Catalyst Magazine

From the moment I met Greta, I recognized her as a powerful goddess and have wanted to photograph her as such ever since. Recently, I found that we have never had the pleasure of seeing her visage on the cover of this fine magazine in the 28 years it has been in production (though her backside was featured on the Feb. ‘02 issue). Greta is not in the habit of calling attention to herself in this way, she is often too busy discovering the magic in those around her and showing us these treasures. Usually, she exhibits herself by what she channels through her magazine. So the rest of us at Catalyst Magazine have taken the opportunity to share with you the treasure that we are blessed to have in our lives.

Continuing the tradition of my Goddess series, Greta is the Goddess of Discovery. Always the explorer, she cuts through pretense in order to communicate knowledge. The natural world provides a rich playground where her curiosity is never sated though she is always fulfilled. She honors each living being from the smallest snail to the largest tree with thoughtful love and consideration. Greta is the compassionate teacher who recognizes the light in all. She is the catalyst for knowledge, passion, awareness and love. Namaste, Goddess Gret.

Corol Koleman authored our popular ”Profile of a Goddess” series. She is the CATALYST office dominatrix and a catalyst in her own right. We love Carol!

by Jim Catano

You may have no impact on the healthcare coverage crisis, but in the closely related arena of health, you're the boss.
When President Obama delivered his message to Congress on healthcare reform, progressives breathed a qualified sigh of relief. The guy we’d worked so hard to elect didn’t throw in the towel on the public option for insurance coverage—at least not yet. Many of us had originally hoped for a single payer system like they have in Canada. Expecting the death of the insurance industry in America is a bit unrealistic…or at least premature. But we’re okay with just a public insurance option that would compete with the private money shufflers. Really, we are. And many of us are insisting on it, especially since we already compromised away a single payer system. Perhaps health insurers should take a page out of the auto insurance book: reward responsibility and healthy lifestyle with discounts—and charge more for those who choose an unhealthy lifestyle.

When President Obama delivered his message to Congress on healthcare reform, progressives breathed a qualified sigh of relief. The guy we’d worked so hard to elect didn’t throw in the towel on the public option for insurance coverage—at least not yet.

Many of us had originally hoped for a single payer system like they have in Canada. Expecting the death of the insurance industry in America is a bit unrealistic…or at least premature. But we’re okay with just a public insurance option that would compete with the private money shufflers. Really, we are. And many of us are insisting on it, especially since we already compromised away a single payer system.

Details are yet to be hammered out for a proposed bill; there’s time to incorporate a little “kick butt” radical into the public option to make it more sellable and more effective in delivering, well, health.

Yes, America has a healthcare coverage crisis. Yes, the healthcare system itself has massive problems and treatment is too expensive. But the biggest (and the least discussed) factor in the equation is our nation’s health crisis. It will take something radical to address that.

The “radical” concept I’ll suggest here is not really all that radical. It may be new to healthcare, but it’s not alien to other forms of insurance. In fact, anyone who drives a car legally pays for a policy that works in exactly the same way, and nobody complains about the basic structure of car insurance. Everyone ultimately considers it fair.

For example: I’ve been driving for 43 years. I’ve been in a couple of accidents but have never caused one. My fingers are crossed while I write this, but I’ve never had a moving violation except for one five-miles-per-hour-over ticket from a private university security officer. In other words, my record is spotless.

I’m also in an age bracket that most auto insurance companies consider “prime.” To be sure, certain people my age are terrible drivers but most are anything but, so I get the benefit of my group’s average added to my own perfect driving record and pay a really low rate for car insurance.

What would happen, however, if I started collecting moving violations, causing accidents and got a DUI? Well, my rates would gradually rise, and in the end I’d be paying several times what I did as my former perfect-behind-the-wheel self. That’s just the way auto insurance works, and few complain about it. It rewards responsibility and good performance with discounts, and punishes accidents and violations with rate hikes. That’s as American as apple pie, right?

So what does all that have to do with health insurance? Nothing, right now. But it should. The president’s proposed new legislation would prevent pre-existing health conditions from negatively impacting our ability to get or keep health insurance. Fantastic and long overdue! There’s nothing anyone can do to change the past once they’ve had a disease or injury.

But there’s a long list of health conditions we often can do something about: Certain lifestyle choices can lead to excess weight, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, high pulse rate, elevated blood sugar and fat levels and more. Those conditions are within the power of most people to change.

If the feds want to design an innovative program that effectively promotes better health, the public option coverage should be priced according to how well each of us “drives” the old body down the highway of life.

Some private insurance companies do offer wellness support and information to encourage healthy lifestyles, especially in corporate group programs. These tend to offer token awards when participants achieve goals and may even provide small cash incentives. What I’m suggesting is a graded and significant price break to the best body “drivers,” while charging full rate for those who are willing to risk “crashing and burning” as a result of their lifestyle choices.

I’m a good example of what I’m talking about. About 17 years ago, I got tired of being sick and tired. I radically altered my diet and reduced or eliminated things that did more harm than good once they slid past my taste buds. I eat very little meat and a lot of whole, unprocessed, raw or lightly cooked organic vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans and grains. I limit bread and pasta consumption to social situations, opting instead for brown rice, millet or quinoa (a nutrient-laden South American seed) with healthy sauces or stir-fries. I don’t smoke, drink or use recreational drugs, and never need the legal ones.

I now weigh what I did in high school. My immune system is so good that I don’t get sick any more. My medical stats (blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.) are those of someone much younger.

I know others who eat more raw food, pay stricter attention to seasonal eating, eat only organic, take a lot of supplements, exercise more. There are many ways to be good. The point is to do what we can to “maintain the engine.”

I’d love to find a health insurance program that would reward me for my good efforts instead of just looking at my birth date. Based on how often I’ve needed to see a physician for illness (not once in the past 16 years), I might never even use it. Still, as with all forms of insurance, it’s good to have, right?

Here’s a basic plan for a public health insurance option that would really interest someone like me. People of all political stripes could embrace it—it embodies both the fairness and affordability that liberals and populists love while honoring and requiring individual effort and personal responsibility conservatives and libertarians find lacking in government social programs.

Each covered person has a basic physical exam every year. Obama’s plan may include one anyway, as regular physicals are part of any good preventive health program and save money in the long run by spotting disease symptoms early. The exams could be done either in doctors’ offices or at large centers set up to conduct them efficiently and quickly. They would, of course, assess basic statistics. The standard blood analysis, the heart of the program, would measure more than 20 health markers such as cholesterol and blood fats, and cost about $20 per person. Some information would be self-reported (like smoking) but could be backed up by random verification testing.

The test result would be graded according to current medical understanding of how those levels relate to long-term health and the incidence of conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Again, whether or not a person has or had any of those conditions would not be a factor. The tests are to find out how well we’re doing in trying to make sure problems don’t happen again.

From the test results, one is assigned to a fitness level and charged the corresponding rate. Five or so levels might be workable. The better your controllable wellness results, the bigger your discount.

As time passes, the result could be fine-tuned as each pool of insureds gains “experience” (that’s insurance speak for examining the amount and nature of claims), so the rates could be made to correlate precisely with how much medical treatment is needed by each group. Again, this is exactly how auto insurance works, and everybody accepts that what they pay corresponds directly to how well they drive.

You might ask why insurance companies haven’t come up with something like this already as it might be an interesting marketing angle. I learned the sad truth almost 20 years ago when I was the marketing director for the manufacturer of a new medical device. Since it enhanced the results of an established medical procedure, I thought it would easily win approval for insurance reimbursement. After a seminar session on reimbursement I attended, I was discussing with the speaker the cost-saving aspects of our device and how I expected the insurance industry to embrace it.

“You really don’t understand how things work, do you?” he responded. My confused look prompted his explanation: “Insurance companies work on a percentage, so they want the gross number for medical treatment to be as big as possible. Their slice of a big number is their bottom line. What they do is control their own internal costs while paying for the same expensive services all their competitors are covering, too. They pinch pennies in house or do things like try to deny certain claims or drop sick people from coverage, but they really don’t want overall medical expenses to be lower. The bigger the costs, the more they make.”

I’ll never forget that sobering lesson. And as much as I normally agree with food expert and writer Michael Pollan, I have to take issue with his position in a recent Sunday New York Times editorial. The fact that the insurance companies will have to take all comers regardless of pre-existing conditions under President Obama’s proposal will not by itself reduce costs. If anything, rates will go up, but the insurers really don’t care since their competitors will have to confront the same increases for added liabilities, too.

In the absence of other reforms, insurance companies will always want the overall cost for medical treatment to be high since they get paid a percentage of the bill.

But a public insurance option doesn’t have to work in the self-serving way that commercial insurance industry does. Because there will be no profit margin to return to investors (and upon which to base lucrative executive compensation packages), a public plan based on the ideas proposed here could be cost-effective even for participants in the worst level of fitness and also significantly reward those who go the extra mile to be healthy. Those who don’t qualify for the better ratings would have a significant financial incentive to take charge of their health to lower their rate in the future.

I realize, of course, the complexity of fully designing a plan like this. Providing public education about what causes lifestyle-related health problems and how to remedy them would be essential. Of all the various theories and contradictory claims floating around about how to achieve wellness, which health highways would become the recommended ones?

Ultimately, it might boil down to supplying the best thinking and research available and then allowing individuals to select their route. Putting all the conventional and alternative treatment modalities on a sliding scale of benefit might help, but it wouldn’t be an easy or uncontroversial tool to create.

There would also need to be ways to grade the results people get according to the methods they use. For example, controlling cholesterol through diet and natural means would need to “score more points” than artificially controlling it with statin drugs which have side effects that can cause other health problems. Yes, the pharmaceutical and food industries would likely spend a bundle of money to oppose changes that would certainly result in fewer sales of fattening, unhealthy foods and the drugs America currently uses to treat the resulting problems.

Finally, the time is right for another First Lady to get involved with promoting a healthcare proposal. I’d love to see Michele Obama take up this cause. She understands health and is a concerned mother trying to raise healthy children. She even tore up some of the White House lawn to put in an organic vegetable garden. Maybe she’s the right person to take the banner in promoting an innovative public option that could bless us all by kicking our butts to better health.

Jim Catano is a freelance copy editor and writer who finds every excuse to be hiking or running the Wasatch Front trails.

by Jean Arnold

It's time to get loud and clear on climate change. Enviro activist groups, such as 350.org, hope to make their point this October with an international day of action.
Climate crisis is the most urgent issue facing the planet today. Urgent, because we have a tiny window of opportunity to reduce heat trapping emissions before the effects of climate change become catastrophic and irreversible. This is what the world’s best climate scientists say. Further, the climate is changing faster than even they anticipated. Millions of people around the world face starvation and dislocation if nothing is done. Especially hard-hit will be people of color, the poorest countries, the island nations and those in the global south.

