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Sunday, July 31, 2005

My Nobel Hero

Still one of my favorite people in the world, Jimmy Carter.. a world diplomat & crusader for peace on every level.. from building Homes for Humanity, to offering ideals from a think-tank.. the man rocks.
His statement from a speech yesterday:
~~~~~~~


BIRMINGHAM, England -- Former President Carter said Saturday the detention of terror suspects at the Guantanamo Bay Naval base was an embarrassment and had given extremists an excuse to attack the United States.

Carter also criticized the U.S.-led war in Iraq as "unnecessary and unjust."

"I think what's going on in Guantanamo Bay and other places is a disgrace to the U.S.A.," he told a news conference at the Baptist World Alliance's centenary conference in Birmingham, England. "I wouldn't say it's the cause of terrorism, but it has given impetus and excuses to potential terrorists to lash out at our country and justify their despicable acts."

Carter said, however, that terrorist acts could not be justified, and that while Guantanamo "may be an aggravating factor ... it's not the basis of terrorism."

Critics of President Bush's administration have long accused the U.S. government of unjustly detaining terror suspects at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base on the southeastern tip of Cuba. Hundreds of men have been held indefinitely at the prison, without charge or access to lawyers.

"What has happened at Guantanamo Bay ... does not represent the will of the American people," Carter said Saturday. "I'm embarrassed about it, I think its wrong. I think it does give terrorists an unwarranted excuse to use the despicable means to hurt innocent people."

Earlier this month, Carter called for the Guantanamo prison to be shut down, saying reports of abuses there were an embarassment to the United States. He also said that the United States needs to make sure no detainees are held incommunicado and that all are told the charges against them.

Carter, who won the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, has been an outspoken critic of the Iraq war.

"I thought then, and I think now, that the invasion of Iraq was unnecessary and unjust. And I think the premises on which it was launched were false," he said Saturday.

Friday, July 29, 2005

Bedwetting Liberal.. yeah, that's ME!

To those who believe in the conservative crap that's coming down the pike these days.. please; read no further! This is a RANT!

Why are we so apologetic about being left of Atilla the Hun these days? Why do we cry & make public spectacles of ourselves when the GOP says, 'Hey, we don't like what you said, or how you said it.'? The Dems today are a sorry loose-jointed lot. And I for one am ready to tell the right wingnuts to shut their pie-holes.
I don't need the likes of Frist/Cheney/Gonzales/Rove/Coulter/Limbaugh, ad nauseum to dictate my thoughts!
Kellogg & Halliburton do not own me. I do not bow to the Supremes, to Katherine Harris, or to anything that crawled out of Crawford, TX.

I just finished an excellent book by Jim Harrison, 'The Road Home'. And like most books I read, I take away what resonates w/ me.. & leave what doesn't. Most of this book fed me well. I especially liked this quote;
"Even quasi-religious people liked to quote Jesus as saying, 'The poor you have with you always,' neglecting to add that he didn't say to sit on your ass and don't do nothing about it (poverty). The thought that my country accepts the idea that a quarter of its citizens are destined to be social mutants, peels my nerves. Our compassion quotient has seemed to lower a bit more each year of my adult life. I never much minded when my colleagues would tease me for being a 'bleeding heart' because if your heart doesn't bleed you're dead, and you've become just another greedy little shit factory on life's way."

The shit factory over-runneth these days.
Yes! I'm a bleeding heart Liberal! Yes! I care about the humanity of we who deign to call ourselves 'human'. It hurts me to know that nearly 1800 innocent soldiers have died for nothing more than Dubyah's folly. It causes me intense pain to know that over 125,000 Iraqi's have died for the enjoyment of Rumsfeld & his power hungry ilk.
If it indeed is a sin to care.. then count me among the guilty as charged.
I confess.. I believe in human rights! So shoot me.. or set me free.

Thursday, July 28, 2005

Chelsea's Offer..

As I sit here on the old home place waiting for a decent sales offer, I found it interesting to note that SOME people are getting offers of a different sort.
Maybe Chelsea needs to be told of this offer.. I mean, hey.. 40 goats & 20 cows makes for one helluva BBQ.
Wonder if this Kenyan might offer such a deal for a SW Florida home??
~~~


Kenyan waits for Bill Clinton's answer on offer of 40 goats, 20 cows to marry daughter
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — A Kenyan city councilman says he offered Bill Clinton 40 goats and 20 cows for his daughter's hand in marriage five years ago. He's still awaiting an answer.
Godwin Kipkemoi Chepkurgor wrote Clinton asking for Chelsea's hand in 2000 when Clinton visited Kenya, Chepkurgor told the East African Standard newspaper.

Chepkurgor, 36, vowed to remain single until he gets an answer to his proposal to marry Chelsea, 25.

Chepkurgor, a city councilor in Nakuru, told Clinton of plans for a grand wedding presided over by South African Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

"Had I succeeded in wooing Chelsea, I would have had a grand wedding," he told the Standard in an interview published Friday during Clinton's recent visit to Kenya.

Chepkurgor said his letter praised both Clinton's leadership and his wife, now Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, for standing by her husband in the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

The electrical engineering graduate said he promised to pay 40 goats and 20 cows in dowry for Clinton's only daughter in accordance with African tradition.

But he said the letter prompted security checks — on him, his family and his classmates.

It's unlikely Clinton ever received the offer. A security official told the Standard the letter probably never made it out of the office because authorities thought Chepkurgor "just took the joke too far."

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Lessons..

It's my personal belief that we come to this Earth School to learn life lessons. When we're done, we leave. Simple and as complex as that.
Then we get to start all over again.. aiyeeee.....

Right now, my life lesson involves 'patience'. Isn't that just a pain in the wazoo to learn? We, in this society of instant gratification.. 'I wanted that report yesterday'.. please me, NOW!.. multi-orgasms, if you don't mind.. 'what takes the microwave so freakin' long???'
Yeah, THAT generation.
I find it hard to wait for my hot rollers to heat up, & here I am being asked to 'sit in the center of the vessel & wait on the will of heaven'. There are times it brings me to weeping & wailing.
Currently, I am trying to sell my house in SW Florida, because we have bought a wonderful cabin in SE Tennessee. One is contingent on the other..
With his white-hot real estate market in SRQ, I figured it would be on the market for 20 minutes, before I was renting the UHaul, & packing the boxes. It has now been 64,800 minutes & my house has not sold! Houses have sold on this street.. just not mine. We've lowered the price.. so we're well within the 'sale' parameters.. Everyone says it's a beautiful home, & they'd love to have it. But it hasn't sold!
So this leads me to
1) Bargain w/ God. Offer to become a missionary in Tellico Plains, or as far away as Knoxville if necessary.
2) Question my decisions. Am I secretly sagotaging the sale? Do I subconsciously want to remain here?
3) Eat away my anxiety. Cold hotdogs w/ a hot tuna topping are not health food folks. This is stress eating.
and finally
4) Go within, & see what the hold up is. AHA! Now comes the truth.. this is my lesson: To release control of the sale of the house to the 'Universe', knowing my best interest is being taken care of, even as I am learning to have patience. With myself, w/ others & w/ God.
And like most circuitous lessons, we're at the beginning chanting,
"All shall be well, all shall be well, & all manner of things shall be well."

