January 2008 archive

Muse in the Morning

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
Muse in the Morning

The muses are ancient.  The inspirations for our stories were said to be born from them.  Muses of song and dance, or poetry and prose, of comedy and tragedy, of the inward and the outward.  In one version they are Calliope, Euterpe and Terpsichore, Erato and Clio, Thalia and Melpomene, Polyhymnia and Urania.

It has also been traditional to name a tenth muse.  Plato declared Sappho to be the tenth muse, the muse of women poets.  Others have been suggested throughout the centuries.  I don’t have a name for one, but I do think there should be a muse for the graphical arts.  And maybe there should be many more.

Please join us inside to celebrate our various muses…

Web Stats of Presidential Candidates and Why They Shouldn’t Be Ignored

I noticed a very interesting thing while doing promotions tonight, namely, the web site statistics for Presidential Candidates.  There is a correlation between current standings in the voting booth and current rankings on the internet.  It is not a perfect correlation but I think it is important enough to mention to the group.

See Hillary vs Barack vs Edwards here  on Alexa.

See Huckabee vs Rudy vs Romney here on Alexa.

Google stats below the fold:

 

at random cattle

cattle

 a random word from a random random word generating website

so strange that “cattle” was generated as I was just thinking about something else

maybe i should delve on this

.

.

Our Experience Bird-dogging Rep. Jerrold Nadler on Sunday

There were two opportunities to “bird-dog” Rep. Nadler this past Sunday at events where he was scheduled to appear in support of Hillary Clinton.  In the early afternoon he was at Hudson Guild at a candidates forum sponsored by Chelsea Reform Democrats.  Later he was at a NOW-NYC forum on How Critical is the Women’s Vote? featuring Congressman Jerrold Nadler, former Congresswoman and Brooklyn D.A. & NYC Comptroller Elizabeth Holtzman, and Sheryl McCarthy, USA Today & Newsday Columnist and Distinguished Lecturer in Journalism at CUNY.  I attended and flyered at the NOW-NYC event with a fellow PDA member and another concerned constituent and want to share our report with you.  However, first a disclaimer:  I have been under the weather with the nasty upper respiratory thing that has been going around and it sorely diminished my note taking abilities.  Also, I should mention that the report will focus on our experience with regard to Rep. Nadler and impeachment as opposed to the event itself.

The NOW event was a full house: my estimate is about 150 attended and some latecomers even stood. On the dais were Sonia Ossorio, current president of NOW-NYC, Rep. Nadler, Liz Holtzman, and Sheryl McCarthy (USA Today & Newsday journalist). Sonia introduced them and each gave a somewhat brief statement re their support for Hillary Clinton or Obama. McCarthy opened and said she would support either as a nominee, that the most important thing was to put a Democrat in office. Holtzman agreed and remarked that the country could not survive another four more years under a Republican President. She went on to say she supported Hillary Clinton and that her support went very far back to the Nixon impeachment when Hillary Clinton was a Congressional staffer working for the House Judiciary Committee. She said some nice things about Hillary Clinton being a humanitarian and a person with values who chose to work in government rather than accept a high paying corporate position.  

Rep. Nadler then spoke at length.  He began by describing the upcoming election as the most important in recent history.  He launched into a list of all the wrongs done this country by the current administration.  He asserted that they had shredded the Constitution and listed all of the reasons which make impeachment an imperative – inroads on civil liberties, imbalance of separation of powers, Executive aggrandizement, destruction of checks and balances, signing statements, torture, habeas corpus suspension, and more.  However, not once did he mention the word impeachment or the need to hold this administration accountable or address the issue of precedent.  He then sang Hillary Clinton’s praises.  Ironically he began by relating how he had been on the House Judiciary Committee during the Clinton impeachment and how the research that he did in that capacity took him to the majority report that Hillary had co-written in 1974 and how he had been impressed then by her work.

