Smoke engulfs a minivan as it is overturned during 2006 land-claim protests near disputed Caledonia, Ont., site. Neil Dring Photo/Grand River Sachem

By David Sugar

While it is funny at first to hear a nation filled with squatters singing of their “native land”, the humor wore off a long time ago. One really has to have a good idea of what is happening in the real Kanienkehaka, in indigenous Canada, and particularly the Haudenosaune lands, to fully comprehend what is today the British dominion of Canada.

First it is essential to consider that while there is a “government”, it is essentially the colonial caretaker of what is claimed to be the Queen’s “property”. Recent colonial administrations, such as the present Harper government, are actively trying to sell the land and resources, including so called “human resources”, of a privately instituted and legally registered holding company, “Canada Inc”, to other private companies. Imagine living by a lake and finding one day you, your house, and the lake you fish at are now the private property of a corporation, a modern form of direct slavery. The one inconvenient problem with all this is that the lands of British Canada is actually held under what is called “Aboriginal Title”, and hence the original inhabitants, and not, as claimed, by the crown.

To help solve this “problem”, the government of British Canada has instituted a reign of terror on indigenous communities, not much unlike what happened in Lakotah when the United States wanted to seize Uranium rights to the sacred black hills (He Sapa) for politically connected corporations. In fact, Uranium mining also has a role in British Canada, but is only part of a wholesale plan to rape the lands, which include mass water diversion projects to sell water to the United States, timber, etc.

Much like the United States with the help of Dicky Wilson, the British Canadian government has established political cronies in colonial created band councils to try and help facilitate the transfer of lands from the true titleholders to this “Canada, Inc” established for maintaining and selling the crown lands to private corporations. Their tools remain fraud, division, and deceit, for they have no legitimate means of persuasion. That British Canada exists at all is in that violence remains the only means they have to impose their will. However, this does not make British Canada a true nation, but rather an occupation.

Sometimes the process of land theft has been almost comic, such as the creation of “no-gonquins”, people who have no actual blood status, but that British Canada claims can try to define as Indian rather than accepting the definition of the various nations, to pad votes and negotiate land theft, or even create entirely fake protests. Other times had has been brutally violent, including police murder and disappearances of activists, and of course mass murder of children at the boarding schools, or more personal and direct such as the attempted assassination of MNN publisher Kahentinetha Horn by British Canadian security forces. The purpose as a whole is genocide for the only thing standing in the way of selling the land of Canada Inc to private property owners is the birthright of the legitimate titleholders to the lands.

While open racism and violence continues to be the primary way that the government of British Canada relates to it’s indigenous population, some things have gotten better. The government of British Canada today classifies indigenous peoples as “terrorists” by birth and is training with cut-outs of indigenous women on their firing ranges along with ordering new uniforms designed specifically to blend into Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal to wage combat operations in urban centers in British Canada. This is perhaps actually an improvement from simply being considered funny two legged animals to use for medical experiments and the like.

There’s something about the mohawk that appeals to me. I have only found these two women, Rihanna and Cassie, to pull the looks off the best. Sexy, sexy and bold, very bold. I applaud them! And I thought I was risque? Lol, they are out of my league. Hmmm, maybe next summer I will cut the locks all over again? Right now, I’m growing back my long black locks! I sure did miss my locks. I am glad your back “head full of hair”.

I went to see Bill Callahan at St. David’s earlier today. It was a beautiful and intimate show, as has been in keeping with all of the artist’s other shows I’ve seen, whether he was performing under his given name or as Smog.

But enough people probably are familiar with his work, or at least know of him. But fewer people probably have heard of Lights, the three-piece that opened for him who released their second album, Rites, last summer.

Linnea Vedder, Alana Amram, and Sophia Knapp from Lights; image courtesy of myspace.com (photo taken by Sarah Keough)

This got me to thinking about opening acts, who tend to be cast aside or ignored when it comes to concert line-ups. Some people walk in late for their sets, get up to go to the bathroom, talk through songs they haven’t heard, and are generally dismissive of the less-established band on stage. Which is a pity, because oftentimes the opening act becomes an up-and-coming act if they’re good and they’ve cultivated a buzz, which is usually generated from being on the same label roster as the main attraction (Bill Callahan and Lights are both on Drag City).

Also, if you’re paying for a concert ticket, you’re usually paying for all the bands on the set. So you may as well listen to the opening act. Even if you’ve never heard of them before, you might like them.

