lectures in 2001, which the authors obtained from a radical mosque bookstore in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Shakir, a black convert, has been portrayed as a moderate in the mainstream media, including the New York Times, which recently ran a positive profile of him. His pro-jihad statements revealed in “Muslim Mafia” have not been previously reported. CAIR has sued and obtained a temporary restraining order to censor the book’s documentary evidence detailing CAIR’s support of terrorism and obstruction of FBI investigations.

Longtime CAIR advisory board member and chief fundraiser Siraj Wahhaj echoes his friend Shakir’s interpretation of jihad.

“If we go to war, brothers and sisters – and one day we will, believe me – that’s why you’re commanded [to fight in] jihad,” the imam has told his flock in Brooklyn. “When Allah demands us to fight, we’re not stopping and nobody’s stopping us.”

World Trade Center bombing

CAIR has invited Shakir back to speak at its events even after the FBI questioned him about a copy of one of his incendiary pamphlets found in the apartment of a suspect in the first World Trade Center bombing. The pro-jihad pamphlet lauded the “armed struggle” that brought about the rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan, where U.S. troops are dying in record numbers from Taliban and al-Qaida ambushes.

Shakir, who recently confided to the New York Times that he’d like to see the U.S. “become a Muslim country” ruled by Islamic law, is a regular speaker at CAIR as well as Islamic Society of North America events. (Federal prosecutors say CAIR and ISNA are fronts for the terrorist group Hamas and its parent the radical Muslim Brotherhood, and the sister organizations were recently listed as unindicted terrorist co-conspirators in the largest terror finance case in U.S. history.) Recently, Shakir helped host workshops and delivered keynote speeches at banquets held at CAIR chapters in Chicago, Orlando and San Diego, among others.

“Imam Zaid’s speeches are very practical and bring the best out of his listeners,” said former CAIR official Ibrahim Moiz, a close personal friend who invited Shakir to speak to Muslims in Maryland, according to “Muslim Mafia.”

The cleric has not tempered his jihadist views.

“I don’t regret anything I’ve done or said,” Shakir has insisted.

Shakir holds little, if any, respect for law enforcement, particularly the FBI, according to “Muslim Mafia.” He constantly belittles the bureau in speeches to Muslims, even warning them that the FBI frames Muslims for terrorism – terrorist acts that he contends the FBI secretly commits.

“The World Trade Center bombing of course was aided and abetted by our good friends at the FBI,” the imam has claimed, in just one of the many wild-eyed conspiracy theories he peddles.

‘State within a state’

The American Muslim cleric also preaches treason against the United States, according to the book, which hit No. 5 on Amazon.com’s non-fiction best-seller list the day after it was released last month. It currently ranks No. 1 in books on terrorism and Islam.

Shakir advises the Muslim community in America to wage a cultural jihad now, and a violent jihad later – once the proper “infrastructure” is in place.

He says Muslims should respect American democracy insofar as it can be exploited to help the Brotherhood one day assume power here.

And the only thing that could stop the Islamization of America, he notes, is if its people rose up and denied the subversive movement the unbridled freedom it’s heretofore enjoyed.

However, if Americans were to do that, Muslims would then be obligated, he says, to exercise their supposedly “divine legal right” to rise up and wage violent jihad, reveals the book “Muslim Mafia.”

“What a great victory it will be for Islam to have this country in the fold and ranks of the Muslims,” sermonized Shakir, who continues to be a marquee speaker at CAIR functions.

For now, he said, following the radical Muslim Brotherhood playbook, Muslims must continue to “create a state within a state.”

Nidal Hassan

Nidal Hassan is a hero. He is a man of conscience who could not bear living the contradiction of being a Muslim and serving in an army that is fighting against his own people. This is a contradiction that many Muslims brush aside and just pretend that it doesn’t exist. Any decent Muslim cannot live, understanding properly his duties towards his Creator and his fellow Muslims, and yet serve as a US soldier. The US is leading the war against terrorism which in reality is a war against Islam. Its army is directly invading two Muslim countries and indirectly occupying the rest through its stooges.

Nidal opened fire on soldiers who were on their way to be deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. How can there be any dispute about the virtue of what he has done? In fact the only way a Muslim could Islamically justify serving as a soldier in the US army is if his intention is to follow the footsteps of men like Nidal.

The heroic act of brother Nidal also shows the dilemma of the Muslim American community. Increasingly they are being cornered into taking stances that would either make them betray Islam or betray their nation. Many amongst them are choosing the former. The Muslim organizations in America came out in a pitiful chorus condemning Nidal’s operation.

