Update on Browncoat to the Gulf... by Niki2

REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS

Update on Browncoat to the Gulf...

POSTED BY: NIKI2
UPDATED: Saturday, June 5, 2010 08:26
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Friday, June 4, 2010 10:29 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Something new popped up, which may or may not work out.

I volunteered for several years at our local wildlife rehab, then Marin Wildlife, now after several name changes "Wildcare". Yesterday I got a letter from them seeking donations for the people THEY'RE sending to the Gulf.

I have written them back, explaining my situation. With any luck at all, I may be able to join their group, which would be far better in some ways than going alone to an organization. I would need retraining if they were going to use me for some things, but I've said I'll do anything they can find for me to do, if retraining isn't available.

They MAY take me up on it. They're getting donations to send a group of Hazmat- and oiled-wildlife-trained members. Given I can pay my own way (thanx to you guys!) and am willing to do anything, I represent an additional pair of hands at no expense, which I view as being as good as a donation.

We'll see; it will take several days to get back to me either way, and I'll let you know. It would probably mean I'd be going sooner, which would be great, and it MIGHT mean I would be going trained to do some of the more vital work (not that everything isn't vital), AND I would be with people from around here. They'll stay longer than two weeks no doubt, or have others fill in, but me, I'd rather go with a group of Marinites, given the option.

We shall see.

If I didn't mention it, I also discovered from the websites I visit that "Jay Holcomb" is the head of International Bird Rescue, which is a kick in the head. Jay came from our local Humane Society at the time I worked at Marin Wildlife. He used to sneak us skunks--which at the time were immediately euthenased because of rapies potential--which were rabies-free, labeling them "striped weasels" so we could rehab them and return the to the wild.

He then headed up Marin Wildlife, and it was under Jay that we got 'Bo, the non-rehabbable raven we adopted (and had for 14 years until her death), under Marin Wildlife's license.

It's so neat to see that, if it is him, he's gone on to bigger and better things, and I can hold out a wish that I might bump into him down there, if he's gone there in person. That would be a thrill!

On another note, someone PayPaled me $75 but won't tell me who they are...you fink! They said "wifey" chipped in some of it, but two requests to know who they are (and saying I wouldn't mention it here if they didn't want me to) have achieved no response. So I'm mentioning it here.

To one of you out there, whoever you are, MANY thanx from me and the rest of us! As a result (and the result of you guys being "faster than a motzaball through hot chicken broth"), there is now $225 in my PayPall account, which doesn't count two donations coming in by mail and my own pledge of $50! You guys are fantastic. I KNOW how fantastic, because my eternally cynical Jim is deeply impressed and keeps saying "wow..." I may be a bleeding-heart woosy, but he's not, so I know it's true.

Hippie Operative Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
signing off

To our President: “Mr. President, you're a god damn, mother fucking liar. Fuck you, you cock sucking community activist piece of shit.... oh, go fuck yourself, Mr. President” ...Raptor

To Anthony, unquestionably the most civil person on this forum: “Go fuck yourself. On this matter, make no mistake. I want you to go fuck yourself long and hard, as well as anyone who agrees with you. I got no use for you. ...Raptor

To Frem: “You miserable piece of shit.” ...Raptor

To Niki: “My guess is it won't just be your ugly face you dislike.....Well, it's true......if you had a soul.” ...Raptor

...Remember, remember, the ugliest member...

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Friday, June 4, 2010 10:31 AM

WULFENSTAR

http://youtu.be/VUnGTXRxGHg

Im sure others will agree..

We all expect pictures.

So don't go spending it on weed.

:)P

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Friday, June 4, 2010 10:35 AM

BYTEMITE

That's terrible.

And... admittedly kind of funny.

And terrible.

I wanna see her pictures just cuz, but if there are issues on the picture or update info front, I'll understand.

So you've worked with these guys before, huh Niki?

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Friday, June 4, 2010 11:09 AM

ANTHONYT

Freedom is Important because People are Important

Hello,

It's always less intimidating to go into the unknown with allies at your side. I hope they hook you for their gig. Also- I personally don't care under what auspices you make yourself useful down yonder. If there's a paying gig that'll have you mopping sand and de-greasing birds, that's fine with me. You can always volunteer on weekends if you have any energy left. As far as I'm concerned, we're funding your trip down there to do good works. Anything that gets good works done is an Abraham-Lincoln sized Mission Accomplished in my book. If you earn a paycheck while you're there, you won't hear a peep of complaint out of me. (Might be golden for those inevitable living expenses.)

And send some postcards to Wulf with pictures of hippies smoking grass, just for fun.

