it's free!

if you haven't done so already, take a ride on the peacetrain. it is easy to join and to post- and if you have any trouble- anyone over there will help. there are several different forums to participate in and there are many great resources. this is a work in progress but what a work it is! don't take my word for it go check it out today! best of all- it's free.

squeezing in a post

thought i'd try to get something posted while blogger wasn't slow as shit. if i wasn't so cheap, i'd get a different blog- but you get what you pay for and blogger is free. anyhoo, i probably shouldn't post as i am a bit grumpy right now. it has rained for almost 4 days straight. we had a bit of a reprieve today but it is clouding up and i think we are expecting the remnants of ernesto. not good news for folks cleaning up after the flood in june.

that whole thing coupled with the katrina thing got me thinking- especially after our esteemed leaders keep saying that americans shouldn't expect anymore help from the government. it steams me. not that i think everyone should get a handout- that isn't what i am saying. i think that most of us- through our taxes- pay into a system that is supposed to be there for us. that entity is given money in good faith and we expect certain things for our money. when that entity basically says "fuck you" after we have paid into it- i call that theft. where is the money that was given to help the folks in the gulf coast region and the upstate new york region? why do we have to go it alone and not expect the money that we put into the system? why are more people not screaming at the tops of their lungs to impeach or indict these 'people?'

we, as americans, have a reputation around the world as folks who pitch in after catastrophes. we did, indeed, pitch in after katrina and help our fellow citizens. where is the money? the folks around my area are selling out or rebuilding- could take forever to get any assistance from the government. now, again, i am not saying we should pay forever or give free handouts. i am saying that these folks survived the hurricane- it was the manmade levees that broke. the same levees that should have been fixed years ago. mississippi is back on it's feet- because those folks survived the hurricane too. guess what? no levees. for negligence and willful ignorance combined with causing pain and suffering- i think that our government should help the folks in louisiana. they can have my share that i have paid into the system with my taxes.

via dawn

thanks to dawn over at my crazy life- for sending this my way:

Who was Harry Bingham and why is he getting a stamp?

Just an interesting piece of evidence of the curious behavior of the Roosevelt administration toward the Jews during WWII -----

A few months ago, Secretary of State Colin Powell gave a posthumous award for "constructive dissent" to Hiram (or Harry) Bingham, IV. For over fifty years, the State Department resisted any attempt to honor Bingham. For them he was an insubordinate member of the US diplomatic service, a dangerous maverick who was eventually demoted. Now, after his death, he has been officially recognized as a hero.

Bingham came from an illustrious family. His father (on whom the fictional character Indiana Jones was based) was the archeologist who unearthed the Inca City of Machu Picchu, Peru, in 1911. Harry entered the US diplomatic service and, in 1939, was posted to Marseilles, France, as American Vice-Consul.

The USA was then neutral and, not wishing to annoy Marshal Petain's puppet Vichy regime, President Roosevelt's government ordered its representatives in Marseilles not to grant visas to any Jews. Bingham found this policy immoral and, risking his career, did all in his power to undermine it.

In defiance of his bosses in Washington, he granted over 2,500 USA visas to Jewish and other refugees, including the artists Marc Chagall and Max Ernst and the family of the writer Thomas Mann. He also sheltered Jews in his Marseilles home, and obtained forged identity papers to help Jews in their dangerous journeys across Europe. He worked with the French underground to smuggle Jews out of France into Franco's Spain or across the Mediterranean and even contributed to their expenses out of his own pocket. In 1941,

Washington lost patience with him. He was sent to Argentina, where later he continued to annoy his superiors by reporting on the movements of Nazi war criminals.

Eventually, he was forced out of the American diplomatic service completely. Bingham died almost penniless in 1988. Little was known of his extraordinary activities until his son found some letters in his belongings after his death. He has now been honored by many groups and organizations including the United Nations and the State of Israel.

