Happy New Year

A very Happy New Year

from

Constable Crab, Tanya, Tomasito
and Maggie the Part-time Cat

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Wounded Knee Anniversary

Bloody Snowflake, 29 December, r, 1890


Not so good, Black Elk.

Nothing much has changed.

Tomasito, 2008

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Operations Center

Tomasito Photo, 2008

Here it is--where The Casebook of Constable Crab was born--the center of Ahimsaland and the place where The Imhotep Construction Company has its Operations Center. Our apartment workroom!

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xxxx

Beaver Dam

(Tomasito photo, Spring 2008)


Beaver Dam

This beaver dam was on a little brook that runs into the Sacramento River about three blocks from our apartment.

The dam was kind of isolated, of course, or it would not last long.

It stood in pretty good shape last spring and through most of the summer, but now it is pretty much destroyed.

The location is rather near the local high school and I suppose the kids couldn't stand having something natural about.

The beavers seem to be gone too. Dogs? Shooters? Anyway they have given up on repairing the dam and have disappeared.

We saw the same thing happen on a tiny neighborhood stream we lived near in Roseville, near Sacramento a couple of years ago--except there the land was cleared to build some commercial buildings.

Isn't it kind of a shame?

Tomasito, 2008


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Merry Christmas

Maggie the Part-time Cat (Tanya photo)

Merry Christmas from Tanya, Tomasito & Maggie!


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Solstice 2008

The Sundial Pedestrian Bridge over the Sacramento River in Redding CA.
(Tanya photo)


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Sundial Bridge Gnoman

Sundial Bridge Gnoman, Sacramento River, Redding CA 2008
On a sunny day. (Tomasito photo)


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Winter Solstice

"The Unconquered Sun" painted papier mache mask by Tomasito. (Tanya photo)

The Sun Returns


We hope!

Though this day is very wet, dark and gloomy here in Redding, CA.

There is no shadow cast by the great sundial bridge gnoman--but we have high hopes that this year will be as all the years before--and that the planet has indeed reached it's wobbly limit and will wobble on to bring spring!

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Tomasito

Tomasito, 2008 (Tanya photo)

Tomasito

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Power Cables

Powerlines from the Sacramento River dams. (Tomasito photo)

Power Cables

There are two immense dams very near our apartment: Shasta Dam, which is a colossal structure and Keswick Dam--much smaller than Shasta, but very large.

These dams have changed the ecology of the Sacramento River in ways so fundamentally destructive that it is difficult to understand why they were built--except that the work was done in the days when Americans actually believed that they were godlike in their power to change nature for the better--to serve the needs of man as it were--more efficiently than nature could do it.

These huge blocks of concrete will, no doubt, be here as ruins for many, many, many human generations--if indeed humans continue to thrive on this planet which becomes more doubtful day by day.

The purposes for which the dams were made--the generation of electric power, flood control and, perhaps, recreation--are all becoming obsolete, while their destruction of habitat and general upset of nature are becoming more apparent all the time.

Tomasito, 2008

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Hoop of Nations

The "hoop of nations", painted papier mache by Tomasito, 2008.


The Hoop of Nations

Some years ago I read a book called "Black Elk Speaks" by John Neihardt.

The book was a very interesting read and really caught my imagination.

The book is an autobiography of an Oglala Sioux holy man who lived at the time of the Ghost Dance and the Indian Wars in North America.

The book is currently in print and easy to obtain. I recommend it.

One of the most powerful visionary images recounted in the book is that of a "hoop of the nations"--a circular hoop crossed by two roads one good red road and one bad black road. Where these symbolic roads cross--in the center of the hoop stands a "stick" which becomes a blooming tree.

I have used this image as an inspiration for a model of this vision. A photo of this artwork heads today's blog.

Tomasito, 2008

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Sleep Warm

Warm blankets--good sleeping! (Tomasito, photo)
Thanks for the warm, woolly serape, Bro Jack, and thanks for the $3.00 warm blanket "The Attic" shop!

