michaelhobson Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 So, here we sit in Pittsburgh's Southside at the Beehive cafe on a Thursday night. We had vegan seitan wings at the Doublewide Cafe and now we're here enjoying vegan cookies and high speed internet. What a contrast to the past month of our life! We LIVE in the forest now, 24/7. We sleep in a tent, but our life is outdoors. We spend our mornings warming up next to our camp fire next to the stone fireplace we have built. We bake vegan pizzas, apple cobbler, cornbread and whole wheat bread in our dutch oven using hot coals from the fire. Our exercise is from collecting stones and firewood. The kitchen counters we built oursleves using logs and sticks. Life is slow and enjoyable. We spent yestderday afternoon swimming in Wheeling Creek, watching the tadpoles play, being nibbled on by baby trout, clapped at by giant fresh water mussels and watching a baby water snake try to make his way upstream. The evening was spent in the field watering swiss chard, beets, lettuce, green beans and cilantro and preparing 400 feet of garden rows for planting our newly arrived 277 bell and assorted hot pepper plants! We're eating fresh salads of crunch lettuce and radishes every day from the garden, and enjoying mint ane lemon balm teas every evening. We're in bed early and sleep as long as we want. Then we do it all over again. Festivals in the nearby Hare Krishna community and weekend visitors keep us entertained. Life is good! My minutes on this computer are running out, but we should have a laptop in a week or so. I'll check in then to se what's up. Still hoping to see you all in August. Peace,Hippie Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 Sounds like things are going even better than planned. I'm happy for you three Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odidnetne Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 That sounds great, I'm glad you're happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicole Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 That sounds awesome! I'm glad you're enjoying yourselves! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 Sounds like a peaceful summer for the happy hippies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offense74 Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 Maybe you can be our hippie teacher when peak oil arrives ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loveliberate Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 Great to hear from ya Michael! It sounds like ya'll are having an awesome time - got any photo's? Are the kids living there with ya? How about VV07 - ya'll coming out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crashnburn Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 wow! Is this short term, long term? How do you earn a living? Plan to do so..? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelhobson Posted June 22, 2007 Author Share Posted June 22, 2007 Moving On -- So, my conception of the Hare Krishnas as a lunatic cult has been confirmed once again. Our farmer friend mowed down all the brush outside the garden fence and started showing up in the middle of the night to blow up groundhogs. His preferred method, pouring gasoline down the hole and lighting them up. What a nice thing to do just as the pups are weaning this time of year! He then had a couple of his interns out flagging all of the holes and had plans to build a tree-stand to post one of them out to shoot groundhogs! They are a nuiscance to farmers, but not what we want 50 feet from our tent door, so we moved out... We do somewhat miss our forest home, but good things are happening. I'll post some pics of our forest homestead when I get a chance, neither of our cameras works with the laptop. For the week and probably for many weeks later in the summer we will be at Abrams Creek Campground www.abramscreek.com . It's an awesome natural campground and pretty much desserted during the week. The owner Vince is a vegetarian and the communal staff meals at the hostel are all vegetarian. There is a sweat lodge and two tipis. It's not your ordinary campground. Check out some of the photos on the web site, we're camped right next to Beaver Chasm this week. Beaver Chasm is a beautiful 7 foot deep crystal clear blue swimming hole in the creek, it's about 5 feet from our fire pit! Next week we're heading across Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri on our way to the Rainbow Gathering in Arkansas. We'll be there through about July 4 and then we're traveling for another week or 10 days until we have to pick up our girls again. Anyone out that way wanna hang out? Send a PM or email [email protected] if you do as I don't get on here very often any more. Still hope to see you cats in August, but not looking good for spending $1,000 on gas to make it happen. Peace,Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelhobson Posted June 22, 2007 Author Share Posted June 22, 2007 Great to hear from ya Michael! It sounds like ya'll are having an awesome time - got any photo's? Are the kids living there with ya? How about VV07 - ya'll coming out? Working on the pics bro, and yes the kids are with us. Eva is full time and my girls are with us for 3-5 days per week. Life is good, we'll make it to VV07 if possible, but 3,000 miles and gas money are not looking good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odidnetne Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Moving On -- So, my conception of the Hare Krishnas as a lunatic cult has been confirmed once again. Our farmer friend mowed down all the brush outside the garden fence and started showing up in the middle of the night to blow up groundhogs. His preferred method, pouring gasoline down the hole and lighting them up. What a nice thing to do just as the pups are weaning this time of year! He then had a couple of his interns out flagging all of the holes and had plans to build a tree-stand to post one of them out to shoot groundhogs! They are a nuiscance to farmers, but not what we want 50 feet from our tent door, so we moved out... We do somewhat miss our forest home, but good things are happening. I'll post some pics of our forest homestead when I get a chance, neither of our cameras works with the laptop. For the week and probably for many weeks later in the summer we will be at Abrams Creek Campground www.abramscreek.com . It's an awesome natural campground and pretty much desserted during the week. The owner Vince is a vegetarian and the communal