The fact that fighting against the US army is an Islamic duty today cannot be disputed. No scholar with a grain of Islamic knowledge can defy the clear cut proofs that Muslims today have the right -rather the duty- to fight against American tyranny. Nidal has killed soldiers who were about to be deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in order to kill Muslims. The American Muslims who condemned his actions have committed treason against the Muslim Ummah and have fallen into hypocrisy.

Allah(swt) says: Give tidings to the hypocrites that there is for them a painful punishment –

Those who take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do they seek with them honor [through power]? But indeed, honor belongs to Allah entirely. (al-Nisa 138-139)

The inconsistency of being a Muslim today and living in America and the West in general reveals the wisdom behind the opinions that call for migration from the West. It is becoming more and more difficult to hold on to Islam in an environment that is becoming more hostile towards Muslims.

May Allah grant our brother Nidal patience, perseverance and steadfastness and we ask Allah to accept from him his great heroic act. Ameen

By Sheikh Anwar Al Awlaki haafidhahullah

A few months ago Supreme Master TV came to the Mendocino coast to film Cherie and Living Light Culinary Arts Institute. Not content with just doing a couple of demos and a tour of our four businesses, Cherie came up with some other wonderful ideas…she took the film crew on a tour of some of the other sustainable businesses here on the Mendocino Coast for their TV series: Vegetarianism—The Noble Way of Living. Supreme Master TV is a worldwide organization promoting a spiritual, peaceful way of living, and vegetarianism through videos with subtitles in 15 languages. In this series you will learn how to make Kale Coleslaw and Sea Vegetable and Cucumber Salad with bounty collected from two local businesses: Noyo Food Forest, an organic community gardens project that provides fresh produce for local school meal programs, and teaches kids how to garden and compost.Ocean Harvest Sea Vegetable Company A sea vegetable company that harvests, dries, and sells locally gathered seaweeds including sea palm fronds, which are unique to the Mendocino coast.  All of the crew was very excited about the extraordinary businesses we have here in Northern California, and they did an amazing, professional job in creating these videos. We know you will learn a lot, too (we did)–have fun watching! http://www.rawfoodchef.com/cheriesvideos.html

Sea Palm looks like miniature palm trees!

November 23rd

FORT BRAGG, NC
AAFES Bragg N Main Shop
Bldg 8-5050, 2nd & Butner Road
Ft. Bragg, NC 28307
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

The Men Who Stare at Goats

Starring: George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey
Directed by Grant Heslov

Rated: R
Run Time: 93 mins
Genre: Comedy/ War/ Adventure
4 frames out of 5

Life is a funny thing. People come into your life and you never know the impact they will have. Some people come in to help you find your life purpose after a low point so you can see the path and some just come in to help add some spice. Then there are those that do both.

Meet journalist Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor). He works for the local Michigan paper and so far his biggest story in recent times is a man claiming to be a “psychic soldier” that killed his hamster with his mind. During his interview, he mentions a man that was the elite psychic soldier, Lyn Cassady (George Clooney). Shortly after this interview a close friend dies and causes his wife to go into a “life is short” crisis mode. His wife ends up leaving him for his editor and him broken hearted. He throws a massive toddler-esq tantrum when he finds out about the affair, thus drives her farther away. He figures if he mans up this will win her back. What’s the best way to do this? Go over to Iraq and be an embedded journalist with the US Military.

Unfortunately, life doesn’t go as originally planned. In a moment of serendipity, Bob is stuck in Kuwait and runs into Lyn. Little does he know that the story that he is so desperately seeking is sitting there in front of him.

This movie is quirky, funny and teeters on the edge of absurdity. Those not familiar with New Age concepts may find this too campy and over the top, but it is chock full of great lines and goofy moments. It is a refreshing departure on the war films that have been put out in the past years. On a side note, for all those animal rights people waiting to throw a fit, the goats put in an Oscar worthy performance of dropping dead.

Things to watch for: Jeff Bridge’s awesome hippie hair and George Clooney’s porn-stash. Some awesome dance moves by Clooney and some cleaver ties-ins with Star Wars references.

Who should see this movie: Fans of George Clooney, Ewan McGregor and Kevin Spacey, goat lovers, those open to New-Age concepts. Those needing a good laugh and are just want to be entertained on an asinine level.

See it in the Theater or Rent it on DVD: If you are tired of the horror flicks and don’t want to sit through a family, kid or chick flick, see it in the theater. If not this would be a good addition to your DVD library.