Climate crisis is the most urgent issue facing the planet today. Urgent, because we have a tiny window of opportunity to reduce heat trapping emissions before the effects of climate change become catastrophic and irreversible. This is what the world’s best climate scientists say. Further, the climate is changing faster than even they anticipated. Millions of people around the world face starvation and dislocation if nothing is done. Especially hard-hit will be people of color, the poorest countries, the island nations and those in the global south.

Lucky number

For about 200 years, since the Industrial Revolution began belching dark clouds of coal dust over England, we’ve been burning fossil fuels to drive our turbo-charged economies—slowly at first, but ever-accelerating. Prior to that, atmospheric CO2 levels were at 275 parts per million (ppm). Now levels are at 388 ppm and rising about 2 ppm annually.

A series of landmark studies last year provoked a team of NASA climatologists to sound the fire alarm, asserting that atmospheric CO2 of 350 ppm is the safe upper limit before irreversible damage occurs; that we must begin to turn around this rising trajectory immediately and end fossil fuel use by mid-century to keep the rise in global temperature below two degrees centigrade. If we don’t, we will trigger climate chaos and the end of civilization—at least as we know it.

Flailing around

Can you say “unprecedented international cooperation and mobilization”? Heads of state have bickered and stonewalled on climate issues for 20 years: How will we reduce emissions? How much and by when? Who will take responsibility and who will pay? The United Nations gets it, and is working on a global climate treaty to be completed at a conference December 7-18 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Many believe this is the last big chance before the window of opportunity closes for good. Others say the current treaty is too weak and the targets and methodology outdated. Any useful plan needs a substantially high carbon price to force us to transition to clean energy, and it needs to ensure that poor countries have a fair chance to develop cleanly.

America is in the best position to lead the world in innovating and implementing a renewable energy infrastructure, right? However, in just the first three months of this year, oil and gas lobbyists spent $44.5 million lobbying Congress and federal agencies—more than $83,000 per elected official—prior to June’s passing vote by the U.S. House of Repre­sen­tatives on the American Clean Energy and Security Act—a bill so compromised that it’s worse than nothing, as it will delay for years doing what is needed. As of this writing, the Senate may postpone their own climate bill until 2010.

Partial or delayed measures won’t save us; in this situation, it’s all or nothing. Mother Earth’s geophysics cannot be fooled or bought off.

Happening now

We’re already seeing disastrous impacts all over the world. Kofi Annan’s Global Humanitarian Forum reports climate change is already causing 300,000 deaths a year. Glaciers everywhere are melting fast, and half the world’s population depends on glaciers for their water. Warmth-loving mosquitoes are spreading, bringing malaria and dengue fever with them. Drought is increasing, making it harder to grow food in many places. Oceans are a huge CO2 storage system; however, as they absorb more CO2, they become more acidic, which is tough on sea life, making it harder for critters like clams and corals to maintain their shells and skeletons. As ocean temperatures rise, warm-water species are spreading and cold-water species are retreating.

Temperatures in the Intermoun­tain West are predicted to rise more than elsewhere in the continental U.S. Bark beetles surviving the warmer winters are already consuming wide swaths of Western forests, and forest fires have also increased.

The news from the Arctic Circle is that warming is occurring far faster than the wildest predictions. In the summer of 2007, sea ice was about 39% below the 20-year summer average. Many scientists now believe the Arctic will be totally ice-free in the summer in less than five years—80 years ahead of recent forecasts. The Greenland Ice Sheet is also in imminent danger. Melting ice may cause sea levels to rise several meters within this century, which would inundate many of the world’s cities, island nations and much farmland.

If we continue on our current course, Planet Earth will become a very different, far less habitable place for our children. The destruction of our climate won’t happen 100 years from now, in someone else’s future....it is happening now, and it is our children’s future at stake.

What can we do? We can pass the drinks on the dance floor of the Titanic and watch her go down, or we can respond. Leading climatologist James Hansen asserts that we need to quit coal within 20 years, phase out conventional petroleum and ban high-carbon fuels like tar sands. We need to improve agricultural practices, keep the trees we have while planting more, get electricity from wind and solar and electrify our transportation. All this and more can return greenhouse gasses to safe levels. We may not reverse extensive damage, but we can prevent it from worsening. Even though we really do have a global sustainability emergency, the changes we need to make are possible.

Earth to policymakers

Industrialized nations are historically responsible for climate change; it’s logical and fair that we need to reduce emissions disproportionately more than the developing world. Per capita, the U.S. is the highest emitter among large Western nations, though China has surpassed us in total output, with three times the population.

It all comes down to questions of financing and justice: How much should each country pay? Should it be based on current emissions or historic emissions? Tensions between rich and poor nations will likely predominate at Copenhagen. Climate justice is more than an environmental issue; it is also an economic issue, a security issue, and an issue for our very survival. It must be part of the equation.

The colossal failure of imagination and courage that plagues our so-called “leaders” is a symptom of deeper issues: Policymakers lack full-system thinking; they are in the pockets of corporations; and their allegiances are to nation-states, leaving them ill equipped to rise to our global challenges.

We must transcend short-term thinking and incremental politics-as-usual. When we demand that our leaders set limits on CO2 levels, we are requiring that they put the interests of human beings before the richest global corporations. A goal of 350 ppm eliminates the path of gradual reform, requiring no less than an energy revolution based on efficiency and a massive deployment of carbon-free energy sources like wind and solar. This is a unique opportunity to remake our communities in ways that are healthier and more locally self-sufficient. We have the technology to do what needs doing, which will unleash an enormous wave of human creativity and economic revival. This can be a truly transformative moment for our democracy and for all of us in the struggle for social justice.

Grassroots pressure

Forget that this task of planet-saving is not possible in the time required. Don’t be put off by people who know what is not possible. Do what needs to be done, and check to see if it was possible after you are done.
—Paul Hawken, author & activist

We citizens can’t get there by each of us doing what we can. Changing our light bulbs and recycling more won’t get us there, not even close. Greatest change will come with policy changes. Leaders need to know we will no longer wait while they fritter away our chance for a livable future.

This fall activists are devising both creative and dramatic actions to send a strong message prior to Copenhagen: that equitable, science-based legislation is required before it is too late.

On November 30, BeyondTalk.net is planning a Day of Action/Civil Disobedience, calling for 10,000 people to commit civil disobedience—the largest climate resistance action thus far.

350.org, a coalition of climate justice activists, has called for a planetary day of action on October 24, with 1,500 gatherings planned in 100 nations.

Will activists be effective in their actions? Is there enough alignment to sound a clear voice? We need collective action—action that can make a difference. The environmental community has been divided on many details. Perhaps our best hope is to focus on Obama and what he can bring to Copenhagen. The Supreme Court has said he has the authority to regulate carbon via the Clean Air Act, so he can control the matter if he chooses. If activists can demonstrate to the politicians how to unite, perhaps we will be blazing the true path forward to Copenhagen.

350.org events

In Salt Lake: 2-5 p.m., Library Square. www.350slc.org. Contact Ashley Anderson: c.ashleyanderson@gmail.com. (See CATALYST calendar, p. 25.)

For info on all events around the state: www.350utah.org

Jean Arnold is responsible for making the term “peak oil” a household word among Utahns, the result of her epic article on the subject which appeared in the October 2006 CATALYST. She is a visual artist and has become an air-quality activist.

by Sophia Brown

Journal of a 13-year-old's first trek to the magical Black Rock City, where the adults seem to have a lot in common with the kids.
The mobile home we borrowed from our grandparents smells like babies. I’m not sure what you think of baby odor, but in my opinion it’s not very appetizing. Especially if you are drinking chocolate milk. My stepdad, Michael, has been driving for about four hours since we left Salt Lake. About two hours ago, my mom and I decorated our hair with strips of colored cloth. We were still a long way from Burning Man.

The mobile home we borrowed from our grandparents smells like babies. I’m not sure what you think of baby odor, but in my opinion it’s not very appetizing. Especially if you are drinking chocolate milk. My stepdad, Michael, has been driving for about four hours since we left Salt Lake. About two hours ago, my mom and I decorated our hair with strips of colored cloth. We were still a long way from Burning Man.

My name is Sophia, not Sophie. Too many people are named Sophie. Actually, I want to start telling people my name is Sonia because it is short for Sophia in Europe. I am 13 years old and in 8th grade at the Salt Lake Arts Academy. Everyone says I’m shy, but I’m not. I just don’t talk much when there isn’t anything to talk about. Most of all, I like to think about things, and create things—such as music and art—and to dance.

My mom has been going to Burning Man for three years, counting this one. Both my mom and dad are really into art, and I love it too. What made me want to go in the first place were the pictures my mom showed me of the playa and the lights and everything. It looked like such an adventure, I couldn’t help but beg to go.

I know this is entirely off topic, but we just passed a trailer park called Beverly Hills. Who names a trailer park after the richest city in America? Right now, Burning Man seems like a mix of a lot of things, one of them being an enormous art show, but to my mother, it is a place to find yourself. Maybe it’s different for everyone, I’m sure a lot of people go there to get drunk. To me, it’s something exciting and new, something to prepare myself for the life ahead of me.

All I really know is the story behind the big man. Once there was a man who was very unhappy; everything in his life had been ruined. He decided he wanted to start a new version of himself. So he invited all his friends, made a wooden version of himself, and burned it. It symbolized his starting fresh and forgetting his bad luck. More and more people came every year. It grew and grew until it was enormous.

But what is growing? Why do thousands of people want to start fresh like this man did? Because of this, more and more people come every year.

When we first got to Burning Man, some people were waiting to greet us. They were dressed in hilarious costumes, and hugged us, even though we had never met them. I could hear music coming from the general direction of the camp. Then people asked me if I was a “virgin” to Burning Man. I figured that virgin meant it was my first time here, so I said yes. I was right, but maybe I shouldn’t have said that because they made me roll in the dust and yell “I am no longer a ****ing virgin,” as loud as I could! Then I had to bang a bell with a big, wooden drumstick.

We set up our camper with a bunch of my mother’s friends from last year. They were all so nice. One of them, Mel, gave me a camera to take pictures and videos of my time there.

I flipped through the Burning Man schedule and saw some things that made me laugh. There was a Barbie Death Village, a Martini Aerobics class, a Revenge of the Nerds challenge, the Potato Olympics, Burning Unicycles Unite, and a tiki raid (in which you “pile onto Bob’s mobile rainforest and help forcibly tiki-ify those unsuspecting sad-sack goth camps”).

All my mom’s friends were giving me random but really cool presents. It started to get dark. I could feel the tension building and building, then it was completely silent. Finally.... Boom! Everything was crazy and colorful and full of lights and music! I couldn’t wait to explore.

