Archive for » July, 2008 «

View a Total Solar Eclipse on August 1st 2008

29 Jul 2008 by Teri
Total Solar Eclipse

Total Solar Eclipse

There is something quite magical and wonderful in viewing such a special and rare event, as a total Solar Eclipse. Although those of us living in North America will not view another total Eclipse until August 21, 2017, it still brings excitement in just knowing it is happening. Eclipses are said to bring about great change, and energy shifts that will be felt by those sensitive to such occurances.

For a quick recap on a recent post.. The narrow path of totality of the first total eclipse of the Sun since March 2006 will sweep across northern Canada and the Arctic, through central Russia, and into Mongolia, ending in China. At mid-eclipse near Nadym in northern Russia, observers will experience 2 minutes 27 seconds of totality. Outside the centerline track, the partial phases of the eclipse will be visible across all of Asia (excluding Japan), central and eastern Europe, and northern Canada.

You may wish to refer to my post at Solar and Lunar Eclipses in 2008 to gain a better perspective into Eclipses in general, as well as to find relevent links pertaining to indepth details and maps.

Like the Olympics, the thrills of live viewership can still be yours even if you can’t travel to China for this major celestial event. Thanks to satellite technology, you can watch it from your planetarium or local museum… or even from home at your computer screen!

You may wish to check your local times and view the Live Webcast from China

There will be an Eclipse Webcast in Chinese as well, so don’t miss this!

Enjoy!

Category: Solar Eclipse  Tags: ,
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Turn up the heat on Starbucks and Fair Trade

24 Jul 2008 by Teri

I am willing to sacrifice one of my most favourite indulgences of sipping on a delicious white chocolate mocha from Starbucks in favor of supporting small-scale coffe farmers struggling to support their families under deplorable conditions. Truly it has been a while since my last sweet cup, so I do not feel guilty knowing they are refusing to step up. Yet I am concerned enough about the situation to spread the word to folks willing to sign the petition.

According to the Organic Consumers Association, despite close to ten years of consumer and farmer demands, Starbucks has refused to increase their purchase of certified Fair Trade and Organic coffee to a respectable level. To date, only 6% of Starbucks’ coffee is certified Fair Trade. High quality certified Fair Trade and Organic coffee is readily availlable and represents a concrete way to support small-scale coffee farmers abroad.

Instead of committing to an accountable and respected third-party certifying system, Starbucks has created in internal “corporate responsibility” model that is expensive for coffee farmers, non-transparent and strictly voluntary. Starbucks’ has yet to fully committ to incoporating corporate accountable practices into their business model.

Starbucks calls its coffee worker-friendly — but in Ethiopia, a day’s pay is a dollar. For more information please visit Investigative Report: Promises and poverty

It is time to turn the heat up on Starbucks. Take action today! Sign OCA’s 2008 petition to Starbucks demanding that all espresso drinks be both 100% certified Organic and Fair Trade.

Take a few moments to visit Organic Consumers Association to learn more about this and other concerns that we, as responsible and caring consumers, need to be aware of. This is our planet, and we truly need to take steps to care for the earth and ALL the people who inhabit this world.

Category: Consumer Alert, Earth News, Education, Fair Trade, Human Rights, Organic, People  Tags: ,
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A Victory for Wolves in Greater Yellowstone!

22 Jul 2008 by Teri

Wolves on Mother EarthI wish to do my best to express how wonderful it feels to hear good news in the fight to save our Wolf brothers and sisters. I truly felt despair for the future of these beautiful and noble creatures when I heard about the opening up of Wolf hunting after so much hard work to keep the protections from being lifted. We are by no means out of the danger zone in this fight to save the Wolves, yet this small victory gives us heart to know we may not be fighting a losing battle. There are those who have little or no love for Wolves, and they are ready to fight for their desires to kill every Wolf for their own purposes. For those fighting to give Wolves their natural right to live wild and free, as intended by the Creator of this Earth, I wish to share some really great news I recieved from Defenders…

Dear Teri,

I was at home in Boise when I heard the news Friday: A federal judge has restored endangered species protections for wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies. 

The ruling by a district court judge in Montana could save the lives of hundreds of wolves by stopping this fall’s planned wolf sport hunting seasons in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.  

I want to thank you for the crucial role that caring people like you have played in this initial victory.

It’s a huge win that couldn’t have happened without the thousands of Defenders activists and donors who have worked to support our efforts here in the Northern Rockies by contributing money to our Wolf Legal Defense Fund, supporting our on-the-ground work and much more.

