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Clay Folk 2010 Pottery Show

November 2010

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Artisan of the MonthShelly Jillson

Shelly Jillson is an Ashland resident and mother of Casey, age 19, and Forrest, age 24. She is a pressed flower artisan who will be showing her art around Ashland for the holidays — at the Lithia Artisans Christmas Faire on Thanksgiving weekend at the Historic Ashland Armory, and then at the Holiday Market at the Briscoe ArtWing, every weekend leading up to Christmas in December. She is a regular at the seasonal weekend market on Calle Guanajuato. Her story is remarkable and inspiring. It was my honor to spend time with her and share a couple cups of coffee.

See rod & Brooks Page

Steve McLaren at the Lithia Artisans Market in Downtown Ashland!.

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by Marcus Scott @ Lithia Artisans Market

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An Interview with Rod & Brooks Newton

Tom Ward has been practicing and teaching permaculture in southern Oregon for almost 30 years. He is a well known character in per-maculture circles throughout the northwest. Tom holds a vast reservoir of scientific and his-torical knowledge, practical experience, color-ful stories and thoughtful philosophy which he shares with students, audiences and friends.

Your Map to Local Treasure

thank You at&t

Tom WardPermaculture teacher & Counselor

Whoever said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure (it was Ben Franklin) would be proud of what the folks at the Hidden Springs Wellness Center accomplished over the past few months. If you read the local paper or watched local television you know that they were appealing a cell tower installation proposed for the top of the nearby Ashland Cinemas. On October 14 they won the appeal, when the Ashland City Council denied AT&T’s application.

By LocalsGuide

By Melanie Mindlin

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see tom Ward Page 6

He advises many local organic farms and man-ages a social forestry experimental station where he is demonstrating natural building, fuel hazard materials utilization, multiple products woods-crafting, wildlife enhancement and desert forest water management.

Tom teaches the Permaculture Design Course, as well as advanced courses attended by students from throughout the west coast. He is the author of Greenward Ho! Herbal Home Remedies: An Ecological Approach to Sustainable Health.

one of reasons i like going to your talks is because you’re a storyteller. Why do you use storytelling in your teaching?

Stories weave threads together. Whole systems is a sort of mapping and so is a story; you’re taking a voyage, going on a walk through ideas. When hearing a story, you can feel yourself in that place. Then you’ll have a better memory and remember more things if you learn them in a story. Whole system mapping helps us wrap our minds around all the aspects of a challenge so that we can discover and sometimes precipi-tate a useful idea.

Permaculture uses whole systems mapping with a systematic surveying of opportunities and necessities, and that’s why they call it a design methodology, not a recipe book. It teaches everyone to think for themselves.

So what is permaculture, anyhow?

We already have all the tools and all the solu-tions we need, we just don’t know how to apply them appropriately. Permaculture maps out the patterns and the principles; and then helps us to know where to go to find the answers. By

having studied many indigenous knowledge systems as well as many scientific fields, perma-culture has come to understand that there’s a universal set of patterns that repeat themselves over and over again everywhere.

What is your career or your job description? Why do you call yourself a counselor not a consultant?

I help people take their home, homestead or small farm and develop a much higher degree of integrity because we’ve used design to rear-range all the activities and the parts of their place to avoid unnecessary labor. I see myself as a facilitator, and thus I call myself a counselor. I want to support people who are the ones that actually live at the place being assessed. In the end my clients feel that they’ve designed the place themselves. That is wonderful for me because then they own the design; they don’t think I dictated it to them.

do you also apply ethical principles to these arrangements?

Permaculture does not have ethics; it recog-nizes the common ethics that are held by some cultures. Ethics belong to people living in place. This is what we’ve found: care for the earth, care for people and redistribute the surplus are eth-ics that are found in cultures that have achieved sustainability in the place where they live.

You offer a service called a “permaculture walk-through”. What do you do on the walk-through?

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Continued From Page 1Shelly Jillson

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how long have you been here in ashland?

Shelly… I moved here with my daughter, Casey, three years ago from Jackson Hole, Wyoming — my home town. The place we lived was a very conservative. I had been seeking an escape for a long time. Being here in the Rogue Valley felt really healing — I came here to heal.

You are making a gesture with your hands (cupping two hands together). like hands holding water. the coming together of the Siskiyou and Cascade mountain ranges. that image feels nur-turing to me. do you feel that way too?

