I just got here too...

Don't think about it (maybe it will go away)

2012-01-19T10:27:00.000-08:00

Call of Life is the first feature-length documentary to fully investigate the growing threat posed by the rapid and massive loss of biodiversity on the planet. Featuring leading scientists, social scientists, environmentalists and others, the film explores the scope, the causes, and the predicted global impact of a mass extinction occurring on a scale not seen since the disappearance of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

If current trends continue, scientists warn that half or more of all plant and animal species on Earth will become extinct within the next few decades. Entirely caused by human activities, this contemporary mass extinction is disrupting and destroying the complex, interconnected biological systems that support life on earth.

Through interviews with eminent biologists and ecologists, the film examines the primary drivers of species loss: habitat destruction, global warming, pollution, and invasive species, all compounded by the expanding human population and our consumption patterns.

Call of Life tells the story not only of a crisis in nature, but also in human nature. In interviews with psychologists, anthropologists, and historians, the film looks beyond the immediate causes of the mass extinction to consider how cultural and economic myths, along with deep-seated behavioral patterns have allowed this crisis to develop, continue to reinforce it, and even determine our response to it.

Call of Life examines the collective and individual choices we have before us, and how the decisions we make -- or fail to make -- in the next decade will affect the habitability of Earth possibly for millions of years to come.

Visit the website The Video Project for more info>>

Free Speech Done Right

2012-01-19T06:19:00.000-08:00

This is what the LOVE police are about... Realise who and what you are as an amazing race of beings... Stop letting your life cloud your soul from being free...!

Step right up and watch as one man in London with a megaphone and a cheeky sense of humor gives voice to the many narratives of consumerism—e.g., “Meditation is a waste of good shopping time!”—and has some fun at the local police’s expense while he’s at it. —KA

Original link from Truthdig.com.

Y U NO - SOPA

2012-01-18T12:20:00.000-08:00

Y U NO - SOPA

For those unaware of SOPA and the internet censorship it would potentially bring to the web down http://americancensorship.org/

Darque Wing on the Decline of America

2012-01-06T12:51:00.000-08:00

Here's a good measure to see just how far America has declined: in the last century, the nation undertook major initiatives to expand the infrastructure that helped to create the mega-economy that we once had. For example, the electrification of rural America - it was a huge financial risk, but the federal government was responsible for bringing electricity to much of rural America. Businesses had already sprung up to deliver electricity to cities, but business interests saw it as too expensive with too little return to bring electricity out to the rest of the country - an initiative that completely changed life in states like Iowa, which have no metropolitan centers and thus would still be ignored by power companies if it weren't for the 1936 Rural Electrification Act.

Or the interstate highways - like electricity, these roads serve as an integral part of the social and commercial lives of Americans. No corporation would have laid out the enormous cost of building such a highway network, and they certainly wouldn't have allowed anyone to use it for free. And yet, since the passage of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, championed by Eisenhower (a Republican pushing for massive federal spending! gasp!), we've built more than 46,000 miles of interstate highway. Without it, our way of life would cease to exist in about 24 hours - that much of our business is conducted with the help of travel, that much of our food is delivered by truck, that much of our lives depend on mobility.

When Kennedy called for a moon shot, the technology and expertise to create and use it simply didn't exist. But that one call, and plenty of government funding, created a push for education in math and science like none before. A generation of engineers, designers, materials scientists, physicists, and cosmologists was eagerly trained and put on the job, all on the government dime. Not only did we get to the moon in style, we achieved historical advancements in everything from plastics to aerospace design to communications, advancements that became some of the most essential technologies of our day.

So what are we doing now to build the infrastructure of tomorrow, to spur on the economic activity of the 21st century and beyond? Fuck all, that's what. We're letting the bridges and highways that our grandparents built decay. We're desperately seeking back-breaking austerity measures and chasing the dreams of people who sincerely wish for a return to the values (and, apparently, standard of living) of the 18th century. Not only are we ignoring the projects that could create as much opportunity in the future as rural electrification and highways did last century, but we're actually taking a step backward by not maintaining the infrastructure we do have.

What are the projects of tomorrow we're ignoring so that we can debate how best to deliver tax breaks to billionaires? For one, the internet. With SOPA, our leaders have declared war on the internet, stifling it just to make sure nobody gets free music. Meanwhile, thanks to lack of competition (functionally identical to a monopoly state), telecommunications companies are charging customers outrageous fees for access to "high-speed" internet access (most of which is carried on the cable system from the telegraph era, the very best of late-nineteenth-century tech). Meanwhile, those nasty socialist countries - you know, the ones with governments that spend tax money on social programs instead of oil wars? - are building the internet infrastructure of tomorrow, with speeds many times what we see here in America, and for a much lower cost, if any. And it isn't just about letting people log onto Facebook or looking at porn, either - billions of dollars in business every day count on the internet for everything from ordering to internal communications to advertising. If we looked at the internet like our mid-twentieth-century counterparts, our Congress would be looking to create a federally-funded fiberoptic network of astronomical speed, and then delivering it across the country - all as a public utility, in the interest of improving the social and commercial lifestyle of tomorrow.

But no, instead of creating the environment in which everyone prospers, we're more interested in de-funding everything to afford more tax breaks for rich people. People talk about the decline of America, as if it has something to do with gays getting married or how many "czars" the President appoints. Bull. If you want to see just how much America has declined, look no further than the difference between how we used to embrace opportunity and how we now quash it.

Sorry, I nodded off...

2011-12-13T09:06:00.000-08:00

My Beloved Mother's Passing

2011-12-06T15:50:00.000-08:00

SARAH FRANCES URBAN
September 15th, 1925 - December 4th, 2011

My precious mother died last Sunday just past 11:00 a.m. CST. She has been at war with cancer, winning two battles over the past decade, first with breast cancer in 1999, again in 2003 and succumbing to her final fight, bone cancer, starting last Thanksgiving. It was a blessing that she was never in any pain from which bone cancer is notorious.

She was adjusting well to living alone without my dad, Bob Urban who died in July, at the Atria Willow Park independent living community where she, not surprisingly, made many friends, going to the many activities there, not to mention visits from her sons, daughter-in-laws, nieces, nephews and grandchildren.

About a week or so ago, she began having shortness of breath, weakness and loss of appetite, where eventually a CT scan confirmed the cancer had spread to her lungs and was sent home with the assessment that she had time to settle her affairs. She was weak from the loss of appetite and breathing difficulty, so I decided to stay overnight with Travis and Connor to keep watch over her. On Saturday, her at home healthcare nurse took one look at her and told me that she needed to go to Hospice now and with her help, got her into Hospice of East Texas Home Place. We all thought we had enough time to make adjustments to moms changed condition, but Mom's call home came Sunday morning. The hospice nurse and I agreed earlier that morning that I had to call the family in immediately. I could see that she was slipping away from me. I called and sent out texts to my Aunt Pic, brothers and Terri, "Mom is dying." I was alone with Mom as I could see her life was fading from her body. Were we going to have to endure this alone?

Just then her baby sister came in and joined me as we held her hands as each breath grew more shallow. I said to her, "Mom, Pid and I are with you. I love you with all my heart. We all love you. You don't have to hold on. You can let go. We're all gong to be okay. Your mother and father are waiting for you along with your sisters. And Dad wants his Francey back. Go to the light... go to the light. I love you Momma."

And the most amazing thing happened. Although Mom was not responsive all morning, she took a deep breath and cried,

"YES!"

Moments later, she took her last breath as she passed into eternity.

Aside from the birth of my children, It was the most precious moment of my life.

I feel so lucky to have the profound gift of being able to call Sarah Frances 'Momma.' I will forever remember her loving voice singing to me as a child,

"Oh, Andy oh, Andy
I love you, I love you, I do.
Oh, Andy oh, Andy
I love you, I love you, it's true!"

and seeing the love pouring from her heart as she did the same to my children. I miss you terribly, mother. I know in the coming days that pain will subside and be replaced with fond memories.

Andrew Allison Urban
December 06, 2011

SARAH FRANCES URBAN

Sarah Frances Urban was born to Dr. John N. Bone and Gaynelle Bailey Bone in Jacksonville, Texas on September 15, 1925. Schools attended were Jacksonville High School - graduating in 1943; Lon Morris College and Trinity University – graduating in 1947; and post-graduate studies at Lamar University. Frances was married to Robert Edward Urban in 1947 in Jacksonville. They lived and worked in Ft. Worth one year before moving to Corpus Christi where they lived for nine years. She taught school there before two of their sons were born. Frances moved with her husband to Port Arthur in 1957, where their third son was born. They lived in the Port Arthur area for 40 years before moving to Tyler in 1997. Frances taught in public and a parochial school for 18 years in all.

While raising a family in Corpus Christi and Port Arthur, Frances was active in the Sunday school, Choir, Bell choir, Presbyterian Women, and Deacons. Memberships in other organizations important to her were the D.R.T. and P.E.O. in Port Arthur and in Tyler. Frances was a Literacy volunteer in Port Arthur and in Tyler. Having used a word processor in Port Arthur for her church and club work, she got a computer when she moved to Tyler, which broadened the possibilities for developing undiscovered talents. A favorite pastime was developed for taking digital pictures and making greeting cards. This enabled her to make birthday cards for her large family of siblings, children and grandchildren with their pictures included. She was able to use her computer skills for the women’s activities of the First Presbyterian Church in Tyler.

Frances, who died December 4, 2011, was preceded in death by her husband, Bob, of 64 years. She is survived by son David, and wife Melissa, grandchildren Michael Thorn-Leeson, wife Jill, and son Parker, and Patricia Thorn-Leeson; son Edward and grandson Zachary; son Andy and wife Terri, and grandsons Justin, Travis, and Connor.

Two sisters preceded Frances in death: Kathryn Chatfield, Anna Ruth Beall and Minerva Bassett. Frances is survived by one brother, Robert Bone, and one sister Mary Alice Adamson; 14 nieces and nephews, and many other relatives and friends.

Memorial Service will be held Saturday, December 10, 2011 at 1:30 at First Presbyterian Church in Tyler, Texas. Reception to follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to The Children’s Day Care Ministry at First Presbyterian Church.

Pope_Benedict_Emperor_Reflection

2011-11-10T17:03:00.001-08:00

Pope_Benedict_Emperor_Reflection, originally uploaded by androidny.

In light of the Penn State scandal, I wonder if it will turn out like the Catholic church scandal? Money over morality?

Stewart: ‘What the f*ck happened in Oakland?’

2011-10-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

Once again, Stewart drives the point home with a velvet sledgehammer and whoopee-cushion.

Infographic: Why China is Kicking Our Ass in Clean Tech | One Block Off the Grid: The Smart New Way to Go Solar

2011-10-27T09:25:00.000-07:00

by Shannon, posted on July 20th, 2011.

As the European Union announced today that they are seeking funding for the Greek bailout from outside countries such as China... meanwhile back at the Ranch, the US is fighting over the dwindling scraps from fossil fuels, spending TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS to secure the finite black gold, our Most Favored Nation spends $1 on renewables for every $4 in defense as the US spends $1 for every $41. As we squabble over tax-cuts for the top 1% and blame our woes on teachers, immigrants and social security, we sink deeper in hock to our red neighbors who fill the shelves for us at Wal-Mart for pennies on the dollar at the compared of our labor workforce. And what about responding to the economic crisis and our whining about Obama wanting to pour money into our crumbling infrastructure?

"In China, a 4 trillion yuan ($586 billion) stimulus package launched when the global financial crisis slowed exports is already bearing fruit. The Communist Party's routine suppression of public dissent means projects tend to get done – and quickly."Click here to view the original post

Andy_Berm_Blowup_PI

2011-10-22T08:06:00.001-07:00

Andy_Berm_Blowup_PI, originally uploaded by androidny.

I hear a Bruce Springsteen song for some reason...

Chris Hedges: "This one could take them all down." Hedges on OWS

2011-10-19T15:17:00.000-07:00

Of all people to acknowledge that this movement has traction is encouraging to say the least.

When Jesse LaGreca was asked about what kind of advice to give if you are interviewed at these events he said,

“One: be camera ready. Have your camera on you so if there is a media slant, you can capture it.

Two: have a coherent message. Tell people exactly why you are here…not what other people are doing. The overarching theme here is that people are being screwed, but that can’t be summed up in a soundbite-ready statement. However if you tell the media your personal story, it’s the most touching, the most effective way to communicating to people why they should be here as well.”

Chris knocked his interview out of the park.

They just want to have a party

2011-10-19T06:47:00.000-07:00

OWS movement through the corporate MSM's eyes. Nothing to see here but a bunch of lazy hippie kooks... move along.
Source: RT.COM

1 Marine vs. 30 Cops (Marine Wins)

2011-10-17T21:43:00.000-07:00

United States Marine Corps. Sgt. Shamar Thomas from Roosevelt, NY went toe to toe with the New York Police Department. An activist in the Occupy Wall Street movement, Thomas voiced his opinions of the NYPD police brutality that had and has been plaguing the #OWS movement.

Thomas is a 24-year-old Marine Veteran (2 tours in Iraq), he currently plays amateur football and is in college.

Thomas comes from a long line of people who sacrifice for their country: Mother, Army Veteran (Iraq), Step father, Army, active duty (Afghanistan), Grand father, Air Force veteran (Vietnam), Great Grand Father Navy veteran (World War II).

NAKED GIRLS!

2011-10-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

Now that I have your attention, I know most of you don't care or disagree with my views, but take a few minutes to watch this video. This is what's at the core of the 99% movement. It just may well be the most succinct argument about what the financial crisis is all about and why if WE DON'T DO SOMETHING TO STOP IT will destroy the American Dream.

LeakyQuote

2011-10-15T20:24:00.001-07:00

LeakyQuote, originally uploaded by androidny.

meadquote

2011-10-15T20:05:00.001-07:00

meadquote, originally uploaded by androidny.

IMG_0001

2011-10-15T06:21:00.001-07:00

IMG_0001, originally uploaded by androidny.