"religious" persecution

thanks to boo over at boo's tattoos for this article. i hear quite a bit from the christian right about how they feel persecuted in america because secularism is 'taking over.' well, aside from the obvious- this country was founded on the belief that there should be no state religion- the country was also founded on the premise that there be no religious persecution. it's called the first amendment of the constitution of the united states of america. no, it wasn't written by god- but maybe that's a good thing.

solidarity

please don't forget the lives changed forever one year ago in the gulf coast region. visit the katrinacat blog for more news directly from the gulf coast. also, share our strength has a dine out on the 29th effort to help aid victims that are still in need one year later- through restaurants for relief 2.

thought for tuesday

"It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong."

voltaire, French author, humanist, rationalist, & satirist (1694 - 1778)

happy birthday beth!

happy birthday to beth!
happy birthday to beth!
happy birthday dear beth!
happy birthday to beth!

beth- have a happy birthday for heaven's sake! :)

constitution monday

Article. I.

Section. 1.

All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

Section. 2.

The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.

No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.

the declaration of independence

the constitution

the bill of rights

take the time

to listen to kris kristofferson's track. while you are there, check out poetry man and a poetic justice. he is also a regular at the peacetrain.

excellent parallel

to today's what ever you want to call it in the middle east. bushco wants war, war, war- and will stop at nothing to get it. i try to read as many blogs as i can daily- and this is why. there are so many excellent ideas and writers out there conveying them. hats off to lapopessa and buckarooskidoo over at make it stop! make it stop! for their work. take a trip over and see.

hitting the nail on the head

Knock Knock: We Gotta Stand By Our President - And Scream!

could not have said it any better than this.

fantastic retrospective

to any who need reminding of the last 6 years- of why we went to war and why we are fighting for nothing? take a look at chuck's blog and see the timeline. chuck has done a great job at bushmerika 2. thanks.

my get-up-and-go...

got up and went. i have also been looking into what it takes to get onto the ballot in our 50 states. yes- each state is different and some states are way easy and others you have to jump through more hoops than a circus tiger. so- now i have to find out signature requirements. most states don't have fees so that is a plus. my friend, who was just here last weekend, commented that our country is 'too big'- by that she meant that it is amazing that we have stayed together and been governed as well as we have. especially- with our different cultures and customs in different regions. my own personal take on it is this- up until recently- oh the last 20-30 years or so- americans were united by being americans. we celebrated our heritages and ways of life- but we all had a pride in being american. now- not so much. not just because of the current debacle that is our government- but because we have all become too much alike. when you live in the same house and have to share the same toys- you start biting your sister. don't ask- you get the point :) anyhoo- we are so homogenized anymore. go to any state in the union and you will see strip malls and applebees. wal-mart around every corner. when you see places on the tv- you haven't got a clue where you are because everyone dresses the same and looks the same. people are complaining about non english speakers and foreigners- not just illegal aliens- and i want to know why? many of the most recent ancestors came in through ellis island and didn't speak english- never did. their kids learned and translated. welcome to white whole milk america.

disclaimer: i am completely overgeneralizing the regional thing. i realize that there are differences that remain. it is my bigger point that we are becoming more uniform than unique.

for speedoman...

morning coffee

eyes closed; in a daze
stumbling, fumbling- light!
first sip--zeus's nectar.

speedo and mrs. speedo- my coffe inspirations :)

well said mr. shaw

Tom Cruise, whose last few movies have not reached the prestigious creative and box-office level of some of his earlier work, has just been told by Viacom's Paramount Pictures that his contract would not be renewed.

Earlier this week, HuffPo blogger and L.A. Weekly showbiz correspondent Nikki Finke went over the numbers and made the case that the non-renewal does not make economic sense.

Rather than repeat the arguments she has made, I'd like to state my belief that there are more nefarious forces at work.

These forces- played out in print, on talk shows, on entertainment programs and in the blogosphere, are those of religious intolerance.

Unlike me, Tom Cruise is a Scientologist, and quite an impassioned one. It's that passion that has gotten him into trouble.

My understanding is that Scientology takes a dim view of psychological and pharmacological therapies. Cruise's beliefs have led him to address such viewpoints in interviews and public forums.

For this he is mocked. He is laughed at for bucking conventional wisdom. The fact that he is an actor untrained in science rather than a clinician with contravening views gives pundits and late night comedians a chance to mine for chuckles and guffaws.

What's really at play here is that under their breaths, lots of folks who would view themselves as intellectually and socially tolerant about everything else- race, creeds, religious choice, sexual preferences - are dumping on Cruise for being a passionate advocate for teachings they deem as cultish ravings of a profit-centric, litigious group.

Although I am not a Scientologist, I would like to challenge some of these notions.

