Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Manblind author, Michael McNamara

Email here
dogsoldier5928@live.com

Mackinac Bands Seeking Volunteers

The Mackinac Bands needs volunteers to assist with the
children's Christmas party. We also have openings on
several committees.

Experience would be appreciated for some positions such
as in governmental and business development, geneology,
education, publications, research, grantwriting etc...

If you have some abilities or are just willing to help out,
we would be happy to talk to you

Contact me at weave977@yahoo.com

Sunday, September 28, 2008

“MANBLIND”

Interview with the Author, Michael McNamara

Me: You are a writer and recently wrote a book.
Michael: Yes Lynne, the Book is called ManBlind
and it is about my life and spiritual journey as
a warrior for the Earth in the Spirit of Courage,
Vigilance, and Action.

Me: Where do you call home?
Michael: I currently live in Centralia, Washington
State, but I hopeto be living somewhere else soon.
I like Washington, but perhaps Oregon or even
Michigan may be good possibilities.

Me: How long have you lived in the state of
Washington?
Michael: As far as the town goes, too long! I have
lived in the state for eight years

Me: Where are you from originally?
Michael: I was born in Elmont New York. I grew up
in up-state New York as a child, relocated to Long
Island when I turned 12, and moved to Illinois in
1979 at 19.

Me: Tell me a little about your life growing up.
Michael: I was born to Irish, Hungarian, and
Mongolian ancestry and I was a pretty rough kid
growing up, living mostly in the wooded areas
around my home.
When I was a teen, I started a small gang called
the "Dog Soldiers" to fight and protect other kids
from the, what we called, the "Socials, the Jocks,
and the Heads." It was kind of modeled after the
"Hells Angels" in the sense that we rode around on
our bikes, and wore sleeveless denim jackets with
a top rocker that said "Dog Soldiers", a picture
of an Indian warrior in the middle, and a bottom
rocker that said, ‘Freedom Fighters’.
The total concept of it was inspired by the Dog
Soldiers of the Cheyenne warrior society that I
admired a lot as a kid. We believed in protecting
the weaker kids and fighting others that were mean
to animals, abused or trespassed in our woods.
Both my father and uncle were Special Forces soldiers
that served in Vietnam, and they taught me some
things that I used in the woods, like pits covered
with forest debris that had sharpened sticks in them
for the people that came in there and messed it up.

Me: What about your parents?
Michael: My father exited my life when I was about
ten years old for good. My mother remarried and
then I was beaten for my "radical" views and behavior
by this new husband, and I fought back. Things got
pretty screwed up after my Irish grandfather died when
I was six, who had been a soldier for the IRA from
the time he was 16 until he was 22 when he came to
America, This was during the years of 1916-1922. I
was very special to him. Up until his death, I remember
a pretty happy childhood, but it was all downhill
after his death. I was kicked out of my house by my
stepfather in Illinois, during a blizzard. I was
rescued by the parents of my then girlfriend, whose
father wanted to kill my stepfather, but his wife
talked him out of it. It is amazing how one family
cherishes their children, while another can treat
them completely bad.

Me: When did you become interested in the Indian
ways?
Michael: More so then interested, it was about a
connectionI felt. Upstate New York is the tradi-
tional homeland of the Iroquois people, and as a
child, many of these kids were my friends, and I
always felt better when I was with their families.
I saw no difference between them and myself, so I
assumed that I was the same as they, Indians. I am
not a totally white looking person, and many of them
looked like me as well, so I felt connected to them.

Me: I understand you are somewhat of an activist,
or have been, for Native Americans. Who, if anyone,
were you involved with during your period of activism?
Michael: In 1973, when AIM (American Indian Movement)
took over Wounded Knee, I wanted to go really bad. I
wanted to fight too. Instead I wore a red headband,
and a red band on my arm at that time, and several
jocks got me alone and stomped me for being a "dirty
indian." That only deepened my connection, and I never
stopped wearing those symbols.
About that time, my step-father, again, decided that
I was going to stop and forced me to cut my very long
hair. All of this only made me more "Indian" then
before. So, I would say, there was a connection, maybe
even genetically as I had Mongolian Ancestry who had
very similar life-ways as the Indian: connected to
Earth, and were very nomadic and strong.

