As The Sun Sets

 I am not sure where to begin. I have been told, if I should ever have trouble composing my thoughts from the beginning, into an article, to start in the middle, or at the end.

 And so, I shall.

 After the atrocious events of the RNC yesterday and the way in which the Republican contenders and the party have, lacking all semblances of integrity, conducted their efforts, I understand why and how many of my liberty loving friends and Ron Paul supporters can feel dismayed. Some even feel like giving up, quitting the party and voting for Gary Johnson.

 I can understand this.

 As I watched the news feeds come in yesterday I too, could not help but feel some of their frustration.  Reports of delegates that were, for all intents and purposes, kidnapped, and the immoral unseating of delegates, the illegitimate way in which they were replaced to the way the new rules were presented, and adopted. I heard the Ayes, then I heard the Nays as my tiny phone speakers struggled to remain incased. The nays may not have had a factual majority, but they definitely had the tenacity. Points of Order were ignored and any hope of a roll call vote was quashed.

 I heard that several states requested, completed and submitted paperwork for the nomination of Ron Paul, then I watched as the "8" rule was slipped in, seemingly minutes after the documents were submitted, but coincidentally before it was presented to the committee.

 I have seen videos of the party bosses in other states show a complete disregard for Robert's Rules of Order when conducting their local and state delegate conventions. I have seen lights turned out, point of order requests ignored; people get arrested, old men pulled to the ground and bones broken. 

 I have asked, as have many others, where is the count for this precinct? Why does the vote count from the precinct chair differ from that of the party tallying the votes? Why is it that ballots were locked in car trunks or counted in secret locations? Is this not the party that ran on a platform of openness and transparency in 2010? It was, and we all hoped it would be.

 I read the news reports and watched the videos that told of the city of Tampa and the Republican party orchestrating nothing short of a police state to surround the convention. I read prisoners in a certain jail were released to make room for arrests at the convention, and outside it. I watched as one-thousand armed police in riot gear were dispatched to quell a fairly peaceful protest of two-hundred-fifty persons. I read the statement from RNC security regarding what could and could not be brought in. Most I agreed with on the principle of common sense, but some prohibited items were just plain comical, in a pathetic sort of way.

 The city and party had created, geared and greased this police state machination to protect itself from "fringe" elements and "rogue agent provocateurs" that, in reality, only wanted to be treated fairly during the process. Free speech zones and the prohibition of 2x4 carrying seem fitting in light of what happened yesterday. One has to wonder though, why a seemingly invincible political party, would request and go to such great lengths of political intimidation, to protect itself from a "small minority" or "fringe" group of persons? What is it exactly that Goliath has to fear from David? 

 The liberty movement, the Ron Paul supporters, the undecided and the "crazies" comprised such a small percentage of the total delegation that it could hardly have been feared Romney would lose, right? The total delegate count for Romney was over two-thousand and the total "Other" count was just over two-hundred. Last time I checked, ten percent was definitely not a majority.

 So then, why the need for the overwhelming show of force? Was it to show us who the boss really is? Was it to show us, the liberty movement, that we really have no power, or liberty? Maybe they thought they could "nip this in the bud" before it had a chance to grow and become a force uncontrollable. 

 It is quite possible they thought they could corral, dishearten and pound us into submission. If these were and are the reasons, there is one thing they have overlooked - the disenfranchised never truly submit. The black sheep, cast outs, fringe groups, rebels and free spirits only rebel more, we only fight harder against the establishment, be it our parents, bosses, cops and government. It just pisses us off.

 I can only imagine the hidden fear the party bosses and Mitt Romney held when questions of Ron Paul were raised. I am sure he was laughed at and shrugged off. I am sure they were confident that they would be able to change some rule at the last minute and insure that both he and his supporters were left out. And they did…almost. They almost pulled it off.

 We were there! We actually did it. You did it. Every single person that has ever espoused and truly believed the ideas that are Ron Paul: Liberty, personal responsibility, limited government, sound money, non-interventionist foreign policy, integrity, truth and hope, did it. Every person that has ever written a blog, article, meme or made a sign did it. Every person that has ever participated in a sign wave, money or friend bomb did it. Those of us that have had to suffer through countless hours listening to the incessant rambling and sheer moronic diatribes just so we could argue the case for Ron Paul and his movement did it. 

 All of us and each of us, that wear our Ron Paul and Audit the Fed shirts proudly. Every Vet, delegate, chairman, committee member, Youtuber, internet debater, ear hustler and casual comment dropper made it happen. We are the rEVOLution. You are Ron Paul.

 This is why there was an overwhelming show of force prior to and during the convention. This is why the cops outnumbered the protesters 4:1. This is why they had to shut us out. This is why they had to lie, cheat and steal throughout this contest. This is why they arrest us and break our bones. This is why they steal our vote and silence our voice…or try to. They fear us.