In short, I root for and tend to follow the opening act. So I thought I’d start a new installment of this blog and devote them to opening acts. But female artists of course. Just because I saw Neon Indian open for !!! back in October doesn’t mean I feel compelled to discuss it.

For me, Lights are following in the trajectory of a few noteworthy female artists I like at the moment. Like Nite Jewel and Best Coast, Lights are playing up retro influences that are glossy with disco’s sheen and sun-kissed by late 60s garage and early 70s AM radio.

But one thing that sets Lights apart from Nite Jewel, Best Coast, and a host of other (predominantly male) on-the-radar musical acts is that they don’t seem particularly interested in lo-fi production aesthetics, or in aping Ariel Pink (no offense, Washed Out — in fairness, you both swipe from the same people and “Belong” is a good tune). 

Instead, these ladies hope to grab classic rock temptresses Stevie Nicks’s or Heart’s big brass ring, churning out muscular riffs off-set by feminine coos and harmonies that also remind me a little of Dolly Parton if she fronted a pyschedelic band. Lights’ sound, as was true of the sound of the women before them, suggest a mythical but distinctly southern place where girls grow into names like “Chantilly” and “Opal.” Some people might derisively refer to this as “unicorn music,” much as they might’ve with fellow label mate Joanna Newsom. If these detractors like to get the Led out, I’d be compelled to say that their favorite band made “hobbit rock.”

But seeing them live conveys how loud and heavy they can get. My only complaint was that drummer Linnea Vedder’s playing sounded a little labored compared to guitarist Sophia Knapp’s and bassist Alana Amram’s shredding. That said, I can’t wait for them to play again at the Mohawk on January 22nd. They’ll be opening for The Entrance Band, a tight psych garage-blues outfit with the magnificent bassist Paz Lenchantin. I totally plan to be there. Who can resist when goddesses rock out amongst the mortals?

Lot’s of claims are being made as to which flooring is the most green. If you are to believe most of the Green trend publications bamboo flooring probably is top of mind. But we must be careful to do our own homework and not believe the hype. Just because it is in writing does not make it so. There are five main types of flooring commonly available on the market today. They are wood laminates, ceramic tile, hardwood flooring, carpet and bamboo. For purposes of this discussion we’ll have to agree that vinyl flooring is not environmentally friendly. New homes are offering many of the most advances options in environmentally friendly floorings. This is another great reason why new homes are a better choice over existing homes because of the ability to take advantage of the newest and most advanced products on the market.

 There are a lot of considerations in determining whether something is environmentally friendly such as how often it has to be replaced and whether the replaced material can be recycled, what VOC’s (volatile organic compounds are used), what cleaning products must be used to clean it, where did the material come from and what carbon footprint was left as a result of that transportation, etc.

Wood laminates are an engineered product that used mostly recycled material which reduces the environmental impact of cutting down trees but used binders and adhesives that give off VOC’s.

Hardwood is tough, renewable, and requires relatively low maintenance. However, often these products are harvested in Canada, loaded on ships to China, milled by low paid workers, and shipped back to the end user. This of course leaves a huge environmental footprint.

Bamboo is the hot ticket right now but depending on the species of bamboo and the type of coating used, some bamboo floors last only a few years. It also uses a heavy amount of formaldehydes. That being said it is a highly renewable product because of the ease in which it is grown.

Carpet is the product most commonly known but the least Green friendly at this time. Up to 120 chemicals can be used in the manufacturing of carpet, some of which are highly toxic. Only recently have manufacturers started using recycled materials. There are some products that use natural fibers such as sisal, wool, or jute but the vast majority don’t stand up to Green standards. Progress is being made though.

Finally we come to ceramic tile. Ceramic tile will outlast most of us and many of these products will maintain their finishes for generations. Unfortunately consumers tear out and replace tile flooring long before it has run its life cycle. The primary reason is because of grout. A good investment to protect the grout and ensure it does not need to be replaced is to seal every year or two.

These are the broad strokes of Green flooring. We have to look beyond the product itself and determine how did we get the product, at what cost to the environment, and what cost to the environment at the end of its life cycle and during its life cycle. Your flooring professional can provide you all of the information to make the best decision but do some research and decide what is important to you first.

