2011-2012  Worldwide shortage of all major grains-resulting in alternative methods to substitute for shortages and avoiding higher costs.
Other sources of grains sought to replace wheat, barley, oats, flax, rice, corn, rye, and hay.  People and animals alike must limit their
intake as supply is short and demand is higher than ever.  Farm animals like cows and horses consume hay and other grasses, yet oats are
also necessary to keep them healthy.  Dogs and cats consume several grains like barley, rice and cornmeal in the pet foods we buy.

Marijuana (and hemp) could easily become the next source for grain replacement and/or soy alternatives.  100% of the plants can
be used in producing many form of raw materials for textile manufacturing as well as several forms of fuel.  As long as the shortages
of other sources of grain production remain extremely deficient.  From building houses to clothing people, marijuana meets most of our daily
needs to survive.  Medicinal values aside, the marijuanna plant is most valuable and ultimately necessary to our economy worldwide to overcome the international crisises we face today and the mounting environmental issues we will face tomorrow.

No worse than consuming any alcoholic beverage, and much less harmful than consuming any other controlled substance, whether prescription
or illegal, marijuanna is a great alternative for many narcotics that we consume regularly every single day in great unending quantities.  It
is slightly short of impossible to overdose and die from using marijuanna, and it is not classified as a narcotic because it has no physical
withdrawl symptoms should long term use suddenly stop for any reason.
is
A miracle in itself, marijuanna has more uses than any other plant in the world since time began.  No other plant will feed, clothe, protect,
nourish, relieve and also create so many healthy side effects on the living creatures and ecosystems it is introduced to.
All plants must be kept from spreading to and invading the places where they might not benefit the local habitat or the animal life it supports, so, of course careful cultivation is necessary to sucessfully utilize them without causing lasting negative impacts.

Gardening marijuanna that is for medicinal use is wiser, than mass producing, when growing a much more potent and pure plant, as high
quality is desirable to reduce the amount needed to treat ailments.

Farming hemp that produces seeds and stalks primarily for other uses is necessary as quantity is the objective when meeting the great industrial goods demands present in all areas of consumer need

Crop circles are a huge pattern seen in fields and the crops are flattened; they are seen clearly by aerial view and they have various patterns, such as geometric, or circular patterns, and are mainly found in England.  There are over 20,000 crop circles around the world, and the crop fields they’re found in are wheat, barley, rye and maize or rapeseed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crop_circle

This crop circle was found in Wiltshire, England.  Most crop circles are in England; an estimated 85% are found near Stonehenge.

Documented cases of crop circles began in the 1970s to present and have increased throughout the years.  Some crop circles appear overnight, some during the day. 

What causes Crop Circles?

Crop circles are an unexplained phenomena.  There are some theories out there, such as scientific theories that vortices, or sometimes called dust-devils, are small currents of swirling winds which cause the crops to flatten to the ground.  They are spinning columns that force a burst of air to the ground.  These vortices are common where there are hilly areas, such as parts of Southern England.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/unexplained-phenomena/crop-circle4.htm

Electromagnetic Radiation

Some scientists believe that the Earth creates its own energy, which forms the circles, through electromagnetic radiation.  The crops are heated from the inside through the earth’s radiation and damages the crops.  Strong magnetic fields have been recorded by scientists inside the crop circles, and some people have felt tingling in their bodies while being in or near the crop circles.

Humans

Another theory is that it could be human beings making these crop circles, a hoax.  Man-made crop circles, made with a rope-and-plank contraption; two men from England Doug Bower and Dave Chorley, known as Doug and Dave, announced in 1991 that they had made hundreds of crop circles since 1978.  However, it cannot explain the thousands of crop circles found all over the world, according to Colin Andrews, author of the book, Circular Evidence.  He believes that approximately 80% are most likely man-made, and that 20% are made from the work of a “higher force”.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/5540634/Phoenix-crop-circle-may-predict-end-of-the-world.html

400-ft design in a barley field in Yatesbury, England (Phoenix Rising from the Flames)

UFOs and Aliens

Some people believe that UFOs and aliens are responsible for the crop circles, an alien calling card so to speak.  That these are codes from beyond to communicate with people on Earth.  This is one of the most controversial theories there are with regards to crop circles.

Mesopotamian societies were largely religious in nature, in which priests and kings used the power of “deities” to control their people. Economies were generally despotic, with a central figure controlling all the means of production. Sumerians, one the first well-developed societies, used silver, wheat, and barley as means of currency. The method of economic trade utilized in Mesopotamia was easy to control by officials. If the dictator controlled all the resources (wheat), then economic control would easily follow.

Constrained civil rights and de facto economic control have been left over from ancient Mesopotamia. Places like Iraq were restricted dictatorships until western “liberation” (this of course is up to whoever thinks Iraq is “free” now), and other middle eastern countries still show remnants of ancient government. Social and economic stratification were not heard of, and egalitarianism (with exception to kings and clergy) was the main social organization seen throughout the middle east in this time period.

