Where There is no Doctor: A Village Health Care Handbook, is a guide to providing healthcare in situations where there is no access to hospitals, clinics, or doctors. It’s advice is intended for healthcare workers in third-world countries, but is useful to anyone who wants some practical how-to advice on long term care at home or in the wilderness.

This site has a link to the entire book in electronic format. It doesn’t get any better than free.

A little while back, I grieved the loss of a voice of Pagan divergent opinion I found in Right Wing of the Gods. I searched for a while for something to replace it in my irregular blog reading and gave up. Then completely out of the blue, I discovered two blogs that fit the bill.

Rite Wing TechnoPagan is the blog of Karl Lembke, who wrote the article about tolerance I so liked, and who also wrote several other thought provoking articles found on Witches’ Voice.

Pagan~Vigil is by “Pagan philosopher, libertarian, and part-time trouble maker,” NeoWayland.

While I have referred to a desire to hear “conservative” points of view in the pagan community, it is more accurate to say that what I seek is an ability to look beyond “liberal” and “conservative” labels, to question cherished assumptions, and to pierce empty rhetoric to get at What It Is All About.

While I might not agree with everything they write, the things I don’t agree with are argued effectively enough to challenge me and to cause me to inspect and critique my own belief structure.  That is what I always hunger for: a good challenge that, no matter the outcome, I am a better person for having gone through.

This is what we need more of in the pagan community: fierce competition, real competition, in our “marketplace of ideas.”  Modern paganism cannot help but benefit from it.

The Covenant of the Pentacle Wiccan Church is an affiliate of the international Aquarian Tabernacle Church, and located in New Orleans. Though there seems to have been some tough times after Katrina, they were back on track quickly, having resumed their college level Initiate classes in January.

The Church sponsors a number of community support activities.

We are involved in many inter-faith actions and founded the Pagan/Wiccan prison ministries in La., and across the Nation. We are area chaplains (hospitals, university) and work in various social causes. We have a local food and sundry bank, as well as a bi-annual toy and clothing drive. We are trusted and respected by area media, and are frequently in the public eye. We assist law enforcement on all levels, when a crime appears to have “occult” overtones.

Frankly, I am jealous of their ability to be so public. I am convinced that such high visibility would not be prudent in this more conservative South Louisiana town. I live only about 60 miles from them, but it seems worlds away.

The Aquarian Tabernacle Church is one of the largest, if not the largest Wiccan church in the country. It claims to be “the first Wiccan church with full legal status and recognition by the governments of three nations” and has affiliated groups all over the world. They are also the creators of the SpiralScouts, a chapter of which the local pagan community formed here recently.

This is the latest novel by Morgan Llywelyn, which will be put on my “must read” list. A synopsis of reviews are found in my article on the Wild Hunt.

A new release from Bollywood, this movie is about a Wiccan who is invited to a convent to exorcise a nun!  My full article is at the Wild Hunt.