I had already seen ‘the man,’ so first we went to this place called ‘the temple.’ People had written prayers and messages on it and left pictures of family and friends who had died. On Sunday night they would burn it. Then we rode our bikes over to a sculpture of a figure with a keyhole in his face, dragging a giant key behind it. I love sculptures that make you think about them for a while afterwards. We biked around until about midnight when we went to bed. Then it was morning, my second day there, and the night before seemed like a dream.

That day we walked over to Center Camp; a huge tent in the middle of Burning Man with three or four coffee stands in it. It was crowded; lots of people were lined up for coffee or chai or hot chocolate. Some danced in the middle of the tent, and some lay around sleeping on couches and pillows. There was a live band playing, and people in crazy costumes.

Michael got sick so we didn’t stay as long as I wished. One of the people in our troop, Clayton, got someone in a golf cart to take Michael back to camp.

After Michael left, we walked around the playa looking at art. We came to this giant, spinning butterfly thing that people were climbing. It astonishes me how much adults can be like kids. I wonder if they’re all that way or if only people who are attracted to Burning Man are like that.

There were people in parachutes up in the sky. One of them started twirling towards the ground. I was so scared, I thought he was falling! Then I saw all the others spiraling and realized it was a trick! However, one did land hard and skid about 40 feet and someone ran for help. Luckily, he was all right.

We got caught in a humongous dust storm and had to go back to camp. Poor Michael was really sick. That night, our camp had a ’60s cocktail party. I couldn’t drink anything, so I got some Kool-aid out of my grandparent’s camper and put it in a cocktail glass as a joke. Mostly during the party, I took pictures with Mel’s camera.

When the party was over, my mom and I went out to the playa to watch this rocket thing take off. It was really cool when we got there, because we could see so many art cars. But it was so crowded and dusty and the rocket wouldn’t go off, so we just left. In the middle of the playa, we got caught in another dust storm and were rescued by some men in a golf cart, who worked as port-a-potty maintenance. They told us some very interesting stories about where they put our you-know-what.

The next day, when Michael was feeling better, we went to the playa again (I was starting to get sick of the playa) to look at art. And once again, got caught in a dust storm. We jumped onto an art car, which was, to our dismay, being driven by a first-time driver. He got us lost in the storm, and kept driving around in circles, so when we got back we were exhausted from not going anywhere.

When nighttime came (this was the night when they were going to burn the man), we spent time with people from our camp. Vanette, Shari, Valena, Annie and some others were wearing glowstick corsets. My favorite costume in our troop was this younger guy named Michael’s, who had on a monk’s cloak and a staff.

Thomas gave everyone a crown made from glow sticks. Sadly, someone told us they might be putting off burning the man because of the dust storms. We decided that during the burn might be the best time to leave. We said our goodbyes, and left pretty quickly. To me, it doesn’t matter that we missed the man burning. The most important part was the whole experience. My favorite part, in the end, was the amazing people who were there. They all were just...fun to be around, and great. Definitely, I will try to come back again.

Sophia is the daughter of CATALYST staffer and this month’s cover artist Carol Koleman. She is an eighth grader at the Salt Lake Arts Academy.

Which do you think has the most resonance, ‘peak oil’ or ‘global warming’?” A Coffee Garden cohort fueling up on his way to work at the University of Utah posed the question as we paused with our morning cups of joe.

The question sounded straightforward enough. My quick reply was “Peak oil!” preceded by a mumbled “that’s a good question,” as I began to weigh the arguments.

Peak oil is easy to understand. Anyone who has gleaned all of the pecans and cashews out of a can of mixed nuts or come to the bottom of the cookie bag will figure out supply/demand curves sooner or later, even if they never know that’s what they’re called. They may even be able to appreciate the effect of supply/demand curves on the price of a Prius or a photo-voltaic array.

But global warming, climate change, cooked frogs (legs on)—most folks’ minds go blank. Worse than inconvenient, its truth is incomprehensible. Most folks are hard pressed to plan next summer’s vacation, much less figure the effects of their energy choices today on the climate decades from now.

Not that we have many choices: Our cities have been built for automobiles, not pedestrians, and all the mass transit in the world is not going to offset the inherent disadvantages of suburban sprawl. Our houses are filled with energy-intensive appliances—including the so-called “ener­gy-saving” ones. Non-renewable energy—coal, oil and natural gas—is subsidized to encourage consumption.

Let’s face it: We live in a society and economy that encourages consumption instead of conservation. Everything is cheaper by the dozen until it gets scarce.

Earth’s climate is a commons—that is, it’s a common asset. A few benefit greatly by exploiting it, and each of the rest of us pay only a small penalty.

So if the state of Alaska wants to give away coal leases at fire-sale prices to people like Snowbird owner Richard Bass so he can make a killing selling it to the Chinese, who’s to say no? If Dick makes a buck a ton on 12 million tons of coal per year—that’s capitalism. The side effects of the resulting 27 million tons of carbon dioxide per year formed when that coal is burned? That’s everyone else’s problem.

Uncommon man

One might refer to any behavior detrimental to the commons as “uncommon” behavior. If Dick Bass never made another dollar, he’d still be set for life—as would all his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. So why is he trying to strip mine a couple thousand acres of Alaska tundra for coal to sell to China? It would seem activities that foster global warming would be antithetical to running a ski resort.

Maybe he’s covering his bets.

Of course, peak oil and global warming are connected. We’ve still got enough oil to get us a lot deeper into global warming. Peak coal is a long way off (though imminent, in geological term)—some estimates run to 400 years. Waiting until we run out of coal to do something about our profligate power trips and their effects on climate is akin to waiting for the limb to fall off before treating the gangrene.

Score points for creativity, still it’s not a good sign that hare-brained schemes to mitigate global warming—as opposed to prevent it —have begun to look appealing. For instance, soot on clouds could alter the course of killer hurricanes—imagine a phalanx of airplanes flying wingtip to wingtip spraying soot on certain portions of a hurricane to impart a little english on a category five. We could install freezer coils in the tundra to prevent the release of trapped carbon dioxide.

We could spend ginormous sums mitigating global warming so that no one has to change their “uncommon” behavior. But in the end, the costs of mitigation are likely to be as high as the costs of prevention.

The answer to the question of prevention versus mitigation will probably come down to who stands to benefit. The costs of prevention will be spread across society, as will the benefits. Mitigation, on the other hand, will yield enormous windfall profits for the corporate giants who land government climate control contracts. You’ve got to wonder whether Dick Bass’ next venture will be a partnership with Energy Solutions’ Steve Creamer to clean up after coal power.

In years past, even as it was coveted, coal was not an honored substance. Generations of parents warned would-be naughty children that lumps of it would replace food and toys in their Christmas stocking. Manipulative and a little kooky, yes. But the same offer stands: Behave thoughtlessly now and suffer the lumps (if any are left) later—or pleasure and sustenance later for doing the right thing now.

The answers to some quizzes are no-brainers.

John deJong is associate publisher of CATALYST.

Historic hearing on Redrock Wilderness Bill

By the time you read this, America’s Redrock Wilderness Act (H.R. 1925) will have taken its first step towards advancing the legislation though Congress.

The bill to preserve 9.4 million acres of Utah’s spectacular red rock country as wilderness is based on the Citizens’ Wilderness Proposal for Utah, and it was first introduced by Utah Congressman Wayne Owens 20 years ago. When Owens left Congress in 1992, he asked his friend, Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), to sponsor the bill, and for the past 15 years it has been re-introduced in every session of Congress.

“This is a historic moment in the long effort to protect Utah’s magnificent wilderness landscapes throughout the state,” says Scott Groene, executive director of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. “Places like Cedar Mesa, the San Rafael Swell, the Green River and the West Desert are one step closer to achieving the lasting protection they need and deserve.” The Oct. 1 hearing will have provided an opportunity to more fully discuss why Congress should pass America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act. “This part of our country is some of the most remarkably pristine and beautiful land in the world and this bill would ensure that it stays that way forever,” says Hinchey.

The Redrock Wilderness hearing is especially exciting news for members of the Utah Wilderness Coalition, a group of over 200 national, local and regional conservation groups with a mission to protect all Bureau of Land Management (BLM) wilderness-quality lands in Utah. For the past 20 years, America’s Redrock Wilder­ness Act has been kept alive by persistent citizen activism from millions of members of UWC member groups (UWC is currently led by an executive committee representing Earth Justice, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, Wasatch Moun­tain Club, and the Wilderness Society.) To celebrate this historic event, take a few minutes to contact your member of Congress to say you support Utah wilderness and are thrilled that America’s Redrock Wilderness Act is finally getting a hearing.

Utah Wilderness Coalition: www.uwcoalition.org. wwwresourcescommittee.house.gov.

County can’t grab park roads, court rules

A federal court has ruled that Kane County officials broke the law when they tried to undo off-road vehicle restrictions in the Grand Staircase/Escalante National Monument by removing trail closure signs and replacing them with county road signs. The court decision said Kane County has to prove they have the right to control the trails before they have any management authority over them.

That’s probably good news for Salt Creek in Canyonlands National Park, which currently faces a similar lawsuit from San Juan County. Jeeps used to be allowed to drive through Salt Creek, which is a year-round fresh water stream, but they were causing such severe damage to the stream ecosystem that the National Park Service closed the trail 10 years ago. San Juan County asserts that because vehicles traveled there prior to 1964 when the Park was established, the Park should now be forced to let vehicles to drive in the creek regardless of the damage they cause. Luckily, there’s not much evidence that the creek ever really was used as a “road” before the Park was there.

State to review Great Salt Lake plan

The Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands has started a process to update the 10-year-old management plan for the Great Salt Lake. The plan revision was announced after Great Salt Lake Minerals applied for a massive expansion of its operation that could severely impact the lake ecosystem. Conservation groups like Friends of Great Salt Lake fear that with Governor Huntsman gone, industrial use of the lake will take priority over migratory bird conservation. In 2009, the agency also awarded $200,000 for seven research grants to study issues that the agency has identified as the top five most critical issues facing the Great Salt Lake:

1. Effects of a drying lake

2. Assessing habitat quality

3. Effects of diking

4. Mercury

5. Monitoring

Great Salt Lake Planning: www.ffsl.utah.gov/sovlands/gsl.php. Friends of Great Salt Lake: www.fogsl.org

Cool stuff about Great Salt Lake waterbirds

Great Salt Lake Waterbird Survey (1997-2001) is a five-year study that examines the relationships of migratory waterbirds with the GSL ecosystem through the spring, summer and fall seasons, between years, and across a variety of habitats.

