Change of Heart

Thanks to all the kind wishes by everyone. My mom's surgery went great and she should be released from the hospital tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. The folks were thrilled (and suprised) that my brother and I had made the trip up. I'm glad we did.

Now ... while these are not quite as amusing or disgusting as Laura's recent arterial pictures, we can agree that the results are happier:

This is a picture of the problem area prior to the surgery (click any of the images to get a larger picture):



A picture of the actual stent:


The artery after the surgery:


From Wikipedia:

... a stent is either an expandable wire mesh or hollow perforated tube that is inserted into a hollow structure of the body to keep it open.

The main purpose of a stent is to overcome important decreases in vessel or duct diameter. Stents are often used to diminish pressure differences in blood flow to organs beyond an obstruction in order to maintain an adequate delivery of oxygen. ... the most popular use of stents is linked to the coronary arteries.

Prior to deployment, a stent is collapsed into a small diameter; current stents are self-expandable or can be dilated using an inflatable balloon. After expansion, stents are affixed to the vessel or duct wall by their own radial tension. These devices are most commonly inserted under fluoroscopic guidance or endoscopy, procedures that are generally less invasive than conventional surgery.

... general anesthesia is usually not required for stent insertion. For these reasons, stents have offered clear benefits over conventional surgery that include, overall, shorter recovery periods and hospital stays.

Mom

My mom's having heart surgery on Tuesday. My parents say it's nothing. I know they don't want us (my brother and I) to worry. And they certainly don't want us to come up to the hospital. Just a simple procedure to put a stent in. Less than 50% blockage in one artery. Only have to stay over night. Doctor says not to worry. The folks say not to worry. Why does everybody keep telling us 'not to worry' if there is nothing to worry about? Is there such a thing as "simple" or "routine" when you are talking about the heart?

Mom's healthy otherwise. She quit smoking a few years ago after having smoked for over 40 years. I never thought she would be able to that. Did it cold turkey.

It's not that we see them a lot ... maybe once a month. Talk to them once a week. We don't rely on them ... they're retired and living in Kingman. But you always knew they were there. Then something happens to make you wonder if they always will be.

It's not just about me being worried about losing my mom. I'm worried what it would do to my dad. My folks have been married for 40 years and are so completely entwined. Some would say they are old-fashioned and they are. Dad has always worked and brought home the money. Mom took care of us kids and ran the house. But they were content in their roles. Dad would have a hard time taking care of himself. I don't think my dad could boil water on his own ... let alone fix a meal.

My dad's not overly emotional ... but he's not cold. He has a good sense of humor. But I've only seen him cry once or twice in my life. I know losing mom would absolutely destroy him.

Mom and I haven't always got along perfectly. We're probably too alike in a lot of ways. We get too emotional about things. We both have a tendency to worry too much about what other people think. But our relationship has been pretty good for the last year. You get a little older and you forgive some of those things that you've always held against your parents. Like you, they're not perfect. Heck, my mom and her twin brother reconciled this year after not having spoken for 20 years. If that wall came down, our problems are nothing in comparison.

I feel guilty for even worrying. Michelle's dad passed away last year, was younger, and had went through a lot more before he passed. A lot of my friends have either lost a parent or are children of a divorce. Maybe I'm just being a baby. I've been spoiled by having healthy parents. You don't want to think about your parents' mortality because you don't want to think about your own.

I know I'm just being silly. But it's too late to think about these things after something happens.

Mouth of Sauron

Least suprising news of the day:

Fox anchor named Bush press secretary

... and in other news, birds fly and the sky is blue. Is it just me ... but I thought Fox News already was the White House Press Office? Is this what you would call a lateral move? :-)

These people truly have no shame.

Worst President in History?

"Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history. We of this Congress and this administration, will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal significance, or insignificance, can spare one or another of us. The fiery trial through which we pass, will light us down, in honor or dishonor, to the latest generation." -- Abraham Lincoln

"Worst President in History?" ... certainly a lot of people (especially liberals) try to make that case about Bush. Is it just partisanship or is there something more to it. A recent article that shares the views of a large group of historians with no particular axe to grind leads one to think it isn't just political name-calling:

One of America's leading historians assesses George W. Bush

Some highlights:

"... Now, though, George W. Bush is in serious contention for the title of worst ever. In early 2004, an informal survey of 415 historians conducted by the nonpartisan History News Network found that eighty-one percent considered the Bush administration a "failure." Among those who called Bush a success, many gave the president high marks only for his ability to mobilize public support and get Congress to go along with what one historian called the administration's "pursuit of disastrous policies." In fact, roughly one in ten of those who called Bush a success was being facetious, rating him only as the best president since Bill Clinton -- a category in which Bush is the only contestant. "

" ...The lopsided decision of historians should give everyone pause. Contrary to popular stereotypes, historians are generally a cautious bunch. We assess the past from widely divergent points of view and are deeply concerned about being viewed as fair and accurate by our colleagues. When we make historical judgments, we are acting not as voters or even pundits, but as scholars who must evaluate all the evidence, good, bad or indifferent. Separate surveys, conducted by those perceived as conservatives as well as liberals, show remarkable unanimity about who the best and worst presidents have been.

Historians do tend, as a group, to be far more liberal than the citizenry as a whole -- a fact the president's admirers have seized on to dismiss the poll results as transparently biased. One pro-Bush historian said the survey revealed more about "the current crop of history professors" than about Bush or about Bush's eventual standing. But if historians were simply motivated by a strong collective liberal bias, they might be expected to call Bush the worst president since his father, or Ronald Reagan, or Nixon. Instead, more than half of those polled -- and nearly three-fourths of those who gave Bush a negative rating -- reached back before Nixon to find a president they considered as miserable as Bush. The presidents most commonly linked with Bush included Hoover, Andrew Johnson and Buchanan. Twelve percent of the historians polled -- nearly as many as those who rated Bush a success -- flatly called Bush the worst president in American history. And these figures were gathered before the debacles over Hurricane Katrina, Bush's role in the Valerie Plame leak affair and the deterioration of the situation in Iraq. Were the historians polled today, that figure would certainly be higher."

"...No other president -- Lincoln in the Civil War, FDR in World War II, John F. Kennedy at critical moments of the Cold War -- faced with such a monumental set of military and political circumstances failed to embrace the opposing political party to help wage a truly national struggle. But Bush shut out and even demonized the Democrats. Top military advisers and even members of the president's own Cabinet who expressed any reservations or criticisms of his policies -- including retired Marine Corps Gen. Anthony Zinni and former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill -- suffered either dismissal, smear attacks from the president's supporters or investigations into their alleged breaches of national security. The wise men who counseled Bush's father, including James Baker and Brent Scowcroft, found their entreaties brusquely ignored by his son. When asked if he ever sought advice from the elder Bush, the president responded, "There is a higher Father that I appeal to." "

I think that Bush genuinely believes he is making history ... in a good way. That is what is scary about the neo-conservative agenda. The broadening American presence in the Middle East is a planned agenda ... not a reaction to Sept. 11. Sept. 11 was just a convenient event that they could use to further that agenda.

No one can truly say how history will judge this President and this administration. But the signs are not encouraging. If this was just about the historical legacy of a single person, that would not be a big deal. It's a big deal because his legacy will affect the future of our country and the world.

"History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce." -- Karl Marx

Earth Day

Easy Ways to Make a Difference this Earth Day

WASHINGTON - April 19 - This Earth Day, April 22, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) -- the largest conservation organization in the world -- challenges everyone to try some of these simple actions that can make a big difference.

1. Don't leave the water running. Turn off the water when brushing your teeth or washing the car. Fresh water is one of our most precious natural resources.

