Umpteen Horizons » General

Love Roars

Leo Denton — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:34:39 +0000

Some of our most vital roots lie on the African savannah. Surviving the day means listening for every noise and watching in every direction. Days and nights are filled with care for our young, mother’s milk, and tender family love. Together we search for food and safety with sweat pouring down our bodies. At times the lions pounce on us, our blood is spilt, and we cry over dear lives lost. At night, stories, new and old, are told invigorating us to live longer and be victorious together. Before resting, we make music, dance, and sing:

Roaring lion on the African savannah, photo credit: Gerald and Buff Corsi, California Academy of Sciences, and the Smithsonian Institution.

“Play and get strong! We need you, we need you, we need you!
Spot the lion and bring us food! Give your life, give your life, give your life!
Run bravely through the grass and rise to the sky! Live in us, live in us, live in us!”

The Lion of Love is no idealist’s dream; it is wild and powerful. Surviving this day means rolling up our sleeves, throwing off our blinders, and abandoning the comfortable life to live with urgency for the benefit of all. Then through experiencing births, milk, sweat, victories, blood, deaths, tears, … we are caught into the organic renewability of the savannah. We embrace the giftedness and irreplaceability of each person.

One way or another, the hungry lion is focused on each of us. Every dominance, dishonesty, conceit, anger, and attachment will be laid waste. The hunt is on. The decisive siege has begun. But the lion is also a tender-hearted shepherd seeking out each needed lost lamb, “I love you, I love you, I love you, even if no one else loves you, I love you!” Love roars and heals!

Deaths in Alabama – Troubling Disparities

Leo Denton — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 02:50:43 +0000

Mortality rates in Alabama by county (2000-2009) - the bluer the county the better or lower the mortality rate as compared to the Alabama average – the redder the county the worse or higher the mortality rate as compared to the Alabama average. Developed by Leo Denton with data from the Alabama Bureau of Vital Statistics.

Uncertainty prevails when it comes to getting a handle on health in Alabama and on health along the gulf coast in Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, and Alabama. How many Gulf coast residents are suffering from illnesses? Why are dolphins dying in record numbers? Why is Alabama’s mortality rate so high? Who knows?

To get firmer answers, I decided last month to look at Alabama’s death statistics. I chose these numbers first because the numbers are serious; it matters a lot whether we’re alive or dead. Second, the statistic is unambiguous; it’s hard to spin the number of deaths even for the government or a big corporation. Third, the statistics are generally available. With help from Alabama’s Bureau of Vital Statistics, I have received annual county by county data on population and deaths throughout Alabama for 2000 to 2009 (unfortunately 2010 is not yet available). Using these numbers it possible to calculate the number of deaths per 10,000 people, a common benchmark for mortality rates.

To put this mortality rate in perspective, in 2009 the world rate was 83.7 and the United States’ rate was 83.8 (see Wikipedia/CIA World Factbook). Alabama’s mortality rate is much worse. In 2009 Alabama’s rate was 101.4.

Many rural areas in Alabama have mortality rates much worse than even the Alabama average. In a stark disparity, Covington County’s mortality rate (135.60) more than twice the mortality rate in Shelby County (61.04). To show these disparities graphically I developed the color coded map on the top left – the bluer the county the better or lower the mortality rate as compared to the Alabama average – the redder the county the worse or higher the mortality rate as compared to the Alabama average. Most counties are red because most Alabama counties have mortality rates worse than the Alabama average (the distribution is skewed). As a just and caring people, we need to bring these high mortality rates to the forefront. This post is just the beginning of our look at these mortality numbers.

: Alabama Mortality Rates – 2000 to 2009

Volunteer opportunity in Mobile: Join the volunteers who are helping to build a quarter mile of oyster reef at Helen Wood Park, just north of Dog River, on March 19, 8:00 to noon! Come if you can!

God bless all the suffering, dead, and grieving in Japan!

The Time Machine Dream

Leo Denton — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:39:44 +0000

Often in the morning, I am blessed by several wonderful ideas that have come from my nighttime mind. These ideas sometimes come from remembered dreams and sometimes from thought processes unremembered. Cultivating a friendship between my nighttime mind and my awake mind seems to spur this on. The nighttime mind brings us many crazy dreams and many useful dreams. Some dreams even flow from our nighttime mind’s deep stirring encounters with God, our All in All. The dream I’m sharing now from 1997 is one such dream.

Jugglin on the Berlin Wall, photographed in November 1989 by Yann Forget.

It was evening. About five or six of us were in a meeting room with a table. Each of us was enthusiastic about the work that we were pursuing. Each of us was deeply involved with building a better future for humanity. We were also realistic about the difficulties involved in fulfilling our dreams.

Our enthusiasm was in part based upon a special opportunity we had that evening. We had a time machine in our building. First, we had to decide who would go. I guess since it was my dream, it was decided that I should go. We discussed the trip and decided that I really did not need to take anything. But as I began to enter the time machine, I realized that it would be really good to have a camera. Quickly someone ran into a nearby room and brought me a high quality camera.

I set the time machine on ready, and immediately I found myself in the future. It did not seem to be a far-off future, something like maybe 7 to 25 years into the future, but that’s just my guess, I really don’t know when it was. In the time machine, I was being transported from one part of the world to another. I was flying about 30 yards above the ground observing a particular day. I went to many places all over the world and everywhere I went there were people of all cultures and backgrounds jubilantly joining together and marching, carrying banners, singing, chanting, swaying together, spinning, and dancing in the streets. The gatherings were spontaneous and free spirited. Something utterly incredible had just been realized or had just happened and the people were celebrating the resultant oneness of humanity and thanking God for this great victory.

