Hanh Takoszja! We received an order dated May 12, 2012 after the mail had gone out. That being a Saturday & there being no mail movement on Sunday, we shipped - with Delivery Confirmation - by USPS First Class Pkg service on May 14, 2012. It was scanned in as delivered on May 16, 2012 - light speed!, from ND to FL! And it wasn't even snowbird season. !QQ!
We heard nothing until July 23, 2012 when the buyer emailed us, "where's my stuff?" We emailed back immediately that we were horrified, the pkg was delivered according to the tracking data, and since it was in his local PO area, he would have to contact his PO to find out where it was delivered. We asked him to keep us posted.
We heard nothing until August 27, 2012 when he again asked "where's my stuff?" We emailed immediately asking what his PO said. No response. But a couple of days later, if I recall right, we had an A-Z Guarantee claim from him! Amazon ignored our response & refunded his money, taking everything we had in our account & leaving a -$90++ balance. They refunded shipping to him, which we do not charge, taking his refund to $197++!
We told our Postmaster & he reminded me that back in July he said, "Turn it in to the Postal Inspectors Fraud Division. This smacks of fraud." This is why we all hate "I told you..." So we turned it in 'now'.
There's information we're not including here about the buyer, but there is definitely fraud & we have ample proof of that. The Postmaster, the Carrier Supervisor in FL, & the Postal Inspector all chuckle at Amazon's stance, which is: (1) 'it is Amazon's policy to never take the Sellers word for anything'; and (2) it is Amazon's policy not to take the USPS' word for having delivered, either! Recently, Amazon added that "if you had gotten signature confirmation" we would refund your money.
My reply was, "Idiot - your village misses you. Go report in there. Since you don't take the Sellers word OR the USPS word for delivery, then you would claim a signature was forged. This is a tails you win, heads we lose proposition & we're not suckering for it."
Takoszja, the USPS is a federal agency. Or quasi-agency. No matter. It gets its funding from Congress & that makes it "some kind of federal agency". Therefore, all of its employees are automatically taken by the courts to be unimpeachable sources of truth. Besides, the carrier scanned the package as delivered. Electronically whizzed to the USPS computers somewhere - so, better than a signature.
We are blogging this 'everywhere'. We have spent our lives fighting abuse & taking abusers down. Amazon is a bully; it is bullying & slandering the Sellers who make money for it. NO ONE 'HAS' TO TOLERATE - LET ALONE ENABLE - ABUSE OF THEMSELVES!
Please pass the word! Boycott Amazon & tell them why. & If you want to buy from us, look for Indian Maid Don Croft Zapper on the Internet & you will find us on Addoway, Bonanza, ebay, & ecrater, to name a few. NO BULLYING ALLOWED!
My ancestors are some of those who gave Custer what he so richly deserved. Amazon is putting itself in the same leaky canoe. Take Amazon down! Pilamiyaye / Thank you!
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Friday, August 12, 2011
WE STILL NEED USPS
From a strictly economic standpoint, it appears to make sense to eliminate the USPS - BUT from a practical one, it makes no sense at all.
Contrary to popular myth, there are millions more than 'a few' people who depend on the USPS - for their living (I do; the micro-corporations I head do (1 a for-profit; 1 a non-profit which is supported by.... the for-profit). People in cities depend on the USPS for packages & for bills (not everyone 'loves' online bill-pay - which is less secure than physical mail, generally speaking; & which can be extremely expensive because of the need for secure Internet service).
People in rural areas find it vital - dish networks are not universally affordable or available, again contrary to popular myth - & we again have the security concerns relative to the Internet. Unlike city people, rural mail is something we depend on daily - for packages; for bills; for communication. Contrary to popular myth again, people do still write letters; use catalogs; and have working relationships with their postal carriers. I & friends all have driveways that are miles long - the mailbox "is out at the road" - 4 - 5 miles is not uncommon.
We who have PO boxes have them for good reason. People move; boxes do not. Those of us who have a need to keep distance between us & stalkers definitely need PO Boxes. Having been in the 'wonderful' position of walking out my door into the barrel of a loaded gun 3 times, I can guarantee you I will never put my physical address anywhere, any more. No, the stalker is not some former 'lover'. I stumbled across a network of crooked cops & I turned them in. My attorney advised that I 'would be guaranteed anonymity for life'. The IA cops 'guaranteed' the same thing. I should have listened to myself - 'guaranteed anonymity for life' lasted exactly 36 hours; at which time I answered the phone at the Church I head & heard, "This is Detective T K; & I'm going to kill you, you bitch".
We discussed it - I recorded the conversation; copied the tape; took it to the DA - & found that the Detective was accurate - "Unless or until he puts you in the hospital with a serious injury, state law does not allow us to act". He did not ever succeed in hospitalizing me, but he sure raised hob with my peace of mind for some years.. have you ever had to dive out of the way of a car that's trying to run you down? I have. Have you ever watched the front end of said car deform around your feet as you stood at the top of a set of cement steps? I have. And there are those 3 incidents with the gun. I am unique in that I dated military men who taught me hand-to-hand combat tactics & made sure I became skilled. My problem has not been how to defend myself; it has been how to do it without killing some slime who really needs to be dead, because said slime are not worth jail time waiting for trial, or standing in front of a judge over.
I am hardly the only person this has happened to - it's why there's a federal witness protection program. It's why many men & women live on "elevated alert" - because of stalkers. Yes, women stalk, too. Insanity affects both sexes.
And then there's - our government owes us this service. Contrary to popular myth, our government is still "of us People, by us People, & for us People". And you cannot put a price on the need of all of us for equalization in some areas - which means, we keep the USPS.
Does it need reorganizatio? Yes. It needs far fewer 'managers' than it has. The Postal Service has always been top-heavy in this regard. It probably needs some reorganization in every area of it. But no matter what, we need to get rid of the myth that the private sector can solve all problems in a cost-effective manner. Having been in business nearly all of my life, I know this for fact. We need to keep the USPS. Mitakuye oiasin - All, my relatives.
Contrary to popular myth, there are millions more than 'a few' people who depend on the USPS - for their living (I do; the micro-corporations I head do (1 a for-profit; 1 a non-profit which is supported by.... the for-profit). People in cities depend on the USPS for packages & for bills (not everyone 'loves' online bill-pay - which is less secure than physical mail, generally speaking; & which can be extremely expensive because of the need for secure Internet service).
People in rural areas find it vital - dish networks are not universally affordable or available, again contrary to popular myth - & we again have the security concerns relative to the Internet. Unlike city people, rural mail is something we depend on daily - for packages; for bills; for communication. Contrary to popular myth again, people do still write letters; use catalogs; and have working relationships with their postal carriers. I & friends all have driveways that are miles long - the mailbox "is out at the road" - 4 - 5 miles is not uncommon.
We who have PO boxes have them for good reason. People move; boxes do not. Those of us who have a need to keep distance between us & stalkers definitely need PO Boxes. Having been in the 'wonderful' position of walking out my door into the barrel of a loaded gun 3 times, I can guarantee you I will never put my physical address anywhere, any more. No, the stalker is not some former 'lover'. I stumbled across a network of crooked cops & I turned them in. My attorney advised that I 'would be guaranteed anonymity for life'. The IA cops 'guaranteed' the same thing. I should have listened to myself - 'guaranteed anonymity for life' lasted exactly 36 hours; at which time I answered the phone at the Church I head & heard, "This is Detective T K; & I'm going to kill you, you bitch".
We discussed it - I recorded the conversation; copied the tape; took it to the DA - & found that the Detective was accurate - "Unless or until he puts you in the hospital with a serious injury, state law does not allow us to act". He did not ever succeed in hospitalizing me, but he sure raised hob with my peace of mind for some years.. have you ever had to dive out of the way of a car that's trying to run you down? I have. Have you ever watched the front end of said car deform around your feet as you stood at the top of a set of cement steps? I have. And there are those 3 incidents with the gun. I am unique in that I dated military men who taught me hand-to-hand combat tactics & made sure I became skilled. My problem has not been how to defend myself; it has been how to do it without killing some slime who really needs to be dead, because said slime are not worth jail time waiting for trial, or standing in front of a judge over.
I am hardly the only person this has happened to - it's why there's a federal witness protection program. It's why many men & women live on "elevated alert" - because of stalkers. Yes, women stalk, too. Insanity affects both sexes.
And then there's - our government owes us this service. Contrary to popular myth, our government is still "of us People, by us People, & for us People". And you cannot put a price on the need of all of us for equalization in some areas - which means, we keep the USPS.
Does it need reorganizatio? Yes. It needs far fewer 'managers' than it has. The Postal Service has always been top-heavy in this regard. It probably needs some reorganization in every area of it. But no matter what, we need to get rid of the myth that the private sector can solve all problems in a cost-effective manner. Having been in business nearly all of my life, I know this for fact. We need to keep the USPS. Mitakuye oiasin - All, my relatives.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Sanitizing Mascot Language
Hanh mitakuyapi / Hello my relatives. We're currently battling once again over mascotting in North Dakota, where the House Majority Leader has introduced a bill to - in it's words - "force the University of North Dakota to retain the 'fighting sioux' nickname and logo'. Among other actions. Now that the word 'mascot' has come to be known for its toxicity, bigots and other ignorant people have gone to the old 'divide and conquer' strategy to try to muck up the view of 'what's really going on here' by using the phrase 'nickname and logo'. Sounds much better than 'mascot', doesn't it? But it's the same song on a different day, in reality.
