The Hanger - Rocket Talk

I feel all alone here. And I really need some help. I desperately need some help.

I need a hero.

I am Reverend Brenda Shoop, BSN, RN and my husband and I are cannabis sacrament ministers.

View our Fox 10 News Story

We are recognized ministers of the gospel who have been called forth in the revelatory Word to preach the good news that Jesus is the Anointed with marijuana.

On September 15, 2006, armed officers of the law, based on an “anonymous tip”, invaded our private sanctuary, uprooted and stole our religious sacrament (growing in the ministry’s garden), along with other religious paraphernalia. We were not arrested nor detained at that time.

On November 15, 2006, we were indicted by a grand jury and charged with felony drug trafficking in marijuana, misdemeanor possession of marijuana and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. We continue to assert that we do not understand the nature and cause of these accusations.

View The Indictment

On December 13, 2006, we “turned ourselves in” at the Baldwin County Corrections Center and were each released on $25,000 appearance bond. The electronic monitoring requirement was lifted due to the fact that we were not considered a flight risk by the sheriff or the District Attorney’s office.

The next day, FOX News reporter Adam Walser showed up at our home. He told us that the story would run with or without our input, so we decided to speak to the reporter. Immediately after the story ran on the news, my husband and I both lost our local employment. See News Story

On January 11, 2007, our attorneys of record advised us to sign waivers regarding our arraignments and enter pleas answering as to the charges against us. We were not aware of our rights at that time, and our attorneys did not advise us that we had other rights as specified in Article 1, Section 6 of The Alabama Constitution. In hindsight, this was clearly not in our best interests, as we do not understand the nature and cause of the accusations against us and have been denied the opportunity to ask the District Attorney questions regarding this matter.

See: Plea of Not Guilty and Waiver of Arraignment

On April 24, 2007, my attorney filed a Motion to Dismiss (a motion I wrote) for Violation of Religious Freedom Restoration Act and Alabama Religious Freedom Amendment and Religious Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, noticing the court of my religious beliefs and the nature of my defense.

View the first Motion To Dismiss

I specifically asked my attorney of record if I was free to travel, and he replied that I was. In fact, my pretrial docket call scheduled for June 28, 2007 was rescheduled by my attorney in order to allow me to work in south Florida. He encouraged me to work whenever and wherever I could so that I could pay him his fees.

My case was originally set in front of Judge Reid, the presiding judge, and was transferred into Judge Wilters’ courtroom (drug court) between August 30 and September 18, 2007. I continue to assert that my case is not a drug case. My case is a religious freedom case involving constitutional issues.

On October 16, 2007, I filed an Affidavit of Prejudice regarding Judge Robert E. Wilters. This affidavit was based on what I had been told about Judge Wilters from officers of the court, along with published articles; Judge Wilters is notorious for imposing Draconian sentences for drug offenders. I truly believed that I would not get fair and impartial treatment in Judge Wilters’ courtroom. I filed the affidavit expecting Judge Wilters to recuse himself, and expecting the DA’s office to schedule a meeting to discuss an alternate judge.

View the Affidavit of Prejudice for Judge Wilters

Instead, on October 18, 2007, during a pre-trial docket call (with motions still outstanding), Judge Wilters allowed my attorney to quit without cause after I paid the attorney $2,500. This was obviously in retaliation for filing the Affidavit of Prejudice. I was scheduled for trial in 11 days, October 29, 2007, without my outstanding motions being scheduled for hearing. Judge Wilters ordered me back into court on October 29th to answer as to the question of counsel.

On October 19, 2007, my husband and I mailed and hand delivered a letter to the presiding judge, Judge Reid, informing him that we felt that we were being denied due process of law, and asserting that we firmly believed that we would be unable to receive a fair and impartial trial with Judge Wilters presiding. Judge Reid refused to speak to us, and his secretary told us that he said that there was nothing he could do to remedy the situation.

On October 24, 2007, due to the fact that Judge Wilters had not recused himself, and allowed our paid attorneys to quit our cases without cause, my husband and I filed a Motion to schedule an ex parte hearing pursuant to Alabama Constitution Section 160, and asked the presiding judge to issue an order to the district attorney to meet for the purposes of mutual agreement for a competent judge to be assigned to our cases. We also filed for a continuance until after such meeting could be arranged. This motion has also never been heard or ruled on.