Sleeping Warm

Sleeping warm is Very Good.

I have pilgrimmed a lot in my life--and sometimes that meant sleeping rough--sometimes very rough.

I have slept outdoors miles from any shelter in cold and driving rain.

Once---only once, thank goodness--I slept in a frozen field in snow as more snow fell with only an old coat for warmth.

I have slept in barns with cows--Very Nice!

And I have slept under freeway bridges--Noisy.

But when I am not pilgrimming and when I have a choice--give me a warm, dry bed with lots of warm covers.

That's what I REALLY like!

The Dalai Lama--who ought to know--says the purpose of life is to be happy and life yields quite a few possibilities for happiness.

But for me--NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING--beats waking up on a freezing cold morning--the kind where your breath is visible as steam--in a nice, warm bed.

Tomasito, 2008


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Merican Pie

As Merican as Apple Pie! (Tomasito photo)

Home baked apple pie!

Home Baked apple pie!!

Home Baked Apple pie!!!

Home Baked Apple Pie!!!!

That's about as GOOD as it GETS!


Tomasito, 2008



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Shadows

T&T Shadows at Trout Pool Bridge, Sacramento River Trail.

Just a short walk below the colossal dams on the Sacramento River--dams which have destroyed the habitat of so many fish and wildlife creatures--and which ended flooding and produced electricity--is the old bridge we call the "Trout Pool Bridge".

Some of our fathers and and grandfathers built these dams and bridges and were proud of their work.

Now most scientific studies seem to indicate that these incredible dams are the most destructive of all civil contractor's projects to their ecological surroundings.

Sometimes it seems to me that the best things we can leave behind us is just our shadows.

In fact, sometimes it seems to me that in the very long run
all we can leave behind is our shadows---

Tomasito, 2008



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Shadows

Shadows

There was a seer who was born an Oglala Sioux in the old days of the "Indian Wars" in America.

He had a vision--a hoop of the nation crossed by two roads--a good "red road" and a bad "black road"--and in the center where the roads crossed-- was a stick which became a tree and bloomed.

This was a symbol of hope to him.

You may read his life story in the book by John Neihardt: Black Elk Speaks published by the University of Nebraska Press ( first edition, 1933).

A good read.

Tomasito, 2008)


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nine eleven NYC

Tomasito, 2001

There is a DVD movie I would like to recommend: The Cats of Mirikitani.

Director Linda Hattendorf has done a remarkable work for those hoping for a more peaceful world.

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Kitchen Sink

Kitchen Sink (Tomasito photo)


Rethink Tradition

Maybe some of those of us who are presently unemployed or even underemployed will have some leisure to appreciate the simpler joys of homemaking--that is, if they still have an apartment or home to shelter them from the winter cold and enough money to keep something cooking in the pot.

And by the way, I don't know of anyone with a traditional home these days who is not in serious financial trouble!

It is probably time to rethink a LOT of typical and traditional American "givens"--since our overwhelming population growth and the foolish greed of many of us has eliminated forever the traditional American Dream of the mid-twentieth century--that is, the "cottage with white picket fence and rambling rose", the "freedom of the open road", even the "good, steady job with a future".

It may be time to slow down--think--and go on in a different and better way--since they way we were will never again be the way we are.

Tomasito, 2008


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Gentle Reminders

Gentle reminders:

* Live for others

* Laughter is the best exercise

* Poverty is the basis of perfection, contemplation is its heart

* Return from the mountaintop with wisdom for the people

* Renounce distractions

* Cling to nothing because there is nothing to cling to

* Love yourself--extend that love to all beings

Tomasito, 2008

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Yogi Tanya, Tomasito photo 12/2008


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Old Boy Scouts

Me and Bears, 2007. Tanya photo.

The Old Boy Scouts

Years ago—before they changed the Boy Scout date laws—you could not be a Cub Scout until you were nine years old.