I always hope that people in positions such as Majority Leader will behave in more dignified ways than to promote mascotting, but once again, I am much disappointed.
Still, after fighting through the House, where the Chair of the ND House Education Committee was obviously biased in favor of this stupid bill, and where it passed by something like 65 - 28, we have gotten a "Do Not Pass" recommendation from the Senate Education Committee. Now our prayer is that the full Senate will concur when it votes on this bill tomorrow.
I plan to be there to hear the floor debate and see what kind of ludicrous arguments may be made for spending at least $1 million - not to find a more suitable mascot for the UND & take it out of the dark ages HB1263 would shove it further into - but to try to bring a lawsuit to 'force' the UND to retain living people & our living cultures as pets &/or cartoons - the definition of 'mascot' in the OED. A repeat of a lawsuit which was dismissed by the ND Supreme Court 'with prejudice', we have been told; and which the ND Attorney General says is UnConstitutional!
I never fail to be amazed by the depths to which bigots will stoop to try to retain the status quo. We got the Civil Rights Act passed in what, the 1970s? for blacks.. and it was later extended to cover women and Hispanics, without much question. Yet for us IndigenUs People of this Turtle Island, there continues to be effort on effort made to treat us as mindless and valueless - except when it comes to making money from our images. Dis-gust-ing!
I proposed several respectful alternatives to HB1263, including hoghouse the bill (scrap the original wording) & replace it with: with the blessing of the involved tribes, put the beautiful artwork on the state's website & letterheads - the state is named for my People, after all; and on the 'Pride of Dakota' labels that go on thousands of products shipped through that program - retaining the words "Pride of Dakota" of course; and put the beautiful artwork on license plates. This last suggestion came from a friend who is a German-from-Russia, & everyone I've asked about it has liked this idea as well as the previous 2. Said "it's logical!" "it's common sense!"
Which probably means it won't go anywhere, in part because it came from me. Isn't it odd that a woman described by the current governor as being "nothing! nobody! She has no money, no votes, no power!" can have such impact? Duwahleh! Mongye.
Well, let's pray on that tomorrow's vote kills HB1263 once and for all, and the state of North Dakota can hold its collective head up high for this nod to human dignity - instead of continuing as it currently is & has been for far too long. Mitakuye oiasin.
I always hope that people in positions such as Majority Leader will behave in more dignified ways than to promote mascotting, but once again, I am much disappointed.
Still, after fighting through the House, where the Chair of the ND House Education Committee was obviously biased in favor of this stupid bill, and where it passed by something like 65 - 28, we have gotten a "Do Not Pass" recommendation from the Senate Education Committee. Now our prayer is that the full Senate will concur when it votes on this bill tomorrow.
I plan to be there to hear the floor debate and see what kind of ludicrous arguments may be made for spending at least $1 million - not to find a more suitable mascot for the UND & take it out of the dark ages HB1263 would shove it further into - but to try to bring a lawsuit to 'force' the UND to retain living people & our living cultures as pets &/or cartoons - the definition of 'mascot' in the OED. A repeat of a lawsuit which was dismissed by the ND Supreme Court 'with prejudice', we have been told; and which the ND Attorney General says is UnConstitutional!
I never fail to be amazed by the depths to which bigots will stoop to try to retain the status quo. We got the Civil Rights Act passed in what, the 1970s? for blacks.. and it was later extended to cover women and Hispanics, without much question. Yet for us IndigenUs People of this Turtle Island, there continues to be effort on effort made to treat us as mindless and valueless - except when it comes to making money from our images. Dis-gust-ing!
I proposed several respectful alternatives to HB1263, including hoghouse the bill (scrap the original wording) & replace it with: with the blessing of the involved tribes, put the beautiful artwork on the state's website & letterheads - the state is named for my People, after all; and on the 'Pride of Dakota' labels that go on thousands of products shipped through that program - retaining the words "Pride of Dakota" of course; and put the beautiful artwork on license plates. This last suggestion came from a friend who is a German-from-Russia, & everyone I've asked about it has liked this idea as well as the previous 2. Said "it's logical!" "it's common sense!"
Which probably means it won't go anywhere, in part because it came from me. Isn't it odd that a woman described by the current governor as being "nothing! nobody! She has no money, no votes, no power!" can have such impact? Duwahleh! Mongye.
Well, let's pray on that tomorrow's vote kills HB1263 once and for all, and the state of North Dakota can hold its collective head up high for this nod to human dignity - instead of continuing as it currently is & has been for far too long. Mitakuye oiasin.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Boycott Discovery Channel & Tell Them
You are adamantly against their nutty idea to have a show featuring that all-time overwhelmingly disgusting bimbo, Sarah Palin. She is anti-environmental on every level - trees, oil, polar bears, caribou; doesn't know the meaning of the word "respect" or the term "show respect"; has made some of the most demeaning remarks about grassroots people of every race ("joe sixpack" & such YUCK!); and is about as anti-IndigenUs as is to be found.
In the way of my People, she would be called a "nothing woman". The majority culture being what it is, however, few members of it will stand up & say "pipe down!"
If you who read this blog feel similarly, then by all means, email Discovery Channel or complain via their website. The time is now! Tell them you will not watch Discovery Channel at all, nor will you let your children/grandchildren watch. There is no excuse for featuring someone as disgusting & offensive as Sarah-the-bimbo. Tell them you've had enough. Mitakuye oiasin.
In the way of my People, she would be called a "nothing woman". The majority culture being what it is, however, few members of it will stand up & say "pipe down!"
If you who read this blog feel similarly, then by all means, email Discovery Channel or complain via their website. The time is now! Tell them you will not watch Discovery Channel at all, nor will you let your children/grandchildren watch. There is no excuse for featuring someone as disgusting & offensive as Sarah-the-bimbo. Tell them you've had enough. Mitakuye oiasin.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Kick A Hole in the Wind & Jump Through
Hanh mitakuyapi. Sometimes you just have to kick a hole in the wind & jump through if you're going to achieve a goal. I've been living in dire soul-grinding poverty for a number of years, despite a huge number of skills at a very high level, plenty of tenacity & determination, flexibility, & creativity - so say my many friends, not merely me. Admittedly, I say it too - if you diss yourself, you burden yourself, so while I poke fun at myself & my sense of humor runs to satire & irony (& puns! let us have puns!), I don't have a poor self-image.
I come from a blue-collar background, but I've been in business since I was 5. That's right, takoszja - 5 years walking on the earth. I got expelled from kindergarten for showing too much initiative for an Indn kid. I had a business, & did a land-office business for awhile.. as a scribe.
I could read & write when I was 3-1/2 years on the earth, so I put together a booklet with 6 different hand-writing styles in it, went to the other kids in my kindergarten class, & pointed out that while anyone could have the teacher sign their pictures, it was way cool to have another little kid do it.. And that for a mere 10 cents a week each, I would sign all the pictures each one wanted, changing hand-writing styles if s/he wanted.
At the tender age of 5, I was making $2.60 a week! I was a millionaire! Well, I was going to be..
Then the kindergarten teacher found out about my business & she insisted that I (a) stop & (b) apologize to the rest of the class( ! ) Knowing in my heart of hearts that I had done nothing wrong, I refused. She expelled me. The first of many times, you can be sure. Eventually, by the time I graduated high school, I had been expelled so many times for such "excessively creative" activities, my shoes pretty much knew the way home without me in them. Tch, tch!
My birther thought it was kind of amusing. My foster father did not. He told me he appreciated my initiative & creativity, but that I was going to have to apologize 'because that's how things are done". This after teaching me that that is about the poorest reason on earth for continuing any practice. Boy, did he get a wrong number! I refused. We discussed. He insisted. I refused. We went round n round this way for several days.
Finally, he told me that if I didn't apologize, he was going to tan my behind with his belt. I told him this was child abuse. He agreed ( ! ). He started removing his belt & I told him I was going to tell the world.. he replied that no one would do anything; that's how much freedom had to discipline their children. I replied that belting a kid's backside was not discipline, it was outrageous & abuse. He argued outrageous, but agreed with abuse & finished it with, "so what?!?"
Being quick, I thought, "but you didn't tell me what to say & I'll bet you won't ask", so I said, "I would be doing it under coercion". I spoke that way, even then, takoszja.. He responded, "I don't care if you do it under an umbrella, just so you do it." So the next morning, he & I & the birther went to the school so I could apologize to the class.
The adults stood along the west side of the room - kindergarten teacher, principal, birther, & foster father - all with their arms crossed over their chests & looking stern. (As iff stern looks would cow one like me. HAH!) My classmates sat in front of them, glaring at me.
I looked them over & said, "200 years ago, everyone was like you. They could not read or write, so they took things to people who could. Such people were well-respected & well-paid; they were called 'scribes'. Ben Franklin spoke highly of them. Today, busy executives use them & call them 'secretaries'. Until the adults convinced you that I had done something wrong, you thought that having me sign your pictures was pretty nifty. You were right. So I'm sorry you let the adults pull the wool over your eyes in this matter - but I'm not sorry for anything I did, because I didn't do anything wrong."