Me: Is your family supportive about your deep feelings
towards the Indian ways?
Michael: Yes, they are. My wife is an American Indian,
and so are my children, but when I was protesting during
the 90's it got a little scary and my family suffered a
bit because of my radical confrontational political side.
But we always had a lodge, as well as a very supportive
intertribal community in Florida, where I moved in 1984
and stayed until the year 2000.
All my work has been in support of Indian people that
wanted something done about environmental problems and I
took the commissionswith honor. My stance in this manner
has not endeared me with many powerful and anti-Indian
entities. So, I have accomplished a lot, and made very
little money and that has been hard on my family.

Me: Was there any one person or group who inspired you?
Michael: American Indian people through their patient
teaching of me, their support for my work based on their
traditional land ethics. These people have empowered me,
and deepened my sensitivities towards the spiritual forces
of the earth and that has made me very good at what I do.
I am humbled and honored to have been given this responsi-
bility to fight for the earth by our first nations people.

Me: When will your book “Manblind” be released?
Michael: Well it goes to the publisher in October 2008,
and then there is production stuff, so I have at this
time no specific release date, but I hope it will be
very soon, people need to find out the things that I have
discovered and my hope is that it will empower the culture
of life and dispossess the culture of death....ManBlind!

Me: Can you tell me a what the book is about?
Michael: I have been involved as an activist/ naturalist,
and an Environmental Biologist for the cause of Earth
going on now about 30 years. This book is about that effort,
the journey, and my spiritual growth as a result. During
the past eight years I have done a lot of investigations,
and uncovered a lot of information and acceptable practices
that are all against the earth, all living things, and is
directly opposite of what they portray themselves as doing.
These include corporations, agencies, and even many
scientists. I have been blacklisted, isolated, and debunked
for the works I have done, and that is because it is against
what they are doing and saying, and negatively affects their
profits that they make off of destroying, polluting, and
poisoning the earth and all living creatures, and it is
killing us humans as well. They may try to use their
tactics to "silence" me, but it will not happen. I have
even been shot at digging in places they did not want anyone
looking into. But I feel that this is a spiritual duty, and
so I feel that I will be protected in that manner.

Me: Personally, I would like to see a truthful movie made
about the real history of the Indian and the white man...
from early history to the horrors that were perpetrated
upon our families, including children and Elders. I have
been told that many Indians were herded on trains like
cattle and 'disposed of" by order of the white US Government.
Does your book discuss such issues?
Michael: Absolutely! And these things are not from the
perspective of the death culture, but from the knowing of
the life culture, the traditional American Indian people.
I have listened and learned well, I hope that I have
honored this in the way it was expected of me. I was told
by many Elders of many nations that I would walk between
two worlds, that I would be of assistance to the traditional
people and lead a new path into teaching people how to live
with Earth, and not against it. I have tried very hard to
honor this, and maybe that is why I have witnessed all I
have, and now have the opportunity to write a book and
actually get it published. If this is all so, it is by the
will of the people and especially of the spirits.

Me: Any more books planned in the future?
Michael: I have about ten book ideas right now, and
another already started. The one I have started is perhaps
the next part of the journey, but we will see.

Me: Well keep me informed and I will pass the word
about your book. It should be of great interest to most
Native Americans or to anyone interested in the truth.
Thanks, Michael.
Michael: I will keep in touch.

You can email Michael McNamara, author of the book "Manblind" and he will 'talk' to you.

Thank you Lynne.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Love

Love is what binds us all together.
It is a commodity that is endless and continues to replenish
itself because the more you give it out, the more you get back.

McCain...An Arrogant Bully

If you watched the debate between Obama and McCain,
were you offended by McCain's arrogance and bullying
tendancies? I was.

I voted for Hillary in the primary election and when
Obama won, I was not happy. It took me awhile to
come around to Obama but when he did not choose
Hillary for his running mate, I thought he made the
stupidest mistake ever.

When McCain chose a woman as his choice for VP I felt
even stronger about the stupidity of Obama's choice
to give up the perfect ticket but after watching Sarah
Palin's interview with Katie Couric, it was clear that
McCain's choice was just plain hilarious except for the
fact that if McCain wins and then falls ill, our country
will be left to the leadership of a person who can't
complete a coherent sentence.