My grandfather took this picture almost 100 years ago while in NYC. I found this in a stack of old negatives in a box of my great aunt's mementos having no idea what it was. I sat there stunned after the image was rendered on the computer screen. Click on the image to see more.

Found on the Fox News Editing Floor

2011-10-07T13:40:00.000-07:00

WHO IS THIS GUY, AND WHY ISN'T HE THE OFFICIAL OCCUPY WALL STREET SPOKESPERSON?

OK, I found more info:

A Fox News producer and a protester with the Occupy Wall Street Movement had a testy exchange in an interview that didn't make it onto the air.

A member of the movement's media team sent the New York Observer footage of Jesse LaGreca, the protester, politely but pointedly criticizing Fox News, as well as Griff Jenkins, the producer asking him questions. (Fox News has sent several producers and correspondents to the New York encampment; much of the coverage has leaned toward negativity or mockery.)

The video shows Jenkins asking LaGreca if the movement took any cues from the protests in Greece and Europe. "I’d say that we didn’t take our cue leading off of anybody really," LaGreca says. "It became a more spontaneous movement." He then turns his sights on Jenkins, and on Fox News itself.

"It’s fun to talk to the propaganda machine and the media, especially conservative media networks such as yourself, because we find that we can't get conversations for the Department of Justice’s ongoing investigation of News Corporation, for which you are an employee," he says.

"We’re here giving you an opportunity on the record … to put any message you want out there, to give you fair coverage," Jenkins responds. "...You wouldn’t be able to get your message out there without us."

"Take for instance when Glenn Beck was doing his protest and he called the President a person who hates white people and white culture,"LaGreca says. "That was a low moment in Americans’ history and you guys kinda had a big part in it. So, I’m glad to see you coming around and kind of paying attention to what the other 99 percent of Americans are paying attention to."

Source: Huffington Post

Johnny Cash - Hurt

2011-08-12T11:30:00.000-07:00

This video gets me every time I see it - especially now after my father's passing.

Johnny Cash's cover of "Hurt" was released on his 2002 album, American IV: The Man Comes Around. The line "crown of shit" was changed to "crown of thorns", like Reznor's censored-for-radio version, not only removing profanity from the lyrics, but also more directly referencing Christ and Cash's devout Christianity. The cover was released on a single with the B-side "Personal Jesus", a cover of the Depeche Mode single. Rick Rubin later claimed in an interview with Q Magazine that he could not bring himself to listen to the recording for months after Cash died.^{[citation needed]}

Domestic Violence Ad

2011-01-28T10:03:00.001-08:00

Domestic Violence Ad, originally uploaded by Stefan M Nilsson.

Amnesty International makes an ad here with punch... so to speak. They need to do something like this about torture.

Moments in Time

2011-01-28T06:31:00.000-08:00

I am currently scanning some negatives

from my grandfather that are almost 100 years old.

Kay Bonner & Carol Urban in front of my great grandfather
Rev. C.E.W Smith's Parsonage in Bullard, TX

Rev. & Mrs. C.E.W. Smith

I was scratching around on Google just now and found this:

PHILLIPS -- On the 16th day of October, 1880, Grace May PHILLIPS, daughter of A.J. and Louella M. PHILLIPS.

Little Gracie was born March 19, 1879. She has gone to join her little brother Charlie, whose obituary stands next above, and who just before he died, said "look papa, look," pointing around as if seeing a vision in which he thought he recognized his little sister, "there's Gracie May." Gracie died after 4 days' illness, or congestion of the lungs. We deeply sympathize with the bereaved parents, in the loss of both of their dear children. They have none left to cheer their home. We knew them and loved them. But who loves like a father
or mother? May they go to Him whose mission is to bind up the
broken heart and healthe wounded spirit. --C.E.W. SMITH

Gripping scene from the movie "God on Trial".

2011-01-25T12:31:00.000-08:00

The usual answer to these questions is that "We are incapable of understanding God's wisdom." Or, "Our suffering here on Earth will be rewarded in Heaven." But I take the prosecutor's stance on what Moses should have done when Yahweh commanded blood sacrifice of his son.

Dear Christian (or anyone else for that matter)

2011-01-10T12:14:00.000-08:00

Things are so much simpler when you look at life from a natural

point of view instead of a spiritual one. Here is my world view:

There are no supernatural beings – not Gods, not angels, not demons
There are no miracles, no mystical elements, no revelations
Natural phenomena is… natural, things happen because they do
Humanity is beautiful - there is more good in the world than bad
We live, we die, we create our own meaning in life

Try walking around one day with that view of life and see what happens.

Yelling fire in a crowded theater? What did she expect?

2011-01-09T09:04:00.000-08:00

Do you think the recent massacre of men, women and a child in Arizona is going to be an isolated incident?

Shortly after Obama was elected by a landslide victory, I was the local pool hall we frequent listening to some very disappointed East Texans expressing their disdain. Then one guy (I forget who) asked me if I wanted to get into the assassination pool. "A what?" I asked. He replied, "Well, we're betting on how long Obama will last before he gets a cap in his nigger ass." I of course declined.

Am I surprised Congresswoman got one through her brain? The dangerous rhetoric spewing out of Palin's mouth pours gasoline on the smoldering anger, fear and hate that is bred into these people. Believe me, there's a LOT of them in this neck of the woods. These racist, bigoted bastards may be stoopid, but they're excellent marksmen. The Secret Service can do only so much. It's only a matter of time.

Do You Get Discouraged?

2010-05-23T02:13:00.000-07:00

It seems quite evident that this nation, The United States, has never quite lived up to it's reputation. In fact in numerous cases we have failed miserably to be the place where one would find "...liberty and justice for all." Not only do we fail to deliver to our own but we tend to promote pain suffering death and misery to many other places around the world.

As a nation, we seem offended by any criticism. We don't want to hear it from other nations and we damned sure don't want to hear it form our own people. If an American criticizes American, that person is considered a traitor!

Our flaws and failures are so numerous that to someone who cares it seems overwhelming. It creates a sense of disillusionment. We seem to constantly tout and sing our good points only to realize that we are fooling ourselves. Most others see us for what we are...arrogant, self centered, and greedy.

The majority of foreigners seem to admire many elements of American society and culture but still hold a sense of dismay that we do certain things around the world that we do. They wonder how we could be so callused and self serving...so willing to exploit anyone anywhere to get our way. We seem so willing to dictate to everyone how they should conduct their matters of policy,

yet are unwilling to live by the same policies we demand of others.

Should a nation base its policies on mere self-interest? Should a moral standard be an essential element of a nations policies both at home and abroad?

We have so many good laws on our books and in our history...but we do not enforce them. We virtually ignore white collar crime. We visit war crimes on innocent civilians around the world and no one is held accountable. We created a climate of human torture from the highest levels of government, yet no official has been held accountable, or placed on trial. Its as if the catch phrase "National Security" is the excuse for doing any thing we want whether its legal or not. Our government violates our bill of rights every single day and no one seems able to stop it. We have traded off the most precious founding ideas of the nation. ...and for what? To make money? Our nation is a great whore...not out of desperation but out of greed.

Many Americans would love to see a drastic change in all this! Many work to that end...but it seems we make little progress. What's wrong? People do have a sense of morality. Why cannot that sense of right be applied to our government?

Do you get discouraged with this endless battle.........because it seems that we are loosing it?

We should never give up making our world a better place. We should demand morality from our government not the promotion of our "national interests".

Big Hotel

2010-05-04T14:16:00.000-07:00

From the page: "Big Hotel is a 4 piece band that plays the "Rock That You Forgot".

The band's main focus is music from the 80's. We try to avoid the usual top 40 or classic rock cover band material; but our sets also include the best of the 60's and 70's as well."

Big Hotel is a must see if you are in the Tyler area. The band members include:

Diane Gatewood - Vocals
Mark Lumpkin - Bass Guitar & Vocals
Bruce Adams - Guitars & Vocals
Hank Gatewood - Drums

Every member brings an incredible energy to the performance. Diane, Mark, Bruce and Hank play with years of professional experience and it shows.

When Grandfather Speaks

2010-04-30T05:49:00.000-07:00

When Grandfather Speaks
(click to view full image)

I can feel the great love and respect for the grandfather in this painting. Ironic this culture was destroyed by the Christian white man who professed to honor thy father and mother. As a matter of fact, this realization is what put me on the path of rejecting western thought and religion. The native American tribal culture had what I consider the closest thing to a perfect order that man has ever had... and probably ever will.

The Science Behind The Haiti Earthquake

2010-02-05T05:36:00.000-08:00

From the page: "We take a closer look at the science behind the Haiti earthquake of 12th February 2009 – as well as other earthquakes. For the first time here on GSGE we interview leading experts;

Prof. Timothy Dixon from Geodesy Lab at University of Miami: published an article already back in 1998 revealing the risks of earthquakes in Haiti. He works with both Paul Mann from University of Texas who in 2008 confirmed that the risks were eminent, and Eric Calais, Purdue University who manages the GPS network that monitor tectonic plate movements in Haiti. These three groups have sent geodesists with GPS equipment, to Haiti where they gather data that will reveal the crustal movements caused by the quake. You can follow this National Science Foundation funded team via their blog.

Ass. Prof. William Hammond from University of Nevada in Reno: Explains how they use GPS to monitor plate movements – and earthquake swarms. Bill Hammond also appears in National Geographic’s Naked Science: Earthquake Swarms.

Dr. Amir Kaynia from the International Centre for Geohazards in Oslo, Norway: Talks about the difference between predictions and early warning and discuss other geohazards connected to earthquakes."

Bente is a SUPERSTAAAAAAH! Boy, I better get an autograph from her before the celebrity bug bites her and she gets all uppity. ;-)

I encourage everyone to visit Astrocast.TV. Fascinating site where you'll learn the science behind the technology used by space-based instruments and how they are used to help us benefit from them.

A Green Space - A Green Earth - with Bente Lilja Bye

2010-01-23T19:32:00.000-08:00

Bente Lilja Bye

Astrophysicist and Earth Science Expert

Bente is one of the small handfull of my StumbleUpon friends who I would love to meet one day... Maybe we could swap cowboy boots for a Viking helmet?

From the page: "Creating advanced technology and growing in numbers, humans are able to make big changes of the surface of our planet; so-called re-engineering Earth. Reducing rain forest or rapid urbanization are two good examples. This re-engineering even influences the climate. Many of these manifestations of human activity are visible from space and provides us with a helpful perspective that are useful for when we try to manage the planets resources."

Androidny Droiding with His New Droid

2010-01-20T19:11:00.000-08:00

NASA Video of the 7 Sisters

2010-01-16T13:20:00.000-08:00

Never a Year Like '09

2010-01-08T06:32:00.000-08:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Veterans Day 2009 – A Personal Commentary

2009-11-12T07:19:00.000-08:00

Dave Collins (Left) with vets
© 2007 Andy Urban

A couple of days ago a well meaning guy I know sent me a note about the Andy Rooney commentary on the Nov. 8^th broadcast of 60 Minutes. Rooney, speaking as a veteran of WW II, decried the glorification of war on a holiday established to celebrate the end of WW I – what we now call Veterans Day but which was originally called Armistice Day. While I applaud and fully support Rooney’s call to “re-brand” the holiday as “No War Day,” his commentary touched a raw nerve I know he never intended; and neither did the guy who sent the message to me originally. Rooney also used the term “small wars” to describe those in which this country has engaged – almost continuously – since WW II. That reference became my point of departure for this

commentary.

As a veteran of one of those "small wars" in which we dropped more explosives from the air than in all of WW II and in which we killed between 2 and 3 million people (but I mean, what's a million "gooks" give or take?), I would just as soon see Veterans Day abolished all together. I would also like to see yellow ribbon stickers outlawed along with "We Support the Troops" signs in business and all the other feel good BS of that ilk.

Why would I say such a thing? Well, let's consider.

Following the Revolutionary War (Britain's "War on Terror") the soldiers of the long suffering Colonial Army had been promised land to farm (which would have meant, for many, the ability to vote in the new nation they fought to found). But, many never saw their land, having been swindled out of it. You would know the names of some of those swindlers, as they are among the "Founding Fathers."

Ten years after the end of the Civil War, reports of homeless and disabled veterans of both armies were common throughout the cities of the country, including Washington D.C. and the home of the Constitution, Philadelphia . By the way, it was after that war that what we now call PTSD was first given a name - it was called "soldier's nostalgia." The nation did little for the homeless or the mentally and physically damaged vets.

Following the "War to End All Wars" we were treated to the sight of 17,000 veterans encamped on the grounds of the nation's capital; the Bonus Army. Promised compensation for their service, they traveled to the Capitol in the midst of the Depression to ask that those payments be accelerated in recognition of the dire conditions facing them and their families. On orders from Hoover, General Douglas McArthur and Major George Patton then led the mounted charge against those veterans, killing some and injuring many. What few possessions the men had were destroyed. Veterans of that war suffered "shell shock" and, according to USMC General Smedley Butler's account, were literally caged like animals (see War is a Racket , full text available at this link).

A nation terrified by the prospect of a return to the Depression conditions that preceded the "Good War" and faced with millions of returning veterans, many from families of standing and power, delivered the GI Bill. That magnificent piece of legislation in a large way created the world into which I was born. I think for most folks like me, it represented what we assumed had always been the standard this nation set for care of returning warriors. When I enlisted in the USMC in 1967, I knew nothing of the abandonment and despair of many veterans of the war we would not even call a war, the "police action" in Korea . That knowledge would only come later. I would also only later learn that great advances had been made in treating what was then called "combat fatigue" among the survivors of WW II. That treatment was called tax exempt bars at the Legion and VFW Halls of the country, where the vets could self-medicate on the cheap.

