Saturday, December 13, 2003

Blogs and Blogrolls for Bush

Blogs for Bush
People who champion lying, cheating, stealing and warring. The Goofuses of the world.


Blogroll for Bush
The Blogroll For Bush is a growing list of bloggers all over the internet who support our President George W. Bush and want him to be reelected.
Footmen for the Lying Liars

Shut your Keiko

Free Willy now truly free



GOOD RIDDANCE!


(just kidding!)

Contentment with poverty is fortune's best gift

Riches and Honour are the handmaids of Disaster



"A Gentle Wind"

A gentle wind fans the calm night;
A bright moon shines on the high tower.
A voice whispers, but no one answers when I call:
A shadow stirs, but no one comes when I beckon.
The kitchen man brings in a dish of lentils:
Wine is there, but I do not fill my cup.
Contentment with poverty is fortune's best gift:
Riches and Honour are the handmaids of Disaster.
Though gold and gems by the world are sought and prized,
To me they seem no more than weeds or chaff.

~Fu Hsuan translated by Arthur Waley


See Jude's excellent illustration of this great poem at Iddybud.

When will America be Allowed to Grow Up?

Nasty Language on Live TV Renews Old Debate (TechNews.com)

When will America be allowed to grow up? Like other countries. Must our people forever be regarded as children and sheep? Ooh bad language! If you hear it, you will go to Heck! Give me a fucking break!

Friday, December 12, 2003

Death of Credentials: Part Two

Got this in the mail. Think it originated on Buzzflash.
Pretty much sums up the death of credentials in America....



RESUME: George W. Bush
The White House, USA

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Law Enforcement: I was arrested in Kennebunkport, Maine in 1976 for
driving under the influence of alcohol. I pled guilty, paid a fine,
and had my driver's license suspended for 30 days. My Texas driving
record has been "lost" and is not available.

Military: I joined the Texas Air National Guard and went AWOL. I
refused to take a drug test or answer any questions about my drug
use. By joining the Texas Air National Guard, I was able to avoid
combat duty in Vietnam.

College: I graduated from Yale University. I was a cheerleader.



PAST WORK EXPERIENCE:

I ran for US Congress and lost.

I began my career in the oil business in Midland, Texas in 1975. I
bought an oil company, but couldn't find any oil in Texas. The
company went bankrupt shortly after I sold all my stock.

I bought the Texas Rangers baseball team in a sweetheart deal that
took land using taxpayer money.

With the help of my father and our right-wing friends in the oil
industry (including Enron CEO Ken Lay), I was elected Governor of
Texas.



ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS GOVERNOR:

I changed Texas pollution laws to favor power and oil companies,
making Texas the most polluted state in the Union.

During my tenure, Houston replaced Los Angeles as the most
smog-ridden city in America.

I cut taxes and bankrupted the Texas treasury to the tune of billions
in borrowed money.

I set the record for the most executions by any Governor in American
history.

With the help of my brother, the Governor of Florida, and my father's
appointments to the Supreme Court, I became President after losing by
over 500,000 votes.


ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT:

I invaded and occupied two countries at a continuing cost of over one
billion dollars per week.

I spent the US surplus and effectively bankrupted the US Treasury.

I shattered the record for the largest annual deficit in US history.

I set an economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any
12-month period.

I set the all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the
US stock market.

I am the first president in US history to enter office with a
criminal record.

I set the all-time record for most days on vacation in any one year
period.

After taking-off the entire month of August, I presided over the
worst security failure in
U.S. history.

I am supporting development of a nuclear "Tactical Bunker Buster," a
WMD.

In my State Of The Union Address, I lied about our reasons for
attacking Iraq, then blamed the lies on our British friends.

I set the record for most campaign fundraising trips by a US
president.

In my first year in office over 2-million Americans lost their jobs
and that trend continues every month.

I set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12-month period.

I appointed more convicted criminals to administration than any
president in US history.

I set the record for least amount of press conferences than any
president since the advent of television.

I presided over the biggest energy crisis in US history and refused
to intervene when corruption involving the oil industry was revealed.

I presided over the highest gasoline prices in US history.

I have cut health care benefits for war veterans and support a cut in
duty benefits for active duty troops and their families -- in war
time.

I have set the all-time record for most people worldwide to
simultaneously protest me in public venues (15 million people)
shattering the record for protest against any person in the history
of mankind.

I've broken more international treaties than any president in US
history.

I'm proud that the members of my cabinet are the richest of any
administration in US history. My "poorest millionaire," Condoleeza
Rice, has a Chevron oil tanker named after her.

I am the first president in US history to order an unprovoked,
preemptive attack and the military occupation of a sovereign nation.
I did so against the will of the United Nations, the majority of US
citizens, and the world community.

I created the Ministry of Homeland Security, the largest bureaucracy
in the history of the United States government.

I am the first president in US history to have the United Nations
remove the US from the Human Rights Commission.

I withdrew the US from the World Court of Law.

I refused to allow inspectors access to US prisoners of war
"detainees" and thereby have refused to abide by the Geneva
Convention.

I am the first president in history to refuse United Nations election
inspectors (during the 2002 US election).

I am the all-time US and world record-holder for receiving the most
corporate campaign donations.

My largest lifetime campaign contributor, and one of my best friends,
Kenneth Lay, resided over the largest corporate bankruptcy fraud in
US history. My political party used the Enron private jets and
corporate attorneys to assure my success with the US Supreme Court
during my election decision. I have protected my friends at Enron and
Halliburton
against investigation or prosecution. More time and money was spent
investigating the Monica Lewinsky affair than has been spent
investigating one of the biggest corporate rip-offs in history.

