Russell Means: Remembering the Names of the Clouds

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Russell Means (1939 - 2012)

If You Have Forgotten the Names of the Clouds, You Have Lost Your Way

Russell Means, the American Indian activist, philosopher, and human rights activist, died October 22, 2012. His last public video on his YouTube channel was "Clouds" on August 14, 2012.

Freedom fighter Means, a Oglala Lakota, had been struggling with cancer of which he would soon succumb. His words are poignant in his final video. He begins by proclaiming "today is a good day" and "what we do with it (today), of course, is up to ourselves". The great Oglala Lakota war leader Crazy Horse is known for his battle exhortation, "Hóka-héy, today is a good day to die!".

Means talks about balance in life, balance with the Universe, and a matrilineal way of life. He notes his book, co-authored by Bayard Johnson, "If You've Forgotten The Names Of The Clouds, You've Lost Your Way: An Introduction to American Indian Thought".

He says the Oglala Lakota and other tribes had names for the types of clouds, as they passed over the Great Plains. Combining this information with wind direction, the weather could accurately be forecasted for up to 2 days. The systematic genocide of his tribe and others by the government of the United States of America has eradicated this type of cultural knowledge, along the names of the flora and fauna, languages, and traditions.

As Russell Means has observed and written about in his own life and journey: do not lose your way. Center yourself and proceed on your spiritual journey, not on an American consumerism way of life. There is too much at stake in your own spiritual and creative growth to waste your time on trinkets the corporate mass media entices you to spend your time striving for and acquiring. Remember the names of the clouds. Remember your personal journey.



(Amazon)

"If You've Forgotten The Names Of The Clouds, You've Lost Your Way: An Introduction to American Indian Thought"

This book begins the explanation of how traditional American Indian thought and philosophy were integral to day-to-day matrilineal life. The civilization of the American Indian was predicated on the people's relationships with every form of life, from the perspective of close-knit family communities. This introduction partially explains why indigenous people the world over never overpopulate their environment or destroy the lands where they live. This is the only philosophy that can stop the worldwide ongoing rape by the patriarchs.


Russell Charles Means (1939 - 2012)



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Dogs Help Endangered Species: Animals Assist Animals

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Frehley the Border Collie with Biologist Bud Marks

Frehley the Border Collie is on a mission and living, yep, a dog's life. He was on death row in an animal shelter, but biologists rescued Frehley to work in the forests of the Jemez Mountains.

Frehley, and other dogs, now sniff for the scat of endangered species worldwide. No ecosystem appears to be outside the abilities of these Conservation Canines. From pocket mice to elephants to killer whales, tracking other animals is natural for these working dogs. Frehley, et al. are loving every minute!

Nature Helping Nature: Conservation Canines A team of four-legged researchers sniff out critical conservation data to help New Mexico's forests adapt to a changing climate.




Tucker the Labrador Sniffing for Whales



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What Are GMOs? Should They Be Labeled?

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No GMO!

A genetically modified organism (GMO) or engineered organism (GEO) is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. These techniques, generally known as recombinant DNA technology, use DNA molecules from different sources, which are combined into one molecule to create a new set of genes. This DNA is then transferred into an organism, giving it modified or novel genes. Transgenic organisms, a subset of GMOs, are organisms that have inserted DNA from a different species. GMOs are the constituents of genetically modified foods. (Wikipedia)

What Exactly Are GMOs and Why Should They Be Labeled?

(Natural News) GMOs (genetically modified organisms) were brought into the world by a chemical company, not an agriculture or food group. Monsanto created DDT, PCBs, Agent Orange, marketed aspartame, and created bovine growth hormone (rBGH) to infect milking cows that put pus into commercial milk.

GMOs are created within the seeds of chosen parent crops in laboratories by "splicing" genes from completely unrelated species into those seeds. Normal plant hybrids are cultivated in soil over time by cross pollinating closely related plants.

So far, GMOs have invaded soy, corn, beets (for beet sugar), cotton, and alfalfa agriculture. Many GMO edibles are contained surreptitiously in a wide variety of processed foods, while GMO corn and soy are used by unnatural factory farm feed lots.

If you've been following NaturalNews for some time, you may recall several articles describing GMOs' inherent human and animal health hazards as well as crop and environmental dangers. If not, you'll find most of them here.

The Video Monsanto Does NOT Want You to See! Brought to You by Nutiva and Elevate What is a GMO, and how do GMOs affect you and your family? The same corporations that said DDT and Agent Orange were safe have now put millions of dollars into the campaign against our right to know what's in our food.



GMOs Damage Crops, the Environment, and the Food Chain

(Natural News) GMOs are often genetically created artificially to tolerate herbicides, made by Monsanto and others, that kill weeds. The herbicides contain glyphosates. Monsanto's Roundup weed killer is meant for Roundup Ready GMO crop seeds. It's an extremely toxic glyphosate agent.

Glyphosates greatly harm grazing animals and pollute the wells and groundwater of farm areas where they're used. (Natural Society) They create sterility and birth defects among animals and humans. Most of the honey bee die-off, or colony collapse, is attributed to glyphosates. If enough pollinating bees disappear, our food chain is endangered further.

Glyphosate's chelating capabilities remove minerals from the soil where they're sprayed. So crops get increasingly worse while increasingly abundant Roundup resistant weeds, or super weeds, force farmers to add more toxic materials to Roundup.

It's a vicious cycle for farmers who, conned by greater production promises, unwittingly signed on to Monsanto Roundup Ready GMO binding seed contracts. Monsanto uses patent laws to litigate against farmers whose non-GMO fields are contaminated by GMO fields, forcing smaller farms out of business.

Most farmers fold because they cannot afford the litigation. American farmers are attempting to organize against mostly Monsanto's GMOs. European farmers have managed to resist thus far.

Why You Should Be Concerned

(Natural News) Maybe the reasons summarized above are too abstract. So let's get personal. Contrary to mainstream media's (MSM) outlook, the jury is not out on GMOs. GMOs do destroy human and animal health while endangering non-GMO crops with contamination. That's been discovered by several scientists acting independently.

They jeopardize their careers and even their lives by communicating what they find while the MSM ignores them. Anti-GMO activist and author Jeffrey Smith lists the casualties and summarizes Monsanto's harassment here.

Agro-ecologist Don Lotter, Ph.D. released an inside scoop when he stated: "The promoter gene used ... [the] cauliflower mosaic virus, ... [was assumed to be] denatured in our digestive system, but it's not. It has been shown to promote the transfer of transgenes from GM foods to the bacteria within our digestive system, which are responsible for 80 percent of our immune system function." Read Lotter's interview here.

This from Wessex Natural Law research papers: The cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV 35S) used for plant genetic engineering is cited as a source of viral recombination as well as a gene silencer and DNA disruptor.

Forget petitioning the government. It's so corrupted that one of Monsanto's most ruthless executives, Michael Taylor, now serves in the Obama administration as FDA chief adviser, or "Food Czar."

That's why our only chance is to help California succeed with Proposition 37. GMO labeling may spill over from California making it easier to boycott GMOs.



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