MARSTAFARI: A 21c interplanetary ideology

I have been a member of the US Democratic Party since I was old enough to vote. Right now that party has a choice between a party hack and a rock star.

Neither give a shit about Mars.

So what would happen if the concept of "Martian" became a socio-political party? In that context, every political decision made in American government will be one that benefits the move to Mars, no matter the issue.

MarsDrive.com notwithstanding, there's no way humans can "Mayflower" themselves to another planet. Besides matters of International Law to contend with, there's always the fundamental requirement of cold hard cash. Remember that movie " The Right Stuff "? An astronaut rhetorically asks the german rocket scientists what make the rocket fly, and he yells at them: "Funding. That's what. No bucks, no Buck Rogers."

If those in power are ideologically committed to a Martian movement, then will there be a chance for ALL people to leave the Earth for Mars if they so desire to do so. Laws can be revised and cash can be found.

Many have had input in to the NASA system: The Planetary Society, The Mars Society, Ad Astra, etc. They have been around for several administrations. Now ask yourself how much closer are we as private citizens to leaving Earth?

This then is the Martian Agenda mentioned in the subtitle of this blog. And irregardless of how kooky anyone in the mainstream thinks about it, I hearby resign from the Democratic Party and will go to voter registration and register myself as MARSTAFARI.

Remember: it worked for the Religious Right. It worked for the Greens. It can work for the...Butterscotch.

At home with the Martians

Hemp Milk Products Fueled Growth of Hemp Food Market in 2007

Mars needs Cannabis...for food, clothing, paper products and medical therapies.

Here is a March 2008 press release from the Hemp Industries Association.

Portland, OR — As leading North American brands that make hemp food and body care products with hemp seed and oil exhibit at the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, CA from March 14-16, new retail data released today proves that these brands are racking up record sales once again. Hemp milk is the main driving force behind this accelerated sales growth. The strong sales have occurred against the backdrop of state-licensed hemp farmers in North Dakota fighting a high stakes legal battle against DEA to grow hemp seed. The new sales data lends credibility to the assertion by U.S. farmers' that they are being left out of the lucrative hemp market that Canadian farmers have cashed in on for exactly ten years. Canada re-legalized hemp production on March 12, 1998.

The sales data, collected by the market research firm SPINS, was obtained from natural food retailers only, excluding Whole Foods Market and mass-market food and pharmacy stores, and thus under-represents actual sales by a factor of two to three. The total hemp foods market is estimated to be $20-30 million. The new report shows that hemp food sales grew by 55% over the previous year (from December 2007 to December 2008), or by $3.4 million, to a total of $9.7 million.

Hemp milk is a refreshing alternative to nut- and grain-based beverages as well as dairy beverages. Grain-based beverages are often lacking in Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), protein and minerals, unless they are fortified. Nut-based milks and dairy beverages are nutritionally better, but more and more people, especially children, are developing allergies to dairy products and tree nuts and groundnuts.

"We wanted to offer a great-tasting, healthy product that we can feel good about giving our own kids," says Christina Volgyesi, President of Living Harvest (http://www.livingharvest.com/). "As more and more consumers begin searching the shelves for alternative dairy products that are enjoyable to drink and contain unprocessed ingredients, we thought that early 2007 was the perfect time to introduce Hempmilk, a real essential and balanced nutritional beverage that the whole family can enjoy."

"We expect the double-digit growth of the hemp food sector to continue in 2007, now that hemp milk is finally available to waiting consumers," says Eric Steenstra, HIA Executive Director. "I tried all of the flavors available last year at Expo East in Baltimore, and they were just amazing, as were their nutritional profiles. In 2006 we predicted that the double-digit growth of the hemp food sector to continue through 2007, especially since hemp milk would finally be available to waiting consumers, and we were correct" says Steenstra.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Statistics Canada data show that the quantity of hemp seed exports increased 300% from 2006 to 2007. Hemp oil exports kept pace, with an 85% increase in quantity. Hemp fiber exports showed encouraging progress, with a 65% increase in quantity. According to the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance farmers are expected to grow 10,000 to 15,000 acres of hemp this year.

NASA/JPL Phoenix Mission media briefing

by Jet Propulsion Laboratory May 13, 2008 WASHINGTON

NASA has scheduled a media briefing Tuesday, May 13, at 8 a.m. PDT, to discuss the challenges, risks and science opportunities of the scheduled May 25 landing of the Phoenix Mars Lander. Officials also will provide details on the Phoenix landing site.

The briefing will take place in the NASA Headquarters' James E. Webb Auditorium, 300 E St., S.W., Washington. It will be carried live on NASA Television and on the Web.

Phoenix is expected to conduct a three-month mission studying a northern arctic site on the Red Planet. Phoenix will dig down to an ice-rich layer expected to lie within arm's reach of the surface of Mars. It will analyze the water and soil for evidence about climate cycles and investigate if the environment there has ever been favorable for microbial life.