 They know that we cannot be stopped. They know that our idea's time has come; it is in its teenage years now and full of piss and vinegar. They know that their time in the sun is coming to an end and that one day, there will be a reckoning. They understand that for every one of us they silence through intimidation or despair, five more will take their place. They know we will not go quietly into the night and they know we will certainly not conform and toe the party line. What happens when you tell a teenager to shut up? Exactly.

 They have tried to co-opt this movement and found that it can only be done with limited success and for a very brief period. They know we are becoming a hydra, just like they are. You cannot co-opt and corrupt an idea as pure as freedom for long. Eventually the moves made against it will be brought to light. Those in this movement that would seek to discourage, divide and inhibit its growth will soon show exactly what they are. 

 They cannot infiltrate, co-opt and derail or crush our rEVOLution because it is not just an idea, it is an emotion and it is a moral compass and inherent trait possessed by every single man, woman and child that has ever been born.  Freedom is something that is built in, hardwired and programmed into, not only our psyche, but the very fibers of our life. As children, once we become cognizant of freedom, we want more of it. Man was born to be free, not to be a slave. The creator, or evolution, gave us free will and it is not something that another man can take away. 

 Those of us in this movement have come to realize this as a truth. It has been said that we are only comprised of the young. Age is relative I think, but it is used to again, divide us. This idea, freedom, encompasses all age groups and all color lines. If asked a man that is sixty-five will answer the same as a sixteen year old, "Do you like being free?"

"Yes."

 My truth is the one main difference between our movement and others that have come before us; we refuse to grow up. The hippies had a good concept, but they grew up. They swallowed the bait; hook, line and sinker. They fought so hard and railed so defiantly against the man, only to end up taking a 65 year mortgage out on the establishment. They grew up and gave up…or most of them did.

 They started out as revolutionaries. They changed some minds along the way and brought topics to light and out for discussion that had been kept in closets for years. They tuned in, tuned up, but unfortunately, they dropped out.

 The Tea Party that was, whether they admit it or not, started by Ron Paul's December 2007 Money Bomb, had a chance, a real chance to make a difference and effect some positive changes to the political spectrum. They did institute some change and once again they brought issues to light and topics for discussion that had been locked away. 

 The problem the Tea Party has and will continue to have is, they filled their ranks with neocons and warmongers. The same people that rallied against the bank bailouts have no problem bailing out foreign countries. Support Israel and bomb Iran. Kill Osama because he did 9/11.  Keep American jobs here, but I won't work for less than twenty dollars an hour.

 You cannot have your cake and eat it to. You can't have social security, Medicare, Medical and Medicaid and a free Hoveround scooter if you want to have sound money. You cannot have good jobs and cheap goods, it doesn't work that way. If you want to make more, then the cost of the goods you make increases and the next guy has to make more to buy your products.

 The Tea Party started off with a bunch of aware and awake Ron Paul supporters, but the principles they soon espoused caught on. They became an organization and commercialized themselves, lock, stock and barrel. Soon their ranks were filled with the John McCain's, Sarah Palin's and Michele Bachman's of the world.

 The Occupy movement had the right idea…almost. They started off as a bunch of younger people that were pissed at the bailouts and foreclosure crisis. While the Tea Party and the Occupy movement have a few ideologies in common, they are essentially polar opposites.

 Where one group advocates fiscal conservatism with little to no bailouts, the other thinks bailouts are acceptable, as long as they are being bailed out. Where one group advocates preemptive wars and nation-building, the other opposes them, as long as people are not being murdered by a totalitarian government. Where one group integrated and organized into a leviathan, the other more closely resembles a hydra - with muscular Dystrophy.

 The Occupy group has also been infiltrated by agent provocateurs. It has been said, and I have seen some evidence that OTPOR is the hidden base around which they rally. It has also been said that George Soros is a major financial contributor to OTPOR, and by association, Occupy. One group will leave a venue clean, while the other leaves a mess. One group insists government leave them alone and stop spending their money unwisely, the other insists the government pay their college tuition, mortgages and provide free I pads.

 A disconcerting point of the Occupy movement and its members is that, some of them are very, very educated on history, but by history, I mean true history, not MSM history. Some of them even rally against the Fed, but others rally for communism and socialism believing it can work, if only we had a benevolent leader to oversee it. The jury is still out on this question, "Were they infiltrated and co-opted, or were they, in fact, the co-opt?"

 This movement, the liberty movement, the Ron Paul rEVOLution, our rEVOLution, can never be fully co-opted, nor can it ever fully be silenced. While it may be true that certain segments of the movement can be infiltrated and sabotaged, the movement as a whole can never be destroyed.

Now, let me tell you why.

 When the Tea Party started, the message was pure: Limited government, Sound Money and Fiscal Conservatism. The bailouts pissed many people off and they needed a place to vent. Feeling cast out and shunned by their elected leaders they needed a place to belong, a place where they fit in and where people of like minds would sit and listen to their frustrations, share their own and then group together to do something about the situation. 

 The problem with this was that you had many angry people that shared entirely too many different ideas. The base, now severely diluted, once was a group that supported Ron Paul's ideology, but is now a group of pissed off people. 