I admired Barack Obama's integrity and control during
the debate. McCain's entire strategy seemed to be to
try to humiliate and bully in the hope that Obama
would flip out and lose control the way McCain has been
known to. McCain's strategy failed when all he succeeded
in doing is making himself look like a bully.

McCain's speech was filled with arrogance, ignorance and
condescending behavior. The cockiness that he added to
the insults offended me for some reason. I felt as
though he was insulting me. Others that I spoke to who
intended to vote for Obama, were on the fence or planned
not to vote because he did not choose Hillary for VP also
said they felt offended.

Maybe it was my dislike for McCain to start with or maybe
it was the fact that he is Bush all over again in disguise
that turned my vote strongly to Obama Friday night.

Maybe it was because Barack Obama came off as a nice person
who was able to control his emotions and no matter how much
McCain insulted his abilities and intelligence, Obama did not
resort to the same distasteful tactics. Maybe it was because
Barack Obama believes in peace talks rather over bombs.

Or maybe it was because McCain came off as a bully which
makes him a bad example for young people and children.
Maybe it was the realization that he prefers to fight and
blow people up rather than talk to them. His tone in
speaking about Russia and the Georgia issue seemed to be one
of force....just what we need...another involvement in
someone else's war.

McCain strikes me as the type, that as a young man, would
start fights or join in if one was already in progress without
even asking questions or trying to intercede in a peaceful
manner.

Thanks McCain for making up my mind for me.

VOTE FOR BARACK OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT
The last day to register to vote in Michigan is
Monday, October 6th.

Are you registered? Are your friends and family?

If you only forward one email to your friends, family,
and neighbors today -- make it this one.

Each and every vote in Michigan is absolutely crucial
to victory on Election Day.

Visit VoteForChange.com, our one-stop voter registration
website, and register before the Michigan deadline.

Supporters like you have built the biggest grassroots
movement in the history of American politics.

But in just 9 days, the time for bringing new voices into
the political process will be over.

You need to be certain that you, your friends, and your
family are registered by the deadline -- it's a small step
that will have a huge impact on our Election Day results.

This election is too important to leave anything to chance.
Make sure your voice is heard -- and forward this email to
all the Michiganders you know.

Thanks,

Barack

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Good Times at the Mackinac Bands Fall Feast

Sunday, September 21st, turned out to be the perfect day
for a fall feast held at Aloha State Park in Cheboygan, MI.
The weather was perfect for the event with sunny skies and
comfortably warm temperatures.

There was enough food to feed a tribe and good conversation
and happy faces were all around. With the 100 or so in
attendance,it seemed more like a family reunion even though
there were many that I had never met before.

The Mackinac Bands were gifted with their flag made by one of
the newest board members and enrollment numbers increased as
many new applications were filled out. Members will receive
their card with their picture and tribal member number just
as fast as they can be produced.

If you are interested in enrolling as a member of the
Mackinac Bands, click on the link Mackinacbands.org on this
blog and enter your information under enrollment. You can pay
the $10 fee using paypal or print the application and send
with your check or money order to the address provided.

Watch for future events being planned by the Mackinac Bands
and we hope to see you there.

Monday, September 22, 2008

MACKINAC BANDS STEPS IN TO ASSIST

The Sault tribe has fallen on hard times and
has had to cancel the expensive annual Christmas
party for the children of the tribe and community.
The Mackinac Bands has stepped up to the
plate to gather donations and gifts in order to continue
the tradition.

Although it may not be the extravaganza put on
previously by the Sault Tribe, every effort will be
made to provide at least the neediest children with
a gift or two and should we be so lucky as to have
a location donated to hold an event, we will have
a party as well.

We will welcome any donations in the form of gifts or
cash but right now what we need the most are volunteers
to meet with local clubs and business's and to involve
the communities in this effort.

Some of the Mackinac Band board members will be working
in the Cheboygan area to organize a Christmas party.
Keith Massaway and Pat Rickley will be arranging the
party for the St. Ignace area and I am organizing the
effort for the Sault Ste. Marie area.

Help will be needed soon to request donations and to
involve the community leaders, business's, clubs and
professional organizations at a time when it has never
been more needed than now.