Two hours on point, and you’d give anything for a pair of dry socks. Ahead, the sound of a twig snapping cuts through the balmy air. You crouch down, ease the safety off of your M-16, and silently signal back to your patrol to hold up. Suddenly, the jungle just got very, very quiet, and those dry socks are the last thing on your mind……

Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Home of the Airborne & Special Operation Museum. http://www.asomf.org

By MIKE BAKER (AP) – 2 hours ago

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — Sarah Palin brought her book-signing tour to North Carolina’s Fort Bragg on Monday as thousands greeted the former Republican vice presidential candidate in a campaign-like gathering that tested military rules involving politicians.

The Department of Defense typically prohibits politicians from using installations as a platform, so Palin didn’t give a speech and simply thanked soldiers individually. She was allowed to hold the event as a private citizen who was not campaigning, a Fort Bragg spokesman said.

Army officials initially feared the book signing might turn political and negative comments would be directed at President Barack Obama, so they barred media from attending. The Army later relented and allowed coverage, and many people who attended voiced their opposition to the commander in chief.

Palin’s tour bus parked nearby, splashed with her photo, encouraged donations to her political action committee, while supporters made clear that she should run for president.

Palin’s father, who greeted visitors as his daughter signed copies of the book, said in an interview that Obama’s handling of the military was “scary.”

“I see a decline in our might,” Chuck Heath said. “People used to be afraid of us and respect us, (but) they’re not afraid of us and don’t respect us anymore.”

Col. Billy Buckner, a spokesman for Fort Bragg, said the Army agreed to let Palin on post because she was no longer a politician.

“She fell into a little bit of a gray area,” he said. “She’s not a political figure per se, but she certainly carries a tremendous amount of interest and influence across the country.”

The former Alaska governor began a nationwide tour last week to promote a new memoir, “Going Rogue.” She also has a planned visit to Fort Hood, Texas, on Dec. 4 — just a month after 12 people were killed there in a shooting rampage.

Hundreds of Palin supporters arrived early at Fort Bragg, and one woman spent nearly 24 hours in line. Officials estimated that some 4,000 turned out. More than 500 had to be turned away as the three-hour signing ended.

G.R. Quinn, 58, a veteran who spent 20 years in the military, wore an “Impeach Obama” shirt. He blasted the president for closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, for the plan to hold a key Sept. 11 terrorism trial in New York and for Obama’s handling of the military overseas.

“He’s so wishy-washy about Afghanistan,” Quinn said, adding he hopes more troops will be sent there.

While the supporters were primarily civilians, dozens of uniformed personnel also greeted Palin. They craned to snap photos and shook her hand as she left.

Chief Warrant Officer Two Jeff Thompson, 36, praised Palin for stopping by.

“She cares about the troops,” Thompson said. The soldier, who has had two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, said he supported the GOP ticket in 2008 but he considers Obama his boss.

“I support his decisions,” Thompson said

 http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iltfRk8-HXLZliLywAGsDpo1Mt4wD9C5GFNO4

Seaside Beach is approximately 6 miles north of Fort Bragg, California on Highway 1.  This beautifully picturesque stretch of sand was shown to me by my great dog friends, Polly & Ruddy.

It is a very pretty drive and takes no more than 15 minutes from Fort Bragg to get to and it is like stepping into another world. Parking is limited with a few spaces at the foot of the beach entrance so cars often park on the narrow verges alongside the road. Be very careful to make sure that all canine children are leashed before allowing them out of the vehicle. The road can often be busy with traffic.  
 
Once you have crossed the road with us safely leashed, proceed onto the beach several feet to make sure there can be no double backing by us onto the road. Now you can safely let us off the leash and watch as we excitedly frolic to our hearts content on this pristine and sculptural treasure.
 
This beach is a great place for the chucker, as you can send the ball for great distances and we can chase, chase, chase for what seems like miles. The beach has vast towering rock formations some with hollowed out arches formed naturally by years of crashing waves. When the tide is low, we can go through many of these ocean made arches and sniff out the interesting sea smells.  As you walk along the pristine sand look out for sand dollars and washed up treasures of shinny jewel-like sparkling stones and shells.  You may come across a carcass of sea life, so be diligent that we don’t investigate those too closely.  I like to eat seaweed and too much can upset my tummy so I often hear “NO!” from my human caregivers and when I respond to their liking a treat can be my reward for paying attention.

Seaside Beach is a great beach to bring a picnic too and sit and enjoy the majestic beauty of this northern California gem of a dog friendly beach. Make sure you bring fresh water and a collapsible traveling drinking bowl; we get very hot running and chasing and need clean water to hydrate no matter what the temperature is.
 