Sonia Ossorio then asked if there were questions from the audience. The first question was from a man who turned out to be one of the writers on Democrats.com – thebluehighwayman.  I don’t remember what the question was nor the responses, but it was election related. The second question was from Elizabeth Sackler, who brought Judy Chicago’s “The Dinner Party” exhibit to The Brooklyn Museum.  Sackler is also founder of The American Indian Ritual Object Repatriation Foundation, http://www.repatriationfoundat…  I don’t recall her exact words – it was a long question – but the essence was that she questioned if we were paying attention to the right thing in our focus on elections – “if we had our eye on the ball” – and that instead we should be addressing accountability.  She started by saying that she was happy with some things (forget what exactly), but NOT happy that there has been no accountability for the administration and that she is not convinced they´re going to “give back the bone”, i.e. give up power and have elections, stating that she did not feel we had seen a true election since 1998.  For the first time that afternoon, the audience broke into applause.  I noticed that even the elderly woman sitting across from me who had appeared to be snoozing during the opening statements was enthusiastically clapping in agreement.  Holtzman jumped on this immediately, bringing up the “I word,” saying how she had written a book on impeachment and how she was convinced that impeachment was the only way we can make sure there is change. She turned to Rep. Nadler and said that she was certain that he was working on it as well. However, her comment about working on “it” was vague.  It could have been construed as in invitation to him to explain how he was also working on impeachment or it could have a diplomatic moment where she hoped he would step up to the plate.  My notes on this moment and Rep. Nadler’s response are less than perfect.  It was a convoluted response and I found myself asking the person next to me what he said.  Our conclusion is that he was saying that impeachment wasn’t the “right solution.”  He responded that it wasn’t the forum to get into impeachment, and that his solution was to enact legislation that would remove the Executive inroads into power and restore checks and balances, etc. under a Democratic President. He talked about state secrets legislation and his FISA telecom immunity bill (complaining how the liberal blogs have overlooked what the House has done with their preoccupation with the Senate).  Rep. Nadler did share that a little noticed paragraph the Dems inserted into a recent bill extended the statute of limitations from 5 to 10 years (or something similar) and that with a Democratic President they will prosecute Bush for wiretapping etc. in 2009 or 2010.  I am tempted to editorialize here about how likely this is given Congress’ current record, but will let you fill in the blanks.  Unfortunately, this wasn’t a forum where you could follow up on Sackler’s question and get into the issue deeply. The conversation moved on to a more election focused discussion comparing the strengths and weaknesses of Clinton, Obama, and at times Edwards.

I wasn’t able to ask the question I had in mind which was regarding Hillary Clinton’s lack of support for habeas corpus.  On a blazing hot July day this past summer I traveled before dawn with the ACLU to DC to lobby Congress on habeas corpus.  About 300 of us signed up to meet with Hillary Clinton.  Not only did she not make time to meet with 300 constituents who had traveled five hours by bus to meet with her, but the two representatives she sent –  her legislative aide and her deputy counsel – ducked our questions the same way that we have seen Bush’s various press representatives deal with the Washington press corps.  The one straight answer they gave to us is that she did not support Senator Dodd’s amendment Restoring the Constitution Act (S. 576).  Instead she supported the weaker version, Senator Spector and Leahy’s Habeas Corpus Restoration Act (S. 185) which was more limited in scope in addressing the problems the Military Commissions Act caused in undermining the Constitution and the rule of law.

Restoration of habeas corpus is  something that Rep. Nadler had been working very hard on in the House.  He too was on our list of Congressional reps to visit and I have written to him and about him relating how impressed I was with the level of respect he accorded us in the meeting we had with him.  I have wondered for a long time how he justified support of Hillary Clinton given his position as the Chair of the Judiciary Sub-Committee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties and his work on habeas corpus.  I would have preferred to ask him in a public forum, but settled for asking him privately as he was leaving, reminding him of the day when I was in his DC office with the ACLU.  He didn’t recognize me and asked who I was and when I told him my name, he stiffened and tried to brush me off – no doubt expecting to hear about impeachment. I told him about our experience with Hillary Clinton that day and her refusal to support full restoration and his response was that he didn’t know what happened in the Senate, but focused on his work in the House. I found it surprising that he wouldn’t be on top of what was happening in both Houses with regard to key legislation and issues.