A long wait when you've got an older brother in uniform!

I think you started as a “Bobcat” or something—then, when you had done some unremembered stuff, you would be a “Wolf” until you were ten, then a “Bear” until you were eleven and then you could be (again if you did some stuff) a Lion until you were twelve.

Twelve, in those long-ago days, was the magic coming of age age when you left forever the life of a “Cub Scout” and became first a “Webelos”--(a sort of in between ageless limbo state—not heaven and not hell--) then you could sign on as a “Boy Scout”--starting as a “Tenderfoot” then advancing to “Second Class Scout”, “First Class Scout”, “Star Scout” “Life Scout” and finally, when you were about sixteen or seventeen and after you had done a lot more stuff, “Eagle Scout”. (Tah—dahhh)

Mom, who was a “Den Mother” from the old days, thought kids eight years old “were too young to be Cub Scouts because they couldn't do anything without a lot of adult help—whereas nine years old kids could do some things without so much help.

I agreed with her there—especially since I had had to wait until I was nine.

As I remember the Cub Scout Oath or Cub Scout Law or whatever it was—it was this:

“The Cub Scout follows Akela.

The Cub helps the Pack go--

The Pack helps the Cub grow--

The Cub gives good will!”

You will remember that “Akela” was the Alpha Wolf in Kipling's “Jungle Book”.

For Cub Scout Pack 111 of Saint Paul's Lutheran Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico, my Dad, Andy, was Akela—and a very low-key, awfully nice and friendly Akela he was too.

When I was approaching twelve years of age, I knew that I would have to remember the “Boy Scout Laws” if I was going to be allowed to join the Boy Scouts—that was one of the things you had to do in those ancient days.

Big Brother Joe helped me learn them, as always:

(Joe) “OK, Tom—Say them.”

(Me) “A Scout is—uh—uh...”

(Joe) “Trustworthy!"

(Me) “Trustworthy! --Uh--uh--uh...”

(Joe) “Loyal!”

(Me) “Loyal! Uh—uh—uh...”

And so it would go until eventually I got the whole stream of sounds out in one breath:

“A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and REVERENT!” (Did I miss any?)

Slowly and, in a way, surely, these sounds slowly became meaningful—until they really began to mean something.

In a way—it was “The Way” for 20^th Century American Boyhood.

Something you could BELIEVE IN!

Nothing left out—nothing nonsensical left in—you didn't have to strap on dynamite and blow yourself up to prove anything—you didn't have to hate anybody because THEY were NOT Boy Scouts.

Just good common sensical common sense.

I haven't had much to do with the Boy Scouts for a long time now—but I can still remember the words—and what they slowly began to mean to me then.

And now.

Tomasito, 2008

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Gentle Reminders

Walt Whitman, Matthew Brady photo

Stay Open, Stay Free

Some gentle reminders to myself:

Serve that which is greater than yourself
Pursue the good, emulate the holy
Realize in your life the One beyond duality
Learn from children
Don't be stupid
Don't be critical
Heretics are usually right.

Tomasito, 2008


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Pranic Healing

Tanya ZAP : Tomasito photo

Pranic Healing?

"Well.

I think there is something behind it--it helped your back when I did it every night--but it doesn't seem to help my eyes..."


Everything is vibration. (Is God---The Vibe!?)

Some firmly believe they can alter physical reality with the vibration of thought.

Why not?

Practice, practice!

Tomasito, 2008

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Bloggah

Tanya Photo

Tomasito: BLOGGAH!

Being a Bloggah is definitely one of the most fun experiences I have ever had.

There is NO money in it--and almost NOBODY reads any of the four blogs I have a hand in producing--but it is great fun imagining that anyone anywhere in the world with a computer, electricity and the Internet can read my stuff!

This is a writer's DREAM come true!

You don't have to wait for an editor to like and buy your stuff--you don't have to worry about the printing processes or about distribution or selling anything!

You just sit down and BLOG to your heart's content!