A five-year mean of around 86 million bird days (a bird day is defined as one bird spending 24 hours within the study area during the study period) highlights the importance of the lake to migratory birds.

wildlife.utah.gov/gsl/waterbirdsurvey/report.htm

Great Salt Lake bird archive project

Last year photographer Rosalie Winard displayed her marvelous pictures of birds at the Utah Museum of Natural History. This year she is working on an online photographic archive of Birds of the Great Salt Lake to be used as a scientific index, to encourage birding, and as a resource for the general public to understand the irreplaceable value of Great Salt Lake wetlands.

www.greatsaltlakercd.org/great-salt-lake-bird-archive.html

Wolf hunt undermines restoration efforts

On September 1, the first Idaho wolf was shot after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took Montana and Idaho wolves off the Endangered Species List in May. The Natural Resources Defense Council says the state’s wolf hunting regulations are likely to reduce the state’s wolves to unsustainable population levels. Suzanne Stone representing Defenders of Wildlife says the wolf hunt “undermines decades of tremendous support, time and investment from the American public, federal, tribal and state wildlife agencies, and threatens one of the most successful wildlife restorations in history.” Wolf hunting will continue while the court considers restoring endangered species protection.

UTA begins construction on Airport TRAX

The Utah Transit Authority has begun major construction on the long-awaited Airport TRAX light rail line. You should be able to ride TRAX to the airport in 2013.

I was driving through the Midwest’s flattest states this summer, and noticed how the smoke stacks and water towers serve as industrial cairns along the highway. Similar to those piles of rocks that mark trails, they lead you from town to town, across the prostrate plains, east to west—from Davenport to Cedar Rapids and on to Ames, Iowa and beyond.

The city of Ames has a coal-fired power plant right at the end of Center Street. You can see it right out the window of the trendiest coffee shop. A few blocks away, Iowa State University, which is now famous for alternative fuels research, has a similar plant about the same size as their basketball arena. Since all that coal has to be delivered to the plants somehow, any drive across town requires building in enough slack time to wait for train crossings or rerouting of your trip to one of the few streets that go under or over the tracks. In Iowa, the coal comes in, the corn and ethanol go out.

Water towers are the Midwest’s artificial mountains. Without them, there wouldn’t be enough water pressure to take a shower. The towers act as landmarks and 200-foot-high billboards, alerting you to which city lies ahead long before the interstate signs tell you it’s there.

If you look overhead in most Midwest cities, such as Ames, you will see a warren of telephone, cable and electrical wires. As kids growing up in the Midwest, we used to call the wires the “squirrel highway.” The circus act squirrels used them as tightrope wires to facilitate neighborhood trashcan and bird feeder raids. Who needs trees when the humans have built you a big top circus of fun?

All the power is in plain sight in the Midwest. Even natural gas is visible in many older cities. Before the high-pressure pipelines were developed, most urban areas had huge above-ground storage tanks ressembling football stadiums. They operated like a bellows that went up and down as the supply of natural gas fluctuated.

Contrast this to the West:

When my westward drive brought me to Wyoming, I started noticing an absence of industrial cairns. There were power lines and a few windmills, but the only sign of coal power were some distant smoke stacks that look like they could belong to some giant land-locked cruise ship. These “ships” are docked in what most people, even the ones who live there, refer to as “the middle of nowhere.” I saw lots of coal on trains leaving Wyoming—presumably for Iowa.

Likewise, there are no water towers marking upcoming towns on the horizon in the West. Many communities here actually have too much water pressure and homeowners have to install reducers to keep the underground water rushing down from the mountains from bursting their pipes. Natural gas also comes, mysteriously, from somewhere underground and makes its way to Western homes with only the occasional appearance of huge above-ground pipes crossing the desert.

Though some may call the Midwest’s conspicuous resource consumption “blight,” it at least seems more honest and upfront. Westerners love the uncluttered feel of remote power stations, cheap natural gas and buried cables, but it gives the illusion that there aren’t any resources being used. Other than paying the bills, it’s pretty easy to forget that we are actually using any natural resources.

That’s why every new wind farm, water project or scarce mention of nuclear power as even a remote possibility causes such a stir in the West. We just aren’t used to seeing where our electricity, water and other resources come from. We need to stop acting like we aren’t part of the grid.

Dennis Hinkamp didn’t write himself his usual clever tagline this month. Maybe he just didn’t have the energy.

Dear Swami:

I find the present prison system archaic. Not only do we not rehabilitate our prisoners, but it costs us a fortune to keep these guys behind bars. Not to mention all the money we’re spending to apprehend, prosecute and incarcerate all those “dangerous” drug offenders while the criminals who might actually harm someone get reduced sentences. Do you see any positive changes in our criminal justice system in the coming new age?

Xavier Onassis,
Wilmington, Delaware

Dear Xavier:

What you say about our criminal justice system is accurate indeed. No doubt about it, we definitely have a criminal justice system, and I will tell you why. For some reason, we got it in our political heads that it’s the government’s job to try to stop people from doing things to themselves that they’re going to do anyway. Take the war on drugs—please! I don’t know if you’ve been following the box scores, but no matter how many dealers and users are nailed at home, there are millions more who score. We’ve tried changing pitchers, we’ve tried changing managers, we’ve tried bringing some strong arms out of the bullpen, but it’s time we faced the fact that the ballgame’s over and it’s time to play a different game.

Why do people get high on drugs? Because reality bites! Maybe if we spent our energy helping people improve their reality, drugs would become an aesthetic exploration taken on occasion rather than an anesthetic to dull the pain.

As for more serious crime, the answer is restitution and rehabilitation. Remember the old notion that criminals should pay for their crimes? Well, right now we the people are paying through the nose! And since nasal mucus can’t buy hardly anything nowadays, it’s costing us money as well. Do you realize it costs about $20,000 to keep the average offender in jail—per year? This means that if we put convicted felons on the street and paid them $10,000 a year not to commit crimes, we’d be saving 50%!

That is why I’m in favor of the Debt Penalty—offenders literally pay a financial debt to society. Convicted thieves can be hired as high-priced consultants on crime prevention—only their income would go to pay restitution to the victims, pay for the police and court work involved in bringing them to justice, and of course pay for their room and board in prison. And when some movie studio pays one of these jerks a fortune for his or her story, we can take some solace in knowing the money will compensate the victims and society. For some prisoners, receiving the debt sentence might be the best thing that ever happened to them. They’ll be able to pay a finite amount of money over time and then be free to rejoin society. And this belief in life after debt will enable them to do their time with dignity and hope.

I also predict that in the near future, alternative healing will be a part of the rehabilitation process. Chinese herbs will be used to treat the yang imbalance that most offenders have, yoga will be used to insure they do a nice, long stretch while in the can, and—in a very controversial practice—new age music will be piped into each cell every waking moment. Sure, bleeding hearts will object that this might not be the music most prisoners want to listen to, but hey—if you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime.

© Copyright 2009 by Steve Bhaerman.
www.wakeuplaughing.com

Smart is the new cool thing. There’s a smart car, cities tout smart growth, and you can buy a smart refrigerator. Now comes another breakthrough: Even your breakfast cereal has gotten smart.

At least that’s what we consumers are being told by a group of major food corporations that are hoping to cash-in on the growing public concern about nutrition. Your concern is their concern, they say, so these eager-to-serve marketers have launched an eye-catching food labeling campaign to guide your nutritional choices. They’ve designated hundreds of their food products as being not just tasty, zesty and zowie —but also good for you.

You’ll know which ones to reach for on the supermarket shelf because they’ll be labeled with a snappy green checkmark on the front of their packages, along with the phrase, “Smart Choices.”

The industry says this seal of approval is all about helping today’s busy shoppers save time. No need to read those tedious lists of ingredients on the backs of food boxes, bottles, jars and cans, for the simple green checkmark is your one-glance reassurance that you’re making the smart nutritional choice for your family.

You know, smart choices like Froot Loops, Fudgesicle bars and Frosted Flakes. Yes, all of these sugar-saturated concoctions and many more have received the industry’s good-for-you checkmark.

Well, snaps one of the designers of the labeling scheme, it’s not a matter of selecting foods that are the best for you, but of helping consumers choose products that are better than those that would be the nutritional worst. For example, she says: “You’re rushing around, you’re trying to think about healthy eating for your kids, and you have a choice between a doughnut and a cereal. So Froot Loops is a better choice.”

Uh ... no, ma’am. Not necessarily so. A serving of Froot Loops is 41% sugar. Good grief —there are plenty of doughnuts with a better nutritional balance than that.

And, by the way, the average American supermarket does not limit our breakfast choices to doughnuts or Fruit Loops.

What we have here is yet another corporate PR scam. This supposedly independent nutritional certification program was created and is paid for by such purveyors of unhealthy sugars, fats, salt and chemical additives as Coca-Cola, ConAgra, General Mills, Kellogg’s, Kraft and PepsiCo. Each of them pay fees of up to $100,000 a year to get to use the Smart Choices label, and the fees are based on the total sales of products that bear the label.

This means that the more food items certified by the Smart Choices program, the more money it collects, which gives it an incentive to apply the label liberally. Thus, we get such absurdities as this: “light” mayonnaise, which contains less fat than regular, has been granted the better-for-you check mark; but so has regular mayonnaise!

Still, the industry and its apologists insist that even highly processed foods deserve to get a nutritional star because many of them are fortified with essential vitamins and other nutrients. But, as pointed out by Dr. Michael Jacobson of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, “You could start out with some sawdust, add calcium or Vitamin A and meet the [Smart Choices] criteria.”

Jacobson, who served on the initial panel to develop standards for the Smart Choices program, resigned last year noting “[the panel’s] main decisions are determined largely by industry members.”

Among the decisions that troubled him was one that allows the Smart Choices label to be applied, as Jacobson wrote, to foods “containing caffeine, food dyes, the preservative BHA, artificial sweeteners (particularly saccharin, aspartame and acesulfume-K) and other additives that are suspected of causing or have been shown to cause adverse reproductive, behavioral, or gastrointestinal effects or cancer.”

Sanctioning these foods is not smart, it’s stupid. And deceptive.

Jim Hightower is a national radio commentator, writer and public speaker. He has spent three decades battling the Power That Be on behalf of the Power That Ought to Be. His column ran in CATALYST for many years. After a long hiatus, we are glad to have him back.

© 2009 Creators.com

The sky went a sullen gray, and then with a crack and a boom and a sky etched with electric thrusts and haywire light, a New York deluge soaked me to the bone. I’d forgot just how sultry and affecting New York rainstorms are; in high desert climes, rainstorms are sharp and jolting; in New York, it prompted thoughts of nakedness. Had I not the distant worry of a weekend in a New York jail, I may well have attempted a return to the hotel in a more carefree fashion. I had the good sense to wait, and the champagne was on ice before I liberated myself from my damp wardrobe.

The Universe is fucking with me. It begins with a bronze goat forged by a drunken egomaniacal Spaniard, no kidding, and oh my it’s a comical thing. It insists on my attention. I want to sit with it, lean back against it with a lunch of olives, feeling their buttery brine on my lips punctuated by good Zamorano cheese and wine, and watch the crowd roll by. (It wouldn’t have been the first time I’d been scolded, asked to leave or arrested for inappropriate behavior at a museum.)