64,820 minutes.

Sunday, July 24, 2005

Food Chains & other musings..

We are staying at a condo on Siesta Beach this week, due to the largess of friends. It's amazing how going only 15 minutes away from home can feel like a real vacation spot!
The condo lies between the water channel, where one can fish, boat, or just sit a spell & watch the world go by. That's what I did yesterday afternoon. The water was teeming with life.. and death. I watched jelly fish feed on minnow (did you know the jelly fish have no brains & the fish that they eat liquify very quickly, having been stung by tentacles that must release some powerful enzyme for the whole process) Then I watched some jelly fish being eliminated by blue crabs. Very rapid munchers as well. Then 'in-coming!' some seagulls made away with the blue crabs. We all recycle, eh?
We arrive, we eat, we are eaten. That about sums up life on the sleepy Sunday.
At the condo is a pristine pool which I may make some use of today. It begs a long cool drink & a Shirley Jackson book. I will provide both.
Walking the beach last evening, was another study in earth sciences & bio 101. It was low tide, so lots of skittering creatures, wishing they could burrow deeper, faster.. than 5 yr old hands can dig. Few were successful. The beach was adorned with what seemed like 1000's of sand dollars. At 1st I thought 'eureka! I can send unbroken ones to the grandkids'. Then I was informed 'they aint dead yet!' Shame on me.. I put them back. Lots of leopard crabs with their lovely markings, ambling sideways down the sands, hoping not to attract the attention of the shorebirds, or kids with buckets.
The skies were overcast, so no flaming sunset to write home about. Just the peaceful easy feeling that is Siesta in the Summer. Like Martha's Vineyard in the winter, the beaches of summer here are pretty barren of people. Perhaps that's why the sand dollar make their way more easily for propagating during the off-season. And the rates are a lot better..
Today I'm going to try my hand at fishing! I can't say that I've ever tried it. And it will definitely be a catch & release type effort. So pray for the safety of my partner, as I fling that hook in god-knows-what direction.
Have a blessed Sunday..

Thursday, July 21, 2005

Counting on St Joseph

Last Sunday, Mari.. my lovely dtr-in-law, told me I should buy a St Joseph statue or medallion & bury it in my backyard. By doing that, I would insure my house being sold. Wow.. amazing how that works. Now granted, she was raised Catholic, & that may have more 'pull' than a kid raised in tent revivals amongst those dancing-in-the-Spiritfolk. But what the hey.. in this day of boutique religiosity.. I'm willing to try it all.
1st I had to check it out thru another Catholic source, because those saints can be confusing, don't you think? I wouldn't want to accidentally call upon St Anthony the patron saint of lost causes, now would I?
So I went to Tammy, my dtrs best friend.. & lo & behold, we had the right saint. In fact, if you Google 'St Joseph sell-your-house-kit' you get a buttload.. err.. treasure trove of kits for under $10. What a deal! Kind of makes wish I'd come here before going to all the trouble of finding a realtor, etc.
Anyway, I knew I didn't have time to go thru all the channels of buying said kit, yadda yadda. This house needs to sell pronto!
So I went the charasmatic route, & made a print copy of St Joseph.
I figure it's the 'faith' that makes it work.. so this should suffice.
Making said copy, I folded it 3X.. my lucky # (numerology).. & buried it in the SW corner of the backyard, where Feng Shui says our 'prosperity' corner lies. That should about cover all the major belief factors.

People! I am good to go! As long as the pesky squirrels don't dig up my Saint.. this place is as good as sold. And I will be the 1st to sing his praises from the rooftop.
Now, someone tell me what the 'Novena' is that goes w/ him.. I'm hoping a Unity prayer will work just as well.

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

Out of the mouth of Betty Bowers.. the world's best christian

Our dashing (usually away from pesky, fact-obsessed reporters) President, in more of a flop sweat than a flip-flop, changed His mind this week about firing anyone undermining national security for political gain. After all, the only war that matters is not the one to protect Americans from deadly threats from abroad, but the one to protect them from uncomfortable truths at home. In a previous moment of uncharacteristic weakness, our handsome President ordained that He would fire anyone who leaked. This sent Dick Cheney in a covert scurry to CVS in Foggy Bottom for a large box of Depends. Under the new criteria for dismissal from the White House, you have to either say, "I don't agree with you, Mr. President" or be recorded on security video robbing a liquor store. That's what we Americans love about our fine-looking President: He is always a straight shooter. Indeed, in both directions, if necessary. (Of course, after male prostitute Jeff Gannon has been giddily passed around the West Wing for hundreds of joy-filled hours, it may be a stretch to refer to any of them as straight.)



So, now it is clear: you can only be fired from the White House if you are caught breaking the law. Surely, Andrew Card will now be flooded with shady resumes from people wishing to flee the persecution of employers who harbor the wildly outrageous expectation that their workers not excel in competition-level prevarication, much less undermine the security of an entire nation. The crazy libs will argue that the biggest lesson that comes out of the fact that Karl Rove and Lewis "Scooter" Libby were the ones who leaked classified information is that their immediate bosses, Messieurs Bush and Cheney, were actually the ones behind the churlish, illegal payback for Mr. Wilson's disloyal honesty. I, on the other hand, think that the most important lesson is this: Don't go around asking adults to call you "Scooter" if you don't want a tricycle for Christmas.

But, honestly, can't you hear our fabulously cagey President, a year hence, once again raising the bar for termination ever so incrementally higher? After all, He must stay one nimble step ahead of having to penalize, rather than promote, a staff member unfettered by honesty and other quaintly inconvenient weaknesses. Indeed, my gift of prophesy allows you a glimpse into this autumn's "new and improved" post-indictment standard for dismissal:


"No one will be asked to leave the White House unless they commit a crime involving an actual death -- boy howdy, I almost just had my wife Pickles packing! No, let's go ahead and make that two deaths. Also, you don't need to clear your desk until all appeals are exhausted, right up to my new bud and judicial cipher John Roberts, selected with this very nuisance in mind. Oh, and the other condition for getting your butt fired is that Suzanne Somers has to win a Tony award next year for The Blond in the Thunderbird. Tee-hee."

