Posted by Jon, onehumanbeing on March 7, 2009
I was given a new bike today – the best bike I’ve ever owned… and no, it doesn’t look quite like the image above.
[A note about the image: I took some photos this evening of my new bike, none of which were very good on their own... Tania suggested a photo-collage...]
I’ve been sorta-wanting a bike for a while, not really needing it, just thinking it would be an added value to my life, eliminate some car and gas use, and be a nice way to get around Long Beach, which is slowly moving towards bike-friendliness…
But this last week, a friend said to me as he was helping me move a love-seat up our stairs, “Man, you are out of shape. You need to get some exercise, you need a bike…” and I had to agree. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Jon, onehumanbeing on March 6, 2009
It’s Friday, and I thought it would be a nice day for a little story…
A new administration and a new Congress had come to Washington DC, along with a massive financial disaster brought about by a number of things, but one major factor was the greedy and shortsighted bankers collapsed plan built on inflated home values and reckless loans. And because of their bad decisions, economies around the world were devastated.
But the new administration came in and started to clean house, and they called these bankers before them to explain themselves. Even though they were guilty of massive frauds and mismanagement, the new administration and Congress forgave them, and in order to keep what was left of the economy afloat, they loaned them more money and told them to get their houses in order.
Very quickly the bankers had money flowing back to their banks, and their jobs were saved and bonuses were awarded… and then a letter came from a homeowner who was three months behind on his house payment, and was not asking for money, but just a little more time so he could save his families home.
The bankers were outraged. “You should be more responsible… no more time – foreclose on that house today…”
Well, word got around the Internet pretty quickly, and soon the outcry was so great that the new administration and Congress heard about it and called the bankers back in to question them about this situation.
“We forgave you and helped you to keep going, but your fellow citizen just asked for a crumb by comparison and you’re ready to throw him out on the street with his wife and children… Now, not only are we going to take your companies, but also your homes, cars, airplanes and bonuses, and you are all going to be put into prison for a very long time…”
This would have worked just as well as The Bankers And The Credit Card Holders, but I went with the homeowners…
I hope you enjoyed my story, but I must admit that I borrowed heavily from the greatest story-teller of all time, Jesus of Nazareth.
Lots of people do comeback tours, I’d sure like to see Jesus do a return engagement. He’d be great on Letterman or with Jon Stewart, Live with Larry King…
The original version of my story can be found in any Bible – Matthew 18:21-35 (that’s the first book in the New Testament) – and really, Jesus tells it better… and the question he’s answering is about forgiveness, and how often should we forgive someone… a good thing to think about in the days ahead.
Have a great Friday and a blessed weekend,
Jon, onehumanbeing
Posted by Jon, onehumanbeing on February 23, 2009
How about some real justice? Now that would be a nice change...
Tania and I went to the rally at the Federal Court Building in downtown Los Angeles for Charles C. Lynch and for the cause of Medical Marijuana this afternoon.
I had emailed Charles to let him know we going to be there and bringing buttons to give away. The official name for the rally was “Hope for Change” – but I finished hoping on Nov. 5th – Now I’m standing up, as are many others, so we get real change that helps us as patients.
I think our fear and silence has let this nonsense go on for too long. It’s true that some of us will take a hit for standing up, but we’ll all lose if no one stands up. I really believe in medical marijuana, I really believe that marijuana is a gift from God.
I also feel like I have nothing more to say that can add to the debate over marijuana use. Over the last 26 years I’ve heard just about every argument on both sides, and frankly, I’m just tired of it… The truth has been said over and over and ignorance still rules the day.
Photos from the rally
Here’s some photos that Tania took today at the rally…
Read more about the rally
Today’s Rally: The injustice is that Charles C. Lynch, a good community business man, is having to go through this whole stupid trial and everything else just because he choose to be compassionate, stepped forward and helped provided relief for numerous MMJ patients in his area.
But the local sheriff who does not like marijuana being legal for people with chronic illnesses, and apparently believes his opinion matters more than the law and the state constitution he’s sworn to uphold, so he called the DEA in to try and ruin this man’s life…
Here’s a bit from the MPP’s newsletter about Charles’ case:
Charles Lynch operated a medical marijuana dispensing collective in Morro Bay, Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers, that helped more than 2,000 seriously ill patients obtain their medicine in a legal, clean, and safe environment. In March 2007, the facility was raided, and federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents later arrested and charged Charles with five counts of marijuana-related federal crimes.