  Now the ranks of the Tea Party are filled with people from all walks of life, and normally that would be a good thing, however, the overwhelming majority of these "new comers" share little to no political beliefs with the people that founded the movement. A perfect example of this statement is the various Tea Party candidates that ran for President this year: Herman Cain, former Fed chairman, Rick Santorum, Black Bible Tyrant and Michele Bachman, Compulsive liar, and now - Swiss national. 

 It should be noted that these three campaigned on War with Iran and Muslim terrorists. Most of them mocked the very foreign policy that the tea party started with, yet the Tea Partiers in the debate crowds loved them. They literally hung on every word they spoke. 

 Another example of how the Tea Party has been co-opted is the resignation of some of the founders and upper echelons of the party a few years back. Two of the most significant emails and letters I read regarding the circumstances stated, in summation: that the party has strayed too far from its original intent and purpose, the board no longer served the interests of the people or the party and were merely there for personal gain. Numerous attempts to make some political headway along the lines of the founding principles had been overruled by the board and that the party, via the board members and president/chairman, had been completely corrupted and were in the process of corrupting the ideology of the organization. You were warned against courting Newt and his like, but you didn't listen, did you?

 Co. Opt. Ed.

 The Occupy movement is not much better, but it is different. I think both groups have or had the same basic principle and argument; stop wasting our money and giving it to your friends. To me, nothing is wrong with this, on the contrary, everything is right. They should stop wasting our money and they definitely need to stop giving it to their friends.

 In my opinion where the Occupiers went wrong is, they allowed the values of socialism, communism and stat-ism to fill the void. One woman even said, "We want all the good, and none of the bad."

 Unfortunately, in life, you can't have it that way. Life is not fair and life does not care whether you eat or starve, whether you have an IPad or a notepad. It really doesn't, and guess what, neither do most people in this world. If you go to college on a stranger's dime, you should expect that you would someday have to pay that stranger back. 

 If you spend eighty-five-thousand dollars on tuition and major in Aboriginal art, then can't find a job when you graduate, whose fault is that? Did you really think that what interests you would be interesting to enough people to supply you with the outrageous income you feel you deserve? Last time I checked, no one really cared about the aborigines, except for the aborigines or Mick Dundee.

 If you buy a half million-dollar house with retail wages, you should expect that someday, you might have to move out of that house...involuntarily. If you buy seventy-eight-thousand dollars in toys, but you only make thirty-six thousand a year, you should expect that some big, buffed guy is going to come and take your wake-board boat...and skidoo, and quads, and truck. It's just common sense. 

 The failure of your movement is in that you built it on an entitlement attitude. It is not that you didn't reach critical mass, or that the media painted you as a bunch of anarchists. You painted yourselves as a bunch of ignorant, know-it-all, spoiled brats that were smoking weed, shitting in buckets and throwing it in the street. America will never support that. 

 You allowed the arrogance and ignorance of your youth to overrule the wisdom and truth of history. One communist/socialist sympathizer actually argued with a guy from Czech about the great potential of communism/socialism. Arguing with a guy whose mom, dad, aunts and uncles lived under the iron, psychopathic fist of Joseph Stalin. Really, are you fucking kidding me?

 You argued with a guy who may have lost a friend or relative to the secret police. When he asked you why then, if you thought communism was so great, "Why communist dictators always turn on the people then oppress and slaughter them? Why is that?"

 Your answer, "I just think that the wrong people have been put in power by the people."

 Wow. Just wow. That...that right there is why your movement was destined to fail - from the beginning. As wide-awake as you and the current Tea Partiers think you are, you only dreamt you woke up.

 One thing I know for certain, is that when you discover the truth, that Ron-Paul-End-the-Fed-End-the-Wars-Jihadists-Are-Not-Everywhere-Sound-Money-Non-Interventionist-Foreign-Policy-America-Should-Not-Police-the-World-Inalienable-Right-to-Life-Liberty-and-the-Pursuit-of-Happiness truth, it slaps you in the face, drags you out of bed by your foot, then punches you in the stomach.  And once you wake up to that, you can never fall back to sleep. 

 Both parties know this and it is exactly why they fear us. They know we are awake and awakening others at a pace faster than their propaganda machines can spit out lies. They know that we have educated ourselves on the real issues that plague this country and they know we have studied history and found the root causes. We are awake, we have the knowledge, we have the passion and we have the facts to back up everything we say.

 So you see we cannot ever be fully co-opted. We cannot ever be fully contained and we cannot ever be completely stopped. They know this and it scares the hell out of them. The truth is coming out more and more every single day.  And with it, people are starting to ask questions. 

 The first rays of morning are beginning to shine through the blinds of the room in which they sleep. Once a person begins to feel the warmth of knowledge they develop a craving for it. At times, things learned can hurt, anger and scare us, but there remains that ever present thirst and hunger for more; more truth, more warmth and more light.

 There is too much at stake to quit now. There is too much at stake to become divided and there is too much at stake to let the exodus of summer soldiers discourage us. This is not about one man or one woman and it never has been!