"We're mad as hell and not going to take it any more" could have been a slogan for the veterans I joined with in 1971. Once the American War in Viet Nam came to an end, Vietnam Veterans Against the War and our less political spin-off Vietnam Veterans of America (founded by Noble Peace Prize winner and "disabled" Marine vet Bobby Muller) set to work to fight for care for those suffering from the effects of Agent Orange and PTSD. We eventually won that war, sort of. At much the same time and under the leadership of Max Cleland, another seriously "disabled" vet from our war, the VA finally - in the late 70s - began to drag itself into the 20th century of medicine, up from the hell holes Bobby and Max found as they fought to recover from paralysis and multiple amputations.

But then came Ronnie Rayguns and by the time the troops returned to the yellow ribbons and hero's welcomes from the massacre in the desert, the VA had slipped back into its under-funded, and too
often vet-hostile norm. The so-called "Gulf War Syndrome" received the same reception as did complaints arising from Agent Orange. At current count, roughly 60% of those who served in Operation Desert Storm have filed claims with the VA, too many of those claims remain in limbo.

It should be unnecessary to recountthe horrors facing the veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, but the reality is that only a very small percent of the US public has any idea what these vets face in combat or on their return home. The under-funded and weak VA inherited by George W. Bush has been decimated by an 8 year frontal assault - culminating with the reign of terror inflicted by VA Secretary Jim Nicholson who believed that most veterans seeking VA services were malingerers. That VA now tells multiple tour veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury, PTSD, Depleted Uranium exposure (another Agent Orange story) or plain-old amputations and spinal injuries, "you'll just have to wait your turn." And that turn is a long, long time in coming, for a great many. For too many, it does not come in time.

And finally, today, I received a copy of the Press Release issued by the U.S. Census Bureau regarding veterans. Among the various facts and figures presented is the median annual income among veterans in 2008; $37,000. Compare that figure with the median annual income reported by that same Census Bureau for the country as a whole; $50,000.

So, from where I sit, this nation can take its Veterans Day banners, parades (from which veterans wishing to express the sentiments embodied in Armistice Day are routinely excluded) and red-banner sales of goods manufactured in China and shove it all where the sun don't shine.

There is nothing about which to be happy on Veterans Day in this country.

Dave Collins

USMC 1967-71

RVN 1968-70

Vietnam Veterans Against the War

Texas Hill Country Contact

Jon Stewart Takes On War Between Obama White House & Fox News

2009-10-30T16:00:00.000-07:00

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

For Fox Sake!

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Health Care Crisis

Once again, Jon Stewart exposes hypocrisy as only he can...

Or why there is no private police insurance...

2009-09-01T14:59:00.000-07:00

Sent to me from a dear friend...

2009-05-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

Galactic Center of Milky Way Rises over Texas Star Party from William Castleman on Vimeo.

I have been through Ft. Davis, only to pass through on a tight schedule. I think of all the thousands of times I wanted to stop to explore a side road only to direct myself back on my straight and narrow path toward the end of my life with only circumstance and my sense of duty to guide me. Yet I miss things such as this. Bente, my dear friend, you remind me of the wonders of Nature and the Universe. I promise you I will take that next side road and seek said wonders.

EOD PLATOON SHOT

2009-05-05T11:13:00.001-07:00

EOD PLATOON SHOT, originally uploaded by bryce_98034.

From the page: "Taken in Fallujah one day before we were ambushed in Ramadi, 6 of my men were killed that day, We went in Twelve Strong. I am now the only Surviving member of my EOD Platoon.

SEMPER FIDELIS MY BROTHERS"

The Primacy of Healing: Politics and Combat Stress in America

2009-04-29T14:04:00.000-07:00

This is perhaps the best writing and analysis I have seen on the issues of readjustment after combat, PTSD and political activism. Boudreau (former Marine captain, OIF veteran) is obviously a very insightful and thoughtful man and I told him so through his web site (link follows essay). Please pass this along, as you think proper.

--Dave Collins

From the page: Iraq war combat veteran US Marine Dave McBee holds his two-year-old son Aiden McBee. Tyler E. Boudreau writes: 'combat stress is, in its own way, a political statement. It is a silent judgment of war (and of society), and that is why the understanding and treatment of it remain perpetually stifled.'"

This is a 'must read' for those who are interested in the nature of our combat veterans' issues upon returning home.

It always amazed me when I encountered people like this when I was in the Air Force. Sgt. Frank Gomes comes to mind. I remember sitting in the back of the flight line crew van at 2 a.m. having wide-ranging discussions on politics, culture and philosophy as the other guys looked on in bewilderment. Just like then, I once again have experienced an 'eye-opening.'

I remember my childhood friend telling about nights when he would be awakened by his WWII D-Day veteran dad's screams in the middle of the night as he relived his experience through nightmares. Only until years later did it occur to me why he might have had the garage closet stocked full of Jax beer. He was an honorable, stoic man who I only saw lose his temper once. It never, ever occurred to us to dilly-dally around if he told us to do something.

Rest in peace Mr. Lewis.

A Green Space - A Green Earth

2009-04-26T03:28:00.001-07:00

This is a presentation from an online friend of mine. How wonderful it is to have a voice to go with the pictures I've seen. I use the geoid model data these scientists are collecting on a frequent basis through my land survey work.

Open-mindedness

2009-04-16T11:11:00.000-07:00

Open-mindedness
Uploaded by totocacapouet

A look at some of the flawed thinking that prompts people who believe in certain non-scientific concepts to advise others who don't to be more open-minded

Prop 8 - The Musical Starring Jack Black as JC

2008-12-04T05:19:00.001-08:00

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

What does the gay community do when faced with religious oppression? Why, make a musical of course!

Folks, this is a good one.

Shrimp anyone? Or are you too busy getting your wife stoned?

What will YOU do for Veteran's Day?

2008-11-10T07:30:00.000-08:00

This is a response I gave to the flickr.com comments from a picture posted by clfhcks

What's interesting is how the commentaries jump to conclusions about what he meant by 'BULL SHIT.'

From the page: "You guys fighting like a bunch of middle-school girls over a guy with your ad hominem diatribes, with the exception of wquatman. Not one of these comments are asking what these guys mean by their flag.

Folks, regardless of what that answer is, we need to pull together to support them not only while they are in harm's way, but when they return. Driving around with a yellow ribbon and attempting to slap down anyone who disagrees with your worldview does not serve our brave men and women in the least.

These guys are hurting. For every dead soldier there are 10 like this one who have returned with obvious wounds like this or not so obvious wounds. Stop this senseless bickering and give your support where it's needed as in veteran's benefits or just someone for these guys to talk to.

Honor the warrior, not the war"

The Real America?

2008-11-09T07:57:00.001-08:00

Credit: John Fraser

Here's a text message I received the other day forwarded from my son's [friends]:

Hallmark is coming out with an Obama Christmas ornament.
Now every family in America can hang a nigger from a tree.

I was at a local pool hall this Friday where I overheard someone say that there is an Obama Assassination pool, where they are betting on the date it will take place. Then I heard another man say, "I just want to say that I'm pro-assassination."

Racism is alive and well here in the Piney Woods of East Texas.

Imagine that.

Electronic Vote Flipping

2008-11-04T07:01:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: Guess what happened when I tried to vote this morning?....

FLIP!

I was voting for the Democratic RR Commissioner candidate Mark Thompson and when I tapped the box, it put a check on the next office race (a democratic candidate). They took the [voting] computer out and put me on the next one which let me vote without any DETECTABLE problem.

Prediction: Massive voter turnout. Polls showing Obama with a double-digit lead in the polls on election day. Exit polls showing Obama with a landslide victory.

McCain wins in an upset,
confounding the experts.
Vice President-elect
Palin declares it a miracle.

We have been warned.

I received two reports this morning of vote flipping, one from Travis County (Austin) and one from Bexar County (S. Antonio). In the second case the individual claimed that after detecting and fixing 5 "flipped" votes they then discovered two more.

dave

Here is what our local Democratic HQ leader wrote in response to this:

Every voting machine in Smith County is programmed by ES&S. All of the ballot programming and PEB programming is done in Nebraska and air-frieghted here for each election (at great expense to the county taxpayers, I hasten to add). I am 100% confident that no one in the county Elections Administrator's office has the knowledge or the ability to do the programming you suggest. Nor do I think any of them would be willing to do such a thing. The folks in Nebraska ... well, I don't trust them at all.

However, I agree that flipping the vote is entirely possible. The scenario you outlined is likely a workable method. This is not news. Believe me, I share your sincere concern, both for Smith County voters and for every other voter in the US who is forced to use these damned machines by the county and/or state legislators who chose them and continue to ignore significant studies which indicate how easily they can be tampered with. Further, our officials, specifically the County Commissioners Court, ignore the many counties and states which have essentially junked their machines in favor of the good old printed ballot.

Until we get control of our local decision-makers, we can either vote on these machines or sit at home and refuse to vote as a protest. I know which of those choices is the better at this point. I am begging for volunteers at each poll to insure the integrity of the process, both inside as appointed Poll Watchers and outside as Election Protection team members and electioneers. Are you willing to step up and work for freedom on Nov. 4?

Sarah Palin Got Pranked (video)

2008-11-03T15:21:00.000-08:00

People laughed out loud upon hearing the audio tape of Quebec comedian Marc-Antoine Audette talking to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as he pretended to be Nicolas Sarkozy, the president of France.

But now, coming as it did just before the election, Palin's obliviousness during the prank phone call cannot be overlooked. If she is that easily duped by some joker obviously dropping clues to let her off the hook, then what does this reveal about her judgment and political street smarts? Reasonable observers can only conclude that she's naïve, easily manipulated and not even close to being ready for prime time.

Palin's heart may be in the right place, but her head is in the Alaskan clouds. Inattention to detail and gullibility are not exactly qualities that help the vice president do a good job. In 2008, at least, Palin simply represents too much of a threat to national security for voters to let her get any closer to Washington that she already is. --updoc1011

Doling it Out... (so to speak)

2008-10-30T13:08:00.000-07:00

Hanging Palin

2008-10-28T15:51:00.000-07:00

INEXCUSABLE!

This kind of idiot stunt negates what the
Democratic Party stands for, Chad.
Especially since this kind of behavior is
EXACTLY what we are trying to stop.

Any questions, dumbass?

Justification for Murder

2008-10-28T08:32:00.000-07:00

"If you can, help others;
if you cannot do that,
at least do not harm them."
-- Dalai Lama

Joseph McCarthy Politics

2008-10-18T09:14:00.000-07:00

OBAMA HATES AMERICA?

Chris Matthews does a great job here exposing the RNC's naked attempt at slander. These are the same tactics that Joseph McCarthy used back in the 50's. We all know where that led. Here we go again.

Folks, I just had a conversation with several people last night that are convinced that Obama will be assassinated. One of them also said that McCain, if elected, will be assassinated and Sarah Palin will become president and set everything straight.

Imagine that.

Whatever the outcome, the next president will inherit a fractured nation where a huge chunk of them will dance in the streets if Obama is picked off with Joe Six-pack's .306 Remmington deer rifle. Thanks to the RNC's propaganda machine, we are teetering on the verge of civil war once again over race. We all know where that led as well.

I guess by these McCarthyism standards, I am now classified as one who 'hates America.' Well, I guess those of you who 'love America' better get busy contacting the DHS to report my 'un-American' activities. For the record, back in July of 1997, I took an oath to 'protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.' I still consider that oath to be in force. To pledge allegiance to some flag is meaningless if 'for which it stands' means something completely different than this precious document. I you regard this country to be something different than upholding the Constitution of the United States, then consider me your sworn enemy.

Here we go again.

IVAW members arrested while attempting to present questions to Obama and McCain

2008-10-16T12:27:00.001-07:00

From the page: "Neither of the candidates have shown real support for soldiers and veterans. We came here to try and get serious questions answered, questions that we as veterans of the Iraq war, have a right to ask, but instead we were arrested. We will continue to ask these questions no matter who is elected. We believe that the time has come to end this war and bring our troops home, and we will be pushing for that no matter what happens in this election." said Jason Lemieux, a former Sergeant in the US Marine Corps and member of IVAW who served three tours in Iraq."

Dear friends and supporters,

Yesterday Veterans For Peace Long Island was privileged to march in
solidarity with the Iraq Veterans Against the War to the front gates
of Hofstra University. As I am sure you are aware, the peaceful march
to express concerns to the Presidential candidates was meet with
unprovoked violence and brutality by the Nassau County Police.
Following a mounted police assault in which we all peaceably moved
back from the front gate of Hofstra, the Police abusively sought out
and arrested members of IVAW. Three veterans were injured in the
assault and taken to local hospitals. In all fifteen demonstrators
were arrested, twelve of them Iraq War veterans.

The Hempstead 15 will be arraigned on November 10 and VFPLI will be
there to stand in solidarity with those who continue to sacrifice so
much for our country. Please remember them and join us
to support our courageous brothers and sisters and to demonstrate to
our representatives that such police brutality will not be tolerated
on Long Island.

Peace and justice for the Hempstead 15.

The following photos are of Nick Morgan, IVAW member, after the above described police assault targeting Iraq veterans exercising their rights to freedom of speech and assembly. His injury is a result of being trampled by one of the police horses. He suffered a broken cheekbone.

The photos were taken by Vietnam Veterans Against the War member Bill Perry.

You can see more on the IVAW site and watch the full coverage on Democracy Now.

Here is an update on the Hempstead 15 from Kris Goldsmith of IVAW, one of the veterans arrested at Hofstra.