2. Flick off the light when you leave the room. Power plants burn fuels to create energy for your light bulb. Burning fuel makes smog that pollutes the air and adds to global warming. The less energy you use the less they need to make. Plus you'll save on your energy bill.

3. Print on both sides of the page at work. It's easy to change your printer settings -- you'll use half the paper and save trees.

4. Wash your clothes in warm or cold water. It works just as well as hot in your washing machine and cuts back on energy use.

5. Ditch the paper cups. Bring in a glass to keep at work instead of using the paper ones by the water cooler.

6. Use the right settings on your appliances. Many appliances, like your dishwasher and refrigerator, come with energy-saving settings. Make sure they're turned on.

7. Turn off your computer at the end of the day. A monitor left on overnight uses enough energy to print 5,300 copies.

8. Give your loose change to an environmental charity. After checkout at the supermarket, instead of tossing the coins into your pocket drop them into a Coinstar Center(r) to donate to WWF. Just select the "donate" option from the menu and choose WWF as the charity. There's probably a machine right in the store so it's an easy stop on your way out.

9. Pay attention to labels. Buy paper items with the "recycled" emblem over the ones without. Also, look for the Energy Star symbol when buying new appliances.

10. Sign up for an e-newsletter. Get updates on environmental issues and solutions emailed to you and glance through at your leisure. The WWF e-newsletter is easy to sign up for and comes out once a month, so it won't crowd your inbox. Visit http://www.worldwildlife.org to sign up now.

For more information on World Wildlife Fund and how you can make a difference this Earth Day and every day, World Wildlife Fund for their special Earth Day coverage.

About World Wildlife Fund

World Wildlife Fund is the largest conservation organization in the world. For 45 years, WWF has worked to save endangered species, protect endangered habitats, and address global threats such as deforestation, overfishing, and climate change. Known worldwide by its panda logo, WWF works in 100 countries on more than 2,000 conservation programs. WWF has 1.2 million members in the United States and nearly five million supporters worldwide. For more information on WWF, visit World Wildlife Fund

Wal-Mart: The High Cost of a Low Price

We finally had a chance to see Wal-Mart: The High Cost of a Low Price. For a great review of it, see Sadie's blog. I'll try not to repeat the points she made ... as she did a nice job.

It's not that Wal-Mart tries to make money. Money drives our economy. It's not they can't provide healthcare for all their workers. Many companies have that problem. It's not that they are successful. There are a lot of successful companies that do not garner the negative attention Wal-Mart does. It's not that they offer inexpensive products. After all, who isn't looking for a bargain?

So what is the problem with Wal-Mart?

• -- They are the most successful retailer and one of the most profitable companies in the U.S., yet they do not pay their workers a living wage. Associates and cashiers, their most common jobs make wages well below the poverty line.


• -- They have agressive union busting practices.


• -- They have unsafe environmental practices ... some of which are highlighted in the movie.


• -- They champion themselves as a marketer of "Made in the USA" products while being the largest importer of Chinese products. Many of which are produced with slave labor.


• -- They have substandard healthcare offerings and actually encourage their employees to get assistance from the government as a substitute.


• -- Wal-Mart seeks and receives over a billion dollars in incentives to come into towns. The result of which is a double-whammy. Cities are subsidizing the failure of their own businesses because Wal-Mart drives out small retailers.


• -- They have been guilty of management practices that are racist and that descriminate against women.

For a more detailed listing of Wal-Mart's problems: The Real Facts about Wal-Mart

The odd thing about it is that it doesn't have to be this way. Costco is just one example of a company that is doing it differently ... and successfully. From The Costco Challenge: An Alternative to Wal-Martization? (July 5, 2005):

Costco Wholesale Corp., now the fifth-largest retailer in the U.S. While Wal-Mart pays an average of $9.68 an hour, the average hourly wage of employees of the Issaquah, Wash.-based warehouse club operator is $16. After three years a typical full-time Costco worker makes about $42,000, and the company foots 92% of its workers’ health insurance tab.

How does Costco pull it off? How can a discount retail chain pay middle-class wages and still bring in over $880 million in net revenues? And, a cynic may ask, with Wal-Mart wages becoming the norm, why does it bother?

A number of factors explain Costco’s success at building a retail chain both profitable and fair to its workers. But the basic formula is one the labor movement has been advocating for decades: a loyal, well-compensated workforce means a more efficient and productive one.

Though only about 18% of Costco’s total workforce is unionized, union representation creates a ripple effect and helps determine labor standards in all stores. The Teamsters represent about 15,000 workers at 56 Costco stores in California, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia. Workers are covered by West coast and East coast contracts, negotiated in February and April of last year.

“The agreements lock in wage and benefits packages that are the highest in the grocery and [discount] retail industries,” said Rome Aloise, chief IBT negotiator for Costco and Secretary-Treasurer of Local 853 in San Leandro, Calif.

Costco passes on similar compensation packages to its non-union workers; the contracts act as templates for other stores’ employee handbooks.

“The union contracts raise the bar and set the standard for all employees,” explained Aloise. “Still, while the company extends wage and pay raises to non-union employees, only union members enjoy benefits like seniority-based promotions, a grievance procedure and minimum hours for part-time workers,” he added.

Strong union representation isn’t the only reason Costco jobs are so well compensated; the company itself has an unusually forward-looking corporate philosophy.

Costco CEO Jim Senegal has said: “We pay much better than Wal-Mart. That’s not altruism. It’s good business.”

Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti explained: “From day one, we’ve run the company with the philosophy that if we pay better than average, provide a salary people can live on, have a positive environment and good benefits, we’ll be able to hire better people, they’ll stay longer and be more efficient.”

A 2004 Business Week study ran the numbers to test Costco’s business model against that of Wal-Mart. The study confirmed that Costco’s well-compensated employees are more productive.

...By compensating its workers well, Costco also enjoys rates of turnover far below industry norms. Costco’s rate of turnover is one-third the industry average of 65% as estimated by the National Retail Foundation. Wal-Mart reports a turnover rate of about 50%.

... Other analysts of the retail industry agree that happier, well-compensated workers help generate bigger profits. George Whalin, president of Retail Management Consultants in San Marcos, Calif., disagrees with many of Wal-Mart’s critics, but said: “There’s no doubt Wal-Mart and many other retailers could do a better job taking care of their employees. The best retailers do take care of their employees — Nordstrom’s, Costco, The Container store — with fair pay, good benefits and managers who care about people. You have fewer employee issues, less turnover and more productivity. It lessens costs to the company.”

... After California Costco workers ratified their Teamster contract last March, CEO Jim Sinegal said Costco workers are “entitled to buy homes and live in reasonably nice neighborhoods and send their children to school.”

“When companies like Wal-Mart are setting the standard, we have to ask: Do we want to live in a country where the largest employer pays below poverty-level wages, whose workers cannot afford health care?” says Paul Blank, chief spokesperson of Wake Up Wal-Mart, the United Food and Commercial Workers’ new campaign to change the company’s practices. “Or do we want Americans to enjoy a decent income and a sense of security in return for their work?”

