Posts
Sunday June 7, 2009
. . . . .OK, fast Sunday morning round-up, lots to do today
. . . . .Sunday round-up here, including Liz Cheney (seriously, who invited you?) declaring that Obama "wants to hold hands with the terrorists" after his speech in Cairo (was she listening to the same one?) to the now-famous disconnect with her father, who finally, this week, admitted that there was no connection between Al-Quaeda and Iraq. Liz, 24 hours later, resurrected that claim. Catch it here.
. . . . .OK, OK, OK, history lesson again. Saddam Hussein was put in power by George Herbert Walker Bush while he was the director of the CIA under Reagan, basically in an effort to keep the Ayatollah Khomeini in check over in Iran, after the disaster of the hostages under Carter. Saddam Hussein sucessfully (??) prosecuted the Iran-Iraq war, resulting in the loss of millions on both sides, but successfully occupying Iran and keeping it in check. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, in Saudi Arabia, a member (incredibly wealthy) member of the Royal Family, was recruiting young Saudis to his cause, a luxury he could afford since he was rich, and had time to blame his incredible wealth on the West. Saddam Hussein, over in Iraq, was Ba'athist, a totally secular party, and was really enjoying the wealth he was accumulating, and doing some real hating on the Suunis and Shiites, and coincidentally, doing some real hating on Osama Bin Laden, the member of the Royal Family I refer to, since he'd gone all fundamentalist. Bin Laden successfully pulled off 9/11 using Saudi males between the ages of 19 and 35, and melted off into the highlands of Afghanistan and Pakistan, where the Taliban, his soulmates, had their stronghold. Pappa Bush, smartly, didn't go all the way into Baghdad the first time, upon the urging of Colin Powell, and essentially, held the balance of power in the region stable, by allowing Saddam Hussein, the resources he needed to keep Iran in check. This made Bush Sr.'s playmates, Cheney and Rumsfeld mad, so the second time around, with a willing patsy in George, Jr., Darth Cheney and Darth Rumsfeld see untold riches in Iraq's oil and convince George, Jr. to take out the man his father had put into power in the first place, and completely ignore the real criminal behind 9/11, the man who attacked us on our own soil and killed 3,000, Bin Laden who was roaming the highlands of Afghanistan and Pakistan and growing stronger. Hussein is found in a rathole, Iraq falls, Admadinejad gains power in Iran, in league with the Ayatollah, becomes the major player in the region and has nukes. Meanwhile, Bin Laden is still alive, in league with the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and growing stronger and now 60 miles from Islamabad.
. . . What did Dick manage to accomplish during all of this? Shoot his best friend in the face while bird hunting and force Colin Powell out.
. . . Someone want to forward this column to Liz? If I need to, I can use simpler sentences and smaller words.
. . . .OMG! OMG! According to Newt Gingrich yesterday, at an event called "Rediscovering God in America", Americans are "surrounded by paganism.
. . . .I hope so
. . . .What are you going to do Newt? Send a couple of smallpox infested blankets to my house? Or mayhaps a conquistador or two accompanied by a good friar or Father to torture me into accepting your version of God? Before killing me?
. . . .And the annals of lunacy just keep on rolling. Congressman Todd Akin, from Missouri, sent an e-mail to his constituents yesterday warning of an imminent nuclear attack on Seattle. Obvious genius and future Jeopardy contestant at work here. Though admitting that North Korea doesn't have intercontinental capability (don't their missles just aimlessly fall into the Sea of Japan for no known reason?), he does provide a map showing Seattle as Ground Zero. HOLY SHIT! What about my Starbucks?
. . . . .The real problem that Guantanamo is revealing? There are 240 still there, the worst of the worst, those who can't be released, that need to be housed. Even though our SuperMax prisons are probably more than capable of housing them? No, the real problem that it's revealing is something that we need to take a look at:
- The United States, with only 5% of the world's populations, incarcerates 25% of the world's prisoners (all U.S. citizens on state or federal sentences)
- We incarcerate 756 inmates per 100,000 citizens, nearly 5 times the world average. (God, we must be some badass people!) Approximately 1 in every 31 adults.
- We spend $70 billion dollars per year
- Over 16% of the adult inmates housed suffer from mental illness. The rate among juveniles is higher
- 60% of the inmates doing state time for drug offenses have no history of violence.
- 4 out of 5 drug arrests were for possession, not sales
- 56% of those doing state time for drug offenses are African-American
. . . .How much longer do we want to avoid dealing with it?