-- President George W. Bush (after cautioning the press that He was not under oath).


Fortunately, we live in a country that doesn't blink when our handsome President flip-flops on the reason for starting war, much less ending employment. Indeed, the only time my fellow godly Republicans got outraged about non-Kerry flip-flops is when the gals from the national champion lacrosse team recently showed up at the White House wearing them. But this is hardly a surprise. As with all things in the White House, it is not important what you do or say, just how you appear. Even though I don't recall any of my dear sisters at Concerned Women for America flipping her navy-blue wig over Jenna showing up at Buckingham Palace wearing jeans and a snarl.
Speaking of those quaint, eager-to-please English people, I imagine that Tony Blair had a rather unpleasant jolt on July 7. In reflecting upon Mr. Bush's pledge to fight the war on terror there, rather than here, it must have finally occurred to Mr. Blair that London, quite unfortunately, isn't here.

According to the BBC, nearly 25,000 civilians have been violently killed in Iraq by overworked troops and overwrought insurgents. That's about eight times the number of civilians killed in the World Trade Center towers by Islamic murderers. So, presumably, the Iraqis have eight times the number bumper stickers and other jingoistic automobile accoutrement than we do. This means that they must have well over 140,000,000 "Support the Troops' Targets" metallic car ribbons. And when you think that the search for their scurrilously indiscernible WMDs has left the people of Iraq with only a handful of rusted Fiats between them, the madrassa carpool may have the only vehicles in Iraq that come close to being armor-plated!

I won't hazard a guess on what color car ribbons the Iraqis have settled upon (if, indeed, they can agree on anything), but when the current Tour de France is over, can people everywhere -- finally -- remove those cheap, plastic canary yellow bracelets? I don't support unattractive fashion fads that masquerade as unctuous causes. That just leads to Catholicism.


Tom Cruise continues his campaign against psychiatry and mood-stabilizing drugs. Verily, it is always sad when someone discounts the merits of what he needs most. It always reminds me when dear brother-in-Christ Jerry Falwell rails against diets. While little Tom the Scientology robot has become a greater source of shocked amusement than First Lady Laura Bush's wildly popular horse masturbation jokes, his PR spokesperson/sibling Lee Anne DeVette tells us that everyone loves and admires her brother almost as much as the glassy-eyed Katie Holmes (as Katie will tell you via her Scientology minder/ ventriloquist, who is a veritable Molly Pitcher with a jug of Kool-Aid). Such panglossian proclamations give me a hunch that Tom's sister interned with former Iraqi Minister of Information under Saddam Hussein just before before rushing back to America to ruin Tom's career. Little Tom is wont to claim that membership in his cult has allowed him to cure hundreds of carefully unnamed people of their various addictions. That is one thing I don't understand about Scientology (well, other than why people join): If being a Scientology zombie cures you of your addictions, why is Kirstie Alley still unable to relinquish a piece of Sarah Lee without leaving welt marks and why is John Travolta constantly turning his Boeing 707 "cockpit" into a saucy double-entendre? Just asking.


Speaking of bearded celebrities who have totally lost the ability to see how they are coming across, how difficult poor Oprah Winfrey's troubled life must be! First, to be born in abject poverty, and then to be sexually molested. And now -- the most humiliating ordeal of all -- not to be permitted to shop when one of Paris's most expensive stores has the temerity to be closed. Oh, the humanity! St. Oprah, the martyr for all avaricious procrastinators, has truly established herself as the Rosa Parks of after-hours, celebrity binge shopping. Apparently, she was rushing into Hermes to buy (I adore Oprah's salt-of-the-earth need to relentlessly drop names) Tina Turner a ridiculously expensive watch. I suppose poor Tina has been reduced to the humiliation of getting her timepieces at Cartier during normal business hours! Perhaps, next time Miss Winfrey is out shopping she may think to pick up a watch for herself. And then learn how to use it. Like the rest of us.



