Plus Letters to Good Times...
Meaty Matters
Overstepping It
Hate Speech?
Holiday Deadlines
This Memorial Day it’s all about the red, white and blue. But it seems the color green is just as patriotic. Sure, green building practices become more commonplace, but if we’ve learned anything over the last decade, when the push to become more environmentally aware reached a wildly high plateau, it’s that, individually, we have to take matters into our own hands. The locals spotlighted in our annual Green Issue have done just that—they took creative eco-tinged ideas and concepts and boldly ventured forth, hoping those ideas would make a difference in the environment. And they have. Meet this year’s Eco Patriots.

I think it's long overdue that it should be abolished. It's just plain discriminatory, pure and simple. And like all things discriminatory, there’s just no place for it in our society.

Ned Hoey

Santa Cruz | Photographer

A community at a crossroads
Recent violence and attacks on downtown have done more than torn through the fabric of our historically peaceful community; it has left many residents simply asking, “What happened to the Santa Cruz I know?” In search of easy answers we often look toward short-term policy changes (more police overtime) or easy scapegoats (elected officials). But a micro approach, while satiating the initial visceral need to do something, really does little to address the underlying issue. That issue, simply stated, is that our community is no longer the community we knew.

Thursday is the full moon (6.33 degrees Gemini/Sag), the Gemini solar Festival of Humanity and World Invocation Day. This is the 3rd major full moon festival of the year. At the moment of the full moon (4:07 p.m. Pacific time), the initiating idea of Aries to build the new culture and civilization and the sustaining of this idea by Taurus  are distributed to Earth, awaiting humanity and all Earth’s kingdoms (mineral, plant, animal, human). All over the world, the New Group of World Servers and the women and men of Goodwill will recite the Great Invocation (thus World Invocation Day), the great Mantram of Direction for humanity (it follows the Our Father prayer, given to humanity during Atlantean times).

A call for increased strength and a new commitment
In less than a year, on March 1, 2011 in Washington, D. C., there will be vibrant speeches and sustained applause for the United States Peace Corps. The agency will be 50 years old. More than 200,000 volunteers will have served in 139 countries around the world.  The Peace Corps volunteer contributions deserve both commendation and recognition.  

A community at a crossroads
Recent violence and attacks on downtown have done more than torn through the fabric of our historically peaceful community; it has left many residents simply asking, “What happened to Santa Cruz I know?” In search of easy answers we often look toward short-term policy changes (more police overtime) or easy scapegoats (elected officials). But a micro approach, while satiating the initial visceral need to do something, really does little to address the underlying issue. That issue, simply stated, is that our community is no longer the community we knew.

Plus Letters to Good Times
Unsustainable Meat Economy
So, How Do We Generate Energy?
Riot Round-up
Holiday Deadlines
On May 18, there was AMGEN fever as the world-famous Tour of California ushered in thousands of visitors for Stage 3 of the tour. This week, we get a reprieve before Memorial Day weekend arrives and we all officially dive into summer 2010. Food choices shift during the summer months—all the more reason to pay attention to what kinds of foods you are eating. It’s the topic of the week as writer Amy Coombs takes readers on a memorable journey that explores the rare meat trades, specifically targeting the fishing industry and the problem of overfishing. Here, with the help of local environmental giants, we learn more about the plight of the bluefin tuna and other endangered fish, and why now, more than ever, it’s vital to know where your fish came from, and what fish you are consuming. Take note of all the discoveries and send us your thoughts at [email protected]

Sun enters Gemini Thursday evening. This week preparations are undertaken by the New Group of World Servers for the Gemini Full moon, next Thursday, May 27, the third most important full moon of the year. Gemini, often playful and happy, also displays duality (Castor & Pollux) in all its form. Gemini is the “light of interplay,” a line of light beams revealing all that opposes.
Gemini teaches us about duality, the relationship between two things. Gemini tells us that form and matter consists of this duality and relationship. If we think upon these words realizing Gemini people (Sun, Moon, Rising, Mars, Ascendant, etc.) display these characteristics, we better understand Gemini tasks and purposes in our lives. Humanity experiences Gemini behaviors and characteristics during the month of Gemini each year.
Gemini receives and distributes Ray 2 (Love/Wisdom) from a star in the Big Bear (and from Sirius). When the fact of duality is fully understood (and accepted), love and wisdom result. Gemini works with Mercury (Ray 4, Harmony Through Conflict). Both are the sign and planet of relatedness. Gemini and Mercury link, correlate and connect two things, introduce two people or events and then disappear. Their work of relating being complete, they move onto the next area of life needing connectivity. Gemini and Mercury are with us one moment, gone the next. They are like butterflies in a field. We can’t catch them. They build the Antakarana, the Rainbow Bridge, between Spirit and matter.

The rodeo's not really my thing but if there was one in Santa Cruz County and somebody I knew wanted to go I'd go. It sounds like something different and interesting. And it's a skill to stay on a wild animal. So I'd be into it. Why not?
Marcus Negron
Santa Cruz | Engineer

I was looking in the mirror one day last week when I realized that when it comes to the public dialogue, I’m part of the problem. Chances are that you are too.

I had been watching one of the endless congressional hearings going on these days. It might have been about Goldman Sachs or maybe Fannie Mae or maybe even the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Then came on the analysis. Who was at fault? Who is to blame? What did he know and when did he know it?