On Wednesday, October 15th 2008, a peaceful protest outside the third Presidential Debate at Hofstra University on Long Island was met with violence and misconduct by police.Iraq Veterans Against the War had a clear mission that night: to ensure that the issues most important to Veterans would be at the forefront of the debate. With over 4,183 service members having been killed in Iraq (at the time of the protest), it's unforgivable that the candidates have been allowing the Occupation of Iraq and it's casualties to fall into avoidable talking points instead of focused attention.At 7:00pm the night of the debate, IVAW members led a contingent of a few hundred peaceful protesters to the main gate of Hofstra University. As per our letter to Moderator Bob Scheiffer, because we hadn't received notice that two of our Veterans would be allowed to enter the debate to address the candidates, a small, uniformed contingent of Veterans physically attempted
entry.Immediately police began arresting those who "crossed the line". They then began using horses to physically knock protesters back away from the Hofstra gates.As the order to get back on the sidewalk was being complied to at least one officer charged his horse up the curb, and onto the sidewalk- directly resulting in at least three injuries- including two Iraq Veterans.Nick Morgan, a former Army Sergeant was trampled, knocked out, and had his face crushed by the hoof of a horse.Witnesses say that police left him unconscious on the sidewalk for up to ten minutes before arresting him. Nick, disoriented and obviously suffering a concussion, was initially refused medical treatment beyond a simple piece of gauze taped to his face.When Morgan was escorted onto the bus in handcuffs, he didn't know where he was, or why he was arrested. Police initially refused to bring him to the hospital irregardless of his potentially life threatening condition. It
wasn't until other members of IVAW demanded he be allowed to see a doctor, that the police hesitantly put Nick into an ambulance.At the hospital Morgan received stitches, and it was discovered after an x-ray that his right cheek bone was clearly displaced and pushed back into his skull.After treatment, the semi-conscious Veteran was brought to Nassau County's Headquarters Jail and shackled to a bench with the rest of us. With fifteen in total sitting in the jail, the officers and detectives began taunting and harassing Nick, with all of us witnessing this misconduct by police.We, the "Hempstead 15" were issued the same summons and case number for "disorderly conduct" and "failure to obey a lawful order".On November 10th 2008, the Marine Corps Birthday, and one day before Veterans Day, we will be heard in court. We would like to invite you to come out in support of the very Freedoms granted by the United States Constitution that we swore to uphold and
defend when joining the military.First District Court, County of Nassau, Arraignment Part, 99 Main Street, Hempstead New York 11550 (Room 268)I hope to see you all there, for a Peaceful action.

-Sergeant Kristofer Goldsmith
Iraq Veterans Against the War
"1 of the Hempstead 15"

For those who would like to support the Hempstead 15, here are some suggestions from IVAW

So what can YOU do about it? My fellow veteran brothers need you. We need to call the NY police department and ask them why they would trample IRAQ WAR VETERANS exercising their FREEDOM SPEECH in a peaceful manner. Is this the way members of the military who don the uniform and make an oath to defend the constitution, America, and it's people are treated? We MUST NOT ONLY hold the Police Department accountable but the Presidential Candidates as well for allowing this to happen. THIS IS NOT DEMOCRACY, THIS IS A POLICE STATE.

Below are the numbers. Call now and anytime until November 10th when the court date is set for the detained veterans. Stay posted for a possible action then.

LAWRENCE MULVEY
COMMISSIONER OF POLICE
Public Information Office
516-573-7135
516-573-7138 (24 hour)
516-573-7118 FAX
And the complaint line
Call 516-573-7000 and ask to be connected to the Desk Officer where the incident occurred (Hofstra University).
NC Police Internal Affairs Unit: 516-573-7120
NC District Attorney’s Office, Special Investigations : 516-571-2100
NYS Attorney General, Civil Rights Division: 1-800-771-7755

Thank you for your continued support,

Wendy Barranco
President
IVAW - Los Angeles
Combat Medic
SPC, USA
OIF 05-07
Tikrit, Iraq

Here are the names of those veterans arrested at Hofstra.

A total of ten veterans were arrested during the action, including Matthis Chiroux (Army Sergeant), Kristofer Goldsmith (Army Sergeant), Adam Kokesh (Marine Sergeant), Mike Spinato, Geoff Millard (Army Sergeant), Marlisa Grogan (Marine Captain), Nathan Peld (Navy, 1998-2004), Nick Morgan (Army Sergeant), James Gilligan (Marine Corps, 6 years) and Jose Vasquez (Army & Army Reserves, 1992-2007).

Olbermann "Special Comment" On Violent Rhetoric At McCain-Palin Rallies

2008-10-15T08:21:00.000-07:00

Angry voter threatens Registrar, says he needs to 'keep the ni@@er out of office.'

2008-10-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

As you may well already know, this is not an anomaly. This is well within the norm around these parts. You want to see people in the south dancing in the streets and praising Jesus? Show them a picture of Obama with his brains splattered all over the inauguration platform. If he gets that far. Maybe Obama should have less faith in the Secret Service just like the Pope has less faith in his own protector?

Look at this man. Pretty normal looking to me. Pissed off and scared, but normal looking.
Besides, he's just sayin' what millions of god-fearin' white folk are thinking already.

Do you think our nation's preachers across the country are going to stand up in front of their congregations and condemn this attitude as the teachings of Jesus demand? If you do, I've got some prime real estate in the 9th Ward of N'yoluns to sell 'ya.

We are destroying ourselves from within. Bin Laden doesn't have to lift a finger to help.We have met the enemy and he is us.

The terrorists have already won.

Clinton Got A Blowjob

2008-10-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Satire exposing hypocrisy? Imagine that.

Olbermann Fact-checks Palin

2008-10-08T16:00:00.000-07:00

The Hunt For Bin Laden

2008-10-08T08:14:00.000-07:00

Watch CBS Videos Online

The officer who led the army's Delta Force mission to kill Osama bin Laden after 9/11 reveals what really happened in Tora Bora, Afghanistan, when the al-Qaeda leader narrowly escaped. Scott Pelley reports.

The Free Market

2008-09-26T16:12:00.000-07:00

Sept. 26, 2008

To the Editor, Tyler Paper

Alexander Hamilton must have been one of the first human beings to read Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations, the "free market Bible"; we don't know, nor do we know how many times he read it from it's publication in 1776 until Hamilton was sworn in as the first Secretary of the Treasury in 1789. That he believed in the principle of the free market is, however certain and in successfully promoting the establishment of the First Bank of the United States as a private enterprise with private bankers in charge of the nation's commerce and money supply he started the great American capitalistic juggernaut, the envy of the world. The world may not be so admiring of late.

Neither Hamilton's wisdom nor Adam Smith's has been questioned by those in charge of the American government except for Andrew Jackson who "sued for a divorce" between the American government and the Second Bank of the United States and was granted the same. Jackson was a populist President and believed the government should not show favoritism to the rich to make them richer at the expense of the common people.

Perhaps the time has come to question both Hamilton's and Smith's wisdom of free trade, free markets, supply-side economics, Reaganomics, deregulation, privatization, trickle down economics, Laissez-faire, or whatever label one wishes to use to describe the present economic system of the United States where the bottom line displaces the view to do the moral thing in all circumstances.

The truth is the free market shouldn't be allowed to be "free", that is, free from doing the right thing. Those who ask the masses to trust them to be alert to the "welfare" of the People should never be trusted. When it comes to making money, no one can be trusted to place the common good above personal interest. Our times are characterized by

the claim that it is best to turn business loose, trust them to always do the right thing, everyone will benefit! Everyone will get a piece of the pie! No! That's a lie!

Human nature being what it is, individuals, businesses, banks, all human endeavors must have requirements to do the right thing. Rules must be made and enforced. The reluctance of the American people to make this requirement of their politicians and of commerce has now brought the entire world to the brink of financial disaster not to mention the potential suffering of our own People.

The hard learned lessons of the other "great depression" have apparently be lost and the resulting complex safeguards have been steadily dismantled replaced with a spend now; pay later mentality. The present bailout talk describes the "tax payer" as picking up the tab. Not so. The government just prints the money and no one pays more or less in taxes as a result of trillion dollar wars or trillion dollar bailouts. The idea of fusing paper, ink, and thin air to create billions upon billions of dollars with value is absurd and is as offensive to hard working people as the cooked books of ENRON.

The free market era is over. Working class Americans paid dearly. Perhaps the government should now focus on it's Constitutional duties of watching out for the welfare of it's People.

Judson Malone

That Sucks You Into Feelin' Like This

2008-09-26T12:32:00.000-07:00

Published on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 by The Wiscasset Newspaper

by Christopher Cooper

Remember the Communists? The Red Menace? You young people won't of course, because as I sit here Monday night writing this sorrowful recitation Public Television is furnishing me with a gleaming, glowing, grand video hagiography of Ronald Reagan, by which I understand that The Great Communicator defeated those evil, dangerous threats to the American Way Of Life through toughness, resolve and horsemanship. Communists were before your time and you may be forgiven for worrying more and properly about our current threat to The American Way Of Life, International Terrorism.

But if you do recall those decades, you remember we, the self-proclaimed Greatest Nation On Earth, with the most modern, powerful weapons at our disposal, and the bravest soldiers and the smartest generals and the benevolent will of Great God Almighty watching over us and guiding us, nevertheless lived in fear of them-those Communists. We were bigger and we were better, and we were scared, but we were also bold and belligerent and self-assured. But deep down inside, we were scared.

But though Nikita Khrushchev (a fat, bald, loud, funny Communist) or Chairman Mao (a goofy little Communist from China-Red China), or even Fidel Castro or Ho Chi Minh (secondary or subservient Communists we sometimes called 'puppets', but of whom we were also fundamentally afraid, yet contemptuous), while any or all of these might wish to annihilate us with atomic bombs or multi-million-man armies that would march across the Pacific and into the living rooms of good, TV-watching, barbecuing Americans, there was one glorious weapon, of immeasurable power and undeniable goodness that would render us triumphant: our economic system.

Capitalism! This, they beat into us all through high school, was what made us great. Maybe the Soviet Union and even Red China could build big chemical rockets and equip them with nuclear warheads. But they could never build as many or update their design as frequently or keep them as shiny and oiled and pretty as ours because those nations labored under the handicap of the government ownership of the means of production. Communists (and to a somewhat lesser but still disturbing degree, Socialists) believed that factories and farms were owned by the citizens collectively, through the agency of government. In America, by contrast, our teachers assured us, individuals started, owned and ran the machinery that made us great.

And, in doing so, each of us who might choose to start a business, build a factory, create jobs, add to the Gross National Product, had a chance to become comfortable, secure, and if everything worked just right, even rich. We might also, of course, make bad decisions and go bankrupt, but that didn't often happen, my teachers told me. This was the Land Of Opportunity and only the lazy, those who would not apply themselves, work hard, get their hands dirty, would fail to prosper. Persons who failed to prosper might end up on welfare. (Years later, Bill Clinton promised to 'end welfare as we know it', and pretty much did, so now life might be just a bit rougher even for those lazy misfits lacking sufficient ambition.) That was the deal, and most people most of the time believed it was a good one.

But time passed. Conditions, I guess, changed. In 1979 Congress took pity on the Chrysler Corporation, the smallest of America's three giant automobile manufacturers, and provided an infusion of half a billion dollars or so to help those good folks over a rough spot in their road. Then, after being freed from some troublesome government regulations in the early 1980s, America's savings and loan institutions went into the real estate business in a bad way, and began imploding suddenly and publicly. Neil Bush, son of a president and brother of the current officeholder, ruined an institution called Silverado Savings And Loan. When the federal government stepped in to rescue that one institution alone, it set back the taxpayers more than a billion dollars. Taken all together, this episode, known as 'The Savings And Loan Debacle', cost us about 124 billion dollars. More or less.

These were memorable and costly government interventions, but each time we were assured that the cost was well borne because the institution or industry was 'Too Big To Fail.' That is, if Chrysler stopped making cars or Neil Bush's bank went under due to its own bad business ethics, moral turpitude or criminal stupidity, we, the individual taxpayers and wage earners of America, wouldn't like the result. So government dabbled in the business of 'bailouts'. But, except for a few excursions into total ownership (such as, for instance, the taxpayers' assumption of the insurance exposure of nuclear power plants which the private insurance companies consider too risky to insure), the washing of corporate wounds in the salve of our money has been limited to a crisis every decade or so, and as time has passed even the very numbers have seemed to diminish-only five hundred million for Chrysler?

But now, in the space of a single summer, Federal Reserve Chairman Benjamin Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson have, one concludes, gone over to the enemy. No longer proper Capitalists, trusting in The Miracle Of The Free Market, they've been casting cash at pretty much any old mortgage company that lent all its money to crack house entrepreneurs or took the company bank account to Vegas. Oh, they got tough with Lehman Brothers, but only after pledging seventy billion to an outfit called AIG-the American Insurance Group. I sleep better now, knowing a giant insurance company has been rescued.

Merrill-Lynch may have been saved by the Bank Of America (concentration of capital no longer an issue) and Bear-Stearns was swallowed by JP Morgan-Chase, but tonight my computer crackles with news that Morgan-Stanley and Goldman-Sachs are panicky. Fortunately, if theoretically reluctantly, government will ride to the rescue not of single entities any longer, but now comprehensively to lift out of the mire any struggling member of the 'Financial Services Industry.'

People, this is no industry. It's a shell game. This is not a bailout; it is an unraveling. You and I are being sold out, blatantly, publicly, and with the cooperation and collusion of the press and Congress. Was it a bad thing, that idea Karl Marx and Fred Engels hatched for the people to collectively own truck factories and potato farms? Maybe it was. But it's a far, far worse idea that we should put up our savings to buy discredited institutions that exist primarily to shuffle and reshuffle money in the interest of ever-greater, ever-shakier and more precariously-propped-up profits.

Do you know what a 'credit default swap' is? No, of course you don't; neither do I; neither do most members of Congress. Can you define 'mortgage-backed securities' or 'collateralized debt obligations'? I didn't think so. Well, you're buying a slug of 'em. Seven hundred billion dollars worth, they tell me. But it 'might top a trillion.' Sure. OK. Whatever. How'd the Red Sox do last night? Of course the press has whored itself out to megabusiness; we know that. And, as ever, Congress is startled and agitated but will, as always of late, go along with whatever gross deal Bush and the bankers and the moguls and the morons of Wall Street cobble together. But are any of my neighbors angry about this? Will we stand for it? Will we accept that it's for our own good?