My senses go haywire that day, sparking and spitting; ears smell, eyes feel and the sweet rasp of peasant wine (Bodegas Volver, “Paso a Paso,” Old Vine Tempranillo, $10) singing on my palate makes my fingers tingle and my hands warm. I shiver from what I see. I can feel the burn of a cigarette between my fingers. The Body Electric. Peasant wine fuels this daydream, so I wander Midtown and find the nearest foodstuffs that will do. I tuck them in my coat and return to the site. I sit. I eat. A security guard wanders over. I offer him an olive.

Sculpture invaded the personal space in a face-to-face, mano a mano confrontation. My nose had been rubbed in it, much like a wayward, misbehaving, very “bad” dog. I spent the week walking about New York, nose full, it having had been rubbed, thoroughly, in the glories of what could only be found in The City of my Very Best Self.

Overthinking New York comes easy. Why, there’s so much to think of and speak of and verbally labor over! The legato lines of the tenor’s voice at the Met! or the appreciation of history at the Museum of Natural Science! Why, Teddy Roosevelt himself once strode the halls! Giants have walked this city for generations! And at some point it all becomes so much pointless gas. I do not go to The City of my Very Best Self to contemplate or pontificate on the nature and composition of my bellybutton lint.

My Jewish soul chimes in (we all have one; mine is named Saul Bellow), that “Intellectual Man had become an explaining creature. Fathers to children, wives to husbands, lecturers to listeners, experts to laymen, colleagues to colleagues, doctors to patients, man to his own soul explained. The roots of this, the causes of the other, the source of events, the history, the structure, the reasons why. For the most part in one ear and out the other. The Soul wanted what it wanted. It had its own natural knowledge. It sat unhappily on superstructures of explanation, poor bird, not knowing which way to fly.” It had been a long gray winter of long gray hours that had left me numb. I did know enough to fly East, but not much more.

Sapping Routine has no place in The City of my Very Best Self.

In certain parts of the winemaking universe, donkeys are used for weed control. Apparently they are tireless beasts, insistently working themselves to the point of irritability. The farmer then offers said donkey a goat for companionship—the donkeys find the goats calming. An afternoon at Jeriko Estates in Mendocino proves the point. Walk the estate at twilight, slugging directly from the bottle the grand and richly textured (Jeriko Estate Brut 2005, $23); feel a calming warm wind, scented with sage and olive as it is, punctuated by the sound of goats on the hill, eating, shitting and letting loose with a happy meh–eh–eh–eh; and as the finish digs into your throat, try not to feel maybe a wee bit of sympathy for your jackass brethren that don’t know when to quit. Mine was a New York goat, a resident of the MOMA NY sculpture garden, and I ate olives with it, all in The City of my Very Best Self.

New York was a belly full of craving, asked and answered, right down to the very last moments with Rodolfo and Mimi at the Metropolitan Opera, and a walk from Lincoln Center to Midtown in a misting rain with the sweet blush of bubbles (Chartogne Taillet Cuvee St Anne Brut NV, $45) fresh on my lips. The evening was an angelic suspension of disbelief, colored red and yellow by the majestic Chagalls adorning the Opera House entry, all in The City of my Very Best Self. I expected no less. The sullen season is not allowed to last forever, you see; color always, always, always returns.

Francis Fecteau is a wine educator and the author of “e-Libation,” an online wine newsletter. He lives in downtown Salt Lake City. francis.fecteau@gmail.com.

There’s no excuse not to eat great Thai food in Salt Lake City. Thai restaurants are popping up all over the place, and for good reason: The Wasatch Front is home to a culturally diverse population of people with good taste. “People here love Thai food, partly because of missionaries who’ve been to Thailand and East Asia and seek the food they ate while living there,” says Vipada Chitratont, owner of Thai Garden & Noodle House. Returned missionary or just religious about good food, you’re bound to find something delicious at Thai Garden’s second location in the heart of the 9th & 9th ’hood, opening early October. The first location, at 4410 S. and 9th East, has been open for five successful years.

“My parents tended a rice field, so I grew up with lots of space to play in,” Chitratont says. She moved to the U.S. to study when she was younger and has lived in Salt Lake for the past 15 years. She misses parts of Bangkok and the surroundings in which she grew up, but says it’s too busy and crowded for her there now. Chitratont feels at home in Utah—here, her love of mountains and the outdoors is satisfied.

Chitratont creates the menu and ingredients for each dish, which are carefully prepared by her chefs. Thai Garden & Noodle House has many signature dishes, including Chitratont’s own eggplant creation. Her cashew and curry dishes would please any sophisticated Thai taster.

“Every Thai restaurant will have the basics; what makes each dish different is the tastes of the chef and owner. Me, I don’t like sweet as much as hot, spicy and sour—so those flavors will show up more in my dishes,” says Chitratont. The 9th & 9th Thai Garden’s menu is similar to its Holladay sister, but features a few more healthy and vegetarian options.

She hadn’t been planning to open a second high-volume restaurant, looking at first for a small house for a little café. But when they found the spot available right on 900 South, they jumped at the opportunity.

People warned her about the risk of opening a restaurant right now, but she knew the 9th & 9th area was a hot spot; the business could also provide much-needed jobs for unemployed in the area.

Getting to opening day had its challenges—zoning and code hurdles and remodeling the building, which used to be the Yuppie Puppy. But now a handsome wooden walkway guides diners into the beautifully remodeled interior; dark wood tables nestle between two attractive exposed brick walls, and framed paintings of the King and Queen of Thailand hang high on the west-facing wall: “a gift from Governor Huntsman,” explains Chitratont with pride.

Chitratont is welcoming and friendly; it’s obvious she loves what she does. Plus, “Thai people are naturally warm, and easy to smile,” she explains, smiling.

“We’re as close to ‘authentic’ as we can be, but even if a place claims to be authentic, nothing’s as good as the food in Thailand,” Chitratont says wistfully. Of course, if we could hop on a plane tomorrow just to sample “real” Thai delicacies, we would, right? For now, Thai Garden & Noodle House (the 2nd) will likely satisfy.

— Emily Moroz

Thai Garden & Noodle House
900 S 868 East
801-355-8899
thaigarden_ben@hotmail.com

As I harvest and dry the last of this season’s herbs, I am reminded of everything the Alchemical Kitchen aspires to be. The process of growing, harvesting and preserving my own herbs is a microcosm of my desires to be more self-sufficient, connected to the earth, in tune with the rhythms of the seasons and aware of the fluctuating natural cycles.

I make small bundles of lavender and rosemary to hang in dark closets. I stack small screens with spacers to allow basil and sage leaves to dry evenly. Tarragon and thyme go straight into freezer bags, dated and labeled. I wash dill and fennel seeds, let them dry, and store them in vintage glass jars—all to be simmered into soups, baked into dough, and sautéed into stir-fry through out the winter.

Even as this season’s herbs dry, I decide to start a small, indoor kitchen herb garden. Just a few culinary herbs—oregano, basil, parsley —to be enjoyed fresh throughout the colder months. Such a small process of self-sufficiency, me and my herbs. As new herbs begin to sprout inside the kitchen window, I refocus on drying and storing.

I remind myself that this microcosm of ideals also connects me to a lineage much larger than my own life—a lineage of culinary herbalists over many centuries, throughout every culture. I think of early settlers, with kitchen gardens right outside their back doors, harvesting herbs for meals and medicine. As I catch sight of my herbs drying high in the kitchen rafters, I wonder how they may have dried and stored theirs.

I stop to make lunch. Sprinkling my own dried dill into pasta salad, I think of Roman heroes who were crowned with fresh sprigs of dill. The last of fresh mint leaves in my glass of water remind me of sailors in the Middle Ages who used mint to freshen their stored water on long voyages. Steeping dried mint and lavender into a hot tea after lunch, I am reminded that an herb’s history connects me to other people and places. My food choices are not separate from the past, present or future.

My husband Allan warns me not to get lost in romantic correlations. I assure him I’m not. It’s more about being connected, in relationship even, with nature, history, lineage and story. Maybe my microcosm can become a bridge from individual food choices to community activism to positive change. My jars of dried herbs and small kitchen herb garden are not just about soups and casseroles, they are a vehicle for awareness and understanding.

Harvesting

Each herb has a specific time of day, moisture content and maturity that is best for harvesting. Make sure to research which specific technique is most appropriate for each herb. You will find most culinary herbs want to be harvested mid-morning, after dew has begun to dry and the sun is not fully out. Most mentioned here are best harvested just before they bloom.

Drying methods

Air drying or using heat are the most common methods for drying your herbs. One popular way is to bundle a few stems together and hang upside down in a warm, dark cupboard. If you do not have extra cupboard space, hang upside down in a small paper bag, cinching top of bag and stems together. Most herbs take two to four weeks to dry completely. You can also dry leaves on small screens in a warm, dark space.

To quickly dry herbs, separate on cookie sheet and place in a pre-heated oven of 180 degrees F. With the door ajar, allow to dry for three to four hours.

Strip completely dried leaves from stems and pour into small glass jars with tight-fitting lids.

Freezing

Tarragon and thyme are hardier than many other herbs and can be frozen as is—simply wash, pat dry, place in freezer bags and label. You can also chop most of the herbs listed below and freeze into individual ice cubes with water. Once solid, release cubes and place in freezer bag, clearly dating and labeling.

Specific herbs

Anise: Harvest seeds when they turn brown. Remove, wash and air-dry completely (three to five days).

Basil: Harvest just before flowers bloom. For more even results, remove individual leaves and dry on small screen.

Caraway: Harvest the blooms and shake out seeds as they dry. Wash the seeds and air-dry completely.

Chives: Harvest mid-morning, cutting just below the soil with a sharp knife. (This allows the plant to continue to flourish throughout the season.) Add about a teaspoon of chopped chives to each section of an ice cube tray. Cover with water and freeze overnight. Remove cubes to a freezer bag, dated and labeled.

Coriander: Harvest flowering heads and air-dry on screen. Shake out seeds, wash and air-dry completely.

Dill: Harvest seeds from flowering plant when they are completely brown. Wash and air-dry completely.

Fennel: Harvest in the fall when seeds are ripe and beginning to split. Cut off the small brown hair (the umbel) on each seed. Wash and allow to air-dry completely.

Lavender: Harvest flower stalks just as the flowers are ready to bloom. Tie six to eight stems together and hang upside down in a warm, dry place for one to three weeks. Remove and store flowers; discard the stems.

Oregano: Harvest any time before flowering. Tie six to eight stems together and hang upside down in a warm, dry place for three to five weeks. Remove and store leaves; discard the stems.