Costco v. Wal-Mart: How They Stack Up

Global Workforce
Wal-Mart: 1.6 million associates
Costco: 113,000 employees

U.S. Workforce
Wal-Mart: 1.2 million
Costco: 83,600

U.S. Union Members
Wal-Mart: 0
Costco: 15,000

U.S. Stores
Wal-Mart: 3,600
Costco: 336

Net Profits (2004)
Wal-Mart: $10.5 billion
Costco: $882 million

CEO Salary + Bonus (2004)
Wal-Mart: $5.3 million
Costco: $350,000

Average Pay
Wal-Mart: $9.68/hour
Costco: $16/hour

Health Plan Costs
Wal-Mart: Associates pay 34% of premiums + deductible ($350-$1,000)
Costco: Comprehensive; employees pay 5-8% of premiums

Employees Covered By Company Health Insurance
Wal-Mart: 48%
Costco: 82%

Employee Turnover (estimate)
Wal-Mart: 50%
Costco: 24%

As citizens, we are supposed to have a say in how we are governed. But we all know how that turns out usually. Money is ultimately the only thing that decides anything. So if it has to be that way, then vote with your money. If you continue to shop at Wal-Mart despite the preponderance of evidence of their practices, then we know how you are voting. And that is your right. But don't do it without knowing the truth. Don't believe me. Don't believe the director of this movie. Research for yourself. And then decide. We can decide how companies behave. They listen to our money. And there is some evidence that we are having some effect on Wal-Mart's practices. But there is a lot more to be done.

Worldwide Suicide -- Pearl Jam

One of my favorite bands, Pearl Jam, made a rare TV appearance on SNL this last weekend. As usual, they rocked. One of the songs they performed was a new song, "World Wide Suicide". They've never been afraid to be political and this song is no exception:

I felt the earth on Monday. It moved beneath my feet.
In the form of a morning paper. Laid out for me to see.

Saw his face in a corner picture. I recognized the name.
Could not stop staring at the. Face I'd never see again.

It's a shame to awake in a world of pain
What does it mean when a war has taken over

It's the same everyday in a hell manmade
What can be saved, and who will be left to hold her?

The whole world...World over.
It's a worldwide suicide.

Medals on a wooden mantle. Next to a handsome face.
That the president took for granted.
Writing checks that others pay.

And in all the madness. Thought becomes numb and naive.
So much to talk about. Nothing for to say.

It's the same everyday and the wave won't break
Tell you to pray, while the devils on their shoulder

Laying claim to the take that our soldiers save
Does not equate, and the truth's already out there

The whole world,... World over.
It's a worldwide suicide.

The whole world,... World over.
It's a worldwide suicide.

Looking in the eyes of the fallen
You got to know there's another, another, another, another
Another way

It's a shame to awake in a world of pain
What does it mean when a war has taken over

It's the same everyday and the wave won't break
Tell you to pray, while the devils on their shoulder

The whole world,... World over.
It's a worldwide suicide.

The whole world,... World over.
It's a worldwide suicide.

I'm going to post a more detailed account of Pearl Jam in the next week with my favorite political songs of theirs.

A frequent collaborator with Pearl Jam, Neil Young, is also set to release an album with his take on our government: Impeach Bush

The subject of pointed and political lyrics had came up recently with the discussion of lyrics off of Pink's new album (thanks to Sadie). Several commenters had attested to the quality of that album. Check out the discussion here.

Easter

More Easter fun with Alex (and cousins) at the Eggosaurus Hunt, put on by Phoenix Parks and Rec:


They do a great job and the kids really have fun. Free egg hunts and a craft area for everyone to get artistic.


And Alex at home. Notice we come at Alex from both directions with the gifts (dinos and Narnia). :-)


Last year's festivities, Easter '05, show just how much Alex has changed.

Quote of the Day

"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger." -- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

Bumper Stickers

A comment by my wife the other day about a bumper sticker we saw got me to thinking: What are people really trying to say with their stickers and magnets? So, as a public service, I am going to translate some of the ones that I have seen recently:


This is the one that my wife brought to my attention. She said, "Oh, isn't that sweet? That lady's husband loves her so much that he has a bumper sticker saying it." Not quite. My translation: "I love my wife ... not my domestic partner, not my lover, not my longtime companion. If you do, then you are going to hell."


To continue on that theme, don't you think this one could have made a good poster for Brokeback Mountain? :-)


People with this one are O.G. Bushies. They're keeping it real and kickin' it old school. They're so hard core that Bush could tell them they had WMD's in the arse, and they would buy it. Actually, I had a college roommate who I could swear had WMD's in his ass ... but I digress.


It says, "Support Our Troops". It means, "I'm too cheap to give money to an organization that will actually help troops and their families ... or better yet bring them home. I'd rather plop this "Made in China" magnet on my gas guzzling SUV and feel superior and 'holier than thou'."


"Bush Youth" ===>>> "Hitler Youth"?


Sorry. What was the question?


Yeah, I think that must be a Ghandi quote.


We can only hope there will be some convictions.


These people have evidently never seen Dr. Strangelove. They'd be the ones hootin' and hollerin' like Slim Pickens riding the bomb. They'll bring marshmallows when the planet is roasting.


This one serves two purposes. First, it's for people that are still in denial that it all happened. Secondly, it makes sure you don't mistake them for a Bushie. BTW, I still have this bumper sticker on my truck.

Buh-bye

That's it. I had to vote a couple of you off the island (my list of blogs). My dear friend JC at Masterpiece in Progress has been somewhat less than prolific and does not appear to be visiting any of our blogs. If you are out there JC, let me know. We pretty much agree on nothing, but I miss our debates.

Also, Alpha Liberal appears to be DOA.

But, I'd like to welcome two frequent visitors to Cyberkitten's blog, Seeking a Little Truth, to my list:

Vancouver Voyeur at Vancouver Calling

and

Aginoth at Aginoth's Ramblings

Both are intelligent and irreverant and worthy of your visit.

A-Z Meme

Tagged by Jewish Atheist


Accent: Have moved around a bit too much to have a very pronounced one. Have lived significant amounts of time in the Pacific Northwest, Southwest and Midwest.

Booze: Like JA, a bit of a liberal elitist on beer. Prefer micro-brew pale ales and imports. Favorites being Stone IPA and Guinness. But I grew up white-trash, so I'll throw back a few Milwaukee's Beasts when visiting the folks. Trying to become a wine snob but have no real knowledge so I just buy the bottles that look cool.

Chore I hate: Not a big fan of cleaning bathrooms.

Dogs/cats: Dogs. Cats are independent uncaring bastards. :-)

Essential Electronics: Computer. DVD, decent home theater.

Favorite Perfume/Cologne: No you don't. Not going to peg me as a metrosexual.

Gold and silver: Not much for bling.

Hometown: I'd like to be clever and secretive and protective of my identity like JA, but I believe I blew that a long time ago. Live in Phoenix, grew up in Iowa.

Insomnia: Sometimes. Don't obsess about things as much as I once did.

Job Title: Computer Consultant -- have my own business

Kids: 1. Alex rules.

Living Arrangements: Own a new house in suburbia. I make myself sick sometimes.

Most Admired Trait: Thoughtful.

Number of Sexual Partners: 3. Sorry, not the stud-muffin you all thought I was.

Overnight Hospital Stays: Nope.

Phobia: Can get claustrophobic at times.

Religion: No thanks. I gave at the office.

Siblings: 1. Younger brother.

Time I usually wake up: Determined by my clients. Usually 7ish.

Unusual Talent: Interested in everything. Master of nothing. Decent at chess.

Vegetable I refuse to eat: Will pretty much eat them all.

Worst Habit: I start too many concurrent projects and then jump back and forth between them.

X-Rays: Like JA, of my chompers.

Yummy Foods I Make: Chili, Mushroom Soup.

Zodiac Sign: Aries ... but it don't mean a thing.

I tag GWB, Isabella, and Eric.

I'm Confused

I'm not going to beat a dead horse with the Libby/Bush classified leak thing ... as all of us have read plenty about it. But could you guys clear a few things up for me? Riddle me this:

Why does the Right make a big deal about someone coming across the border to get a sub-minimum wage job with no benefits while lauding crooks like Kenneth Lay who bilked thousands of people of millions of dollars of retirement funds?