Charles not only complied with California’s long-standing medical marijuana laws, he was operating under a license issued by the City of Morro Bay and was a well-respected member of the local community. Nevertheless, Charles was treated like a common criminal under draconian federal marijuana laws, and the county sheriff even cooperated with the subversion of state law.
The jury in Charles’ trial was not allowed to hear any information relating to medical marijuana and his compliance with state law. Consequently, on August 5, 2008, Charles was found guilty on all counts.
While President Obama has pledged to end the raids on state-legal medical marijuana providers, that does little to help Charles. He is one several providers still facing federal charges or sentencing from raids during the Bush administration. His sentencing is set for March 23, and if the judge doesn’t show discretion because of Charles’ status under state law he could end up spending the rest of his life in prison.
I made a bunch of buttons over the weekend for the rally that look like this…
I quickly gave away all 120-150 buttons and got to walk around, talk to a few folks… I haven’t been feeling so great (the flu – almost over it now…) so we cut out after a bit. I just wanted everyone to have a souvenir of a moment, a moment when we know we stood for this movement, we stood for Charles, stood for justice, we stood for change…
For those that got a button today – Wear it proudly, proud that you stood up, proud that you’re part of the change, and not just talking about it…and I hope it brings a smile to your face when you a digging through a box of old stuff 20 years from now and find this little button and you remember those crazy days back when marijuana was illegal…
A movement isn’t just a one day event, but a series of steps to reach a goal.
Help Charles C. Lynch reach the goal of staying out of prison and getting back to his life.
Visit his website: (http://www.friendsofccl.com/) and send him a message of support today. On his site are listed a number of ways you can help. On March 23rd he gets sentenced…
Posted by Jon, onehumanbeing on February 16, 2009
Double Rainbow Detail: Click to see Image of the Moment
Please note: I am publishing this post about a week [2-25-2009] after I first wrote it. See the note at the end of the post for more details…
Ripples After The Splash
The last 36 hours have been very difficult. (the story gets better, really…)
I’ve experienced this before, the relapse after a big depression, just as you’re heading out of the whirlpool. It’s like ripples from a big splash in a pond.
Peeved
That’s the word I settled on to describe how I feel today. I’m angry, bothered and vexed – but mostly it’s wrestling with God, trying to get through my confusion of the moment…
So today, I’m not the best to be around – I have a short temper, and I feel like I have an agenda in every conversation… most of which have been with Tania who had the day off today and got to enjoy my dark windstorms and blowing clouds…
I don’t get this way very often, and haven’t in a long time, so it’s really throwing me around this time, and tripping up my footing.
WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Jon, onehumanbeing on January 22, 2009
I have been one busy human being, and much goodness is in the works from onehumanbeing.com in the weeks ahead…
As you can see from the picture above – this blog is getting a redesign, both to speed up the page loading and make the site easier to understand, navigate, and all-around more enjoyable. I think of myself as a blogging rookie this year – but I’m getting this thing figured out.
As I’ve been working, a theme and approach to my work has surfaced after 11 or so years of meditating on this idea: Share Your Truth.
I first felt the compulsion of this idea in March of 1998, and have spent a long time growing out of who I was and into the skin of this idea… All things in the fullness of time.
As we begin 2009 I feel compelled, an urging from every creative part of me to orient on this idea…
I wasn’t expecting to move this way – I have a whole other agenda prepared and ready to build… but that is the way of the Spirit, and I am just the wind… going where the pressures of the Spirit move me.
On the plate, but out-of-view right now, are the following site updates:
- onehumanbeing.com – better organization and navigation.
- The MMJ Project – complete make-over to accomplish goals I originally started with (more on that when the redesign is ready, but you can go peek at it if you like…) including medical marijuana graphics and other souvenirs of the project available for download (through Creative Commons licensing) and merchandise to purchase through CafePress.
- The Medical Marijuana Lists – a major piece of work from The MMJ Project, very big project site underway – anticipated launch date is January 31, 2009
Sign-up for the newsletter and get updated when it’s all good to go. Until then… Best of health, Jon, onehumanbeing