If blogging had only been around years ago--well, it would be a different person writing this for sure!

Anyway, Dear Reader--Me BLOGGAH!

Tomasito, 2008


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Happy Thanksgiving

!Happy Thanksgiving!

May all of you enjoy the peace and joy of a Happy Day!


Tomasito, 2008

Bench Waiting for You

Photo by Tanya


Peace--its wonderful.
Try it sometime.

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No Change Tibet's Middle Way Policy

No Change for Middle Way Policy of Tibet Toward China

The meeting of more than six hundred Tibetan leaders from every background which ended last week did not decide on any new approach to the China/Tibet stand-off.

Because there are still behind the scenes workers running between Dharamsala and Beijing, according to news sources, the Dalai Lama said that the Tibetans should wait “one more month” before making any decision to change their present “middle way” policy.

The Dalai Lama remains convinced that there will be a non-violent solution to the problem—which is the Chinese political take-over of Tibet—and the subsequent destruction of the Tibetan way of life.

Tomasito, 2008

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Master--Servant

Bodhidharma papier mache mask by Tomasito

He whose master you would be—him you must serve.

Tomasito, 2008

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The Killing Business

Killing Business

The problem is not this nation or that nation.

The problem is

The killing business.

Good business.

Bad karma:

Come back as a toad...

The problem is OURS and

Yours---truly!

Tomasito, 2008

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Peace and the Dalai Lama

Papier mache mask of the Dalai Lama by Tomasito, 2008.

As a spokesperson for compassion and peace, the most influential living human being is probably the current Dalai Lama.

He is now-- and has been for decades-- up against one of the most hardened bureaucracies on the planet: the communist government of China--which invaded Tibet years ago and which has no intention of relaxing its control over the country.

As I understand it--what the Dalai Lama wants is not total independence but a certain amount of autonomy for the Tibetan people--especially concerning their practice of the Buddhist religion.

But China refuses to allow any degree of autonomy.

At this time, The Dalai Lama has suggested to the leaders of Tibet that they meet without him to discuss what they should do about the impasse.

He will speak to the world news about the result of their meeting on November 23, 2008.

Those who admire and respect the Dalai Lama are waiting with great curiosity to hear what he will say.

Tomasito, 2008


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Dalai Lama Gives Up

Dalai Lama gives up!

I was quite surprised a few days ago to read in a news report that the Dalai Lama “had given up” on trying to get China to agree to his plan to keep some autonomy for Tibetans.

Always in the past he has tried to work with the very rigid Chinese government—but the Chinese government has never done anything to change their policy or soften their brutal takeover of Tibet—but it seems even he has a limit—and that limit has been reached.

Tomasito, 2008

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Doomsday Vault

• 2/26/08 A “Doomsday Vault”—a storage facility buried deep in a frozen hillside in the island of Svalbard, Norway was opened today to receive the first portion of the millions of expected seeds to be placed in it for safekeeping in case of a global disaster which might destroy the seed crops of the world. This facility will rely on naturally frozen arctic conditions to preserve those seeds which can withstand lengthy freezing for possibly thousands of years. The government of Norway has built the facility at a cost of US$ nine million. The Doomsday Vault is called an “insurance policy” and a “modern Noah’s Ark”

This is no insurance policy.

WE are the insurance policy.

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Arthur Returns

I wrote this in my diary last May--now seemed a good time to blog it.

Arthur Recalled

A few days ago a half-bright British “convert to Islam” tried to blow himself and probably others up in Exeter, England.

He was only successful in damaging himself somewhat, but it did seem to be an odd thing to happen in Exeter.

Last night I had a dream. At the end of the dream and just before I woke up, I was with several unknown people sent to recall Arthur from a tomb very deep in the earth.

Arthur, it is said, sleeps until he is needed by the British people to return--so I suppose the suicide attack in Exeter was the last straw and that the time for Arthur to return has come. (At least in MY dream!)

