Moore premiered in select locations a cheeky trailer asking the audience to help out the disadvantaged by giving money to the ushers. Then a line of fresh-faced young people marched in with collection cans and t-shirts that said "Save Our CEOs." The audience hooted and applauded.
Yes, those crazy Wall Street banker types are having to go light on bonus money & perks because of those TARP money rules. Michael Moore's next film takes a glimpse into the world of high finance.
I love his "I already gave at the Bailout" remark.
Ever since I was a young age, I always felt aligned with the Native Americans. I think they have a beautiful culture, and even though we were taught that Columbus "discovered" America, the more I studied history, the more I had to question-- how could he have discovered it, if people were already living here? I have always found Native Americans to be welcoming, inclusive, genuinely kind and caring people. I did meet some Indians in the Wounded Knee area who were particularly unhappy and untrusting of the White man's government... and frankly, they have every right. I remember having a conversation with an Elder, saying, it is not MY government either..... they don't represent me.
And so the cycle goes. But the Native Cultures have always been in tune with Mother Earth. Respectful of the land, so much so that even when the Lakota tribe was offered a large sum of money to settle up on the land they had been cheated out of, they refused. The land was not for sale, even though by all standards, many were living deep in poverty.... financial poverty, but Spiritual wealth. They never sold out, and have taken the high ground.
It is that America that I love and cherish & honor. The kind and respectful spirits, those who know we are here visiting the land, and we must care for it. A higher calling. A spiritual awareness.
Perhaps this is the flag I should be flying? One planet, one people.
Ever since the wars of choice ~ Afghanistan & Iraq, I have displayed the flag in the way that is proper flag etiquette. Upside down, as the official distress symbol. Because whether we want to admit it or not.... we are a nation in distress.
Slate Magazine/ John Dickerson wrote of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's resignation:
"Maybe she's just being mavericky? Perhaps. That's certainly how she framed her departure. To stay in office as a lame duck would have been to do the predictable thing, she said. But the challenge for Palin in the 2008 presidential campaign and again now is persuading voters that her maverick instinct isn't just unpredictability and erratic behavior—qualities that can turn maverick-ness into a liability. Only dead fish go with the flow, she said, in what was a welcome addition to the political phrase book. But if you're not swimming with the current, your options are still tough ones: Either you're swimming upstream, or you're flapping around on the dock."
"The larger reason for Palin's early departure was that she was having no fun. Ever since she returned to Alaska from the national stage, being governor has been a chore. Her political opponents have launched 15 ethics charges against her. The state economy has turned sour, and she got into an ugly squabble over federal stimulus funds. It's much more enjoyable to travel the country waving to adoring crowds of GOP activists."
It's true Sarah Palin is a kind of cash cow for the Republicans, but methinks there is something fishy about Palin's patriotic weekend resignation. Is there more lucrative money for Sarah in some other endeavor? Does she have some scandal brewing she can't bear to handle the public & media scrutiny over?
I sure do hope Palin is not gearing up for another presidential run. It was hard enough to endure the last one. All that blinking & winking, and beauty queen strutting, while inciting hate and a crowd of angry villagers.
The Minnesota State Supreme Court has ruled against Norm Coleman's appeal! He's good enough, smart enough & dog gone it..... people voted for AL FRANKEN.
I've said it all along-- if the Senate needs anything, it needs a comedian.
By the way- Norm Coleman deserves the Minnesota Douche Bag of the Year Award, for dragging this out for half a year. What a waste of time & money.
How much money? Huff Po reports: "Republican Norm Coleman must pay Democrat Al Franken $94,783 to cover court costs for his appeal of Minnesota Senate election results.
Minnesota law required Coleman to cover some of Franken's court costs because the race's outcome didn't change. The judgment excludes Franken's attorney fees.
The men have spent $50 million so far on their campaigns and legal fight over the November election. That's more than double the cost of the 2002 race when Coleman captured what had been a Democratic seat."
Why such a fight?
"With Franken and the usual backing of two independents, Democrats will have a big enough majority to overcome Republican filibusters."
Before we put on party hats.....
Oh Crap! That means we are relying on @#%#@%# JOE LIEBERMAN (Stood @ the podium of the Republican Ntl. Convention endorsing John McCain) & Bernie Sanders. Also the likes of turncoat Arlen Specter, who recently joined the ranks of Democrats, because he figured the GOP is the losing party at this time.
Looks like this dog & pony show will continue after all.....
They don't call them *festivals* for nothing. The Salem Oregon World Beat Festival is an amazing event. It does the soul good to go to a place where all cultures are embraced, honored & celebrated. This is all that is *right* with the world.
A cart full of drums Obo Addy brought along for his drumming workshop
The Drum workshop "I could drum all day, but they tell me we've got 5 more minutes for this workshop"
Obo Addy takes a moment in the sun for a picture w the cart of drums.
Just back from the World Beat festival.....
