“We’re spreading democracy, are we? Same way European explorers brought Christianity to the Indians.” - Kurt Vonnegut

With just a couple of days remaining until the flip of the calendar, I salute 2008 with a flip of my middle fingers and a tip of my hat.

Nothing personal to all that has transpired, transcended, and transformed in the form of economic meltdowns, neurotic energy prices, little to no action on alternative energies at a feasible price, or even the ever constant threat of nuclear war between this country or that one. No, 2008 in West Texas is finishing about like it started - dryer than a popcorn fart.

Over much of our farmland, we’ve received no more than 11-12 inches for the year. This follows a record rainfall year in 2007 that brought over 40 inches! Livin’ in West Texas is a lot like dancin’ with a bipolar schitzophrenic woman with a peg leg and a glass eye - a tad neurotic to say the least.

It appears the status on the farm front these days is…nervously hesitant. Nobody knows what the hell to expect. I mean, everything is in such peril, how can you put any stock in anything with confidence?

2009 Predictions
Personally, I feel like after 2009 we will never look at life the same again. Look for many more radical transformations in society…

1. Our current economic system will continue to crumble.

2. I believe religion will undergo a major soul-lift and spirit tuck.

3. And, most importantly, we will begin to look at money in a whole new light, which will include it no longer being the primary hub of society.

4. The barter system will make a huge comeback.

5. More massive job layoffs.

6. More retail stores close their doors.

7. Successful regions in the world will put the unity back in community.

8. More wars and rumors of even more wars.

9. Oil prices will rocket back.

10. Urban life will become unbearable in many areas.

11. Migration to small communities will make much more sense.

12. More banks and even GM will most likely go under.
I could go on and on, but prediction don’t really matter at this point. It is only about action and reaction. How will we, as Americans, continue to dodge the shit rolling downhill? How much more tolerance is left in our being? Will this be the year of revolution? Or is this the time of awakening that will form harmony? I suppose it will be some of both. Yet, I’m certain it will be much more of the former before the latter.

What we, as farmers, can take pride and satisfaction in is the fact we can survive through most hardships. When you boil it all down, melting away the mask of money, the question is can you feed and clothe your family? Do you have access to clean water? Most of us do. That is of course, if you still know how to take care of a garden, harvest rainwater, slaughter livestock, hunt wild animals, and heal with herbs. I hope many of you never lost those abilities. If you did, now is the time to get back in touch with them.

“We still talk in terms of conquest. We still haven’t become mature enough to think of ourselves as only a tiny part of a vast and incredible universe. Man’s attitude toward nature is today critically important simply because we have now acquired a fateful power to alter and destroy nature. But man is a part of nature and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself … Now I truly believe that we in this generation must come to terms with nature, and I think we’re challenged as mankind as never been challenged before to prove our maturity and our mastery, not of nature, but of ourselves.”

– Rachel Carson, April 1963

A special shout-out to Mrs. Braveheart in South Africa!
Thanks for responding to my blog on www.sonofafarmer.com and letting your voice be heard. Just when I think nobody is listening or caring, I get a holler back all the way around the other side of the globe in South Africa. I guess everything is as crazy there as here, if not more. (On a lighter note, I worked with several people from South Africa in Vail, Colorado, in the mountains. I loved them all.) I am engaged to a wonderful woman, but I am flattered by your interest.
I’m afraid not many farmers here are prepared for this shit storm. Began meeting a few from my generation, and we are forming a tighter-knit group to help brace the fall some. There aren’t many farmers left in America under 60. The average age is 65! Crazy. What is it in South Africa? We concluded at our first meeting there were not enough farmers anymore to band together, creating a stir like the Agriculture Movement in the late 1970s, but if farmers all around the globe unite then we shall overcome more of our obstacles.

What really disturbs me about farming in West Texas is I’ve noticed there exists such a competitive nature between most farmers that I think we look at each other more as competition than neighbors or fellow farmers. Some will lose life-long friendships simply to rent more land to farm. Farmers belittle changes they see others making that is innovative or new to the area, scoffing at innovation or creative ideas, while they refuse to change in a healthy manner.

Fact is if we cannot unite now in this area, in this state, in this country, and around the world, our chances of survival greatly diminish. Even if this is our Little Bighorn, let us go down punching, kicking, and screaming. Let us not go gentle or quiet. Let us not get picked off one by one. If we are all together, the stand will endure more.

Let us come together.

Let us think and plan together.

Let us stand up together.

Let us scream as One Voice.