Why is lying about a consensual sexual encounter (Clinton) a bigger problem than consistently and repeatedly lying about the release of classified information for political gain?

Why are corrupt men (Abramoff, DeLay) whose string of behavior ranges from unethical(political pranks) to illegal(fraud, political favors, possible murder) viewed admiringly by Republicans?

You know why? They use the cloak of religiosity and piety and fool a surprisingly large number of Christians. As Abramoff has said: God had chosen him to return American to a "biblical worldview." And they lap it up.

People that voted for Bush and continue to give him a free pass because of religion or some perceived strength he has in fighting terrorism are not merely harmless dupes. They are complicit and are as guilty as those carrying out the crimes.

Cyberkitten had a great quote in a recent comment:

"In order for evil to prosper, it is enough that good men do nothing".

In my view, people that continue to stand by are not good men. You cannot claim to be pious and allow this to continue.

"America's Blinders"

Excerpted from Howard Zinn's America's Blinders in The Progressive:

" ... President Woodrow Wilson—so often characterized in our history books as an “idealist”—lied about the reasons for entering the First World War, saying it was a war to “make the world safe for democracy,” when it was really a war to make the world safe for the Western imperial powers.

Harry Truman lied when he said the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima because it was “a military target.”

Everyone lied about Vietnam—Kennedy about the extent of our involvement, Johnson about the Gulf of Tonkin, Nixon about the secret bombing of Cambodia, all of them claiming it was to keep South Vietnam free of communism, but really wanting to keep South Vietnam as an American outpost at the edge of the Asian continent.

Reagan lied about the invasion of Grenada, claiming falsely that it was a threat to the United States.

The elder Bush lied about the invasion of Panama, leading to the death of thousands of ordinary citizens in that country.

And he lied again about the reason for attacking Iraq in 1991—hardly to defend the integrity of Kuwait (can one imagine Bush heartstricken over Iraq’s taking of Kuwait?), rather to assert U.S. power in the oil-rich Middle East.

Given the overwhelming record of lies told to justify wars, how could anyone listening to the younger Bush believe him as he laid out the reasons for invading Iraq? Would we not instinctively rebel against the sacrifice of lives for oil?

A careful reading of history might give us another safeguard against being deceived. It would make clear that there has always been, and is today, a profound conflict of interest between the government and the people of the United States. This thought startles most people, because it goes against everything we have been taught ... "

Zinn's article gives an interesting perspective on how we have been led into war throughout history. It seems we are doomed to repeat our past mistakes. Hopefully, our information age and 24 hour news culture won't allow these things to happen as much. As Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis said, "Sunlight is the best disinfectant." The reek emanating from Washington sure could use some disinfecting.

Clash/Zep ... Terrorists?

From Yahoo News:

LONDON (AFP) - A love of punk and hard rock anthems by The Clash and Led Zeppelin reportedly led to a British man being hauled off a plane bound for London by police on terrorism fears.

Indian-born Harraj Mann, 23, played "London's Calling" by The Clash and Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" through the stereo of a taxi he caught to Durham and Tees Valley Airport in northern England.

The taxi driver, however, grew suspicious of his passenger after listening to the lyrics of his chosen songs and alerted the authorities after they reached the airport.

Two police officers boarded Mann's flight to London's Heathrow airport shortly before take-off last Thursday.

"I got frogmarched off the plane in front of everyone, got my bags searched, asked every question you can think of," Mann, a mobile phone salesman, told his local newspaper, the Hartlepool Mail, on Monday -- a story that was picked up by the national press on Wednesday.

"I was being held for questioning under the Terrorism Act," he said.

By the time Mann was set free his plane had already departed.

The offending lyrics by The Clash include the lines: "London calling from the faraway towns, now war is declared and battle come down.

"London calling to the underworld, come out of the cupboard, you boys and girls."

"Immigrant Song", for its part, starts: "The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands, to fight the horde singing and crying Valhalla, I'm coming!"

A spokeswoman for the Durham Police confirmed that a man was escorted from the London-bound flight, questioned by police and released without charge.

"Safety is paramount and we respond to concerns from members of the public in the way they would expect us to," she said.

"In this case the report was made with the best of intentions and we would not want to discourage people from contacting us with genuine concerns regarding security."

Is the culture of fear that Bush and Blair are fostering making us all just a little bit jumpy? 1984 and V for Vendetta look more and more real every day. I'd be locked up for years for half the stuff that I listen to. Hell, even the titles would probably get me in trouble:

Vote With a Bullet -- Corrorosion of Conformity
Stigmata -- Ministry
Bullet in the Head -- Rage Against the Machine
Fuck Tha Police -- N.W.A., Rage Against the Machine

Free thought and free speech are not crimes.

Air America Phoenix Strikes Back!

As many of you know, Air America Phoenix 1010 KXXT went off the air about a month ago under dubious circumstances. But thanks to a great station manager and staff and a very enthusiastic group of libs in the land of Goldwater ... Air America Phoenix has a new home, KPHX 1480 and is scheduled to be back on the air April 3rd!!

It's been a strange month because I drive around the Valley a lot in the course of my job and I listen to a lot of radio. For about a year and a half, it had been almost exclusively tuned to Air America. But with the sinking of KXXT, I was forced to listen to NPR for the last month. That's not so much a complaint. I love NPR. It's just that in trying so hard to be neutral, sometimes they don't take a story as far as it needs to be taken. But they also bring to light international stories that you don't hear elsewhere. So, in the grand scheme of things, if the temporary lack of Air America got me to get back to listening to NPR occassionally, that's OK.

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I'm a busy guy. Work a lot. Read a lot. Blog entirely too much. Coach my son's T-ball team. Don't take many vacations. So what do I do? ...... I sign up for 5 different fantasy baseball teams!!!!!!!!!! I'm a moron. I had a life once ... I swear.

Hypocrite of the Day -- John McCain

Oh, John, why did I ever respect ye?

Then (6 years ago):

"I am a pro-life, pro-family fiscal conservative, an advocate of a strong defense, and yet Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and a few Washington leaders of the pro-life movement call me an unacceptable presidential candidate. They distort my pro- life positions and smear the reputations of my supporters.

Why? Because I don't pander to them, because I don't ascribe to their failed philosophy that money is our message.

Neither party should be defined by pandering to the outer reaches of American politics and the agents of intolerance, whether they be Louis Farrakhan or Al Sharpton on the left, or Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell on the right."

Now:

Press release from Jerry Falwell's Liberty University, March 28, 2006:

American military hero and Arizona Sen. John McCain will deliver the Commencement message at Liberty University on May 13, at 9:30 a.m., in the Liberty University Vines Center.

While Sen. McCain and Liberty University Chancellor Jerry Falwell have had their share of political differences through the years, the two men share a common respect for each other and have become good friends in their efforts to preserve what they see as common values. This will mark his first ever appearance at Liberty University.

Science/Religion

I read an interesting interview with Nobel laureate, Herbert Hauptman (1985 Nobel Price in Chemistry) in the latest issue of Free Inquiry, which I've excerpted here:

FI: Over 90 percent of the members of the prestigious National Academy of Sciences are atheists or agnostics. Do you think there is a relationship between being a good scientist and being a religious skeptic?

Hauptman: What are religions based on? They are not based on evidence but on faith. On the other hand, a good scientist insists that, before one assents to a claim, there must be good evidence for that claim. If you live by this principle of science, I believe you will end up believing as I and most of the other members of the National Academy of Sciences believe: that there is no God.

FI: What do you think of those scientists who believe as you do but refuse to let their views be known?