With the U.S. in financial crisis, jobs lost not only
in the Sault Tribe but all over the country, it is time
to gather round and share what we can with those who
will otherwise do without.

All ideas are welcome but my goal is to assist those
in need and if we can also help a few Elders by providing
them with the makings of a Christmas dinner or a pair of
warm gloves or boots, then we should.

Anyone wishing to meet as a group of Community Volunteers
please call me at 906-440-7099 and leave your name and
number or even better, email me at weave977@yahoo.com.
All volunteers, donations and ideas will be welcome and
it will be fun and rewarding. Please help.

Lynne Weaver

Friday, September 19, 2008

Please join

The Mackinac Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians

for the
Annual Fall Feast

Sunday, September 21
at High Noon

Aloha State Park in Cheboygan
(Hwy 212 right off M33)

Please bring a dish to pass and
your own table service.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

My Kinda Guy....
________________________________

THIS IS WHY YOU DON'T TAKE MEN TO THE STORE WITH YOU

After I retired, my wife insisted that I accompany her on her trips to
Target. Unfortunately, like most men, I found shopping boring and
preferred to get in and get out. Equally unfortunately, my wife is
like most women -- she loved to browse.

Yesterday my dear wife received the following letter from the local> Target.

Dear Mrs. Samsel,
Over the past six months, your husband has been causing quite a
commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and have
been forced to ban both of you from the store. Our complaints against
Mr. Samsel are listed below and are documented by our video
surveillance cameras.

1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in
people's carts when they weren't looking.
2. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at
5-minute intervals.

3. July 7: Made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the
women's restroom.

4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official
voice, 'Code 3 in Housewares. Get on it right away.'
5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of
M&M's on layaway.

6. August 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted
area.

7. August 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told
other shoppers he'd invite them in if they would bring pillows and
blankets from the bedding department.

8. August 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him he began
crying and screamed, 'Why can't you people just leave me alone?'

9. September 4: Looked right into the security camera and used it
as a mirror while he picked his nose.

10. September 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, he
asked the clerk where the antidepressants were.

11. October 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while loudly
humming the `Mission Impossible' theme.

12. October 6: In the auto department, he practiced his 'Madonna
look' by using
different sizes of funnels.

13. October 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed
through, yelled 'PICK ME! PICK ME!'

14. October 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he
assumed a fetal position and screamed 'OH NO! IT'S THOSE VOICES
AGAIN!'

And last, but not least.

15. October 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited
awhile, and then yelled very loudly, 'Hey! There's no toilet paper in
here.'

Saturday, September 13, 2008

AMAZINGLY SIMPLE HOME REMEDIES

1. Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by
getting someone else to hold while you chop.

2. Avoid arguments with the Mrs. about lifting the
toilet seat by using the shower.

3. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut
yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing
the pressure in your veins. Remember to use a timer.

4. A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock,
will prevent you from rolling over and going back
to sleep after you hit the snooze button.

5. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of
laxatives, then you will be afraid to cough.

6. You only need two tools in life - WD-40 and
Duct Tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the
WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.

Daily Thought of the day:
SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES. THEY'RE NOT REALLY
GOOD FOR ANYTHING, BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR
FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS.





Thursday, September 11, 2008

Remembering 9-11

Seven years ago I wandered into the employee lounge to grab a
cup of coffee to take back to my desk and stopped for a second
to watch the news. As I watched, something terrible was taking
place in New York.

How incredible that someone happened to have a video camera on
the towers as the first plane struck. All I could say was "Oh
my God!" which grabbed the attention of others in the office who
came into the lounge to see what I was watching.

As we watched, still wondering what happened that a plane would
crash into a tower in the middle of New York City, another plane
could be seen in the same area. We thought for a second that the
news station was repeating the scene but it was a second plane.

As soon as the second plane hit, I knew that this was no accident
and that we were being attacked. Shortly afterward came stories
of other planes headed for disaster.

I had often heard through the years that the Soo Locks would be a
target for attack so my first thought was for family that could be
too close to that area for comfort. I called my children and mother
and told them to head inland. Better to be safe then sorry.

As the events unfolded throughout the day, there was
no way that anyone could get any work done. Even customers at
Kmart where I worked were glued to all the television sets in
the Electronics Dept. We set up tv's throughout the store so that
regardless of where you were, you could be tuned in.

