September 7, 2009 archive

Metaphoria

This “essay” has few words.  It was not meant to.  In order to keep my sanity during the move last month, I created a series of graphics, based on the Star Trek episode, Darmok, concerning the first encounter between the crew of the Enterprise and the Children of Tama.

The Tamarians, it turned out, spoke by citing metaphors, metaphors unknown to the Federation.  On this basis did the story hinge.

I took a shot at interpreting the metaphors graphically.  Of course, what I see in the graphics and what you see will no doubt vary.

Be forewarned:  there are 27 graphics.  

If you wish to see a larger version of any of the pieces, simply click on it.  They were created in 800 pixels by 800 pixels.

Temba, his arms wide.

Living in Fear, Gracefully and Gratefully

There’s a woman who works up at the local Smoke Shop who just came in from Vegas. She likes to go shoot pool in tournaments there, and after buying a cheapy $150.00 roundtrip ticket ahead of time, and a cheap room, can usually clear $800.00 or so, and have some fun.

She looks like a middle aged cue ball herself, shiny, happy, roundish, totally nonthreatening. In fact, flying out of Detroit Metro, she had no problems whatsoever. Flying back from Las Vegas, she was detained, grilled, bullied and almost missed her flight. Her crime? She had a still factory sealed bottle of nail polish she had purchased at Krogers before leaving in her luggage. Not even in carry-on! It still had the Kroger price tag on it. They have no “Krogers” in Vegas. They have “Safeway.” Seriously, “We have never heard of Krogers ma’am, why were you trying to bring liquids onto the plane. Who are you, where do you live, who do you work for? Who do you REALLY work for?”

“Krogers is our grocery store, and I thought I might paint my nails on vacation. They didn’t care about this in Detroit!” “We have never heard of Krogers. Whats in the bottle, lady, really?”

We really accept as a society being brow beaten over Nail Polish?

It gets better. When she finally boarded the plane in Vegas, there were two, count them two, women on the plane knitting. With huge needles. Personally, I’d rather face down some “Candy Apple Red” nail polish than a 14 inch pointy steel thing. But liquids are taboo, baby, and knitting needles not. Which is more akin to the box cutters, anyway?

Then there is Van Jones. Ughhhhhhh

No Captive Markets: No Public Choice = No Mandate


     NO CAPTIVE MARKETS!

   WE ARE NO CORPORATE PLAYING FIELD:
      LEVEL US AT YOUR PERIL

   NO GOVERNMENT MANDATED
      CORPORATE MURDER BY SPREADSHEET

     HEALTH INSURANCE BOARDS ARE THE REAL DEATH PANELS

     NO WELFARE FOR INSURANCE CORPORATIONS

     NO CAPTIVE MARKETS!

Docudharma Times Monday September 7




Monday’s Headlines:

She’s at home in the circus sideshow

Politics stymie National Labor Relations Board

Caught in the crossfire: the forgotten casualties of war in Afghanistan

Unicef worker James Elder expelled from Sri Lanka over media comments

German conservatives turn to the cult of Matron Merkel

Challenge to Berlusconi as Church backs new centre-right party

Iran defiant over nuclear ‘rights’

Israel to expand West Bank homes

Deadly force: Venezuela’s police have become a law unto themselves

Obama Readies Reform Specifics

n Health-Care Address, President Is Expected to Take Firmer Positions

By Ceci Connolly

Washington Post Staff Writer

Monday, September 7, 200


Looking to rescue his signature domestic policy initiative with a prime-time address to Congress on Wednesday, President Obama for the first time is poised to “draw some lines in the sand” over the size and shape of legislation to remake the nation’s health-care system, top advisers said Sunday.

Until now, Obama has resisted taking firm positions on specific elements of a broad health-care bill, instead expressing openness to many ideas. But the approach has left lawmakers divided over contentious elements, such as how to rein in costs. And with a growing chorus in favor of a slower, less ambitious approach, Obama is inching toward a proposal that would bear his name and carry the political risks of sponsorship.

Japan vows big climate change cut

Japan’s next leader has promised a big cut in greenhouse gas emissions, saying he will aim for a 25% reduction by 2020 compared to 1990 levels.

The BBC  Monday, 7 September 2009

Democratic Party leader Yukio Hatoyama is due to take over as prime minister on 16 September, after a resounding election victory in August.

His predecessor, Taro Aso, had pledged cuts of only 8%.

Mr Hatoyama said the plan was dependent on other nations agreeing targets at December’s climate talks in Copenhagen.

But Monday’s announcement has already sparked resistance from Japanese business groups, and parts of the automotive industry are expected to lobby against the targets.