All the while I kept taking pictures. Then I was brought back to the present and to the meeting room. Right away I began to tell others what I saw. I was so moved by what I saw that I teared up. Everyone was impressed by my words, but it was not until someone brought in the large developed pictures and placed them on the table that everyone began to really take it in. The others in the room began to speak breathlessly about how these pictures could change the world, because people would see in these pictures a real future that will happen if we work together now. Besides speaking of how others would be affected by the pictures, each spoke of how they were now going to work much harder and in a much more directed and concerted manner to build a better future for humanity. For in these pictures, each of us saw this wonderful future reaching out to us, inviting us to live in the faith that this is not only possible but very realizable.

Two prominent themes strike me from this dream. First it points to a great trial and a great victory ahead of us. Second, it points to “vivid pictures” within each of us, gifts, talents, and energy that we can bring forth to build a better humanity.

Also I would like to share a budding project: Empowerment News (see the tab for it on the top of the page). It has news about various topics including many positive stories. It is still in its opening phases and people are beginning to contribute links to it. If you would like to contributing links to positive or helpful news stories regularly please email me at denton2100@gmail.com. Thanks.

My daughter, Mignon, sent me a link to the video on the right. It’s part of Empowerment News too. Click it and enjoy it.

Our next Future of the Gulf – Community Brainstorm is September 30 at the Coastal Response Center – 7385 Highway 188 in Coden, Alabama. Our purpose, in light of the ongoing oil disaster, is to share community needs, resources, ideas, and opportunities with other people who care. We will brainstorm and encourage one another to act and move positively together to restore our way of life, health, and community.

Time to Join Hands

Leo Denton — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:02:47 +0000

Leo, Julita, and Edward invite you to Hands Across the Sand on Dauphin Island's public beach, photographed June 24, 2010

This Saturday, June 26, all across the United States, Hands across the Sand events will take place (see http://www.handsacrossthesand.com for a location near you). Hands across the Sand is an event for people who want to say “No” to off-shore drilling and “Yes” to cleaner energy alternatives. It’s not for everybody. But for those who support this message it is a collective opportunity to make their voices heard. If you agree with this message, please come, bring family and friends, and make your voice heard!

For Dauphin Island’s Hands Across the Sand, people will begin gathering at the public beach around 11:00 AM and will join hands for 15 minutes at 12:00 noon.

Hopefully this environmental disaster and events like Hands Across the Sand will help us realize the importance of finding more responsible ways of obtaining and using energy.

Scoring Goals for Others

Leo Denton — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:59:13 +0000

This spring Island Soccer started at the Dauphin Island Elementary school yard with Tracey and Zicky Hart, mother and son, playing soccer together. The school yard, however, was taken over by BP, but that didn’t stop the families that have joined the fun. “We’re very grateful that the Baptist Church is letting us play on their field,” says Tracey Hart. Now each Tuesday and Thursday evenings beginning at 6:00 P.M. David Hart and other parents coordinate the children’s soccer. Evening matches have featured the Mayos against the Mustards, the Giraffes against Zebras, and Tacos against the Pizzas. As Tracey says, “Come on out and join the fun!” The oil disaster continues but positive people and positive communities keep making positive differences.

This Saturday, June 26, all across the United States, Hands across the Sand events will take place. Hands across the Sand is an event for people who want to say “No” to off-shore drilling and “Yes” to cleaner energy alternatives. It’s not for everybody. But for those who support this message it is a collective opportunity to make their voices heard. If you agree with this message, please come, bring family and friends, and make your voice heard!

For Dauphin Island’s Hands Across the Sand, people will begin gathering at the public beach around 11:00 AM and will join hands for 15 minutes at 12:00 noon.

The In Touch tab above now features stories about “folks on a mission.” If you would like to contribute links regularly to In Touch, contact me at uheditor@gmail.com. Current and upcoming topics include “Earth,” “Folks on a Mission,” “Arts,” “Humor,” … (feel free to suggest topics too).

Some Resources

Leo Denton — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 02:16:38 +0000

Here are some resources that have been gathered from a variety of websites:

Some telephone contacts of interest:

To report oiled wildlife call 866-557-1401
To report an oiled shoreline call 866-448-5816
To learn about volunteer opportunities call 866-448-5816
To inquire about or get involved in the Vessel of Opportunities Program call 281-366-5511
To discuss spill-related damage call 800-440-0858
To obtain coordinates where fishing areas are closed call 800-627-NOAA or 800-627-6622

Some websites of interest:

Some Involved Organizations

Alabama Coastal Foundation (Alabama)
MobileBayKeeper.org (Alabama)
Mobile Bay Natural Estuary Program (Alabama)
The Governor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (Alabama)
VolunteerFlorida.org (Florida)
TampaBayWatch.org (Florida)
Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Volunteer Program (Louisiana)
Oil spill volunteer registration (Louisiana)
Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (Louisiana)
Training and volunteer opportunities (Louisiana)
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (Louisiana)
Pascagoula River Audubon Center (Mississippi)
Oilspillvolunteers.com (Mississippi)
Coast Clean-Up Volunteers (Mississippi)
VolunteerMississippi.org (Mississippi)
Gulf Coast Oil Spill Volunteers (Facebook)
Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research
Training Marine Oil Response Workers

Other information

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Hurricanes (NOAA factsheet)
Seafood safety FAQs

Please add other resources and organizations that you have found valuable by way of comments. Thanks!