Two pathways diverge at sunrise

Two pathways diverged in the Boise foothills at daybreak

#tworoads, #twopaths, #Boise, #BoiseFoothills

The Road Not Taken -- Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth; 

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day! 
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

art of latrine building in far-flung lands

Posted in response to a piece by Barbara Frost (Chief Executive of WaterAid since 2005) on The Huffington Post, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…/why-opening-a-new-community…

With all due respect, I would hope the first question might be, ‘Why aren’t the local people building latrines for themselves?!’ Often, there are deep cultural issues at play. Does it really take a (high-powered and high-salaried) foreign organization to travel overseas to do it for them? From my experience in Nepal, mis-governance is the real obstacle, not a lack of knowledge and will power.

Unfortunately, indefinite foreign aid often underwrites dysfunctional elements of the status quo and thereby, indirectly funds mis-governance which actually prolongs the very problems that aid is trying to solve. Unfortunately, despite the best of intentions (which are not in doubt), that spells lethal results for the oppressed population facing dire, chronic poverty.

In my humble opinion, aid organizations would do best, if they must do something in countries that they’ve traveled overseas to effect change in (often without language and culture skills), to aim their efforts at cleaning up governance. Freeing the local people from mis-governance would be the best aid imaginable for development and progress. Then the population could pursue their own dreams and ambitions with their own talents and capabilities.

As Dr. Dambisa Moyo of Zambia pleads, “Let my people go!"

More posts on the tragedy of indefinite aid to Nepal: http://alolyo.blogspot.com/search/label/%23AidBully

 #LetMyPeopleGo, #AidRiddenNepal, #DambisaMoyo, #DonorDarlings, #FreeNepal 

High Theft (Stop Stealing Food -- yes, you :)

What is more precious than your life, and what loss could be more extreme than the loss of your life? What treasures could possibly compensate that loss?

Life is the most precious thing you have, that any sentient being has. From it, all other things and experiences flow. Thereby, what theft could be more extreme than the theft of what is most precious, the theft of life, any life -- intentionally taking a being's life?

Exhibit A, Stop Stealing Food, the case (an incomplete work-in-progress) for theft-free meals:

The Brahmajāla Sutta -- All-embracing Net of Views (translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi)

SECTION II. THE ANALYSIS OF VIRTUE 1. The Short Section on Virtue (Cūḷasīla)

Having abandoned the destruction of life, the recluse Gotama [Buddha] abstains from the destruction of life. He has laid aside the rod and the sword, and dwells conscientious, full of kindness, compassionate for the welfare of all living beings.

Having abandoned taking what is not given, the recluse Gotama abstains from taking what is not given. Accepting and expecting only what is given, he dwells in honesty and rectitude of heart.

Photo of Andromeda Galaxy taken from https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimk9bAjpkNJmI7u_PayWmCm9VIcKN5d_2Lyk8AVU7PV5QMHU_RloAHJ1zPr2qSmrHOJl-MPzWNyHF7ELCTlqAPR3-P9s0joYx0DMgB4CPigWn7PSXrFynWfBuJ8zmCGpaS4dq_8s2mjPM/w140-h41-p/1280px-Andromeda_galaxy_Ssc2005-20a1.jpg

Maya Devi Temple, Birthplace of Siddhartha Gotama, later known by the title Buddha, in Lumbini, Nepal. The shrine erected over the birth site is named after Buddha's mother Maya Devi. She died within days of giving birth to Siddhartha.

#Buddha, #veg, #Lumbini, #PrinceOfPeace

Idahome

Home Sweet (Potato) Home, Ida-home, land of world-famous potatoes

Welcome signboard at Boise International Airfield (BOI)

Sunrise vista from a jog in foothills above my hometown -- 'Big [Bright] Sky' country.

'Ida-hoax' postcard image taken from http://mypostcards.frankchang.org/2013/08/we-growem-big-in-idaho.html

#Boise, #Idaho, #potato, #Idahome, #boisefoothills, #BOI, #BigSky, #famouspotatoes

'Soul-stirring Mourning'

Doing my darnedest to hold aid workers' feet to the fire of greater awareness, awareness of their profound effects in Nepal and beyond. With all due respect, this link is suggested reading for the foreign cohort intervening at all levels in Nepal. From my humble experience, intervention often supports (directly, and most often, indirectly) a dysfunctional and overpowering status quo and contributes to the endless political bandh (closure) that Nepal endures with prolonged economic strife and deathly suffering.

The country is filled with aid workers rushing in and around to cover for the government and inadvertently funding establishment goons with unmerited entitlements.

With external support and endowments, the ruling gang does not have to be accountable to the general population as they would have to be in a liberal democracy.

The country and majority of her people face crippling economic stagnation and dire poverty, and because of a lack of opportunity, the tragic option that many impoverished citizens turn to is to escape the frying pan of the motherland for the fires of work in faraway nations -- often, nations with dismal human rights records -- emigrant workers from Nepal to The Gulf and Malaysia have virtually no legal status and no representation...a grisly recipe for exploitation and suffering.

A migrant worker's journey ends with a coffin and soul-stirring mourning

#freeNepal, #donordarlings, #Bandh, #Nepal, #exploit, #modernslavery, #YellFire, #AidRiddenNepal, #AidBully

"Is your Love enough or can you Love some more?"

Michael Franti -- perhaps as close as it comes to a modern day 'prince of peace'.

He and bandmates Spearhead made a journey to war zones in Western Asia including Iraq, Israel and Palestine to witness the 'human cost of war' with their own senses, and the experience totally informed the writing of the album Yell Fire!

The material was too heavy, and the band went off to Jamaica to record and lighten it up.

That's the hearsay as I know it. Yell Fire! is one of my all-time favorite albums. 

Here is Franti yellin' fire...totally inspirational -- 'Power to the Peaceful'

The following is the studio version with a soul-stirring chorus with reggae artist Gentleman, 

Documentary, I know I'm Not Alone -- Franti and friends in West Asian war zones.
"Ring the alarm, we come to wake up the snorin' ...Yell Fire..."

#Franti, #YellFire, #IsLoveEnough?, #IsYourLoveEnough, #WestAsia, #princeofpeace, #Iraq, #Israel, #Palestine, #powertothepeaceful

Everybody was Kung-Fu Fighting for World Peace?

It's a new idea in my scope of awareness.
Will have to see it to believe it...
That is, I'll believe it when I see everybody kung-fu fighting...

'ooooa oooa oooa oooa, oooa oooa oooa oooooaaaaa

Everybody was Kung Fu fighting

Those cats were fast as lightning...

It's an ancient Chinese art

And everybody knew their part

From a feint into a slip

And a kickin' from the hip

Everybody was Kung Fu fighting

We took the bow and made a stand

Started swaying with the hand

The sudden motion made me skip

Now we're into a brand new trip

Everybody was Kung Fu fighting

Make sure you have expert timing

Kung Fu Fighting

It's as fast as lightning'

#karate, #worldpeace, #kungfufighting, #fastaslightening, #Lainchaur, #Nepal, #kungfu, #carldouglas