. . . .From CNN, 5 private U.S. security contractors are being held in the murder of another U.S. security contractor last month in the Green Zone. When are we going to stop paying mercenaries and allow the U.S. military to do it's job? It dishonors us to pay them, and, pulling the history card out, was one of the key items in the fall of the Roman Empire, when their mercenaries finally turned against them. Anyone remember the Hessians and how much help they were to the British in our own revolution? Turned on the Brits. Mercs kill for money, period. They have no allegiance to a flag, or a Nation.
. . . The climate crisis isn't going to be solved in little increments, not any more, nor by politics. It's why I like the choice of Chu for Energy Secretary, from the New Republic:
. . . .A somber reminder of what people are capable of.
. . . .The round-up of the Sunday talking heads can be found here.
. . .And while I'm at it, let me tell you that Tarwater and Charla have been down there at Hawkwind for over 2 decades, providing a safe space and giving folks the opportunities for personal growth and transformation. They, along with Lulu are always a blast to hang out with. Charla has some new programs that she's starting up, check her out at the Blue Star Portal., where she's got some great new programs up and rolling.
. . . .Charla sends this one along about a Gathering of Seers down at Hawkwind, and upcoming mystery school. Check it out.
. . . As always, for great ink and rockin' good time, check Tarwater and Lulu out at the Red Queen, up in Chattanooga, TN.
. . . And another shout right here for Mary Thunder, down at Thunder Ranch, who sends along notes of encouragement to keep this going and keep on keeping on. Mary does good stuff down there, especially in helping people in recovery find a path to spirituality that works for them and speaks to them. Keep it up Mary.
. . . .This one is personally important to me. I went to wonderful high school, where I was given an opportunity to participate not just in sports and academics, but be part of the arts as well, being in high school plays, debate, forensics, the works. I think, if you're a regular reader, you know how passionate I am about music, (turn the volume knob UP on your computer if you don't know it by now, you'll figure it out pretty quickly), it's vital and important, music carries our soul as a society, and not everyone can be a musician, but they can be part of spreading it out and it's messages. Aimee sends this along, to help save 45 years of education radio after school, and I urge you to support it.
. . . . .Kiss your kids, tell the ones you love out loud that you do, seize the precious moments before they slip through your hands, this rodeo is a one-way ticket and no one gets out alive, and we don't get to dictate the terms and circumstances of how the ticket gets punched. It's not about yesterday, or tomorrow, it's about right here, right now. This ain't no dress rehearsal, so go change yourself and change your world, the world around you will change.
The Desolation Angel
[where: Hell, Michigan 48137]
. . . . .OK, fast Sunday morning round-up, lots to do today
. . . . .Sunday round-up here, including Liz Cheney (seriously, who invited you?) declaring that Obama "wants to hold hands with the terrorists" after his speech in Cairo (was she listening to the same one?) to the now-famous disconnect with her father, who finally, this week, admitted that there was no connection between Al-Quaeda and Iraq. Liz, 24 hours later, resurrected that claim. Catch it here.
. . . . .OK, OK, OK, history lesson again. Saddam Hussein was put in power by George Herbert Walker Bush while he was the director of the CIA under Reagan, basically in an effort to keep the Ayatollah Khomeini in check over in Iran, after the disaster of the hostages under Carter. Saddam Hussein sucessfully (??) prosecuted the Iran-Iraq war, resulting in the loss of millions on both sides, but successfully occupying Iran and keeping it in check. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, in Saudi Arabia, a member (incredibly wealthy) member of the Royal Family, was recruiting young Saudis to his cause, a luxury he could afford since he was rich, and had time to blame his incredible wealth on the West. Saddam Hussein, over in Iraq, was Ba'athist, a totally secular party, and was really enjoying the wealth he was accumulating, and doing some real hating on the Suunis and Shiites, and coincidentally, doing some real hating on Osama Bin Laden, the member of the Royal Family I refer to, since he'd gone all fundamentalist. Bin Laden successfully pulled off 9/11 using Saudi males between the ages of 19 and 35, and melted off into the highlands of Afghanistan and Pakistan, where the Taliban, his soulmates, had their stronghold. Pappa Bush, smartly, didn't go all the way into Baghdad the first time, upon the urging of Colin Powell, and essentially, held the balance of power in the region stable, by allowing Saddam Hussein, the resources he needed to keep Iran in check. This made Bush Sr.'s playmates, Cheney and Rumsfeld mad, so the second time around, with a willing patsy in George, Jr., Darth Cheney and Darth Rumsfeld see untold riches in Iraq's oil and convince George, Jr. to take out the man his father had put into power in the first place, and completely ignore the real criminal behind 9/11, the man who attacked us on our own soil and killed 3,000, Bin Laden who was roaming the highlands of Afghanistan and Pakistan and growing stronger. Hussein is found in a rathole, Iraq falls, Admadinejad gains power in Iran, in league with the Ayatollah, becomes the major player in the region and has nukes. Meanwhile, Bin Laden is still alive, in league with the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and growing stronger and now 60 miles from Islamabad.
