The Smoking Gun or a Water Pistol? Possible Source of Climate Change Denial

Very recently, some documents have fallen into my hands regarding The Heartland Institute and its conservative position on global warming and science being taught in the classroom. I will more thoroughly review these documents later, but I will also attempt to post them online here. Keep in mind some have been denounced as fake while others have been confirmed to be real and the institute itself has threatened to litigate anyone possessing and spreading these documents. I personally believe they are bluffing and that it is everyone's right to discuss these papers, false or not. The document titled "Confidential Memo: 2012 Heartland Climate Strategy" is considered by some to be fake, but I myself can not be sure of this.

UPDATE: After several computer failures and subsequent repairs, I have lost these files.

Life and Pantheacon

Okay, so I haven't made a post in a while. I've been busy doing things over here in Huntington Beach. Mainly, I've been looking for a job, but I've also been working out a lot in order to reenlist in the military! I did take a break today in order to let my body rest and rebuild, but I'll be back at it tomorrow for another three hours at least! I can already feel some of my former strength returning and it felt great after yesterdays workout! I've also started reading a new book series called The Hunger Games. I've been told that it's a great series almost worthy of Harry Potter, but it seems to be very depressing so far. We'll see how it goes.

Some news I heard about Pantheacon this year. I did not go myself, but it seems that the focus was on transgender issues in paganism. Personally, I don't understand why this even needs to be discussed. If you have a penis, you're a man. If you have a vagina, you're a woman. If you're a man who feels he needs to be a woman, save up for a sex change. Same if you're a woman who feels she needs to be a man. It really is that simple. It doesn't matter what you think. What matters is the physical reality and how you change that. Until then, don't try to join any skyclad rituals of the gender you identify with. A man exposing himself to a group of women, no matter how much he may identify with them, is still committing sexual assault.

brand new post

to see how long it takes to show up in my rss readers on fb and how long it takes to post automatically.

Really, Star? Really?

Are you seriously asking these questions?

" Do eclectics practice in such diverse and idiosyncratic ways because it fits their beliefs? Or, and yes I know this is a touchy idea, does a lack of consistency in practice perhaps denote a lack of belief?"

Let me answer that for you.

"We believe in the four classical Western elements, and that fifth which is spirit, and so we have to take them seriously. If we did not believe in these things, we would not practice the way we do."

Funny. I believe the same things and I am not a trad witch. Though not every eclectic believes the same as I do, that does not mean that they don't believe. Just because you lack belief in the eclectic path, doesn't mean those who practice it do. You wonder why trad witches come off as elitist when you post crap like this. Let me ask you this: what is this lack of consistency in practice of which you speak? Where do you feel that eclectics are inconsistent and why do you feel that way? Where is this coming from, Star? Keep in mind, not every eclectic practices like a trad witch does, or even like you did before you were a trad witch.

My two cents: take a World's Religions course. You'll find that every practice has its own symbolism and rites that may or may not be "consistent" with your own. You'll find that every religion hinges, ultimately, on belief!

Here's the original article: http://www.patheos.com/community/paganportal/2011/11/03/because-we-believe/

The Satyr's Thicket Episode 5- Patron and Matron Deities

Today on the show I have Ashlee and NRia, guests from the Pagan Centered Podcast

• Introduction
• Ads for the Pagan Centered Podcast and the Proud Pagan Podcasters
• Question from askapagan.com about worship of patron deities
• Discussion of non-patron deities
• Our Samhain experiences this year
• Hail Columbia and the NAR
• Dragonball Z, Selena Fox as Vegeta and Peter Dybing as Piccolo
• Final Thoughts

"PCP retreat from new age section" by Pagan Centered Podcast (PCP) and TreborLocke
"Pagan Podcasting Promo" by Dave of the PCP and uziwave


Photos are of my Samhain 2011 altar, taken at Huntington Beach Central Park, Huntington Beach, CA.


P.S. Cara Schulz, you're not one of those at patheos that I take offense to.

Samhain Ritual

A blessed Samhain to all!

So, Samhain is once again upon us. A time once again for honoring our dead and continuing our internal work to better ourselves. I'm going to be doing a personal ritual tomorrow probably some time around the afternoon. My mother will be at work and my sister will be at her dad's house, so that would be the best time for me. I don't have every single tool some might say I need, but that's ok. The most important magickal tool of all is the one inside your skull. I have a wand and an athame, candles for the Lord and Lady, and for my ancestors. I have items representing the four elements for the quarters. What I can't quite figure out is what I want to say for the quarter calls or for casting and closing the circle itself. For my ancestors, I believe each particular speech will flow when the time is right. I'm not even sure where I'm going to be doing this. I'm planning on doing it at Huntington Beach Central Park in Huntington Beach, CA, but I must acquaint myself with local fire safety laws beforehand.

P.S. Dave of the Pagan Centered Podcast has given me leave to discuss a few topics from the Ask A Pagan forum on my show so, expect a new episode soon! :-D

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I'm testing this new template from Blogger. I'm also testing my link with my google+ profile.