Also, bring your cameras as you will want to take lots of pictures of us having the time of our lives. All humans I encounter either have pets with them or are very willing to share the magic of nature with us. Be advised that the natural river that is at the south end of the beach separates Seaside from the beginning of Ten Mile Beach. Ten Mile is not accessible to pets due to the wild life nesting and migration so PLEASE make sure you keep us to the main body of Seaside beach. By all means let us swim and cool off in the river but don’t take us over to the other side.
 
Seaside beach provides NO dog waste bags or trash receptacles so all dog owners must carry disposable waste bags to pick up after their dogs, along with any other trash you generate, PLEASE carry it all out with you.
 
In public spaces please be respectful of all other humans and animals so we can continue to share and enjoy what are unfortunately increasingly becoming less and less public spaces that we can all enjoy together. I rate Seaside Beach three paws out of four.

Q. How long have you been raw? What percentage raw were you in the beginning of your raw journey? If you were 100%, how long did that last? What percentage are you now? And, finally, if you do eat cooked foods, what cooked foods do you eat?

A. I have lived a raw food lifestyle since 2004. I have been interested in nutrition my entire life. I grew up loving to cook and spending time in the kitchen. Creating recipes and wooing guests with my cuisine has been my greatest passion in life. Working with food is like a working meditation. It is my solace, my love, an expression of my inner beauty, my artistic self, my true being. I love food, and more importantly, I love food that heals and nurtures the body not only on a physically level but on a deep soul level. Raw foods do that.

In 2004, I was visiting my sister, Tanith, in Portland, Oregon for a weekend, and while in her home, I found a cookbook. It was Rawsome by Brigitte Mars. I had never before heard of a raw food diet. When I picked up this book, I was immediately entranced by its content. It promised a new way of eating that offered amazing health and beauty benefits. Being that I am the type to devour any nutritional book or cookbook I can get my hands on, I spent the rest of that weekend in Portland, gobbling up every word on every page. I was instantly hooked. When I returned home, I sought out every book I could find on the topic. I started with Juliano’s book, Raw: The Uncook Book: New Vegetarian Food for Life and dove right in. I was immediately discouraged by the complexity of the recipes. Transitioning from a cooked food diet, I craved heavy meals. The vibrant pictures and recipes in his book allured me, but I realized that if I wanted something as simple as a sandwich that it would take several days to make it. The grains had to be soaked and sprouted for a few days, mixed into a batter and dehydrated for two or so more days to make the bread alone. My growling stomach and my impatience sent me right to the grocer for raw nuts, seeds, nut butters and dried fruit. These items were filling and easy to attain. At the end of my first week raw, I could proudly protest that I was indeed 100% raw, but I felt toxic. I could withstand this way of eating for about two weeks before I would delve back into my tried and true cooked foods.

One weekend while visiting Mendocino, California, I stumbled across Living Light Culinary Art Institute in Fort Bragg. They were advertising the first annual Vibrant Living  Expo. I was amazed at this find. I bought tickets for the entire event and immersed myself fully into all the information and enthusiasm offered by the inspirational speakers and vendors. It was there that I saw Victoria Boutenko speak for the first time. Her philosophy on the importance of greens changed my life. I realized that I was missing green leafy vegetables in my diet. This was the golden key to my success. I went right home and invested in a VitaMix, a high powered blender equipped to purify the tough fibers of sturdy leaves like kale and collard greens. Adding green smoothies and large kale salads into my diet balanced me, allotting me energy and happiness on a level I had yet to experience with any cooked food diet. Once I discovered that raw foods were then vitalizing and sustainable for me, I enrolled in Living Light. I trained as a raw food chef. This was what I had been waiting for all my life. I was able to finally integrate my love of the culinary arts with nutrition. I fell in love with raw foods.

Before I could professionally endorse this radical diet, I wanted to know, first hand, what raw foods truly had to offer. There is an enormous amount of testimonial on the internet, claiming impeccable health, age defying and mood enhancing results. I had to follow this diet 100% and discover it for myself. I decided to commit and follow a strict raw food diet for three months. I kept a daily journal during the entire experience. I even had my blood work done before and after the three month period to scientifically see my physical results. I was curious.