--Anthony

"On this matter, make no mistake. I want you to go fuck yourself long and hard, as well as anyone who agrees with you. I got no use for you." --Auraptor

"This vile and revolting malice - this is their true colors, always has been, you're just seeing it without the mask of justifications and excuses they hide it behind, is all. Make sure to remember it once they put the mask back on." --Fremdfirma

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Friday, June 4, 2010 11:18 AM

WULFENSTAR

http://youtu.be/VUnGTXRxGHg

"And send some postcards to Wulf with pictures of hippies smoking grass, just for fun."

Yes, because pictures of hippies smoking grass as the world burns would SOOOO NOT prove my point.

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Friday, June 4, 2010 11:38 AM

ANTHONYT

Freedom is Important because People are Important

Hello,

Occasionally someone says something that makes me believe their skulls are made of osmium.

--Anthony

"On this matter, make no mistake. I want you to go fuck yourself long and hard, as well as anyone who agrees with you. I got no use for you." --Auraptor

"This vile and revolting malice - this is their true colors, always has been, you're just seeing it without the mask of justifications and excuses they hide it behind, is all. Make sure to remember it once they put the mask back on." --Fremdfirma

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Friday, June 4, 2010 11:39 AM

WULFENSTAR

http://youtu.be/VUnGTXRxGHg

Now, now... Nix can be REACHED!

Don't give up HOPE (tm)....

:)P

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Friday, June 4, 2010 12:56 PM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)

Quote:
Originally posted by Wulfenstar:
"And send some postcards to Wulf with pictures of hippies smoking grass, just for fun."

Yes, because pictures of hippies smoking grass as the world burns would SOOOO NOT prove my point.

You're not, ummmm, crying over the trees, are you? And really, what the hell do you care if someone smokes a joint after a long day of cleaning up the oil? I thought you were all about the whole libertarian "do your own thing" thing.

Mike

On this matter, make no mistake. I want you to go fuck yourself long and hard, as well as anyone who agrees with you. I got no use for you. --Auraptor

This vile and revolting malice - this is their true colors, always has been, you're just seeing it without the mask of justifications and excuses they hide it behind, is all. Make sure to remember it once they put the mask back on. --Fremdfirma

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Friday, June 4, 2010 12:57 PM

WULFENSTAR

http://youtu.be/VUnGTXRxGHg

I am... Im just dubious about a hippie doing a days work..

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Friday, June 4, 2010 2:13 PM

FREMDFIRMA

Be dubious all you like, most of the ones I know grow their own food, and that ain't no picnic.

I'll lean on Wildcare a little - I think the best use of your talents lies in trying to save as much wildlife as possible, and I'd be best pleased if that was what you wound up doing.

BP is being kind of dicks to the volunteers, but that's par for the course, and they got shit to say about wildlife rescue.

Another activist pointed out that de-oiled wildlife prolly has a shorter life expectancy, which I dunno if that's true or not, but I countered by tellin him if they breed before they kick it, then you HAVE saved them, after a fashion.

We'll see - oh, and if you'd like me to lean on them personally... just ask.

-Frem

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Friday, June 4, 2010 2:21 PM

KWICKO

Quote:
Originally posted by Wulfenstar:
I am... Im just dubious about a hippie doing a days work..

Well, y'know, I'm dubious about you having a job or a wife, too, but there ya go.

Hell, I'm a hippie, and I haven't missed a days work or been without a job since 1974, when I was 12. Haven't smoked pot since 1979, either.

Mike

On this matter, make no mistake. I want you to go fuck yourself long and hard, as well as anyone who agrees with you. I got no use for you. --Auraptor

This vile and revolting malice - this is their true colors, always has been, you're just seeing it without the mask of justifications and excuses they hide it behind, is all. Make sure to remember it once they put the mask back on. --Fremdfirma

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Saturday, June 5, 2010 7:25 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Ignoring the idiot among us except to say that I'm an aging hippie too, and worked every day of my life for thirty years nonstop; when home, had so little time that 90% of it was spent housekeeping and food shopping; when at work, frequently worked overtime and some weekends. And back then, smoked dope in the evenings every single day. That's a waste to say, of course, because the original comment was a totally stupid one and all that is wanted in response is an excuse to post more stupidity.

I started this last night and spent hours on it, but decided to cut it short and post it elsewhere as a topic on its own. I'll put it in Talk Story when I finish scanning photos and fixing them to upload. Anyway, this is what I wrote last night:

Well, I won't be looking around for dope; it destroys your motivation, remember? It'll be hard enough being motivated when I'm pooped, dirty and sore! I haven't smoked in months and months anyway; they put a new tax on buying it officially, so I'd have to come up with $150 to get an "official okey-dokey". Not possible for a long time to come. May buy some from my old dealer down the line, but it's not a priority. I CERTAINLY wouldn't be buying any down there!