 The good doctor was and is, courageous enough to stand as our focal point. He stood for over thirty years as a beacon of light, spreading the message of liberty. He stood for us when no one else would. He has faced the ridicule and resistance of those not only outside of his party, but from within as he spoke words of reason and sanity.

 He may not be the Republican nominee and he may not run as a third party, but in the end, when it is all said and done, he will still be my President. No amount of paper will ever change that. 

 Ron Paul cured my ignorance and apathy. His message has helped me become a better person, a better husband and a better father. I owe it to him to see this thing through, we all do. 

 This is our rEVOLution.

This is your rEVOLution.

 And this, is my rEVOLution.

I am Ron Paul.

In Liberty,

Richard Camacho

Illuminate This!

The world is full of smart people; it's a fact.

The world is full of dumb people; this too, is a fact.

What is the difference between the two? 

Perception.

 A smart person perceives a problem and its variable solutions in a different manner than a dumb person. A smart person can and will see one or more solutions to a problem, a dumb person will often not see any solutions, if they see the problem at all.

 Geniuses, smart people, savants, morons, idiots, and dumb people are in essence, the same. Again, it's all about perception.

 Are you confused yet? Good, now let me explain my logic, though flawed it may seem at present, I assure you, in time, it will become clear and perhaps you will come to understand it as I have.

 I present to you, there are no true geniuses in this world just as there is a lack of truly mentally retarded people. 

 How can this be?

 Einstein was a genius, as were Tesla, Beethoven, Bach and Mozart. It could also be surmised that Gates, Wozniak and Jobs are and were geniuses. These were and are men that have excelled in their respective fields of research and work and they have given the people of this earth a great many things. Some of them necessary, as we now perceive them, and some of them unnecessary - to some.

 Do we have examples of mentally retarded people as "heroes" and "icons" of our lives? No? Why is that? Perhaps the icons of Corky Thatcher and Quasimodo have or had nothing of substance to contribute to society. Or perhaps it is again that we perceive them in a different manner and therefore, do not place as great an importance on their words and deeds.

 Again, why is that? Are we all not equal in the eyes of the creator? Has not divine providence guided us all to our own ends? Has not Darwin theorized that we all originate from the same pool of slime and microscopic bug poop?

 It is unfair to call someone "simple minded" simply because they do not bother to complicate their lives with unnecessary things or ideas. Likewise, it would also be unfair to ridicule the complex for embracing discussion and thought of ideas and problems that may seem a ridiculous waste of time and energy to others. Each of these is inherent and therefore inalienable from and to the other. They are the very things that make them genius, or simple. 

 The very nature of a person cannot be lamented by another based on a disagreement in choice of lifestyle and have any righteousness. The diversity in nature is the very same thing that gives nature all of its beauty and splendor. Why is it that we are so quick to exemplify the uniqueness and beauty of flowers, while lambasting the same in our own specie? To be different is a beautiful thing, yet beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.

 Einstein had a thought, and idea that what he was taught was not true, in its entirety. He felt that there was more to the story of the universe. Therefore, he set out to find the answers he sought. It was his perception that changed physics.

 Forest Gump did not understand why he could not do certain things. He felt no different from any other boy or man and he certainly saw himself as no different. Therefore, he set out to do the things he wanted, regardless of what he was told. It was his perception that changed America. 

 Now before the ridicule starts for using a fictional character as an example, especially when compared to the likes of the "Great Einstein", I will ask this, how many people do you think have not heard of Forest Gump? Perception is the only difference between real and imagined. If you don't believe me, just ask the Wright brothers.

 I do understand that we cannot all be complex or simple; that we do, in fact, fact need a balance of the two to properly navigate this life. There are no candles that shine brighter than others; this is a lie that has been propagated throughout the ages. I will explain this in detail later.

 Every person wishes to be some person of great importance. What most fail to realize, is that, they already are. They only have to look to those in their own lives to see the truth in this statement. I do not wish to be anything other than what I already am. I also do not wish this world to be filled with only super bright lights and in quoting one of my sons cartoon movies you can understand why,

 "When everyone is super, no one will be."

 I do not wish for all of us to be the same, for if we were, then we most surely would revert to the dust or that primordial cesspool, in a much more rapid, but far less interesting manner and time. There is a distinction in all things and it is by these distinctions that our perception is either nurtured or altered. We view all things in a certain manner based upon our perception and it is by these distinctions that we lend credence or criticism to anything and everything we come into contact with.

 How is a contribution to society measured then? By means or deeds affected? Does an object that positively affects one million lives have more weight and merit in our society than a word that accomplishes the same? If so, then I ask; who made these rules? 

 Rules; we live and die by them daily. They are purportedly the fabric of our morality and the very thing that prevents our society from crumbling from the incessant rot that would surely follow a lawless and rule devoid people. 

 Yet again though, are not rules and laws based on perception? Does not the morality of religion seek to impose itself in-law, upon those atheists and abomination's the books speak of? Is not the "Faggot" perceived by the religious "nut" to be in danger of eternal hellfire for their sins? 