                                                                                       www.southerncraftedhomes.com

Two kids home sick.*
Perfect recipe for fun with clippers. Went with a bowl cut, then a mohawk, ended up bald. I’m pleased with the outcome.

*Snow Days are also a good time for activities like this.

Update: Ronaldo saw the video and was kind enough to bring the World Cup over for a few photos!

^^^^^^^^^^

Like just about everyone else in town, I braved the slushy streets in search of groceries today. (There was this little blizzard earlier in the week and still something like a foot of snow on the ground.) Anyway, there was this eight year old kid at the store rocking a four inch high, red and green striped mohawk. It was awesome.

That is all.

Looks can be deceiving and you can’t judge a person by their looks. For example, who’s more threatening: a blue haired mohawked, tattoo studded jacket wearing punk rocker or a person wearing nondescript clothing and generic hair? I would say the person who’s wearing the nondescript clothing and generic hair is a greater threat than the blue haired mohawked, tattooed studded jacket wearing punk. Why? Think about it: If the blue mohawked person robbed you – they would be easy to spot and find as they are unique looking and standing out from the crowd. They might look like a threat being so loud but in reality they are harmless because if you are up to no good – you don’t want to draw attention to yourself. The generic hair and nondescript clothing person could rob you and if you tried to describe them to the cops – they just look like everyone else. There are a few exceptions when people who are loud are also violent and crazy but *usually* they are as law abiding as anyone. They dress differently to make a statement and express individuality. The punk rocker might appear to be a threat but they are really not to you as an individual.

People treat me funny because I am tattooed, pierced, and mohawked. All it is really is their fear of the unknown showing. Think about it: if I was really a danger I wouldn’t go around advertising the fact. There are a few exceptions to the rules but most of the time when someone advertises being a radical, they aren’t up to anything illegal. They might have different ideas than the mainstream and philosophies and be a threat to the status quo but they aren’t breaking any laws.

Laws are there to give people the illusion they are “safe”. Think about it: if there was a law to enforce identification cards (like they are planning in the UK) only the law abiding citizens will do it. The criminals don’t care about the law and won’t follow it or get fake IDs. It’s to give the masses, the sheep, the appearance of order in the chaos we exist in. The criminals will be criminals and do illegal things while the masses fall into line. The ID card is a stupid idea and very 1984ish because it only applies to who will follow the law to begin with.

More laws equal less freedom. Sure, common courtesy laws like not stealing or killing are nice to have to protect me from your average idiot. I am an anarchist and sometimes I am grateful for the police to protect me from stupid people. For instance, the police helped me out when I was punched in the face for being a “homosexual.” In an ideal, anarchical society, the person would behave like an anarchist and respect his fellow human beings – however, the assaulter was moronic, angry and fucked up so I need the police to protect me from people like that.

However, I am against police brutality and abuse of power. There is a difference in keeping people safe from the idiots of the world and harassing someone because they have a studded vest. One time, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time eating pizza on the steps of Search and Destroy in NYC and the police treated me like I was a criminal when all I was doing was eating pizza. It was pretty scary – they patted me down and violated my rights all because they have nothing else to do. There’s also the cops who give out traffic tickets for being a few miles over the speed limit to make their quota. Things like that are an abuse of power – laws are there to keep you safe from other human’s stupidity not be a money making tool.

That is not the case in our capitalistic society. The law system and prison system are money making tools. It’s really messed up.

The question is: How will this change?  The answer: Is with you.  If the people were to stop profiling and treat people for who they are and not what they look like we would have a stronger, happier society.

Thanks to Robot6@ComicBookResources.com for posting the link to Cameron Stewart’s blog in which he shares some sketches he drew for fans during his Eurotour 2009!  His rendition of Storm is super-amazing!  He totally captures her punk attitude and fashion perfectly! 

Compare the above image with the version he drew for me at San Diego in 2008:

Thats right, I was sick and tired of my long blonde hair, so before I’ll get myself a short haircut I wanted to have some fun with a mohawk like the ones I have had in my teenage years. Here’s the results!

I thought the Mr. T mohawk look was disturbing before.  And then I saw this.

I pity the... eeew... you're creeping me out

That is a tauren, who has been hit with the Mr. T mohawk grenade, riding a bat in front of the Undercity.  At night.

I fear Arthas no longer, for I have seen this.

Abuse of Indians by US and Canadian border guards has been ongoing for decades with little coverage outside Native media.  Now, however, that a white American activist has been harassed, the blogosphere erupts.  I am shocked!