Then I looked at the adults, whose expressions ranged from hidden amusement to stunned, crossed my arms over my chest, & said, "and that's as good as it gets." The foster father bit off a smile & said, "I should have asked what you were going to say." I replied, "Yeah, but you didn't. You said apologize, & I have. Subject was never mentioned, nor were specific words or perspective." He bit off another grin & said, "Kid, you're going to be a lawyer." I replied, "Uh-uh! Lawyering's dirty! I'm going to be in business! business is fun!" And so it has been, the great majority of the time.
Now, after some scum sabotaged my Leather Restoration Service web site, terrorized my web master, & sabotaged my work room (after they battered down a door to get in), I have built a new site - for my custom handmade moose & buffalo leather mocassins. I have listed it on Google's business listings. And I have told you. You can see my work at www.Dogmocassins.DevHub.com . Eventually, there will be other parts of Indian Maid Products Inc's product line on sites there. We're baaaack.. Whee! I rattle my tongue for this.
I don't claim to be a webmaster. I used a template & filled in the blanks. I'm still learning things like SEO. But my shingle is back out & I'm back in business. Mitakuye oiasin. Thanks for listening.
I come from a blue-collar background, but I've been in business since I was 5. That's right, takoszja - 5 years walking on the earth. I got expelled from kindergarten for showing too much initiative for an Indn kid. I had a business, & did a land-office business for awhile.. as a scribe.
I could read & write when I was 3-1/2 years on the earth, so I put together a booklet with 6 different hand-writing styles in it, went to the other kids in my kindergarten class, & pointed out that while anyone could have the teacher sign their pictures, it was way cool to have another little kid do it.. And that for a mere 10 cents a week each, I would sign all the pictures each one wanted, changing hand-writing styles if s/he wanted.
At the tender age of 5, I was making $2.60 a week! I was a millionaire! Well, I was going to be..
Then the kindergarten teacher found out about my business & she insisted that I (a) stop & (b) apologize to the rest of the class( ! ) Knowing in my heart of hearts that I had done nothing wrong, I refused. She expelled me. The first of many times, you can be sure. Eventually, by the time I graduated high school, I had been expelled so many times for such "excessively creative" activities, my shoes pretty much knew the way home without me in them. Tch, tch!
My birther thought it was kind of amusing. My foster father did not. He told me he appreciated my initiative & creativity, but that I was going to have to apologize 'because that's how things are done". This after teaching me that that is about the poorest reason on earth for continuing any practice. Boy, did he get a wrong number! I refused. We discussed. He insisted. I refused. We went round n round this way for several days.
Finally, he told me that if I didn't apologize, he was going to tan my behind with his belt. I told him this was child abuse. He agreed ( ! ). He started removing his belt & I told him I was going to tell the world.. he replied that no one would do anything; that's how much freedom had to discipline their children. I replied that belting a kid's backside was not discipline, it was outrageous & abuse. He argued outrageous, but agreed with abuse & finished it with, "so what?!?"
Being quick, I thought, "but you didn't tell me what to say & I'll bet you won't ask", so I said, "I would be doing it under coercion". I spoke that way, even then, takoszja.. He responded, "I don't care if you do it under an umbrella, just so you do it." So the next morning, he & I & the birther went to the school so I could apologize to the class.
The adults stood along the west side of the room - kindergarten teacher, principal, birther, & foster father - all with their arms crossed over their chests & looking stern. (As iff stern looks would cow one like me. HAH!) My classmates sat in front of them, glaring at me.
I looked them over & said, "200 years ago, everyone was like you. They could not read or write, so they took things to people who could. Such people were well-respected & well-paid; they were called 'scribes'. Ben Franklin spoke highly of them. Today, busy executives use them & call them 'secretaries'. Until the adults convinced you that I had done something wrong, you thought that having me sign your pictures was pretty nifty. You were right. So I'm sorry you let the adults pull the wool over your eyes in this matter - but I'm not sorry for anything I did, because I didn't do anything wrong."
Then I looked at the adults, whose expressions ranged from hidden amusement to stunned, crossed my arms over my chest, & said, "and that's as good as it gets." The foster father bit off a smile & said, "I should have asked what you were going to say." I replied, "Yeah, but you didn't. You said apologize, & I have. Subject was never mentioned, nor were specific words or perspective." He bit off another grin & said, "Kid, you're going to be a lawyer." I replied, "Uh-uh! Lawyering's dirty! I'm going to be in business! business is fun!" And so it has been, the great majority of the time.
Now, after some scum sabotaged my Leather Restoration Service web site, terrorized my web master, & sabotaged my work room (after they battered down a door to get in), I have built a new site - for my custom handmade moose & buffalo leather mocassins. I have listed it on Google's business listings. And I have told you. You can see my work at www.Dogmocassins.DevHub.com . Eventually, there will be other parts of Indian Maid Products Inc's product line on sites there. We're baaaack.. Whee! I rattle my tongue for this.
I don't claim to be a webmaster. I used a template & filled in the blanks. I'm still learning things like SEO. But my shingle is back out & I'm back in business. Mitakuye oiasin. Thanks for listening.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Congrats to the Haitian Voodoo Association
Hanh mitakuyapi. Whether you know it by now or not, I absolutely hate, detest, & abhor 'missionaries'. They are responsible for more misery among Indigenous Peoples around the world than any other cultural aspect.
On NPR this morning, there was a piece about a dozen or so Baptist missionaries having been jailed in Haiti for trying to take a large number of children - age 2 - 12 - out of Haiti illegally. The missionaries claim they were "only" taking the children to a brand new orphanage their group had just had built in another country.
After all, it needs occupants, right? So how better to get them than by stealing children from Haitians, who are in need of 'help' of all kinds, they figured. And in the process, they would convert these children from their Native Spiritual Way (wonderfully Pagan) to Baptist Christianity.
The parents of many of these children have been found, & were in the process of collecting their children from whatever camps they were already in, when the missionaries swooped down on the scene & tried to make off with the children. Luckily, the people of the Haiti Voodo Association were on the watch for just this kind of outrageous behavior, and they stopped the missionaries.
I rattle my tongue for the HVA people! I send my strongest prayers to aid them. As a Sun Dancer with a most public Prayer, I am therefore a Pipe Carrier. I know full well, up close & personal, about the outrages committed by missionaries against Indigenous People of Turtle Island these past 500+ years. You haven't lived until you've been accosted by one of these low-lifes - with their superiority complex - & had the distinct non-pleasure of being told that you - a grandmother, college-educated, speaker of 9 languages, with a lifetime of accomplishments - are "misguided", 'misinformed', 'duped', & ' a devil-worshipper' or 'in league with devils'.
While I am a rabid supporter of the Constitution & Bill of Rights, I have no doubt whatsoever that this applies first & foremost to my & my Peoples' Right - not privilege - to worship as we please, without any interference, or efforts at interference - from anyone, any time, anywhere, in any way. That definitely includes Indigenous People the world over as well.
For anyone who has an axe to grind with Voodoo - I know almost nothing about it. It is not my place to attack a spiritual Way that has been seen as valid by thousands of people for years uncountable - and it is no one else's place to do so, either, particularly by stealing children on the pretext of helping them. We IndigenUs People of Turtle Island are still seeing the terrible effects of the soul-collection efforts of missionaries, from the Boarding School Days, to the entire Reservation Period (which is still going on), on & off our Rezs. It's up to us and our Traditional Spiritual leaders to stop these outrages against our Ways - especially via our children.
The single most intimate thing any of us ever does is commune & connect with our individual, personal vision of All That Is Holy; there fore, it is the single most important thing we ever do, either. I hope the Haitian government slaps the Baptists hard for this outrageous assault on their Traditional Spiritual Ways.
Mitakuye oiasin - All, my relatives.
On NPR this morning, there was a piece about a dozen or so Baptist missionaries having been jailed in Haiti for trying to take a large number of children - age 2 - 12 - out of Haiti illegally. The missionaries claim they were "only" taking the children to a brand new orphanage their group had just had built in another country.
After all, it needs occupants, right? So how better to get them than by stealing children from Haitians, who are in need of 'help' of all kinds, they figured. And in the process, they would convert these children from their Native Spiritual Way (wonderfully Pagan) to Baptist Christianity.
The parents of many of these children have been found, & were in the process of collecting their children from whatever camps they were already in, when the missionaries swooped down on the scene & tried to make off with the children. Luckily, the people of the Haiti Voodo Association were on the watch for just this kind of outrageous behavior, and they stopped the missionaries.
I rattle my tongue for the HVA people! I send my strongest prayers to aid them. As a Sun Dancer with a most public Prayer, I am therefore a Pipe Carrier. I know full well, up close & personal, about the outrages committed by missionaries against Indigenous People of Turtle Island these past 500+ years. You haven't lived until you've been accosted by one of these low-lifes - with their superiority complex - & had the distinct non-pleasure of being told that you - a grandmother, college-educated, speaker of 9 languages, with a lifetime of accomplishments - are "misguided", 'misinformed', 'duped', & ' a devil-worshipper' or 'in league with devils'.