Shelly… I needed that, the healing energy you are talking about. I was craving a safe place.

My hometown has a harsh climate that can be stressful and its not my ideal. It is beau-tiful. Its the Tetons, Yellowstone, the as-pens, animals and nature at its best — one of the most beautiful places in the world. However, it was also my family history that I needed to get away from.

We were brought up in an abusive environ-ment. That was hard. Moving here was a time of discovery for me — a fresh start to be who I am — an artist, to live sustainably, to pick fruit off the trees, grow a garden. Those were always aspirations for me as a child. That was difficult for me in my home town and in those less hospitable condi-tions — both literally and figuratively.

Why don’t you tell us about your art…

Shelly… My art started to develop when I was 16 years old in Jackson Hole at Teton Science School, an amazing place. I went for six weeks one summer for a field biol-ogy course with kids from all over the country. There were 30 of us. We would go on long hikes and I would always press flowers in my field books. I would put a rubber band around the book and let them dry. I started making bookmarks and cards for my friends. I am pushing 50 now, so that was about 35 years ago.

About 15 years ago there was a small art show in the Teton Valley. I thought, well, this is some cool stuff, let me share it. There was lots of interest in my work. I starting visualizing other things I could do with the medium. I started laminating the flow-ers and putting them on journals. Then I discovered glass. Pressing the flowers between glass was a big step and the art evolved from there into a line of jewelry, ornaments, night-lights, and mirrors.

I go out and press flowers any chance I get. Luckily, here in southern Oregon, I can do that 8 or 9 months out of the year. The Lithia Artisans Market, having that sort of a weekly outlet to show my art, is something I never had in Jackson Hole. We had two or three art shows a year, and lots of high end galleries, but nothing like the market.

You are talking about the difference between accessible art and high-end art — the artisan and the artist.

5L O C A L S G U I D E . C O M

Shelly… Affordable, one of a kind, locally made craft. You can see leaves that fall in Lithia Park artfully displayed in one of my night-lights. I had a woman stop by that wanted something absolutely unique to the Ashland experience and she was totally taken by my ornaments. She took 10 of them with her to Japan! That means so much to me to have that support.

Doing this work has truly been my sanity. When I was 23 years old I lost a baby, a brother, and was diagnosed with cancer all in a 16 month period. Yesterday I got my checkup and I am clear! Every six months I go in for blood work.

The fact is, if I didn’t have my art work I don’t know where I would be, if I would be…

When I make something and put it out there I feel like I am sharing a part of myself and my story, my survival, my passion, my love, my sanity, my religion. It has helped me through the years to heal, to grow, to expand into new areas. I feel like a flower — growing and blooming. I feel so blessed, like it is a rebirth for me. I feel so lucky to have found you guys, the market.

that is awesome. What does the market mean to you (the people who make up the market, and the venue itself)?

Shelly… For me the two go hand in hand. The people are like my extended family. We get together every week-end and build our little tent city. And within that city are people you can confide in, bounce ideas off of, network with. The creative juice just gets flowing. Also, having the venue to sell is so great. Like I said, I didn’t have that in Wyoming. We were just a very few in our group of artists. Here it is just so much more accepted and established. The market is really something I look forward to every week-end. Even if it is a slow day, just being there watching the leaves change, out along the creek, in nature, and having the opportunity to present my work. The possibilities are there, the support is there — you can make it whatever you want to make it.

the market sort of acts like an idea factory, doesn’t it? no matter what might be on your mind, there is no shortage of opinion on Calle guanajuato.

Shelly… Yeah, it is bubbling with creativity. People like to be around that kind of energy. People need that. Folks tell

me all the time, “thank you for doing what you do.”

I am sure you hear that too with your stone beads.

Mother Nature is the best artist! I bow down to her. When we are able to present what nature gives us in our art, that is truly a gift.

You mentioned battling cancer at age 23. What kind of cancer was that, and how has that experience shaped who you are today?

Shelly… I had thyroid cancer, it was a fluke. I was going in for a routine physical for work and the doctor felt some lumps in my neck. They found 11 tumors and eight of them were malignant. It had already spread to my lymph nodes. Then ten years ago I was re-diagnosed with the cancer. It is common for a pack of cells to remain dormant and then just flair up.

All of that happened and I got the chance to drink radioac-tive iodine, twice. It’s called radioactive iodine ablation treatment. You drink a vile of this stuff and it goes to the thyroid and nukes it. I was in isolation for three days and my job was to constantly drink water and clear my system of this radiation.