staff meals at the hostel are all vegetarian. There is a sweat lodge and two tipis. It's not your ordinary campground. Check out some of the photos on the web site, we're camped right next to Beaver Chasm this week. Beaver Chasm is a beautiful 7 foot deep crystal clear blue swimming hole in the creek, it's about 5 feet from our fire pit! Next week we're heading across Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri on our way to the Rainbow Gathering in Arkansas. We'll be there through about July 4 and then we're traveling for another week or 10 days until we have to pick up our girls again. Anyone out that way wanna hang out? Send a PM or email [email protected] if you do as I don't get on here very often any more. Still hope to see you cats in August, but not looking good for spending $1,000 on gas to make it happen. Peace,Michael I'd love to hang out with you again, but unfortunately you're not heading that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hero Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 camping sounds so awesome michael. i shall come visit you sometime at your campground when i can within a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crashnburn Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:41 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Moving On -- So, my conception of the Hare Krishnas as a lunatic cult has been confirmed once again I'd say thats a generalization... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizWorld Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Wow, living in the wilderness sounds amazing!!!! Except for the dutch oven thing.. I dunno what a dutch oven is in America, but in europe, that is an oven we certainly don't want to use for baking... hee hee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotus Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 I miss the Southside! I remember when the Beehive first opened in Oakland and then they added the 2nd location in Southside. I hope you all can make it to VV so I have someone to talk Pixburghese with! Did you apply for financial assistance? We have been raising money to help folks get here. Sounds like you are having a really great time. Except for the awful groundhog killling...were you saying the guy who was doing that was a Krshna follower? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelhobson Posted June 23, 2007 Author Share Posted June 23, 2007 Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:41 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Moving On -- So, my conception of the Hare Krishnas as a lunatic cult has been confirmed once again I'd say thats a generalization... Yes perhaps, but it does apply generally to every devotee I know, including myself. Of course the guy in charge of blowing up the groundhogs is also a convicted murderer! Don't get me started on my list of things to confirm the Hare Krishnas as a lunatic cult, especially the West Virginia branch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crashnburn Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:41 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Moving On -- So, my conception of the Hare Krishnas as a lunatic cult has been confirmed once again I'd say thats a generalization... Yes perhaps, but it does apply generally to every devotee I know, including myself. Of course the guy in charge of blowing up the groundhogs is also a convicted murderer! Don't get me started on my list of things to confirm the Hare Krishnas as a lunatic cult, especially the West Virginia branch. Every section of religious following in the world is subject to personal interpretation. I'd like to see you list things out to see what you really mean by lunatic. If you have the ability to SAY that then ELABORATE and let someone cross examine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelhobson Posted June 24, 2007 Author Share Posted June 24, 2007 Every section of religious following in the world is subject to personal interpretation. I'd like to see you list things out to see what you really mean by lunatic. If you have the ability to SAY that then ELABORATE and let someone cross examine. Hehe okay, but you're going to have to do some homework. Here is an excerpt from Monkey on a Stick, Murder Madness and the Hare Krishnas, click the link and you can read many chapters online. You will find inside rape, murder, drug dealing, child abuse, arms dealing etc. etc. etc. Keep in mind that I know personally many of the characters in the book, so feel free to ask questions. After you have finished the introductory course, I'll direct you to additional learning materials. "Shoot him!" Drescher screamed at Reid. "Shoot him!" St. Denis was hit twelve times. He crumpled and went down. But then, almost immediately, as Reid and Drescher watched in amazement, he struggled back onto his feet and half staggered, half ran back down the path toward the Blazer. Drescher dropped his gun, ran after St. Denis, and dove into him, hitting him behind the knees. The big man went down. Drescher rolled him over and climbed onto his heaving chest. "Get a knife!" Drescher yelled at Reid. Reid felt like he was going to vomit. For an instant he thought about running away, but he was afraid if he did, Drescher would come after him and kill him, too. He ran into the cabin and came out with a kitchen knife. "Chant!" Drescher was screaming. "Start chanting!" Drescher thought he was doing St. Denis one last favor. Krishna had preached, "Those who remember me at the time of death will come to me. Do not doubt this." By forcing St. Denis to chant, Drescher thought he was guaranteeing him a more spiritual life in his next incarnation. Drescher grabbed the knife and stabbed St. Denis. Again and again. Hard and deep. Finally, the blade hit a rib and snapped. St. Denis fought on, shrieking in agony, coughing blood, and gasping for breath. Reid found a hammer and Drescher hit him with that, punching a one-inch hole in his skull. St. Denis went limp. Drescher and Reid dragged St. Denis down the logging road to the dammed-up stream. They dumped the body on the swampy ground. Reid picked up one end of a plastic sheet, about to wrap St. Denis's head in it, when the big man opened his eyes. "Don't do that, you'll smother me," he said. Reid screamed—a long, piercing scream of pure terror. Damn, this thread has gone to the dogs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesty leroux Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 that was pretty insane that little excerpt. how