1.Development: Firstly, I work for the Center for International Development and the Environment. I wonder how many of those saying "down with 'development'" really know all that much about it beyond some well publicized failures. What the hell do you mean? No more direct $$ transfers, abolish the Peace Corps, dismantle the Agency for International Development. Do you realize that many countries *want* and need aid? For example, I work in forestry mostly, and developing countries have what economists call a high discount rate. They need to cash in the resources now, they can not afford to wait for trees to grow, they can not afford to harvest sustainably. Enter Oxfam, CIFOR, or local non-government orgs. in the countries themselves to provide intermediate income, so that total deforestation does not necessarily take place. Development projects are not always "green revolution" high capital types or huge world bank damming projects, I personally am working with a projects replacing slash and burn with agroforestry, natural forest management, reforestation, and introducing the use of green cover crops to increase agricultural productivity. 2. My *personal* experience with piercings etc... has nothing whatsoever to do with reclaiming a Jungian past memory, or a spiritual moment. I was not as Fakir Musafar calls it "letting in the light"; I was getting pierced.