There won't be any paying gigs, Anthony, and I wouldn't take one if there were. They're hiring locals at $10 and hour, and so forth, to do the cleanup on the beaches and I'm sure other things, and I plan to work 24-7 if they'll let me. Would LOVE to see some of New Orleans or the area, but that's not why I'm going, so it'll have to wait for another time, which means probably never. I don't want to take work away from anyone down there who can earn some money--they'll more than need it in future, we all know!

Wildcare is an all-volunteer organization except for admin, and only a couple of those.

Yes, Byte. My rehab "career" started there--it's less than a mile from the pizza parlor we owned. I did it initially to get some time away from the family and parlor (we all worked it together and lived together...your imagination isn't sufficient, believe me!); Jim and I had a BAD relationship back then and he was working 100 hours a week to keep it going.

At the time ('60s) it was a fledgling organization; we had holes in the floor of the donated building, rats running around, donated food for the animals, no admin and very little, if any, resources. That's not true now! Once begun, I fell in love with rehab and discovered MMC out on the coast--20 minutes or so away.

We just came back from there now, as it happens. Took the dogs to Rodeo Beach--all HEAVILY fogged in, they ran their little tails off...that's the way I love Rodeo best. Cold, wet, no people!

So I asked Jim if he wanted to see the "new" MMC, as he hasn't been back since they rebuilt. Now THEY know how to raise a buck, and the facility is amazing...his jaw was on the ground when he wasn't grinning ear to ear.

We worked THERE when it was young too ('70s). I started shortly after it was begun...by three individuals...and the changes are astonishing. The pens for elephant seals were about three feet high, made of wood and wire and wired together. We made everything ourselves. They kept pushing them over and we had to round them back up again. The very first pickup truck for rescues was an old Ford we donated. We had one building, falling apart.

Now, it's amazing. It's huge; pens are seven feet high, HEAVY black wire; everything is solar, solar panels on the pens, the buildings (beautiful buildings with hospital, kitchen for food prep, training rooms, they were giving a class to some children when we walked by). The pens all have SUNKEN pools, two depths, lights for night crew, sprinklers and shade coverings they can roll out for when it's sunny, ...it's as amazing as anything I've ever seen. They even have a GIFT SHOP, and a full-sized bronze statue of an adult elephant seal, plus smaller ones dotted around of other, smaller seals. I mean it's really...well, I'd say "spiffy", but that's not even close!

If I went on any further, I’d go on forever. Just looked through my old albums and scanned some photos, since there are none on line of those days. But I’ll spare you that and go yatter about it in Talk Story a little later, and finish this.

Frem, your response came In after I left last night. If you can lean very, very gently, that would be great. I decided rather than mail my letter to them, I’m going to drop it off when I run errands today. Faster that way, since it’s Saturday, and I’m admittedly cautiously excited at the possibility!

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Saturday, June 5, 2010 7:55 AM

FREMDFIRMA

Gently ?
Umm, I think imma foist that off on Wendy then, cause, well, I kinda get the idea dontcha know, that my idea of "gently" is prolly a little too much!

I would point out to them that you have the support of at least one Browncoat faction, and involving you, even if it does mean a little more effort on the front end via retraining or what have you, might benefit them substantially when you get involved, send us pictures, and the Browncoats as a whole start getting behind it.

Might even get them some local Browncoats as additional support on the ground when they get there, so there's also that factor.

We've done the impossible, and that makes us mighty - I can only hope we're mighty enough to save as much as we can here.

-Frem

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Saturday, June 5, 2010 8:26 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

That sounds fine to me--tho' they won't know what "Browncoats" are, so it should probably be briefly explained (and there's the addition of all the causes Browncoats have donated to, etc., which I think they have every right to be proud of--I don't consider myself in that, because aside from attending one annual screening of "Serenity", I've never been part of those efforts).

I didn't tell them who you guys were, just "a group of people have gotten together and raised the funds..." I told them I could not donate the money to Wildcare for sending volunteers, as it wasn't my decision to make and "they" wanted to be represented.

It would be kind of neat if there were any Browncoats in Wildcare who recognized it; given Wildcare is mostly manned by younger people, whereas MMC is usually a slightly older group, there's a good chance they might have a Browncoat or two.

Thanx, Frem..I don't think what you wrote is at all "too much"; the decision will be up to them in the end, so all I can do is tell them what I have to offer and ask. If not, I'll go on my own when one of the organizations calls me up. It's realy no biggie, would just be neat.

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