That year was tough but it gave me such a unique per-spective on life. I now live for every second, every moment that makes up a day. That helps me understand that there is so much we can do to help ourselves, to help the world. Even when it seems overwhelming on the big scale there are things we can do on the ground, right now, to help. Even if it is just sharing leftovers, or picking up garbage, it all matters.

I try to be open to different types of people because that is what makes up the world. I learned as a child that judg-ment didn’t feel right to me. Judgment is so hurtful and hateful. I think I just have more empathy than that. That homeless person could be me someday, or my brother, or a friend.

everyone has their unique story, you know? i get chills just thinking about that.

Shelly… The history. What is their history? Nobody gets through this life unscathed. Even with all that I have been through, I think of myself as lucky. So many people have it so much worse.

see Shelly Jillson Page 10

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Continued From Page 3Tom WardI have a checklist of sit elements which we discuss and on which I offer information and counseling including solar access, locations for gardens, orchards and animals, rainwater catchment, frost drainage, pooling, soil re-generation, soil fertility, wind and storm protection, natural home heating, cooling and air quality, energy efficiency, native plants, edible landscap-ing, use of local materials, natural building, fire protection, fuels reduction, secondary forest products and relative location of elements.

are the people you’re counseling mostly farmers?

I’ve lived in this bioregion a long time. I’ve been involved in nonprofits, churches, neighborhoods, and I’m not always preaching permaculture, just acting like a neighbor. My professional experience is that farmers make the best use of my advice; they take it and they apply it. Farming is the career of the future. We need a decentralized, localized, biologically based, and stable food production system.

We’re doing this for survival reasons. The way we are living now is not sustainable and is falling down around us right now. Our opportunity here

is to use the remnants of this failed civilization to build a new way of living on this planet; the only planet we’ve got.

So is permaculture go-ing to save the world?

No, people are going to save the world. All the great ideas that perma-culture uses to illustrate the use of principles and patterns are borrowed ideas, observed ideas which we found in the successful human cul-tures that do exist on the planet.

see tom Ward Page 9

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Q. I have a 4 year old American Eskimo mini. I came really close to having a complete dental done on him. I have a bad feeling about the practices of some vets in regard to these recommended very expensive and dangerous dental cleanings. What do you recommend?

Erin M.

You are absolutely right. The question you ask is complex and there is no “one size fits all” answer. Is there a way to avoid getting a dental for your pet? Sometimes. Minor periodontal problems can be significantly improved with the use of dental paste or spray that is formu-lated for animals, light scaling of the teeth by your vet while Fido is awake and possibly the use of antibiotics.

The problem occurs in a process where a film of bacteria called plaque mixes with calcium that is present in the saliva. This adheres to the teeth, especially at the gum level. Over time the gums may become infected. As this process (called periodon-titis) continues, bone damage occurs at the root of the tooth and the tooth will begin to separate from the bone, eventually becoming painful, risking major infection and even tooth loss. To complicate matters, infection in the mouth can develop into an abscess causing facial swelling and expose the body to unnecessary toxins. In some cases, there is no way to avoid a dental without endangering the health of your pet.

The process of cleaning the teeth below the gum line is inher-ently painful, and the doctor or technician needs to get good access to the mouth (which can’t be moving) from difficult angles with special tools.

Ironically, making dentals safer is exactly what drives the cost up. Your veterinarian will examine your pet’s teeth during a routine exam, and many veterinarians offer complimentary dental exams.

Veterinarians perform dentals differ-ently. Here is what I recommend.

* Use inhalant anesthesia. Sevoflurane is most responsive and still used in pediatrics today. I do not recommend exclusively using injectable anesthesia such as Telazol or Rompun because there is less control of the patient while he is under.

* Bloodwork is recommended for ge-riatric or otherwise compromised patients before any

anesthetic procedure. * Sealant should be applied which will extend the effects of the dental procedure. * An IV catheter should be placed, especially on geriatric or compromised patients for safety.

ask your vet about these important topics: * Is both a doctor and technician present during the anesthesia? * How will your pet be kept warm? The body cannot regu-late its temperature during anesthesia. * Get an estimate. Are all the recommended treatments included? Such as IV fluids, bloodwork, sealant, antibiotics and post-operative pain medication? * Are any of the recommended treatments optional if you are on a budget?