. . . What did Dick manage to accomplish during all of this? Shoot his best friend in the face while bird hunting and force Colin Powell out.
. . . Someone want to forward this column to Liz? If I need to, I can use simpler sentences and smaller words.
. . . .OMG! OMG! According to Newt Gingrich yesterday, at an event called "Rediscovering God in America", Americans are "surrounded by paganism.
. . . .I hope so
. . . .What are you going to do Newt? Send a couple of smallpox infested blankets to my house? Or mayhaps a conquistador or two accompanied by a good friar or Father to torture me into accepting your version of God? Before killing me?
. . . .And the annals of lunacy just keep on rolling. Congressman Todd Akin, from Missouri, sent an e-mail to his constituents yesterday warning of an imminent nuclear attack on Seattle. Obvious genius and future Jeopardy contestant at work here. Though admitting that North Korea doesn't have intercontinental capability (don't their missles just aimlessly fall into the Sea of Japan for no known reason?), he does provide a map showing Seattle as Ground Zero. HOLY SHIT! What about my Starbucks?
. . . . .The real problem that Guantanamo is revealing? There are 240 still there, the worst of the worst, those who can't be released, that need to be housed. Even though our SuperMax prisons are probably more than capable of housing them? No, the real problem that it's revealing is something that we need to take a look at:
- The United States, with only 5% of the world's populations, incarcerates 25% of the world's prisoners (all U.S. citizens on state or federal sentences)
- We incarcerate 756 inmates per 100,000 citizens, nearly 5 times the world average. (God, we must be some badass people!) Approximately 1 in every 31 adults.
- We spend $70 billion dollars per year
- Over 16% of the adult inmates housed suffer from mental illness. The rate among juveniles is higher
- 60% of the inmates doing state time for drug offenses have no history of violence.
- 4 out of 5 drug arrests were for possession, not sales
- 56% of those doing state time for drug offenses are African-American
. . . .How much longer do we want to avoid dealing with it?
. . . .From CNN, 5 private U.S. security contractors are being held in the murder of another U.S. security contractor last month in the Green Zone. When are we going to stop paying mercenaries and allow the U.S. military to do it's job? It dishonors us to pay them, and, pulling the history card out, was one of the key items in the fall of the Roman Empire, when their mercenaries finally turned against them. Anyone remember the Hessians and how much help they were to the British in our own revolution? Turned on the Brits. Mercs kill for money, period. They have no allegiance to a flag, or a Nation.
. . . The climate crisis isn't going to be solved in little increments, not any more, nor by politics. It's why I like the choice of Chu for Energy Secretary, from the New Republic:
While it may sound inevitable in retrospect, big breakthroughs like that don't come along too often. Nowadays, though, Chu is betting that they will-- and must. As the U.S. energy secretary, Chu has been tasked with reshaping the country's trillion-dollar energy economy, to reduce America's reliance on fossil fuels and cut greenhouse-gas emissions 80 percent or more by mid-century- -essential to avoiding catastrophic climate change. It's an enormous goal, and Chu believes the only way to achieve it is with multiple Nobel-caliber leaps in energy technology. "I mean technology that is game-changing, as opposed to merely incremental," he told Congress in March--technology that, as a recent Department of Energy (DOE) task force described it, will require an understanding of basic physics and chemistry "beyond our present reach.". . . .Something I urge you read in full. This week's visit to the concentration camps by the President, his powerful speech, his commemoration yesterday of D-Day, serve as reminders of man's bravery and courage, but should also serve as reminders of man's inhumanity to man. Christopher Buckley visited Auschwitz with his father, William F. Buckley and had never written of it until now:
You go through the visitors center and there it is. You’ve seen it in photographs a hundred times, the famous gate: “Arbeit Macht Frei.” Work will set you free. The idea was to be reassuring, unlike the slogan Dante hung over the entrance to his hell, “Abandon hope all ye who enter here.” Put in an honest day and everything will be all right. Counterproductive to panic the arrivals. Here, and up the road, in Birkenau, they thought through all the details, down to the numbered hooks in the dressing rooms outside the gas chambers. The SS jollied you along. Remember which hook you hang your clothes on so you’ll be able to get find them after the shower. And don’t forget to put your shoes underneath so you’ll be able to get them, too. You’re a shoemaker? Great, we need shoemakers. At Auschwitz, they even had a prisoner orchestra playing inside the gate. It helped keep order. Good for morale, too. How bad could it be, if they greeted you with music?
