king of pop

Just watched the memorial to Michael Jackson. I must say, I was moved.
Michael Jackson singlehandedly changed the music industry and the colour barrier with his videos and his music. I was quietly influenced by his sound and his vocal ability, not to mention his form of dance which was unparalleled as far as popular media is concerned. I say here and now that I am truly sad that the world has lost such an entertainment icon and humanitarian such as he. As a six-year-old child, watching him debut on Ed Sullivan, and American Bandstand, etc., live back then as television was, I was completely enthralled. Here was this 9- or 10-year-old wunderkind with a band of his brothers, dancing and singing. What a vision! What a musical explosion for me! It was an early inspiration for me; I learned to sing better as result, and learned, or tried to learn, how to dance. Many years later, but before Michael Jackson's Thriller era, I was entering, and indeed won, one or two dance contests as a teenager. He is and was, in some ways, very much the reason I got into music, and wanted to be a performer. Those detractors of Michael may not have been there back in those days, but his talent, and that of others of the day, was a real eye-opener to impressionable young children who had the kinds of dreams I had, and grew up in the country side as I did...

There is controversy surrounding so many of our public figures, and Michael Jackson was no different. I think of the legacy of other figures in public that time and people have come to know and consider for their controversy, as well as their public deeds. Bruce Lee in particular comes to mind with me, since there was an underlying controversy surrounding his death, and afterwards, details of his life that the public did not know. My kung-fu teacher (sifu) and I have spoken about this alot. We speak of the canonization of a person based on their celebrity status. we feel that it is important to remember that these stars are after all just people, albeit extraordinary people. As such they are prone to weaknesses that we all inherently are prone to. They would not like us to revere them as saints or otherworldly. We should appreciate them for the work they left us, for that legacy which inspires us to rise above that which we were born with. It is that legacy that I wish to remember about Michael Jackson. People like Michael and Bruce were what they were to us because they reached for that which to us may be just a dream, but not unattainable, if we reached for the things they reached for. And that is perfection, in their life and art. Yes, yes, I know that there is all sorts of possibly sordid details that come out about someone after they die, but they are unimportant. It is not really healthy to canonize someone too much, though either. I loved and admired Mr. Jackson, but I know that his life was not the idyllic existence, and as such, he had to endure hardships that we could not imagine, as we were not him. His music and his image and legacy as an entertainer and humanitarian should be remembered, not place him into some godhood. He was human. He was a brilliant and creative individual who, in death, will have possibly a greater impact than when he lived due to his creative and indeed, human, genius. We should remember that, celebrate that, and all the rest of the controversy that was his life, will hopefully show us that he was, first and foremost, an extraordinary member the Human Family.

You will live in our hearts and minds as the entertainment genius you were, those of us that did not know you personally, and much more; to those who knew you, you were even more. Rest in Peace, Michael Joseph Jackson. This person, this musician, this entertainer, this writer, will never forget you or your legacy.

Mohawks and Border Guards (CBSA) on RezLand

When are people in the colonial governments of the U.S. and Canada going to start to realize that their words, and ours, in the Treaties and other agreements are not just words, but contractual agreements? Contracts which must be met in good faith? The reserve on Cornwall Island is unique in that it rests on several national/international borders, and has for longer than they existed as national/international borders. The international bodies/countries those represent are both in contract with the sovereign Mohawk Nation. The governments continually try to deny Mohawk, as well as other First Nations, their 'sovereignty', by deciding that they can do what they will on Indian lands, as if it is theirs, that they agreed, still belong to the First Nations. If another country decided to put armed guards on Canadian soil, that is an offense, and Canada/the U.S. would take steps to stop it. Why should it be any less for Mohawks? Though in the past there were treaties and other agreements as to use of lands by both Peoples, those agreements are binding! Canada is no less exempt in this. If they allowed Mohawks to patrol and manage their own borders, armed or not, and in compliance with laws that were reflective of both Mohawk and Canadian/ U.S. interests, that would be the best compromise in the end. Mohawks do not want undesirable elements crossing onto their lands, any more than Canadians or U.S. wants them coming into their countries. So I say again, when is the Canadian Government gonna learn? It just continually stains them in the eyes of the world for their continual abysmal treatment of their indigenous peoples. It is not necessary to review that record here. It just shows the rest of the world that they are no better than other countries they criticize for their bad treatment of it's peoples...

Star Trek

I just saw the new Trek movie the other day, and I must say, I was impressed

I always look forward to new movies in a franchise so enduring as that of Star Trek. It has such a positive spin on the future, which people seem to need, as we watch our present world going through bad economic times. The spin on the alternative time line was a stroke of genius, as it allows the crew to still be the characters we have come to know so well over the last 40-odd years, but changes how they come to be, as we really have not seen that, other than where the 'old timeline' shows us in the original series. It also bears asking the question, where do they go from here? Will they explore the galaxy like the Enterprise of old? With Vulcan gone, the balance shifts greatly, as they had such a large role in the events of the original crew. The whole concept, the 'wagon train to the stars' as Gene Roddenberry first envisioned it, will no doubt change to a large degree, even as it was in the original series, because of the changes in the story presented in the new movie.