I think I stayed up all night that night watching the news as I'm
sure most of the country did. My family remained closely in touch
throughout the next few days as we shared the horror of that day
together.

But we were safe while thousands were not. So many died or were
forever maimed by the terrorists that think so little of human
life. Thousands upon thousands were forever affected by what
happened that day.

Today we need to be thankful that we are still here to remember
that day and to offer our prayers for those that died or were
injured physically or emotionally by their loss of loved ones.

Most of all, we should give thanks for those that were part of
rescue efforts and all of those who have fought for our freedoms
throughout the history of the United States. I do appreciate
what you have done for me and my family and I thank you from the
bottom of our hearts.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Lynne’s Blueberry Sort of Like Muffins

½ cup or so of Canola oil

½ cup, give or take a tablespoon or 2 of applesauce
(to replace some of the oil and cut down on the fat)

1 ¼ cups Splenda and the remains of a bottle of honey
(I think there was about ¼ cup in the bottle)

2 eggs…oops. Didn’t have my glasses on, thought it
said 3 so used the only 2 real eggs I had in the frig
and dumped about 1/4 cup of the fake stuff in …you
know the kind that comes in a little milk carton.

1 cup milk but I didn't have any so I used almost 1 cup
plain yogurt and about 1/3 cup water.

3 cups flour…I use whole wheat

1/2 cup Flax seed

1 tsp soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Take a fork and mix lightly, the flour with other
dry ingredients because I forgot to sift them together
before I dumped them on top the wet ingredients.

Now, take the same fork and dig down in the bottom of the
bowl and try to beat the eggs with the oil, applesauce,
yogurt and water because I forgot to cream those ingredients
together before I threw in the unsifted dry ingredients.

Mix in 2 cups blueberries but I used about 2 ½ (maybe more)
since I went blueberry picking today and they were huge and
all over the place. Make sure you rinse them well and remove
drowned spiders.

Batter should be kind of thick, probably because of all the
changes I made in the recipe.

Oh yeah, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Fill muffin cups
over the top since the batter is too heavy to puff up much
and bake for about 20-25 minutes but I wasn’t really paying
attention so if they lift easily out of the muffin cups then
they are probably done. They will look chunky because they are.

I don’t know how it happened but they turned out being very
light but not crumbly. I don’t use butter or margarine but go
ahead if you want….but they were amazingly good just plain so
I am going to deliver some to my friends tomorrow, partly
because I ended up with 2 dozen muffins.

Lastly. good luck.

Saturday, September 6, 2008

YOU'RE FIRED!!!

After all the terminations and job cuts, I am sure the
Sault Tribe Board of Directors has taken a pay cut by
now but I must have missed the announcement.

I recently moved and have not changed my address
yet with the tribe so do not receive the tribal paper
but I expect any day to hear that the board felt so bad
for allowing the tribe to go down the tubes and causing
so many to lose their jobs that they are ready to
announce their own pay cut.

Surely that would be one of the first cuts but for
some reason they have not announced it. They certainly
wouldn't cut the Elder food program without first giving
up some of their own undeserved salary.

We all expected people to lose their jobs for political
reasons and that did happen but many were lost because
the Board of Directors failed to pay attention and failed
to look out for the best interests of the tribe. While
they were fighting one another, someone made off with the
loot leaving the tribe broke.

I heard there was a petition that would be circulating
demanding that the board take a salary cut but I haven't
seen that either. Did everyone give up on the tribe?
It doesn't look like there is anything left to fight for
anyway.

Where's Donald Trump when you need him? Maybe he can go
before the board and tell them "You're Fired!!!"

Monday, September 1, 2008

Are you......

An Entrepreneur?

Interested in business development for the U.P of Michigan?

Willing to sit on a business development board without
monetary compensation (at this time)?

Able to devote one or two weekend days per month to exchange
ideas?

Ever thought of joint venturing to expand your current
business?

Live in close proximity to the U.P. of Michigan?

For more detailed information email me at weave977@yahoo.com
and provide your name and a contact number along with a little
information about yourself and why you are interested. I look
forward to hearing from you.

Lynne Weaver
Our right to make changes through referendum is the one voice we have left....use it.