But we still have a long fight ahead of us.

Idaho Governor C.L. Butch Otter – who said last year that he wanted to be one of the first in the state to shoot a wolf — immediately criticized the judge’s ruling to restore protections for wolves. Wyoming’s Governor has vowed that his state will fight the ruling.

Idaho Anti-Wolf Coalition leader Ron Gillette was even more direct, telling a local reporter that “[i]t is going to be all-out war.”

Rest assured, Defenders of Wildlife will keep fighting for wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the rest of the Northern Rockies by continuing to…

  • Make the case in court to restore full protections for these endangered wolves;
  • Pay for guard dogs, range riders, turbo fladry fencing and other non-lethal wolf management strategies to keep livestock and wolves safe; and
  • Combat distortions and misperceptions about wolves to build tolerance and understanding for the vital role that wolves play in healthy ecosystems.

Teri, we have a tough fight ahead of us. For now, please accept my sincere gratitude for all you’ve done to help us save wolves.

Suzanne Stone, Defenders of WildlifeFor the Wild Ones,

Suzanne Asha Stone
Northern Rockies Representative
Defenders of Wildlife Boise Office

P.S. I take pride in know the important role Defenders of Wildlife plays in protecting wolves. If you would like to support our work, please consider making a secure online donation now.

This is such fantastic news, and it makes it all worthwhile for the time spent advocating and sending out such heartfelt prayers for the Wolves. Although Wolves are still endangered, and this is just one tiny victory in the fight to save our worlds wild creatures, I truly hope to make a difference in my own small way, and wish to do my best to create awareness and interest in helping those who dwell alongside us in keeping the balance created upon this Earth. I will sleep much better knowing we have made a positive step in the right direction, and pray there is yet hope for our four legged friends who need our help to survive the dangers presented on this beautiful planet we know as Mother Earth. We must remember.. All Life is Sacred.

Pilamaye!

Category: Defenders of Wildlife, Endangered Wildlife, Mother Earth, Nature, Wolves, Yellowstone  Tags:
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Fighting for those living with Alzheimer’s Disease

21 Jul 2008 by Teri

We are all connected in our walks through this Life, either directly or undirectly. Therefor, we must do what we can to help our fellow humans, as we strive to preserve the natural world. I firmly believe that which causes dis-ease among people and animals are related to the health of the Earth and our environment. If we look to nature for our personal care products and nutritional supplements, as well as steering away from items made from substances proven dangerous to our health, we can live long healthy lives free from dis-ease.

Today I would like to make mention of a dis-ease which has touched several of my friends and their families. As many as 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s destroys brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior severe enough to affect work, lifelong hobbies or social life. Alzheimer’s gets worse over time, and it is fatal. Today it is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. It is the most common form of dementia, a general term for the loss of memory and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Vascular dementia, another common type of dementia, is caused by reduced blood flow to parts of the brain. In mixed dementia, Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia occur together.

The Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk® is the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer care, support and research – and it calls on volunteers of all ages to become champions in the fight against Alzheimer’s. There are walks in more than 600 communities. A typical Memory Walk is a 2-3 mile walk held on a weekend morning in the fall.

Alzheimer’s Memory Walk is a great way to get involved and show your support for those you love, and people you know who are affected by this devastating dis-ease. By teaming up with the Alzheimer’s Association, you can walk with a purpose – and move us closer to a world without Alzheimer’s. Together, we can MOVE a nation. Please consider forming or joining a team today!

Category: Charity, Healing, Health, Humans, People, Women
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Nature versus fat cats of Wall Street.. who will win?

16 Jul 2008 by Teri

Here is a controversy with an ending which is scary to contemplate. If the fat cats of Wall Street win this battle, everyone loses in the long run. Nature holds many treasures deep within as well as without, and if we are not very careful, we will not only destroy the environment which houses many forms of Life, yet we will also ensure a very bleak future indeed. This is a game being played to line the pockets of a few at the expense of many.

Wealthy speculators are driving up gas prices and fueling calls for harmful new drilling off our coasts and in pristine places like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Speculation in the oil markets is a major factor in high gas prices. Here’s how it works: Weak oversight and accountability in the oil market allows wealthy investors from around the world to drive up the price we pay for gas by purchasing oil that they have no intention of using. According to Michael Masters of Masters Capital Management, who testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee in June, “with greater regulation [of speculation], oil prices could drop to $65 or $70 a barrel within about 30 days.”