Rosemary: Harvest leaves before the plant flowers. Tie six to eight stems together and hang upside down in a warm, dry place for three to five weeks. Remove and store leaves; discard the stems.

Sage: Harvest before flowering. Place leaves on screens, making sure none overlap. Allow to dry in a warm, dark place for two to three weeks.

Tarragon: Harvest throughout the summer and freeze extra.

Thyme: Harvest flowering plant. Tie six to eight stems together and hang upside down in a warm, dry place for three to five weeks. Remove and store leaves; discard the stems. You can also freeze extra thyme throughout the season.

Rebecca Brenner, Ph.D., is a nutritionist and owner of Park City Holistic Health. For more healthy DIY recipes visit her at www.parkcityholistichealth.com and www.playfulnoshings.blogspot.com.

But no matter what the time of year, Mill Creek Canyon has many charms for the road cyclist. The canyon offers a moderate climb with a few steep sections and winds more than nine miles to the top through awe-inspiring scenery.

To get there, take Wasatch Drive to 3800 South and follow it east. You will eventually come to a fee station. Bicyclists don’t have to pay.

Soon the meandering creek will appear on the right, cascading over moss-covered rocks. Tree canopies shade much of the road, offering respite from sun, but a chilly descent. Bring sleeves or a windbreaker for your return.

Trailheads, picnic sites and scout camps dot the landscape as you climb the first four miles of the road, which vary from moderately steep inclines to rolling sections.

A gate marks the beginning of the upper section of Mill Creek. In winter, the gate is closed and that section of the road transforms into a cross-country skiing track.

Past the gate, the road continues to the Elbow Fork entrance of the Pipeline Trail. Just past Elbow Fork, the vegetation changes dramatically to lush green carpets, towering pines and distant peaks. The road also narrows.

Many motorists who drive Mill Creek canyon are used to sharing the road with cyclists. However, be cautious and hug the shoulder, especially in the narrow sections.

As you pass the Thousand Springs sign, prepare for some of the steepest grades of the journey. You may occasionally be required to hammer on those pedals, but not for long. A rider with a good fitness base shouldn’t struggle much.

Your climb comes to an end once you’ve reached the parking lot for the Upper Big Water Trail. Now for the descent: The steep grade, particularly at the beginning, lends itself to speed. Be careful. The slopes spill rocks into the road; that could mean curtains should you hit one.

For the 23-mile version of this ride, start at the road on the east border of Hogle Zoo then head south. Turn right on Wasatch Drive and follow it to Thunderbird Drive.

The ride now becomes a bit unorthodox. Ride the sidewalk on the east side of Foothill Drive. That’s right, the sidewalk. Shortly, it will become a shared-use path that travels above Interstate 215. When you reach the section that heads either toward Parley’s Canyon or west back over I-215, head toward Parley’s Canyon. This will actually cut south and connect back to Wasatch Drive. The road then curves down on 3300 South, where you can turn left onto a bike lane and continue on Wasatch Drive until you reach 3800 South. Then head east. u

When he's not teaching, you can find Shane riding his bikes and getting dirty in the Utah desert.

It’s a throwback to the ’80s—an ’80s high on bling—and definitely a boon for consignment stores.

Whatever the game, it’s always good to know the rules, so you can follow, flout or full-out ignore them—your choice. Clothing your body is not exactly optional. Here are some current (but ever-mutable) rules of the fashion game:

• Denim. Mix it up; just avoid the look of a matching denim suit. Wear it light with dark, heavy fabric with thinner fabric—and make it interesting. Think studs. (Check out Western Design reports on my Facebook page.)

• Shoulder pads. No, not the heavy, thick pads of the past. These are quirkier and perkier, tilting up and out.

• Jackets. Bring out the ’80s jackets and have them nipped in at the waist. Full long jackets are belted high. Cropped jackets and bomber jackets are out in full force.

• Turtlenecks are no longer an albatross around the neck. Do ditch the old, unflattering rib knits that accentuated the wrinkly necks they were often worn to hide. Get yourself the sleek cashmere variety that doesn’t lead to turkey neck.

• Boots boots boots boots boots. Even with sundresses. Short little boots go with almost everything now.

• Pleated pants are back. I know, sit down. You really have to go pick up a magazine to see it done right. (The Aniston Elle is inspiring.)

• Emulating other animals. Fur. Fake. Animal prints. Spots. And feathers are for more than the birds!

• Plaids and tartans. None for me, but you can if you want. I was over it in the ’80s.

• Jeans are ripped again. Or not. If you wear bootcut jeans, just make sure they’re dark and sleek. They do look good on everyone. But if you have that fun ripped pair, wear them now.

• The proportion looks like big jackets and skinny pants and tights. Leggings are definitely back and I’m sure they will be abused again. Please don’t get lazy with leggings; make sure they look really good with an outfit designed for their wear. Thank you.

• Jewelry. More is more is more. Layer on bangles and bracelets. Make the necklace big. Mon­strous­ly big, gaudy blingy necklace-meets-bib necklace. Crazy and lovely. Huge rings.

An artistic cornucopia of textures and patterns and visual delights is now being served up for anyone who considers personal adornment a pleasure and an art. Here is your feast. Dive in and dine well!

Auretha Callison is an image stylist living in Salt Lake City. www.intuitionstyling.com. Styles shown: Cole Haan.

Arthurian Tarot: Five of Spears, Nine of Shields, Eight of Shields
Mayan Oracle: Manik, Transformer, Center
Aleister Crowley: The Empress, The Chariot, Change
Medicine Cards: Coyote, Blank Shield
Osho Zen Tarot: Guilt, Postponement, Stress
Healing Earth Tarot: The Sun, Two of Shields,Four of Shields
Ancient Egyptian Tarot: Princess of Swords, Seven of Disks, Nine of Cups
Words of Truth: Original Cause, Lying, Choice, Brilliance

With October we begin another dynamic cycle of change and transformation. The question becomes, “What do we really want?”

The answer we give reflects where we are in our life and what we are attempting to discover and grow toward. If you are feeling trapped by circumstances, this month might feel as if that restriction is being magnified. If you are able to keep your center and not go ballistic when stressed, then you can feel transformed and propelled into new places.

It is up to you. You are at choice as to how you experience your reality.

Most of us, when we are triggered, fall into a victim pattern and pull ourselves down into despondency and suffering. Yet, suffering is a choice in the mind. You can choose to experience life without the mantel of suffering. Life is not trying to make you miserable or feel badly about yourself. Life is just life. Life is a chaotic flow of energy that is constantly fluctuating and showing us how to stay present in this moment. Despite what we think we know and understand about life, there is always something new to explore, learn and integrate.

Choose now to let go of the old patterns of knowledge that you think are true. Stay open to new levels of awareness coming into your space and perception. Let go of the disappointments from the past and focus on gratitude for what is in your life right now. Learn to appreciate your gifts and tools that you carry within. We often do not fully appreciate our natural talents because they are easy for us. They do not seem important because they are automatic. Yet to others they can be profound.

Take a moment to tell others what you see as their gifts and talents. Ask them what they see as your gifts and talents. You might be surprised as to what you discover others see within you. Do not minimize their words. Take them to heart and know that in this moment they are true. Allow that awareness to deepen your appreciation for yourself and the being within you that is always giving a gift.

You might feel as if there are some delays this month in your life. You want things to be completed. But October is a phase of change, not completion. It is a month of unpredictable patterns and events. So keep it simple and nurture those you love; allow family and home to be the priority.

Globally you will see moments of mass confusion and disorganization. This causes a new dedication to the cause and a reassessing of old methods, allowing for a new approach to the old problem. All of us need to calmly focus and redirect scattered energies toward one goal. Anything worth the effort often takes more than one attempt to find its place and to take hold. Important issues that are confronting governments and countries are no different.

Focusing your energies on work and home is paramount now; it brings satisfaction when you have a modest attitude toward your accomplishments.

Look to how you can experience gratitude and appreciation for the process of work. Learning to appreciate the simple things in life leads to happiness. We often make the mistake believing our big goals and dreams are what lead to fulfillment. Those things can be a way our egos get fed but our hearts may not feel loved and appreciated. It is the small things in life that give us great joy. These will eventually become the good ol’ days. What will you remember?

See the love in your life, right now. Tell those you love how much you appreciate them. Then see the light radiate and the brilliance of their souls expand as they are finally seen as the beings of love and consciousness that they truly are. In this small way we give each other hope and energy that allows us to continue along life’s path.

Ultimately you must believe in yourself, your heart, and your ability to adapt and learn in this constantly changing equation of life. In appreciating others, you learn to appreciate yourself in new and interesting ways.

I hope you have a transformative month.

Suzanne Wagner is the author of numerous books and CDs on the tarot. She lives in Salt Lake City. suzwagner.com

If you have ever wondered what your palm lines say about yourself, I have some quickie palm line guides you can use. The quality of a line is one of the most important indicators of a line’s meaning. Some palm-readers say they view the lines as energy power lines or as rivers, as a way of understanding how clear and strong a line is. In addition, and this is important, it is hard to read futures in people’s hands because the lines do change and shift. However, it is still interesting and fun to see what personal insights are revealed in your palm. Most people ask about their life line first, so here is a little lesson on reading your life line. Have fun with it and don’t forget that your futures are always up to you.

Life line

People get concerned about the life line because there is a notion that a short life line means a short life. But most palmists see the life line as an indicator of vitality, zest and well-being. The life line stands for the physical self and physical interaction with the environment. So, vitality and zest are related to a person’s interest in life, a life force or quality of life. It can indicate such things as life shifts, long illnesses and geographical movement.

The life line starts between the thumb and index finger and ends somewhere by the wrist. It is extremely rare to find someone without a life line. The left hand shows the inner experience/potential and/or heritage of the family of origin; the right hand shows the physical experience of the individual’s life.

Interpreting the life line

Look at the quality of the line first; notice that some life lines change qualities at different points.

Broad: energetic physical nature

Thin: delicate, low energy

Deep: high life force

Shallow: low life force or energy

Red: excitable physical nature

Pale: placid or passive nature

Check some of the other features. Here are some interpretations:

Short: ends around center of palm. May not have a challenging life path or enjoy vigorous effort.

Long: Almost to wrist. Embracing challenges is part of the life path.

Wide arc: Runs past hand center. Large life: travel, dislike routine, influenced by emotions.

Narrow arc: Runs close to thumb

Closely held life: feelings to self, not adventurous, more defined or routine life.

Series of straight lines: Changeable person or shifts in vitality or environment.

Ends near the outside edge of the palm: Wanderlust, adventurer, appetite for change in environment

Margaret Ruth is a longtime popular psychic living in Salt Lake City. She develops and teaches transformational classes for Lifelong Learning at the University of Utah, is the author of “Super­con­scious Connections: The Simple Psychic Truths of Perfectly Satisfying Relationships” (Sept 2010) and blogs at Huffington Post and Intent.com. Find her at www.margaretruth.com.