Deities at the time were anthropomorphisized into whatever element they held dominion over. So, not only do we have evidence that ancient Mesopotamians worshiped and were aware of the different properties of earth, they also modeled them after humans to make the world seem more personable. Obviously, this has continued into the modern era with Catholic, Islamic, Jewish, and other gods being personable to humans and having a hominid appearance, all of which have Mesopotamian roots. Beyond that, most of these religions made mention of a great flood and “savior” similar to that of the Judeo-Christians. The Sumerians also believed that humans were removed from paradise by god for eating a forbidden fruit.

The many things we know about ancient Mesopotamia and its society, cultures, and beliefs are attributed in large part to the collection of Sumerian clay-tablet writings that have been survived to this day. Though much still remains a mystery, it is interesting to research the similarities between our religions and how methods of subtle control are still evident in today’s world.

Sources:

- Unexplainable.Net, The Structure of Ancient Mesopotamian Society

It comes in many different flavors and dazzling colors, something for everyone. There is white, golden, wheat, stout or strong, porter or double bock or even this fabulous green shade reserved for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

Alex flickr.com

It is thought that beer was probably brewed even before civilization learned how to bake bread, with Noah probably having his own stash upon the ark according to Professor Linda Raley of Texas Tech University.

In this picture taken from the World Encyclopedia of Beer by Brian Glover the King of Ur and his nobles raise their glasses at a banquet during 2,500 B.C. in toast with what was believed to be beer.

• Babylonian clay tablets dating back to 4300 BC detailed recipes for beer. There were around 20 varieties produced at that time.
• It has been a vital part of ancient Assyrian, Egyptian, Hebrew, Chinese and Inca cultures also
• Records indicate that beer was sometimes used to pay workers for part of their wages
• In earlier cultures sometimes straws were fashioned for drinking to avoid the grain hulls left in the beverage
• Beer was brewed commercially by Egyptians and served in gold goblets to royalty, used for medicinal purposes and buried with the dead for their journey in afterlife

Different cultures favor different grains:

• Africa – millet, maize and cassava
• United States – persimmon
• Mexico – agave
• South America – corn
• Brazil – sweet potatoes
• Japan – rice (sake)
• China – wheat (samshu)
• Other Asian cultures – sorghum
• Russia – rye to make quass or kvass
• Egypt – barley
• Egyptian texts were found dating back to 1600 BC with 100 medical prescriptions requiring beer according to Professor Linda Raley, or over 600 prescriptions and remedies according to Brian Glover’s research. Either way there were a lot of prescriptions including beer.
• At one time in Egypt if a gentleman offered a lady a sip of his beer it was considered a marriage proposal
• Much earlier flavors consisted of balsam, hay, dandelion, mint, wormwood seeds, horehound juice, crab claws and oyster shells
• Romans gave beer the name “Cerevisia” which translates to Ceres the goddess of agriculture and “vis” meaning strength in Latin
• Brewers who produced unfit beer in ancient Babylonia were sentenced to be drowned in their own beer
• In the 1st century A.D. the Roman historian stated that beer was the “usual drink of the Germans and Gauls”.
• Ale was regarded so highly that according to Norse mythology Vikings would spend their days happily drinking beer in the warriors resting place, Valhalla, after being slain in battle
• In their travels Columbus and his crew found Indians making beer from corn and black birch sap

For even more information regarding the history of beer visit: BeerHistory.com

George Washington’s personal recipe

Our first president, George Washington penned the following recipe in 1757, which I found here.

“To Make Small Beer

Take a large Siffer [Sifter] full of Bran Hops to your Taste. — Boil these 3 hours then strain out 30 Gall[ons] into a cooler put in 3 Gall[ons] Molasses while the Beer is Scalding hot or rather draw the Melasses into the cooler & St[r]ain the Beer on it while boiling Hot. let this stand till it is little more than Blood warm then put in a quart of Yea[s]t if the Weather is very Cold cover it over with a Blank [et] & let it Work in the Cooler 24 hours then put it into the Cask — leave the bung open till it is almost don[e] Working — Bottle it that day Week it was Brewed.”

Thomas Jefferson and George Washington were both known to own their own breweries

The basics of brewing have not changed much over the centuries as shown pictured below. This woman brews beer for her family in Zambia.

The huge copper kettles pictured in Saku Brewery in Estonia accomplish the same goal, accept in greater quantities.

This article is not meant to extol the virtues of beer, while beer does contain properties which both lower cholesterol and provide us with antioxidants, it has been often time misused and consumed to the detriment of mankind. I would hope that anyone who enjoys an occasional drink both drinks in moderation and does not drive while drinking.