So close to Jesus, He wears a "What Would Betty Do?" bracelet,



Mrs. Betty Bowers


America's Best Christian


A woman known throughout Christendom for her joie d'après vivre

Best Read While Sippin' Mint Julips

These may be a re-run for y'all.. but they still tickle my innards..
In a good way.
But here, you read 'em fer yore ownself.
~~~~~

Southern Astrological Signs



It has become pretty obvious to us Southerners that our present
astrological signs have served their purpose and that we should
get rid of them. When I'm out driving around I'll see bulls, and once
in a great while I suppose I'll even see a ram. Up the street from me
there's some twins, but I don't see them much. The rest of the things
are just too obscure. You only see crabs on vacation. There are no
lions or scorpions, not many archers and no water bearers. Virgins?
The neighborhood's not crawling with them either.

So... what we need here is some relevance.
We need things we can recognize up there in the night sky.


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SCROLL DOWN TO YOUR BIRTH DATE!



OKRA
Dec 22 - Jan 20
Although you appear crude, you are actually very slick on the
inside. Okra have tremendous influence. An older Okra can look back
over his life and see the seeds of his influence everywhere. Stay away
from Moon Pies.



CHITLIN
Jan 21 - Feb 19
Chitlins often come from humble backgrounds. Many times they're
uncomfortable talking about just where they came from. A chitlin,
however, can make something of himself if he's motivated and has plenty
of seasoning. When it comes to dealing with Chitlins, be very careful.
Chitlins can burn and then erupt like a volcano, and this can make for
a really terrible mess. Chitlins are best with Catfish and Okra.
Remember that when marriage time rolls around.



BOLL WEEVIL
Feb 20 - Mar 20
You have an overwhelming curiosity. You're unsatisfied with the
surface of things, and you feel the need to bore deep into the
interior of everything. Needless to say, you are very intense and driven
as if you had some inner hunger. Nobody in their right mind is going to
marry you, so don't worry about it.



MOON PIE
Mar 21 - Apr 20
You're the type that spends a lot of time on the front porch. It's a
cinch to recognize the physical appearance of Moon Pies. "Big" and
"round" are the key words here. You should marry anybody who you can
get remotely interested in the idea. It's not going to be easy. This might
be the year to think about aerobics. Maybe not.



POSSUM
Apr 21 - May 21
When confronted with life's difficulties, possums have a marked
tendency to withdraw and develop a "don't - bother - me - about - it"
attitude. Sometimes you become so withdrawn, people actually think
you're dead. This strategy is probably not psychologically healthy,
but seems to work for you. One day, however, it won't work, and you may
find your problems actually running you over.



CRAWFISH
May 22 - Jun 21
Crawfish is a water sign. If you work in an office, you're always
hanging around the water cooler. Crawfish prefer the beach to the
mountains, the pool to the golf course, the bathtub to the living
room. You tend not to be particularly attractive physically, but you have
very, very good hands.



COLLARDS
Jun 22- Jul 23
Collards have a genius for communication. They love to get in the
"melting pot" of life and share their essence with the essences of
those around them. Collards make good social workers, psychologists,
and baseball managers. As far as your personal life goes, if you are
Collards, stay away from Moon Pies. It just won't work. Save yourself
a lot of headaches.



CATFISH
Jul 24 - Aug 23
Catfish are traditionalists in matters of the heart, with one
exception: Whiskers may cause problems for loved ones. You catfish are
never easy people to understand. You prefer the muddy bottoms to the
clear surface of life. Above all else, Catfish should stay away from
Moon Pies.



GRITS
Aug 24 - Sep 23
Your highest aim is to be with others like yourself. You like to
huddle together with a big crowd of other Grits. You love to travel,
though, so maybe you should think about joining a club. Where do you
like to go? Anywhere they have cheese or gravy or bacon or butter or
eggs. If you can go somewhere where they have all these things, that
serves you well.



BOILED PEANUTS
Sep 24 - Oct 23
You have a passionate desire to help your fellow man.
Unfortunately, those who know you best -- your friends and loved ones -- may find that your personality is much too salty, and their criticism will probably affect you deeply because you are really much softer than you appear. You should go right ahead and marry anybody you want to
because in a certain way, yours is a charmed life. On the road
of life, you can be sure that people will always pull over and stop for you.



BUTTER BEAN
Oct 24 - Nov 22
Always invite a Butter Bean because Butter Beans get along well with
everybody. You, as a Butter Bean, should be proud. You've grown on the
vine of life and you feel at home no matter what the setting. You can
sit next to anybody. However, you, too, shouldn't have anything to do
with Moon Pies.



ARMADILLO
Nov 23 - Dec 21
You have a tendency to develop a tough exterior, but you are
actually quite gentle. A good evening for you? Old friends, a fire, some
roots, fruit, worms and insects. You are a throwback. You're not
concerned with today's fashions and trends. You're not concerned with
anything about today. You're really almost prehistoric in your
interests and behavior patterns. You probably want to marry another Armadillo, but Possum is another, somewhat kinky, mating possibility.

The Fat Man

Some of you may have heard of the 400 lb guy from San Diego who decided to walk across the US to lose some wt & save his life.. It's been interesting following him via his website
www.thefatmanwalking.com
His wife journals his progress, trials, woes, & accomplishments. Now that he's getting national press coverage, her email acct is overwhelmed. Steve has already lost 50#, & is only as far as Kingman, AZ (where the heat was like 120 yesterday). He's on his way to Flagstaff today, & eventually to Maine.
The guy is a diabetic & is now suffering from a lot of damage to his feet. The desert heat has been brutal, & water sources have been few. In hindsight, they're wishing they'd had like an RV back-up for the guy.. because he's had a lot of close calls w/ dehydration, nutcases on the road, & general depression.
When you have a few minutes, read thru the journal. If you're like me, it'll make you feel downright lazy.
I thought it was sweet, that an Appalachian guy who has the original websire of fatmanwalking.com, put a header up on his site, redirecting you to Steve's site 'thefatmanwalking.com' Way to go!

So next time it takes every last ounce of strength for you to walk to the kitchen for a long cool drink of water, think of Steve trekking across desert & mountain.. & send him some good thoughts!

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Can You Think Of Better??

Now can you honestly think of better reality show potential than the following??
Well, tell me about them!
~~~

>> REALITY TV SHOWS <<

Sequestered With Regis
The Lowest Common Denominator
Who Wants to Marry a Gold Digger?
Congressional Pie Fights - Live on CSPAN
Touched by an Iron Chef
72 Consecutive Hours, Unedited
Happy Couples Caught on Tape
Temptation Island of Doctor Moreau
Cabin Fever! (Catch the Cabin Fever!)
Real World: Narnia
This Old Mobile House
America's Homeliest Spinster Pageant
Dick Clark & Carson Daly Teen Face Off Times Square Dance-a-Thon
Making the Christian Rap Band
Court TV's Crucifixion!
Kitchen Confessions
The Waukesha, Wisconsin Super Shop n' Save Employee Coffee Nook Security Camera Show!
Is Your Wife Away On Business?
At Home in Proctor and Gamble's Animal Labs
Goats Gone Wild!
Neighborhood Voyeur
Mormons at Mardi Gras
Bludgeoning For Blubber
Survivor: Rikers Island
Battle of the Network Pinheads
The Age of Consent
Rest Area of Regret
Last Dotcom Standing
Who Wants to Get a Vasectomy?
MTV's Rock the Census
When Celebrities Attack
Wildest Shopping Cart Accidents
Candid Camera 2004 - The Glory Hole Tapes
Inside the Actor's Studio: Sinbad
Fox's Catch the Clap!
John Ashcroft at the Apollo
America's Funniest Amateur Amputations!
Robert Downey Jr,'s Road to Rehab
Fishing for Tires
Making the Nike Hi-Top
Locked in the Attic
Stalking Jodie Foster
The Delta Burke Trampoline Endurance Hour
Video Diary: The Littlest Crack Whore
Militant Fundamentalist FANatic
Cubicle Lifestyles of the Large and Incontinent
Sizzler Presents: The All You Can Eat Buffet Family Challenge
Jellyfish Monkeyboy - Unplugged!
Geraldo Rivera's Monster Moustache Olympics
Geriatric Jackass

Tagging Game, because I'm bored..

I was tagged by A Real Life Princess and since nobody ever tags me for anything, I”m pretty excited:
What follows is a list of different occupations. Select at least five of them. Add more to the list if you like, and then pass it on.Of the five you selected, you are to finish each phrase with what you would do as a member of that profession. Then pass it on to three other bloggers.

If I could be a scientist…
If I could be a farmer…
If I could be a musician…
If I could be a doctor…
If I could be a painter…
If I could be a gardener…
If I could be a missionary…
If I could be a chef…
If I could be an architect…
If I could be a linguist…
If I could be a psychologist…I
f I could be a librarian…
If I could be an athlete…
If I could be a lawyer…
If I could be an innkeeper…
If I could be a professor…
If I could be a writer…
If I could be a backup dancer…
If I could be a llama-rider…
If I could be a bonnie pirate…
If I could be a midget stripper…
If I could be a proctologist…
If I could be a TV-Chat Show host…
If I could be an actor…
If I could be a judge…
If I could be a Jedi…
If I could be a mob boss…
If I could be a personal trainer…
If I could be a professional race car driver…
If I could be a stand-up comedian…
If I could be an artist…
If I could be a hooker..
If I could be a nun..
If I could be an alien..
If I could be a preacher..