Muse in the Morning

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
Muse in the Morning

A Transition through Poetry IX

Art Link

Passing through Grey

The Letter

This is just a note

to say goodbye

and warn you

and them…and me

of the drastic change

in our life paths

lying on the other side

of the passage of night

to introduce the person

you will meet tomorrow

when I return

as someone else

a plea to you

to help nurture

this fragile seed

as it germinates

and a heads up

so you can view

or maybe cause

the lighting of the fuse

that will initiate

the explosion

of our separate

and joint realities

a call to witness

the mass reactions

designed to crush

the life out of me

–Robyn Elaine Serven
–September 29, 2006

Swedes: US troops storm Afghan Hospital

(Cross-posted in OrangeSwedish Charity: US troops stormed through Afghan Hospital )

A Swedish charity that runs a hospital in Afghanistan is accusing the US military of storming into the hospital, breaking doors, and tying up staff while searching for militants.


KABUL (Reuters) – U.S. troops burst into a Swedish charity-run hospital in Afghanistan and tied up patients’ relatives and staff, the charity said on Sunday, in what it called a breach of deals between the military and aid groups.

Dive artists — Dems ‘lose’ again on health care

If there’s one thing I hate worse than an evil Republican, it’s a pussy Democrat.

You know, the hand-wringing, Tom Daschle-ian, “oh gosh we sure wouldn’t want to make them mad” kind of appeasers to the right wing, constantly demonstrating that they are officially the party of losers, nothing but the token “liberals” to the manly alpha-dog Repubs who actually run things.  

I fucking HATE THESE PRICKS.   And the Democratic Party seems to have nothing but members who are exactly like this.   Men who just turned in their fucking balls when they took their oath of office, handed them over to Newt Gingrich to keep in his freezer.  

And now, even our President, the guy who rope-a-doped us with “hope”, and played us for guillible fools, the man who actually seemed to act like a man and got out there and pretended to fight, well he’s just another one of these ass-kissing toadies who dares NOT to anger the Republican Gods!    

This Van Jones thing is the last straw.  

Here’s what I wrote at another forum, fuck it, I’m just gonna cut and paste it:


It seems Obama’s real function is to recessitate the Republicans.

Now that he’s in power, his sole purpose seems to be to re-legitimize the Republican Party. His whole thing is to be “bi partisan” to a group of irrelevant losers who are only supported by a tiny majority of the population, to let them create the illusion that they ARE still relevant and that they actually do have some power. Neither is true.

If Obama was for real, he and his people would be in the process of planting the daisies over the grave of the Repub Party.

But he’s not for real, so instead, he’s watering their seeds instead, so they can be revived and come back as the “dominant” party yet again in this country.

He’s literally a nursemaid.

And to those of us who actually thought he would do what he promised (I wasn’t one of them, but seeing as how he was gonna be the guy, I did hope that he would turn on his masters and just go ahead with the “right” thing), well, it’s become abundantly clear that WE’RE the ones who are utterly irrelevant, not the losers and psychos and fascists and nutjobs aboard the sinking ship of the the suicided Republicans.

Obama: Ignoring the people who voted for him, nurturing and revitalizing the Republican Party.

He’s a fucking douchebag.

The resignation of Van Jones should be the last straw for anybody paying attention. Let’s see, what was his real crime? Calling Republicans “assholes”. THAT was his crime. He called war criminals, people who should be blindfolded and in line for their turn at the guillotine “assholes” and for that, he must be ostracized from the official government party. Obama gives the Republicans a huge win here, this in fact is a watershed moment for them, this is the lighting that flows into the fetid corpse of the Frankenstein monster and brings it back to life.

Thanks, Obama.

Yes, John McCain can joke about bombing Iran and he’s allowed to run for President.  Michelle Bachman can say all the absolutely fruitcakey things she can say, David Vitter dons diapers and romps with hookers, the list goes on and on, but oh GOSH, one of our guys, and an uppity BLACK one at that, DARES to call the white, male ruling party “ASSHOLES” and he’s shoved right out the door by his OWN PEOPLE.    He DARES to sign a petition about the greatest crime within our nations borders, demonstrating that he actually might be with the majority of New York City residents on this, and he’s immediately kicked out the office window by the embarrassed Democrats.

They fucking HANDED the Repubs a win on this one.  A huge win.  They didn’t even show up to fight, the Repubs just raised a couple of eyebrows and this guy was thrown under the fucking TRAIN.  

What a bunch of pathetic, loser, testicle-free PUSSIES.

I fucking hate these people.  You know why?

Because there are ALWAYS evil bullies in the world.  Always.   There are always Republicans and liars and cheaters and con men trying to take over things and the only reason they don’t (if they don’t) is because other people who know better and who are willing to meet them eye-for-eye and blow-for-blow stand the fuck UP to them and face them down and make it damn clear that they will not be tolerated.

It’s as simple as that.

But wait, maybe that’s not it, check this out:

I Want My Mandated Mandate !

I want my mandate, and I want it forced down my throat/ up my ___ (fill in the blank) , or maybe in my EAR/NOSE/THROAT (I dunno I’m not a medical professional)

RIGHT NOW.

If you don’t force me to pay for junk insurance at the threat of jail if I can’t fuckin’ afford it than I may really want to maybe just primary someone somewhere –well maybe– if you think that might be OK that is.

And not against THE RULES OF THE SITE (??!!)