On October 29, 2007 I filed an Affidavit by a Professional Registered Nurse in Relation to the Failure of the Alabama Bar Association to Provide Effectual Counsel in Drug Related Actions by the State.

View The Affidavit Here

On October 29, 2007, due to a family emergency requiring our presence out of the state, we sent our Bishop, the Right Reverend Gregory Karl Davis, to speak for us and answer the court as to counsel with signed and notarized filings. At that time, Bishop Davis testified on the record as to our status’ as ministesr of the gospel and delivered to the Assistant District Attorney the Doctrine of the Revelatory Word and his Public Notice of Clergy.

View this document here

On that day, I was ordered by Judge Wilters, through my Bishop, to appear in his courtroom within 48 hours or risk bond revocation.

On October 31, 2007, I appeared in Judge Wilters’ courtroom without counsel and my bond was not revoked, but amended by adding the color-coded drug screening, and by ordering me to stay in Alabama while my husband was allowed to return to the ailing family member in our charge in Florida. I objected to this on the record, stating that these conditions were against the mandates of my religion, and signed the Drug Testing Form under duress.

In order to comply with the mandates of my religion, I was ordered by my Bishop not to comply with these orders of the court. I filed an immediate appeal, but it was dismissed because my bond wasn’t revoked; it was only amended.

On December 11, 2007 the Assistant DA filed State’s Response to Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss for Violation of RFRA, etc.

View the State's response here

I filed my reply to this on January 10, 2008.

View my reply to State's response here

On January 10, 2008, I appeared in Judge Wilters’ courtroom, without counsel, for a scheduled date to hear “all outstanding motions.”

The only motion that was heard that day was the Assistant District Attorney’s motion to revoke my bond. I was forced, against objections, to submit to a urine drug screen or face 5 days in jail for contempt of court. My Bishop was in court with me to testify as to the orders of the Church, but he was not allowed the opportunity to testify on my behalf.

I informed Judge Wilters that I needed time to make a decision, and he appointed a “temporary” public defender who happened to be nearby in the courtroom. This attorney, John Gamble, stated to me that he was not familiar with constitutional law. He stated that he did not do well in that class in law school.

The public defender advised me to submit to the test. Attorney Donald Bolton told my husband and I, while we were interviewing attorneys, that we could both “look forward to getting raped in jail,” and because of this, I was afraid of going to jail. I agreed to submit to the test. The public defender was then dismissed by Judge Wilters. Christine Welch from the Baldwin County Court Referral Office administered the test and reported that it was positive for marijuana. Judge Wilters immediately revoked my bond; I was placed under arrest and led off to jail in handcuffs.

I was incarcerated in the Baldwin County Corrections Center from January 10 until February 1, 2008. I was kept in a cellblock with no heat, forced to put poison on my head, denied any contact with my husband, denied a religious diet, denied a Bible, and forced to give my blood or be put into isolation.

On January 31, 2008, I was brought into Judge Wilters’ courtroom with my new court-appointed attorney for a bond hearing so that I could be released from incarceration. At that time, the DA tried to use intercepted email communications between other people discussing my situation to deny my release from incarceration. In spite of this, my bond was set at $50,000, secured with my mother’s home. I was placed on the color-coded drug testing program, and I was put under house arrest.

I cannot practice my religion under threat of incarceration. I also cannot leave my home to go to work, buy groceries, or attend church services without the same threat of incarceration. The conditions state that I am only allowed to go to court, appointments with my attorney, and the drug testing center.

I continue to assert that these conditions of bond substantially burden the sincere practice of my religion. My court-appointed attorney has refused to appeal these conditions. On April 3, 2008, I was notified by my attorney that the DA had filed another motion to revoke my bond and issue a writ of arrest, based upon a positive drug screen from March 25th and failure to pay drug screening fees to the Court Referral Office. ($80)

On April 11, 2008, I filed into the record an affidavit of facts regarding the qualifications of my expert witness, my Bishop. My appointed attorney tried to block me from filing this, stating that my Bishop would only be certified as a “custodian of the record” and not “clergy.” My Bishop is not allowed to testify under those conditions. And he is my KEY witness, testifying to the doctrine of the Universal Orthodox Church, of which he is the founding Bishop. This testimony is crucial to my defense. After trying to obtain advice on this, with no results, I decided to file it into the record myself (before my impending docket call on April 14th). I felt compelled to get these documents into the record while I still could. In fact, after entering this document into the record, I felt a tremendous weight lift from my shoulders.

