Our managing editor forwarded this. Haven’t laughed so much in months (amidst renewed encouragement for an Obama win against McCain). A quick post to share (in case you haven’t yet seen it):
Enjoy!
June 5, 2008 archive
Jun 05 2008
Muse in the Morning
 Muse in the Morning |
State of the Onion I
Art Link Pencil and Wax
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Please join us on the inside to celebrate, venerate, regenerate and/or motivate our muses. Personally, sometimes mine seems corrugated.
Jun 05 2008
Thomas Jefferson on Politics & Government
“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.” Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta, the founder of Buddhism, 563-483 B.C.
Thomas Jefferson on Politics & Government
Here’s the text if you can’t make the leap:
Freedom of the Press
A press that is free to investigate and criticize the government is absolutely essential in a nation that practices self-government and is therefore dependent on an educated and enlightened citizenry. On the other hand, newspapers too often take advantage of their freedom and publish lies and scurrilous gossip that could only deceive and mislead the people. Jefferson himself suffered greatly under the latter kind of press during his presidency. But he was a great believer in the ultimate triumph of truth in the free marketplace of ideas, and looked to that for his final vindication.
Jump…
Jun 05 2008
Late Nite Adventures of Jimi Olsin, Cub Reporter
Jun 05 2008
Checking In
I just wanted to say thanks for all the sweet things you guys said when I posted my last diary and tell you I’m doing ok. I’m still in the hospital and I got my head shaved yesterday (it looks good, or so I’m told), but I’m in good spirits and feel stronger than I did before. I do have a litany of symptoms from the ulcerative colitis, but nothing too serious from the chemo, though the two are exacerbating each other and it’s very frustrating. I’m currently in my second of what (in theory) will be six rounds of chemo. But the bottom line is it seems to be working (so far) and I’m much more confident than I was.
Jun 05 2008
John McCan’t
Jun 05 2008
Through the Darkest of Nights: Testament XXI
Every few days over the next several months I will be posting installments of a novel about life, death, war and politics in America since 9/11. Through the Darkest of Nights is a story of hope, reflection, determination, and redemption. It is a testament to the progressive values we all believe in, have always defended, and always will defend no matter how long this darkness lasts. But most of all, it is a search for identity and meaning in an empty world.
Naked and alone we came into exile. In her dark womb, we did not know our mother’s face; from the prison of her flesh have we come into the unspeakable and incommunicable prison of this earth. Which of us has known his brother? Which of us has looked into his father’s heart? Which of us has not remained prison-pent? Which of us is not forever a stranger and alone? ~Thomas Wolfe
All installments are available for reading here on Docudharma’s Series page, and also here on Docudharma’s Fiction Page, where refuge from politicians, blogging overload, and one BushCo outrage after another can always be found.
Jun 05 2008
What have YOU done lately to stop the war?
This may sound a tad familiar if you’re a regular here, but for once it’s not me saying it.
This article by Julie Byrnes Enslow, director of Peace Action-Wisconsin, is featured on the front page of the June issue of The Mobilizer, Peace Action-Wisconsin's newsletter.
Iraq Moratorium – Friday, June 20
What Have YOU Done Lately to Stop the War?
By Julie Byrnes Enslow
Sometimes we need a good push to get off our duffs and act. The Iraq Moratorium Day on the third Friday of each month gives us the challenge and the opportunity to take creative actions to end the US occupation in Iraq.
Friday, June 20, will be the tenth Iraq Moratorium. What are YOU going to do? People in small towns and cities across the country are taking action together every third Friday. For many it may be an individual act such as a call to their Congressperson, wearing a black armband or peace button to work, writing a letter to the editor of their local paper, flying a peace flag or talking to a neighbor about the war. Others organize a small group of people to act together – a vigil on a street corner, a visit to their Congressperson's office, a prayer service for peace in their church, synagogue or mosque.
In one town the church bells toll for peace each Moratorium Day. In another, women in black sit in folding chairs outside their Congressperson's office for the day with signs and leaflet people going by. Other folks vigil outside military recruitment centers. High school students have joined the Iraq Moratorium by giving out black armbands at school or staging die-ins near the cafeteria at lunchtime.