Officials within the Bush Administration’s own Energy Information Agency estimate that oil from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge wouldn’t hit the market for several years and would only reduce gas by a few pennies. Similarly, the agency has said that offshore drilling would not significantly impact domestic production or prices before 2030. More drilling may benefit wealthy investors, Big Oil companies and their allies in Congress, but it won’t lower prices at the pump or end America’s oil addiction.

Mama Polar Bear with her CubsBut this drilling would come at a terrible cost to our wildlife and the environment. Arctic drilling activities would disturb the most important onshore denning habitat for America’s threatened polar bears — potentially causing polar bear mothers to abandon their cubs.

Offshore drilling has its own problems: Each platform produces toxic discharges that can poison and kill marine wildlife and dumps tons of air pollutants into our atmosphere.

Defenders of Wildlife is actively working to help preserve our wildlife and the environment, and we can do our part as well. If you are like me and have a passion to save our wildlife, then please take a few moments and let your voice be heard.

Please take a stand against irresponsible policies that hurt our families and put our wildlife at risk. Send your message now!

Category: Defenders of Wildlife, Ecosystems, Endangered Wildlife, Environment
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Back from Sundance 2008

10 Jul 2008 by Teri

After an incredible two and a half weeks of camping, we are back to our residence near the city. We have had such wonderful experiences, and just too much to give due credit in one post, so I will just summarize it as best as I can for now. My son J helped us load up and get to the land up above Goldendale. We camped in our usual spot beneath the beautiful Oak tree, to enjoy much needed afternoon shade. As the temperatures reached above 109 degrees in the shade, we were lucky to have such a sweet place to rest upon occasion. The hottest day during the Sundance brought a welcome rainstorm, with much fanfare from the Thunder Beings, the Wakiyans. If the little girls I was caring for were not so terrified of the storm, I would have been dancing in the rain. As it were, I was able to reach out with my feet from the shelter I provided for the children to get a nice soak.

The Isnati Lawanpi (girl to young woman) Ceremony was beautiful to behold. It brought tears to many eyes to see these young girls step forth with such grace into young womanhood. What a gift it is to see this Cermony celebrating such an important time in a young girls life. It is very important to honor these steps in the lives of our boys and girls. Sometimes the events in our world move us much too rapidly to truly enjoy each moment as it unfolds.

As for the Sundance, I feel doubly honored this year. First of all, I was moved to tears to see and feel the grace of our lovely little Sundance tree. She swayed so sweetly in the breeze as she carried the prayers of the people amongst her branches. Such an image of Beauty shall be held within my heart forever. The sound of the drum and the prayer songs full of Love and Hope, as sung by the people as we danced around the Tree of Life, is a memory I shall hold dear when times in the faster world threaten to bring me down.

The greatest gift I recieved during this ceremony, was brought to me through the Children. I had the honor of caring for three young girls, besides my little S, as their mothers were otherwise occupied. The other children invariably navigated towards our little circle, and one girl in particular spent much of her time with our group. Amazingly enough, I had not even a single problem arise with these little ones for companions! Such fond memories of stories, songs, and laughter are treasures of my heart which gives such Joy to think upon. I shall miss those little ones! Although I missed the mothers of these mischievious little girls, as they are my very dear friends, this was a gift and an honor I shall never forget. My little S was such a great help in those busy days as I rose before the sun, and did not rest my head until well after the sun went down.

It truly felt good to hold my family close, as we all live so far away from each other. For two weeks we were able to catch up, sharing this time with Songs, Dance, Prayers, Laughter, Tears and Feasting. Enjoying the fellowship of our Brothers, Sisters, Aunties, Uncles, Elders and Children just seems to fill me up with courage to re-enter the world that moves much faster and is filled with uncertainty and danger. For a short time we held each other close and reaffirmed our love for the Earth and all her bounties, bringing forth hope for the present and future of our children. We must move forward in a good way, honoring and respecting the Earth and all living things, until the time comes for us to gather once again when it is time to go Home.

My little S and I had an awesome Sundance, with so many memories of friends, family and walks through nature to find new magical places to sit and enjoy together. And the nights when we summed up our adventures of the day, along with silent moments of star gazing, will be held dear to our hearts forever and always.

Pilamaye,

Teri
~

Category: Blessings, Ceremony, Family, Lakota People, Native American, Personal, Prayers, Sacred, Spirituality, Traditions  Tags: , ,
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