are you guys doing? miss you guys on here, i dont come around as much since you left. Don't get hammered in the head by any of your fellow commune people that would be a tragedy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xveganjoshx Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 Every section of religious following in the world is subject to personal interpretation. I'd like to see you list things out to see what you really mean by lunatic. If you have the ability to SAY that then ELABORATE and let someone cross examine. Hehe okay, but you're going to have to do some homework. Here is an excerpt from Monkey on a Stick, Murder Madness and the Hare Krishnas, click the link and you can read many chapters online. You will find inside rape, murder, drug dealing, child abuse, arms dealing etc. etc. etc. Keep in mind that I know personally many of the characters in the book, so feel free to ask questions. After you have finished the introductory course, I'll direct you to additional learning materials. "Shoot him!" Drescher screamed at Reid. "Shoot him!" St. Denis was hit twelve times. He crumpled and went down. But then, almost immediately, as Reid and Drescher watched in amazement, he struggled back onto his feet and half staggered, half ran back down the path toward the Blazer. Drescher dropped his gun, ran after St. Denis, and dove into him, hitting him behind the knees. The big man went down. Drescher rolled him over and climbed onto his heaving chest. "Get a knife!" Drescher yelled at Reid. Reid felt like he was going to vomit. For an instant he thought about running away, but he was afraid if he did, Drescher would come after him and kill him, too. He ran into the cabin and came out with a kitchen knife. "Chant!" Drescher was screaming. "Start chanting!" Drescher thought he was doing St. Denis one last favor. Krishna had preached, "Those who remember me at the time of death will come to me. Do not doubt this." By forcing St. Denis to chant, Drescher thought he was guaranteeing him a more spiritual life in his next incarnation. Drescher grabbed the knife and stabbed St. Denis. Again and again. Hard and deep. Finally, the blade hit a rib and snapped. St. Denis fought on, shrieking in agony, coughing blood, and gasping for breath. Reid found a hammer and Drescher hit him with that, punching a one-inch hole in his skull. St. Denis went limp. Drescher and Reid dragged St. Denis down the logging road to the dammed-up stream. They dumped the body on the swampy ground. Reid picked up one end of a plastic sheet, about to wrap St. Denis's head in it, when the big man opened his eyes. "Don't do that, you'll smother me," he said. Reid screamed—a long, piercing scream of pure terror. Damn, this thread has gone to the dogs! Let me just preface this with the fact that I didn't read much of your introductory course Michael, but this seems to be the extreme cases, not the norm, right? There is corruption in every major institution; this includes churches, mosques, temples, etc. I have a hard time believing, though, that child abuse, murder, rape, arms dealing, etc, is the norm, even in what some people call "cult" Hare Krishna circles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelhobson Posted June 25, 2007 Author Share Posted June 25, 2007 Let me just preface this with the fact that I didn't read much of your introductory course Michael, but this seems to be the extreme cases, not the norm, right? There is corruption in every major institution; this includes churches, mosques, temples, etc. I have a hard time believing, though, that child abuse, murder, rape, arms dealing, etc, is the norm, even in what some people call "cult" Hare Krishna circles. Current affairs amongst the Hare Krishnas, you are correct, these things are not the norm. Rewind 20 years and they were, especially the child abuse. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness had a worldwide network of schools run by pedophiles and even though leadership knew for years that there was a problem they let it go because it was "just kids" and "sex is sex". The current problem is that these same lunatics are still in charge of the society and are still tyring to pass themselves off as pure. I have never encountered an organization so insanely corrupt and beyond any level of trustworthiness, except perhaps the U.S. government. As for the world "cult", it is the word that the founder of the movement used on many occassions to describe the society. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xveganjoshx Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 Hmmm interesting stuff. I am currently agnostic but I've been reading alot of Hare Krishna stuff lately. Alot of what I have read so far makes sense to me. I go to a local temple to eat sometimes because they have an all you can eat buffet and it is cheap (and largely vegan; of course I only eat the vegan things). I've been thinking about hypothetically becoming a devotee, or at least looking into it further. Something to think about now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelhobson Posted June 25, 2007 Author Share Posted June 25, 2007 Hmmm interesting stuff. I am currently agnostic but I've been reading alot of Hare Krishna stuff lately. Alot of what I have read so far makes sense to me. I go to a local temple to eat sometimes because they have an all you can eat buffet and it is cheap (and largely vegan; of course I only eat the vegan things). I've been thinking about hypothetically becoming a devotee, or at least looking into it further. Something to think about now. Prabhupada's books are pretty awesome and the religion in itself isn't bad. I'm sure I don't need to tell you this, but just always think for yourself and greet EVERYTHING with some degree of skepticism. There are some interesting and wonderful people to be met amongst the Hare Krishnas. There are also an unusually high number of crook and frauds, especially amongst the "gurus" and older devotees. I am also a little biased having lived at New Vrindavan for years. Of all the temples, NV probably had the highest concentration of criminals. You might want to check out Gita Nagari in central PA, they are a pretty cool farm community. I haven't been, but I've met some really cool devotees from there. They have a lot of "soul" and a zest for life I haven't seen amongst other devotees. Just stick with Prabhupada and think for yourself and you'll be okay. Peace,Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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