While I am a rabid supporter of the Constitution & Bill of Rights, I have no doubt whatsoever that this applies first & foremost to my & my Peoples' Right - not privilege - to worship as we please, without any interference, or efforts at interference - from anyone, any time, anywhere, in any way. That definitely includes Indigenous People the world over as well.
For anyone who has an axe to grind with Voodoo - I know almost nothing about it. It is not my place to attack a spiritual Way that has been seen as valid by thousands of people for years uncountable - and it is no one else's place to do so, either, particularly by stealing children on the pretext of helping them. We IndigenUs People of Turtle Island are still seeing the terrible effects of the soul-collection efforts of missionaries, from the Boarding School Days, to the entire Reservation Period (which is still going on), on & off our Rezs. It's up to us and our Traditional Spiritual leaders to stop these outrages against our Ways - especially via our children.
The single most intimate thing any of us ever does is commune & connect with our individual, personal vision of All That Is Holy; there fore, it is the single most important thing we ever do, either. I hope the Haitian government slaps the Baptists hard for this outrageous assault on their Traditional Spiritual Ways.
Mitakuye oiasin - All, my relatives.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Magnets n Me
Hanh mitakuyapi / Hello my relatives.
Back in the early 1980s, I developed, marketed, & patented a product that relieved pain & muscle spasms using little "pressure pointers" & elastic straps to stimulate / relax acupressure points. It made a profit both years I marketed it.
I had way too many irons in the fire at the time & couldn't give it the time & attention it deserved, so I put it on the shelf "for a couple of years".
Recently, I was hounding the Spirits (ie, strong prayers) for something that I could put in the market that would support me & the church I head, since we have both been staring starvation & death thereby closely in the face. It must be: effective; cheap to make; easy to make, therefore fast to make; & have a strong market already bcs it takes lots of time to build a market demand, & don't have time to squander.
(I "lived" on $9,000 total income for 2008, & unless there's a miracle, so far in 2009, I've garnered a total of $8,370. No unemployment compensation, no welfare (gack! hiss! even the thought of it should go 'way! fast!!), & very little (obviously) in the way of jobs.)
Anyway, the Spirits popped the memory of my TheraPressure System into my consciousness!
It meets all of the requirements. Acupuncture / acupressure are systems with a 4,000+-year history of effectiveness. "Barefoot doctors" successfully treat all manner of conditions with them & have for thousands of years. The parts are inexpensive, & easy to make. And the U.S. pain market alone is something like $35 Billion / year. Duwahleh! Better yet, we now have The Internet & the World Wide Web for marketing, & sites like Amazon & eBay. My heart leapt as these realizations dawned.
That was in something like late July or early August of this year. Since then, I have participated in "webinars" on selling on sites like Amazon & eBay; made / bought the tools needed to make the parts, & kept praying. After all, if you don't speak up, you won't be heard.. the Spirits are no different in this regard than any other part of the world.
Then a couple of weeks ago, I was visiting with a friend on the Internet & she asked about the system, so of course I was delighted to tell her about it.
In the course of all of this, the Spirits blessed me with another Thought of Note - magnets work wonders on pain & other conditions, so I should update the System to include them. Which I did, so now we have the TheraPressure System, & the MagneTheraPressure System, & I'm within $250, at this writing, of getting them on the Internet. I prayed for "a suitable shear to cut the sheet metal needed for these Systems' clips", & found more than one on eBay.
When I couldn't participate in the auctions because they always seem to end when I can't get to a WiFi site or other Internet access, a friend said, "I can do it for you, & you can pay me back when we win one. How much do you want to pay?" I told him "As close to $100.00 as possible without going over, but use your best judgement. I'd hate to lose out for a measly couple of bucks." He got it for me for $102.10 including shipping! When I opened the box, I found a well-made piece of equipment, probably worth 2-3X what I paid. Heaven forbid it doesn't cut the metal for the clips used in my System, but "if" that should happen, I can sell it for what I have in it, easily.
Today, I went to a sheet-metal shop to see about something better for our needs than what I had been using, & the shop foreman gifted me with a piece big enough to build over a dozen kits.
Looks like a winner! OK - I blush a bit about the "couple of years" actually being more like 11 couples of years, but I counter it with, I've always been 15-20 years ahead of the curve, so I should now be about at the top of it. Way to go!
I'll keep you posted. I have no great objection to not eating 'whenever".. I do have a great objection to not being able to, for simple lack of money. That's just not the Indn Way.
Mitakuye oiasin. All (are) my relatives.
Solstice
Hanh mitakuyapi. It's that time of year again - Solstice, when the sun begins to shine longer. We say, "when the light returns". Temperature this morning at 5:30 was -15F where I was, but some people further north had -24F. Brrr! And to think we used to roll up in a buffalo robe & sleep near embers! And survived pretty well at it.
I told a friend in Louisiana about these temps, & she said, "It's impossible in the real world to have numbers less than zero, so obviously, those temperatures are not real!" I'm holding that thought..
Brightest n mostest blessings on you as The Light Returns! Mitakuye oiasin.
I told a friend in Louisiana about these temps, & she said, "It's impossible in the real world to have numbers less than zero, so obviously, those temperatures are not real!" I'm holding that thought..
Brightest n mostest blessings on you as The Light Returns! Mitakuye oiasin.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
I Limp; So What?!
Hanh mitakuyapi. Hello my relatives. Last year, my total income was $9,000.00 . You read that right - less than $10,000.00 for the whole blessed year. I 'lived' on that. No 'assistance'. No 'welfare'. Was it fun? Not really. Was it tough? Yes. But I have a rugged kind of perverse pride in being able to say "without assistance"/"without welfare". I'd much rather have read about it than done it, but just the same..
It did leave me with one very uncomfortable thing, though.. I couldn't afford new orthopedic inserts, & I can't walk without them. Thus, I spent this year - nearly the whole blessed year - on either crutches or a cane. And I limp.
I can't tell you how many people making $80,000 & more / year expressed "sincere sympathy" for my situation. And not one of them offered to pay for another set for me. How very sincere. In the Ndn Way, if you don't walk your talk, you compound the misery by shouldering a burden equal to the burden you could have relieved & refused to. Which says, you should not wonder why the world is in such a sorry state, the Mayan Codex Prediction notwithstanding.
Because of the crutches/cane/limp, this year my income may not even come to $9,000 for the whole blessed year. I no longer talk to those "sincerely concerned" people making $80,000 & more / year, needless to say. They don't avoid me; I haven't got time for lip-service-sorts like them.
They are the same people who are 'forever' carrying on about 'social responsibility' - until it steps into their yard or onto their front walk. Then, the silence - in the form of footfalls from them walking their talk - is deafening.
Some sage has observed that you're either part of the problem or part of the solution..
Not too long ago, I had a temp job & took some of the money & bought the materials to make my orthopedic inserts. I'm bright enough; I have the necessary skills even if I don't have the training; and now I make my own. I remarked on this to one of those "sincerely concerned" people. They said, "But what if you don't do it right! You could hurt your feet worse!" Can you beat that? No offer to get the "right" ones made; but "concern" that I might further injure my feet if I make a mistake. Go figure.
It did leave me with one very uncomfortable thing, though.. I couldn't afford new orthopedic inserts, & I can't walk without them. Thus, I spent this year - nearly the whole blessed year - on either crutches or a cane. And I limp.
I can't tell you how many people making $80,000 & more / year expressed "sincere sympathy" for my situation. And not one of them offered to pay for another set for me. How very sincere. In the Ndn Way, if you don't walk your talk, you compound the misery by shouldering a burden equal to the burden you could have relieved & refused to. Which says, you should not wonder why the world is in such a sorry state, the Mayan Codex Prediction notwithstanding.
Because of the crutches/cane/limp, this year my income may not even come to $9,000 for the whole blessed year. I no longer talk to those "sincerely concerned" people making $80,000 & more / year, needless to say. They don't avoid me; I haven't got time for lip-service-sorts like them.
They are the same people who are 'forever' carrying on about 'social responsibility' - until it steps into their yard or onto their front walk. Then, the silence - in the form of footfalls from them walking their talk - is deafening.
Some sage has observed that you're either part of the problem or part of the solution..
Not too long ago, I had a temp job & took some of the money & bought the materials to make my orthopedic inserts. I'm bright enough; I have the necessary skills even if I don't have the training; and now I make my own. I remarked on this to one of those "sincerely concerned" people. They said, "But what if you don't do it right! You could hurt your feet worse!" Can you beat that? No offer to get the "right" ones made; but "concern" that I might further injure my feet if I make a mistake. Go figure.
Friday, October 30, 2009
An Anti-Traditional Incident
Hanh mitakuyapi / Hello my relatives. I trust this finds you all well & happy, or getting there.
I just figured out now how to do this, or you'd have heard from me before. Not that that's a big deal, but it is 'so'.
Recently, I was cleaning in one of the local public schools, (n in Bismarck) as a temp or contract worker. Such work is way below my skills level, but it's suitably humble & it fills in blanks in the "bills paid" column of my life from time to time.
I nearly always wear a hat with 4 Channunpa on it, partly because it is my spirituality & I'm proud of it; partly because I Sun Dance, & am proud of that' & partly to remind people that not all of us have knuckled under to the whiteman's ways, but still follow our authentic Traditional Ways. That we Indns have no "acculturated" or "assimilated" & we are still here & so are our cultures. The Channunpa are central to our cultures up here on the Northern Plains, after all.