Anette Heaslet practices holistic and conventional medicine at Lithia Springs Veterinary Care in Ashland Oregon. More information is on their website at CheerfulVet.com. Have a question or story to submit? Or a

joke? Send it to Support@lithiaspringsvet.com.

Ask Anette the Vet! By Lithia Springs Veterinary Care

Now lets talk about his dental health...

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T H E D I N I N G G U I D Eavalon Bar & grillJust north of Ashland in Talent, the Avalon has become a fine dining destination for the valley and a lively gathering place for locals. Lunch (also available at dinnertime) features Panini, salads, sandwiches, and entrees. Dinner features seafood, steak, and house specialties. Live jazz every Sunday afternoon. Weekend Brunch menu. Lunch Wed - Sun 11:00am - 10:00pm; Dinner Wed - Sun 5:00pm - 9:00pm; Brunch Sat & Sun 11:00am - 3:00pm. $$. VS/MC. CA. FB. W.

Brothers’ restaurant95 North Main Street, Ashland, (541) 482-9671Offering a variety of Omelets and Scrambles, Blintzes, Potato Pancakes, Breakfast Burritos, Huevos Rancheros, Soups, Bagels & Lox. Sandwiches? – Try the Reuben (“the best”), Turkey Club, Sky High, French Dip, Pesto Salmon, Pastrami or “Our Hero.” Or select one of our fresh salads, Deluxe Burger or Zucchini Burger. To-Go Orders welcome. Breakfast and Lunch Daily 7:00am - 2:00pm. $$. VS/MC/AE. W.

grilla Bites of ashland47 North Main Street, Ashland, (541) 488-0889Ashland Grilla Bites strives to serve tasty and healthy food by offering many organic food items in a casual environment. Our specialties are : grilled sandwiches and burgers, organic soups, an organic salad bar and juice bar. We have many vegetarian and vegan options, as well as traditional fare. Open Daily: Mon - Sat 9:00am - 8:00pm; Sun 9:00am - 4:00pm. $. AC. CA. W.

Munchies restaurant59 North Main Street, Ashland, (541) 488-2967Ashland’s family restaurant for over 20 years! Try our World Famous Desserts. Serving breakfast, lunch & dinner all day in our cozy cellar restaurant or our casual creek side dining. Beer, wine & espresso. Open Daily: Mon - Thu 9:00am - 8:00pm; Fri 9:00am - 9:00pm; Sat 8:00am - 9:00pm; Sun 8:00am - 8:00pm. $$. VS/MC. W.

Wiley’s World Pasta Shoppe and eatery1606 Ashland Street, Ashland, (541) 482-0285A local favorite for 15 years, Wiley’s offers fresh, organic pasta entrees in a relaxed, down home atmosphere with warm and friendly service. Homemade is our specialty! Our pasta, sauces, desserts and even our ice scream is homemade. We feature or-ganics, and support local growers. Open Daily: Lunch and Dinner 11:00am - 9:00pm. $$. VS/MC. CA. W.

Wild goose Café & Bar2365 Ashland Street, Ashland, (541) 488-4103The Goose” is a favorite of locals and visitors since 1999. Fresh, homemade food and imaginative specials served all day in a friendly, come-as-you-are atmosphere. Fine wine list, local ales, and cocktails. Pan-fried oysters are a specialty. You meet the nicest people at the Wild Goose. Open Daily: Breakfast 7:00am - 2:00pm; Lunch 11:00am -11:00 pm; Dinner 5:00pm - 11:00pm. $$. VS/MC/AE. CA. FB. W.

On The Plaza 488-0889

Grilled Sandwiches • Fresh Soups • Organic Salad Bar • Juice Bar

What kind of people come to your courses?

People are coming because they have property or a home and want to take steps to be more sustain-able, or they’re seeking information to help them find a good place to make a resilient and regenera-tive life. Everyone I’ve met seems to know we have problems as a civilization; and there aren’t a lot of good answers. Permaculture doesn’t have all the answers, but we’ve thought hard about how to find those answers, and that process is called design.

Tom Ward is giving a free talk on November 8th at the Ashland Library, 7-9 pm titled Muddling Toward Frugality; Permaculture strategies for a home-centered economy.

Tom Ward’s Permaculture Design Course this year is go-ing to be one weekend a month starting December 4th and running through May. This year’s theme is: Always Coming Home, Skills for Transitional Times. For more information contact Melanie 541-482-7909 or sassetta@mind.net.