If that headline won’t grab you by the short and curlies, I don’t know what will.

Some might argue the American Farmer has been on life support ever since the American Agriculture Movement died in the late 1970s, soon after it began. Some will say the plug was pulled when President Truman did away with Parity Pricing. Still some might argue the American Farmer was shot and left for dead with the creation of the Federal Reserve in 1913 in a near-empty congress session just before Christmas. Yet, here it is 2008 and we are still here. Not very fuckin’ many (a little over a million), but we’re still here. And not very young (average age of 65) but we’re pissed and determined to make it through yet another Depression, through yet another financial rape of the American people, yet another transfer of wealth from poor and middle to the rich bitches of this nation under who? Oh yeah, it was supposed to have been God. How has that worked out so far?

Here is my plea to what few farmers are left - Prepare for the worst these next 2-5 years. Hopefully, commodities will slingshot back (along with oil prices) before next fall. If not, most of us are screwed. Make no mistake about it, this sudden decrease in the price of oil is temporary. Don’t let them fool you. Maybe it’ll last till spring. Maybe summer of 2009. But don’t count on it. Continue to prepare yourselves. Continue to be as independent as possible. Depend less on companies you’ve never met. Depend less on fools in Washington D.C. who’ve never met you. Believe in nothing but yourselves, your family, and your neighbors. Stand together through these turbulent times. Stay strong. May the younger generations step up to the plate and swing for the fence. We’ve been left with very little and what is there is not promising, but if we continue to work together and unite today and believe in one another, we can create a better tomorrow. Doing nothing will save us nothing. Complaining and bitching achieve nothing. Only hard work and perseverence will get us through these next few years.

Let us get smaller with our farms if we must. Let us spend less on over-priced modern machinery. Let us rotate our crops, restoring our soil. Let us rely less on herbicides and pesticides and more on healthy, natural alternatives in fertilizers and idealogy. Let us solve these vital issues and not create more obstacles with short-term solutions to long-term catastrophes. Let us relight that campfire once more and squiggey the 3rd Eye. If we wait any longer, it will be much too late.

Staying up late last night to watch the election results, for the first time following a presidential election, I am proud to be an American.

Perhaps I’m naive to get misty-eyed because I’ve witnessed the majority of my fellow countrymen finally realize the absurdities we’ve endured with our government and corporateers is enough. We were able, for the most part, to check the ridiculous idea of racism at the door and pick the better man for the job. Is Obama our savior? No. But, a large part of me believes he is the leader we need at this time in this country. Sure I’ve had my moments of doubts about his experience, his political ties, etc., but in the end we must’ve felt like he is the right President at the right time.
No more of the same. At least we elected a man who admits we have numerous problems and is willing to build bridges to solve them instead of burning down entire cities and countries to avoid the smoke at home. At least we elected a man who recognizes All people, not just all rich people. At least we elected a man who wants to protect Mother Nature instead of destroy Her.
If even the most devoted Republicans think today we are honestly a weaker nation because Barack Obama is our new President, then I have to tell you, “You don’t fuckin’ get it.” But at least enough liberators did. Nothing can be worse than what we’ve had these past eight years. Nothing.

Perhaps cynics believe Obama is merely a “munchurian candidate” or not a U.S. citizen or some radical Muslim disguised as a benevolent community organizer waiting to destroy America. I just have to say, “Change your diaper, return to the kiddie table, and don’t come back until you’re able to chew solid foods. Then we’ll talk like grown ups.” Too many episodes of  Dick Cheney and George Bush  have melted your adulthood.
This whole Republican vs. Democrat, Red State vs. Blue State, Conservative vs. Liberal - it’s all bullshit.  If perception is reality then we need a new perception. Because NOW MORE THAN EVER we must unite as a country, as a species, as freakin’ grown adults and help rebuild this country. Lets check our egos and fears at the door. Cause there is a lot of broken shit that needs a fixin. One man can’t do it. And you know what? Who cares if this guy doesn’t look like other presidents? Who cares if he doesn’t act or talk like them either? I mean, isn’t that a good thing?

If any of these political aspirators are to escort us through this incredibly difficult transition we must endure these next few years, I truly do believe it is this man we, as a country, just elected. Thank you, my fellow liberators. Thank you.

As we fall farther and farther into this cataclysmic darkness in the economic world, let’s just hope we find that fat cat with the opium pipe once we land. Never fear, Alice. All is well. The stock market bounced back. All is well. Wanna bet this bounce takes a heavy turn south soon after the elections. Wanna bet gas prices go right back to where they were soon after the elections? Isn’t this game getting old?