(please don’t HR me to death. I’m new around here…please???? But, I really really —really–I love you guys. And anyone even remotely LIKE you guys. I kiss a shrine to you guys twice a day. And ten times a day to our glorious leader–Rahm Emmanuell )

Anyway,

I WANT MY MANDATED NON OPTIONAL NON PUBLIC PUBLIC OPTION AND I F>U>C>K>I>N>G WANT IT NOW

(or I won’t turn off the caps lock, well I don’t know how to anyway)

I Don’t care how many innocents you bomb in some foreign land that I can’t even spell, or burn, or torture, or crucify (well, I can’t do any of that–but you can, EVEN SPELL!) ,  I don’t care how many fake elections you support in one of those places, I don’t care how many more planes and bombs my tax $$ buy, how many more bankers get a bonus,  I want my damn mandate, and if I don’t get it I will give the whole .50c in my pocket (bank account done been closed) to primary someone in Wyoming or Nevada or something, which should really really scare you because we all know that Wyoming or Nevada is just dying for someone who is a real progressive.  More and better, right?

(of course I would never support a real 3rd party progressive in a really progressive state–that’s just unrealistic, you f’ing Naderite you, well except for SANDERS because he CAUCUSES WITH DEMOCRATS–so he must be one right ?  Of course not Kucinich because someone once said ‘Ugh’)

(please don’t HR me to death. I’m new around here…please???? But, I really really —really–I love you guys, already. And anyone even remotely LIKE you guys. I kiss a shrine to you guys twice a day. And ten times a day to our glorious leader–Rahm Emmanuell  )

I love you guys.

 (oh, and can anyone get me a job? I need to pay for my mandated health care, more taxes for more bombs for more killing to free more people–like woman in Bruhas, bruk=haas or Burkars or whchamakallit, and I  really, really need to have .50c left over for some guy in Utah who’s running against a Mormon nine term incumbent billionaire, with 80  million in the bank-I’m sure my .50c will do the trick. PLEASE HELP. IF WE ALL SEND .50c, we could send like ten bucks !!!!!!

!!!!

!!!!!!

!

Or, does anyone think I can maybe keep my .50c for meself?

I’m kinda hungry this month)  

Death as Profit (extended)

You read the title correctly; Dying is now seen as PROFIT venture!

The bankers plan to buy “life settlements,” life insurance policies that ill and elderly people sell for cash – $400,000 for a $1 million policy, say, depending on the life expectancy of the insured person. Then they plan to “securitize” these policies, in Wall Street jargon, by packaging hundreds or thousands together into bonds. They will then resell those bonds to investors, like big pension funds, who will receive the payouts when people with the insurance die.

The first question should be, who in their right mind would sell their life insurance policy to Wall Street?  Why would people give up the very last of their children’s security upon their death?  Obviously, some are willing to do just that, and, Wall Street, not having missed an opportunity to turn a profit, is ready to capitalize on it.

Stopping mandates w/o public option will be our first victory

This appears to be the delicate stage of negotiations for a health care bill.  As War On Error has shown so thoroughly today, the House bill as stands is a pure giveaway, because the “public option” it offers is only available to the self-employed, and then only by 2013, by which time the insurers will have (maybe) a bit firmer control of the Federal government than they do today.

We should understand, then, that we will have to be in this for the sake of building a historic bloc, a larger social movement with a political aim.  If we can do that, we can say that it’s not over when Congress decides to vote, and we will not have to wait another sixteen years to get what we want.  Voting down all sellout bills will, in this light, be our first victory as a historic-bloc-in-formation.  It is still early in the game — it is not “now or never.”

(Crossposted at Orange)

Pique the Geek 20090906. The Things that we Eat: Non-Nutritive Sweeteners

This is the second of two installments on non-nutritive sweeteners.  This time we will talk about one very ancient one, the new ultra sweet aspartame analogue, and a couple of natural products, one of which is gaining popularity these days.

Non-nutritive sweeteners probably have value in managing conditions such as diabetes and obesity where caloric intake, particularly from simple carbohydrates, needs to be restricted.  However, these materials are not panaceas and other dietary measures are essential to control either of those conditions.  Some studies also are consistent with the premise that the mere sensation of sweetness can cause a rise in blood glucose in non-diabetic people, thus making these agents act like sugar even though they contain no calories.  These interpretations are controversial, though.

Considered Forthwith: House Oversight Committee

Welcome to the 21st installment of “Considered Forthwith.”

This weekly series looks at the various committees in the House and the Senate. Committees are the workshops of our democracy. This is where bills are considered, revised, and occasionally advance for consideration by the House and Senate. Most committees also have the authority to exercise oversight of related executive branch agencies.

Congress is still in recess (until Tuesday), but the committees are coming back to life and scheduling hearings. This week I will be taking a look at the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. This is the main investigative committee in the House. While most other committees have the power to conduct investigations, this committee exists to provide another layer of oversight. The committee also has jurisdiction over several specific operations of the federal government and the local affairs of the District of Columbia.

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