The special effects were amazing, as they should be in a movie attempting what this movie is. I saw techniques in the cinematography that hinted at the style used in other shows of late, like "Battlestar Galactica", in particular. I saw elements of others like even those in other movie franchises. I was not sure how a completely different director could make the franchise grow and still be true to the original idea. J.J. Abrams has done that and more.

I don't believe all these critics I hear saying that even numbered movies are this way, and odd numbered movies are that, etc. I like them all. Having said that (and being a big fan of all things trek anyway), I do like some better than others. The first Star Trek ("The Movie"),for example, had its' moments, but was really slow-moving in story line, and the characters were still a bit wooden, like what would happen if you were stuck in one position for a long time, then suddenly had to stand up and jump into action. You would be stiff, and it would take awhile to get to be able to move your legs, etc. properly. That is what the characters reminded me of in the first one. In subsequent movies, they seemed more like the old characters we knew and loved. And the stories were entertaining and thoughtful.

I eagerly await the next one in the franchise, if they make one, which seems to be the consensus thus far. If I may put a slice of personal hope forward, I have always wanted to see a book or two from the many written about these characters, made into movies. One in particualr was called "Strangers From the Sky", (damn, don't remember the authors' name, I will look it up again, and post it for those of you who are interested)about what really happened with the first meeting of Vulcans with earthlings, etc. Without giving away the story, suffice it to say that it involves time travel (again), mind-melds, and an alternative story line, whereby Kirk, Spock and the crew from the first real installment with Kirk as Captain, with Dr. Piper, Dr. Elizabeth Dehner, Lee Kelso, etc. (from the episode, I believe, "Where No Man Has Gone Before" from the Original series), not Chekov and Sulu, etc, get thrust into the past due to contact with a strange alien. It was great reading, and with a re-write, as often happens with books made into movies, it would allow people like Shatner to be involved, and still use much of the storyline as it is. The others, McCoy, Chekov, Uhura, and the others, would still be able to be there too, if the re-write of the screenplay was done properly.

Well, that is just my thoughts. Any one else?

I recommend seeing this movie, even if you are not that acquainted with Star Trek other than to hear of it, or seeing people doing bad impressions of Shatner. the actors did a great job, and in my mind, especially McCoy, who did a fair channeling of the late DeForrest Kelley. This movie will undoubtedly bring the 'next generation' (couldn't resist)online with the franchise.

Go see, and enjoy!

Mohawks vote in U.S. on owning own Electrical power

You know, I was just reading about my people (one of, as I am Upper Cayuga and Mohawk First Nations, of the Iroquois, and related somewhat, to those in the States)owning their own electrical power plants. I must say, I am of two minds about this.

We must be able to be truly self-sufficient and capable of handling our own affairs, if we claim to be 'traditionally sovereign' in my view. In the modern world, I guess that would mean be able to do all the things that a state would do for it's people. We could contract it in from somewhere else, but that would mean making trade pacts with U.S., and more daunting, Canada, who won't recognize Mohawks as being 'sovereign' in any way shape or form, though they call us 'First Nations". And the U.S., though they have treaties with us, (which they, according to their history, don't honour in most, if any, cases) which recognize traditional ownership over certain territories, would they enter into trade agreements? It is highly doubtfull. That would mean doing one or two of the above options.

It would be unreasonable to assume that they in the U.S. and we in Canada as Native people are going to continue to be repaid by the so-called 'conquerers' or more accurately, 'colonisers'. It stands to reason, therefore, that we begin the long process of finding ways to govern ourselves, using whatever ways we know, and to begin even more, to exert our authority over the natural resources we have to hand. But what does that mean to us who have a more traditional belief about our relationship to the environment? Can we do this without damaging it, like the others have? If the Mohawks back there can do such a thing with their own electricity, they will have to balance this. They will have to implement their own teachings in this, and act accordingly, both for their present, and the future of their children to come.

I personally believe it is possible to do both, however it is a tricky game to play. Hopefully more details will come as they happen. We wil just have to see what transpires, with the vote, and how the U.S. will respond. I for one, will be watching.

Waiting for Police States and the Olympics

I have been waiting for someone to contact me, to tell me about what I want to know, some of which has been stated here.

Not much going on, other than crap in my personal life, waiting for new schedules, work, etc.

The west coast is soon to be come a police state, I am beginning to believe, with all the security getting ready to explode on all of us with the Olympics coming in a few months. Though I work part-time in the security feild, I work in the private sector, and I do not work for contract security companies anymore. They are regulated, mind you, but they have to do what the client wants. Often the clients are involved with things I do not agree with. It is a good thing I am out of that particular aspect of security. I am not sure if I want to be involved again; I will just have to see.