 Is not the "Christian whack-job" perceived by the "atheist devil worshipper" to be a complete and utter fool believing in fairy tales? How is it that we can hope to create a better world for our children, yet at the same time, decry any opinion that is different from ours? 

 Are all opinions wrong? No, again, it is a matter of perception. 

 I have an opinion, several of them in fact, on various topics. None of them are wrong, yet at the same time, none of them can truly be considered right. I cannot stand before anyone and state that what I believe is any more correct and righteous than what they believe. I cannot in good conscious force my opinion on another - the very idea is preposterous and detestable to me. The only exception to this is my sons.

 I do not consider myself to be a smart man and I do not consider myself to be a dumb man, rather I think myself somewhere in the middle, exceptionally average. My perception of things is different than some, but it may in fact be akin to anothers. Just because ten of you may perceive or understand things differently than another ten or twenty, does not make you smarter than they, or exceptional. This is the lie. We are all the same and we are all equal under the creator.

 For those that would seek to control others, for the sake of their own benefit, or for the sake of the subjects, to state that they are, in fact, better, smarter, more valuable, exceptional or illuminated is a fallacious notion. We are as our perception, not only of ourselves, but of others, dictates. 

 If a man should create a game and the rules thereof, then invite everyone to play, but only disclose the rules to his close friends, does that make the man and his friends smarter than the rest of the players? Does that make them exceptional or better than the rest? No, not hardly, it does in fact make them weaker than the rest because they had to have that manufactured advantage, or handicap, to play the game, while others did not.

 If a player, ignorant of the rules, should somehow surmise and adapt his play to these rules, would that make him smarter than other players that have not? No, it would not. It merely means that his perception has changed allowing him to understand the rules and play more effectively.

 If we were all blindfolded and some figured out how to remove the cover, would that make them smarter or more exceptional? If some stumbled through life with the blindfold on, but did not with it off and others did not stumble with it on, who then is better? Is it the man that can see and live fine without sight or the man that must have sight to live?

 The suppression of competition does not make the suppressors exceptional at or in anything; if you must suppress your competition to win, then I propose you really are weak when compared to those that don't. Those that thrive in the midst of competition are the stronger of the two for they have learned to alter their perception of things and adapt to the rules of life.

 You cannot call yourself enlightened, illuminated, smart, exceptional, and brilliant or genius while actively engaging in the suppression or oppression of any competing ideas or actions. The inability to embrace competition and the discussion of differing ideas and opinions is a true sign of an intellectually inferior mind. These people that cannot stand the thought or actions of anyone that is not in accord with them are truly infantile in not only their actions, but thoughts as well. They have refused to allow their perception to change by refusing the very things that promotes growth and change - discussion and experience.

 Einstein, Newton and Galileo faced similar challenges and ridicule from an intellectually inferior community of scientists, theologians and mathematicians. In spite of all the hardships they faced, look at what we have learned from them; the earth is not the center of the universe, the galaxy or even the solar system. There is such a force called gravity, which in essence binds all things to each other. Gravity is proportional to mass and mass is proportional to energy.

 Nikola Tesla is another that faced hardship, ridicule and suppression by those fearing the spread of new ideas and the ensuing alteration of perception that would be unleashed upon the world. To verify this you need only to look at his theories and experiments, and then look at his number one rival - and his rival's supporters.

 There are a few men in this world that claim to be of an elite group, they expound that they are indeed enlightened and therefore are more valuable and far better suited to control this world.

 These are the same men that actively seek to suppress and extinguish the introduction and discussion of alternate ideas. They abhor competition of any kind and it is not tolerated insofar as they can control it or crush it, they will. They actively seek to chart the acceptable lines of discourse among the populace into harmless topics of no importance to them.

 They create the environment where ridicule is extolled upon all differing opinions by their dependent agencies and professionals. They have created a game and forced it upon the world, but the rules of the game they have only shared amongst themselves. They seek to crush, imprison or murder any and all that would discover these rules for fear of competition and exposure.

 They live a lie every day and refuse to allow their perception to be adjusted, for they do know that if the fabricated life they cling to so desperately should ever be placed on the scales of honesty and integrity, they would surely be found wanting.

They create nothing, they produce nothing, and they contribute nothing useful to this world or its peoples.

They consume, destroy and corrupt anything and everything they come into contact with.

They cannot stand competition because they know they cannot stand up against competition.

They thrive only within the carefully controlled conditions they create and they battle fiercely to maintain this small world.

They are intellectually inferior and morally devoid of any principle or integrity.

The fraud they live and perpetuate upon the people has arrested all growth and alteration of their perception to the point they can no longer see past their own hands.

  It truly is all about perception. Allow your thoughts to alter your perception and eventually your perception will alter your thoughts.

Backyard Aquaponics System

 Read all *BOLD and *UNDERLINED notes in each section before you start.

 This is my first system and I am not, in any way, shape or form and expert in Aquaponics or gardening. I am just a guy that likes to garden and has always wanted a pond.