Tom Ward is a member of Siskiyou Permaculture. Along with Melanie Mindlin and Karen Taylor, they offer courses, counseling and design services.

http://sites.google.com/a/mind.net/siskiyou-permacul-ture/courses-and-events

Continued From Page 3Tom Ward

9L O C A L S G U I D E . C O M

see rod & Brooks Page 9

Yougurt HutMy first trip to the Yogurt Hut had been put off time and again for various reason, you know the ones... too busy, too tired, the dog threw up on Aunt Sally’s favorite quilt... again. But really the idea of frozen yogurt just sounded so, frankly boring to me. So it was never top on my list. Finally, after much persuasion from my kiddos,we gave it a shot.

As soon as I walked in I was impressed by the funky 80’s music in the back ground and walking up their mini flight of stairs so we could be just a few feet above the flow of traf-fic outside. That gave the whole room a very fun feel. We were greeted promptly by the young woman working. She sweetly laughed at my shock and awe of the whole set up. I was thinking soft serve and some fun toppings... wrong!

There were at least 10 different frozen yogurt options including some sorbets for the not so lactose friendly. And the toppings... where to start? They have something for every one! The more traditional toppings such as hot fudge, nuts andmarshmallows. A wide variety of fruits, nuts, and syrups. Even soda flavored syrups like Orange Crush and Root Beer, which I opted out of, but they sounded good! They even have a few crazy toppings for the adventurers.

After our server showed my girls and I the flow of frozen yogurt dessert building, we took a couple more minutes to view all the options before us. We all went with some of the simpler flavors of yogurt so we could go crazy with toppings. My favorite topping offered had to be the fruity pebbles, but it really was a tie between many.

After adding all the goodies to our frozen yogurt we brought it back to the counter to be weighed. At only 39 cents an ounce, it was a great deal! I think the young man working got tired of me saying “you guys are great!” But I really was hooked, and I hadn’t even tried the yogurt yet.

As we sat down to enjoy our delicious creations, we had a great laugh together watching the faces of young and old alike walk in and be stunned by what a great variety of Frozen yogurt and all the fixins’placed before them. It was a delight to be be had by all. All in all, I raise my hat to the creators of this great place that is The Yogurt Hut. You have made a believer out of me in this Frozenyogurt world and I will be back many times over!

I hope you too, will shed all those preconceived ideas of “Frozen yogurt” as I have and come down and see for yourself, Yogurt, in all it’s splendor.

10 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 0

Shelly Jillson Continued From Page 10

I have been fortunate. This is why I will go home this afternoon and make some night-lights. I will work through my stuff by working my art. I have to do this, it keeps me sane. It helps me survive.

i love your night lights, they are so com-forting. the things we make are little pieces of us. does that sound right?

Shelly… They are treasures that are pieces of our soul. People need a little light in their life — it gets you through those dark moments. We all have ‘em, right? Anything we can do to lighten up and keep con-nected with Mother Nature helps keep our souls healthy. I hope to God that I will always be creative, sharing, and giving, be-cause that is the ultimate purpose of why we do what we do.

take me through the steps of your cre-ations?

Shelly… For the first time I now have my own flower garden. On a perfect day I will take my brown paper bag and start collect-ing. I pinch the flowers off. That is where it starts. I do this two or three days a week.

I dump the fresh flowers out of the bag — the colors are just outrageous! I put them into traditional flower presses. It is like building a big flower sandwich. I might spend five or six hours on that task.

In the afternoon or evening I will get out my glass, open a press and take out the layers of flowers. It takes about 2 weeks for

them to dry. When I take them out I have to be really careful, they are fragile. It is very Zen. When I start putting a night-light together it is like a mini quilt, a little flower mosaic — colors and balance and contrast. I do all this without over thinking it. When I see them light up it is such a rush, it’s magical!

We talked earlier about how gray the world would be without art. i think many of the jobs that are leaving our economy are gray jobs. What do you think the future economy will look like?

Shelly… I think it will be more colorful and based on self-employment and artists doing their thing in places like the Lithia Artisans Market. The factory jobs aren’t there. Our artwork is filling a niche. If I have a special gift to buy for somebody I go to the artisans market and buy something made with the hands and soul of a local artisan. That shows that I cared enough to seek out something unique, one of a kind, a piece of living history. When I create I am sharing a part of me and leaving a mark on the world that inspires someone else.