1)If I could be a musician, I'd drive all my friends & family crazy by playing non-stop.. cause I would rock!

2)If I could be a hooker, I'd have to charge 1/2 rate, because I'm a 'senior'.

3)If I could be a missionary, I'd try other positions as well.

4)If I could be a nun, I'd try to get rid of their mean reputations.

5)If I could a mob boss, I'd badda bing Tony Soprano..

now i am tagging: Debra
Angi
Julie

Monday, July 18, 2005

extra entry..

Just visited a fellow Yay Yay members blog & found part of a Q&A I opted to steal. (Hey, she stole it too, so it's a convoluted crime at this juncture)
Like I said, I only stole 1/2 of it, so my penance will be much less than hers. Thanks for allowing me the 'pinch' Melody!

TIME
~~~~
What I Was Doing..
10 years ago__
I had my heart broken by a French-Canadian. I was living in Tucson, AZ, working at Northwest Hospital. The mending of my broken heart included falling for a fellow worker, 20 yrs my junior. (What he lacked in intellect, he made up for w/ enthusiam)
My 2nd grandchild was born, & I got to cut the cord after the delivery. We were bonded.

5 years ago__
I was living La Vida Loca as a single woman in my new digs in FL! Little did I know I was soon to meet the love of my life on Match.Com. It was a magical time for me..

1 Year ago__
I was stuck in a job I hated at a local nursing home. My only saving grace was still being w/ the love of my life, my family & friends encouragement & support, and faith that God would take me to a better place in Spirit.

Yesterday__
I had a lovely day w/ my 3rd grandchild, went to see 'Willie Wonka'. The house was being shown in an Open House. I shared a champagne breakfast w/ the love of my life. I was grateful to not be working in the aforesaid nursing home.

Today__
I had a temporary setback after hearing news from IRS. Putting the fear-based crapola aside, I had a wonderful time of meditation & came away w/ the promise.. 'There is enough'.

Tomorrow__
"And all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well."

Imagining Joy..

This has been such a 'Monday.' You know, the one they make up blues songs from? Stormy Monday, Blue Monday, Monday Sucks..(I made up that last one);o)
The IRS is trying to pee on my parade, & if you haven't been under that acrid shitstorm of a spray.. thank your lucky stars!
Anyway, to make a long story short, I've been feeling vulnerable. The kind of feeling that makes me ask dumb questions like, 'Did I make the wrong move in leaving my craphole of a job?' 'Will all our future plans go down the proverbial toilet?'
'How many years does one get for counterfeiting bucks to pay the IRS?'
You know.. the everyday queries.

Then I have to go to my mentor, one that I luckily gave birth to, so the teaching is for free! (Mother-guilt goes a long way) And she gives me these wondrous words of wisdom;
"For whatever reason, let it go. Just trust that God is with you and let it flow. Let go of the planning. Don't start thinking about work, etc. There is a plan that you cannot see. Believe that. I know this illusion appears to be so real and your gut is feeling old wounds all over again.. that is what makes it feel so real. Your Path has brought you here to heal this now. This is your grand moment of opportunity.
.. Don't limit your good. Don't reject what is coming to you. Just be still and think about your blessings."
Isn't she the wisest Cherokee Princess?

Then I read my daily horoscope & it says, 'Let it go & let the Universe handle the future.' Hmmm.. I'm detecting a pattern here.

Then I go online & read the Yay-Yay Sisterhood bloggings, & Kat asks My question.. 'How do you get out of the feeling of a barren desert?' (paraphrased). And I realize that my soul is answering myself.. 'Have an attitude of gratitude. Imagine Joy & grasp it!'
Now it's time to step out in faith on that premise. This IRS illusion has attacked me w/ 2 previous husbands. It ended up killing the relationships in many ways, because we allowed the importance of $$ to create distance between us. I was forced to work where I didn't want to be, to feel guilt/doubt/worry and lack. When major life lessons come into our lives, they will repeat themselves until they are resolved. Hence, my greetings from the govt causing a knee-jerk fear-based response. Well, guess what? I'm not having any of it!
I am NOT going back to a workforce that stripped me of mental & physical health!
I am going FORWARD with my plans for the woman's spiritual retreats in TN.
I am NOT going to laden myself or my husband w/ the crippling useless emotions of guilt/doubt/worry & lack.
I am RELEASING it all to a higher power.

A few years ago I went on a 3 day SpiritQuest & the words were given to me;
"Let it Go
Let it Flow
Dance the Dream
Enjoy the Flight!'

I'm ready to dance & fly..

Friday, July 15, 2005

Rolling Rove-r in his turd pile..

I love Arianna Huffington. She thinks the way I think, & expresses it so much better! I have kept a closeful eye on Turd Blossom (Bushit's own nickname for the shitheel pal of his.)
And his antics & excuses have grown so wearying. Huffington is right on the mark w/ her essays today!
~~~

T H E H U F F I N G T O N P O S T




Has the Turd Blossom Express Reached the End of the Line?
Posted July 12, 2005 at 6:56 p.m. EDT

The Rove Scandal Train is picking up momentum (even here in Nice). Just ask Scottie McClellan, who is starting to look more and more like Ron Ziegler with every passing press briefing.

Actually, two separate Rove trains have left the station (and, no, this isn't going to be one of those old algebra problems they used to give us). The legal train and the political train -- heading along two very separate tracks. But it's now clear that the White House damage control team has decided to try and link the two. (Maybe this is one of those algebra problems: "If two trains leave the White House heading in opposite directions, one leading to a federal courthouse and the other to political Siberia, can even a Boy Genius keep both of them from going off track?")

The White House strategy is actually a very smart one. As Lawrence O'Donnell has explained in detail , the bar is set very high on proving Rove broke the Intelligence Identities Protection Act. As Victoria Toensing, who was chief counsel to the Senate intelligence committee when the law was enacted, put it, "We made it exceedingly difficult to violate." (Wonder if she passed this tidbit on to her good pal Bob Novak before he outed Plame?)

Indeed, according to the New York Times, only one person has been prosecuted under the relevant statute -- a CIA clerk in Ghana who ID'd two CIA agents to a boyfriend. (Some kind of strange pillow talk? "Yeah, tell me who's covert, baby!")

By linking the potential political fallout to the legal issue at hand, the White House can then hem, haw, and stall -- claiming that we need to let the legal system run its course -- and then hope that if special prosecutor Fitzgerald can't clear the high legal bar and indict Rove, it'll be able to claim that he's somehow been exonerated for his political sins as well.