I garnered the most sympathy for the US after the World Trade Center
attacks and less than a year later made the US the most hated country
in the world, the largest failure of diplomacy in world history.

I am first president in history to have a majority of Europeans (71%)
view my presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and security.

I changed the US policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded
government contracts.

I have so far failed to fulfill my pledge to bring Osama Bin Laden
and Saddam Hussein to justice.

RECORDS AND REFERENCES:

All records of my tenure as Governor of Texas are now in my father's
library, sealed, and unavailable for public view.

All records of SEC investigations into my insider trading and my
bankrupt companies are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public
view.

All records or minutes from meetings that I, or my Vice-president,
attended regarding public energy policy are sealed in secrecy and
unavailable for public review.

Please consider my experience when voting in 2004 -

Thursday, December 11, 2003

War and Serial Killing: Not the same thing.

War is also Parallel Killing

Some people want to equate war and serial killing, and there can be made fairly convincing arguments to that point...but war is not serial killing. War is much worse, at least in its outcome. War is not just serial killing...it is also parallel killing. And no matter how hard marketers try to make it out like something praeternatural, it is, in many ways, quite an unsavory repertoire of behaviors. It's a darned good thing everyone does not find it appealing. Most probably wish it were made obsolete. Like land mines.
But I jump ahead....

The soldiers are not to be faulted for their having to do the deeds of those in leather chairs. Rather, the folks in comfy chairs ought to grow a conscience and then vow to spend their remaining years fighting to avert and prevent war...and in its vaccuum...spread peace. A positive. Really. Ask any disinterested collateral.

Democratic Contenders: The best political talent in years

Democrats should be proud. Indeed, America should be proud.
And why stop there... The world should be proud.

America is blessed by getting to choose among so many good and great men, as well as the radiant Moseley-Braun. The question is: How do you choose?

But let me first jump to another point, and that is: What will become of the losers?

I say let them all agree that all will be included within whatever administration might save America and the world from poor Mr. Bush's sad rapine and pillaging of America and the world's treasures. As General Clark aptly said: We should be buying oil on the world market. He didn't go on say "instead of steal it." He is a gentleman as well as a general. Gentlemen do not steal. It is in bad form. Impolite. Inelegant.

But we are promoting stealers. Not only stealers, but stealers who will allow even Americans to die for their plunder. At least it seems this way to me. Halliburton is worse than a plantation. A soldiers pay is a slap in the face, already sunworn and bloodied by war.

We want to protect and preserve life. Not hurl lives into the flames. Every body is a temple, cradling a soul. Not empty shells. Say no to empty shells. In every stripe.

Long live souls and temples.

Monday, December 08, 2003

Gore Endorses Dean. Will Clinton endorse Clark? Or will it be Dean/Gore?

Al Gore has apparently endorsed Gov. Howard Dean, MD for the President of the United States of America. Will Clinton now endorse Clark, as a way to push the two (Dean and Clark) together? Dean/Clark in 04? Or will Dean ask former Vice President Gore to continue his good work as VP...so as to be the best prepared President in American history? Dean/Gore in '04?

If it is Dean/Gore...I hope they consider drafting General Clark to take up the mantle currently held by that other great General, Colin Powell...

Dream teams! Guaranteed!

But, again...find a good place for all those running, or should have run. From Edwards (Attorney General) and Kucinich (Dept of Peace), to Robert Redford (Interior) and Ralph Nader (Corporate Watchdog Czar).

It would be a damn shame if someone as good and talented as, say, John Edwards should go home empty-handed...especially when you consider that he would do good and great things with his hands, heart and mind.

All the best minds and talents should step forward and offer their help.

Gaia says so. Well maybe. She would if she had a mouth.

Even Homelands are on loan from God


Anonymoses Cometh



Wise Leaders,

Imagine you and your beloved family are retiring for the night, warming your hearts and hands by the common fire. Your family has tended this land for generations, and you are the expert steward for your piece of land.

Your name is Sanchez, and your home is in Mexico, but the year is 1840. And your part of Mexico is now what is called "California".

You do not approve of these newcomers who are laying claim to the land you have tended for so many generations. You think the whole matter ludicrous. You even have papers.

The newcomers come anyway. In great number. And before long, you are chased from your home and called an alien. And since you never played the game of the newcomer, you are called an illegal alien...even though you have never left the area you have always inhabited.

This sort of situation happens again and again. It is happening right now, in our lifetime. It is obviously a problem.

In some cases, the rich simply throw the poor out. In other cases, the cause is that of homeland, and a claim thereto.

One might think that Mr. Sanchez would have a claim to his land, having nursed and nurtured the land for generations. Yet what if someone else comes up with a deed that claims prior ownership?

May we always remember at least the possibility that all things are loaned to us, so maybe, one day, we will quit killing each other for these borrowed goods.



There are many angles and arguments for both sides of these perennial questions.


I would like to posit a solution. It comes from Meister Eckhart, who reminds us that nothing is meant to be thought of as permanent, and all "ownership" should best be thought of as a borrowing. All things are on loan from God. Even homelands.

Granted, this presumes that all people believe in God, which is clearly not the case. But I don't think this is necessary to understand, because of death...all things are transitory.


If you go to Los Angeles today, you will not even have a clue that it was much like Mr. Sanchez' farm not that long ago. Some day, Iraq might look, and sound, like today's L.A.

May we always remember at least the possibility that all things are loaned to us, so maybe, one day, we will quit killing each other for these borrowed goods.

I am disappointed...

My blog has been eaten. At least the blogrolls and fave links. This makes me cross.
Guess I'll start all over again...
Apologies for those lost in the screw-up.
$%*#$%#