http://www.brothersformercy.org/knhtreatise.pdf

Exhibits attached

http://www.brothersformercy.org/A.pdf

http://www.brothersformercy.org/C.pdf

http://www.brothersformercy.org/D.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjhT9282-Tw

http://www.brothersformercy.org/F.pdf

http://www.brothersformercy.org/G.pdf

I attended a pretrial docket call on Monday April 14, 2008 expecting to be put back into jail on that day. After arriving at the courtroom, my attorney served me with a motion to withdraw as counsel. He stated in his motion that I continue to file papers pro se, against advice of counsel, and we cannot have a functional relationship because of this. He also stated that he was afraid of a post-conviction lawsuit claiming ineffectual of counsel. My attorney obviously believes that I will be convicted of all charges.

On this day, the judge was not present in the courtroom; his secretary was handling the scheduling of trials for the next session. The DA’s motion to revoke my bond was not mentioned. Also, my attorney’s motion to withdraw was not recognized and he was ordered to appear with me on April 22, 2008 for our motions hearing.

My attorney also stated that the DA will most likely move to strike the documents containing my Bishop’s qualifications as an expert witness.

As stated above, the last time I was in court for a motion hearing, on January 10, 2008, the only motion heard was the DA’s motion to revoke my bond, and I was incarcerated. If history repeats itself, I expect to find myself in jail until the next trial session in August, without any of my motions being heard.

I have been continuously blocked from defending myself against these clearly unconstitutional actions of the state. I continue to assert that the use and cultivation of marijuana is mandated by my religion, and so protected by the First Amendment, the Alabama Religious Freedom Amendment, and the Federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act. My current bond conditions are also unconstitutional under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.

This drama has been going on since September 15, 2006. Since that time, even though I have not been convicted of any crime, I have lost my job; my nursing license is under investigation; my body has been illegally searched (pee testing); I have been incarcerated and separated from my husband; I have been put under house arrest; I have been prevented from defending myself; I have been treated like a drug addict and criminal; and I have lost hope that the right and lawful actions will occur in my case.

I have lost all faith in the legal system and I have no one with whom I can place my trust.

If you are unable to help me, please forward my information to someone who you believe is able and willing.

And just in case I get placed back into custody on April 22, my address will be

Brenda Williams 86972
200 Hand Ave
Bay Minette, AL 36507

If I am not incarcerated on April 22, you can email me at Brenda@GreenEarthMinistries.org or call me at 251-753-8612.

THANK YOU AND BLESS YOU!

Religious freedom was the basis for the founding of our country, and it makes me sad that even here in the so-called Bible Belt, religious tolerance is severely lacking. No one was harmed due to plants growing in a garden. No one in the surrounding community knew who we were until the news cameras showed up.

The funny thing is…..if we bought our sacrament from the black market instead of growing it ourselves, no one would have EVER known we were here. But because we desired purity of our sacrament, we are each facing 10 years in prison and the rest of our lives as convicted felons. Neither one of us has ever been arrested before. I don’t understand why we are being treated so badly.

PLEASE HELP!!!

Thank you,

Brenda Shoop
Green Earth Ministries

Reverends Bruce and Brenda Shoop from the Green Earth Ministries reveal a powerful story about an intelligent man who put two and two together and realized that the only way to prove you believe in something is to just DO IT! And that's exactly what he did.

He CURED CANCER! You know, the "big C!"

Rick Simpson used good logical sense combined with known scientific studies and deduced that cannabis or marijuana as many people call it heals people. YEP...go figure? Tree of Life? Maybe? Alright, enough of my sarchasism. God IS Good!

Check out this series of videos by Rick Simpson. They are very well produced and the testimonies of the healing effects of pure TCH oil on people within his own community is riviting. It's a must see. Then read the article about the outcome of his case!

RUN FROM THE CURE - THE RICK SIMPSON STORY

You wondered before...you KNOW the THUTH now! The winds of change are here.

Exerpt from High Times (Published 7/6/07) by Jon Gettman

Marijuana and Religion

Is the religious use of marijuana protected by the U.S. Constitution? The Ethiopian Coptic Church believes it is, and this important question is the subject of a lawsuit recently filed in Federal Court by Carl Olsen.

