Home Gardening Becomes Even More Imperative

[Billy Rose]

Probably less than that if you count the hachet job done by the Bushies on the electorial system in Ohio.

Well, yes and no. Since Woodrow Wilson started the Committee on Public Information with participants like Walter Lippman and Edward Bernays, the truth has become more malleable and willing to please. Edward Bernays referred to their work as " the engineering of consent . . . the very essence of the democratic process" (Hegemony or Survival by Noam Chomsky, p. 8). So we live in a society that we think is free because we've been told it is free. Yesterday on the Tom Leher News Hour there was a discussion about what the present conflict between Hamas and Fatah meant. Unless you follow the middle east, you may not have realized that both of the experts presented were Fatah advisors. And so it goes. This is a discussion?

No, we are ALREADY in the Matrix.

Don't sweat it Charlie, Gary Powers didn't swallow his either.

Many good burgers, with no malice in their hearts, are trying to make sense of the world with the information that they have. If you want better information, avoid the corporate news. Listen to Democracy Now or find a Pacifica Radio station. Read a book by Noam Chomsky or Greg Palast.

This entire gutting of the Constitution has taken place right in front of us and the White House asks, "Who are you going to believe, the President or your own lying eyes?"

To summarize, " the engineering of consent . (is) . the very essence of the democratic process" - Edward Bernays, Committee on Public Information

To quote Will Rogers, "All I know, is what I read in the newspapers."

Can I hear a few pots please?

- Billy Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

[Omelet]

But add the 3% of the fools that voted other parties. That 3% could have swung the election if they'd voted Democrat.

I'm always up for a good debate! IMHO we are swinging away from the original Republic to almost a true Democracy and this is not a good thing.

As much as I love Capitalism (because it benefits anyone willing to work hard enough), it can reach a point of no return where he who has the gold makes ALL the rules...

and gods help the rest of us.

Take the Red pill. ;-)

I never watch TV anymore except for the weather channel, and the occasional Basketball game (GO SPURS!!! ) I listen mostly to NPR (BBC) and WOAI San Antonio.

I also get a lot of news off the 'net and subscribe to the New York Times via e-mail.

TV? USELESS!

I know. :-(

But the Sheeople follow. Or is that Lemmings?

Heh! At least "pots" is on topic!

Speaking of which, due to certain circumstances (mainly health issues and finances), I've ended up putting off really planting any veggies this year. I'd still like to do a few tomatoes.

Because of the Expense of water, I'd prefer to do container planting. I have a couple of MONSTER plastic pots (okay, they are about 10 gallons I guestimate) so I'd like to try them in those.

Can I put, say, 2 per pot and is it too late in the year for me to mess with this? Should I wait until September?

[William Wagner]

Manufacturing Consent Herman and Chomsky

All Consuming IMAGES Stuart Ewen

Anvil of the Heart Bruce T. Holmes

The Poverty Of Affluence Paul L. Wachtel

Amusing Ourselves to Death Neil Postman

The Age of Missing Information Bill McKibben

The Third City Borna Bebek

Wallace Stevens The Poems of our Climate Harold Bloom

The Social Vision of William Blake Michael Ferber

The Gay Genius Lin Yutang

And on and on do you really want to read all this stuff? I just try to keep our family whole. Usually by getting out of the way and being here. Personal interaction at the market seem to bloom by the simple act of yielding. Not having my way whatever that is avoids conflict. Scaling it up however international voids me as I can only deal with things I perceive. I've enough .

Blake and Wallace and Su Tungpo are personal inspiration. ( Keep Spirt in) :)).

Balzac Sin is wanting to know every thing.

Now back to those morning glories.

Bill who plays push hands poorly.

[Charlie]

I guess that makes me a fool.

Yer foolin' yerself if you think that voting dem or rep is actually making a choice. Look what happened in the midterms....friggin' dems sold out just like I knew they would. We need a whole schload of Bernie Sanders types being elected. The two party system is a joke, another myth which folks swallow.

Yeah....rigged elections are the sign of a true democracy. Can you say corporatocracy. But I agree that wherever we are, it is not a good place.

True, but the incentive for willingness to work hard enough has been shipped overseas. Pensions gutted, health care/insurance situation abysmal

It has reached the point of no return.

I don't understand the waiting til Sept. You in the southern hemisphere?

You bet you can put two per pot. It just takes more nutrient supplementation. I grow several pots of tomatoes. Peppers do great in pots as well. I plant two peppers per five gallon size post and have good yields.

Charlie

[Omelet]

Please don't take that personally... I actually hate the dominant 2 party system, but I don't believe that it can be beaten at this time.

Unfortunately.

Ron Paul knows this as even tho' he is really Libertarian, he runs as Republican so he has a real chance at getting elected.

The American people don't appear to be ready for a real change yet as a majority.

I'd love to be an idealist, but realists seem to do better.

Yer preachin' to the choir babe! But, see the above. You have to deal with the majority.

The Sheeople.

Idealism won't work yet. Not without a LOT more work, or perhaps improvement of the gene pool.

We are open to suggestions.

Potential Socialism provides NO incentives. That's why they all eventually die in misery and poverty.

We all need that carrot on a stick to advance ourselves.

We need hope for advancement. That is human nature.

Otherwise, we tend to do just enough to get by.

My health care insurance this year just went to hell. If I don't mail order my prescriptions, they won't pay for beyond the first month. Fortunately the state is trying to introduce legislation to outlaw that.

They also refused to pay the $70.00 for my pap smear.