Dear Mama Donna,

Rain dance. Rain dance. There is no such thing as drought. Our lack of consciousness and our scarcity thinking bring it about. The Rain Dancers pray with abundance for what is our god given right—rain. I witnessed a deluge of rain on the Hopi reservation like I have never seen before—five days of pure water. We can claim our divine inheritance now, Water Goddess is always with us and in us. We can restore our connection to the thunder and lightning beings.

Aho Mitukye Oyasin,
Dancing for Rain in Arizona

Dear Dancer for Rain and Life,

Thank you for your beautiful testimonial.

Rain is the vital, vivifying fluid which flows down from the heavens to recycle and replenish the world’s water stores, to refresh and revitalize the lands and all those species who live upon it. Celestial substance of necessity, rain is absolutely elemental and essential, but quite quirky. You never know with rain—too much, too little, too late, too soon, too hard, too long—you can’t really depend on it, and yet you have to.

I agree about our limiting ourselves by questioning divine abundance. However, I also believe each one of us has a responsibility to protect, and not waste or abuse, our rich natural legacy. We are ethically bound not to take the precious gifts of Mother Nature for granted. Native peoples across the globe have always seen themselves as caretakers of Earth, Sky, Fire and Water. They believe not only in god/dess-given rights, but also in god/dess-centered responsibility. They have always participated in partnership with the planet to preserve, conserve and create in reverence and due respect.

While water is a renewable resource, it is not inexhaustible. We all need to be conscious about conserving water. Appreciate every drop you use; consume consciously. There are many creative ways to do this. Do not abuse or disregard the Divine Largesse.

I wish us all abundant rain and snow filling reservoirs and water towers in the months ahead.

xxMama Donna

Are you cyclically confused? In a ceremonial quandary? Completely clueless? Wonder no more. Send your questions about seasons, cycles, and celebrations to Mama Donna at cityshaman@aol.com.

Our experience of time is so closely connected to our enjoyment of life that it’s worth exploring—and consciously directing—our relationship with it.

While I have nothing against time planners or organizing our schedules to daily priorities, I believe much more can be gained when we drop the scarcity mentality about time and adopt a higher perspective about how we can experience it.

Imagine living centuries ago, before modern-day science taught us the “truths” of our world as we know them now. Before we knew better, our senses would have clearly indicated to us that the world was flat and that the sun revolved around the earth—a limited belief which we might ridicule now that we better understand our world.

One thing we know for sure is that our understanding of the world based on sensory perceptions is extremely limited. We can’t necessarily trust our senses to reveal the truth. Most people can’t even trust their intuition to guide them well.

But we don’t have to rely on our personal perceptions or intuition to reveal the truth about how the world works regarding space and time. Decades of modern-day research, not to mention teachings from various ancient cultures, show us a picture that looks quite different from the traditional Newtonian concept of time that has led us to believe time is absolute and quantifiable. Thanks to the work of Albert Einstein and succeeding researchers willing to question old ways of thinking, and to philosophers such as Immanuel Kant, who proposed that time and space are properties of perception and thought imposed on the human mind by nature, we have new understandings about what “time” really is.

While our culture teaches that time is linear, offering us a chronological past, present and future, some cultures perceive a “circular” experience of time, in which each person is in the center of concentric time circles. Some leading edge physicists tell us time is better understood when we think of the past, present and future as all existing at the same time, rather than thinking of them as linear. Even Einstein concluded in 1952 that the past, present and future all exist simultaneously.

It may seem inconceivable or truly mind-bending to think of time differently than we traditionally have, but surely our ancestors experienced the same thing when confronted with evidence that the world is round and revolves around the sun. Perhaps it’s time for us to experience an enlightened perspective as well.

“Consciousness is currency and it can buy you all the time in the world,” writes Kim Falconer in her speculative fiction novel “Arrows of Time.” What she means is that our awareness creates our reality, and when we direct that awareness consciously, we can create whatever we want—including time. “The irony is that according to Einstein, time is an illusion. But if time is an illusion, it might explain why it’s so hard to pin down—and harder still to describe the process of time unfolding in anything but a ‘first-then-finally’ order. When we bend our perceptions of time, things get a little crazy,” she says in an online interview.

If it’s true that consciousness creates reality, and that if we can imagine it, we can have it, then why wouldn’t we use that power to step outside the time constraints most of us don’t appreciate in life?

I think it’s because we take for granted the assumptions that there are 24 hours in a day, that the past is the past and can’t be changed, and that we must make the best use of our limited time here on Planet Earth.

But what if there were plenty of time for everything? What if what was done yesterday could be altered today? What if we could choose to never run out of time?

In a letter to his deceased friend’s family, Einstein wrote that his lifelong friend’s passing was of no consequence, “for we physicists believe the separation between past, present, and future is only an illusion, although a convincing one.”

Becoming aware of the illusion is the first step in being able to choose differently.

In “The Big Leap,” author Gay Hendricks says we can indeed create time, simply by recognizing that we are the source of it. Instead of believing time is something “out there,” finite and limited, Hendricks suggests we recognize everything arises from “in here”—including time. With this paradigm shift we can create an entirely new relationship with and experience of time.

Hendricks offers three steps for freeing yourself from the constraints of time and living in what he calls “Einstein Time:”

Recognize that you are the source of time. Time is not a pressure from outside; we can make as much as we need.

Stop complaining about the lack of time. Cease perpetuating the myth that time is the persecutor and you are its victim.

Take ownership of time. Acknow­ledge that you are the source and it will stop owning you.

Hendricks says you will experience the benefits of feeling less busy while getting more done.

In a similar fashion, Kim Falconer suggests starting a new relationship with time by first noticing the story you tell about it. Pay attention to your languaging about time. (As in, “I’m out of time” or “There aren’t enough hours in the day.”) Then change your story to a more empowering version of what you prefer to experience with time. (Perhaps “There’s plenty of time” and “I’m happy to make time.”)

This much I know: Many of us seem to live in a lack mindset and scarcity mentality regarding time. The more we reinforce that lack (through our thoughts, observations and language), the more we will experience it. Since our enjoyment of life is closely tied to having an abundance of time, it seems wise to cultivate a practice of creating more time to do just that.

Shall we begin?

Jeannette Maw is a Law of Attraction coach and founder of Good Vibe Coaching in Salt Lake City. www.goodvibecoach.com

This month, the sky explodes with planetary activity. Here on Earth, overcrowded calendars burst with too much to do in too little time and nervous systems stretch beyond any reasonable capacity to cope with multidimensional interactions in a linear world. It’s busy all month.

The best way through the hustle and bustle is to prioritize your goals, and then to keep an even keel—emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. There’s just one glitch: Staying calm in the midst of such a hectic environment won’t be easy.

In case you weren’t able to identify the swoosh that blew by on the final day of September, it was Mercury direct, powered by an assortment of astral cohorts, all of which contribute to October’s commotion:

(1) October 12: Mercury goes direct in a conjunction with Saturn. When Mercury and Saturn share the same space, Saturn’s need for rules and regulations tends to turn Mercury’s meanderings sour and dour.

(2) October 9: Mercury also goes direct in an opposition to Uranus. When Mercury and Uranus oppose each other, quick shifts in perspective are probable: Prepare for sudden changes in opinion and/or policy.

(3) Thru October 12: Mercury also sextiles Mars—a positive interaction that translates into quick minds and rapid repartee. Mercury is adept at multitasking. We humans are not as skilled; it will take extra effort to handle all that needs doing.

But Mercury isn’t the only character driving the action to a fevered pitch. Mars is also busy forming its version of those same relationships.

(3) October 1-14: A Mars/Uranus trine excites the air with irrepressible urges for personal freedom, as well as the physical strength and determination to act on those urges. For those of you inclined to impetuous and impulsive behavior, better keep those “think again” pills handy. If you’re given to “slugdom,” get ready for hyperactivity.

(4) Saturn’s presence—opposing Uranus and sextiling Mars—won’t dampen the extraordinary vitality of this Mars/Uranus combination completely, but it will temper it.

(5) October 5-13: Venus also joins the team, adding her creative sensibilities and aesthetics. A Venus/Ura­nus opposition amplifies a craving for emotional independence. Be prepared for love, but don’t expect it to be unconditional.

(6) October 9-18: Venus is also conjunct with Saturn, a position that translates into terms, yours

or others’.

(7) October 7-20: While negotiation has been known to diminish desire, that may not be the case this month because Venus also sextiles Mars. This is one of the few times that a “sextile” is sexy, and as Venus and Mars connect, passionately, some of us will, too.

(8) October 4-17: Jupiter trines the Sun. We love this positive relationship because it fosters good attitudes, optimistic perspectives and, most important, humor. This will be needed in great measure given the general stress levels of the month.

(9) October 13: Jupiter goes direct, ending a retrograde phase that be­gan on June 15. Jupiter is the planet of expansion; its course correction dials up the already accelerated pace.

(10) October 24-31: October ends on a highly romantic note with a Venus/Jupiter trine. However...

(11) October 18-31: A Mars/Sun square delivers a highly competitive atmosphere, stirring tempers and tantrums. Try to let Venus, the graceful goddess of love, soothe ruffled egos. And be careful about burdening yourself or others with unreasonable demands. By this time, plenty of us are likely to be exhausted.

(12) October 11-29: A Sun/Nep­tune trine supports imagination and ideal­ism, as well as altruistic inclinations that are of genuine concern about the wellbeing of others. We are especially thankful for this lofty, positive combination because as October winds down and November begins, two key and related events create a difficult undertow.

(13) October 29, Saturn moves into Libra, forming a square to Pluto that is exact on November 15. In my November column I will attempt to unpack the meaning of this transit, but it’s necessary to mention it now, because even in the midst of all of October’s activity, many of us will feel the inexorable approach of this exceedingly difficult contact. While for some it may feel like the end of the world, this square is fundamentally about transformation and the resistance to that process.

For instance, we’ve been in the grip of the Saturn/Uranus opposition, which has revealed, among many other things, the need for financial reform. But we haven’t really changed anything. Cardinal signs want action, and so will many of us. As Saturn moves into Libra, a cardinal sign, and square to Pluto in Capricorn, also a cardinal sign, the tone of collective as well as personal interactions shift from a conciliatory one, generated by the mutable signs of Virgo and Pisces, to an initiatory one.

October’s intensity can be daunting or invigorating, depending on how you frame it. Even if we like the excitement of overwhelm, we can stretch our systems way beyond our capacity to handle the load. So be gentle with yourself and others, and know when to say “enough is enough.”

Aries March 21-April l9

You’re awakening to your true nature—fiery, passionate, full of vitality and ready to move into action. Rather than throwing your thunderbolts randomly (just ‘cause it feels good to move) use your power with precise intention. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish.