The Supreme Court has previously recognized the legitimate use of other drugs for religious purposes. The use of mescaline in Native American religious rituals is the most notable and well-known example of a religious exemption for otherwise illegal drug use. In 2006 the Supreme Court also recognized a legal justification for the use of the entheogen ayahuasca.

In 1993 the United States Congress passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), which states that the “Government shall not substantially burden a person's exercise of religion without compelling justification.” In 2000 Congress passed the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), which established a general rule that “no government shall impose a substantial burden on the religious exercise of a person residing in or confined to an institution.”

According to Olsen these statutory rules have great relevance to the subject of the religious use of marijuana. “Broad construction of the RLUIPA means that any deprivation of liberty by a state law enforcement agency would...

Read the rest

Source: Jon Gettman is a long time contributor to HIGH TIMES. A former National Director of NORML, Jon has a Ph.D. in public policy and regional economic development and consults with attorneys, advocates, and non-profits on cannabis related research and public policy issues. On October 8, 2002, along with a coalition of organizations, he filed a new petition to have cannabis rescheduled under federal law.

Still not sure why you should be using Crystal View's Headlight Restorer/Defogger? Well, there is no need to keep wondering. The "proof is in the pudding," as they say. Marketing hype is one thing that most any company can generate without necessarily relying on actual facts. Why you say? Because the vast majority of American are just too busy in their lives to take the time to check facts.

That's why I am here to tell you like it really is when it comes to fixing, or more accurately "restoring" those faded, foggy, hazy looking dim headlight covers that are under constant attack from the forces of mother nature. Plastic headlight restoration, a niche industry that has blossomed in the past three years is now teaming with products all designed to improve or cure this prevalent problem facing nearly all automobile manufacturers around the globe.

Plastic headlight lenses are the norm, not the exception on the vast majority of vehicle models. Trendy looks and competitive designs that change from one year to the next are the primary reasons that plastic has replace glass as the material of choice for those sleek looking headlight covers on the front of your ride. It's really just economics. Plastic is cheaper and easier to manufacture than glass. Even so, replacement headlight covers, glass or otherwise, are still expensive. Averaging between $150 to over $600 a piece, replacing those dim, dangerous, faded headlights can really put a dent in the household budget for most. Restoration is the best option for those who really want to cure this problem and save $100's in the process.

Do-it-yourself (DIY) products are the least expensive options, followed by the increasing popular restoration services that are rapidly emerging throughout the United States. One such company that has emerged is Crystal View Chemicals, Inc. While they were not the first company to develop a headlight restoration product, they were the first to recognize the huge retail market potential in the do-it-yourself market and immediately set out to revolutionize this category. It was a wise move for Crystal View and after several years of diligent research and development, CV has emerged as the leader in DIY plastic headlight restoration.

I have been following the development of this new market segment for the past three and a half years now and while the players are now many, only one of them can truly claim the number one spot. Crystal View is the clear winner with their CV Headlight Restorer/Defogger DIY Kit. Why? Because they offer the only "permanent" restoration kit on the market complete with a lifetime warranty and a 30-day money back guaranty. The results speak for themselves and can be viewed anytime by reading the powerful selection of unsolicited customer testimonials that clearly displays the satisfaction auto owners are feeling after fixing their headlights themselves. Here are just a few of the most recent comments posted by customers of this amazing product designed to make nighttime driving safer and at the same time improving the look and resale value of your vehicle:

His first question was... "Did you buy new ones?"

My Brother told me of a product that would restore headlight lenses and was sold by Auto-Zone. I had forgotten about it. Then one day my wife was going to buy groceries at Wal-Mart and I told her to see if see could find something to repair our headlights. She brought home Crystal View. I told her if it did not work, I would stuff it all back in the bag and return it to the store for a refund. The bag is in the garbage and my headlights look like new. I had to show my son-in-law without telling him what I used. His first question was "did you buy new ones?" Great product, will definitely recommend.

Donnie F. - March 24, 2007
Bern, North Carolina

I couldn't believe my eyes, I now have bright lights again!!

I had checked into getting new headlights for my 2001 Ford Taurus and couldn't believe how much these were going to cost me. When I took my car in to Wal-Mart for my usual oil change. I happened to ask the attendant about this and he told me about your product. I purchased it and they restored my headlights while they had my car in the bay. I couldn't believe my eyes, I now have bright lights again!! Thanks for a great product.