Participants will be: Ed Weiler, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, WashingtonDoug McCuistion, director, Mars Exploration Program, NASA HeadquartersPeter Smith, Phoenix principal investigator, University of Arizona, TucsonRay Arvidson, Phoenix landing site working group chairman, Washington University in St. LouisBarry Goldstein, Phoenix project manager, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

For more information about NASA TV, streaming video, and downlink and schedule information, visit: NASA TV

Phoenix: 23 days & a Wake Up

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Washington Univ. St. Louis/Univ. of Arizona via SPACE.com.

In just under 23 days, the Phoenix lander will land on Mars' North Polar Region. The landing foorprint is the area marked D on the false color photo on the left.

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I have had this blog for almost a year now. I think that's long enough for the rhetoric phase.

Don't you?

Now comes development of products to serve the Martian Agenda. Everything from cartoons, concrete and even beer and coffee. Plus will follow the rest of the Phoenix project, and see what's in the water. Will it be easily filterable to drink, use for industrial commodities like shelters, made into breathable air for everyone, and so on.

The rest of the year looks like a cool one...

Martian Solidarity on "Talk Like a Commie Day"

As old school Pirates were heavily involved in the Slave Trade, I don't celebrate " Talk Like a Pirate Day". So I submit this for your aproval as another geek holiday: May 001 as "Talk Like a Commie Day". And here's my submission to you.

" Greetings comrades for the Red Planet:

"We artistic agro-hempsters of the Red Planet offer our solidarity in your struggles whatever they may be. Never forget that all struggles are interconnected, both on and off your home planet.

"This is the sol to bang vigorously the shoe of discontent upon the surface of the table of oppression. Make post-industrial society understand that the time has come for Martian emigres to UNITE and MOVE off this damp blue prison planet! "

CA Hemp Bill AB 1147 Vetoed

Months ago, my home computer lost its valiant battle against entropy.
While waiting to afford a new one, I went to the bookstore and bought a copy of the March 2008 edition of High Times to see how the California Hemp Bill was progressing. After all, it’s not like any local news would cover a story like this.

In the Buzz section on page 18, three words said it all: Arnold Terminates Hemp. The bill is officially as dead as my PC.

So what happens next? True to form, cannabis hemp activists are trying again with the California Cannabis Hemp and Health Initiative 2008. This initiative, currently being petitioned by California ballot recipient committee # 1303604, is an act to amend California’s Health & Safety Code.

As posted on http://www.calhemp08.org/:

Purpose of Act: This Act is an exercise of the police powers of the State for the protection of the safety, welfare, health, and peace of the people and the environment of the State, to protect the industrial and medicinal uses of cannabis hemp, to eliminate the unlicensed and unlawful cultivation, selling, and dispensing of cannabis hemp; and to encourage temperance in the consumption of cannabis hemp euphoric products. It is hereby declared that the subject matter of this Act involves, in the highest degree, the ecological, economic, social, and moral well-being and safety of the State and of all its people. All provisions of this Act shall be liberally construed for the accomplishment of these purposes: to respect human rights, to promote tolerance, and to end cannabis hemp prohibition.

In a press conference, Governor Schwarzenegger defended his veto of AB 1147 stating that law enforcement could’t tell the difference between hemp and marijuana, and it would be too costly to create education for the cops. .

Think about that statement for a minute.

Consider that for almost a century this same law enforcement has spent hundreds of millions of tax payer dollars eradicating marijuana in this country alone. And here in the early 21st century, drug cases are built on not only surveillance but sophisticated laboratory analysis as well.

So representatives of these same members of law enforcement have actually advised the governor of the state of California that after all this time and money, they are too ill-trained to tell the difference between hemp production and marijuana cultivation?

And that the Governor, a former body builder who built his career and fortune as an action movie star while simultaneously working on and receiving a MBA (not an honorary one, mind you). That this man who hyped his political aspirations to the voters of California as a tax reformer, would tolerate such a horrific Enron-like misuse of public funds, i.e. with all that cash down the drain that the cops (please pardon the old school pun) don’t know shit?

At this juncture, it would be so very easy to rip out a bombastic diatribe against this veto. But I can’t. See, when my PC took a dirt nap, I could have made the effort to go to the public library and used the Internet access there to keep current on this legislation, and then later post to this blog by e-mail from, say, an Internet cafe. I could have been more active in making connections with people in both the hemp and microsat space industries. I definitely could have been more committed in reading up and researching this project.

But I didn’t. Sure, while I was offline my personal life got complicated. But then again, who’s doesn’t?

With this new initiative on the horizon comes a new opportunity. Now is the time to re-evaluate my efforts thus far, and focus on what I can realistically do to promote this project on a sustainable level with whatever skills I have.

This’ll be fun!