Guess they'd rather pay for cervical cancer treatment...

Idiots!

It has to do with light cycles. Tomatoes will not "set" fruit if the light and dark timing are not right. I live in South Central Texas so we don't generally get a frost until late November.

Peppers don't get as big as 'maters. ;-)

How big are your pots and what variety of tomato do you use?

What nutrient supplements?

[Billy Rose]

Not much piss and vinegar today, huh, Bill? Sounds like you've gone reflective on us. That's all well and good because it is all about being individuals and not a commodity. But India would still be a colony of England, if they hadn't resisted. People with dark colored skin would still be slaves but for the struggle. Rafael Lemkin wanted to avoid it too but it was dumped at his door. All sane men want to stay home with their families and watch them grow. Insane men will find reasons for them to die for glory.

And it all starts when someone pushes back.

Say, "hi" to the morning glories for me.

Maybe sticky hands would be a better match for you.

Kyungye, shue.

- Billy Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

[Billy Rose]

Here NPR is supported by Archer Daniel Midlands. They don't bite the hand that feeds them. I've already pissed and moaned about The Lehrer News Hour. BBC can be good. Can be shoddy. No way to get KPFT 90.1 out of Houston? Try on line at

for free speech news and Democracy Now.

Of Judith Miller fame? In depth, inaccurate news.

Amen, brothers and sisters.

That was a pretty easy one to see, wasn't it Charlie?

I don't understand you unless you are talking about Pure Idealized Republicanism where the representatives represent the people's needs and desires or pure Democracy (à la Athens, circa 594 BC?) where everyone votes on everything. The former has never existed and the latter only exists, at present, in Switzerland.

In the primaries I vote Kucinich. In the general election I vote the "Greens" or whatever. At least it gets the opposition some operating money to mount an anti-status quo response.

Really don't follow you here. Leads us back to feudalism. More of a Jeffersonian myself, but without the slaves.

Because we let it happen and now the socialist countries of Europe feel pressure to reduce their social safety-nets and race us to the bottom of the barrel.

Max Weber saw how this was used by the capitalists in his book, "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism". According to the early protestants (Calvinists) we aren't here to be happy but if your work is successful, then you are among the chosen. The factory owner is chose by God and you, poor miserable child, are a creature of original sin. It kinda turns things upside down.

Yeah, so? Where you going? The one with the most toys when they die, wins?

Jeez. If it is pre-cancerous, sell the farm if you have too. Do what you need to do but don't wait. Radiation and chemo will lay you up and you won't be able to work. (I presume you have to work, otherwise forget I said anything.) It might be cheaper to go to Cuba or India for treatment. Check the list. There are 36 countries in the world that have better health care than we do. Health travel is a booming industry.

Shortest I've seen on tomatoes is 65 days. If necessary, try augmenting with shop lights.

Hugs and Kisses

- Bill Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

[Charlie]

Not to worry, I didn't.

I do like Paul, along with just a few others...Kucinich, Feingold, Sanders

I gather that, but we still have to do it don't we? Guess it helps to know, particularly in the dark times, that others are aware and struggle as well. Just gotta go out and howl at the moon.

Depends upon what you mean by advancement. And it depends upon one's ideals and goals in life. I couldn't stand the race and the life of acquisition and "dog eat dog, rat eat rat". Had to leave it. Several times.

Do just enough to get by....that kind of depends upon the person, and personality, There is something to be said for living in a state of relative balance, or stasis...kind of a here and now thing, that I oftimes try and achieve, but usually don't (I wind up back on USENET!!) I get that in the garden

I guess what I am tryin' to say is that socialism would work and be satisfactory for lots of us, but sure as rabbits shit little round balls, the greedy bastids would eff up that up as well. Some kids always want more than their share.

Sure. There's more to be gained from treating a disease, than in preventing, or finding a cure. Lots more to be gained.

Cure for cancer? That would puts lots of the big feelers out of work. and shut down a whole industry.

Say you skip the tests, something develops, it's not found until late.....who profits, hmm? Certainly not you of course. Sure, the insurance comapny ahs to *apparently* pay out megabucks for treatment, but it is like the left hand paying the right. And in the process, they will suck more of your money out of you. And in case you die, well, all's well and good there, cuz, you, their liability, is gone. And the bankers may have the rest of your goods, whilst the remaining family members may have......

Hell, everything's broken. You know it. I know it. Most everyone senses it maybe, but can't face or believe it. And can't imaigine the alternatives to what is in place.

I have the maters in seven gallon flower pots. This year I have three White Current tomatoes in one pot. Two Mexican Midgets in a five gal. pot and one Chadwick Cherry in a six gal pot.

Last year I had one Paul Robeson in a five gallon and a Black from Tula in another, along with the same cherries as this year.

I plant all heirlooms, and all of them have been indeterminate. They take a bit of taming when pot planted, but you can do some fun espalier things with them.

For me, it took twice daily watering, and weekly added fish emulsion. I mixed bone meal and pelletized fish in the potting mix along with a little magnesium sulfate. Some pelletized lime to sweeten the mix a lttle. Added some compost a couple times thru the summer. Tossed in small amount or hardwood ash. oh, and some calcium supplements....seriously. I took a bottle of calcium tablets and ground them and worked some in. I'm tossing in a little Ironite this year. (Found it at the hardware and it sounded kinda yummy if you are thinking like a plant in a tiny container)

Sorry, no hard science or real data. Kinda of a zen thing, or like how your grandmother told you to make some favorite recipe. ;-) So far I've had good maters and good yields.

Care Charlie