Last night became accustomed to The Runaways. There was a particular member of the band that immediately caught my eye, considering that I’ve admired her from a young age.

And no. It has nothing to do with the fact that Kristen Stewart plays her in an upcoming movie.

Anyways, I suddenly caught myself reading her biography on wikipedia and then I searched for her music.

I realized how badly I wanted to play the guitar. I’d always wanted to do it, but now I feel like, If I don’t learn and play then I’ll fail at life.

Ever feel like you’re just born to do something?

Joan Jett makes me feel like I was.

This is a relatively modern postcard with the following text on the back: Caughnawaga: The Chief And His Tribe In “Roti-tsien-ha-len” Council.

This week I was working on some genealogy for someone who mentioned that one of their relatives had supposedly been an entertainer at the Chief Poking Fire Museum. Although this card does not mention the museum, I do wonder whether this was a souvenir that was sold there.

Related Posts:

Postcards of Kahnawake

Chief Poking Fire Indian Museum, Caughnawaga Indian Reserve

Iroquois Indians, Caughnawaga, Quebec

Kahnawa:ke – Home of the Haudenosaunee

Big John of Kahnawake, Quebec (Caughnawaga)

Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks

Main Street in Iroquois Mohawk Community of Caughnawaga, Quebec

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see also The Iroquois of Kahnawake

A 20-year-old man who caused a fireball at a petrol station is identified from his distinctive Mohican hairstyle…. From BBC News. Full story

This site may contain information about: fashion store. The blog is also related to: women fashion.

Hello A/all.

Check out my new hawk, red done it for Sir!

red

Yesterday Mr T the night elf mohawk finally came to the EU severs about a week or more after the US severs got him. I don’t understand why it took longer to put him into the EU severs.This was also the case for fraction change aswell  the US severs got it before the eu severs. So if you are on the EU severs why not go down and see mr t he is outside all major starting zones for both factions.

Because we can’t wait for Comicon in January, Here’s a little eye candy from artist Adam Hughes who will be in attendance!

mmhmm, electric hawk!

..how we miss thee serenity

meow..

double meow

]]> http://gesilaazorbo.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/billy/ Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:15:14 +0000 Sila http://gesilaazorbo.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/billy/

Hairstyles are always a great conversation starter.

In questa rubrica ci è data la possibilità di cercare di approfondire il tema della Pace.

La scienza dei quanti suggerisce l’esistenza di molti futuri possibili per ciascuno di noi, per i nostri sistemi e più in generale per l’insieme di ciò che è, energia, forma o sostanza.

Ogni futuro esiste in uno stato di riposo finché non viene risvegliato dalle scelte fatte nel presente.

Io voglio un futuro di Pace, e voglio chiarirmi sul percorso da intraprendere per portare Pace dentro di me, per poi riconoscerla e perseguirla fuori di me, in quel noi che costruisce il futuro.

Gli insegnamenti tribali dicono che noi siamo gli Antenati del futuro: qualunque cosa facciamo oggi influenzerà le prossime sette generazioni.

Ogni decisione, ogni pensiero, può creare uno stato di ristagno o di rinascita per coloro che verranno dopo di noi sulla strada della vita. Se stai bloccando te stesso, forse stai bloccando le generazioni a venire.

La nascita e rinascita avviene dal buio-notte della grotta-utero di Madre Terra, e di notte nascono i tuoi sogni.

Questi sogni costruiscono le civiltà future; allora nutrile bene!

Quello che scriverò non è farina del mio sacco, ma una ricerca di elementi che possano aiutarci a coltivare il nostro giardino interiore e a fare un giardino di Madre Terra.

Questo spazio non è mio, è nostro: sono graditi interventi, suggerimenti e risorse che inizialmente devono essere inviati al blog.

Ringrazio quindi chi ci ha concesso questo spazio e vi propongo un detto:

Pace non è solo il contrario di guerra,

non è solo lo spazio temporale tra due guerre: pace è di più.

Pace è la legge della vita umana.

Pace è quando noi agiamo in modo giusto

e quando tra ogni singolo essere umano regna giustizia.

detto dei Mohawk (Irochesi)

Per noi giustizia significa applicare la legge, per gli Indiani d’America il custode della legge è la Cornacchia.

