Choogle On with Uncle Weed

Introducing a series of explorations and soliloquies from the Clayoquot Sound area on the west coast of Vancouver Island during a summertime water outage in the midst of a temperate rainforest. While figuring out what happened, Uncle Weed recollects the tense logging blockades in early 1990s and compares current conditions through lens of deep ecology and sustainable development practices.

Throughout this 9 part series, he wanders the region and examines the tension between fishing, logging and tourism industries then adds ideas on promoting the economy while protecting the environment along with spiels on clearcuts, salmon, camping espresso, user fees and flak jackets. 

http://https://archive.org/download/RainforestDispatches0Intro/Rainforest-Dispatches-0-Intro.mp3

Downcast podload: Observations and Soliloquies about Ecology and Economy – Rainforest Dispatches, an introduction – 6:55

Your input on this topic is invited – particularly if you participated in the protests or traveled to this area. Consider leaving a comment and/or recording an audio missive of your own to use in a future episode. Let me know where you stashed your blockade memories or other rainforest thoughts by emailing: choogleon (at) uncleweed (dot) net or via Twitter @choogleon and/or @uncleweed, etc.

Music Theme: Bex – Lonesome (Lost) Traveler Seque: Wm. Lenker – Heaven Holds a Place Interlude: Geoff Berner – Light Enough to Travel This is Part 0 of 9 (or more) in the Rainforest Dispatches series on Choogle On with Uncle Weed

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More Rainforest Dispatches series – Choogle On with Uncle Weed Forests and Oceans Without End – Postcard # 60 Hitch a Thousand Miles to See a Friend – Postcard #56

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While on a mountain ramble, Uncle Weed recounts the HempenRoad film project, a mixed media travel documentary about the commercial industrial hemp industry in Cascadia in 1996. He spiels on the origins, motivations and characters met along the way including Japanese filmmaker Eiji M and philanthro-activist Robert Lunday (RIP).

Along with tales of the NorthWest tour, he reads from the Victoria segment of the production journal and the intro of the narration text beginning with “Hemp is a Plant” and finally discusses re-digitification of the film to share with new audiences.

http://https://archive.org/download/Choogleon80/choogleon-80.mp3

Load up the camera for Tales from The HempenRoad – Choogle on #80 (.mp3, 29:00, 27MB)

Music

Chris Jacobsen – Unnamed acoustic from Houseboat

Chris Sullivan – Desert in my Toenails from La La Land

Bread Mountain – Natural Fibre John Prine, Illegal Smile

More Hempenroad

HempenRoad Film project website

Production travel Journals

* Vancouver, BC * Trade Show, 1997 CIHS * Victoria, BC * Seattle, Wa * Portland, Or * Eugene, Or

Reviews, Press, pictures, posters

Thanks

To Capn’ Pat + Taylor and Tylor

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Both a preview and recap of SXSW 2009 as Uncle Weed and the Quebecois Correspondent discuss the noted media conference and extravaganza featuring UW’s spiel F@ck  Stats, Make Art – a soliloquy for quality and integrity in creation.

Along with live recordings of Geoff Berner, and The Black Angels comes a recounting a perfect day of upgrading heroes, tasty food, and Austin Psychedelic Music Fest plus more highlights including: RiP Remix Manifesto film, micro-brews at Gingerman, Bruce Sterling, and hugs with new friends.

MISSING Head out to Austin for: SXSW Stories from Middle Earth – Choogle On #79 (.mp3, 33:12, 45MB)

Music, etc.

Geoff Berner, renegade accordionist– “No Tobacco” recorded at The Biltmore in Vancouver, BC on Feb. 28, 2009

Bev Davies – Vancouver Rock Photographer

The Black Angels – “Better off Alone” recorded at SXSW 2008

Austin Psychedelic Music Fest – March 13 ~ 15

The Golden Dawn

The Golden Dawn started out in the murky time and space of Austin, Texas in late 1966, along with many other wild groups now holding legendary status, but most notably with the kings of the Texas Psychedelic scene, the 13th Floor Elevators. George Kinney and Roky Erickson of the Elevators grew up together and played in high school bands with each other, and by the time of the Great Mind Expansion, the Elevators and the Dawn were in close contact.

More SXSW

Recap of F@ck Stats, Make Art at SXSW 2009

Recap of F@ck Stats, Make Art at Northern Voice 2008

Recap of Rock N Roll Photography at Northern Voice 2009

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On Lynn Valley’s Varley trail, Uncle Weed discourses on fascist sponsors and greedy PR hacks reacting to young Mr. Phelps’ situation, plus talk of value of art vs. artist and listener email about parenting advice, blind shopping cart incidents, and a situation with a Briton arrested and incarcerated in Japan plus a spiel on Group of Seven artist Frederick Varley.

http://archive.org/download/RiversideTokesForPhelpsOnTheVarleyTrailChoogleOn78_371/RiversideTokesForPhelpsOnTheVarleyTrailChoogleOn78.mp3

Jump in the water for Riverside Tokes for Phelps on the Varley Trail – Choogle On #78 (.mp3, 30:14, 28MB)

Chip in NH for editing/production

Pro-pot group smokes Kellogg for axing Phelps – Olympic Sports Bursting with indignation, legions of legalize-marijuana advocates are urging a boycott of Kellogg Co., including all of its popular munchies, for deciding to cut ties with Olympic hero Michael Phelps after he was photographed with a pot pipe.