Hauptman: I do not think they should be in the closet on this issue, but it is really a matter of how you allocate your time and energy-and a matter of conscience. Still, I think we would be better off if scientists were more open about their lack of belief in God.

FI: What is one question about the science-versus-religion controversy that you would like answered?

Hauptman: When will religion no longer be an issue of importance to the majority of the people in our society?

I bring this up not to so much question the existence of God (of which my views are well-known) but rather to ask if most of you agree on whether God and science are compatible? Can they be? Can a good scientist believe in God? Would belief in God affect how you study something and the conclusions that you make? Does science help some to understand God? Some say science proves the existence of God. Do you?

I know this is more JA and CK's turf (and they do it a lot better than me), but you'll have to forgive my indulgence.

Signs of the Apocalypse

Watching Mr. Bush speak in public is like watching high schoolers giving speeches in class. You know, that uncomfortable feeling you have for someone obviously having a difficult time. Nervous laughter, inordinate amount of hand gestures, painful silences, repetition. So the recent news conference in Cleveland was no exception. Usually the President's handlers keep him away from such unscripted moments but his recent nose dive in the polls has called for drastic measures. After his performance there, I wonder if they are wishing they had kept him silent.

During the news conference, a questioner asked the President, referring to Kevin Phillips book called, American Theocracy: "... He makes the point that members of your administration have reached out to prophetic Christians who see the war in Iraq and the rise of terrorism as signs of the Apocalypse. Do you believe this, that the war in Iraq and the rise of terrorism are signs of the Apocalypse?"



Bush hemmed, hawed, stammered, made inappropriate facial gestures ... but W-O-U-L-D N-O-T S-A-Y N-O. To any sane person, religious or not, you would not even have to think about it. An unequivocal, emphatic NO. Not Bush. So afraid to offend the lunatic fringe of Christiandom, he tried to change the subject.

Jon Stewart, as usual, had a very funny and astute take on Bush's performance. He kidded about Bush having an inner-dialogue that was alternatively telling Bush to not sound crazy and to appeal to the base. He failed miserably on both counts.

Some of us feel the apocalypse is coming. They say the signs are around us: plagues and pestilence (disease), an impending World War III. I think that every time Dubya opens his mouth in public, it is a sign of the apocalypse.

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On the subject of religious loonies ... more fun with science in our classrooms:

Scientist discovers that evolution is missing from Arkansas classrooms

I love this line from the subject of the author, "I am instructed NOT to use hard numbers when telling kids how old rocks are. I am supposed to say that these rocks are VERY VERY OLD ... but I am NOT to say that these rocks are thought to be about 300 million years old." Yeah, we all know who wants you to say they (and everything else) is about 6,000 years old. We are in hell.

Dixie Chicks -- Not Ready to Make Nice

Good for the Dixie Chicks. After paying a dear price for one simple sentence ... said in London: "Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas."

... they are not backing down. And they shouldn't. Too many people kiss ass for money or for political reasons (McCain ... you tool).

Here's the Chicks latest single: Not Ready to Make Nice

Forgive, sounds good
Forget, I’m not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I’m still waiting

I’m through with doubt
There’s nothing left for me to figure out
I’ve paid a price
And I’ll keep paying

I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should

I know you said
Can’t you just get over it
It turned my whole world around
And I kind of like it

I made my bed and I sleep like a baby
With no regrets and I don’t mind sayin’
It’s a sad sad story when a mother will teach her
Daughter that she ought to hate a perfect stranger
And how in the world can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they’d write me a letter
Sayin’ that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over

I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should

I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should

Forgive, sounds good
Forget, I’m not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I’m still waiting

V for Vendetta

Color me impressed. We saw V for Vendetta this last weekend and we were not disappointed. From the minds of the men that brought us The Matrix, the Wachowski brothers, comes a darkly comic vision of a world that has sacrificed freedom for what they consider to be security ... and discover their error all too late.

Sound familiar?

The graphic novel by Alan Moore that the screenplay was based on was a denouncement of Margaret Thatcher and the England of that time filtered through an environment reminscent of Nazi Germany. The Wachowski brothers, and the director of the movie, James McTeigue (1st AD from the Matrix movies) have modernized it, while keeping the setting in England.

McTeigue, despite having been groomed in the world of sci-fi laden movies like the Matrix and Star Wars, directs a suprisingly human and non-effects-laden film.

The actors are universally good. Hugo Weaving's dialogue behind the mask (as the main character V) can be hard to understand at times but does not significantly detract from his performance. I really like Weaving (Elrond in LOTR and Agent Smith in the Matrix) and he gives a stylized, flamboyant performance of a Phantom of the Opera type character. Natalie Portman as Evey does a great job. Thankfully, with Closer and this movie, she is able to actually have some roles that are not wooden characters(paging Mr. Lucas ... let someone else write dialog ... please). She has natural vulnerability and strength that are used in equal parts in this role. Evey is ironically very similar to John Hurt's character Winston Smith in 1984: a disaffected commoner in a totalitarian system that seeks to lift the yoke of oppression not because of any heroic desire but more from necessity.

The parallels to 1984 (even without the appearance of John Hurt) are obvious. From the general setting and feel of it to the ever-present appearance of media and TV's and finally to the story itself. But even more, in tone it reminds me of Fight Club and A Clockwork Orange ... though not as violent as those two films. You find yourself rooting for someone you feel guilty for liking. Are we products of our environment? Is V a terrorist? What is terrorism? Isn't being under the thumb of an oppressive government that uses fear as a tool terrorism? It certainly makes you reevaluate the black-and-white views of many people in our government now days. It's perhaps a scary path to go down, but it is thought-provoking. People should never be afraid of the power of ideas. It is the suppression of art and ideas that pervades this movie that makes you afraid of the path that we are going down.

I believe the biggest point of the movie is not effects or shock, but ideas:

"People should not be afraid of their governments, governments should be afraid of their people"

"Writers use lies to tell the truth and politicians use lies to cover the truth up."

There are many scenes that are very obvious in their indictment of our current society:

• Hooded prisoners a-la- Abu Graib in hidden prisons
• A pompous, hypocritical TV host that purports to be on the side of God, the "Voice of London", that spouts invective (O'Reilly, Limbaugh, Hannity)
• A self-righteous leader who rose to power during a time of fear and exploits it to suppress freedom (also in the name of religion)
• Wire-tapping made legal
• TV whereever you look --- molding your life
• Avian flu, viruses
• Government in your bedroom
• Fear as a tool
• Use of the term "rendition"

Some people may take this movie too literally. It's not promoting terrorism. It's promoting people thinking. This movie is every bit as political as Good Night and Good Luck and Syriana and addresses treatment of minorities like Brokeback Mountain and Crash. But the difference is that those movies don't speak as much to a younger generation raised on Star Wars and the Matrix. If the fact that the Wachowski brothers are involved helps bring this younger generation in the door and opens their eyes a little bit ... more power to it.

My wife commented that she had to turn away from network television tonight because the similarities to the fictious ones in the movie were eerie. She went into this film with no real idea of what it was about and she was reluctant to even go because she thought it was in the Matrix vein. And she loved the movie. I went in with a lot of knowledge of it and loved it anyway. We highly recommend this movie.

Cyberkitten posted some nice movie posters for V for Vendetta on his site:

V for Vendetta
Resistance is Character Building
Revenge is Meal Best Served Cold

Conformity

"The average man is a conformist, accepting miseries and disasters with the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain." -- Colin Wilson

Here's to you, the blind conformist, the jingoistic patriot. You don't want to rock the boat. You know who you are ... you're the guy who is so unconfident in yourself that you have to sway with the prevailing winds of popularity. You don't have any real opinions. You don't need them. Someone on talk radio or Fox News is happy to give them to you. Who cares if what they say is as fickled as your allegiances.