What better thing to do than go drum with drum master Obo Addy! Got to sit in on a drum workshop with him.
ABC is working on a new show in the Fall called *Celebrity Death Fixation*. No more worries about the airwaves only being flooded for a day or two with old dredged up footage of the now deceased stars file archives!
Highlights include:
• Old footage of Barbara Walters interviews • Recaps of hard times & controversies in their lives (no rest for celebrities). • Up to the minute autopsy reports • CD's & DVD's can be purchased for a 20% discount for obsessed fans • Vague comments by Network Medical consultants • Brief references of criminal behavior, overshadowed by Sequined garb & glitz
• Tearjerking glimpses of stupid things Celebs did in the past • Unrelenting on the street mourning scenes, where dedicated fans show their love, by selling t shirts & stuff. • Commentary by the venerable Reverend Al Sharpton
Yea baby.... for those who gotta have the latest/greatest. It does seem weird the new iphone has a compass-- is the GPS feature that unreliable? If the GPS is not working, neither would the compass..... right?
*WARNING: LAME SEGWAY TO A DIFFERENT TOPIC AHEAD!*
Speaking of compasses..... maybe the GOP should get iphones-- maybe the compass feature can help them find their *moral compass*. Either that or they voted to have an elicit affair of the week outing as a planned/ regular event?
SC Guv Sanford leaves the country , wife & 4 kids on Father's day weekend no less, to get it on with his mistress Maria. Yes, he wins for creating a memorable Father's day for his family, they will NEVER forget.
As a congressman, Sanford voted in favor of three of four articles of impeachment against President Bill Clinton, citing the need for “moral legitimacy.”
A big Boo Hoo to Sanford.....
His self proclaimed “The odyssey that we’re all on in life is with regard to heart.”
Yeaaaa right! Guvnah Sanford was thinking with his *heart*.
Sanford is so busted-- he was exploring mountains & valleys alright.... but they had nothing to do the Appalachian Trail. You can kiss your career goodbye dude. Now you'll have all the time in the world to take that hike you were thinking about. Just be careful... that moral high ground is surrounded by slippery slopes.
I checked out Sanford's voting record (a new habit I am forming!) apparently Sanford does not just screw Maria in Argentina!
Veterans Affairs appropriations bill - NO Minimum wage increase- NO Comprehensive Wetlands Conservation & Management Act- NO Flag Desecration Constitutional Amendment-YES English as the National Language- YES Here is the icing on the cake: Display of the Ten Commandments- YES
Ok Sanford----
VI. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
X. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife; thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house; nor his field, nor his servant, nor his maid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any of his cattle, nor whatever belongs to thy neighbour.
I don't know if Argentina Maria is somebody's wife, maid, or just "ass", but I'm pretty sure you crossed the line here a couple of times.
We usually think of squirrels are bushy tailed critters that live in our neighborhoods, as nut gathering neighbors that frolic by our homes, we peacefully coexist. Like the critter pictured to the left.
Yesterday morning, however, a trio of frisky, perhaps hyper squirrels came scampering through my yard. As I sat at the table eating breakfast toast, the biggest of the three spotted me- and charged towards me, running. Me and or my breakfast were not safe! But what the psycho squirrel did not know, was there was a sliding glass door between us. That sucker charged at top speed & smacked right into the glass! Oh if only I had film footage of this incident.
It's squirrel face was pushed right up to the glass & kind of distorted it's face. As it bounced off the glass it kind of shook it's head, and then scampered away. A few minutes later, the smaller squirrel did the same thing, as I heard another loud bang at the door.
Often in the morning we open the door & run a fan to let in cool fresh air in the summer. I gave the husband the warning about the psycho squirrels-- to be careful not to let in fresh squirrels in the morning!
As Congress plays out their discussions of Health care reform, they are "shocked, shocked" by what the costs will be. Self admitted "hothead", RNC spokeslunatic Michael Steele says the claims by the democrats are all lies. Maybe he thought the GOP had sole rights in the lying department? No one ever seems to be shocked when hundreds of billions bail out greedy Wall Street tycoons, or even the Auto industry, when they shot themselves in the foot by dragging their knuckles when it came to fuel efficiency & alternative options. They got a stern lecture about private jets.... but they also got hefty bailout money.
Congress wields the APPROVED stamp for war funds (check out the side bar & watch those cost of war numbers spin).... careful though, it might make you dizzy!!!
Bottom line, all that money would have been a tidy sum in which to fund healthcare. Congress are like the Zombies in this sci-fi horror movie, giving out money to every other entity, but health care for the masses, is just too much.
Lots of dark & destructive things going on in the world these days. The kids are watchings us, trusting us.
See if you can find some hope today. Take the time to smell the scent of a rose. Do something healing. Send love to your, and other nurturing Dads of the world. Sometimes we have to look harder, and reach deeper to find hope, and light- but it's there.