Someone in official-dumb asked me to remove my hat & not wear it, on the grounds that "it makes some people uncomfortable". Well, hooo-eeee, ain't that a sad thing; that reminders of the Holy Pipe make "some people uncomfortable". I asked who & was told I didn't need to know. ( ! )
My expectation is, it's some of the considerable over-supply we have around here of "born-agains" who call themselves part of the majority culture's supposed religious way. You know - the one where they're forever trying to stuff those 10 "commandments" they don't keep, down our throats.. Well, hey, takoszja, I'm a born-again, too! A born-again Pagan, through the Sun Dance, & way proud of it. It takes a lot of hard work & courage & determination to Sun Dance successfully. We earn our rightful pride about it.. the humble kind. But that does not mean we should hide it! Not hardly. All those who wander lost & in misery need to be reminded that some are keeping these Ways, & so be encouraged to do so, too.
Therefore, I refused, on the grounds of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the EEOA, and the Constitution & Bill of Rights - specifically the First Amendment, the sections about religious freedom & freedom of expression. This person complained to my supervisors at the temp agency, who actually asked if the hat & the Pipe & making this essentially silent statement are all that important!
Yes, they are. How many millions of us died for the Sun Dance & other Sacred Ceremonies, doing them in secret & getting hauled to prisons & mental institutions for it? It happened to me, in 1994. That's not particularly long a go. So - Yes, they most certainly are.
I complained to the School Board, the local Human Relations Commission, & the mayor about this. So far, everyone is ducking & trying not to address the "issue". Denying hard & hearty that there was - or is - any discrimination or bigotry involved.. One has even said, "You misunderstood.." HAH!
Considering that the Bismarck Public School system "prefers I not work in the schools" (& the temp agency is knuckling under to them on this), I most certainly have hit the nail squarely on the thumb.
I'm a grandmother, takoszja - I most surely do "understand". I did then, I do now, & I will into the future. I've walked the earth awhile, but I'm nowhere near senile. And they know it; which apparently scares them pea-green or they wouldn't make such an issue of it.
The truth being the most powerful weapon there is to deal with reigns of terror & general bigotry, and the Internet being such a terrific tool for spreading the truth about such things, I write it down here for you so you will know about it. Perhaps some of you will want to do something about it. After all, if you don't speak up, you can't be heard!
Mitakuye oiasin. All, my relatives.
I just figured out now how to do this, or you'd have heard from me before. Not that that's a big deal, but it is 'so'.
Recently, I was cleaning in one of the local public schools, (n in Bismarck) as a temp or contract worker. Such work is way below my skills level, but it's suitably humble & it fills in blanks in the "bills paid" column of my life from time to time.
I nearly always wear a hat with 4 Channunpa on it, partly because it is my spirituality & I'm proud of it; partly because I Sun Dance, & am proud of that' & partly to remind people that not all of us have knuckled under to the whiteman's ways, but still follow our authentic Traditional Ways. That we Indns have no "acculturated" or "assimilated" & we are still here & so are our cultures. The Channunpa are central to our cultures up here on the Northern Plains, after all.
Someone in official-dumb asked me to remove my hat & not wear it, on the grounds that "it makes some people uncomfortable". Well, hooo-eeee, ain't that a sad thing; that reminders of the Holy Pipe make "some people uncomfortable". I asked who & was told I didn't need to know. ( ! )
My expectation is, it's some of the considerable over-supply we have around here of "born-agains" who call themselves part of the majority culture's supposed religious way. You know - the one where they're forever trying to stuff those 10 "commandments" they don't keep, down our throats.. Well, hey, takoszja, I'm a born-again, too! A born-again Pagan, through the Sun Dance, & way proud of it. It takes a lot of hard work & courage & determination to Sun Dance successfully. We earn our rightful pride about it.. the humble kind. But that does not mean we should hide it! Not hardly. All those who wander lost & in misery need to be reminded that some are keeping these Ways, & so be encouraged to do so, too.
Therefore, I refused, on the grounds of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the EEOA, and the Constitution & Bill of Rights - specifically the First Amendment, the sections about religious freedom & freedom of expression. This person complained to my supervisors at the temp agency, who actually asked if the hat & the Pipe & making this essentially silent statement are all that important!
Yes, they are. How many millions of us died for the Sun Dance & other Sacred Ceremonies, doing them in secret & getting hauled to prisons & mental institutions for it? It happened to me, in 1994. That's not particularly long a go. So - Yes, they most certainly are.
I complained to the School Board, the local Human Relations Commission, & the mayor about this. So far, everyone is ducking & trying not to address the "issue". Denying hard & hearty that there was - or is - any discrimination or bigotry involved.. One has even said, "You misunderstood.." HAH!
Considering that the Bismarck Public School system "prefers I not work in the schools" (& the temp agency is knuckling under to them on this), I most certainly have hit the nail squarely on the thumb.
I'm a grandmother, takoszja - I most surely do "understand". I did then, I do now, & I will into the future. I've walked the earth awhile, but I'm nowhere near senile. And they know it; which apparently scares them pea-green or they wouldn't make such an issue of it.
The truth being the most powerful weapon there is to deal with reigns of terror & general bigotry, and the Internet being such a terrific tool for spreading the truth about such things, I write it down here for you so you will know about it. Perhaps some of you will want to do something about it. After all, if you don't speak up, you can't be heard!
Mitakuye oiasin. All, my relatives.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Why We Beat Our Heads on Walls
Hanh mitakuyapi / hello my relatives.
I've made so many job applications since March 7 I finally started listing "job applicant" as my current job. I've heard the dumbest collection of excuses for not hiring me, & I get no unemployment & I don't want welfare! Excuses include: you know too much; you have too much experience; you were in business, we can't hire you; you have a limp.
Lessee - the Army advertises "be all you can be". Hm. Must be just a slogan, not real encouragement.. After over 30 years of work, I should have lots of experience! I do - at a high level, too. I've never been a slacker. I wanted to retire & just work a job, but apparently it's not an option, although I can't figure out how to get back in business, since I am currently down to less than $50 total money.. & temp services aren't doing anything either. As for the limp - who's hiring gymnasts these days, anyway? (Not to mention, it's illegal to focus on the limp.. but this is ND - land of bigotry of every kind & accompanying denial lockstep..)
You know why we bang our heads on walls? Because it feels so0o good when we quit! That's my rant for the day.. Thanks for listening.
Your thoughts are still welcome. Anyone interested in beautiful custom handmade moose or buffalo leather mocassins, let me know.
I've made so many job applications since March 7 I finally started listing "job applicant" as my current job. I've heard the dumbest collection of excuses for not hiring me, & I get no unemployment & I don't want welfare! Excuses include: you know too much; you have too much experience; you were in business, we can't hire you; you have a limp.
Lessee - the Army advertises "be all you can be". Hm. Must be just a slogan, not real encouragement.. After over 30 years of work, I should have lots of experience! I do - at a high level, too. I've never been a slacker. I wanted to retire & just work a job, but apparently it's not an option, although I can't figure out how to get back in business, since I am currently down to less than $50 total money.. & temp services aren't doing anything either. As for the limp - who's hiring gymnasts these days, anyway? (Not to mention, it's illegal to focus on the limp.. but this is ND - land of bigotry of every kind & accompanying denial lockstep..)
You know why we bang our heads on walls? Because it feels so0o good when we quit! That's my rant for the day.. Thanks for listening.
Your thoughts are still welcome. Anyone interested in beautiful custom handmade moose or buffalo leather mocassins, let me know.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
No Global Warming in ND This Year
Hanh mitauyapi / Hello my relatives. It's October 20 & the temperatures are once again 15 - 20 degrees F below average for this time of year. And it's wet. We need some warm n sunny & dry-er!
An elderly noted the other day that this year we only had 2 months with no snow somewhere in ND! June 5, Dickinson had over 2 inches of snow - that's 90 miles west of my camp.. and then that area got skunked again October 6th with about 5 inches! Duwahleh! Not fun!
In between, "summer" was mostly more like spring or early fall for temps; & when I read the corn leaves this year, it said last winter was not the only ugly winter in the current time - this one would be cold & wet again.
Friends of mine got their Bi-D (bi-directional tractor - a huge 8-tired 4WD monster) stuck a couple of times last winter, striving to keep their in-drive open! NO FUN!
I'm a fair-weather Indn & no apology! Besides, I have a raft of scars & they don't like this weather either. For those who don't know - scars try to contract from the time they first form until you go to the spirit world, & like many other things, wet weather makes them try harder. OUCH!
Someone from official-dumb said on the news recently that the economy isn't all that bad up here. Mitakuyapi - he lied. Or he's got a lot more mazaska / PteDhoWakan/money than sense, because this Indn has skinned by - more like bumped & dragged by - on maybe $7500 for the whole year to date. It has not been fun; it has been hairy & scary even for one who - like all 'eagle' people - lives dancing on the edge of the abyss. Worse, I'm hardly alone. News says ND leads the nation in # of families where both adults hold 2 or more jobs. : 8 0 !! Since that's more like 'the norm' up here than not, & it's nothing to be proud of, this Indn sez things are economically, spiritually, & emotionally rugged up here -- again. Or maybe that's "still".