You can find out more about Shelly and her creations at her website www.pressedflow-ercrafts.com. You can find her work at “The Crown Jewel” in Ashland and Jacksonville as well as “The Tudor Guild Gift Shop” at the Shakespearean Festival.

see Bookwagon Page 12

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see rod & Brooks Page 9

Rod & Brooks Continued from Page 10

I spoke with Rod and Brooks Newton, owners of Hidden Springs, about what this decision means for them and the community.

Why was this so important for you?

rod: The city council decision sets an important prec-edent for Ashland. Basically, the Council held AT&T ac-countable to a high standard that will now have to be met by future applicants. Of course it’s a relief for us because we stopped this tower from being built next to Hidden Springs, but the whole of Ashland will benefit for years to come with the requirement for legitimate processing of future applications.

Brooks: It also brought the community together in ways that will be helpful in the future when we may face even more urgent issues. The community support was incred-ible. I was moved and overwhelmed! Thank you, thank you, thank you, to everyone. It was very inspiring to see that we can come together to speak up and make a posi-tive difference in our community.

it must have been very challenging to go through the whole process.

Brooks: The hardest part was reading the critical letters to the editor and editorials. We are fine with people hold-ing different opinions, but when they missed the point or presented misinformation, it was really hard. I wished I could have sat down and talked with them.

rod: One sad example was the Oct. 27th Medford Mail Tribune editorial. The author criticized the appeal and the council for hiding the concerns about health, even though he knew that we were prohibited by federal law from using health concerns as a reason to appeal. And he printed two blatantly false statements: “The science is clear.” And, “Researchers have found no evidence that emissions from cell towers or antennas are harmful to hu-man health.” in fact, the science is anything but clear, and numerous researchers have found and printed evidence that microwave emissions are harmful. Some studies show DNA damage, a break down of the brain’s defenses, reduced sperm count, memory loss, the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer. Other studies have found no evidence of harmful effects. But the majority of these studies were funded by the telecom industry.

Even an Ashland Daily Tidings quote from the American

Cancer Society that, “there is ‘very little evidence’ that radiation from cell phone antennas can cause cancer and other health problems” is an opinion that it is not held by a growing number of scientists and physicians. Ironically, compare that statement with this one by the tobacco in-dustry as recently as 1996: “Researchers are still unable to provide undisputed scientific proof that smoking causes lung cancer, lung disease and heart disease.”

What can be truthfully said is that there is not yet any scientific or medical consensus on whether and what health problems may be caused by microwave radiation. It is very telling, however, that the majority of insurance companies now won’t insure cell phone companies for product liability related to health claims. They are afraid that wireless radiation will turn out to be like asbestos. Remember, many insurance companies went bankrupt because of all the asbestos health claims. If the insur-ance companies won’t bet their money that microwave radiation is safe, why should we bet our health that it is? Wouldn’t a little caution be more prudent?

So, you’ve really been studying this.

Brooks: Yes, and many positives have come from that. We’ve always been careful about potential health risks. You know, better safe than sorry. For instance, we’ve never had a microwave oven and I’ve never had a cell phone.

Rod: When I first got a cell phone, I was concerned about the risks so I used it rarely, like when we traveled. But, in the past couple of years I went down that slippery slope – checking e-mails on my iphone and sitting right next to a wireless router when I was working on my computer. When the cell tower issue came up I spent many, many hours researching various studies and was amazed to see how many of them reported health risks. I learned about the extent of industry cover up and their counter informa-tion campaign.

Before I looked into it, I thought the risk was just related to cancer – someday, maybe. But studies provide substantial evidence that microwave radiation also affects our brain function on a daily basis, possibly by increasing perme-ability of the blood brain barrier. Some of the studies demonstrate that rats don’t perform as well in mazes, and that people’s concentration and memory are adversely affected. Other studies show sleep disturbances, fatigue, headaches, etc.

Want to submit a story or interview someone you know? Email it to us:

editor@localsguide.com

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12 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 0

I had been having a lot of those symptoms myself the past couple of years: memory loss, fatigue, and decreased con-centration. I was even feeling dizzy when I woke up, which was very disturbing. But I just chalked it all up to aging. Then, amazingly, when I turned off my wireless router at home and work, and cut way down on my cell phone use, all the symptoms began to vanish.