Susan H. - March 24, 2007
Batesburg, South Carolina

This stuff really works! Thank you for a fantastic product...

WOW! If I hadn't seen the difference in my headlights with my own eyes after using your product I never would have believed it. The headlights on my 2001 Honda were REALLY cloudy, but after using your product, they look like the day the vehicle came off the showroom floor. And it was every bit as easy to use as your web site video demonstrates. It's no wonder you have so many testimonials on your web site, because this stuff really works! Thank you for a fantastic product...I'll recommend it to everyone I can!

Randy H. - March 24, 2007
Bradenton, Florida

WOW!!! I wish I took a picture of before and after.

My sister form California told me about your product so I tried it on my 1998 Ford Winstar, which has 100,000+ miles, and it turned my green foggy headlights like new. My lenses were worse then any of the ones I see in your ads. I will recommend this product to everyone I know.
P.S. This is the first time I ever sent a comment to a company about a product, you deserve the praise.

Jim T. - March 15, 2007
North Haven, Connecticut

There are several reviews available from PlanetWebSite on Crystal View's product aptly described on their eye-catching foil colored package that reads "The Best in Permanent Headlight Restoration." The remarkable success of the CV Headlight Restorer/Defogger has resulted in an on-going web campaign on the emerging Global Webisphere project by the social-networking internet pioneers at PlanetWebSite.com

Crystal View's kit for fixing those pesky ugly dim fading headlights is right around the corner from most, as it can be found in over 6,000 Wal-Mart and Advance Auto Part stores nationwide. You can also order it from the comforts of your desktop on-line at BestHeadlightCleaner.com or even on eBay at The PlanetWebSite Trading Post, or by just clicking here.

This is Rocket Johnson reporting for The Global Webisphere and PlanetWebsite.

Over & Out!

First I just have to say "Thank You Mom!" And I say it with a smile because this time she put something in my hand called MonaVie that I could really understand. When translated it means "Tree of Life" and this is right up my alley. For those of you who already know Brenda and I, you know that we are avid gardeners and have been growing our own herbs and vegetables now for many years. We've been striving to take care of ourselves from the inside out in the most natural way possible.

Mona-Vie is quite simply the most remarkable nutritional super-fruit beverage, or juice cocktail if you will. And these guys are doing many great things with their company. I mean really good things. First of all, you need to know that the primary ingredient or the crown jewel in their juice (they call it a "beverage") is the recently discovered acai (ah-SIGH-ee) berry found in the high tops of palm trees found only in the Amazon jungles of South America.

I'm going to write a whole lot more about the science and stuff involved later, but for now I’ll make a long story short, which is generally against my nature. Let me just put it this way… scientist and researchers from Monarch Health Sciences formulated a highly effective blend of 19 of the world’s most renowned super-fruits from around the globe. I’ll list them once and then we can focus on the rest of the story. They are acai berry, pomegranate, white grape, nashi pear, acerola, pear, aronia, purple grape, cranberry, passion fruit, banana, apricot, prune, kiwi, blueberry, bilberry, camu camu, wolfberry, and lychee. Scientifically selected and blended for their specific known benefits.

The MonaVie juice is great. I’ve been taking it for three weeks now and I’ve been amazed at how much better I feel. I’m sleeping better, my nagging lower back pain went away. That’s another story. And even though nobody really knows it, I had been suffering from some mild arthritis and joint pain in my hands and knees. Not any more! Brenda has been feeling equally as good and her constantly aching post-surgery shoulder no longer aches! God’s honest truth! Mom just recently put my dad on the juice and when I saw him over Thanksgiving, I was truly amazed at how much better my dad was feeling. Just over a month ago, my dad had not spent more than and hour a day out of bed and recently underwent radiation therapy for some spots found on his lungs. He’s been suffering with chronic emphysema now for over a year and has also been really depressed. We really were not sure if he would even make it to our wedding just last month.

Phytonutrients and anti-oxidants are just a few of the pieces to the puzzle. The news, talk shows, and the press have been reporting the many huge benefits and properties of the acai berry for a few years now. The people of Brazil’s Northern Amazon region have long revered the berry as and antidote for numerous ailments. You can really get a great feel for this product and the company by viewing some of the videos available on the internet, and I’ll be happy to arrange a tasting for anyone who wants to give MonaVie a try.