I then asked Rep. Nadler to support the call for impeachment hearings in the House Judiciary Committee. He became visibly angry and told me “I thought I made my position clear an hour and a half ago.” I had no idea what he was talking about and told him so. He refused to believe me and then it occurred to me that he must have been referring to the earlier event and I said “oh you must mean in Chelsea.”  I told him I was not there and had decided to attend this event, but that it was clear that constituents in his district are not happy with the position he is taking on impeachment. He began to move away from me to get out of having to discuss it further and someone else came up and began speaking with him. The National Arts Guild is a nice place and NOW had a lovely spread of wine, cheeses, pates, crudites, etc. and I think he was trying to decide if he should stay.

However, not long after, I noticed he was speaking with the person who asked the first question of the afternoon, thebluehighwayman from democrats.com. They were talking about impeachment and thebluehighwayman had a copy of Holtzman’s book with him.  I began to pay attention when I heard him asking Rep. Nadler about the oath he swore to defend the Constitution. I didn’t hear Rep. Nadler’s reply but it looked like he blew him off too, mumbling, and then headed for the door. He was not happy.

I found out later that at the event in Chelsea, there were many questions about impeachment and the crowd was overwhelmingly in favor.  It seems that being bird-dogged does not sit well with Rep. Nadler.  He is clearly annoyed, even angry, yet he seems determined to ignore us and do what he pleases.  The folks with me watched me talking with him and saw him become angry and dismissive. They were aghast at his introduction where he spoke at length about civil rights, only to be followed by his evasive response to Elizabeth Sackler promising that a Democratic President would criminally prosecute, and then his intransigence with me.  After the Congressman left I stayed and “worked the crowd” and found many people in favor of impeachment and shocked that Rep. Nadler wasn’t doing more. I even spoke for a bit with a woman who is a self-proclaimed conservative who had attended with her sister at her sister’s urging to see “the other side.” She said that we would be surprised – they are saying the same things at the Republican events she attends – universal dislike for Bush and desire for change, and she and I were specifically discussing impeachment. I wish there had been another half hour to talk with more people but I got caught up with three feisty Latinas and suddenly the National Arts Guild was picking up glasses and making the hors d’oeuvres disappear. It was time to go.

I hope that someone who attended the Chelsea Decision ’08 forum writes up what happened earlier in the afternoon.  And I hope that thebluehighwayman publishes a report on Democrats.com about his impression of the NOW-NYC event.

It seems with primary season in full swing, it is likely that Rep. Nadler will be out stumping for Hillary Clinton in the district.  He refuses to meet with constituents to discuss impeachment – or in my opinion remember his oath of office to defend the Constitution – but chances are there will be additional opportunities to meet up with him at these events to reinforce that his constituents want him to support the call for hearings in the House Judiciary Committee.  I will keep you informed of additional opportunities to bird-dog Rep. Nadler and hope you will join me.  On Sunday afternoon, the applause that broke out after Elizabeth Sackler raised the issue of accountability clearly indicated the level of support for impeachment.  What will it take for our Congressman to listen to and acknowledge his responsibility to his constituents and support impeachment hearings?

Is This Why The Iraqi Parliament Passed the de-Ba’athification Law?

[Update 1:14 am 1/15/08 by LithiumCola]: I think the speculation in this post is incorrect.  In the thread MO Blue links to a Juan Cole post with important info, and some other stuff I’m looking at leads me to think there is a more complicated struggle going on than is being accounted for by the sources in this essay and in this essay itself.