 The above specs are based on the barrel I used. You will need to measure the container you use and adjust accordingly. If you use a 55 gallon drum that measures 23” x 37” you can pretty much follow this guide as stated.

 The barrel:

*It is important that you have one port (capped hole) on each piece of the barrel. *You should not cut through the ports!

*When cut in half you will have one port on each half.

*You can use these as a secondary drain later if need be.

*I made sure both ports were facing the same side of the system. That way I only need to remove one support leg if there is a problem or to access the drains.

*Take your time and cut along the line as best you can.

*The straighter the cut, the easier it will be to mount the barrel halves into the frame. You can pre-drill you screw holes for the frame-barrel steps. This may save your fingers as the screws take a minute to bite. (Hard lesson)

• Measure twice, cut once.
• Measure across the top and mark the center at 11.5”.
• Turn the barrel 90 degrees, measure and mark again at 11.5”. (Use the seam as a guide for the center)
• You should now have an “X” on the top of the barrel with the center point being at 11.5”.
• Use a level to trace a line from edge to edge along the mark.
• Now flip the barrel over and repeat these two steps on the bottom.
• Extend the lines over the edge onto the sides of the barrel about 1 or 2 inches.
• Lay the barrel on its side and, using the marks on the top and bottom, line up the level with these marks and trace a line along the side.
• Turn the barrel and repeat this step.
• Once you have the whole barrel split with a line, you can start to cut.
• If you are suing a sawzall or jigsaw, you will need to drill a hole in the barrel along the line to allow the blade to fit inside.

The frame:

6 – 2x4x8

1 - 1 lb box of 3” screws

1 – 1lb box of 1 5/8 screws

4 – Clamps

Grow Bed

 37L x 26W x 40H

2 @ 37” – lateral brace – f/b

For grow bed, mounts on outside of  23’s

2 @ 23” – lateral brace – l/r

 For grow bed, mounts on inside of 37’s creating a 37x26 rectangle.

6 @ 40” – Legs.

 Mounts to 23” sides – flat on the outside - three per side.

Tank

 37L x 26W x 15H

2 @ 37” – lateral brace – f/b

For grow bed, mounts on outside of  23’s

2 @ 23” – lateral brace – l/r

 For grow bed, mounts on inside of 37’s creating a 37x26 rectangle.

·         Measure twice, cut once.

·         Make your cuts based on you barrels dimensions.

·         Build you frame for the top and bottom, without the legs.

·         You should have two 37x26 rectangles. (Or you dims)

·         Slip one half of the barrel into one frame and line the top edge of the barrel up to the top of the frame. The frame and barrel edge should be as flush as you can possibly get it.

·         You will have to use some type of clamping device to hold the barrel to the frame while you put a couple screws in. I used four, two on each side, top and bottom.

·         I used 1 5/8 screws to secure the barrel to the frame.

·         Place a screw about every four inches all the way around.

·         You should screw from the inside out, the screw heads will be on the inside of the barrel.

·         Repeat these steps for the other half.

·         Attach the legs to the 26” sides of the grow bed.  You should have three per side, evenly spaced.

·         Tank frame must be screwed to the legs of the grow bed; should fit snugly inside.

·         Once the grow bed is attached you can insert the tank into the bottom of the assembly and screw it to the support legs.

·         Mark your desired height on the inside of the support legs and line the top of the tank up with them. Measure from the bottom up on the legs. Mine is set at 15” from the bottom.

·         Lay the barrel on its side again and insert the tank. (This just makes it easier.)

·         Make sure you square the legs up BEFORE you attach the tank.

*I laid the barrel on end and clamped two legs at a time to the side.

*Then I pre-drilled and screwed them to the frame.

*I pre-drilled all holes for the frame assembly.

*This decreases the chance of splitting the wood.

*It also allows for an easier counter-sink, if you are not using a tool for that.

Bell Siphon

 This depends on the outflow size you want. Bulk head or thru-hull fittings can be purchased in a range of sizes. The size I used had a 1” threaded outside diameter and a ½” threaded inside diameter.

My Bell Siphon materials:

 1 - 10” threaded PVC nipple.

 1 – 1” to ½” reducing adapter – female 1” and male ½”.

 1 – 12” stick of 3” ABS.

 1 – 12” stick of 4” ABS.

 1 – 3” Slip Cap

 1 – ½” x 12” threaded PVC nipple.

 2 – ½” threaded PVC caps.

 1 – ½” PVC close nipple (usually 1 3/8-1.5”)

 1 – ½” PVC slip tee.

 1 – Screw, size doesn’t really matter that much, but at least 1”.

 1 – PVS/ABS glue. I use “Red Hot’s” or a single application cement.

The Drain:

 The 55 gallon barrel depth will be approx 11”.  The bulk-head (BH) fitting will stick up into the grow bed approx ¼”. The adapter will be approx” 1.5” long. You will need to decide how high you want to fill your grow bed and cut the nipple off accordingly. I cut my nipple at 7” and with the fitting, the fill line is right at 9 inches. This leaves it about one inch below the top of the rock in the grow bed. You do not want the actual stem of the plants to be watered, just the roots. The adapter screws into the BH fitting and the 1” nipple screws into the adapter. Use Teflon on all threads.