I just popped up the Population Clock on my computer here Monday night just shy of midnight, and found the estimated number of persons with whom I share these United States stands at 305,229,725. If the burden were to be borne equally across the population, each of us would be assessed $2293 dollars as our share of the seven hundred billion. A family of four would be debited $9173. But you and I, fellow laborer, will inevitably pay much more because so many will pay nothing. Remember those tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires we all thought were such a good idea just a few years ago when we still reveled in the satisfaction that, however low we might have fallen or yet fall, we were still, one and all Capitalists, and what benefited the wealthy would trickle down to us as the marketplace worked its magic and business, free of burdensome regulation, rolled gloriously onward.

So Dick Cheney got his tax breaks and his trillion dollar war, and now his buddies who screwed up, lost, corrupted, twisted, misused, tainted or pissed away every decent dollar they were entrusted to handle will slide out the back door with their salaries and stock options, and any worthwhile thing the next president might have done for us or our country or the world will be hostage to the inevitability of paying the vig on the loan we're going to take out to make this terrible deal go down. Because we don't have the money. There is no seven hundred billion at hand. We'll borrow it. From the Chinese. The (still) Red Chinese.

So we'll raise the cash and we'll put aside our principles and we'll put a good face on it, won't we? John (The Maverick) McCain wants a bit more oversight in the future (too little and too late, you shallow dotard), and Barack (The Great Compromiser) Obama will vote for the bailout as long as it's attached to 'an overall plan.' Make of that endorsement what you will. Congress will posture, then Congress will approve, and you will pay. And your children unto the seventh generation. They're even calling it a 'rescue', as though an innocent animal or person was being saved from cold or fear or hunger or maltreatment. These men in suits will bugger the language as well as the law.

What are we getting for our money? 'Devalued Assets.' Houses nobody else will buy. Bad paper. Failed institutions. Worthless instruments. Crap, waste, detritus, byproduct, junk, trash, nothing you need, nothing you want, nothing that will do any of us any good. I'm going to use a bad word now, and if you don't like vulgar language, I'd suggest you put this journal down right now and go mow the lawn. And I'm counting on my editor to stand by me today and fight for my right, my duty to speak plainly and forcefully if crudely when I am compelled to discuss what pretty much everybody agrees is the worst mess this country has been in since the Great Depression.

My mother used this expression, and in the thirty-seven years since she died and in the nearly fifty-nine years I've lived in this marvelous Capitalist wonderland and paid my taxes and been screwed by insurance companies and given numerous banks their per centages and worked as many jobs as required to close the hole and hold firm the door against the wolf of cold and the terrors of hunger and despair, I've not heard a better description of the plan being put together today, tonight, this week, by the men who rule America. We are getting, as mom used to say, 'shit and shoved in it.'

Be careful with your credit cards. Nobody believes you're too big to fail.

Mr. Cooper has no investments, owns just one home, and, in the vernacular of his peculiar little Maine village, 'doesn't give a rat's ass' how many millionaires and billionaires and CEOs and traders suffer for their stupidity and greed and malfeasance. Readers wishing to try to correct his fallacious thinking may send advice and counsel to coop@tidewater.net.

This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm

HOMOSEXUAL ATHEIST LIBERALS TEACHING SEX ED TO KINDERGARTENERS AT ABORTION CLINICS!

2008-09-26T06:27:00.000-07:00

Fascist America, in 10 easy steps

1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy
2. Create a gulag
3. Develop a thug caste
4. Set up an internal surveillance system
5. Harass citizens' groups
6. Engage in arbitrary detention and release
7. Target key individuals
8. Control the press
9. Dissent equals treason
10. Suspend the rule of law

The witch hunt is begun.

Because an election takes place and people vote, democracy is not guaranteed. Because a constitution is written and a parliament or congress convenes, a democratic government does not automatically follow. A supreme court can be formed to decide the constitutionality of laws, yet, democracy can be absent. Even when rights are written down, they can still be in jeopardy. All the forms can be in place. There still must be leaders who preserve, protect, and defend a democratic constitution. A republic must be defended from tyranny which follows naturally from uncontrolled power. Never trust government to [govern.] Trust it only to yourself. --Judson Malone

If you think these fascists are going to go away easily, I've got some real estate mutual fund stock for 'ya!

Corporatism: Blurring the Line Between Business and Democracy

2008-09-18T21:43:00.000-07:00

Folks,

This series of e-mails were exchanged recently starting with the argument about who has the best qualifications to be president with my good friend Dave Collins jumping albeit reluctantly into the fray. What started out as a discussion of lawyers vs. business leaders ended with Dave suggesting who really is running the show in the good ol' USA: It's not the democrats, republicans, lawyers and certainly not the people. If that were true, we'd be out of Iraq today. We are no longer referred to as citizens. We are repeatedly referred to as 'the average consumer' in the media and our leaders. I submit that we are but cattle just as cows are fed grain to produce our McDonald's Big Macs. Just as the 'average consumer' is fed our microwave dinners along with cars, toasters and 401K's to produce yachts and vacation homes and the best boarding schools for the offspring of the top 1%. Only during election time are we ever called citizens. Elections are an illusion disguised as our contribution to democracy. The Democratic and Republican parties are just ranch hands for the corporations and the people who run them. Don't believe me? Follow the money that's being sucked out of the taxpayer's coffers to bail out the ruling class as the American electorate cattle allow themselves to be polarized and constantly at each other's throats, blaming one another for the threats posed by the other over ridiculous issues that are born out of fear. We the people? United we stand? One nation, indivisible? Give me a break. We are being manipulated like marionettes and we even think it was our idea to dance.

Regards,
Andy

Obama:
Occidental College - Two years.
Columbia University - B.A. political science with a specialization in international relations.
Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude

Biden:
University of Delaware - B.A. in history and B.A. in political science.
Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)

McCain:
United States Naval Academy - Class rank 894 of 899

Palin:
Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study
University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism
Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester
University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in journalism

Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard

Walt Disney never went to college

Gen. George Patton finished last in his class at West Point

The Democrat Party has become the Lawyers' Party. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are lawyers. Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama are lawyers. John Edwards, the other former Democrat candidate for president, is a lawyer, and so is his wife, Elizabeth. Every Democrat nominee since 1984 went to law school (although Gore did not graduate).

Every Democrat vice presidential nominee since 1976, except for Lloyd Bentsen, went to law school. Look at the Democrat Party in Congress: the Majority Leader in each house is a lawyer.

The Republican Party is different. President Bush and Vice President Cheney were not lawyers, but businessmen. The leaders of the Republican Revolution were not lawyers. Newt Gingrich was a history professor; Tom Delay was an exterminator; and, Dick Armey was an economist. House Minority Leader Boehner was a plastic manufacturer, not a lawyer. The former Senate Majority Leader Bill First is a heart surgeon.

Who was the last Republican president who was a lawyer? Gerald Ford, who left office 31 years ago and who barely won the Republican nomination as a sitting president, running against Ronald Reagan in 1976. The Republican Party is made up of real people doing real work.

The Democrat Party is made up of lawyers. Democrats mock and scorn men who create wealth, like Bush and Cheney, or who heal the sick, like First, or who immerse themselves in history, like Gingrich.

The Lawyers' Party sees these sorts of people, who provide goods and services that people want, as the enemies of America And, so we have seen the procession of official enemies, in the eyes of the Lawyers' Party, grow.

Against whom do Hillary and Obama rail? Pharmaceutical companies, oil companies, hospitals, manufacturers, fast food restaurant chains, large retail businesses, bankers, and anyone producing anything of value in our nation.

This is the natural consequence of viewing everything through the eyes of lawyers. Lawyers solve problems by successfully representing their clients, in this case the American people. Lawyers seek to have new law passed, they seek to win lawsuits, they press appellate courts to overturn precedent, and lawyers always parse language to favor their side.

Confined to the narrow practice of law, that is fine. But it is an awful way to govern a great nation. When politicians as lawyers begin to view some Americans as clients and other Americans as opposing parties, then the role of the legal system in our life becomes all consuming. Some Americans become 'adverse parties' of our very government. We are not all litigants in some vast social class-action suit. We are citizens of a republic that promises us a great deal of freedom from laws, from courts, and from lawyers.

Today, we are drowning in laws; we are contorted by judicial decisions; we are driven to distraction by omnipresent lawyers in all parts of our once private lives. America has a place for laws and lawyers, but that place is modest and reasonable, not vast and unchecked. When the most important decision for our next president is whom he will appoint to the Supreme Court, the role of lawyers and the law in America is too big.

When lawyers use criminal prosecution as a continuation of politics by other means, as happened in the lynching of Scooter Libby and Tom Delay, then the power of lawyers in America is too great. When House Democrats sue America in order to hamstring our efforts to learn what our enemies are planning to do to us, then the role of litigation in America has become crushing.

We cannot expect the Lawyers' Party to provide real change, real reform, or real hope in America Most Americans know that a republic in which every major government action must be blessed by nine unelected judges is not what Washington intended in 1789. Most Americans grasp that we cannot fight a war when ACLU lawsuits snap at the heels of our defenders. Most Americans intuit that more lawyers and judges will not restore declining moral values or spark the spirit of enterprise in our economy.

Perhaps Americans will understand that change cannot be brought to our nation by those lawyers who already largely dictate American society and business. Perhaps Americans will see that hope does not come from the mouths of lawyers but from personal dreams nourished by hard work.

Perhaps Americans will embrace the truth that more lawyers with more power will only make our problems worse.

[J. Custer]

Mr. Custer,

I would not normally respond to something like this written by somebody I do not know but as I do know some of the other folks on this distribution I am making an exception.

Sir, you write with apparent respect for the leadership of corporate America. May I inquire; to what extent have you worked with the men and women who occupy the senior executive positions of the pharmaceutical industry, financial services industry, communications industry, hard rock mining industry, automotive industry and consumer products industry? For myself, I spent 20 years doing so with clients in each of those industries who served as Chief Executive Officer, CFO, COO, CIO, plant general managers, division executive VP and so on. I am not an attorney (in fact, I have the shortest legal career on record - the time required to walk down the steps of the law school and dispose of the school bulletin). But, after my experience and observing the behaviors of those men and women and those who hoped to rise to displace them, I too, rail against the corporations of this nation. These are not individuals who care one whit for the working folks of their companies, no matter how many crocodile tears are shed as they sign the papers to send the jobs to some other country, who bemoan the hardships they create when, in order to bolster the quarterly filings they gut employee benefits. They care nothing for the communities in which their offices, plants and facilities are located, only how many tax payer dollars they can intimidate corrupt political officials into offering up as enticements to come or to stay.

During the first half of the life of this nation established by "we the people" corporations were held on a very short leash, distrusted by government officials and the people who elected them. Strict constraints were placed on those legal entities and in many cases were limited to the life of a single project and then forced to disband. Here in Texas, when the Constitution was drafted the only state official given explicit, detailed duties was the Attorney General. His only specific job requirement (beyond the general requirement to enforce the laws of the state and serve as legal representative to state agencies and offices) was this:

" shall especially inquire into the charter rights of all private corporations, and from time to time, in the name of the State, take such action in the courts as may be proper and necessary to prevent any private corporation from exercising any power or demanding or collecting any species of taxes, tolls, freight or wharfage not authorized by law. He shall, whenever sufficient cause exists, seek a judicial forfeiture of such charters"

As you may know, the nature of corporations in this country changed dramatically in the1886 Supreme Court ruling in Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad. In this ruling the court created the legal fiction of "personhood" for corporations. Well, actually, they did not but courts have acted for over 140 years as if they had. It turns out that a clerk to one of the justices wrote what is called the "head notes" for the ruling, mis-stating the intent of the ruling. That clerk was a former employee of the Southern Pacific Railroad.

Mr. Custer, the power and influence that the corporate entity has gained in this country , aided and abetted by politicians of both parties has twice led it to the brink of destruction. The first time was the Gilded Age of the late 19th and early 20th century, ultimately undone by the combine effects of T. Roosevelt's trust busting (remember inter-locking directorates?) and the excesses that led directly to the Great Depression. Then, after WW II the same forces, often the same families - the Walker and Bush families among them - began dismantling the reforms intended to control and tame the corporate beast. By the time William Jefferson Clinton left office and turned it over to the idiot with an illegitimate MBA, not only had the last shreds of those regulatory protections been stripped away - by the actions of both parties - but the ground work had been laid for the outsourcing of huge segments of the federal government to those corporations. So, today, fully 1/3 of the Pentagon budget (which is greater than the combined total of all other nations of the world, by the way) goes for SEVICES - not weapons, planes, tanks or ships - provided by private corporations. From the wholly dysfunctional FEMA to the National Security Agency to the EPA, it is common to enter a federal office and find more corporate contractors than federal employees. There is a political and economic theory that describes such a relationship between a national government and private corporations. Benito Mussolini coined that term; he said that the proper term for his party was not fascist but "corporatist".

Among many of my colleagues there is a bright light of hope that as the economy continues to collapse and the lives of average, middle and working class families become more and more dire they will recognize the true source of their hardship - the mega wealthy executives that were once my clients and their bought and paid for government enablers. You sir, do not inspire hope for that outcome as it appears you have a serious problem with what we in the military (USMC 1967-71) refer to as "enemy identification.

With respect,

Dave Collins

September 11th: A Message From Rick Noriega

2008-09-11T12:29:00.000-07:00

Rick Noriega is an Iraq war veteran running for US Senate in Texas. Worth a visit.

McCain's YouTube Problem Just Became a Nightmare

2008-09-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

I sure hope Obama is taking notes on this and Jon Stewart's The Daily Show. If this gets out where more people can see it, we can win... assuming it's not already lost via Diebold.