You do not want to be burdened down by the facts. The facts that you are given are repeated like a mantra ... even though they have no basis in fact or are dubious at best: Sean Hannity

Just one example:

HANNITY: "It doesn't say anywhere in the Constitution this idea of the separation of church and state." (8/25/03)

FACT: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." (1st Amendment)

The Document Sean Hannity Doesn't Want You To Read

But that doesn't bother you either. Your own president uses the same techniques of repitition and attacking the messenger. If you disagree with something he does, you "hate" the president. If you're not with us, you're against us. If you disagree, you are a terrorist. Blah, blah, blah.

Your congressional leaders join in the fun too. People like Bill Frist give new meaning to the phrase flip-flopper. He has never met a prevailing wind that he didn't sway to. For the president when it was fashionable and against when it would help his own presidential run. For or against stem cell research depending on which week you ask him. For or against the Dubai Ports Deal depending on what his colleagues say.

And when real rebels, like Senator Russ Feingold, actually calls the President on one of his many errors, Bill Frist makes an asinine statement, "I was hoping deep inside that the leadership in Iran and other people who really have the U.S. not in their best interests are not listening because of the terrible, the terrible signal it sends.". Let me get this straight ... he is worried that pointing out how the President is violating our Constitution will send the wrong message to other countries. You, Mr. Frist, with your riches and your exagerrated southern drawl to seem like a "common" person, are embarrassing.

"Patriotism is a pernicious, psychopathic form of idiocy." -- George Bernard Shaw

You all have what is called cognitive dissonance, buyer's remorse if you will. You bought what Dubya was selling 6 years ago. You were fooled into supporting an unsupportable war. You are afraid to admit you were wrong, so you keep changing your tune to fit the facts. Who cares if when the war started, you said:

Chris Matthews: “We’re all neo-cons now,” he crowed on April 9, 2003, hours after a Saddam Hussein statue tumbled in Baghdad.

“We’re proud of our president. Americans love having a guy as president, a guy who has a little swagger, who’s physical, who’s not a complicated guy like Clinton or even like Dukakis or Mondale, all those guys, McGovern. They want a guy who’s president. Women like a guy who’s president. Check it out. The women like this war. I think we like having a hero as our president. It’s simple.”

Tony Snow of FOX News: "Tommy Franks and the coalition forces have demonstrated the old axiom that boldness on the battlefield produces swift and relatively bloodless victory. The three-week swing through Iraq has utterly shattered skeptics’ complaints."

You like to float out weak-minded centrists like Matthews and Alan Colmes and call them liberals. Colmes said - "Now that the war in Iraq is all but over. Should the people in Hollywood who opposed the president admit they were wrong?"

War-Loving Pundits

"Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious." -- Oscar Wilde

The temporary comfort of patriotism will be replaced by the embarrasment of history. Joseph McCarthy and those that supported him thought they were being patriotic too.

I heard a great interview with director David Cronenberg on NPR this last week. He talked of many things, including the nature of his movies. They generally address those unpleasant characteristics of each of our thoughts or personalities that we don't want to admit. He made a statement something to the effect that society needs both conformity and rebellion. Without the respect of being in a society, anarchy would prevail, but without those that would rebel and point out the limitations of society and it's leaders, dictatorship would prevail. It's the duty of writers, artists, activists, etc. to be vigilant. He's right ... but it's not only the duty of artists to do this. As former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor (and Reagan appointee) spoke of recently, it is the duty of citizens to be vigilant or else the balance of power of the government will be swayed by "naked partisan reasoning". It was her, not some wacked-out liberal like me, that spoke of the fear of us sinking into a dictatorship:

O'Connor, a former Arizona state senator, is accustomed to political jostling. But, as she rightly said last week, democracy itself is jeopardized when critiques metastasize into threats over specific rulings. Such judicial bullying, O'Connor pointed out, is how dictators thrive in former Communist and Third World countries. She reportedly added, "It takes a lot of degeneration before a country falls into dictatorship, but we should avoid these ends by avoiding these beginnings."

Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor speaks up against political attacks on courts

Take solace in the fact that civilization requires both conformity and rebellion. Unfortunately, we have way too much of the former and not enough of the latter. You are fulfilling your role all too well.

"One of the great attractions of patriotism it fulfills our worst wishes. In the person of our nation we are able, vicariously, to bully and cheat. Bully and cheat, what's more, with a feeling that we are profoundly virtuous." -- Aldous Huxley

With much cudos to Great White Bear and his recent rant: WHY I AM SO F***ING ANGRY!!!!!. His passion and intelligence are always inspiring to me.

Merrill Keiser

Unfortunate proof that stupidity, homophobia and religious extremism are not confined to the Republican Party:

US Senate candidate says Elton John worthy of death

Merrill Keiser, a Democratic candidate United States Senate from Ohio, believes that homosexuality should be punishable by death. Kaiser’s opposition for the Democratic nomination is US Rep. Sherrod Brown.

Some excerpts from the transcript of the interview:

Host Chad Larson: Elton John, he comes to the state of Ohio, he’s gay and proud,
you want him dead? Should he be killed?

Candidate Merrill Keiser: I
would prefer that he repent

Larson: Obviously, he’s not repenting,
should he be killed?

Keiser:Well he’s worthy of death ...

There's a lot of speculation that he's not even a Democrat ... but rather a plant by the Republicans. The only reason he even ran as a Democrat is because that was what he was previously registered as. He has never held office and every one of his views counter that of the Democratic party:

Candidate says incumbent Republican not advocating biblical values enough

Democrat or not, this man's fringe views will get him shut down. You know you are kook when even the Republican party wouldn't have you.

Income Gap

"An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics." -- Plutarch

"The form of law which I propose would be as follows: In a state which is desirous of being saved from the greatest of all plagues -- not faction, but rather distraction -- there should exist among the citizens neither extreme poverty nor, again, excessive wealth, for both are productive of great evil . . . Now the legislator should determine what is to be the limit of poverty or of wealth." -- Plato

One of my big pet causes is income inequality and the effects that it has on our society. Jon Talton of the Arizona Republic wrote a pretty good article on it this last week, which I've excerpted below:

The grand canyon -- The gap between the haves and have-nots gets worse

The American Dream: It used to mean that any kid could become president, of a company if not the United States, that the poorest citizen could work hard and gain prosperity, security and, yes, the pursuit of happiness.

It was an ideal, sure, but for much of the 20th century it was also a reality.

Now the dream is being downsized alongside the corporate icons and government programs that made it possible, leaving many parents to hope that their children can just get a full-time job with benefits.

This year's report on income inequality from the Economic Policy Institute and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities showed that the share of income held by the richest 1 percent was the largest since the years before the Great Depression. The data show Arizona with the greatest increase in income inequality between the top and bottom earners over the past 20 years.

... According to the Federal Reserve, the net worth for a median family rose only 1.5 percent between 2001 and 2004.

Those families face rising interest rates and record debt loads. Expenses keep going up for everything from gasoline to health care, child care and college tuition.

... The reasons are complex, and include:

• Global competition and more open trade have pressured American companies to cut wages and other labor costs to survive.
• Deregulation allowed record numbers of mergers in formerly staid industries such as banking, telecommunications and airlines, eliminating hundreds of thousands of jobs and driving down wages.
• A rising gap between the skilled and less-skilled tends to disproportionately reward highly trained workers in certain fields.
• Major losses of manufacturing jobs have taken away a path to rising incomes and secure benefits for blue-collar workers.
• The decline of unions has helped drive down wages and diminish the political power of organized labor in Washington.
• Immigration has provided business with a steady pool of low-wage labor, especially in the jobs once taken by the poorest Americans.
• More corporate power than ever controls politics, as seen in the revamp of bankruptcy laws and lax antitrust enforcement.