Some cool history on banking and the Federal Reserve and how all this nonsense got started way back in the day. Zeitgeist presents it in a historical documentary we never saw in the classroom.  Meanwhile, where is that damn cat at?

Such blatant bullshit these days. For years, there was fear 99% of baby boomers wouldn’t receive their social security because of excessive numbers versus available funds. Pee-shaw! Why would our government steal that when their rich buddies could make much more and rob your whole freakin’ retirement right out from underneath you.

Make no mistake about it, my fellow liberators, this was planned by the Elite. Don’t believe it? Then click here and read someone who is much more in tune with this and has been warning us about it for seven years. Michael Ruppert, author of Crossing The Rubicon, tells it like it is. He’s a former CIA agent and official “ball breaker” of the PowersThatBe in this country. Paulson and the rest of Goldman Sachs whores have hijacked the largest train in the history of mankind, and they rub everyone’s noses in it with their smug laws and peon legislations long after they’ve made their money, stolen from We The People, then forced legislation to make us pay them back for their talents.

There is no bucket big enough to bail out the water on a ship that has already sunk. The only question I have is, Got Revolution?

About 18 months ago, when I first heard of the honey bee population being decimated not only nationwide but worldwide, my first reaction was, “Uh-oh, this is going to be directly related to agriculture’s pesticides.”

Unfortunately, I’m afraid my gut instinct was right. German scientists found a pesticide produced by Bayer Crop Science (yes, the same Bayer that is pharmaceuticals) killed 67% of the honeybees in Germany this past year during the seeding process of local corn crops. The entire article is placed below for your reading.

Be my guest to google it, because I guaran-damn-tee ya’ you won’t hear about it on the 6 and 10 o’clock news, because guess who is buying all that glorious television advertising? People who sell little pills. (Bayer and others.) People who sell chemicals. (Monsanto and DuPont) Then those who sell beer and cars and oil.

When are we going to wake up in agriculture? “Aw, who needs honeybees, anyhow?” one ignorant fool might ask. I will answer by sayin’, “All of us!!!!!!” Honeybees (along with other pollen-totin’ insects account for close to 70 percent of pollination of crops, flowers, trees, etc. Basically without these beneficial insects, we don’t eat!!!!! Is that clear enough to understand?  Yet, we’ve adopted a very governmental way of dealing with our enemy - Kill them all at all costs!! How very military of us.

I believe Pink Floyd said it best when they sang, “All in all, it’s just another brick in the wall.”

Well, for those of us who haven’t crapped our pants or cried ourselves to sleep the last few nights due to the recent “adjustments” on Wall Street, let me be the first to welcome you into the next phase of life beyond the wall. Yes it’s dark and yes it’s cold, but if you were prepared for such an event, neither will trouble you too much.
This economic train wreck was a wakeup call for us all.

As we common folk try to adjust our brains to multiple trios of zeros left of the decimal point, let us truly ponder the significance of trillions and quadrillions, shall we..? Okay, maybe not. But that is a lot of freakin’ cash to bail out anyone, much less the highest of falootin’ bankers, insurance agents, and real estate agents.

Funny how health insurance, education, agriculture, and alternative energies get no respect, but the minute some of the “elite” start spiraling down the toilet, well stop the press cause the Rockefellers and Rothschilds may not have as many caviar at their next function in the Hamptons or on Jeckyll Island.

Give me a break. We are getting screwed yet again. And when I say We, I mean We The People. Yeah, I’m sure the adjustments will come courtesy our taxes or interest rates. Never mind the fact baby boomers can kiss most of their retirement good-bye. Funny how this “once in a lifetime occurrence” as described by former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan occurred just before millions upon millions of Americans were nearing “retirement.”

As most confine themselves between the corners of these brick walls, let the rest of us continue to breathe free and live free. Kick and punch till the rusty chains fall from your wrists and ankles. Scream and convulse until you drown out the insane chatter of mainstream media. Laugh until the brick wall is a flimsy prop in your rear view mirror. Let us educate ourselves as to what is truly going on in our world, in this country. It ain’t what it appears to be, my fellow liberators. Not only is the Republic long gone, but so too is Democracy. So too is fascism. Welcome to istitutionalism.
If you’re pissed, and you want to find out more of these lies, denies, and neckties, click on one of these links. And don’t forget, if you don’t eat your meat, you can’t have any freakin’ pudding!
www.lemetropolecafe.com

www.urbansurvival.com

www.fromthewilderness.com