Just Had a great Idea

2008-09-09T11:18:00.000-07:00

An e-mail from Cousin Quinn:

Just had a great idea sweep over my thoughts. forget the Veterans Memorial-- let's all be able to sign a slab of concrete in the middle of downtown with our names on it and then everyone for all eternity will know we were here! Saves money --could cost money -- to be given to the donation of whatever-- but at least it would take care of everyone that has to have their name on something-- seems that is all important in this city.
Can't wait to sign Quinn Dahlstrom -- militant. or misconception Dahlstrom.
Have a great day-- I just did
Quinn Dahlstrom

My response:
That's an interesting idea. I often question the motivation of erecting those memorials. About the only memorial in my mind that made any difference besides glorifying war was the Vietnam Memorial in DC. It seems to me that most memorials are in tribute to people who died as a result of a violent act in service to their community or country. How about a memorial that transcends the politics of war and erect a memorial to all that have served his/her community. This would include teachers, garbage collectors and people such as you, Quinn. In my short life, I have come to realize the NEED for opposing forces. I never understood our Congressmen and Senators referring to the 'loyal opposition.' Too much power in too few hands spells disaster. Take the current junta in power for example. Our Repugnicon legislators voted lock-step with W, and the DemocRats went along and voted for political safety, save a few notable exceptions. And the corporate controlled press was no help. Not so obvious is the fact that our forefathers built into the system to accomodate those opposing forces. Without it, we get nepotism, runaway corruption and loss of civil liberties. All we got left are unsung heroes such as Quinn who remains a burr in the saddle of city government. Not so obvous is the fact that her mere existence makes said government stonger and more effective for its citizens.

So here I pay tribute to a REAL PATRIOT,
Quinn Dhalstrom who remains vigilant
against the forces of tyrrany!

Generated at GetGreatCodes.com
(no, she's not dead)

What? More important than GAY MARRIAGE?

2008-09-07T10:06:00.000-07:00

Folks,
This is a talk given by the daughter of the famous Leakey family. She argues from the evolutionary anthropologist point of view that we are at a precipice in species survival where business as usual will lead to a dead end in the tree of life. It's too bad followers of the Christian and Muslim faiths will not (and cannot) hear it, for they have painted themselves into a corner with their belief system. All of humanity dealing with this issue is paramount to our survival as a species.

Talks
Louise Leakey: Digging for humanity's origins

From the page: "Louise Leakey asks, "Who are we?" The question takes her to the Rift Valley in Eastern Africa, where she digs for the evolutionary origins of
humankind -- and suggests a stunning new vision of our competing ancestors."

What would we do without Jon Stewart?

2008-09-04T19:14:00.000-07:00

Either these people are stupid, or the people they are talking to are stupid.
I report, you decide...

HBO: Alive Day

2008-08-27T07:22:00.000-07:00

I've had first-hand experience of what a soldier can go through coming home with a purple heart and no legs.

Honor the warrior, not the war.

Look at this man. Really look at him. How have you served your country? When given the opportunity, don't let a veteran go by without thanking him for his service. Don't let this man and others like him be forgotten. We owe a responsibility to these men and women. Are they being cared for? Don't wait until they are on a street corner with a cardboard sign to help. We can serve our country by serving these warriors. But what about their brothers and sisters who gave their last full measure of devotion only to return in a flag-draped casket? What of their surviving families?

Sharing War's Burden

2008-08-26T15:47:00.000-07:00

We need modern rituals to heal our wounded warriors

From the page: "Our troops do not enlist because they want to destroy or kill. No matter the political climate, most troops seek to serve traditional warrior values: to protect the country they love, its ideals, and especially their families, communities, and each other. In my work counseling veterans of several wars, I've seen that PTSD is, in part, the tortured conscience of good people who did their best under conditions that would dehumanize anyone."

A comment from Dave:

" Brothers and sisters,

I relate to this article and the perspective it illuminates; very strongly
and so I beg your indulgence as I offer a personal observation.

A few years ago I was at a classical music festival. One evening is
reserved for music other than that of "old, dead white guys" (unfair, I
know) and is held outdoors in a beautiful setting in NE Oklahoma. That year
a
performance by a group of men from several of the local First Nations was
featured. They
performed a series of traditional songs from their various traditions:
Delaware, Cherokee, Choctaw among them. Then the sing leader called for all
veterans in the audience to come forward.

Slowly, very slowly, men stood and walked down to the performance area. We
were invited to join the circle, standing behind the performers. They then
performed a song in tribute to the warrior; the drum beat close to a 70 per
minute pulse rate.

Among strangers I felt, for the first time since returning from Viet Nam in
1970, a sincere "welcome home" - made real by obvious understanding. They
were no longer strangers to me,
though I never learned the names of but a couple of the singers. Writing
these words and remembering the experience brings tears and a feeling hard
to describe, but one I cherish among my most precious.

The book, "Ceremony" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Marmon_Silko)
explores this theme through the experiences of a survivor of the Bataan
Death March. The man was Dine, from the Four Corners region and he overcame
his PTSD and estrangement from the world by finding his healing path, or
way. For those interested in this topic, I urge you to read this
extraordinary book.

James Bradley explores the corruption of a traditional warrior society and
the
catastrophic results in "Flyboy". In my review of that book in The Veteran,
I touched on that aspect of this surprising book
(http://www.vvaw.org/veteran/article/?id=733&hilite=flyboys).

I have come to believe the erosion of the traditional warrior role in
society was a prerequisite for industrialized warfare and all that has meant
in the last 200 years.

Honor the warrior, not the war.

Dave Collins
Texas Hill Country contact

Large Hadron Rap

2008-08-15T11:40:00.000-07:00

Now THERE'S something you don't see everyday Mildred!

Paris Hilton Responds to McCain Ad

2008-08-07T06:46:00.000-07:00

See more Paris Hilton videos at Funny or Die

T. Boone Pickens on The Pickens Plan

2008-08-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

How can we reduce our dependence on foreign oil? T. Boone Pickens explains his plan for alternative, domestic energy in a 60-second TV commercial.

Join us at http://www.pickensplan.com

Drill Up, Not Down

2008-08-03T08:32:00.000-07:00

"We need to pull this off before America's alternative energy, oil, coal and money to construct a space solar power infrastructure runs out."

ScribeFire

2008-07-31T05:49:00.000-07:00

Were do you get the best Philly Cheese Steaks?

2008-07-22T14:20:00.001-07:00

View Larger Map
Why, Jim's Steaks of course!
(click and drag on the image to pan around)

Celebrate What's Right With The World

2008-07-21T20:04:00.000-07:00

Strawberry Fields Forever

2008-07-14T06:42:00.001-07:00

IMG_2144, originally uploaded by androidny.

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

How Long Will Americans Stay Apathetic to the Reality

2008-07-01T10:00:00.001-07:00

How Long Will Americans Stay Apathetic To The Reality - The funniest home videos are here

Friday Honk for Peace in Tyler, TX

2008-06-30T08:57:00.001-07:00

IMG_3015, originally uploaded by androidny.

Click here to see a video of the protest in action.

Here's two letters to the editor in response to a letter to the editor
criticizing the "Friday Honk for Peace" group:

To Tyler paper:

This letter is to protest the protest to the protest. One of your correspondents, initials RWM, writes that his Daddy was wounded in World War II, and therefore he thinks people have no business protesting the Iraq War!

He doubts " the sincerity and sanity" of the Tyler peace protesters, who appear on the Smith County Court House square on Fridays.

"Have you given any thought to what our defeat would mean?" he asks, meaning I guess "defeat" of the United States by Iraq or Afghanistan. If that is not silly, what is?

As a Peacenik myself, I would ask that letter writer what a "victory" would mean as well. Since my Daddy was a veteran of World War One, maybe he would think me qualified to speak up?

The War Hawks in Bush Administration declared they wanted "regime change" and elimination of Saddam Hussein, and they did this ...after already announcing Mission Accomplished. No WMD, of course, their other objective, now recognized as a fraudulent excuse for Bush's dream.

Perhaps catching Saddam might be called "victory" for the USA. That is as close as we will come anyhow to an identifiable "win". We won't get into the issue of what it is costing every single American!

Comparing World War II with the present situation in Middle East is pretty far-fetched, That is, comparing apples to oranges.... to put it mildly.

Several of the Tyler peace protesters happen to be veterans of World War II, one a former German Prisoner of War. No one needs to be a veteran to advocate for peace, but the presence of these veterans does "make a different statement" from the sarcastic writer whose Daddy was one.

I do not doubt the gentleman's sincerity, but his sanity --hold on reality, that is--- or maybe his cultural deficiency ---is another thing entirely . What gives him the right to object to Americans "honking for peace" every Friday in Tyler, Texas? How un-American is he?

Anne Williams

To the Editor
June 30, 2008

The rhetoric from a very small contingent of citizens surrounding the ongoing protests against the Iraq War on the down town Smith Co. courthouse square on Fridays seeks to define what is "anti-American" locally; perhaps they wish nationally. Dream on!

The Constitutional right to peaceably assemble for the redress of grievances stands somewhat in tatters but remains in tact. That a large percentage of the participants in these local protests are Veterans, going back to the Battle of the Bulge and WWII POW incarceration is irrelevant to the issues. Anyone, not just veterans, may publicly exercise that right and should be courageous to do so because of the courageous acts of Veterans and their families who paid for it in blood, suffering, and death.

Perhaps this small group of Friday protesters would like a crack at "defining" what is anti-American locally…nationally.

Some of us would say that attempting to muzzle free political speech is anti-American. There is a long history of that. Women were thought to be anti-American to demand the right to vote while we were fighting WWI. At the height of the depression, May 1932, US American veterans protesting for the war bonus which the government had promised but failed to deliver, were removed at bayonet point using regular Army troops in Washington DC by none other than Gen. Douglas Macarthur. No wonder the framers of the Constitution included the 2nd amendment of the Constitution. They feared a day when citizens would have to bear arms to protect themselves from their own government!

Perhaps loosing representative government as we have is anti-American. Our system has sadly evolved into one where the elected representatives function under a system of legalized bribery! They represent primarily the people who give lots and lots of money! While the lobbyist write the legislation, they gad about raising money for the next election…down right un-American to some of us!

Perhaps the obscene squandering of untold billions on foreign wars which do nothing to increase our security, but rather make otherwise neutral peoples all over the world hate us passionately, is anti-American. We kill hundreds of thousands of innocent citizens in "collateral damage", displace millions, destroy their infrastructure and stand impotent to restore them. We contaminate their whole land with depleted uranium. We attempt, with mercenary armies, to conduct the war by "contract".

In our confusion, we think that an ideology of terrorism can be fought with cruse missiles, tanks and gattling guns. We abuse our loyal troops with tour after tour after tour, then fail to fund their care when they come home. We blame their PTS on preexisting personality disorders so as to save the costs of treatment. We criticize those who want the troops to be treated decently and fairly. This is anti-American.

Judson Malone

Riding a Wave of the Cosmos

2008-06-27T12:55:00.000-07:00

Forget wiping out, I would have had a heart attack a quarter into this video if I were on that board.

A product of a combination of the wind and the pull of our moon's gravity. Surfing is the only sport where one that comes close to interacting directly with the forces of Nature. But I don't have to explain that to any surfer. This is the appeal, I think. My friend Blais (Blaze) and his friends held surfing with reverence. He had a bumper sticker on his car that read, "There's nothing a day of surfing can't cure."

Sister Bit by Rattler

2008-06-26T12:27:00.001-07:00

Sister
Here's a wonderful story from my friend Dave. The hero of this story was initially mistook by me as a human sister. Silly me.

Sister is one of a pair of Spanweillers (spinger/rott mix - don't ask). She is built kinda like the largest of Spaniels, the Springer, but believes she is Rottweiller bad to the bone (except with friendly humans especially kids). Her sibling, Fearless, is short and stocky but is Springer through and through. Sister has survived two feral hog fights, a bout with a porcupine and numerous coons who, of the few who lived, never ventured 'round here again. However, the rattler damn near took her out.

It was one of the first days of the new snake season. Both dogs are very snake aware by nature - they will alert on a snake and hold position until they get direction from one of us if we are around. Otherwise they just steer well clear. However, Sister is developing cataracts. In addition, as it was early after coming out of hibernation the snake was il-tempered and likely struck without warning. She got hit in the area of the left eye. Fortunately I was out working (although that is what drew Sister out to the area where the snake was). I was able to determine something was bad wrong with her pretty quickly. I never saw the snake, deduced the bite from the rapid swelling, vet confirmed as soon as we got in the exam room about 30 minutes after the strike. She was in doggie ICU for 3 days. The vet thought initially that a fang had hit the eye ball. After 6 days in hospital she came home with a large scab below the eye. She was in good spirits and continued her recovery. After two weeks from release (3 weeks after the attack) she went back to the vet. He removed the scab, cleaned out the dead tissue (the venom cause necrosis) and stitched the face back together. In the process he discovered a hole just below the eyeball where one fang penetrated, missing the eyeball by, well, micrometers.

The lower eyelid droops because of pulling the skin together to cover the hole resulting from the lost tissue. It may be required that a little cosmetic surgery (laser) be done to pull the lid up closer to the eye. We are finishing up treatment for an infection of the exposed conjunctive tissue at the bottom of the eye socket that set in a week or so back. No big deal.

As you can see, we have one hell of a dog!

dave

Sister (foreground) and Fearless

What's Keeping the Peak Flat

2008-06-22T05:28:00.000-07:00

One of the misconceptions about peak oil is that we are going to run out of oil. Far from it. What's happening is that it is getting harder and harder to get to. Not only that, it is getting heavier and sourer. Gone are the days where you can poke a hole in the ground in your back yard and hear rumbling and whoosh! What's keeping our voracious appetite satisfied is demonstrated here in this video.

Unsubscribe

2008-06-16T05:24:00.000-07:00

Amnesty International: Unsubscribe waterboarding
by hourigan

West Texas Sunrise

2008-06-12T22:59:00.000-07:00

Hill Country Adventure

2008-06-11T15:22:00.000-07:00

"These shots are from my camera. Andy took many many more. These pics are from our Hill Country Adventure at the Titus Ranch in Mason, TX. Thanks to John Chatfield for sharing his Charity Auction cupon." --Frances

Hill Country Adventure

I should be posting my pictures as soon as I get time to do so. --Andy

Turn The Page on History

2008-06-05T20:19:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama's Democratic Nomination Victory Speech in Minnesota on June 03, 2008 in the very arena that the Republican National Convention is to be held. Impressive.