It’s February and gray. The poplar trees that line the avenues between the cellblocks are bare. The swimming pool—See? We even have a swimming pool!—that was to impress the Red Cross is covered with dirty ice. Crows, gallows. It’s hands-in-the-pockets cold, but would you want to see this in springtime, with blossoms and sweet earth smells?
Our guide is Jarek. Mid-forties, fluent English, dark mustache, knit cap. He grew up in Oswiecim. He speaks precisely, in a low, clear voice without emotion for nearly six hours, except for twice, once outside Block 10 and inside Block 11. We pass under Arbeit Macht Frei. He indicates a grassy strip. “Here is where they gave the welcome speech. They said, ‘You dirty Poles, this isn’t a sanitorium. There’s only one way out—through the chimney of crematorium. Jews, you have three weeks. Priests, one month. Three months for the rest of you.”
. . . .A somber reminder of what people are capable of.
. . . .The round-up of the Sunday talking heads can be found here.
. . .And while I'm at it, let me tell you that Tarwater and Charla have been down there at Hawkwind for over 2 decades, providing a safe space and giving folks the opportunities for personal growth and transformation. They, along with Lulu are always a blast to hang out with. Charla has some new programs that she's starting up, check her out at the Blue Star Portal., where she's got some great new programs up and rolling.
. . . .Charla sends this one along about a Gathering of Seers down at Hawkwind, and upcoming mystery school. Check it out.
. . . As always, for great ink and rockin' good time, check Tarwater and Lulu out at the Red Queen, up in Chattanooga, TN.
. . . And another shout right here for Mary Thunder, down at Thunder Ranch, who sends along notes of encouragement to keep this going and keep on keeping on. Mary does good stuff down there, especially in helping people in recovery find a path to spirituality that works for them and speaks to them. Keep it up Mary.
. . . .This one is personally important to me. I went to wonderful high school, where I was given an opportunity to participate not just in sports and academics, but be part of the arts as well, being in high school plays, debate, forensics, the works. I think, if you're a regular reader, you know how passionate I am about music, (turn the volume knob UP on your computer if you don't know it by now, you'll figure it out pretty quickly), it's vital and important, music carries our soul as a society, and not everyone can be a musician, but they can be part of spreading it out and it's messages. Aimee sends this along, to help save 45 years of education radio after school, and I urge you to support it.
Many of you have met my sister Jenny or at least heard about her.. . . .Some days it all just sucks, and it doesn't look like there are any solutions, but those are the days, you suck it up, strap it on and go out into the fray and put one foot in front of the other, those days pass, and it gets better, you find out that you're not alone, and there are real solutions.
She's a good teacher and this is a good program. She loves her kids
and goes above and beyond for them and the radio station has always
been open for them.
California - you may not make it here, but please send an email and
share with friends. Course, you could always come for a visit, would
love to see most of you:)
Want to come with or meet me there? Let me know. This is a good
cause and community. If you can't make it, please email the
superintendent
WPHS 89.1 FM
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
7:30pm - 10:30pm
Warren Consolidated School Administration Building
31300 Anita
Warren, MI
Tell the Warren Consolidated School board why WPHS should stay on the
air. Are you a listener, an alumni, a current student, a parent or
just a fan of local radio? WCS is trying to shut down their student
run radio station after school- which will effectively kill the
program, eliminate the one place many kids have to go, and quiet the
voices of hundreds of future broadcasters.
Can't make it? email the superintendent
livernois@wcskids.net
or any of the board members
http://www.wcs.k12.mi.us/content/boardofed.htm
with your opinion.
Thanks
Aimee
. . . . .Kiss your kids, tell the ones you love out loud that you do, seize the precious moments before they slip through your hands, this rodeo is a one-way ticket and no one gets out alive, and we don't get to dictate the terms and circumstances of how the ticket gets punched. It's not about yesterday, or tomorrow, it's about right here, right now. This ain't no dress rehearsal, so go change yourself and change your world, the world around you will change.
The Desolation Angel
[where: Hell, Michigan 48137]
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