If you're into praying, thank you for including me & all the others in this leaky canoe. "W" & his goons put us here, & now socialists seem determined to sink us. I keep hunting for that "happy medium", & I can't find it's scat or footprints, let alone evidence of its existence..
Thanks for the towel. Mitakuye oiasin / All, my relatives.
An elderly noted the other day that this year we only had 2 months with no snow somewhere in ND! June 5, Dickinson had over 2 inches of snow - that's 90 miles west of my camp.. and then that area got skunked again October 6th with about 5 inches! Duwahleh! Not fun!
In between, "summer" was mostly more like spring or early fall for temps; & when I read the corn leaves this year, it said last winter was not the only ugly winter in the current time - this one would be cold & wet again.
Friends of mine got their Bi-D (bi-directional tractor - a huge 8-tired 4WD monster) stuck a couple of times last winter, striving to keep their in-drive open! NO FUN!
I'm a fair-weather Indn & no apology! Besides, I have a raft of scars & they don't like this weather either. For those who don't know - scars try to contract from the time they first form until you go to the spirit world, & like many other things, wet weather makes them try harder. OUCH!
Someone from official-dumb said on the news recently that the economy isn't all that bad up here. Mitakuyapi - he lied. Or he's got a lot more mazaska / PteDhoWakan/money than sense, because this Indn has skinned by - more like bumped & dragged by - on maybe $7500 for the whole year to date. It has not been fun; it has been hairy & scary even for one who - like all 'eagle' people - lives dancing on the edge of the abyss. Worse, I'm hardly alone. News says ND leads the nation in # of families where both adults hold 2 or more jobs. : 8 0 !! Since that's more like 'the norm' up here than not, & it's nothing to be proud of, this Indn sez things are economically, spiritually, & emotionally rugged up here -- again. Or maybe that's "still".
If you're into praying, thank you for including me & all the others in this leaky canoe. "W" & his goons put us here, & now socialists seem determined to sink us. I keep hunting for that "happy medium", & I can't find it's scat or footprints, let alone evidence of its existence..
Thanks for the towel. Mitakuye oiasin / All, my relatives.
Monday, October 12, 2009
My Favorite Holiday Approaches
Hanh mitakuyapi / hello my relatives. I am no fan of cold & even less of cold &/or snow &/or ice. But fall is when Hallowe'en comes, & it is my favorite holiday.
Pumpkin ghouls, wild carvings, and dressing up as "something Other".. fun stuff. But then, I am one of those women who speaks with the spirits, so in our Indn Way, I guess I should enjoy this holiday.
Last year, I carved a Hubbard squash into a buffalo & made horns from cow horn caps - lit it all with LED lights. Oooh! I carved holes so the light could go up into the horn caps & they glowed at night. Yeah!
I carved another squash into a dragon's head. Very cool, yes? I think so..
And I carved a cannibal pumpkin eating a smaller pumpkin. (Big grin).
I set them on chairs out by the road.. and attracted some of The Lunatic Fringe. The best/worst was the woman who zoomed in off the road screaming that we "worship devils" & the carvings prove it.
Duwahleh! This is supposed to be the Age of Enlightenment, but apparently it hasn't registered on everyone yet; particularly the "jesus freaks".
I don't generally say "born agains" because as a Sun Dancer, I am a born-again, too. Just very, very Pagan.
Hallowe'en isn't an Indn event - it's one of the few good things imported from Europe. But it's definitely the most fun.
Pumpkin ghouls, wild carvings, and dressing up as "something Other".. fun stuff. But then, I am one of those women who speaks with the spirits, so in our Indn Way, I guess I should enjoy this holiday.
Last year, I carved a Hubbard squash into a buffalo & made horns from cow horn caps - lit it all with LED lights. Oooh! I carved holes so the light could go up into the horn caps & they glowed at night. Yeah!
I carved another squash into a dragon's head. Very cool, yes? I think so..
And I carved a cannibal pumpkin eating a smaller pumpkin. (Big grin).
I set them on chairs out by the road.. and attracted some of The Lunatic Fringe. The best/worst was the woman who zoomed in off the road screaming that we "worship devils" & the carvings prove it.
Duwahleh! This is supposed to be the Age of Enlightenment, but apparently it hasn't registered on everyone yet; particularly the "jesus freaks".
I don't generally say "born agains" because as a Sun Dancer, I am a born-again, too. Just very, very Pagan.
Hallowe'en isn't an Indn event - it's one of the few good things imported from Europe. But it's definitely the most fun.
Cretinous Columbus Nothin' to Celebrate
Hanh mitakuyapi / Hello my relatives.
Today is October 12 & there's nothing to celebrate or commemorate about it in this Turtle Island insofar as Cretinous Columbus goes - yet on Prairie Public radio & in the Morton-Mandan Public Library, there are references to this as a day to commemorate this slime.
Let's get this straight - this cretinous creep lopped off Indn men's hands for not bringing him "enough" gold - just what is "enough" gold, anyway? - and he made sex slaves of Indn men, women, & children. Certainly there is nothing to celebrate or commemorate in either instance. We don't commemorate Hitler or Mengele.. and Indns' holocaust is still going on!
As for "discovering" this land - he didn't do that,either. We Indns were here for something like 60,000 years before any Europeans made landfall here, claims by "scientists" (who can definitely be bigoted, as we all know from reading history) to the contrary. Trust me - we were well aware of where we were - and where our neighbors were, too, along with whether or not they were friendly or enemy.
Dakota Territory is some of the most racist part of "America" yet South Dakota was the first of the 50 states to make a Native American Day, sometime in the 1990s. And in 2001 or so, North Dakota followed suit, with First Nations Day - to be celebrated the second weekend in October.
For those of you who might want to correct me with the term "Native Americans" - I'm not one of those, either, & neither are the rest of us, because this is not "America". That's a term tagged on this land by a self-promoting Italian mapmaker, Amerigo Vespucci, who wanted to immortalize himself.
This is Turtle Island, & we are properly (as a group, anyway) Indigenous Turtle Islanders or ITI for short.
We're supposed to be in the Age of Enlightenment, yet these stupid backward "commemorations" continue, & when someone (usually me) raises a stink about it, the yeowls of denial are nearlydeafening. Pitiful! As if denial made any difference. HAH!
It's long past Time to get rid of "commemorations" of monsters - other than Halloween. But then, that - in part - is what Halloween is for. The rest of the year isn't. Mitakuyapi oiasin / All, my relatives.
Today is October 12 & there's nothing to celebrate or commemorate about it in this Turtle Island insofar as Cretinous Columbus goes - yet on Prairie Public radio & in the Morton-Mandan Public Library, there are references to this as a day to commemorate this slime.
Let's get this straight - this cretinous creep lopped off Indn men's hands for not bringing him "enough" gold - just what is "enough" gold, anyway? - and he made sex slaves of Indn men, women, & children. Certainly there is nothing to celebrate or commemorate in either instance. We don't commemorate Hitler or Mengele.. and Indns' holocaust is still going on!
As for "discovering" this land - he didn't do that,either. We Indns were here for something like 60,000 years before any Europeans made landfall here, claims by "scientists" (who can definitely be bigoted, as we all know from reading history) to the contrary. Trust me - we were well aware of where we were - and where our neighbors were, too, along with whether or not they were friendly or enemy.
Dakota Territory is some of the most racist part of "America" yet South Dakota was the first of the 50 states to make a Native American Day, sometime in the 1990s. And in 2001 or so, North Dakota followed suit, with First Nations Day - to be celebrated the second weekend in October.
For those of you who might want to correct me with the term "Native Americans" - I'm not one of those, either, & neither are the rest of us, because this is not "America". That's a term tagged on this land by a self-promoting Italian mapmaker, Amerigo Vespucci, who wanted to immortalize himself.
This is Turtle Island, & we are properly (as a group, anyway) Indigenous Turtle Islanders or ITI for short.
We're supposed to be in the Age of Enlightenment, yet these stupid backward "commemorations" continue, & when someone (usually me) raises a stink about it, the yeowls of denial are nearlydeafening. Pitiful! As if denial made any difference. HAH!
It's long past Time to get rid of "commemorations" of monsters - other than Halloween. But then, that - in part - is what Halloween is for. The rest of the year isn't. Mitakuyapi oiasin / All, my relatives.
Friday, October 2, 2009
ND Higher Ed Board Lies Again
In this morning's headlines is a story that the ND Higher Ed Board has again extended their "deadline" for getting rid of the "Fighting Sioux" logo. These people have given so many excuses as to their reasons for repeatedly extending the "deadline", we can no longer count them.
Recently someone asked me why I am so adamantly against this logo. (1) We are not the "Sioux"; we are the D/L/Nakota. Not the "treacherous, untrustworthy people" - that's the ND Board of Higher Education. We are "the Allies". (2) The Oxford Standard Dictionary of the English Language - the dictionary used everywhere in the English-speaking world to define words at the highest level - gives "pet" & "caricature" as the 2 lead definitions of "mascot". Living people are neither. The Vikings are dead; we are not. Neither are our cultures. Make pets & caricatures of dead cultures if you will, but not of ours, which are still living. (3) We Indns get no benefits from this mascot. We get no payments. We get no classes or anything having the logo on it free of charge. Nothing. But the U of ND gets millions of dollars. While we Indns are forced onto welfare or ultra-low-wage jobs. (4) Many of us are against this entire situation. We never gave our permission to be logo-ed. And just because someone else did it 40-50 years ago, when the vast majority of Indns lived in fear of their lives, let alone jobs or such, if they did not accept the proposal to become 'mascots', especially means it is unacceptable now.