What is important to me here and now is that people begin to talk.

We need to create peaceful but undeniabe change and revolution, folks! We need to change the minds of government. We need to mobilize ourselves. We need to eat the rich!

More on this and other things later...I sooo want to hear people's thoughts. I have much to ask on many many subjects, I will tell you something if you tell me something...in the meantime...
Please feel free to check out my other websites...

http://www.myspace.com/andywmason
http://www.reverbnation.com/andywmason;
http://www.ShowcaseYourMusic.com/andymason...

I am also on facebook. . .just look up my name...add if you have an account... lets talk!

more to come...

I was talking to you earlier about new technologies, new alternatives to the old school things like fossil fuels. Modern Medicine that can be improved by older, holistic/organic/shamanistic, if you will, technologies.

What about those old medicine people, who are in some cultures referred to as shaman?
What is it about that ancient word, those ancient 'seers', who supposedly cured people by removing the 'spirit' of that which infected the patient? What about Chinese Traditional Medicine, currently undergoing a revival? What do those things have to teach that we seem to have lost in todays modern world? They talk about energy, life-force, ("Chi" or "Qi" in the two major Chinese languages, Cantonese and Mandarin, sorry if I have left others out, but there are so many and I don't know what they all are, let along know their names, no disrespect intended, and in Japanese, "Ki")either being in abundance, or lacking or misused, whatever. My people, who are Iroquois, more specifically Upper Cayuga (Six Nations) talked about the spirit of the thing which inhabits the body, but we also (and to me more importantly I guess), learned about the organs of the body and what their function was, and what specific types of herbs, plants and other natural elements did to affect the organs of the body.

I am interested in those things.

I am interested in people talking about it. I am interested in giving a forum to those who may or may not already have one, who want to rant, share information, links to their sites, whatever they wish. They need, and we need, more communication on these issues. The powers that be need to see that we are talking about it, and motivating one another to bring change, globally, locally, etc.

We talked about other sources of energy, solar power, etc. Why are the things that we need to generate and use solar power as a local, consumer product, so exasperatingly expensive? The normal Joe Blow like you or I cannot go out and shell out 10 grand plus for a simple solar system. There needs to a way to do it ourselves, perhaps, that are cost-effective, and less taxing on the world, and the main hydro grids around the world. Someone needs to share that knowledge with us, the rest of the world, so we can make a change, without governemnt regulation, taxes etc. As much as some people need controlling and they feel the government can and should handle it, the fact of the matter is if people can be convinced it is in their own best interests, and are given the alternative, and shown that it cleans the air, etc., my view is people will do it. Most people are sheep, but with the right kind of leadership and the right kind of motivation, people will embrace it

We need to address these issues, we need to talk about them more. That is why I am here.
Please feel free to comment, share things etc.

thanks,
Mitake Oyasin (all my relations)
Andy

New Things are coming!!!

I would like to tell you what I am about.

i am about new technologies, environmental technologies! Any alternative to the way we are destroying the earth right now is what I want to hear about! And let's not fool ourselves here either! Just because something seems to be an alternative, was it thought through? for instance, an alternative to the oil we use, gas, etc. It is not only harmful to burn (atmosphere, etc.) but it is somewhat harmful to produce too! We drill hundreds of holes into the earth. We pull the raw materials out of the earth, leaving that area pretty much dead and lifeless. We need better energy sources, like wind, rain, sun, coean. We need to find alternatives to clearcutting, as it is getting more and more rampant, regardless of what the world media tels you, don't be fooled.

How about traditional technologies brought into the modern world? We see a lot of that already happening in medicine, unless certain people have their way, like certain companies who are trying to convince the government to pass laws disallowing us from using herbs and such for medicine. We need more ways to use traditional plants and holistic, organic, ways to heal ourselves, and help the planet stay the way it can heal us as well...if we cut all the trees, we kill all the other things that rely on the trees aswell. WE rely on trees, for oxygen!

What about water, and water purification? Are there ways to do that as well? Ways that won't destroy the other important things in the processes?

These are just some of the things I am interested in, and interested in getting others to talk about. I hope to soon have a forum where people can do just that, and advertise their businesses on my websites. We need alternatives! We need positive ways to govern ourselves, and run the planet without running it to our own, and other plant and animal borthers and sisters, to extinction!

Just a thought...

Helloooo out there! this is Andson, and I am here to tellya that is good to be here, and hope you can all join me on a new quest...to find happiness, peace, love, and maybe even make something new here in the world...besides a boring blog...too many people have those.

I am not a blogger by nature; I get bored with typing all the time. But here we go...off on a new adventure.

You can see some of what I do aside from this, and I will tell you how after we get to know one another...