The pain from these forces is not being evenly shared. The share of income held by the richest 1 percent was the largest since the 1920s. The top 100 chief executives make an average real compensation that is 1,000 times the pay of the average worker. In the mid-1970s, it was about 39 times the pay of the average worker.

The gaps are even more pronounced for minorities. For example, nationally 30.4 percent of Black workers and 39.8 percent of Hispanics earned poverty-level wages in 2003. The numbers are even more severe for minority women.

... But his (Robert Gutierrez -- former mainframe operator, now security guard) philosophy gets an edge when asked about the rising gap between rich and everyone else.

"The people on top - and I say this as a Reagan Republican - those people don't care. They're not the ones that worry about paying for health care or college for kids or the cost of food prices."

Gutierrez paused. "We're in a boat with lots of holes in it. Ninety percent of the people are bailing with tin cans, and 10 percent are sitting high and dry on the luggage. And we're sinking."

Some are reluctant to call this a class war, but you have to call it like it is.

People are being penalized not for their knowledge or character but for the financial position into which they were born. The ruling class is supplied with people and money from the rich and in turn, it helps to make sure that the rich stay rich.

Until the cannibalistic relationship between the government and rich is broken, the disparity between the rich and the poor is going to grow.

The rich complain about welfare, yet they are the biggest recipients of corporate welfare. How is it that a significant portion of the most successful companies pay NO TAXES WHATSOEVER? Please explain to me how that is fair.

And the beat goes on: The world gets 102 more billionaires

"If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich." -- John F. Kennedy

"Between persons of equal income there is no social distinction except the distinction of merit. Money is nothing: character, conduct, and capacity are everything. There would be great people and ordinary people and little people, but the great would always be those who had done great things, and never the idiots whose mothers had spoiled them and whose fathers had left them a hundred thousand a year; and the little would be persons of small minds and mean characters, and not poor persons who had never had a chance. That is why idiots are always in favor of inequality of income (their only chance of eminence), and the really great in favor of equality." -- George Bernard Shaw

Operation: Mindcrime

"The dirtiest book of all is the expurgated book." -- Walt Whitman

Too long in the company of like-minded people and sycophants, Arizona politicians make the mistake of thinking their harebrained conservative ideas should be the law of the land. From the state that brought you numerous concealed gun laws, dragged their feet on an MLK holiday and had two spectacular crooks for governor comes this:

Opt-out for students offended by courses

The proposed law would have had students be able to pick alternative titles if they found something objectionable. This law was thankfully even too far out there for most Republicans and was defeated ... but not by an overwhelming majority as would be the case in any sane state:

• "The Arizona Senate on Thursday refused to give university and community college students a right to alternative coursework if they object to material that they find personally offensive.
  
  The proposal backed by social conservatives drew criticism from several Republican senators who said it could be applied to important works of literature that contain objectionable material but still should be taught." -- Arizona Republic, March 9th, 2006

The very point of college is be challenged and to get out of your "zone". If you only ever read or hear ideas that you already agree with, how are you learning? I fear that laws like these are an outgrowth of the home-school mentality of a growing portion of the Religious Right.

"Take away the right to say "fuck" and you take away the right to say "fuck the government." -- Lenny Bruce

Springsteen/Seeger

The musical tastes of my wife and I rarely intersect. But when they do, it's generally for a good reason. One such intersection is Bruce Springsteen. While hers is a lifelong appreciation begun with his music and growing into his politics, mine is the opposite. His support of organizations like Amnesty International and the Vote for Change Tour elevated him in my eyes long before I realized the brilliance of his music.

Well, he has done it again with the announcement of the release of an album of songs by Pete Seeger, folk musician and political activist. From Common Dreams

"... Bruce Springsteen next month will be releasing an album, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, featuring thirteen traditional songs associated with Pete Seeger, the writer, performer, preserver, and champion of folk music.
With this disc, Springsteen continues as a pop culture-political force. It's an intriguing move for him. In the 2004 campaign, he spearheaded the anti-Bush and pro-Kerry Vote for Change tour--which also included R.E.M., Pearl Jam, the Dixie Chicks, Jackson Browne, Kenny "Babyface Edmonds, Bright Eyes and John Fogerty. Toward the end of the presidential campaign, Springsteen appeared with Kerry at huge rallies, in which he excited crowds but--unfortunately--highlighted the down-home-real gap between himself and the supposed star of these events. From identifying with Kerry's well-intentioned though poorly-presented conventional liberalism to celebrating Seeger's gritty authenticity and radicalism--that's an intriguing pivot.

Seeger has had a decades-long career that has combined promoting traditional folk music and practicing political activism. The latter led him to being called before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1955, where he was grilled on whether he was a communist. Seeger declined to talk about his political associations or ideas, but offered to tell the committee what songs he had sung in public. The committee was not amused. He was sentenced to one year in jail for contempt of Congress, but the verdict was overturned. Still, Seeger ended blacklisted and banned from performing on network television.

Springsteen's album is not an act of rehabilitation. That's hardly needed. Seeger long-ago transcended those ugly days. His neverending devotion to traditional music and activism outlasted his foes. But what Springsteen is doing is reaching beyond his roots to honor a historian of American song--for Seeger's mission has been to keep alive a certain slice of homegrown American music. The new album will include renditions of "John Henry," "Eyes on the Prize," "Shenandoah," and "We Shall Overcome."

Springsteen started out as a fast-singing wordsmith who obviously had been influenced by Bob Dylan and bar-band rock of the 1960s. But the Dylan who hovered over Springsteen's first album, Greetings from Asbury Park, was not the early, political Dylan but the next-generation beat-literary-fantastist Dylan, who threw together images and plot-lines to create impressions, not manifestos. In fact, Springsteen's career path flipped Dylan's arc. Dylan dropped the politics as his star rose; Springsteen expanded his range to include politics as his catalogue grew. It was after his Born to Run breakthrough that he began to identify with causes, perhaps first with his participation the No Nukes concerts of 1979. His songwriting, too, began to examine the plight--that is, stories--of living-on-the-edge Americans. "Born in the USA" was not a jingoistic anthem, as columnist George Will and Ronald Reagan falsely described it. It was a haunting tribute to veterans who had been screwed twice: first by the Vietnam War, then by the deindustrialization. The Ghost of Tom Joad, released in 1995, was a quiet-but-angry, Woody Guthrie-flavored look at the down-and-out of America. (Years earlier, Springsteen had started performing "This Land Is Your Land" during concerts.)

While Springsteen clearly made a conscious attempt to connect with Guthrie (as Dylan had done in his salad days), one might not have associated his decades of rock-driven work with Seeger. But by nobly nodding to Seeger in this way, Springsteen not only closes a circle, he advances it. This disc is a generous gesture. Fans of both men ought to hope the execution is as grand as the idea."

Oscar Notes

I'm probably one of the few males that actually watched (and enjoys) the Oscars. It was an interesting Oscars ceremony because all of the major movies hit on a political theme. Homosexuality, terrorism, oil, racism, corporate corruption, etc. It was the first time that I can remember where every movie had something serious to say.
My take on some of the awards:


Best Picture -- Crash - Well-deserved and the one that I would have picked. I think it was better crafted and had more to say than it's main competition, Brokeback Mountain.

Best Director -- Ang Lee - this one probably made sense. Brokeback Mountain was a lot more about the pacing, the look and the subject matter than it was about the acting. Crash was much more reliant on across-the-board quality acting and a good script.