La Cornacchia

Tutti i testi sacri sono sotto la protezione della Cornacchia, e il “Libro delle Leggi” o “Libro dei Sigilli” del Creatore è circondato da piume di Cornacchia. Le piume di Cornacchia ci parlano dello spirito che si è fatto carne; la Cornacchia è anche la protettrice delle “ogallah”, ovvero le antiche cronache.

Le Cinture della Legge Sacra, o Wampum, fabbricate dalle donne native molto prima che gli uomini-barca o Europei arrivassero sul continente americano, contengono la conoscenza delle leggi del Grande Spirito, e vengono conservate nelle Capanne Nere, le capanne delle donne. La legge che dice che “tutte le cose nascono dalle donne” è simbolizzata dalla Cornacchia.

Ai bambini viene insegnato a comportarsi secondo le leggi di una particolare cultura. La maggior parte dei sistemi religiosi ortodossi crea degli obblighi comportamentali ritenuti accettabili nell’ambito delle faccende mondane: fai questo e andrai in paradiso; fai quest’altro e andrai all’inferno. Ogni “vera fede” ha le sue formule diverse per la salvezza. La legge umana non è uguale alla Legge Sacra. Più di ogni altra medicina, la Cornacchia vede che il mondo fisico e persino il mondo spirituale, così come vengono interpretati, sono un’illusione.

Ci sono miliardi di mondi, esistono un’infinità di creature. Il Grande Spirito è presente in tutti.

Se un individuo obbedisce alle leggi perfet­te della Cornacchia così come sono state date dal Creatore, allora nel momento della morte egli avrà una Buona Morte-Medicina, e conser­verà un chiaro ricordo del suo passato.

La Cornacchia è presagio di cambiamento. La Cornacchia vive nel vuoto e non ha il senso del tempo. Gli Antichi Capi ci dicono che essa vede simultaneamente i tre fati: passato, presente e futuro. La Cornacchia fonde luce ed oscurità, vedendo contemporaneamente la realtà interiore e quella esteriore. Se la medicina della Cornacchia ti si manifesta, devi fare una pausa e riflettere su come tu vedi le leggi del Grande Spirito in relazione alle leggi dell’umanità.

La medicina della Cornacchia vuoi dire conoscenza di prima mano di ciò che è giusto e di ciò che è sbagliato, conoscenza di un ordine più elevato di quello creato dalle culture umane. Con la medicina della Cornacchia, tu parli con voce potente di cose che a te sembrano prive di armonia, di equilibrio, incapaci di funzionare o ingiuste. Ricorda che la Cornacchia guarda il mondo prima con un occhio e poi con l’altro, quello strabico.

Nella cultura Maya, gli strabici avevano il privilegio e il dovere di guardare nel futuro. Devi mettere da parte le tue paure di essere solo una voce nel deserto, e gridare forte ciò che pensi e ciò che vedi.

Quando imparerai a permettere alla tua integrità personale di essere la tua guida, il tuo senso di solitudine svanirà.

Il tuo volere personale potrà emergere, e resterai fedele alla tua verità. Il sentiero principale dei veri uomini-Cornacchia dice di prestare attenzione alle tue opinioni ed azioni: sviluppa la volontà di agire coerentemente con le tue parole, di’ la tua verità, scopri la tua missione nella vita ed equilibra il passato, il presente e il futuro nell’adesso. Cambia forma a quella vecchia realtà e diventa il tuo sé futuro. Permetti che le leggi fisiche si pieghino per aiutarti a mutar forma al mondo, creando così un mondo di pace.

…Bisogna ricordare che la Legge Divina non è giudicare o rinnegare le proprie verità: la Legge Divina è onorare l’armonia che deriva da una mente in pace, da un cuore aperto, da una lingua sincera, un passo leggero, una natura portata al perdono ed un sentimento d’amore per tutte le creature viventi.

Onora il passato come tuo maestro, onora il presente come tua creazione ed onora il futuro come tua ispirazione.

Rifiutare di rendere onore ai cambiamenti nella tua realtà può causare dolore sul piano emotivo. Un’implosione di energia si evidenzia con l’affiorare della ribellione, poiché la legge di espansione viene infranta dalla repressione, e questo può valere per una situazione, una vecchia abitudine, una persona a cui hai conferito autorità o per le tue stesse paure: è sempre una tua creazione.

Quindi trasporta questa creazione nella tua nuova realtà.