Which, of course, is utter nonsense. Because while the legal jury may be out, the political jury is definitely in... Whether someone in a position of power and authority has acted inappropriately is not a matter of narrow legal definitions and fine semantic distinctions. Given what we already know about Rove's conversations, we can, right now, without even a single new revelation, and without reservation, say this: he is guilty of behavior that dishonored the White House and that placed the dirty politics of vindictive retribution over national security.

Ethics isn't just about what is legal or illegal. It's about what is right and what is wrong. And what Rove did was wrong -- no amount of legalistic hair-splitting will change that.

So the question is: will the press buy into the White House's attempt to put the two Rove trains on the same track? Perhaps... but after ignoring the story for weeks (hell, years!), it looks like the MSM are smelling blood in the water. ABC's Terry Moran, CBS's John Roberts, and NBC's David Gregory were all aggressive in their questioning of McClellan at today's press briefing, and even Tim Russert weighed in on the Today show (wearing what Crooks and Liars called "his super double secret serious face"), saying, "One Republican said to me last night, 'If this was a Democratic White House, we'd have Congressional hearings in a second.'" (Don't you just love it when Tim slips on his ultimate insider status and models it like a sexy negligee?)

Here's the bottom line: let's imagine for a moment that Fitzgerald does not indict Rove. Does this in any way mitigate, excuse, or erase what Rove did? Does it take the onus off President Bush's promise to fire the White House leaker? Of course not. Rove leaked -- and he should be fired. The Turd Blossom Express has reached the end of the line.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today's Pile of Steaming Turd Blossom
Posted July 13, 2005 at 10:06 p.m. EDT

Sportscasters love to say that a good offense is the best defense. But, as we're seeing, in politics, an offensive offense can be a lousy defense. I mean, if Karl Rove's future -- both political and legal -- depends on the offensive that the White House and its smear machine are frantically mounting, then ol' Karl is in even bigger trouble than we thought.

Their method seems to be a shock-and-awe operation where they bombard us with any and every defense they can, hoping that something sticks. So far, nothing has. And as Harry Shearer puts it, there is nothing like a White House press corps scorned.

Bush may be making the claim that he can't comment until "the investigation is complete," but he and Karl obviously have no problem with allowing the sleaze machine they control at the RNC to comment freely.

The attack on Rove's critics and the renewed assault on Joe Wilson are also comically accompanied by calls for civility.

Josh Marshall has this from Sen. Norm Coleman: "We have enough to do in the Senate in minding our own business than to be sticking our noses into someone else's business. Everyone needs to cool the rhetoric, focus on the business of the people, and allow the investigation to run its course."

The sentence before this notes that the Democrats are "out of ideas" and "lack vision." Coleman the peacemaker. Yes, everybody needs to "cool" it. Just as soon we finish destroying Joe Wilson.

You know when Republicans start issuing calls for people to "cool the rhetoric" and "focus on the business of the people," they're in full panic mode.

And they're right to be. Try as they might, they just can't come up with a plausible defense that takes the stink away from what everyone -- including all non-self-deluded Republicans -- knows Turd Blossom was really doing.

Here are the GOP fabrications that are bugging me the most:

First, the question of whether or not Rove actually "named" Plame, or identified her as covert agent. It doesn't matter. Read the law, and you'll find the key phrase is "... discloses any information identifying" a covert agent.

Second, the absurd claim that Rove was just trying to discourage a reporter from writing an incorrect story -- just "doing his job," as one surrogate put it.

If that's the case, then why was Rove's act of good samaritanism on "double super secret background?" Was Karl hiding his "whistle blowing," as the Wall Street Journal called it (apparently with a straight face), because he's incredibly modest? Was he afraid he'd be fired for "just doing his job?" Does he, perhaps, believe that he's the one that's undercover?

Then there is the claim that Wilson is a Kerry supporter. And what difference, pray, does this make? Reading the law, I don't see a "Kerry supporter exemption" anywhere.

This is one element of a wider line of reasoning that somehow what Karl did was okay because "Joe Wilson has been discredited."

Leaving aside the fact that he hasn't been, you don't get to pick which covert agents' identities you reveal based on the relative merits of their spouses. If the Republicans in Congress want that to be the case, they are free to amend the law, but right now this point is utterly irrelevant.

© 2005 TheHuffingtonPost.com, LLC

Thursday, July 14, 2005

Letting the Sunshine in..

OK, better mood today. Those pity-parties can only last so long, else you get bogged down in the quagmire & sink to the netherworlds. But for 20 minute stints, they're a bit of alright.

I had an epiphany a little while ago, & immediately felt better. I was reading a book, in the supine position on the couch.. so of course I dozed off. And in this 'twilight' consciousness, I felt the front door open up. I say I 'felt' it, because it was the warm rays of the sunshine coming thru the door. It felt so good & comforting. Then of course I jolted awake, wondering what serial killer had just entered into my living room. Oh me, of little faith, eh?
Needless to say, the door was still bolted shut.. but that feeling of warmth & sunshine remained. And I began to say a silent prayer of gratitude for the Universe having everything under control. From the sale of the house, to the move to TN, to the paying off of the relentless IRS.
All of the fear/worry/doubt/guilt/sins-of-the-world.. would not help or effect the changes/passions/desires/plans of my future. It's my Destiny, if you will. And it will come to me in perfect timing. So for that, I am grateful.

And to further cheer myself up, I went to this website;
www.ironhymen.com
I suggest you do the same. Little Laura Bush-kins can really make your day..;o)

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Wednesday's Rain..

It's pouring cats & dogs.
I've eaten a pound of sausage today.. all by myself.
I've taken 3 naps today.. so far.
We received a nasty-gram from IRS today, which I had to sign for.. so now the postman feels sorry for me.
But not as sorry as I feel for me.
Tigger killed a frog on the lanai.. it was disgusting.
No one has called or come by to look at the house today.
Looks like Bush is going to protect his felon buddy Rove.. now there's a shocker.
My tummy is looking 5 months preggers.. that may have something to do w/ #2 above.
Hey! It's a pity party!! And no one's invited but me!
Just wanted to share the joy.. ;o(

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Tuesday's Notes

I'm a believer in 'signs'. This morning my daughter emailed & said I should start packing things, showing the Universe I had faith in selling the house. Then my dtr-in-law calls & says, 'You know, you should start packing'.. hello? The light was dawning on the ole intuition path.
So I went to the garage, got a box & proceeded to pack away all my purses. Fit perfectly. Another good sign.. ;o)
I took the box & said a prayer of gratitude, and asked God to help get this show on the road. I am ready!
I start to eat lunch when the phone rings. It's my realtor telling me there's a client coming at 4:30. Is this the 'one'?? Stay tuned..