Phelps acknowledges photo showing Olympic swimming star smoking from marijuana pipe – ESPN While the newspaper did not specifically allege that Phelps was smoking pot, it did say the pipe is generally used for that purpose and anonymously quoted a partygoer who said the Olympic champion was “out of control from the moment he got there.”

Flashback: Phelps’ 2004 DUI didn’t cost him Kellogg’s endorsement | NORML’s Daily Audio Stash Michael Phelps was convicted of illegally using a hard drug (alcohol is a hard, though legal, drug and Phelps was 19, not legal age to use it) when caught driving a car, running a stop sign, and pushing the legal limit for intoxication. Michael Phelps could’ve caused a serious accident and injured or killed himself and others. Kellogg’s didn’t seem to have a problem with that being “not consistent with the image of Kellogg”.

John Feinstein – Phelps Made a Mistake, But His Handlers Made It Worse – washingtonpost.com Michael Phelps screwed up. Of that, there is no doubt. He went to a party in Columbia, S.C. in November and got caught on camera taking a hit on a marijuana bong. Someone sold the photo to a London tabloid and it ran in the newspaper this past Sunday.

Michael Phelps Should Not Be Sorry | The Cosmic Tap Michael Phelps has nothing to apologize for. I understand the reality he faces, however, and why he has to say what he said. But let’s go beyond the breathless theatrics and think about the core issue. “He broke the law,” the pundits are saying, as if that is necessarily the end of the conversation. Sorry, but Phelps was not wrong; our marijuana laws are wrong. Really wrong.

Why Michael Phelps can’t bring his bong to the pool. – By Brian Palmer – Slate Magazine On Sunday, a British tabloid published a November photo of Olympic champion Michael Phelps smoking a bong. Fortunately for Phelps, the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibits marijuana only during competition periods. How does a drug make it onto WADA’s list of…

Phelps is now the top Olympian of all time. Here’s what it takes … US swimmer Michael Phelps made history yesterday when he scooped a record-breaking 11th Olympic gold medal. He has now topped the podium five times in Beijing. After his latest victory, he revealed the secret behind his six-days-a-week, five-hours-a-day training regime: an extraordinary 12,000-calorie daily diet, six times the intake of a normal adult male.

Michael Phelps’ marijuana use puts focus on debate over the drug – Los Angeles Times

America’s narcotic of choice – Salon.com The Michael Phelps saga is yet another example of our addiction to feigned outrage.

Michael Phelps: Puppy torturer! – Salon.com Come on, people, all he did was smoke some weed, like Bill Gates, Barack Obama and countless other overachievers.

Phelps Marijuana Arrests By Sheriff Leon Lott Columbia South Carolina -WSI 10 News The Richland County Sheriff’s Department has been taking a lot of heat from people in this country and all over the world. They want to know why Sheriff Leon Lott is going after Michael Phelps. Many are saying the sheriff should concentrate on more serious crimes, or at the very least, not focus solely on the Olympic champion when there were others at the party who were also breaking the law.

Olympian Michael Phelps dropped from Vancouver motivational event – Georgia Straight

If you’ve been counting down the days to the arrival of Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps in Vancouver, you’re in for a big disappointment.

Phelps was slotted to speak at GM Place on March 6 for a motivational leadership event organized by Toronto-based promoter Power Within Inc., but was pulled from the line-up due to the recent controversy caused by surfaced pictures of him smoking a bong at a college party.

…

According to a statement released by Power Within Inc., the change in programming was “due to widely publicized alleged use of marijuana by Michael Phelps.” Numerous calls made by the Straight to Power Within Inc. were not returned.

Comment to article:

for anyone that thinks this as absurd as I do, please pass your frustration along to Power Within. If they don’t hear people’s displeasure with this behaviour they’re likely to feel it’s condoned.- http://www.powerwithin.com/4105/contact_information.asp – Submitted by unclespeedo on Wed, 2009-02-25 13:57.

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Rolling aboard buses, trolleys, Skytrain and Seabus, Uncle Weed discusses changing routes and riding transit for escape, exploration, creativity, inspiration and adds in tourist fun plus concerns about free expression, aggressive security and love for the Seabus in a special documentary dispatch from Upper Lynn Valley to Kitsilano in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

http://archive.org/download/RollingToTheEndOfTheLine-ChoogleOn77/RollingToTheEndOfTheLine-ChoogleOn77.mp3

Hop aboard for: Rolling to the End of the Line – Choogle on #77 (.mp3, 28:00, 26MB)

See Also: Rolling to the End of the Line article in at I Love Transit Week essay: Dave Olson series at Buzzer blog and/or “Rolling to the End of the Line” Transit mixed-media essay on the Buzzer

Photo via Miss604 on Flickr

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From Wreck Beach on University of BC campus Uncle Weed offers international, festive greetings with tales of journies to come, the feeling of the edge of the world, reflections of NYEs in Japan, cougars on the Baden Powell trail, float planes, ferries and barges, and mostly asking the universe what to do next?