It’s a product with a purpose! And it is one that extends beyond the wellness of their consumers. Because MonaVie’s roots lie deep within the Amazon, the health and wellness of the rain forests are very much linked to the quality and success of MonaVie. These guys are really giving back to the world by helping to preserve one of Mother Nature’s most precious resources, the Amazon Rain Forest. And not just the forests either. In fact, their M.O.R.E. project which stands for MonaVie’s Operation Rescue, is giving orphaned children of Brazil More Hope, More Caring, More Compassion, More Kindness and More Love.

The M.O.R.E. project is dedicated to helping Brazil’s needy and orphaned children with food, clothing, shelter and education. The non-profit M.O.R.E. Project has been making a real difference with the caring and support of the thousands of like-minded people. Every bottle of MonaVie results in more money to help give a child the hope, love and care needed to give them a chance in life. This company just has the right philosophy going on and I for one am just really excited about this product.

Okay, it’s getting late and I’m not going to start in on some big sales pitch. Go ahead and watch a video or two and you will get what I’m talking about. The juice is invaluable as far as I am concerned. It’s just really chocked full of the GOOD Stuff!

Oh yeah… we’ve recently created our own ministry called The Green Earth Ministries. This is yet another story, and a good one at that. Brenda and I have been talking about forming a non-profit organization that would give us some clear vision and a mission to embark on. With a foundation in natural living, spiritual growth and ecological conservation, I believe we can truly start making our own difference. Come join us sometime out here in the country so we can make a difference together.

Check out the Tree of Life, MonaVie style!
Love and Good Health to All,
Bruce & Brenda

NOAA 2006-R484
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ben Sherman
9/29/06
NOAA News Releases 2006
NOAA Home Page
NOAA Public Affairs
NOAA TEAM ASSESSES MARINE DEBRIS IMPACTS IN GULF REGION

NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration and Office of Coast Survey, working with the U.S. Coast Guard and other federal and state agencies, are assisting with Gulf of Mexico recovery efforts by performing hydrographic surveys and risk assessments of underwater debris left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The mapping aspect of the project will aid in the risk assessment and prioritization of the removal of debris to restore safe navigation and re-establish commercial fishing in the regions.

The survey work will include sounding measurements to determine the depth of the debris, as well as the use of side scan sonar — a towed device capable of scanning over 600 feet of seafloor side to side — to provide imagery of the seafloor and marine debris. NOAA's Office of Coast Survey will utilize the survey data to update nautical charts in the region, providing mariners with more accurate and up-to-date navigational information.

“In addition to the surveys and mapping, the team will work with the public to facilitate the development of debris risk assessment criteria,” said Holly Bamford, director, NOAA’s Marine Debris Program. “This public information program is designed to ensure that all parties are aware of NOAA’s activities and to ensure that we address the needs and concerns of the public.”

After the 2005 hurricane season, the coastal zones of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, and the near shore environment, were littered with debris hazardous to safe navigation, commercial fishing, recreational boating, and other normal activities. Storm surge, retreating flood-waters, and wrecked and lost recreational and commercial vessels were major sources of the debris.

The Office of Response and Restoration is leading the public information program effort, which also includes the development of an integrated project Web site that includes GIS interface to serve as a conduit between survey data from the field and those with a stake in the results of the surveys. The site also will
include a marine debris risk assessment job evaluation aid for use by parties tasked to remove submerged debris in the future. Collaboration with local stakeholders and state agencies will be essential as NOAA works to determine their data needs through a series of workshops and develops methods of disseminating these data in a useful and effective manner.

To assist in the coordination efforts, the NOAA Gulf of Mexico Marine Debris Project team recently opened a field coordination office in New Orleans’ Hale Boggs Federal Complex to work with stakeholders in the region for at least one year.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program works with other NOAA offices, as well as other federal, state and local agencies, and private sector partners to support national, state, local, and international efforts to protect and conserve our nation’s natural resources and coastal waterways from marine debris.

In 2007 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, celebrates 200 years of science and service to the nation. From the establishment of the
Survey of the Coast in 1807 by Thomas Jefferson to the formation of the Weather Bureau and the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries in the 1870s, much of America's scientific heritage is rooted in NOAA.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 60 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.

On the Web:

Marine Debris Program: http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/welcome.html

Office of Response and Restoration: http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/index.php

Office of Coast Survey: http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/

NOAA National Ocean Service: http://www.oceanservice.noaa.gov/

NOAA: http://www.noaa.gov/

Let's Help These Guys Out - We need to all try to make a difference and take a step towards protecting The Earth.