Rambling on.. I just finished a book on the study of ESP in pets. You know, how dogs are waiting at the door for their masters.. how cats 'know' when their humans are calling home, how horses return to old barns across 100 miles.. things of that nature. I know my own cats are always the clue when Dan is coming home. He takes off work at different times, so it's not a factor. And the cats gather in the foyer at least 10-15 minutes before he ever pulls into the drive.. so it's not the sound of the motor. It's innate. The book's premise was that man too, once had this ability, but we grew away from it over the generations. So now, we're in awe of our pets.
Leads me to my 'lunchtime' story. I was sitting here at the keyboard, wondering what I could fix myself for lunch. I mentally went thru what was in the fridge (nothing good), & then decided I'd fix a tuna sandwich. I pushed back my chair & all of a sudden I have 4 meowing cats at my feet. How did they know? These felines don't give a fig about me during the day. They're off sleeping, preening, being omnipotent.. whatever cats do. But when I fix tuna.. they come running. Only this time all I'd done was THINK about it.. & there they were! W-e-i-r-d. I didn't disappoint them. They each got a bite in the bowls. But I was flabbergasted at the whole process. I wonder if I can psych them out.. you know, think 'tuna' & then fix ham & cheese. That's just mean, huh?

Friday, July 08, 2005

Menacing Dennis

My, my, just seems like yesterday when all the forces of Mother Nature lined up to bring us the 4 horses of the weather-apocolypse.. Charley, Ivan, Jeanne, Frances. And now we have more of the frolic-some poltergeists set to waylay us in the Gulf.
Personally, I think if we have to put up w/ Her antics, it should be more evenly divided. (preferably by land mass size.. so Texas would get a more proportionate numbers of hits.)
I am just glad that I'm still not working in the nursing home, where when a storm system moves in, we were involved in an involuntary 'lockdown' situation. Told to bring in children/pets/clothing for a wk/sleepings bags, etc. What a tormented zoo! The kids ran around helter-skelter, driving the elderly residents to drink. The pets howled in dismay at having to be contained in carriers/crates in a separate area.
The nurses were their same bitchy selves, nothing new there. Indentured servatude! You stay or you lose your job, missy. It was the same at every medical establishment. The running comment was, 'I could be working at Targets!' Close to the same pay, probably more respect, & much brighter surroundings. Plus, I doubt they had a mandatory lockdown in the accessories dept.
But anyway, here I am footloose & work-free.. enjoying every moment of not watching the clock to see how many hrs of freedom I had before the death-march to work.

And the hurricanes just keep on a formin'. Weather gurus say we're setting all time records for #'s as well as ferocity. Can you say 'Global Warming Effect?' Call it junk-science Mr Monkey-man, but it's your bro whose taking the hits for you.
Meanwhile, I'm jumping ship for this one.. heading up to my soon-to-be-home in TN.
Batten down the hatches, those of you staying behind.. & sell my house, Mr Realtor guy. I'm feeling the need for trees..

Thursday, July 07, 2005

Sevens

The number seven is a Divine & mystical one. It has always represented the highest order; perfection. 7 means, 'Spirituality, mental analysis, and wisdom'. All sorts of references in the Bible about the significance of 7. I love numerology, so when I move to a new address, or meet someone for the 1st time, I'm always doing the silent homework of numerology on them. When I 1st met Dan & he invited me to his home for dinner (No! I did NOT stay for breakfast!).. I noted the address was 2572.. add it up, 16, which reduces to.. you got it 7! I knew this was a mystical house.. & it welcomed me from the 1st day.
Which brings me to this day, July 7, 2005. We have a day of sevens! 7/7/7. Now you can add those up & it works out to 21, reducing to 3.. which is the number of balance, & that's excellent as well.
But I'll stick w/ my lovely '7' today.. & wait for synchronistic events, fairies in the garden, the gods at play, and mystical magic.

I'll keep you posted on what wonderments befall me today!

Tuesday, July 05, 2005

Praying for Shasta

Tonite I watched the CBS news & saw video film clips of little Shasta Groene (abducted by a molester), video filmed in a convenience store. She held her little arms firmly clamped across her upper abdomen, protecting what we know as the 4th chakra (the emotionally active one)Where light either shines out or is taken in by people we know & trust. Shasta has had no one to trust since May 16th when her mom, stepdad & older brother were murdered. She & Dylan, her 9 yr old brother were taken away by this predator & the news now comes out that they were repeatedly raped & molested. Dylan may have been murdered, depending on the DNA testing of some remains. Shasta has seen untold horror in a few weeks time. Her eyes look hollowed out, dead, completely shutdown. And we recognize that her childhood has been stolen, that life is forever changed for her.
My request from you is for your prayers.. that angels may surround her tortured soul. That her tenuous smiles now, may become real ones in the days to come. That friends & family may comfort her & demonstrate a new kind of trustworthiness for her.
I am haunted by Shasta's vacant eyes..