The Bell:

 Cut the 3” ABS pipe about one inch longer than your combined nipple drain length. (Adapter+Nipple) Now glue the 3” cap onto the 3” ABS pipe. I put a screw with Teflon on the threads in the top of the cap to give me something to grab when pulling it out.

The Rock Guard:

 Cut the 4” ABS pipe to 10 or 11 inches. This will depend on your chosen medium (Lava rock, gravel, clay balls) depth. You want the guard to extend just above the surface of the medium, but not below. Drill several holes in the pipe as to allow the flow of water, but not rock, into the interior.

 The bell siphon works by creating a vacuum. As water fills the bell, it pushes air down and out of the nipple. As the water starts to overflow the nipple, it will pull the remaining air out of the bell and create a self sustaining siphon. However, the siphon will remain active, to some extent, until the vacuum is broken.

Pumping apparatus:

 I will not give instructions on how to set up and plumb your pump. I work for a filtration company and I have access to things you may not have so I don’t want to send you running around for things you might not be able to find at a big box store.

 Also, my pump is not submersible and requires a different piping system than a submerged one. You can see from the pictures how mine is set up. Keep in mind though; the pump I am using cost about $140.00 and has a GPH of 180 @ 5 feet.. You can get smaller submersibles for less than $50.00.

 Once your system is plumbed and your pump is running, you will need to check the water level inside of the 4” pipe after the siphon completes a drain cycle. (It will still drain, but the volume will decrease considerably. You will need to cut a notch or drill a hole into the lower section of the 3” bell, just above the waterline. I let my system flood and drain, and then once the siphon slowed, I removed the bell and drilled a small hole just above the waterline on the 3” bell. After putting the bell back into the guard I flooded the bed and verified that the siphon engaged to drain the bed and disengaged when the waterline reached the breather hole. You may have to play with this a bit. I recommend starting low and working your way up.

 The Lower Drain/Aerator:

 Cut the 12” x 1/2” PVC nipple in half, so you have two 6” pieces. Drill a few holes into one side of each nipple. I drilled six per piece for a total of 12 holes. Glue the caps onto the slip ends of each piece. Now screw the capped nipples into the ½” tee. Insert the close into the tee and screw the whole apparatus into the BH fitting outlet. You should now have a tee with 6 drains holes per side. Make sure these drain holes face down and that you use Teflon on all threads. There are many different options for the drain/aeration system and you should play with it a bit and design one that is best for your system. Fish mass vs. water volume is critical and needs to be balanced.

 Once you are done with the assembly, fill the tanks and run the system a few times, just to work out the bugs, because there will be bugs. You will need to make sure the grow bed drains faster than the pump brings water in. This may require a larger drain pipe or a ball valve on the pump out let to restrict the flow. I used a ball valve.

 I also have a small carbon bed filter in-line just after the intake. This will filter out any solids. I also have a screen over the intake to prevent large solids from passing through the pump and keep fish from getting sucked up.

 Once it was set up, I left it running for a few days then bought 10 gold fish and 20 rosy reds to condition the tank. One week after I bought the fish I had 12 left; 3 rosy reds and 9 goldfish. You should expect to lose at least half in the first week. This is not a big deal as you are just conditioning the tank and filtering the water. Once your tank is conditioned and growing bacteria, you can add plants and food fish.

 I think I have covered just about everything, but feel free to email me if you have any questions.

 The following pictures show the system set up and running with a few newly transplanted plants. I still have one support leg per side to attach, but the bones and guts are complete. In the near future, the frame will be covered partially with a nicer looking wood and stained to appease my wife. Once I have it finished I will upload pictures of the finished system.

 The video of the semi complete running system is HERE.

    

 

 

Rise Up!

“Be ye not weary in well doing, for in due season you shall reap.”

 “It does not take a majority to prevail... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.”

 “There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come.”

What are we fighting for?
Who are we fighting for?
Who are we fighting?
Who are we supposed to be fighting?

These questions I ask myself daily.

 I find myself so utterly frustrated at the people in our campaign today. I am sitting here trying my best to contain my rage and get a handle on my emotions as I type this. For years we have known about this campaign and for years, the majority of us have supported it. Now all of a sudden, when we are winning, we decide to throw in the towel? I need to ask a great big WTF?!!!!!!!

 I read about delegates saying they are disappointed in the official campaign and that they are going to, in essence, give up. WTF?
I read about supporters bashing the campaign because they do not agree with what a spokesman has said. WTF?
I read about our people turning on each other because of dis and mis-info. WTF?

 All this over a little press release that basically reaffirmed the campaigns official and original strategy. WTF?

 Jesse Benton released a statement in which he declared that the campaign would no longer spend campaign funds in states with future primaries. Instead the campaign would focus their efforts on states that have already, or will hold caucus votes and delegate conventions.