Wisconsin is a leader in national moratorium events, exceeded only by California. In May, over 12 towns and cities had officially organized vigils, walks, prayer services and events, from Hayward and Woodruff in the far north to Dodgeville and Viroqua in the southwest. The little town of Hayward continues month after month to have the biggest turnout per capita in the United States. They routinely turn out 70-80 people in a town of 2,100. If every town and city in the US matched Hayward's performance, more than 12 million people would be in the streets protesting the war each month!
People in the Milwaukee area can join the Iraq Moratorium Vigil at 5pm on the corner of Water and Wisconsin, the city's busiest central intersection. For people in other areas of the state, check out the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice website for a listing of events at www.wnpj.org. (And if you don’t live in Wisconsin, look here. )
If you have been participating in the Moratorium, let me challenge you to do one additional thing on June 20. If you have never taken an action on a third Friday this is your chance to join with people in your community and around the country on that day. Start a vigil in your own town. Be creative – be bold.
Silence will not stop the occupation of Iraq.
Jun 05 2008
Pony Party: Wild Web Wroundup
Pony Roundup of strange and/or amusing links.
Starting with the theme of Street Art and Performance.
Gymnastique featuring French prankster Remi Gaillard.
Jun 05 2008
Obama Me With Fries!
“I want to publicly acknowledge Hillary Clinton for the outstanding race that she has run.
“She is a great senator from New York she is an extraordinary leader of the Democratic party and she has made history alongside me over the last 16 months and I’m very proud to have competed against her.”
—Barack Obama on Hillary Clinton
“I know Senator Obama understands what it is at stake here. It has been an honor to contest these primaries with him. It is an honor to call him my friend.”
—Hillary Clinton on Barack Obama
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, two of the ablest politicians in recent memory, have declared an end to hostilities. Understanding that they share the same goals, with some respectful disagreement on how to achieve these goals, they are beginning the process of coming together to form a united front against John McCain in the fall.
As passionate partisans, it is now time for us to follow their lead and start the reconciliation process among the netroots so that our country can turn abruptly away from the edge of the cliff it’s been skating along these past few years of the Bush administration, and start heading in a direction that restores our values and reunites our country.
That’s why I say: Obama Me With Fries!
Jun 05 2008
The Politics of The People’s Champions
Yesterday I introduced the concept of The People’s Champions for discussion and refinement by the community. This is a continuing exploration of the concept, please join in!
It is the politics of fear that have brought us to this sorry turn. If there is one thing that Bushco can be said to have done well (besides making the rich obscenely richer and the poor obscenely poorer and kill folks) it is their masterful use of the politics of fear. They cowed Congress, they cowed the press and with a few exceptions…they cowed the populace. This phenomenon is far from over. It will be on prominent display from now until the election…and beyond.
It is manifested most clearly in the Emperors New Clothes metaphor, where no one of prominence has survived standing up and pointing. Every person who has done this has been smeared marginalized or ignored. The lesson was well learned and is still observed. But the proverbial (impeachment free) table is turning. His lame duckness, the weakness of his successor and the nations desire for change are conspiring against him. As are the sands of time that are removing us from the trauma of 9/11, the trauma that made that fear the most powerful force in the land.
Obama is a symbol of that…but as a symbol he is perhaps most enduringly affected by it. He cannot buck the fear to0 hard without incurring a backlash….from those forces and voters who still treasure or use that fear. Due to the success of the ‘wedge issue effect’ of that fear that has succeeded in dividing the nation, he cannot be seen to be “angry,” or attack Bushco other than on pure policy grounds. That would be ‘shrill’ or ‘looney.’ He, as I have previously stated, needs surrogates to attack for him. The Peoples Champions would be one aspect of that strategy. These three Great Men, backed by a citizen coalition could attack Bushco….and metaphorically live to tell the tale. In fact I think this is what it will take, since we have exhausted nearly every other option. Is it possible? It is certainly worth a try!
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