The Cyberactivist

Before I start today's post, I wanted to let you know that the downloads of the radio show I did are available online now. The interview is in two parts and are found on this page:
http://www.animalvoices.ca/shows.htm#virgil_butler
Or you can get them directly this way:
Download mp3s of the interview: part 1 (2.7 MB) and part 2 (2.8 MB).

They even have a forum on the site to talk about shows, and of course there are a bunch of other really good interviews there, some of which I have talked about here.

I also wanted to update you and let you all know how well our new rescues are doing. It is so wonderful to finally have a happy success story, as opposed to a frantic and sad run to the vet. They are growing and crowing. They love the sunshine, too. You can tell because that is where they will always stand when we uncover them in the morning (we keep them wrapped up warm and cozy at night). I am hoping to get their house and yard started next week. I wish I could have done so already, but it is taking my back a bit longer to heal than I thought it would. I tried to do more than I should have and just made things worse, so I haven't been able to get out and get any poles set or anything else done yet. We still need to get some supplies to do that, too. A couple of very generous and wonderful people have sent a little help that should make that job a bit easier. We have to do quite a bit of work around here, not only for the current chickens here, but also for the ones that are likely to keep arriving. Sadly, the slaughter business isn't going anywhere, so we figure we really need to make sure to have the proper facilities to care for these birds when we find them. It is starting to look like we are turning into a kind of sanctuary now, what with all of these homeless animals we keep taking in. The houses and yards we already have just aren't enough, and they are aging and in need of refurbishing at the least, though we figure on building all new facilities for everyone in a better location. We will turn the current ones into temporary holding pens for rescues or those that are sick and/or injured. For the current residents, we have picked out a spot closer to the garden that is in a nice warm sunny spot and that is on a bit of a slope, which will not only help keep the yards from getting flooded again when the heavy rains come, but will also allow the nutrients to run straight down into the garden, making our job of keeping the yards clean a bit easier and carting all of that compost down to the garden much, much easier.

Speaking of the garden, we have already planted our seeds in the greenhouse! Oh, I do love to garden, so the spring is one of my favorite times of the year. To have our fresh organic veggies is worth everything we do to make that happen. There's nothing like being able to go down to the garden and pick fresh veggies for supper! My gardening work is part of why I have not written in so long, but mostly it has been because I have just been having a hard time of things lately ever since I dropped that tree on myself.

I have been taking things a bit easier lately and reading some interesting books, too. Laura used an Amazon gift certificate she earned doing surveys to get us a copy of "Animal Factories," by Jim Mason and Peter Singer. And just yesterday we finally got our own copy of "Dominion," by Matthew Scully, courtesy of a reader that knew we wanted to read it badly. Thanks again, C...!

I have also been working on some other projects, some of which I can't talk about yet. But, one thing is for sure, I haven't been just wasting time sitting around while waiting to heal up.

I have also started working through some of the terrible and violent memories that have consumed me for so long. They were causing me a lot of stress and upset, so I have started upon some quite serious therapy to deal with all of that. I am learning to put all of those bad times behind me and figure out who Virgil Butler really is. Needless to say, this hasn't been the easiest thing to do, but I am trying really hard. I have been spending quite a bit of time lately talking with others that have gone down this road. I started a private journal, which is a new thing for me to do, and I am receiving Healing Touch treatments, on top of a few other therapeutic practices. If you have never had the experience of a Healing Touch treatment, let me tell you that you are really missing out on something special. There is no way to really describe what it is like. It's one of those things you just have to experience for yourself firsthand. I can tell you that it has been very beneficial for me to do this, helping to strip away all of the built-up negative energies and replace them with positive, healing energy. I was a bit skeptical at first, but now I am totally hooked. It's just so relaxing and, well...so right. I highly recommend trying it if you can find a practitioner in your area.

I am also working on gathering comments from those people who have done showings of "Peaceable Kingdom." If you are one of those people, and especially if you did this in a rural area, shoot me off an email. I would like to hear from as many people as possible as to the different ways they did this - what worked and what didn't. I am extremely interested in showing this, but I do want it to be a success. It probably won't be in the very near future, as I have a lot of projects lined up that I am working on, but I figured that I would start gathering comments and advice to prepare for when I would be able to do this. That film was really emotional and strong. More people need to see it.

And, before I sign off today, I want to call your attention to someone I have been asked to post a link to. His name is Phil Angelides. Heard of him? If not, you will. He is running against the Terminator for governor of California. From what I have read, this is who belongs in that office. He is certainly getting a lot of support from those not too happy with Arnold. I wish him well.
Check him out here: www.Angelides.com
Good luck, Phil!

Oh yeah, one more thing. I read an article today that just astounded me. I can't say I am surprised, but I was at the very least appalled. Check out "The Uncle Tom Award." See if it doesn't find you making all sorts of faces and saying some rather colorful words. In these days, who can trust anything they see on TV anymore?

What is this world coming to? When will the American people say enough is enough and take back our country from these thugs? How much more can and will they stomach? I really do want to know.

This is why I get all my news from independent sources on the Net. (Here is the link to one such source that is run by one guy. Check him out. Subscribe to his newsletter. And support him. He works hard.) No network TV "news" for me - uh uh! I have had enough of their propaganda and lies.

I have been thinking for some time about having a new feature added to this blog. I would like to highlight other ordinary individuals who have done things like I have. People who have decided to throw caution to the wind and stand up, speak out, and try to change things - damn the costs to themselves. There are too many people nowadays that really don't think they can do anything in the face of the seemingly insurmountable powers laid out against them. It's not true, but I can see how they can come to feel that way. I used to think the same way. So, if you have done something like this or know someone who has, let me know. I want to hear about the "little people" screaming "ENOUGH!" and "NO!" and trying to bring about change, especially if they have tried using the Internet as I have to get publicity for their cause. I will feature these people here as fellow Cyberactivists in the hopes that their actions will spur others to get up off their butts and do the same.

I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
~-Edward Everett Hale

Be the change you want to see in the world.
--Gandhi