Choogle On with Uncle Weed

On the opening night of SXSW Interactive/Music/Film fest in Austin, Texas, Uncle Weed strolls 6th St. in search of rolling papers and describes the surroundings of partiers from geeks to spring breakers, police on horseback, tattoo parlours, death metal pizza, bars, grills, taverns, microbrews, civic economics and impending cultural chaos. Featuring music by Dan Mangan “Road Regrets” … Continue reading Wandering Back to Austin – Choogle On! #85 →

In between Winter Olympics and SXSW, Uncle Weed soothes a sore throat on a couch and talks about global parties of note (including Oktoberfest, Mardi Gras, Carnival, etc.), plus extols about the Olympic Outsider podcast, True North Media House, importance and nobility of documentation, SXSW preview and recap of recent trip to Pe Ell to … Continue reading Global Party List – Olympics to SXSW – Choogle On! #84 →

Upon the untimely passing of a friend Ian Christiancy (aka Gazoo), Uncle Weed cracks a tall can of beer and sparks a bowl of sour diesel on a dock in Harrison Lake to share memories of friendly adventures to Darrington Rock Fest, Amsterdam Cannabis Cup, curling in Portland, parties at the cabin and hangouts on … Continue reading Tribute to the Fonz, Ian Christiancy RIP – Choogle On! #83 →

Shortly after New Year’s Day, Uncle Weed recounts highlights from the passing year including a surprising visit with bong-toting ice fishermen on a frozen neighborhood lake, plus recaps on concerts, spreading messages to media and youth, voting often, speaking out, supporting soldiers and peaceniks, resisting cynicism, researching the painter Varley, publishing literature, sparking coverage of … Continue reading Festive Greetings to Ice Fishermen – Choogle On! #82 →

In the last narrative from the Clayquot trip in Summer 2006, the water ban is lifted and Uncle Weed discuses the economic costs caused by the shutdown as well as the tensions about tourist based economy and village lifestyle, considers ingredients for positive development, and tries to resolve some conundrums by evoking Henry David Thoreau … Continue reading A Little Bit Better … if not Perfect – Rainforest Dispatches, chapter 9/9 →

Sometimes all the bits which don’t fit make the tastiest morsels. With this in mind, Uncle Weed dishes up a smorgasbord of leftover spiels, intros, set-ups, and observations from the Clayoquot trip including narrative about camptime beverages, glass pipe cleaning tips, local sticky nuggets, eagles flying amongst the Broken Islands, historic Pacific lighthouse, skateboard contests at Tough … Continue reading Field Notes on Bevvies, Birds and Bowls – Rainforest Dispatches, chapter 8/9 →

Visiting again with friend Kevin, Uncle Weed discusses the negative impact salmon fish farms impart on the local aquaculture. Specifically, Atlantic salmon living in pens attract hazardous sea lice, are unable to spawn, are fed with small fish imported from South America, and are dyed to appear more attractive in the supermarket. Further the politically … Continue reading Salmon Swimming Free – Rainforest Dispatches, chapter 7/9 →

Montage of snippets and grooving tunes for aural funtimes ergo: KDon reporting on Longboard hockey, Fr. Unabonger hi-jacking at Mind Camp, cut thumbs from bong building, Gord Downie’s Canadian Geese, neon lights, Charles Lloyd & Rocket Man. Note: Headphones recommended for maximum pleasure.  Prepare for sliding Superior Rockstars vs. Local Thugs – Choogle On (remix’d) … Continue reading Superior Rockstars vs. Local Thugs – Choogle On (remix’d) #81 →

At the headquarters of Friends of Clayoqout Sound advocacy organization, Uncle Weed talks with Kevin Bruce, a concerned citizen newly arrived in Tofino to work as the office coordinator for the FOCS. With the sound of passing cars and buses, they discuss the economics of logging, stumpage fees, value of wilderness, conundrums of interconnectedness and … Continue reading Friends of the Sound – Rainforest Dispatches, chapter 6/9 →

After a few days of frustration and confusion, Uncle Weed sits down on the trail and digs into a variety of essays from Beloved of the Sky by Gary Snyder, Howie Wolk, and Michael Frome plus riffs on painter Emily Carr, love/hate with the commercialized Wild Pacific trail, shore pines, lighthouses, volcanic outcroppings, leaning trees, … Continue reading Conservation and Clearcuts – Rainforest Dispatches, chapter 5/9 →

While watching fishing boats ply the inlet, Uncle Weed checks in from Ucluelet to describe the cultural and municipal differences between neighboring villages of Tofino and Ucluelet after a thwarted drive towards Kennedy Lake bridge – the scene of the blockades – and examines Ucluelet’s ballyhooed reaction to Tofino’s shortage through the eyes of locals … Continue reading Spieling from Whiskey Dock – Rainforest Dispatches, chapter 4/9 →

After recalling beach camp-outs, rainy days and salmon feasts, Uncle Weed finds out commercial water usage is banned in Tofino and closing down for the tourist operations for the busy weekend ~ thusly he sets out on the trail from Half Moon Bay to Wickaninnish Bay to discover what’s up. Includes riffs and spiels about … Continue reading Tofino Dries up – Rainforest Dispatches, chapter 3/9 →

Out on a trail, Uncle Weed shares a few lessons learned bearing witness to the blockade lines including thoughts about non-violence and pacifism, importance of respecting others, and the common desire for trees which the ecologists and workers unwittingly share. Plus discourse on ways to replace economic gains from industrial logging with value-added finished products … Continue reading Meditations from the Blockades – Rainforest Dispatches, chapter 2/9 →

Arriving at a campground between the towns of Tofino and Ucluelet, Uncle Weed sets out to explore the west coast’s unique environment and offer discourse on natural resource-based and tourism-based economies starting with recollections from the noted logging protests in the early 1990s with comments about blockade logistics from early morning pick-up trucks rides to … Continue reading Musings from Clayoquot Sound – Rainforest Dispatches, chapter 1/9 →

Introducing a series of explorations and soliloquies from the Clayoquot Sound area on the west coast of Vancouver Island during a summertime water outage in the midst of a temperate rainforest. While figuring out what happened, Uncle Weed recollects the tense logging blockades in early 1990s and compares current conditions through lens of deep ecology … Continue reading Observations about Ecology and Economy – Rainforest Dispatches, Introduction →