SRV Channels Jimi

2008-06-03T06:47:00.000-07:00

The only white dude who could pull this off.
- even eclipsing Jimi Hendrix... Ever!

What "Semper Fi" Really Means

2008-05-31T16:24:00.000-07:00

Stopping the War Machine: Military Recruiters Must Be Confronted

By Ron Kovic -Truthdig Posted May 30, 2008

We must use every means of creative, nonviolent resistance to stop
military recruitment across the country.
As a former United States Marine Corps sergeant who was shot and
paralyzed from my mid-chest down during my second tour of duty in
Vietnam on Jan. 20, 1968, I am sending my complete support and
admiration to all those now involved in the courageous struggle to stop
military recruitment in Berkeley and across the country.
Not since the Vietnam War protests of the late 1960s has there been a
cause more just than the one you are now engaged in. Who knows better
the deep immorality and deception of military recruiters than those of
us who, decades ago, entered those same recruiting offices with our
fathers, believing in our hearts that we were being told the truth --
only to discover later we had been deceived and terribly betrayed?
Many of us paid for that deceit with our lives, years of suffering and
bodies and minds that were never the same again. If only someone had
warned us, if only someone had had the courage to speak out against the
madness that we were being led into, if only someone could have
protected us from the recruiters whose only wish was to make their
quota, send us to boot camp and hide from us the dark secret of the
nightmare which awaited us all.

Over the past five years, I have watched in horror the mirror image of
another Vietnam unfolding in Iraq. So many similarities, so many things
said that remind me of that war 30 years ago which left me paralyzed and
confined to a wheelchair for life.

Refusing to learn from the lessons of Vietnam, our government continues
to pursue a policy of deception, distortion, manipulation and denial,
doing everything it can to hide from the American people their true
intentions and agenda in Iraq. As we pass the fifth anniversary of the
start of this tragic and senseless war, I cannot help but think of the
young men and women who have been wounded, nearly 30,000, flooding
Walter Reed, Bethesda, Brooke Army Medical Center and veterans hospitals
all across our country.

Paraplegics, amputees, burn victims, the blinded, shocked and stunned,
brain-damaged and psychologically stressed, a whole new generation of
severely maimed men and women who were not even born when I came home
wounded to the Bronx Veterans Hospital in New York in 1968.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which afflicted so many of us
after Vietnam, is just now beginning to appear among soldiers recently
returned from the current war. For some the agony and suffering, the
sleepless nights, anxiety attacks and awful bouts of insomnia,
alienation, anger and rage will last for decades -- if not their whole
lives.

They will be trapped in a permanent nightmare of that war, of killing
another man, a child, watching a friend die ... fighting against an
enemy that can never be seen, while at any moment someone, a child, a
woman, an old man -- anyone -- might kill them.
These traumas return home with us and we carry them, sometimes hidden,
for agonizing decades. They deeply impact our daily lives, and the lives
closest to us. To kill another human being, to take another life out of
this world with one pull of a trigger, is something that never leaves you.
It is as if a part of you dies with that person. If you choose to keep
on living, there may be a healing, and even hope and happiness again,
but that scar and memory and sorrow will be with you forever. Why did
the recruiters never mention these things? This was never in the slick
pamphlets they gave us.

Some of these veterans are showing up at homeless shelters around our
country, while others have begun to courageously speak out against the
senselessness and insanity of this war and to demand answers from the
leaders who sent them there.

During the 2004 Democratic National Convention, returning soldiers
formed a group called Iraq Veterans Against the War, just as we had
marched in Miami in August of 1972 as Vietnam Veterans Against the War.
Still others have refused deployment to Iraq, gone to Canada and begun
resisting this immoral and illegal war.

Like many other Americans, I have seen them on television or at the
local veterans hospitals, but for the most part, they remain hidden like
the flag-draped caskets of our dead returned to Dover Air Force Base in
the dark of night, as this administration continues to pursue a policy
of censorship, tightly controlling the images coming out of that war and
rarely allowing the human cost of its policy to be seen.
Many of us promised ourselves long ago that we would never allow what
happened to us in Vietnam to happen again. We had an obligation, a
responsibility, as citizens, as Americans, as human beings, to raise our
voices in protest.

We could never forget the hospitals, the intensive-care wards, the
wounded all around us fighting for their lives, those long and painful
years after we came home, those lonely nights. There were lives to save
on both sides, young men and women who would be disfigured and maimed,
mothers and fathers who would lose their sons and daughters, wives and
other loved ones who would suffer for decades to come if we did not do
everything we could to stop the momentum of this madness.

Mario Savio once said,
"There's a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious,
makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part, you can't even
passively take part, and you've got to put your bodies upon the gears
and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus and you've
got to make it stop! And you've got to indicate to the people who run
it, to the people who own it, that unless you're free the machine will
be prevented from working at all."

It is time to stop the war machine. It is time for bold and daring
action on the part of us all. Precious lives are at stake, both American
and Iraqi, and military recruiters must be confronted at every turn, in
every high school, every campus, every recruiting office, on every
street corner, in every town and city across America. In no uncertain
terms we must make it clear to them that by their actions they represent
a threat to our community, to our children and all that we cherish.
We must explain to them that condemning our young men and women to
their death, setting them up to be horribly maimed, and psychologically
damaged in a senseless and immoral war, is wrong and unpatriotic and
will not be tolerated by Berkeley -- or, for that matter, any town or
city in the United States.

The days of deceiving, manipulating and victimizing our young people are
over. We have had enough, and I strongly encourage all of you to use
every means of creative, nonviolent civil disobedience to stop military
recruitment all across our country.

I stand with you in this important and courageous fight, and I am
confident your actions in the days ahead will inspire countless others
across our country to do everything they can to end this deeply immoral
and illegal war.
(Note: This statement represents portions of several essays and writings
I have done over the past five years. -- R.K.)

Digg!
See more stories tagged with:
*civil disobedience
Vitenam
Iraq
Military recruitment*

Kovic was born in Ladysmith, Wis., and grew up in Massapequa, N.Y. His
autobiography, "Born on the Fourth of July," was adapted as an Academy
Award-winning film directed by Oliver Stone and starring Tom Cruise as
Kovic. Kovic received a Golden Globe for his screenplay adaptation of
his autobiography.

Kovic is an outspoken critic of the war in Iraq.
_______________________________________________

vvawnet@vvaw.org
vvawnet mailing list
*************************************************************
Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Inc.
(773) 276-4189
e-mail: vvaw@vvaw.org

Fighting for veterans, peace and justice since 1967

The Large Hadron Collider and the Higgs Boson

2008-05-14T23:09:00.000-07:00

Folks, the supercollider in Cern, Switzerland... and France, is about to be fired up. This will no doubt produce a breakthrough as significant as Einstein's famous E=mc2. What they expect to find is a fundamental constituent of matter called the Higgs boson, which is a theoretical particle or field that has been postulated to explain why matter has mass. Watch the videos to learn more about what and why this is an important thing to do...

Video 1 of 3

Video 2 of 3

Video 3 of 3

MUTO

2008-05-14T22:40:00.000-07:00

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

This is incredible! Animated graffiti.

The World at 350

2008-05-13T07:08:00.000-07:00

A Last Chance for Civilization

From the page: "A few weeks ago, our foremost climatologist, NASA's Jim Hansen, submitted a paper to Science magazine with several co-authors. The abstract attached to it argued -- and I have never read stronger language in a scientific paper -- "if humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which civilization developed and to which life on earth is adapted, paleoclimate evidence and ongoing climate change suggest that CO2 will need to be reduced from its current 385 ppm to at most 350 ppm." Hansen cites six irreversible tipping points -- massive sea level rise and huge changes in rainfall patterns, among them -- that we'll pass if we don't get back down to 350 soon; and the first of them, judging by last summer's insane melt of Arctic ice, may already be behind us....

...Hansen's words were well-chosen: "a planet similar to that on which civilization developed." People will doubtless survive on a non-350 planet, but those who do will be so preoccupied, coping with the endless unintended consequences of an overheated planet, that civilization may not."

Don't be afraid of what you know what may happen as a result of what we are doing to the climate, be afraid of what you don't know.

Our Crumbling Infrastructure

2008-05-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

Unless more funding and effort are put into saving the nation's infrastructure, it will continue to crumble, say experts. An estimated $1.5 trillion over the next five years could be needed to avoid large-scale disaster.

Dave's comment: Of course, it is not just roads and bridges. The electrical transmission and distribution network is tottering, keeping it functional is in doubt, much less accomplishing the conversion from AC to DC that would dramatically lower line loss hence curtailing the need for yet more coal fired plants. But even that is fairly obvious, at least to those paying some attention. There are even worse and less obvious cases of infrastructure rot. We have hollowed out our educational infrastructure - 1/3 of Texas public school students do not graduate and the ones that do are often functionally illiterate. We have hollowed out not just the physical infrastructure to make things but the human skills needed were the plants rebuilt or refurbished. For the last 40 plus years we have more and more been seduced into the notion that the private sector will cure all ills, which is of course pure BS. The faith and hope of a people acting together through their government to secure the benefits of collective effort has been replaced with a fear and loathing of all things associated with government. We have internalized the message that taxes are an evil burden to be shed rather than a way to pool resources for the common good. So, today, if it does not return a short term profit it is simply unlikely to get done.

I watched a version of this greed and short term thinking play out in one of the most respected institutions of this country - Bell Labs; "The Labs", under the bad old AT&T monopoly. Before Judge Green threw AT&T into the briar patch (I will explain that reference, below) The Labs constituted a lavishly funded pure research world. From that environment came a steady stream of Noble laureates and discoveries ranging from radio astronomy to the semi-conductor. The "break-up" ripped the Labs in half, literally. The lunch rooms at the various Labs facilities had yellow tape down the middle. Those employees who were a part of the retained segment of The Labs sat on one side of the tape, those being "spun out" to the part of The Labs to be held by the Regional Bell Operating Companies sat on the other. Men and women who had collaborate for years could no longer even speak to each other. Then, in both segments, the profit imperative descended like volcanic dust, smothering all creativity and curiosity. It was pathetic by the time I arrived on the scene some three years after divestiture. Here were these scientists and engineers of the first water struggling to figure out what the hell to do. Useful and interesting things still struggled to sneak out, but the befuddled senior managers who had no earthly idea of how to run a company that had to compete couldn't do squat with those few meritorious efforts.

Regarding the briar patch; several years before the court declared AT&T an illegal monopoly they hired Al Toffler of "Future Shock" fame to analyze their business. He was proven just as wrong in his recommendations to the AT&T board as was his wildly optimistic and totally wrong little book. However, his recommendations to the board, while a horrible prescription, was at least an accurate prediction. The elements of Judge Green's ruling were a 100% accurate reflection of Toffler's recommendations. Gee, I wonder how that happened????

dave

Running on Empty

2008-05-09T14:26:00.000-07:00

This has been an issue I've been following and researching for going on 3 years now. Are we about to go over the peak? Has it already happened? Or is this some scam the oil companies conjured up to maximize their profits? Or is it because of the gay mairriage abortionist terrorist illegal alien atheists? In my opinion, it is not very far off when we will see the painful effects of our voracious appetite for the light sweet stuff.

Here's the trailer to the documentary,

A Crude Awakening - The Oil Crash

Sportsmanship Defined

2008-05-09T07:38:00.000-07:00

Wikipedia defines sportsmanship as: "Sportsmanship typically is regarded as a component of morality in sport, composed of three related and perhaps overlapping concepts: fair play, sportsmanship, and character."

This video is the embodiment of that ideal. Have a hankie handy. You'll need it.

Than You

2008-05-08T11:01:00.001-07:00

ThanYou, originally uploaded by androidny.

For the past several years as I've been traveling around the country, I've been approaching soldiers in the airports and thanking them for serving for us. On several occasions I have noticed that it felt a little awkward for both of us. There are several reasons, some of which I am even just now learning as I produce this film and talk to more soldiers. But they have always appreciated being thanked, and I have always felt better having expressed my gratitude.

I started to think that it would be nice if civilians had a gesture or sign that they could use to say "thank you" quickly and easily without even having to approach. I did some research and found the sign that we are now using.

Is this limited to the military? Not at all. If you look around you I'm sure that you'll find lots of people who are serving their communities, from local to global. If you appreciate their service, give them a sign. Say "thank you."
-Scott Truitt, FOUNDER, The Gratitude Campaign

Trippy Trav

2008-05-08T06:27:00.001-07:00

Post removed upon request of my son.

Sometimes you assume things are cute where others are either offended and/or embarrassed.

Humor is sometimes lost when it comes to controversial subjects - especially when it didn't even enter into the author's mind that it would have caused trouble.

Weekly Anti-war Protest in Bush Country

2008-05-03T19:38:00.001-07:00

MVI_3031
Originally uploaded by androidny

Friday noon anti-war protest on the town square in Tyler, TX with fellow Amerikuhaters. What struck me was the regularity of people voting with their car and truck horns. Yes, here in the land of the Prince of Peace. Imagine that.

These and other people have been meeting here every Friday for over a year. Not once did the TV station in the background cover this regularly attended event.

Winter Soldier Article in Houston Chronicle

2008-04-21T10:26:00.000-07:00

Photo by Cheryl Coward

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked."

Luke (6:27-35)

Well, after meeting Hart and reading about him and what he has written, he sure seems to be living up to this creed. I sure wish more of his other fellow Christians would strive for this and leave violence for the extremists. Unfortunately, it seems we have met the enemy and he is us.

ACTION ALERT:

You may want to consider posting supportive comments about the Houston Chronicle's stroy on Winter Soldier.