Those three months were amazing. I discovered what all raw foodies had already known. I needed far less sleep. My sleep requirement went from 8-10 hours a night to only 4-6 hours. I had more energy than I ever had in my life. This was great, because it meant that those extra waking hours where productive. I wasn’t just sitting around, lounging in front of the television late into the night. I was getting things done and happily so. I was highly motivated. My mood increased considerably. I would often laugh for no reason or break into a happy dance while drinking my morning green juice. I felt clean, pure, wild and awake. My stress level decreased. I felt more connected to everything around me. I felt more whole and apart of the bigger picture. I believe this is why stress could no longer exist within my psyche. How could it? Usually, the things that stress one don’t even exist. They are fears and negative anticipations. They are small compared to what truly exists in this world, physically and spiritually. I could clearly see my place within the fabric of my earthly existence. I play a small yet significant role. I am interwoven with everything else, matter and energy. How could I feel stress over a man-conceived situation or materialism? I simply couldn’t any longer. I was blissful. I was also exceedingly healthy. I have never had a strong physical constitution, but that winter I didn’t get sick once. I shared space with clients and loved ones who suffered from common colds and flues, yet I never once fell ill. I felt super human. I loved the way I felt. I also loved the way I smelled. I lost my body odor and the need for deodorants. My body became sweet and pure. By month three, my third eye opened. I began to have physic notions. I could sense things would happen before they did. Small synchronicities would occur that would cause pause; I was amazed by my increased “knowing.” I was raw and awake.

I faced challenges. My social life got in the way of me staying 100% raw after the three month commitment came to a close. I found I had anxiety about dinners or lunches out with friends. In the beginning, I would isolate myself, becoming antisocial. However, after the three months ended, I succumbed to social invitation and began to incorporate cooked foods back into my diet. Sadly, once I did this, all those amazing benefits I mentioned above dissipated. I swung back and forth from being 100% raw to being a naughty cooked foodie. Being the perfectionist that I was caused me to struggle, for I turned myself into a gastronomic yoyo. In retrospect, I realize that had I just allowed myself to eat cooked foods once and a while, I would have handled transitioning into a raw diet far better than I did. I was unforgiving with myself; I was strict and inflexible. I was an all-or-nothing kinda girl, so I was either 100% on or I was very off.

Now my attitude around food is much healthier. I choose to eat 100% raw when I can, which is the majority of the time; I love the way it makes me feel on every level. If there are times I need to eat cooked foods, I do. I no longer beat myself up about it. I no longer feel shame, failure or anxiety around my food choices. Left to my own accord, I am a 100% raw foodie. When I am in a traditional social situation, when I am with family or if I am in a restaurant, I eat cooked foods. I savor my choices; however, I do pay the price for the experience after the fact. Cooked foods are simply not as clean as raw foods, so I often wake the next morning with puffy, watery eyes, dry skin and a runny nose, feeling dehydrated, sluggish with low energy. One could ask why I put myself through all that for a single cooked meal; however, just as I am with the nut-laden raw desserts I occasionally order, I am highly conscious of my food choices. Waking up once and a while feeling unwell is far healthier for me emotionally and spiritually then suffering from anxiety over my social life or from closing myself off from my family and friends in an effort to obsessively encapsulate myself in a rigid raw lifestyle. The latter is far more difficult for me to overcome.

When I do eat cooked foods, I keep it clean and, for the most part, vegan. I will, infrequently, have a little cheese, but, in all honesty, I am not interested in supporting the inhumane and irresponsible dairy industry. In addition, the dairy itself congests me dearly. I always feel terrible, experiencing cold-like symptoms after eating it. I will also eat fish occasionally, but the energy I feel from eating a once-living being causes ill-ease within me. I do ingest negative energy when I eat dead seafood. I am aware of this. I am reporting now that I eat a little fish, but I know this will change. My diet is an evolution. I see myself moving away from seafood completely at some point. It could be as soon as tomorrow or it could be months from now. It is unknown how my palate and my heart will change. My diet evolves in direct proportion to my spiritual work. The higher my consciousness, the lower on the food chain I wish to eat. I am sensitive to the energies of life. I eat no other meats of any kind. I simply respect animals and birds far too much to do this. The longer I am raw, the more sensitive I am to all living beings. The more I develop spiritually and the more Reiki I practice, the cleaner my diet becomes. This is an effortless and natural progression. My physical and spiritual self is intertwined; there is no denying this, no separating it. As I continue on my raw path, I spiral into higher levels of consciousness.

Clean, whole, vegan foods transform the body into a conduit for higher energy. Meat and dairy products not only numb the body from spirit, but they support a destructive and cruel industry. At this point in my life, I chose to eat for my health and my spiritual elevation. The only cooked foods that I truly enjoy are steamed vegetables, which I can handle with no ill-affects. I can eat root vegetables like yams and winter squash as well as steamed green vegetables like artichoke, broccoli and asparagus. I will also, occasionally, eat miso soup or a light pasta. I eat these foods sparingly, and I always eat mindfully. Raw foods are my absolute preference, for they naturally enlighten my body and my soul on more levels than I am even aware. They are brilliant. And, I am brilliant when I eat them.

I honor life; I honor Mother Earth, and I honor myself through my food choices. Eating raw vegan foods, I thrive.