Today is Monday 26 May, 2008—Memorial Day in the USA. TW

Tomasito, 2008

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Being Peace

Thich Nhat Hanh

There is a book I would like you to read and think about: Being Peace, by Thich Nhat Hanh.

This Zen Master writer from Viet Nam has a lot of suggestions--practical, simple things which anyone can practice to make life better for you and all of us.

Tomasito, 2008


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Conscious Evolution

Charles Darwin

Conscious Evolution: The Survival of the Wisest

Charles Darwin, the famous evolutionist, suggested that his theoretic concept, popularized as “the survival of the fittest”, was probably the most successful natural survival strategy for a species.

By “fittest”, Darwin implied that the strongest, healthiest, most intelligent and creative individuals of a species would be the ones to survive, breed and continue to exist for the requisite vast number of generations necessary for biological evolution to take place. Chance and good luck seemed also to play major roles in what Darwin suggested was nature’s method of evolution.

However, “The fittest”, in this classic sense, may not be enough now to ensure the continued survival of Homo sapiens as a species.

Lambert, etc., claims in the book “The Field Guide to Early Man” that for mankind, “extinction seems likelier than further evolution. Soaring human population depends on increasing food and energy production—and both of these processes encourage overexploitation of the planet’s resources. Overuse of soil brings erosion; fossil fuel depletion threatens energy supplies—which may worsen with climatic change. Overcrowded, underfed, under fueled, Homo sapiens might fizzle out in famine, war and pestilence. Homo sapiens is a dead end—without a future, as they presently exist. They must themselves control future evolution.” (My italics)

If Homo sapiens does not take charge of its own evolution immediately it may not survive as a species, and perhaps chance may now play a lesser role in our consciously directed evolutionary drama, though, as always, “good luck”, (sometimes called: “the Will of God”) will continue to be a major factor, and, of course, we must also create the planetary environment that favors our species’ survival.

Perhaps the survival of Homo sapiens will now depend on what may be called: “the survival of the wisest” rather than Darwin’s “fittest”, and this may depend more on conscious choices of survival strategies rather than the blind operations of biological selection.

And remember, “Only genetic changes favoring survival persist”.

The Homo sapiens advantage: upright skeleton, manipulative hands, three-dimensional color vision, and uniquely complex brain. (Huge surface area of the brain organ seems to be the factor that gives the brain increased intelligence, but why? – Perhaps as an extensive receiver for some unknown kind of transmissions–like a huge antenna field?)

Tomasito, 2008

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Plus Receive

"Plus Recieve" papier mache relief by Tomasito, 2008.

The idea behind this wall relief is that most of us, it seems, have far more than enough input to keep our minds totally occupied with information, entertainment and everything else--so we have little time for deeper thought or meditation.

This is obvious and not necessarily new--but the relief "came" anyway--so I pass it along--as an artist will.

Tomasito, 2008

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Foreign Wars

"How Dare They Make Men into Oatmeal" papier mache wall relief work by Tomasito, 2008.

Our home, planet earth, is so small now that there can be no more foreign wars.

Everything that happens, happens in our own back yard so to speak.

When we sell conventional weapons for example--we should not expect that they will NOT return to be be used on US as well as any perceived enemy because unfortunately for us, for many in this world we are the enemy.

We should certainly know by now that everything and everyone on this planet is connected. What we do to someone or even something else--we do to ourselves!

Tomasito, 2008


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High School Curriculum Change

A Recommendation for changing High School Education in California

My long experience teaching has convinced me that most of the youngsters in California secondary schools will profit very little from the last four or five years of their state mandated and financed education.

Most have little interest in traditional academic subjects and instinctively know that, for them, time spent in high school will be more like serving a prison sentence than in preparation for a brighter future. The great majority does not like, and in fact, actively despises school.

Instead of wasting years of time and millions of dollars in traditional high school education, youngsters could be separated at age fourteen, most to commence a short but intensive program of technical training which would prepare them for some work they could perform as juveniles and perhaps later as adults.