War-torn vets speak out
Haunted by their wartime experiences, some Iraq veterans are are protesting

From the page: "Hart Viges walks the streets of Austin in a tunic and carries a sign that reads, "Jesus Against War." It's one of many ways, he says, that he must atone for his actions as an American soldier in Iraq.

Army Sgt. Ronn Cantu says lingering memories of killing a civilian in Iraq led him to start a chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War at his home -- Fort Hood.

And in Houston, Chris Hauff, an Iraq War vet who returned from combat two years ago, wrestles with the feeling that his best friend died in a misguided war.

"The idea that American soldiers are there to spread democracy and liberate the people is all smoke and mirrors," Hauff says.

After five years and more than 4,000 American deaths, hundreds of anti-war Iraq veterans and even some active-duty soldiers are speaking out in protest. Though they make up a relatively small percentage of all the soldiers who have served, certainly they speak from experience. They've had their boots on the ground."

I've had breakfast with Hart Viges. Great guy. God fearing Christian. Anti-war. Pro-peace. Just like Jesus of Nazareth. Imagine that.

Here's what Dave posted in the comment section:

"My thanks to the editors of the Houston Chronicle for allowing this story to run and to Claudia Feldman whose resolve and determination to report the story is exemplary.

As a veteran of the war in Viet Nam who went to that war with a firm belief in its necessity and honorable goals and returned in anger against my government for the lies that sent me, I can well relate to what the men and women of Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan face. To allow them to tell their story is, truly, "supporting the troops".

Some 10 years after the last US soldier left Viet Nam a survey was conducted regarding the views about that war among its veterans. The results suggested that, much like the nation as a whole for much of the war, those veterans were divided in their views; some still believing it a "noble cause" and others denouncing it as criminal aggression, futility, or error heaped upon error. The same will likely prove true ten years after the last US soldier leaves Iraq. But the division of opinion among veteran and civilian alike is no excuse for muffling the voice of these men and women who have each served with honor and continue to serve by standing up and telling the truth as they experienced and perceive it.

Bring the troops home now and care for them when they return.

Dave Collins
Hill Country contact
Vietnam Veterans Against the War"

hoto by Cheryl Coward

Here's a clip of Hart during the Winter Soldier Event this spring:

Shoot the Moon

2008-04-18T08:24:00.001-07:00

TerriXLN2EarthMoon, originally uploaded by androidny.

This is a picture I took of Terri at the XLN pool hall with a couple of enhancements... Click on the picture and click on the 'ALL SIZES' icon to see the detail.

The Humbling Universe

2008-04-16T08:37:00.000-07:00

glumbert - The Humbling Universe

glumbert - The Largest Model of the Universe

Texas Extreme Semi-pro Football

2008-04-10T18:44:00.001-07:00

MVI_2577
Originally uploaded by androidny

This is a team that my friend Ben Swain plays on. This is more fun an waaay cheaper than watching pro. Plus there's plenty of choices for seating.

Bill Maher - New Rules America Isnt #1

2008-03-31T18:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the link, Bente!

A Fina Note

2008-03-31T16:53:00.000-07:00

I wrote this a few weeks ago, shortly after the Texas primary and before Obama's "race" speech.

Tucker Carlson – who I dislike, but not as much as I dislike conservative mouth pieces Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, & Bill O'Reilly – asked a panelist on his MSNBC show last week, "if the Democrats can't beat John McCain after 8 years of Bush, shouldn't they just disband?" After a moment of thought, the panelist replied that Carlson's point was "well taken." While the Democratic candidates ravage one another with more and more negative attacks, the Republicans quietly lick their chops and grow stronger.

We are on the verge of electing the oldest man in history to be president. He is a man who offers nothing to the American people except more of the same; a man who has changed positions on important political issues overnight for the sake of political expediency. An uninspiring man, who brings no innovation and no vigor to an office that desperately needs new life and new direction. I cannot blame Democrats for wanting the future to be now, but I must take issue with Democrats dreaming about how things should be, and how that perpetual dream state interferes with an objective assessment of harsh political realities.

The fact remains that this country remains deeply divided along race and gender lines. If the movers and shakers in the Democratic Party would step outside of their sheltered cosmopolitan hotbeds of liberalism, they would realize that huge numbers of working poor remain unconvinced that the party has their best interests at heart. Even more disconcerting are the droves of lower class and lower middle class people who have openly embraced the Republican Party because the Democrats have allowed themselves to be portrayed as the party of the "Godless." This is primarily a result of the party's stance on abortion and gay rights, in combination with a successful Republican campaign to portray those beliefs as being in direct contrast to the teachings of Christ and Christianity. However, there are – and always have been – weapons for the party to use against accusations of Godlessness. For instance, the dichotomy that Republicans present with their anti-abortion / pro-death penalty stance is in diametric opposition to the teachings of Christ. The fact that the vast majority of reputable biological scientists agree that homosexuality is a condition of birth and not a choice – as the evangelicals would have us believe – is a fact that continues to fall upon largely deaf ears both within and without the Republican Party. Why would anyone "choose" to be homosexual? But, the Democrats have dropped the ball. We have wrongly convinced ourselves that the anti-abortion / pro-death penalty / anti-gay segment of the population makes up only a small percentage of the electorate, and that their influence is felt only along the fringes of the political spectrum. We have blindly accepted that race and gender divisions are quietly dissolving of their own accord and that there is no real need to openly talk about them.

Of all these things, race and gender remain the most divisive. Amidst talk of ending Affirmative Action and quotas in college acceptance that require a minimum number of minority students, we are blindly stepping into a time machine that will return us all to a day when racial harmony reigned supreme under the protective umbrella of segregation. Nowhere is legalized segregation more openly on display than at the elementary and secondary education levels of our children. Private schools have long been a way for parents to separate their children from "undesirables." The move toward more and more home schooling is not so much a reflection of a lack of confidence in the quality of public education as it is a way for poorer families to prevent their children from racially mixing. In rural small town America – especially in the south - one can easily identify the white, black, and Hispanic sections of town. The white exodus from the cities to the suburbs can be either directly or indirectly attributed to the relative close proximity of the races in the cities. Churches, temples, and mosques remain largely segregated. Authoritative positions in both the public and private sector continue to be dominated by white men. Republican attacks against the illegal immigrants themselves rather than against businesses that hire them or conditions in Mexico and elsewhere that force migration are inherently racists. The refusal to tolerate or respect cultural differences perpetuates ignorance and insures that racist attitudes will be passed from one generation to the next. However, racism is not a one way street. There are plenty of black, brown, red, and yellow racists. But, when one out of every fifteen black men and one out of every thirty-six Hispanic men in this country are in prison, and the national average is one out of every one-hundred, there is clearly something wrong with the social fabric. Are black and Hispanic men guilty of serious crimes more often than white men? Or do they suffer more extreme consequences when found guilty because of a system of justice that is inherently racist? And if the answer to the former question is yes, then we must examine the controlling factors in the lives of those men and ask whether or not they – the factors – have their roots in a racist dogma. Are the scales of social and economic success tilted so far to the right that the average black or Hispanic in this country gives up on the pursuit of a better life through hard work before he ever gives it a real chance to succeed? Hopelessness about the prospects for a better life for themselves and their children is pervasive in the black and Hispanic communities.

Imagine for a moment that you are a young black or Hispanic female. How much more will you have to overcome in the way of prejudices than your male counterparts? If white women are still struggling for equal rights in America, how much less are the opportunities in the workplace and the society at large for female minorities? Equal pay for equal work is still an unmet goal for women's groups. The board rooms are still largely an all white male dominated arena. In-roads have been made in the political world through the election of women to seats in the U.S. Senate and a few governorships. However, with a handful of notable exceptions, most of these aberrations occur in states largely populated by progressives and liberals. Large segments of the population still view women as second class citizens. While no reasonable human being would continue to assert that there is a connection between physical strength and intellectual prowess, the same, I'm afraid, cannot be said for the connection some would continue to make between estrogen and the decision making centers of the brain. If we are not far enough removed from Appomattox to know the full impact of the Civil War on this country, then we are certainly not far enough removed from the passage of the 19th Amendment to know what effect thousands of years of denying women the most basic of rights is likely to continue to have on women's opinions of themselves in terms of self esteem, as well as men's estimations of their abilities to effectively lead.

Democrats now find themselves in a predicament from which there is no escape. It is a Catch-22 of epic proportions. While the historic consequences have most of the Democratic faithful excited beyond anything they have experienced in recent years, the quandary presented by their selections for president have created an inescapable dilemma. Sen. Obama brings many problems with him to the general election. For example, much will be made of his lack of experience and his religious affiliation. However, the biggest stumbling blocks for him will be his race and his name. The two issues that should matter least, will I'm afraid, matter most to a significant part of the electorate. Sen. Clinton also brings her fair share of obstacles to a successful general election campaign, not the least of which is the disdain in which she is held by many women in this country for not having left her husband over his infidelities, and hatred for the Clinton's in general is palpable. Unfortunately, like Sen. Obama, her main problem will be one which should matter least. She is a woman.

One day America will overcome the hatred and bigotry associated with race and gender. Sadly, it's a little early yet.

I wrote this next part after the bottom fell out of the campaign - about a week ago.

President John McCain

Go ahead and resign yourself to the inevitable. It's a done deal. The republicans really don't even have to do anything to win. McCain could go on a vacation to Tahiti from now until November and still win. A new Gallup poll indicates that about 20% of Obama supporters will vote for McCain if Clinton gets the nomination, and about 30% of Clinton supporters will vote for McCain if Obama gets the nomination.Both candidates are downplaying these new Gallup numbers; but, it's becoming an ominous warning sign for Democratic insiders that all of this infighting is helping to create an enormous amount of canon fodder for Republicans to use in the general election, and is creating a sense of a no-win scenario for whichever Democrat gets the nomination. Rassmussen Reports shows a dramatic shift in the electoral math, which I have found over the years to be the best indicator of what the ultimate outcome in key swing states will be. When a state with the kinds of economic and unemployment problems of Michigan becomes a toss-up state, then the Democrats are in serious trouble. It's a shame that the democratic candidates - particularly Mrs.Clinton - didn't focus their time and energy toward pointing out the failings of the administration and explaining to the American people why they would be better suited for fixing the current mess as opposed to a tired old retread like John McCain. I put most of the blame on Mrs.Clinton because she has been willing for quite a long time now to sacrifice the Obama vote in the general election in order to win a nomination that is mathematically impossible for her to achieve. Only the supers can give her the nomination as it now stands; and that sort of smoke filled back room deal would spell certain defeat. The Obama people would simply stay home on election day (and rightfully so). I'm not sure what she's actually trying to do. Maybe she's running for president in 2012? As far as Obama's candidacy is concerned, he already had a big hill to climb as an African-American. Now all the republicans have to do to win is run a few ads with out takes from some of Rev.Wright's tirades, show a smiling Obama sitting in the pew, and just scare the bejeezus out of white America. I don't know how many times I've disagreed with my pastor. If someone put a montage of clips together showing a few of the right wing outbursts I've heard coming from the pulpit in MY church, most people would come away thinking that maybe I believed "Hitler wasn't such a bad guy after all." It's ridiculous, but the sad fact remains that it's effective. The Republicans will never allow the American people to distance Rev.Wright from Sen.Obama. It's over.

I'm not even mildly interested in it anymore. The Democrats have once again managed to successfully sabotage their own chances without any help from the republicans. While they walk around in their perpetual dream state about how things SHOULD be, the country continues its' slide into debt, recession, inflation and interminable war.

This is the last you will hear from me on this subject. Anymore debate will be superfluous. The thing about an idiot is that he/she does not know that they're an idiot. You can't convince anyone by argument that you're right and they're wrong anymore than you can convince someone that it's raining outside if they refuse to get up and see for themselves.

P.S.

This has nothing to do with the national election of which I am now totally disinterested.

However, I will make one final statement on politics of a personal nature.

I am, as of this moment forward, totally acquiescing to the oligarchic fascist state of the military industrial complex. As the Borg would say, "resistance is futile." Because I am totally withdrawing from the political scene (I've been virtually absent in recent years anyway, so it won't make any real difference), I will be making no political statements or arguments supporting or opposing any political ideologies on the right or the left. If, at some later date - and I consider this highly unlikely - a viable third party emerges (The Purple Party?) which has as its core principle a return to the ideals set forth by Jefferson in his writings, I will gladly join the cause. The U.S. is in need of a new revolution. Somehow it must find the courage to throw off the yoke of fascist oppression. While I firmly adhere to the non-violent teachings of Mahatma Ghandi and Dr.King; I will, if necessary, be willing to lay down my life for the cause of freedom. Was it not Jefferson who said that violent revolution is sometimes necessary when an oppressive government exceeds its authority by violating the unalienable rights of mankind; and that the roots of the Liberty Tree are kept fervent and alive by the blood of the martyrs? When the executive, legislative, and judicial branches become tools of the corporate fascist oligarchs, is it not time for revolution? I don't see any evidence that democrats are any more willing than republicans to take on any of these destructive, self-interested giants. In fact, I see a preponderance of evidence that the opposite is true. And, if Democrats, or anyone else for that matter, decide to speak out and stand up to fascism, won't they simply die under mysterious circumstances, or just be murdered outright? I've never been a conspiracy theorist, but this conspiracy is frighteningly real. The monopolization of the mass media, corporate welfare, allowing industries to outsource work to take advantage of slave labor overseas in order to increase personal profits, allowing the petroleum industry to milk oil profits for all they are worth while viable clean energy technology is available, are just a few examples of how America has become a passive captive of fascist oligarchic rule.

I'm not trying to convince anyone that I'm right and you're wrong, and that you should also throw in the towel. Go ahead and keep hope alive and fight the good fight if it makes you feel better. Also, because I am giving up on politics as usual, I will no longer engage in republican vs.democrat discourse. Sadly, they have become the same thing. I will, however, continue to lambaste a country which professes democracy - and tries to force it on the world - while practicing fascism.

God Bless
Good Luck
&
Sieg Heil !

JBA