Plus special holiday greetings from Herby, now a free man. Music by Chris Jacobsen, from Filterland, Spilt Milk cassettes, circa 1994, Guam, Pacific. 

http://archive.org/download/FestiveMusingsFromWreckBeach-ChoogleOn76/FestiveMusingsFromWreckBeach-ChoogleOn76.mp3

Pants optional for Festive Musings from Wreck Beach – Choogle on #76 (.mp3, 18MB, 18:45)

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From the vault comes the story of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s honorary Canadian citizenship ceremony at the Canucks rink in Vancouver.

Along with a rousing Oh Canada!, and the official ceremony, comes a few words of humour and counsel from HHDL14 and his eloquent assistant and discussion of the Dalai Lama Centre for Peace in Vancouver. 

http://https://archive.org/download/HisHolinessDalaiLama14IsCanadianChoogleOn75/His-Holiness-Dalai-Lama-14-is-Canadian-Choogle-on-75.mp3

Get out your prayer flags because His Holiness Dalai Lama 14 is Canadian! – Choogle on #75 (.mp3, 15MB, 16:01)

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From a snowy Gulf island, Uncle Weed recounts an incident from a lost summer involving a hi-jacked VW bus and a surreal evening of trout, tribal chants, involuntary confinement, gun shots, and rabbit stew. 

Gonna be a long night: Taos Hi-Jacking Incident ~ from snowy Mayne Island – Choogle on #74 (.mp3, 36MB, 38:54)

Music:

Wm. Lenker of Steamboat Island via Pennsyl-tucky

Levon Helm – Dirt Farmer Music, Home of the Midnight Ramble, Woodstock, NY

Evidence of the lost summer @ Arches Ntl. Park
photo by co-conspirator Sooby Ahmed

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On back porch, Uncle Weed shares a personal message to the chooglers international followed by a spiel about tactics to resist a golf course incident induced corporate drug test using vigilance, friendly lawyers, a trip to Belize w/ broken wrist, and Tolstoy’s War + Peace. 

http://https://archive.org/download/DrugTestResistanceInBelize/Drug%20Test%20Resistance%20in%20Belize.mp3

Pack your bags for: Drug Test Resistance in Belize – Choogle on #73 (.mp3, 36MB, 38:45)

More about Drug testing and Privacy

Report on Privacy Issues in Workplace Drug Testing (.pdf) & Drug Testing issues chart (.doc) by Dave Olson circa 2003

Caye Caulker, Belize 2001 – photoset

More Podcast Goodness

Postcards from Gravelly Beach – Literature podcast – Feed – iTunes – Blog

Out n’ About with Uncle Weed– Travelin’ man vidcast – Show – Feed – iTunes

Ephemeral Feasthouse – Miscellanea & notes – Blog – Feed – Podcast

Clubside Breakfast Time – OlyWa Rock and Punditry – Blog – Feed – iTunes

Visit

Uncleweed.net for more writings, podcasts, paintings and photos

Travel Info

Go Caye Caulker, Belize

Ignacio’s Beach Cabins (cheap and rustic) on Caye Caulker:

Name: Reuben Reyes Email: reyesreubenreyes (at) yahoo (dot) com Email2: ignaciobeachcabins (@) yahoo (dot) com Telephone: 501-226-0175 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1169 Belize City Belize District

From BelizeLouge:

Ignacio’s Beach Cabins is well south of the main Caye Caulker village area. You won’t have many neighbors so it could be extremely relaxing, but that also means buying something at the village store or having more than one or two restaurants to choose from is a 10-15 minute walk to the north. The airstrip is about 5 minutes walk to the south, so it’s convenient if you are flying in and out.

From Belize Toucan Trail:

“Ignacio’s Cabins were opened in 1978 with just five units, an outhouse, bucket showers and cost BZ $3 a night! While the bathroom situation, number of units, and price has changed, not much else has. The main draw for this accommodation is that each private cabin has its own veranda with a view of the sea. Rooms are basic, hot water may be sporadic and it?s a bit of a walk from the village, but there is a private dock and an artificial reef off the dock for snorkeling. There is a small book collection in the main office for your leisure reading. There are a variety of prices depending on the size and location of the cabin, i.e. front or back and a two night minimum stay is required. These wooden cabanas have survived storms and hurricanes and thousands of budget travelers.”

“Ignacio Reyes was a fisherman and decided to open up the accommodation in the late 1970’s. Ignacio is the grandson of Luciano Reyes, one of the original settlers of Caye Caulker. Today, the hotel is managed by Ignacio’s children, primarily his son Ruben.”

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