Taurus April 20-May 20

In many ways, you can characterize your journey thus far as a return to your truest self. Con­tinue to appreciate your ability to balance your spiritual and material worlds and your self-trust, self-confidence and self-esteem will grow exponentially.

Gemini May 21-June 21

Be direct and clear, with yourself and others, about where your energy will be best spent. There’s nothing you like more than a fast pace, but only if you’re involved with plans and projects that are never boring.

Cancer June 22-July 22

Resist the temptation to dwell on “should have,” “could have” or “if only.” Regretting the past will keep you from appreciating and participating in what’s happening right now. Learn from your mistakes, yes, but rather than take an inventory of what’s wrong in your life, concentrate on all the things that are right.

Leo July 23-August 22

Harness this energy: Use it to identify what’s working to your benefit and the benefit of those you love, and what isn’t. This process is not about impulsively hacking away at your life; it’s about passionate thinking that can eliminate what is superfluous and concentrate instead on what is authentic.

Virgo August 23-September 22

As the days whiz by, it’s important not to take any shortcuts, especially if those time-saving efforts compromise your integrity. You have enough energy to get through each day; you just have to be clear about where your time will be best spent and deliver the best results.

Libra September 23-October 22

Yes, Saturn’s move into your sign signals change—and lots of it. Rather than think you’re ready for the “ch-ch-ch-changes” that lie ahead, assume a “beginner’s mind.” Humility will allow you to ride the waves of the future with greater flexibility and skill.

Scorpio Oct 23-Nov 21

Make moderation your mantra, and as the stars dial you into a leadership role, you’ll be in the right attitude for assuming that position. I’m not suggesting you feign a lack of skill or interest; I am advising you to manage your time and energy with the understanding that others will be following your example.

Sagittarius Nov 22-Dec 21

As is often the case for you, synthesis is the key to your success. Rather than thinking you have to choose one way or another, try seeing your situation as a blend of attitudes and ideas that will deliver more than one outcome.

Capricorn Dec 22-Jan 19

You are on a vision quest, and like all spiritual initiations, you are dismantling an aspect of yourself that no longer serves in order to grow into greater wisdom. As you move through this process, be authentic about what matters to you.

Aquarius Jan 20-Feb 18

Sometimes the present tastes just a little sweeter when we take the time to appreciate the past. No matter how busy you are—and you’ll be plenty busy—it would be highly beneficial to make the time to recognize the value of your journey.

Pisces February 19-March 20

Don’t be surprised if you’re confused by certain relationships. Your own “personal” Saturn relationship intensive is ending, but part of the final process is reviewing the beginning. See this as an opportunity to integrate what you’ve learned, and you’ll be pleased with your progress.

© 2009 by Ralfee Finn

Visit Ralfee’s website at www.aquariumage.com or email her at ralfee@aquariumage.com

Will my work with the nonprofit 337 Project be rewarding in 2010? (My birthday is August 22, 1968.)

Yes—depending on what you consider to be rewarding.

For the past few years it looks like you’ve led a double life with one foot in the workaday world and one foot in the your artsy one, and never the twain did meet. But in 2010 the planets will urge you to choose between the two.

Your horoscope is equal parts Leo and Virgo. The Leo side is all for moving ahead with your creative ambitions. The zodiac sign of arts and entertainment, Leo energy champions individual expression. You were born with the courage and audacity to keep pursuing your dreams long after others have thrown in the towel on theirs. Your Virgo side, however, will always ask: Where is this going? Virgo, an earth sign, is more materialistic than Leo. It needs to see tangible results. You don’t expect to get rich (if you did you would never have entered the world of not-for-profit in the first place) but you do expect to have something to show for all your efforts. If you knew that you made a difference both creatively (Leo) and community service-wise (Virgo), then you would be a very happy camper. But only you can decide if you want to take your work with the 337 Project to the next level.

This will all be contingent on how you deal with Mars turning retrograde in Leo from December 2009 through March 2010. Mars is the planet of action and passion. It rises before the Sun in your horoscope and it’s the planet that makes you an advocate for the arts. Yet retrogrades can be very tricky.

“Retro­grade” refers to a backward motion—obviously Mars doesn’t actually reverse direction (if it did, we would all be in a lot of trouble) but that is the way it looks to us. A retrograde is an optical illusion that occurs periodically from Earth’s viewpoint, giving the impression of a planet moving backward against the setting of constellations in the sky. When a planet is retrograde, its energy becomes adversarial. This could create a situation where you have to get more “serious” about your vision, either because your professional obligations are competing with your artistic aspirations or because Mars turns you into a lightning rod of controversy. In any case, Mars energy is all about facing challenges and pushing back when you feel like you’re being pushed into a corner.

This is a fork in the road that people with heavy Leo and Virgo in their horoscopes inevitably face: Do you stick with your day job or do you “go for it”? The only way to find out may be to take the plunge. That’s where Mars energy can be the most useful. Mars in Leo gives you the courage to do the impossible when things look the most improbable and the steely nerve to take the sort of chance that transforms a daring feat into a breakthrough success.

Day by day in the home, garden and sky.
by Diane Olson

OCTOBER 1 The Sun rises today at 7:24 a.m. and sets at 7:11 p.m. October’s average maximum temperature is 66°; the minimum is 40°. The average monthly rainfall total is 1.44 inches, average; snowfall 2.1 inches.

OCTOBER 2 Rats! Our long, moist spring seems to have produced a bumper crop of Norway rats around the valley. Rats and humans are disturbingly similar. Both: migrated from east to west in the life journey of their species; are omnivorous and adaptable to all climes; live in well-ordered social groups; reproduce regardless of season or food supply; engage in homosexual behavior; practice cannibalism; frequently engage in warfare among their own kind. Snap traps are said to be the best method of eradication. Or get a rat terrier.

OCTOBER 3 FULL FALLING LEAVES MOON. The two major populations of monarch butterflies in North America are separated by the Rocky Mountains. The western group over winters in coastal California; the eastern in the Transvolcanic Mountains in the Mexican state of Michoacan, at altitudes of up to 11,000 feet.

OCTOBER 4 Gather seeds from this year’s best annuals and dry them for next year.

OCTOBER 5 Overseed lawn with winter ryegrass to crowd out weeds in the spring. Plus, it’ll look nice and green when the rest of the grass is still brown.

OCTOBER 6 Cats can hear ultrasound. Fear of cats is called ailurphobia.

OCTOBER 7 Pot up annual geraniums and bring them inside. You can do the same with chives and pepper plants.

OCTOBER 8 Why would anyone use pesticides? 95% of garden insects are either beneficial or harmless.

OCTOBER 9 Time to plant garlic, lilies, rhubarb, roses, shallots, Spring bulbs, trees and shrubs. Remember; don’t fertilize new plantings this time of year; the new shoots and leaves will freeze.

OCTOBER 10 Check it out: Mercury, Saturn and Venus form a chorus line tonight.

OCTOBER 11 LAST QUARTER MOON. Average First Frost Date. When a freeze is predicted, cover tender vegetables with sheets, newspapers, floating row covers or buckets. Uncover them once the temperature rises above 32° F. Spraying plants with water also protects them. When water freezes, it gives off heat, called “heat of fusion.”

OCTOBER 12 Time to move outdoor furniture inside, or cover it with a tarp.

OCTOBER 13 Why rake? Unless you enjoy raking, of course. If you don’t, simply shred fallen leaves with the mower or a chipper/shredder and leave them in place as fertilizer. Venus and Saturn are hanging together tonight, with Mercury just below.

OCTOBER 14 After the first hard freeze, mulch root crops with a heavy layer of straw.

OCTOBER 15 Brown trout are spawning. Elk, white-tailed deer and pronghorn are in rut. Moose are making big love. Porcupines are doing it very carefully.

OCTOBER 16 Look for a gorgeous grouping of Saturn, Venus, Mercury and the Moon tonight.

OCTOBER 17 NEW MOON. Got a leaky hose? Make it a drip irrigation hose by adding more holes.

OCTOBER 18 Indian Summer, also know as St. Luke’s Little Summer, a spell of warm weather, often occurs now.

OCTOBER 19 Time to winterize the pond. Discard annuals; trim back the perennials; transfer delicate fish inside; dredge as much gunk as possible; drain half the water; refill; and replace the pump with a floating deicer.

OCTOBER 20 Pull up spent annuals and cut back perennials. Keep digging up bindweed and other perennial weeds. If you have a serious bindweed problem, try choking it out with cover crops.

OCTOBER 21 Plant a green manure crop to protect the soil, or cover it with a two-inch layer of compost or manure.

OCTOBER 22 Conifers, like deciduous trees, shed in the fall. Because the oldest needles are shed, the inner areas of the tree closer to the trunk become less dense than the outer areas. Pine trees usually shed three-year-old needles, whereas spruce and fir shed needles that are four to five years old.

OCTOBER 23 Keep an eye out for woolly bears, the caterpillar stage of the Isabella tiger moth. Researchers recently discovered that woolly bears munch on alkaline-laden plants to rid themselves of parasitic fly larva, challenging the notion that only mammals self-medicate.

OCTOBER 24 Time to trim raspberry canes to just above ground level, and to cut back vines.

OCTOBER 25 FIRST QUARTER MOON. Rattlesnakes are forming slithery communal hibernation knots in burrows and under cliffs. Worms are migrating downward, and frogs and turtles are heading into deeper water.

OCTOBER 26 After milking them for honeydew all summer, some ants over winter their pet aphids in their nests. In the Mid-East, people milk aphids for honeydew, too, and make candy out of it.

OCTOBER 27 Fifty to 60 million years before humans began cultivating plants for food, several species of ants made the transition from hunter-gatherers to agriculturists.

OCTOBER 28 The Food and Drug Admin-istration sets a maximum legal limit on how many insects or insect parts can be contained in packaged foods. 3.5 ounces of broccoli, for example, can contain no more than 60 aphids. Bon appetit!

OCTOBER 29 The early Romans believed that drinking raven’s blood would darken graying hair. The Common Raven evolved in the Old World and crossed the Bering land bridge into North America. Ravens can solve problems, manipulate other animals, and make their own toys.

OCTOBER 30 Four hundred million years ago, spiders used their silk to weave terrestrial hiding places. They began weaving aerial webs when insects developed wings.

OCTOBER 31 WINTER CROSS QUARTER DAY. The Sun rises at 6:56 a.m. today, and sets at 5:24 p.m. Grab the binoculars and check out Mars floating next to the brilliant Beehive star cluster. The Beehive Cluster was among the first objects that Galileo studied with his telescope.

The sleepy brown woods seem to
Nod down their heads to the Winter.
—Dan Fogelberg

Diane Olson is a writer, gardener and bug hugger.