So - get rid of the logo now, & stop meddling in our cultures again! Hechetu chto!
Recently someone asked me why I am so adamantly against this logo. (1) We are not the "Sioux"; we are the D/L/Nakota. Not the "treacherous, untrustworthy people" - that's the ND Board of Higher Education. We are "the Allies". (2) The Oxford Standard Dictionary of the English Language - the dictionary used everywhere in the English-speaking world to define words at the highest level - gives "pet" & "caricature" as the 2 lead definitions of "mascot". Living people are neither. The Vikings are dead; we are not. Neither are our cultures. Make pets & caricatures of dead cultures if you will, but not of ours, which are still living. (3) We Indns get no benefits from this mascot. We get no payments. We get no classes or anything having the logo on it free of charge. Nothing. But the U of ND gets millions of dollars. While we Indns are forced onto welfare or ultra-low-wage jobs. (4) Many of us are against this entire situation. We never gave our permission to be logo-ed. And just because someone else did it 40-50 years ago, when the vast majority of Indns lived in fear of their lives, let alone jobs or such, if they did not accept the proposal to become 'mascots', especially means it is unacceptable now.
So - get rid of the logo now, & stop meddling in our cultures again! Hechetu chto!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Hire EXPERIENCE!
Hanh mitakuyapi. Since March 7, 2009, I've been applying for jobs. As many as 6in one day ( ! ). I recently began listing mycurrent occupation as "job applicant" as a result. Why? Because of short-sighted & just plain stupid perspectives among the hirers. Among them: I'm over 40. or 50. or 21. It doesn't matter how long you hung around the fort; what matters is what you've done! Having walked the earth as long as I have, I should have acquired a wealth of experience. This therefore should be a plus to a prospective employer, not a minus.
Talk about head-in-posterior-defolade "thinking" of the part of hirers! Or, there's the nonsense that "young people need jobs more than older people". Why?!? We are not disposable as of a certain age, but it certainly explains the myths about "death panels" in the press of late... And aren't these boneheads who are carrying on about "the youth" & "their needs" also the ones who decry a woman's Right to privacy in the matter of her reproductive organs? Lessee here - they want to commit statutory rape on women, but they also want us older ones - the ones with the wisdom & experience they really need - to live on air or disappear or.... Does not compute.
My resume could easily fill 7 - 8 pages; & no, of course I don't list all myexperience &/or expertise. I call it a "pick-&-choose" resume. And even so, it's "so0o impressive" the hirers say they can't decide what to focus on.
CRAP! They lie.
It's just like the menu in a restaurant. You don't go in & buy everything on the menu; you pick one or 2 things & pay for them. Hiring someone like me is identical to that.
The upside to this appears to be, after much prayer & meditation, I am to resurrect an old product of mine & put it back in the marketplace & see what comes of it. I made money with it the first time; perhaps it willsupport me now. With luck, in a style far better than what I currently have, so I can do more to help fulfill my SunDance vow's focus.
And when I need to hire help, you can be sure I'll hire old fogies, not "youth". We need to eat & such, too.
Talk about head-in-posterior-defolade "thinking" of the part of hirers! Or, there's the nonsense that "young people need jobs more than older people". Why?!? We are not disposable as of a certain age, but it certainly explains the myths about "death panels" in the press of late... And aren't these boneheads who are carrying on about "the youth" & "their needs" also the ones who decry a woman's Right to privacy in the matter of her reproductive organs? Lessee here - they want to commit statutory rape on women, but they also want us older ones - the ones with the wisdom & experience they really need - to live on air or disappear or.... Does not compute.
My resume could easily fill 7 - 8 pages; & no, of course I don't list all myexperience &/or expertise. I call it a "pick-&-choose" resume. And even so, it's "so0o impressive" the hirers say they can't decide what to focus on.
CRAP! They lie.
It's just like the menu in a restaurant. You don't go in & buy everything on the menu; you pick one or 2 things & pay for them. Hiring someone like me is identical to that.
The upside to this appears to be, after much prayer & meditation, I am to resurrect an old product of mine & put it back in the marketplace & see what comes of it. I made money with it the first time; perhaps it willsupport me now. With luck, in a style far better than what I currently have, so I can do more to help fulfill my SunDance vow's focus.
And when I need to hire help, you can be sure I'll hire old fogies, not "youth". We need to eat & such, too.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Why Long Time No Speak (Or Write)
Hanh mitakuyapi / Hello my relatives. It has been a long time since my last post..
First, there was fighting winter, and this last one was a real old-fashioned one. Snow & more snow - came within 1.5" of the record for a winter. Everyone is just now beginning to recover from the exhaustion, & some of us may never. It was like a marathon, but there were no rests possible.
One friend told me, he didn't think he could ever be more tired than he is since last winter. Ain't that the truth! He has fallen asleep while driving his tractor! That's tired.
And then when it finally thawed, it all went in a short time, so we had Floods. Not "floods", "Floods". I had up to 46" of water out back; & an average of about 2.5 ft. out front, flowing at about 40 mph. I didn't lose a lot; I was blessed. But I & the neighbors I share a driveway with lost a chunk of the west in-drive that was on average 26" deep X 55 ft X 120-some ft...
We were all going nuts trying to dig out of the mess, but I got by the best in many ways. Because the stubborn rock-head Indn grandma refused to wait until or if the Emergency Mgmt people would ever do their jobs by us, she & a friend hauled 700 sandbags & used them to fill in the driveway enough that no one would become a permanent resident if they pulled in.. This with a 28-year-old Rolling Restoration Project & on a leg that doesn't work right.. At least 28,000 lbs. of sand. Anyone uses the word "lazy" with "Indn" within my earshot is in for an earfull..
And then, for me, there was getting laid off March 7; being told a-gain by Unemployment Compensation that I 'don't qualify' for UEC; & having had to skin thru on the sales of custom-made mocassins & the very occasional temp job. I sure would like to thank all those stinking washichu who loused up the economy with their rampant greed & deregulation.. I'd like to thank them with my war club. Or a skillet, applied with vigor.. take your pick.
There's a line in a book I just read - a great book! - "No Birds Sing" by Jo Bannister, an Irish author.... the line is, "Cal Donovan has a mind as flexible as a ferret in a drainpipe". That's flexible, takoszja... I must have such a mind; I can't imagine what else is keeping me alive, other than prayer & some over-worked spirit out there slaving to keep me fed & my expenses covered.
I have some gorgeous bronze irisses in the front, & every year for the past 7 years, I've hoped they'd bloom & got nothing. But this year, after they were under water for a couple of days - water flowing at 40 mph, remember - & got a load of clay silt dumped on them, they bloomed! It was worth the wait! If I can find out how to post the pictures I took, I will, but otherwise, picture bronze and lemon yellow irisses, the blooms as big as softballs. Wow! I thought I had them watered enough, but obviously not.
Mostly, scratching like a cat on a shale slope for a living has kept me from posting. Thanks for your patience, and thanks for reading! And if anyone out there wants gloves for your feet, you know how to contact me.. I'll be so0o glad to help you out.
Enjoy..
First, there was fighting winter, and this last one was a real old-fashioned one. Snow & more snow - came within 1.5" of the record for a winter. Everyone is just now beginning to recover from the exhaustion, & some of us may never. It was like a marathon, but there were no rests possible.
One friend told me, he didn't think he could ever be more tired than he is since last winter. Ain't that the truth! He has fallen asleep while driving his tractor! That's tired.
And then when it finally thawed, it all went in a short time, so we had Floods. Not "floods", "Floods". I had up to 46" of water out back; & an average of about 2.5 ft. out front, flowing at about 40 mph. I didn't lose a lot; I was blessed. But I & the neighbors I share a driveway with lost a chunk of the west in-drive that was on average 26" deep X 55 ft X 120-some ft...
We were all going nuts trying to dig out of the mess, but I got by the best in many ways. Because the stubborn rock-head Indn grandma refused to wait until or if the Emergency Mgmt people would ever do their jobs by us, she & a friend hauled 700 sandbags & used them to fill in the driveway enough that no one would become a permanent resident if they pulled in.. This with a 28-year-old Rolling Restoration Project & on a leg that doesn't work right.. At least 28,000 lbs. of sand. Anyone uses the word "lazy" with "Indn" within my earshot is in for an earfull..
And then, for me, there was getting laid off March 7; being told a-gain by Unemployment Compensation that I 'don't qualify' for UEC; & having had to skin thru on the sales of custom-made mocassins & the very occasional temp job. I sure would like to thank all those stinking washichu who loused up the economy with their rampant greed & deregulation.. I'd like to thank them with my war club. Or a skillet, applied with vigor.. take your pick.
There's a line in a book I just read - a great book! - "No Birds Sing" by Jo Bannister, an Irish author.... the line is, "Cal Donovan has a mind as flexible as a ferret in a drainpipe". That's flexible, takoszja... I must have such a mind; I can't imagine what else is keeping me alive, other than prayer & some over-worked spirit out there slaving to keep me fed & my expenses covered.