Only those students which show a definite aptitude and desire to study academic subjects should be tracked into small classes of hopefully enthusiastic, academically oriented scholars--instead of presenting more or less useless, watered-down "academic" subjects to overcrowded classrooms full of lethargic, unwilling teenagers

This will free good teachers of academic subjects to teach willing students rather than to oversee and discipline unruly masses and allow good teachers with technical skills to teach those who need them.

Secondary school education in its present form for most young men and women is not a golden gateway to opportunity but a portal to wasted time and frustration.

Tomasito, 2008

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ALBA High School

Mr. Samuel’s Monologue, 05/30/02

Mr. Samuel was a very big, very strong black man who was the director of ALBA HIGH when I taught there.

There had been a disruption in the school routine. Some student had stolen one of the teacher’s cameras and taken some porno shots with it so Mr. Samuel held a “lock down” for several hours in my classroom–which was the biggest classroom in the school and would comfortably hold all the students at one time.

He talked for a long time. First he told the story of one of his ex-students. Then he just talked using only key words and leaving out all the unnecessary verbiage.

His talk was sincere, terribly effective and like a poem to me.

Mr. Samuel:

“Chris was a good guy, a wrestler and football halfback.

He lost it. Started selling. Using.

Juvenile Hall–snapped!

(using policeman’s voice) “Looks like you killed your girlfriend and baby.”

Doing life, and the other young guy too.

Life?

Over.

Follow the rules–be respectful–play the game.

What counts most is how you act when Mom ain’t around–what counts is everyday behavior–we all make mistakes–what counts is bounce back–move forward.

I help you move forward–take pride in that–BIG TIME.

Staff–strengths and weaknesses–nobody perfect–try your hardest to do the right thing.

Every day. Every minute.

Cameras–watching everywhere. You’ll get caught. Everybody talks.

Choices. What you say and do–consequences!

Having fun–

Click! Click! Handcuffs!

Can happen to anybody anytime.

Your dad–your uncles: black, brown, white, Asian.

In the jail. No talking. Get in line. Get a ride to the hole.

Spray.

Sticks.

Boom!

Locked up.

Make bed. Tuck in sheets. Eat. Breakfast. Get in line.

Tuck your shirt in.

Get in Line. Go to work. Make your 25 cents an hour.

Lunch. Boom. Back to work. Phone call. “Hello, Mom. How you doing?”

10 o’clock. Lights out. Scared of your cellmate ‘cause they might jump on you.

Count time. Six times a day. Big–small–pretty–ugly.

If you can’t make it here at ALBA you’ll be in jail.

Treated like animals in prison.

Quiet, nice here. Do class work.

Whatever happens here gets around real fast.

Word’s out. Big time. Camera stolen. Photos of body parts.

Self control. Common sense says “NO”.

Juvenile Hall.

Jail.

ATTITUDE makes it ghetto!

You don’t have this–don’t have that–MAKE IT WORK!

Why is La Jolla different from ALBA?

Not because they full of white folks and money–because they have a better Attitude.

Monkey in a suit doing tricks still a monkey!

You affect somebody else every day.

(policeman’s voice) “Just a black girl! Just a Mexican! Told ya–that’s what they ALWAYS do!”

Best think you can do is the right thing.

Black skin. Brown skin, White skin.

Do the RIGHT thing!

Once you in Juvenile Hall, you’re an animal.

Sad.

Bottom line–you treated like an animal.

Last hug. You gotta go.

You can be here doing right or on your way!

Word gets out real fast about what’s happening–good and bad stuff included!

It gets out.

Hard core–used up on the streets.

Smells like yesterday and looks sad.

You’re valuable–if you weren’t you wouldn’t be here.

Some countries, you mess up, you’re out.

They beat you.

While you’re still free, be the best you can be!

Take the trash out!

Do the dishes without being told!”

Tomasito, 2008

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