I had a great day today in Burlington seeing friends, making some arrangements for the new radio show at wbkm.org with Eric and Tony. I learned about something which actually I have heard about but not become particularly educated about. That is the issue of a chemical which is in the water supply for the Champlain Valley Water District serving some 68,000 people in Chittenden County, Vermont. The chemical is called chloramine and is the result of treating the water with both ammonia sulfate and chlorine. The reaction creates chloramine which is toxic. Allowing this toxic chemical in the water supply is a real smack in the face to Vermont’s green image. Unfortunately, since the incidence of illness falls below the statistical radar of the people in charge of the decision to have chloramine in the water, no legislators or government officials seem to be willing to champion the cause of safe drinking water for the Champlain Valley Water District. I wonder what kind of economic pressure such as consumer, tax revolt, or adverse effects on tourism, might get the attention of the folks in charge.

I also had a very clear thought on my drive home, it is this.

If we look at the world and see who is making the most trouble, it is the Abrahamics. Jews, Christians and Muslims, all in the name of Yahweh, or Jehova, or Allah, are savaging much of the world. Their religions have become corporate gangs and armies fighting over resources, control, and ideology.

This has got to stop.

Now, not all Abrahamics are engaged in war. It is the extremists, the fundamentalists, the orthodox. It is the groups that cling most strongly to their traditions, many of which are simply outdated for the challenges we face as a world.

Newsflash! It’s time to move forward rather than be controlled by the past.

It’s time for human beings to grow and behave like responsible adults. Everyone’s simply got to learn to accept difference. We don’t have to like everyone and not everyone’s going to like us but we all exist here together and either we get it together or we perish. And no wealth or military might is going to ultimately protect anyone.

I think that about says it.

Dear Readers:

 "Paradigms" is my new radio show launching mid May on WBKM.org.  I've been doing Stories from the Road on WBKM for nearly a year and since I am no longer on the road, the show is being expanded into a live 1.5 hour weekly show to be aired Sundays at 8 PM ET.

• Paradigms is about exploring the theme through live and pre-recorded interviews with all kinds of people, some well known, some not, as well as live and pre-recorded music.  

• The theme is the main question for all of the interviews, "What visions do you have of a viable future for life on Earth, including humans?" The idea is to cross pollinate people's visions globally.

WBKM is an internet radio station with listenership around the world.  My current show has 2500 - 3500 listeners each episode, from at least half a dozen countries, and the listenership is growing each week.

I'm recording phone interviews with all kinds of people, or perhaps you would record an answer to the theme question, going wherever you want to take it, feel free to ramble.  I can edit for length without changing the message and will happily run my edit by you before airing.

I believe that humans need each other's visions now and I want to gather as many as possible and broadcast them as an audio quilt.  

I hope you’re interested, and if you know others who'd be interested that would also be fantastic. 

respectfully and with enthusiasm,
Baruch

http://www.walterzeichner.com
Baruch's Blog
WBKM, The Heart of Burlington, Burlington's kinda music

I find myself in a state of depression. I am exhausted all the time. It is a lot of work to get myself to do anything. I crave solitude but am happiest when I'm with friends.

Whenever I have an emotional spike it brings thoughts and feelings about my mother's murder. I can't shake it.

I am so fortunate that friends have given me a place to live, that the state has granted me $200 a month in foodstamps. Occasionally something else brings in some cash, but other than those resources I am down to zero.

I went traveling for 4 years, in part to rediscover my own life's trajectory. Now I am back where I started and it's as if I never did any of those things, had the experiences of the last 4 years.

I don't think I deferred grieving. I certainly have grieved.

Maybe it's the fact that the crime is unresolved, thanks to the government and police of Nevis.

Maybe being in Vermont again, I have to go through this to make a new life here.

I'm not even sure why I'm putting this out in such a public place as my blog. Maybe just to say, some things one can never get over.

Something is happening which I have long foreseen, and now it is here. I have run out of money, and have none coming to me in the immediate future. I actually have $17. Deep breath. I have seen this coming and wanted it and feared it. I am so fortunate to have landed in a pretty soft place as I explore this transition into a much less monied life. Big gratitude to the folks who have invited and welcomed me to be in their space, P & E. (I almost never use names in this blog because I don't wish to make public anyone else's identity, location, or other information.) $17 you say...and how will I live? I did just receive a foodstamp grant which is great. I have a full tank in the car...in Vermont it's easy to go through a lot of gas between Burlington and Marshfield and Montpelier and Northfield...so I am mostly staying put.

I'm working on the new radio show "Paradigms" which is exciting and challenging! I need to really get guests lined up, recorded interview stuff together, sponsorship so that the show will pay me something and kick something into running the station; there are multiple technological issues to resolve like recording phone and skype interviews, finding musicians, recording the live shows so they can be made available for download and archived...I can't think of anything else at the moment.

The concept of the show, the way I see it working, is really exciting to me. It will be 2 hours live in the studio with me talking and dj'ing some pre-recorded music, but there will also be taped 1 to 3 minutes snippets of people from around the world sharing some of their vision, live guests in the studio, musical and other. It's a big step up for me to take, to make, to step.

I have a request to make of you, the people reading my blog. If you're willing, figure out how to record yourself on your computer (it's easy if you have quicktime and I'm sure PC and Linux must have this capability) and record yourself responding to this question: What visions do you have of a viable future for life on earth including humanity? Wherever it takes you...ramble on...I can edit for time without changing what you're saying so feel free to stop and think. If you send me the recording I may be able to use it on "Paradigms" ! I am hoping to hear from many people of all ages.

My other request is with regards to the search for sponsorship. If you know of an organization, a business, a person, who you think might want to support this effort by becoming a sponsor, please either let me know about them or let them know about me or both. baruch@mcn.org

I struggle to maintain visions of a viable future for life on earth including humanity. I am doing this as much for myself as I am for everyone else. If we can build momentum by sharing ideas and plans and what we're doing now, I think we increase our odds of making the changes we need to make, and weathering the changes we have no control over.

If this works and we can get enough sponsors this can be an ongoing project that is available globally on wbkm.org. Enough sponsors...ultimately if "Paradigms" could bring in $1000 a month, which would be split between me and the radio station, it would be really great.