I have some gorgeous bronze irisses in the front, & every year for the past 7 years, I've hoped they'd bloom & got nothing. But this year, after they were under water for a couple of days - water flowing at 40 mph, remember - & got a load of clay silt dumped on them, they bloomed! It was worth the wait! If I can find out how to post the pictures I took, I will, but otherwise, picture bronze and lemon yellow irisses, the blooms as big as softballs. Wow! I thought I had them watered enough, but obviously not.
Mostly, scratching like a cat on a shale slope for a living has kept me from posting. Thanks for your patience, and thanks for reading! And if anyone out there wants gloves for your feet, you know how to contact me.. I'll be so0o glad to help you out.
Enjoy..
Monday, January 19, 2009
January 20 2009 - End of an "Error" in US History
Hanh mitakutyapi. Hello my relatives.
I don't know if I'll be able to get to a computer w Internet to post tomorrow or not, so this goes in the site today.
On January 20, 2009, we will see the end of an "era" - spell that "error", in U.S. history. We will no longer be living under a bush (Bush) in "America". For which I fervently Thank Tunkashila.
The first black person or known mixed blood person in U.S. history will be sworn into the office of the Presidency of this nation. 233 years after the 'nation' was formed, if I calculate right.. I can only say, "better late than never".
Like ITI everywhere, I am cautiously hopeful that Mr. Obama will continue to prove out - that the hope & optimism he has engendered throughout his campaign will be fulfilled. That under his leadership & driving ethics, much of the corruption & ethical laziness we have seen as "business as usual" while we were all forced to "live under a Bush" will be driven out of the offices of the 'leaders' of business & government - or at least, whipped into submission & corralled in a corner.
In our Traditional Ways, we women rattle our tongues to en-courage & to show support & to promote good hearts. So in this vein, I will rattle my tongue for this incoming Administration & these concepts, & urge all of you who read this to join in. Mitakuye oiasin - All, my relations.
I don't know if I'll be able to get to a computer w Internet to post tomorrow or not, so this goes in the site today.
On January 20, 2009, we will see the end of an "era" - spell that "error", in U.S. history. We will no longer be living under a bush (Bush) in "America". For which I fervently Thank Tunkashila.
The first black person or known mixed blood person in U.S. history will be sworn into the office of the Presidency of this nation. 233 years after the 'nation' was formed, if I calculate right.. I can only say, "better late than never".
Like ITI everywhere, I am cautiously hopeful that Mr. Obama will continue to prove out - that the hope & optimism he has engendered throughout his campaign will be fulfilled. That under his leadership & driving ethics, much of the corruption & ethical laziness we have seen as "business as usual" while we were all forced to "live under a Bush" will be driven out of the offices of the 'leaders' of business & government - or at least, whipped into submission & corralled in a corner.
In our Traditional Ways, we women rattle our tongues to en-courage & to show support & to promote good hearts. So in this vein, I will rattle my tongue for this incoming Administration & these concepts, & urge all of you who read this to join in. Mitakuye oiasin - All, my relations.
Civil Rights Workers Day
Hanh mitakuyapil Hello my realtives. Today should properly be called "Civil Rights Workers Day", for all of the civil rights workers who died to get to the Civil Rights Act, not just one man.
You should know that after the Civil Rights Act was passed, representatives of our Indigenous Nations went to the leaders of the black people & said, "We helped you get this Act. Now it's time for you to help ensure that our Rights are covered, too." They refused us - on the same grounds that whites have since Europeans first came here. The black "leaders" said, "You have no money, so you have no power. Get your Rights insured to you, yourselves."
That's strike 2 as far as we're concerned.. Strike one in black - ITI relations was after the War Between the States. Before that war, we ITI helped blacks escape slavery via the underground railroad. We took blacks into our homes, married & had children with them, taught them our ways & our secret places, gave them pride, respect & dignity. How did they thank us?
After the war, the U.S. government bullied them, saying, "If you don't help us find & exterminate Indians, we'll take your citizenship & freedom away & make you slaves again." So the blacks turned us over. Those were mainly the Buffalo Soldiers - we named them that because they curly hair reminded us of the buffalo's hair, & they were in the bluecoat army.
Martin Luther King Jr. was by no means the only person who "made a difference" in the battle for civil rights for everyone who lives under the U.S. Constitution. And I believe he would not have been at all comfortable with having a federal holiday in his name, for the same reason I believe it's wrong to call this holiday after him.
So while there's tons of fuss & furor being made over "Martin Luther King Jr" day, we should all be focussing instead on the many others who died to get the Civil Rights Act passed, and enforced. That battle continues for us Indns. Hechetu ye.
You should know that after the Civil Rights Act was passed, representatives of our Indigenous Nations went to the leaders of the black people & said, "We helped you get this Act. Now it's time for you to help ensure that our Rights are covered, too." They refused us - on the same grounds that whites have since Europeans first came here. The black "leaders" said, "You have no money, so you have no power. Get your Rights insured to you, yourselves."
That's strike 2 as far as we're concerned.. Strike one in black - ITI relations was after the War Between the States. Before that war, we ITI helped blacks escape slavery via the underground railroad. We took blacks into our homes, married & had children with them, taught them our ways & our secret places, gave them pride, respect & dignity. How did they thank us?
After the war, the U.S. government bullied them, saying, "If you don't help us find & exterminate Indians, we'll take your citizenship & freedom away & make you slaves again." So the blacks turned us over. Those were mainly the Buffalo Soldiers - we named them that because they curly hair reminded us of the buffalo's hair, & they were in the bluecoat army.
Martin Luther King Jr. was by no means the only person who "made a difference" in the battle for civil rights for everyone who lives under the U.S. Constitution. And I believe he would not have been at all comfortable with having a federal holiday in his name, for the same reason I believe it's wrong to call this holiday after him.
So while there's tons of fuss & furor being made over "Martin Luther King Jr" day, we should all be focussing instead on the many others who died to get the Civil Rights Act passed, and enforced. That battle continues for us Indns. Hechetu ye.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
I Felt a Paradigm Shift
Hanh mitakuyapi. Hello my relatives. We have the first mixed-blood, dark-skinned President in the long history of the "united" states. I often wonder what the states are united about - other than bigotry & denial of same. But not this time. We, the People, have spoken and we have made ourselves heard.
Before someone hollers, "you were for Barack Obama all the time!", I'll point out that Barack Obama was not my first choice for Presidential nominee. Joe Biden was. Since Joe Biden is the Vice President, I'm a happy camper. He has input of concepts I like and support. Obama seeks input from others than himself - he is the 'new style' boss I've been for over 20 years.
So why didn't I like him from the start? I can't entirely say, except for one thing. In virtually every picture I've seen of him, he's looking somewhere other than at the camera, even if his face is facing the camera. This bothers me - in a non-Indn. It's a very Indn Thing to do, especially for us Traditionals. Logical? Not particularly. But that's how it is.
The other thing is that over the years I've come to expect to actively dislike whoever was asking for my vote & my support - & while I don't get all warm n fuzzy over Barack Obama, I don't dislike him, either. I just have a strong "wait-&-see" feeling. I've learned to listen to my gut reactions; they are never wrong. Never.
Just the same, actions speak louder than words, and looking at Barack Obama's record, his actions speak well of & for him.
It feels somehow odd not to feel as if we have to wait for a pickup-load of other shoes to drop, like we have with W & company. I want to get used to it. I'm willing to give it time.
Meantime, I'm working on a sign to put on the pickup. It reads, "January 20, 2008 - End of an Error". Unless there's a better one comes to me in the meantime..
No matter - for now, I'm rattling my tongue for this victory of, by, and for Us, the People. And thanking Tunkashila heartily for it. Mitakuye oiasin.
Before someone hollers, "you were for Barack Obama all the time!", I'll point out that Barack Obama was not my first choice for Presidential nominee. Joe Biden was. Since Joe Biden is the Vice President, I'm a happy camper. He has input of concepts I like and support. Obama seeks input from others than himself - he is the 'new style' boss I've been for over 20 years.
So why didn't I like him from the start? I can't entirely say, except for one thing. In virtually every picture I've seen of him, he's looking somewhere other than at the camera, even if his face is facing the camera. This bothers me - in a non-Indn. It's a very Indn Thing to do, especially for us Traditionals. Logical? Not particularly. But that's how it is.
The other thing is that over the years I've come to expect to actively dislike whoever was asking for my vote & my support - & while I don't get all warm n fuzzy over Barack Obama, I don't dislike him, either. I just have a strong "wait-&-see" feeling. I've learned to listen to my gut reactions; they are never wrong. Never.
Just the same, actions speak louder than words, and looking at Barack Obama's record, his actions speak well of & for him.
It feels somehow odd not to feel as if we have to wait for a pickup-load of other shoes to drop, like we have with W & company. I want to get used to it. I'm willing to give it time.
Meantime, I'm working on a sign to put on the pickup. It reads, "January 20, 2008 - End of an Error". Unless there's a better one comes to me in the meantime..
No matter - for now, I'm rattling my tongue for this victory of, by, and for Us, the People. And thanking Tunkashila heartily for it. Mitakuye oiasin.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)