 I see no problem with this, so what is the big deal?

 Well, the media is having a field day with it, as we all knew they would. The MSM is doing their usual cut-and-paste job on the statement and using the wording as propaganda to fit the agenda.

 Ok, again, no big deal, we knew they would. We have watched them twist our words and actions to fit their agenda. We have watched them ignore and marginalize our efforts and candidate. We have watched them outright lie to every American about this race. We have watched them convolute the information so badly that hardly an ounce of fact can be discerned from it. None of this is new so what is the big deal?

 We have fought long and hard to get to this point. We have overcome seemingly insurmountable odds and achieved goals the establishment said we could not. We have raised money to support our cause by sacrifice. We have marched on and achieved victory after victory, even in the face of or on the heels of defeat. We ARE winning so WTF is the big deal?

 The campaign has always been about the delegates. The good doctor himself has stated this many times……..many times.
It has never been about the straw votes. The good doctor has stated this many times…….many times.

 We know the voting system is rigged and not so in our favor. We know we are fighting against a corrupt government and not only political system, but party. We know that if 10,000 people vote in a beauty contest for Paul, that only, 3500 will be reported. We know the system is corrupt and rigged to support those in power.

 We know who we are supposed to be fighting and who we are fighting for, so WTF are we fighting each other?!!!
We know what we are fighting for and why we are fighting for it, so WTF are we fighting each other?

 Are we, as a group, really so fickle and simple minded that we can still, after all this truth we have found and shared, still be led by the nose on the words of the MSM? Have we really not learned anything from all of this, and from each other?

 Everyone involved in this campaign, whether you are a delegate, council member, party official, sign maker, cookie baker or half-assed blogger like me, needs to understand that this r3VOLution is not about Jesse Benton, Doug Wead, Jack Hunter, Rand Paul, Ron Paul, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney or any other person. This movement is about liberty-plain and simple.

 It is about reasserting our god given right to govern ourselves. It is about peace, sound money, limited government and a non-interventionist foreign policy. It is about ending the wars and ending the fed. It is about drinking raw milk and smoking weed if you want to, it is about people marrying whomever they want, straight or gay, it is about texting and walking, it is about personal space and privacy and it is about our children. It is about the Constitution and We the People.

 The whole world is watching us and the whole world is supporting us. What more do you need? What more can one man do for you than to open your eyes? What more can I say to encourage you? What other motivation do you need than your Life, Liberty and Property?

They said we were a fringe group. We proved we are a mass.
They said we had a ceiling of support. We blew the roof off that mother.
They said we would never win any delegates. We have the majority of delegates from several states.
They said we would never make it to the convention. We blew past the plurality of delegates required.
They said our vote would not count. We said our voice will be heard.
They said it could not be done. We are doing it every damn day.
They said we could not win. We ARE winning.

This r3VOLution will continue, with or without you.
This r3VOLution will not be televised.
This r3VOLution is growing every day.
This r3VOLution cannot be stopped.

 The fight is not over and we need to send a message that is heard loud and clear by all that would seek to oppose us, to all those in power that would seek to deny us our god-given rights, to all those that are still asleep, to all those that think and hope we have no fight left in us. Let them hear us now; let them know that we, have not yet begun to fight.

 Remain steadfast and staunch in your integrity; never give an inch, not even 1/16 of a chiggers track.
Fight like your life depends on it – because it does.

In Liberty,
 Richard Camacho

Ron Paul 2012

We and I

We, have awoken.

We, will awaken others.

Apathy no longer holds its sway.

We, will expose your media lies and bias.

We, have exposed your media lies and bias.

We, will expose your party lies and corruption.

We, have exposed your party lies and corruption.

We, will expose your election frauds.

We, have exposed your elections frauds.

We, will expose your lies and corruption.

We, have exposed your lies and corruption.

We, will occupy our town halls.

We, have occupied our town halls.

We, will occupy your elections.

We, have occupied our elections.

We, will occupy the media.

We, have occupied the media.

We, will occupy our cities.

We, have occupied our cities.

We, will occupy our hearts.

We, have occupied our own hearts.

We, will capture the attention of the people.

We, have captured the attention of the people.

We, The People, will Speak.

The People have spoken.

You, have not listened.

You, will listen.

You, do not have a choice.

We, have been bribed.

We, will no longer be bribed.

We, have been lied to.

We, will no longer accept your lies.

This, is not our debt.

We, are not in your debt.

You, are in our debt.

You, work for us, you always have and you always will.

You, are dependant on us for the very things you claim to own.

It is, in fact, you that need us.

We, do not need you.

You, own nothing.

We, own everything.

We, have pledged our lives

We, have pledged our fortunes.

We, have regained and pledged our sacred honor to this cause.

We, will reclaim our birthright.

We, will reclaim our land.

We, will reclaim our sovereignty.

We, have occupied the truth.

We, have occupied ourselves.

I, have occupied myself.

I, am already exactly where I want to be.

I, am me.

We, are coming.

Run.