Best Supporting Actor -- George Clooney - I saw more of the nominees (4) in this category than any of the others and based on those, I'd have to agree with Clooney winning. His performance in Syriana is riveting and unlike anything he had done before. I could have easily have seen Dillon winning also but I think he was hurt by the quality of all of the other performances in Crash. I can't help feeling that this might have been a token award for Clooney based on the overall quality of everything he has done this year. But I have not see Good Night and Good Luck, so I cannot speak on whether he would have been deserving of winning for his other two nominations.



Best Documentary -- March of the Penguins - I saw and liked March of the Penguins, but I believe that Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room was a much better movie. March of the Penguins was largely a glorified kids' after-school special.

For probably the same reason that a lot of people hated the following speeches, I liked them. They're pretentious and probably overstate the importance of film. But that's the point. If art is not trying to rattle society's cage a little bit, then it's not doing it's job.

"And finally, I would say that, you know, we are a little bit out of touch in Hollywood every once in a while, I think. It's probably a good thing. Uhm, we're the ones who talk about AIDS when it was just being whispered. And we talked about civil rights when it wasn't really popular. And we, uh, you know, we bring up subjects, we are the ones, this Academy, this group of people gave Hattie McDaniel an Oscar in 1939 when blacks were still sitting in the backs of theaters. I'm proud to be a part of this Academy. I'm proud to be part of this community. I'm proud to be out of touch. And I thank you so much for this." -- George Clooney, on accepting the Best Supporting Actor Oscar

"Bertolt Brecht said art is not a mirror to hold up to society but a hammer with which to shape it, so I guess this is ours," he said, waving his Oscar. "I just want to thank those people who take big risks in their daily lives when there aren't cameras rolling, and when there aren't people to applaud, and the people who stand up for peace and justice and against intolerance. So I dedicate this to them." -- Paul Haggis on accepting the best Original Screenplay Oscar

I thought Jon Stewart was great ... but maybe just a little bit subdued (probably on purpose). The political style fake ads of the nominees were funny. His ad-libs were not forced and were well-received. He was not overtly political but did manage some jabs, including the following at the media:

"And "Capote" and "Good Night, and Good Luck are about determined journalists defying obstacles in a relentless pursuit of the truth."

"Needless to say, both are period pieces."

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As I mentioned earlier, I finally had the chance to see Brokeback Mountain. Like any movie, if you hear too much hype (good or bad) about it, it taints your view. You catch yourself looking at every scene with blinders on. I liked the movie anyway. I don't think it tries to play up the fact that it's about a gay relationship. It just puts it out there: this is real life, it's not always convenient or practical, it doesn't always end up great, homosexuality is not a "lifestyle choice".

The pacing, spare dialogue, and cinematography reminded me of Clint Eastwood directed movies ... and that is meant as a compliment. The acting was universally good, especially Heath Ledger. He had described his method of approaching the role as embodying a "clenched fist". You could definitely see it ... the rage and confusion bubbling beneath the quiet exterior his whole life. A lot of people lauded Michelle Williams' performance playing the wife of Heath Ledger's character, but I actually preferred the performance of Anne Hathoway as the wife of Jake Gyllenhaal's character.



I think that the movie would have played even better for me if I went in not knowing it was about gay cowboys. That way you're not sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for the other shoe to drop ... for the scene you are already know is coming to happen. It shouldn't be about THAT scene. It should be about two people loving each other.

Oscars

Just saw Brokeback Mountain in the nick of time before the Oscars. Loved it. I thought Ledger's performance was fantastic in it's subtelty.

I didn't get to see everything but did get to see 3 of the nominated best pictures (Crash, Brokeback, and Munich). Crash was my favorite of the 3 ... and my favorite of the year, period.

I'll write more about Brokeback and the Oscars later. Also, see Sadie's site, Sadico Junction, as I'm sure she's watching and will have some good feedback. I wouldn't be surprised to see Jewish Atheist, Great White Bear, Laura at Sarchasm, and Cyberkitten giving their take also.

Utopia?

"We are at heart so profoundly anarchistic that the only form of state we can imagine living in is Utopian; and so cynical that the only Utopia we can believe in is authoritarian." -- Lionel Trilling

Reminiscent of a company town ... where God is the CEO ... Domino's Pizza founder Thomas S. Monaghan is trying to establish a town in Florida where abortion, pornography, and birth control are outlawed:


Catholic Town of Ave Maria

Some details of the town:

• massive church with what is being billed as the largest crucifix in the nation, 65 feet
• "stores will not sell pornographic magazines, pharmacies will not carry condoms or birth control pills, and cable television will have no X-rated channels"
• homeowners own land but all commercial property will be controlled by Monoghan so that provisions will be put in leases to control what is sold

~~ "I believe all of history is just one big battle between good and evil. I don't want to be on the sidelines," Monaghan, who sold Domino's Pizza in 1998 to devote himself to doing good works, said in a recent Newsweek interview. ~~

Governor Jeb Bush, a convert to Catholocism, was at the groundbreaking and hailed it as an example of "faith and freedom". How is a place where you are told what you can buy an example of "freedom"? Typical Bush family double-speak.

Understandably and thankfully, not everyone (even Catholics) are on board with this:

~~ Frances Kissling, president of the liberal Washington-based Catholics for a Free Choice, likened Monaghan's concept to Islamic fundamentalism.

"This is un-American," Kissling said. "I don't think in a democratic society you can have a legally organized township that will seek to have any kind of public service whatsoever and try to restrict the constitutional rights of citizens." ~~

I'm thinking about building a town as an answer to Ave Maria. It will have:

• no place to purchase books of the "Left Behind" series
• no place to watch FOX News
• centered around a library and theater
• a place where families of all kinds are encouraged instead of ostracized
• a place that makes abortions safe and rare instead of illegal and frequent
• The town will have it's own hypocrisy police. You will be cited if you are against abortion yet beat the drums of war.

"Not in Utopia, -- subterranean fields, --
Or some secreted island, Heaven knows where!
But in the very world, which is the world
Of all of us, -- the place where in the end
We find our happiness, or not at all!" -- Williams Wordsworth

Happy Birthday Alex!

"Youth is a wonderful thing. What a crime to waste it on children." -- George Bernard Shaw

The little guy turned 5 yesterday. Alex, we love you and are so proud of you.


School birthday party


Birthday party at As You Wish

Air America Phoenix

It's a sad day ... the last day for Air America Phoenix. Or at least the last day at it's current digs, 1010 KXXT. Rumored to be off the air by the end of January, the actual end date was today. KXXT was sold to a Christian broadcasting company. Is the sale just business (it was sold for twice what stations of it's size usually go for) or is there something more nefarious going on? There are already 8 Christian broadcasting stations in the Valley. Bringing another one in seems ludicrous. From strictly a business standpoint, wouldn't you rather be the only station of your type in the 6th largest metropolitan area in the country? Air America has had done a great job of becoming profitable in just over a year. Other major news outlets in the Valley, like KFYI, took years to get to the same point. In a town of conservatives, KXXT, gets better ratings than the local homes of Laura Ingraham and Michael Medved,The Patriot and Michael Savage, KFNX.

This whole thing reeks of politics instead of ratings. Like the Armed Forces Radio fiasco of last year, righties are afraid of an open forum of ideas. They're looking for sycophants instead of debate.

The station manager promises that Air America Phoenix will find a new home. There is a banner on their website, KXXT, indicating a special announcement at a listener appreciation party tonight. We can only hope it is an announcement of a new home. In the meantime, it'll be internet streaming for me and:

Air America Radio

Ed Schultz

Kickback Mountain

I found this on the internet today. Hilarious:


Click for larger image