Monday, July 04, 2005

Selling out the 4th of July w/ Karl Rove

What better day to complain about our lack of 'Independence' but on this the day that should be heralding just the opposite. Why are we still apologizing to the White House for making them uncomfortable about their lies??
I liked this editorial:
~~~



In Plain Sight: Why the Betrayal of Our National Security by the Bush White House Matters



July 5, 2005

"In essence, whatever the legal outcome (which has been driven by political considerations -- that is why it has taken two years to move the "investigation" forward, if it is moving forward), this fact remains clear: In order to send a message to anyone who would expose that the White House lied America into war, the White House -- in an action that could have only been authorized by Karl Rove, perhaps with a nod and a wink from Bush -- deliberately endangered the national security of the United States."


It is two years since PlameGate broke open as a national story, but its implications have long been underplayed by the White House and the Press.

In essence, whatever the legal outcome (which has been driven by political considerations -- that is why it has taken two years to move the "investigation" forward, if it is moving forward), this fact remains clear: In order to send a message to anyone who would expose that the White House lied America into war, the White House -- in an action that could have only been authorized by Karl Rove, perhaps with a nod and a wink from Bush -- deliberately endangered the national security of the United States.

As a warning to those who would expose Bush lies about WMDs -- or any of the daily Bush deceptions -- in July of 2003 the White House revealed to their newspaper water boy, Bob Novak, that Valerie Plame, the wife of Ambassador Joe Wilson, was a CIA operative, and she specialized in the illicit trafficking of Weapons of Mass Destruction. It is befitting the morally corrupt Bush Administration that they would neutralize an American asset in the war against the proliferation of WMDs, while fighting a war allegedly launched against WMDs, in order to make an example of a man, Joe Wilson, who had written a commentary in the New York Times arguing that the Bush Administration evidence claiming WMD evidence regarding a transaction between Niger and Saddam Hussein was false.

In short, the Bush Administration doesn't care if it endangers our national security by undercutting our efforts to curtail the very weapons that they claim they were saving us from. That is how dangerous the Bush Administration is to our national security -- and it is has been before us in plain sight for two years. But the mainstream media has focused on periodic reports that emerge about the "investigation" of the Chicago U.S. Attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald, who was appointed by John Ashcroft, then Attorney General, to see if any laws were broken.

Fitzgerald, who works now for AG and highly possible Supreme Court nominee Gonzales, must be under enormous pressure to find a way to avoid legally charging any senior Bush Administration officials, particularly Karl Rove. Most speculation is that he doesn't have enough "evidence" to charge Rove or others with violating the law in regards to exposing a CIA operative. The conventional wisdom is that Fitzgerald is now focussing on the possibility of perjury. But that is only speculation. And it's not over until the bald Benedict Arnold (Rove) sings.

Rove is our acting president on domestic policy, and if he can get Gonzales to sit on Fitzgerald (who -- for other reasons unrelated to PlameGate -- both political parties in Illinois want "promoted" to Washington), the endgame of PlameGate will be politically motivated, not legally accountable. If there are no indictments against Rove or other senior White House officials, Bush will declare that his staff got a clean bill of health and the mainstream media will consider the case closed.

Or Rove may have Gonzales, through Fitzgerald, indict a "little fish" to take the heat off, and Godfather style, the victim will be promised to have his family taken care of and a job waiting for him when he gets out of a federal "country club" prison.

Of course, there is another possibility, that Fitzgerald is the rare bird in the Bush Administration, a man who actually upholds the rule of law. In that case he would indeed be unique as he forges ahead despite withering pressure to find legal reasons NOT to indict Rove or any senior Bush/Cheney officials. But, although Fitzgerald has a reputation for relative integrity, we aren't holding our breath.

But here is what we know even without legal indictments and what is getting lost in the latest round of speculation about a two-year old act of betrayal against the citizens of the United States by the Bush Administration: the Bush White House committed brazen treason by deliberately undercutting our national efforts to keep WMDs out of the hands of "bad guys." Why did they do this? Because Karl Rove wanted to prevent future whistleblowers from coming forward to expose Bush lies, in this case the courageous proof by Joe Wilson that another lie had been used to bolster the false claim that Iraq had WMDs.

The PlameGate affair is symbolic of how the Bush Administration puts its own interests of preserving power before the interests of the American people -- and in unbelievable irony, on the one issue that they have trumpeted their "expertise" at: national security.

How the Democrats have apologetically bolstered Bush's "national security credentials" when he has put -- and PlameGate is just the tip of the iceberg -- our nation at greater risk than before 9/11, and used his bumbling efforts to further consolidate power into a shadow, secret government run by Cheney and Rove, is what is in plain sight.

But the mainstream media -- and most of the Democrats in Congress -- can't even see it staring them in the face.

A BUZZFLASH EDITORIAL


BuzzFlash Afternote: BuzzFlash was proud to play a role in exposing PlameGate two years ago. We had read the original Novak column and thought the Valerie Plame comment was peculiar to say the least, but it took David Corn of "The Nation" to note its significance as an act of betrayal. We then championed Corn's column and wrote several pieces in quick succession.

Saturday, July 02, 2005

Disney's Double Standard

Disney has FL by the short hairs, always has.. always will. And Jebbie Bush keeps giving them free buckage for every last $7 coca cola sold within that 'magic' kingdom. So Disney is feeling magnanamous enough to stretch that BS into the political arena. (Too bad it didn't feel that way about 'Farenheit 911', eh?)
Here's the latest crapola that ran downhill..
~~~

Paul Harvey's Tribute to Slavery, Nukes, Genocide
Hateful rant shows Disney's double standard on speech

7/1/05

Disney/ABC radio personality Paul Harvey, one of the most widely listened to commentators in the United States, presented his listeners on June 23 with an endorsement of genocide and racism that would have been right at home on a white supremacist shortwave broadcast.

Harvey's commentary began by lamenting the decline of American wartime aggression. "We're standing there dying, daring to do nothing decisive because we've declared ourselves to be better than our terrorist enemies--more moral, more civilized," he said. Drawing a contrast with what he cast as the praiseworthy nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II, Harvey lamented that "we sent men with rifles into Afghanistan and Iraq and kept our best weapons in their silos"--suggesting that America should have used its nuclear arsenal in its invasions of both countries.


Harvey concluded:



"We didn't come this far because we're made of sugar candy. Once upon a time, we elbowed our way onto and across this continent by giving smallpox-infected blankets to Native Americans. That was biological warfare. And we used every other weapon we could get our hands on to grab this land from whomever.

"And we grew prosperous. And yes, we greased the skids with the sweat of slaves. So it goes with most great nation-states, which--feeling guilty about their savage pasts--eventually civilize themselves out of business and wind up invaded and ultimately dominated by the lean, hungry up-and-coming who are not made of sugar candy."



Harvey's evident approval of slavery, genocide and nuclear and biological warfare would seem to put him at odds with Disney's family-friendly image. The media conglomerate syndicates Harvey to more than 1,000 radio stations, where he reaches an estimated 18 million listeners. Disney recently signed a 10-year, $100 million contract with the 86-year-old Harvey.

In 2004, Disney forbid its Miramax subsidiary to distribute Michael Moore's film Fahrenheit 9/11, even though Miramax was the principal investor in the film. A Disney executive told the New York Times (5/5/04) that it was declining to distribute the film because, in the paper's words, "Disney caters to families of all political stripes and believes Mr. Moore's film...could alienate many."

One wonders whether Disney executives are worried about alienating families who oppose slavery, nuclear war and Native American genocide.


ACTION:
Ask Disney why it finds Paul Harvey's nostalgia for slavery and genocide and his calls for nuclear war acceptable, but deemed Michael Moore's film unacceptable.


CONTACT:
ABC Radio Networks
John.E.McConnell@abc.com
abcradio@abc.com
Phone: 212-456-5387

Paul Harvey
Irma.N.Aviles@abc.com
Phone: (312) 889-4085

Disney Corporation
Phone: 818-560-1000

Friday, July 01, 2005

Powerful Lyrics

Sometimes things reach us thru venues we'd never supect. Not just in the newspapers, magazines, TV, etc. But someone passing on to you some powerful lyrics from a song you'd never hear any other way (given my penchant for Jazz, etc)
So check out the lyrics to the Black Eyed Peas song;

http://www.rlyrics.com/B%5CBlackeyedpeas/Where is the love.asp

You go peas!

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