_______________________________

Sami Moubayed, a Syrian political analyst who writes for the Asia Times, provides the first explanation that has made any sense to me for the Iraqi parliament’s recent passage of a reversal of de-Ba’athification law.  

In brief, Prime Minister Maliki is running out of friends willing to support him, and therefore running out of options.  With Kurds running out of patience, the Prime Minister needs factions in his camp, and Sunnis are about the only untried group left.

First, some background.

Dennis wins suit: Here’s why NBC/GE want him off the stage!

NBC/GE is holding a presidential debate in Nevada tomorrow, January 15, 2008!  They had invited four candidates to the event, as all of them had met NBC/GE’s criteria for the event.  The four candidates were to be JE, HRC, BO and DK!

NC Veterans Talk Peace

VFP, and others, will have Another Radio Program to Stream on the Internet, besides “About Face” from Chapter 075 out of Phoenix, on Saturdays from 5pm to 6pm EST, Chapter 099 out of Asheville NC will give it a go as well on WPVM – The Progressive Voice of the Mountains.

Tune In

Pony Party: Miss Piggy Rulz!

Monday afternoon Pig blogging – more Pigs in Space!

Across the great divide

I’m a lurker at heart, commenter, a non writer a visual left brain artist type, no wonk, no lawyer. I came to the net for some semblance of truth, and/or satisfaction or vague ideas of bringing reconciliation to the divide I saw between reality and what i was told was reality. The cooked up culture war being a symptom of nothing more then the manipulation of a vast and varied continent that long ago started a dream. A dream borne from discontent with an ‘inevitable’ Empire, by men (sorry for the sexist remark here) who while privileged had the vision to move this colony to self determination and a concept that has propelled the concept of governance to heights never before established. A dream that while always contained the seeds of human evil also had a thread of human possibilities. I just can’t get over the “We the People” part. It is the thread that hooks me and saves me from despair. Where is the “We the People” part? I cannot believe that technology and marketing can kill the impetus that started this organic process towards self governance.

The divides I see are not larger then the original intent, and while some will argue intent original was always divisive not progressive, I see it, it’s called human progress. I see it daily in peoples lives, not the distortions of the dream, but in the realization that something basic is wrong here. This essay is just a reminder that the divides we share, although polarizing and personal should not overshadow the united part. Not united by our silly politics  but united in progress. Lets move towards a destiny that is not defined by the forces of tyranny who assume the shape of our discontent and offer us strings of beads for our hard won birthrights. ‘We the people’ is now a global force not just our tallying of momentary gain personally, you me all of us face a reality we must shape beyond the great divide. Political reality is made by people who face fear and do not accept it. The only way out of our great divide is to remember that we the people determine reality. What do you want for the real world? If your answer is peace, prosperity, equity, justice, reach out and take it is there and you make it real.

I’m so old that the song that inspired this essay by The Band is not on You Tube. this sad version is it.

     

Four at Four

  1. It’s worse. The Washington Post reports Escalating ice loss found in Antarctica!

    Climatic changes appear to be destabilizing vast ice sheets of western Antarctica that had previously seemed relatively protected from global warming, researchers reported yesterday, raising the prospect of faster sea-level rise than current estimates…

    The new finding is important because the continent holds about 90 percent of Earth’s ice, and until now, large-scale ice loss there had been limited to the peninsula that juts out toward the tip of South America. In addition, researchers found that the rate of ice loss in the affected areas has accelerated over the past 10 years — as it has on most glaciers and ice sheets around the world.

    Without doubt, Antarctica as a whole is now losing ice yearly, and each year it’s losing more,” said Eric Rignot, lead author of a paper published online in the journal Nature Geoscience.

    Elsewhere in the Antarctic, according to The Guardian, Greenpeace chases away Japan’s whalers. “Greenpeace said yesterday it had chased Japanese whalers out of hunting grounds in the Southern Ocean, disrupting the planned slaughter of almost 1,000 whales.”