Brooks: We also researched and bought instruments to measure microwave radiation. First, we took measure-ments on the top floor of the Ashland Springs Hotel where there are seven cell towers installed on the roof. We then measured our home and were horrified to discover read-ings just as high right next to our wireless router. We real-ized that this was like having our own personal cell tower, right in our house! Next, we began checking out other people’s homes and discovered that cordless phones emit even more radiation! More than being right next to a cell tower! And the base stations of the new ones emit this radiation 24 hours a day! We learned that Germany has banned this type of cordless phone, but most of the new ones being sold in our country are like this. They emit constant radiation.

So, if you are having difficulty sleeping, can’t seem to con-centrate as well, are feeling fatigue or waking up tired, or having more headaches than before, it may be more than just aging. It just might be exposure to radiation from your cell phone, cordless phone or wireless router, wireless

printer or wireless mouse.

My mouse?

rod: That’s right, even your wireless mouse and Bluetooth devices put out significant radiation, according to our instruments.

Whoa! how can i find out more about this?

Brooks: We show the documentary film, Full Signal, at Hidden Springs periodically. It just came out and it’s full of eye-opening information.

rod: Afterwards, we always have a lively discussion, sharing empowering steps people can take to protect themselves. The next showing is Monday, November 15th, 6:30 at Hidden Springs.

So, there are things people can do?

Brooks: Absolutely! And if you are sensitive like many of us are, you might start feeling better right away. Years from now, if the “proof” comes in, just like it eventually did about tobacco, we’ll be grateful we didn’t wait to act. In fact, maybe we should acknowledge this wake up call by saying, “thank you at&t!”

Rod & Brooks Continued from Page 11

grrr.....

grrr.....

14 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 0

The blood that flows through a car enthusiast veins is of a different kind. Forget about the O’s and A’s or the neg-atives and positives. It can’t be donated or transfused. It is a blood that flows with adrenaline at the mere sight of high performance exotics like Ferrari’s Enzo, McLaren’s F1, or Porsche’s GT3RS. These are special cars that cost crazy money and are rock stars to the groupie car set. They are icons of a very small audience and sell in quan-tities of the thousands or even hundreds. Obscure cars hidden in climate controlled garages and rarely seen by or driven in public. These cars earned their iconic status by their exhilarating ride, beauty and price tag. However, no matter how exotic and fast these beauties are, they “ain’t got nothing” on the Volkswagen Beetle.

In the early thirties the talented engineer Ferdinand Porsche was hired to build an economical car for the people of Germany. The state owned factory was Volkswagen and with Porsche at the helm he created the Type 1. It originally had model designations based on its engine size but was affectionately known in Germany as the Käfer or Beetle. Although the company was all but destroyed in the war, Volkswagen persevered in spite of allied bombs being dropped on its factories. British Army officer Major Ivan Hirst was put in charge of what was left of the factory and his original plan was to use it to maintain military vehicles. He thought better of it and painted a little

Type 1 green, paraded it in front of the British Army brass and sold it to them as a light army personnel vehicle. They bought it hook line and sinker and ordered 20,000 units. This was what Volkswagen needed to keep its doors open and production steadily increased. In 1949 the Volkswagen hit American shores and sold two whole cars! By 1955 they sold one million! By the early seventies global sales exceeded 16 million and laid Fords Model T record sale to rest. Although, the late seventies saw the Beetles de-cline it was still produced in its original design in Brazil and Mexico till 2003, selling over 21 million cars. A record never matched by any other auto maker for a car built to its original design.

Even though through the years Brazil and Mexico were able to continue to enjoy the original Beetle, due to less stringent emission requirements, the rest of the world was missing it badly. In 1998 Volkswagen, being not one to disappoint, brought it back as a whole new car known as the New Beetle. This being somewhat ironic as Volkswagen never really accepted the nickname “Beetle” for their original car. The New Beetle was a Global success and does a great job of sharing its older sibling’s looks and unmistakable style. It came with many dif-ferent engine and transmission options and of course as a convertible as this one spied here. Volkswagen sold many millions of beetles over its lifetime but that’s not what makes it iconic. What makes it iconic is that my four year old son can spot an old or new beetle a mile away and give you a “slug-bug” right in the arm. You can’t do that with a Ferrari.

happy Motoring!!!

New Beetle Convertible By Aaron’s Autowerks --> 531-535-1355

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