Green

Recently there has been much talk of targeted sanctions against the Revolutionary Guard in Iran as a way to help bring about positive political change in that country, both to help our own interests of keeping Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and also to assist the growing pro-democracy opposition movement in the country. In the interest of helping the opposition movement there in particular, we might look to the factors that helped precipitate the Islamic Revolution that brought the current regime to power.

One large factor in any popular uprising is the support of a majority of the people, and in almost all countries that means the necessary help of those in the working classes. While a regime still has substantial resources it is easy to keep the people content by engaging in pork barrel type spending, that while not addressing the root causes of their unrest (in this case, a lack of democracy in recent elections) takes care of basic employment needs and essential bribes them into supporting leaders who do not have their best interests at heart. The current regime in Iran under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is particularly adept at this, and has plenty of money to do that (and to buy bullets for the Revolutionary Guard to continue to put down those that do dare protest) because of their oil resources.

As long as the world continues to use oil at a stable or increasing rate, Ahmadinejad and the Revolutionary Guard will have an easy time keeping protest at a controllable rate. The Shah was in a similar position in the '70s, with oil prices especially high during the oil embargo (in which Iran did not participate). It was only when oil prices fell after the embargo ended that the Shah's regime started to falter, as the economic fate of the poor urban masses fell apart after having been good for so long. It was this economic crisis, along with a drawdown of western support and the charismatic leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini that finally drew enough protesters to the street to end the tyrannical monarchy in Iran.

A similar drop in oil prices, this time brought about by a “green” environmental movement in the western world that could bring victory to the Iranian “green” democracy movement and an end to the military tyrrany of Ahmadinejad.

"Junk"

I know that it is a little cliche, but I feel as if I am constantly being reminded that one person's trash is another person's treasure.

My friends Dana and Ishai just moved in with me this week to help farm this spring. Being new to town and having moved all their belongings in a total of 8 small to large size suitcases there were of course a few things we had to pick up for them, including bikes. We first hit up the thrift stores, and though we were able to find plenty of things such as pillows and lamps, a good bike still eluded us.

We headed off to the bike shop, to pick up gear and see exactly how expensive a new bike might be, mainly thinking to check Craigslist and/or classified ads later. As Dana and Ishai were finishing looking at bike hemets I was waiting by the door when a guy came in to ask the guy at the front if they were taking bike donations for a local cycling program. When he mentioned that they were just out in the back of the truck I just had to ask "Would you be interested in selling one of those bikes to my friends over there?" So we went out and took a look and one of the bikes was a beautiful (though in poor repair) Schwinn 10 speed from the '70s. In need of new tires and a lot of lube, but otherwise a beautiful machine. Dana and Ishai mulled it over and offered him $50 for that one bike, and he accepted and threw in the mountain bike for free.

Obviously these bikes were worth very little to him at this point, but the Schwinn will get Ishai all over Walla Walla this spring. Just like when I am drowning in Tomatoes in September and do all I can to push some off on friends, or trade laundry services with my neighbors for some Anaheim peppers or applesauce. An item of very small value to one becomes something of great value to another. It is why I love to trade things, every one feels like they have made out better than can be expected, or as if they got the best deal.