    Meanwhile the Bush administration continues to enable greenhouse gas emission, The Hill reports Waxman blasts EPA for missing deadline. “Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) is strongly criticizing the EPA’s failure to produce documents regarding its decision to reject California’s effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions.”

    And at the capitalist’s tool, The Independent reports World Bank pledges to save trees… then helps cut down Amazon forest. “The World Bank has emerged as one of the key backers behind an explosion of cattle ranching in the Amazon, which new research has identified as the greatest threat to the survival of the rainforest.”

  2. Update on America’s occupations . From Iraq, the Los Angeles Times reports Top Iraqi judge assassinated. “Seven gunmen in two cars blocked off a vehicle carrying Judge Amer Jawdat Al Naib, who sits on Iraq’s national appeals court, and sprayed it with machine-gun fire, killing both him and his driver, police said. The shooting happened in an area with two nearby Iraqi army checkpoints… Seven Iraqi policemen were killed and four others wounded today when they entered a booby-trapped house in Abarat Buhroz in northeastern Diyala province, police said.”

    From Afghanistan, The New York Times reports Blast at Kabul hotel heard for miles. “A thunderous explosion struck a Kabul luxury hotel frequented by foreigners on Monday, and the Taliban took responsibility, calling it a coordinated suicide attack. It was not immediately clear if there were casualties. The explosion struck the Serena Hotel, the only five-star hotel in Afghanistan and one that is popular among diplomats and is often used for conferences, around 6.15 p.m. local time and could be heard for up to two miles away across the city.”

  3. Here’s an aspect of drought and recession in the Southeast that I hadn’t thought about before. According to the Los Angeles Times, Drought is a hard time for horses. “In many parts of the United States, horse owners are struggling to feed their animals after a severe drought doubled — even tripled — the cost of hay. The drought has exacerbated a glut in the low end of the horse market, brought on by years of over-breeding and the recent economic downturn. Horses that once cost $500 are selling for $50.” An estimated 9 million horses were owned by Americans in 2005, “up from an estimate of 6 million horses in the mid-1990s… About 34% of horse owners have a household income of less than $50,000”.

  4. Lastly, The Guardian reports Tibet under strain as visitors surpass locals. “The number of tourists who visited Tibet last year soared by 60%, outnumbering the people who live there and putting further pressure on Tibet’s overwhelmed roads, palaces and monasteries. Four million tourists visited the thinly populated Himalayan region of 2.8 million people in 2007, China’s state news agency Xinhua reported yesterday. ‘This is the first time that the number of tourist arrivals exceeded the total population,’ said Matt Whitticase, of the Free Tibet Campaign. ‘Tourism is obviously a pillar of China’s western development strategy but it is putting unacceptable strains on Tibet’s fragile environment.'”

A Brief History of White People: Part 1

heh

Photobucket

Excuse me, that title should read a brief non-factual, totally opinionated and not very flattering history of White People. That, however, seemed a little less catchy.  But indeed, this is MY history of white folks. These are some of the factoids and impressions I have received throughout my life about White People, factoids and impressions that have shaped my understanding of this world. Factoids and impressions that may or may not be 100% accurate or true, but quite a few (but by no means all) of which were taught to me as ‘history’…..by White People. Factoids and impressions, thus, that are not completely veritable. Factoids and impressions that are definitely chockablock with irony and snark.  I have been on a lifelong quest to understand this crazy mixed up world…and I like to think, outside of the context of who is on my side or who I should root for or defend. Perhaps part of my value as an observer and commenter on these issues is that I have not been as indoctrinated into our current society quite as completely as most folks….but have also lived in it my whole life, and so have a different, if skewed, perspective.

Stew of the Day

Nothing special, just the urge to scribble out something of modest interest as I sit this morning on my dharma bum.  A conversation, an article worth reading, some stereotypical liberal thoughts on recent events.  A short divertissement, half a can of diet pepsi, part of a chocolate chip cookie.

Load more