Rocket Johnson Reporting!

Here is some different foods of thought to ponder. While surfing around as I often do, I stumbled upon this site. I'll write a different review about the StumbledUpon site that I used to find the works of Geoff Haselhurst, excerpted below. Check out Geoff's site... it is VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING!

Home: Metaphysics of Space & the Wave Structure of Matter (WSM) as the Most Simple Science Theory of Physical Reality

Introduction to Metaphysics / Philosophy of Ecology, Evolution & Nature
Deep ecologists claim that before knowing what we ought to do, we must understand who we really are. (Michael Zimmerman)

As Humans have evolved from Nature they ultimately depend upon Nature for their survival. Until we understand what we are as humans (what matter is) and how we are connected to the universe (reality), it is impossible for humanity to be wise, and to be able to evolve cultural knowledge that enables us to live in Harmony with Nature. As Freya Matthews (Deep Ecologist) writes;

What is wrong with our culture is that it offers us an inaccurate conception of the self. It depicts the personal self as existing in competition with and in opposition to nature. [We fail to realise that] if we destroy our environment, we are destroying what is in fact our larger self. (Freya Matthew)

Deep Ecology is a philosophy movement which promotes an awareness of the oneness and interconnection of all life and its cycles of change and transformation. As the founder of Deep Ecology, Arne Naess, expresses;

Life is fundamentally one. (Arne Naess)

'All is One and Interconnected' is not a new idea, its foundation lies with the ancient philosophers. For thousands of years, philosophers have gazed at the stars and known that One thing must exist that is common to and connects the Many things within the Universe. As Leibniz profoundly says;

Reality cannot be found except in One single source, because of the interconnection of all things with one another. (Leibniz, 1670)

Unfortunately (and most likely tragically), this knowledge of our interconnection to the Universe (Nature, God) has been lost (or is naively considered as not important) to modern day humanity. We are 'bleeding at the roots because we are cut off from the Earth' as D. H. Lawrence writes.

Humanity has become disconnected from Nature in our modern world of cities, cars and economics. The 'particle' conception of matter has contributed to this incorrect conception of self, founding the illusion that we exist as discrete bodies without relations to all other matter. Recent discoveries on the Wave Structure of Matter (WSM) show that human beings do not exist in isolation, but are in fact structures of the Universe. Thus they do not have dominion over the earth and all living things by divine decree, on the contrary, Humans are intimately interconnected both to all other matter in the cosmos, and to all other life on Earth. It was the realisation of how rapidly Nature was being destroyed on this planet which led me to the study of Philosophy and Physics, and to understanding the Wave Structure of Matter.

I hope you enjoy where this may take you.

Rocket Johnson Reporting
Over & Out!

I would like to let everyone know that in spite of the amazing destruction that is evident everywhere you go in Biloxi these days, there is still hope in the eyes of those who visit! Our journey took shape after we decided to use the FREE room offer we get regularly from the Isle of Capri Casino. Our plan was to celebrate a late Valentine's wish to get away for just one night. In the light af day, we decided to dedicate this journey to shoot a photographic journal of the on-going recovery effort along the Mississippi Gulf Coast

Well, we did, and it was an inspiring journey through an area that was exploding economically prior to that dreadful day that changed life as we know it... for Evertbody! Not just Gulf Coast residents either. Every US citizen has been effected by this tradgedy. I'll follow this story with some comments I received while photographing this Hurricane Katrina Update.

Harry Reeks' famed Biloxi Fisherman still has a gleem of hope and even a slight smile in his eyes as he lays patiently in the sand with his net still in hand. I did a little searching and found a wonderful photo collection by Bill Strong with The Biloxi Fisherman before Katrina ravaged the Mississippi Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005.

After our visit with the Fisherman, Brenda and I started driving west along Highway 90 toward Gulf Port. I hope everyone will take a few moments to remember those who's lives have been effected by the ravages of Hurricane Katrina, the most destructive hurricane in recorded history.

You would have to go there yourself to truly appreciate the impact and magnitude of this awesome force of nature. Let's journey together. Please be sure to let me know what you think when about my first real photographic journalism project for PlanetWebSite.

Rocket Johnson Reporting from Biloxi
A Hurricane Katrina Update!
Over and Out