US SECRET AGENCIES

I got a stack of non-fiction history books from the library about all the ‘plausible deniability’ branches of government (aka secret agencies). we are still feeling what people started realizing in the 60s; war mongers rule the sheep; and it is up to us if we want to change it. FBI is our step-mom and CIA is our step-dad, playing us. NSA is our nosey neighbor, watching and listening to us in our private places. Our government exhibits all the worst attributes of ‘1984’ and ‘Brave New World’, in large part due to secret agencies working with corporations and the Pentagon to take and keep money from lower class Americans, on behalf of plutocrats that put on a 2-party puppet show that promotes war.

FBI  –  ‘The Bureau, Secret History of the FBI’; by Ronald Kessler

NSA  – ‘Body of Secrets, Anatomy of the Ultra-Secret National Security Agency’; by James Bamford

CIA  –  ‘Legacy of Ashes, History of the CIA’; by Tim Weiner

‘Secret History of the CIA, Central Intelligence Agency’; by Joseph Trento

‘Devil’s Chessboard, Allen Dulles, CIA, & the Rise of America’s Secret Government’; by David Talbot

Homeland Security – I was at the opening of their head-quarters, so I got the tour.

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It seems the CIA will sabotage Left or Right Wings of any government, if they think it benefits them or their corporate sponsors, regardless of how peaceful, democratic, or American their enemies may be. “If it’s secret, it’s legal.” – President Nixon said, who constantly conspired to make plans against Left Wing Americans by using our own secret agencies against our own people. The CIA historic trend appears to lean Right Wing, probably because authoritarian military control is part of Right Wing doctrine; whereas Left Wing doctrine advocates humanitarian civil rights. It is not a conspiracy theory, that our government lies to us. Following ‘the money trail’ is always a good start for serious political investigations, as representatives tend to be swayed by funding more than any philosophical theory, because they have bills to pay like anyone else.

“In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.”

– President Eisenhower 1961

Magic Epochs, Branches, & Types

Epochs or Historical Periods of Western Spiritual Magical Practice

1.   Pre-Historic (millions BC – 2, 500 BC):  Shamanic, Animism, Orphism, Oral, Musical

2.  Pagan (2,500 BC – 0 AD):  Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Greek, Celtic, Roman, Viking

3.  Christian (0 – 1900 AD):  Catholic, Occult, Protestant, Evangelical

4.  New-Age (1900 – 2016 AD): Occult, Wicca, Yoga, ESP, Metaphysics, Scientology, Hippy, Asian Martial Arts

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Branches of Magical Practice

Christian Occult:  gnostic, mystery cults, satanism, theosophy, thelema, chistian science, jehovah’s witness, mormon, rosecrutians, masons, eastern star, solomonic orders, witch-craft, hermetic

New-Age Occult:  golden dawn order, eclectic, neo-pagan,

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5 Types of Magical Practice

Aversive – hiding, transference, sacrifice,  cleansing, warding

Imitative – possession, satire, absorbing, mime, illusion, astrology

Contagious – fetish, consummation, symbiosis, dance, mental will, divining

Destructive – curses, traps, evil, poisons, wars, martial

Productive – healing, education, good, coaxing, placation, making, inspire / catalyze, transforming, alchemy

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3 Ways of Magical Practice

Giving / Healing, Taking / Harming, Exchanging

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Note: This is from a World Cultural perspective, not from individual belief perspective; as our own personal systems will have unique eclectic structures. Also ‘New-Age’ can be added to the tree on the outer-most branches.

 

 

 

 

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Landscaping with Cut Branches

Cutting Branches, breaking them down, and reusing them!

How to prune trees and use the branches for landscape

Types of trees have different rates and patterns of growth. A pine tree, for example, prefers to retain a center trunk; while others like a maple tree are content to have several branches shooting off and up from a low trunk. For this article I will use a Crepe Mrytle tree cluster.

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Maintaining architecture and landscape often means removing trees or branches before or after they break and damage property, views, paths, people, etc…

Crepe Mrytle do not die in the Winter in the DC area (although they do in more Northern climates). They do lose their leaves though. They are one of the fastest growing trees in our climate, so they provide a good example of a renewable landscape resource. Most people only know them for their beauty.

Crepe Mrytle’s by a porch are destructive to the architecture. They need cutting because their leaves and seeds clog up the roof gutter (even with gutter guards) and downspout, causing water damage to the wooden porch. When it rains during the summer, the thick foliage tends to retain moisture against the porch, which flakes the paint and rots the wood much faster than leaving the porch exposed to let the wood air out, and the sun dry it.

For a more natural type of architecture, pruning is less necessary. But most modern houses do not want leaking roofs, moldy wood, or animals nests in the framework. Although every owner is different too!

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If cut before new Spring leaves come out, there will be no leaves to deal with. Leaves have a faster rate of decomposition and burn. After cutting the selected branches, it may be necessary to drag them from the original location as soon as possible to keep a path clear etc..

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After dragging the branches to a selective, collective location, you can work on them with least interference regarding the functionality of the property.

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Sometimes (as with these) small branches can be broken from the main branches by hand (and foot) if they are dry enough. Although often the branches will tend to bend and not crack off; so axes, machete, and clippers are needed.

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Begin breaking and cutting branches into smaller pieces that fit their next use; longer ones for fences, walls, structures, poles, etc… and shorter ones sized to fit into fireplaces or stoves.

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Already many of the small branches are removed and the body of the larger branches can be seen more clearly

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A pile of small branches or twigs begins to form, as the larger branches are rolled back and forth to strip away all lesser branches for a middle pile

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3 piles: Large branch poles, middle sized branch sticks, and small brush twigs from the outer-most young branches

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You can use branches for landscape structures, boundaries, and follies!

English Walnut and Crepe Mrytle Teewam

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Eagle Nest of random fallen or cut branches

 

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West Virginia Camp Fires

WV State Spring Fire Laws 2010:
1. All outdoor burning is prohibited between 7 am – 4 pm.

2. All outdoor fires must have a safety strip minimum distance of 10 feet.

3. In woods, this strip must be cleared down to the mineral soil to lessen the chances of an errant spark escaping into the woods and starting a forest fire.

4. All fires must not be left unattended for any period of time, and must be totally extinguished when tending is finished.

5. Anyone caught breaking the law can be charged with a misdemeanor, fined up to $300, and held liable for costs of fighting the fire and any damage the fire may have caused to others’ property.

In April 2010, the number of forest fires and the number of acres burned increased dramatically from 108 fires and 773 acres on April 1 to 283 fires and 8,457 acres on April 9. Since the burning ban began on April 10, an additional 105 fires were reported and 3,158 acres have been burned.

For the year so far, 388 fires have burned 11,615 acres statewide.

For more information, visit the Division of Forestry’s Web site at www.wvforestry.com.

SCOD Wood Working

Wands, Rods, and Staves

Walking Staves, Quarter-staves, and Canes

Scepters, Ritual Staves, and Ceremonial Poles

 

Art is an extension of one’s self, often manifest through an object.

Some of the stronger and more ornate pieces go for between $100 to $200.

Those are for very unique pieces that are often special request and rare materials.

Most of the work I do is affordable for anyone, from $5, $20, $40 on up to $80.

 

First I find branches or saplings that are dead or scheduled for clearing.

Then I meditate and offer prayers to the spirits regarding the wood.

Designs are made clear to me, so I begin by carving layers.

Next I sand and wood burn patterns, symbols, and text.

Then I oil the wood using organic oils, or stains.

Sometimes I add a thin coat of polyurethane if gloss (glamour) is desired.

Finally I add leather, metals, and other finishing details and allow its new life to begin.