"Cult" charges against Scientology often stem from a cursory analysis of their beliefs about aliens, Thetans, and all that. But when I think about scriptural assertions such as the world being created in six days, the Red Sea being parted, the Immaculate Conception, heaven and hell, and magic plates that contain inscriptions of a revisiting Messiah, I wonder just what it is about Scientology that is laughable to so many who embrace or tolerate some of the other canon I have just mentioned.

Yes, there is a money-conscious component to Scientology, but Scientology is not alone. Which is the bigger "transgression"- a church that asks money from those who can afford it, or a church that holds uncountable riches in real estate and art while their believers in poorer nations starve?

And how are Scientology's financial programs different than those of church-sponsored institutions of higher learning that asses tuition, or a synogogue that charges money for a seat during Yom Kippur services?

And just what are the scornable consequences that Scientology has fostered?

That car bomb planted by Sunni insurgents in Iraq against innocent Shia?
The Crusades, Spanish Inquisition, the pogroms, the Holocaust?
The atrocities committed against Christians and animists in the Sudan?
The wars between Hindu and Buddhist in Sri Lanka?
The several decades of religious wars in Northern Ireland?
The mutual bloodshed in Lebanon?

Oh, and was it Scientologists who flew planes into the World Trade Center?

Of course not. We all know that. Scientology has never attempted to covert anyone by force. By the force of arguments that may sound implausible, but never at the point of a gun, a sword, or an invading horde of soldiers or priests.

Yes, the Church of Scientology is litigious, but when they feel their rights are violated, they fight back legally- not by Holy Wars.

Some folks forget all that as we mock Scientology and its Hollywood adherents. Between the lines, otherwise tolerant people are saying between the lines.."weird religion," "dumb actor."

But in mocking adherents of any religion, you only mark yourselves as intolerant hypocrites.

I have a better idea. Let Tom Cruise make his movies, and honor his right to believe what he does. And to proclaim it proudly and loudly, if he believes that his faith calls him to do so.

It doesn't mean you have to believe what he does.

russel shaw

head's up new yorkers!!!!

i encourage you all to take a look at jonathan tasini for new york senate. he is running against the clinton machine in the primaries and is a long shot for sure. if you are interested in a vote for something rather than a vote against something- take a look and vote your conscience. you can also read posts by jonathan at the huffington post.

net neutrality

for a listing of where your senators stand on the issue- click the 'save the internet' banner on my links section or you can go to

http://www.savetheinternet.com/

mulled thoughts and wine

so, i have been thinking much about many things- as is my wont :) this whole racial profiling thing going on really bothers me. the argument goes- in law enforcement and in general i suppose- that certain people are perpetrating certain crimes more often than the general population- and thus we can save time and resources and not have to look at everyone. yeah- except we are supposed to be an open society where folks are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. the current argument that is being waged is against middle eastern males on air planes. or anywhere else on the planet i suppose. i won't get into the african american male profile in this particular post- nor the hispanic profiling. those, i have a feeling, will need more attention and knowledge than i can give them- and maybe i can persuade an expert into guest posting- but i digress.

yes- the whole bruhaha in the uk about those two folks who were found to be completely innocent and yet mass hysteria was allowed to rule the day. now, before folks get their panties in a bunch about how 'islamo fascists' want to kill poor innocent amercans for absolutely no reason other than we are just so great- i am going to state QUITE CLEARLY that i am not for islamic terrorist groups like al quaeda, et al. i find their tactics disgusting and reprehensible and the only folks that these tactics help- are the groups. millions of innocent arabs, jews, africans, westerners, etc., are paying with their lives and their way of life for the stupidity and criminality of a few. i am also not for the neo con fascists forcing their world view on unwilling americans and the rest of the world. i view them in the same vein as the islamic nutjobs and have stated that on many occasions.

as colbert would say-"movin'on"- so having said that to say this- this airplane stuff is ridiculous. screen absolutely everyone the same way. if there is suspicion of anything untoward, pull that person aside. don't miss something because you are looking for one thing and not seeing the other. do you honestly think that these folks are too stupid to come up with something different? seriously folks- it isn't going to be an airplane again as much as the neo cons want to scare you into thinking so. i am personally more worried about our infrastructure that continues to be left wide open. our energy supplies, water supplies, ports, train depots, food supplies, medical facilities- yep- all wide open. but goddamn it if you take breast milk on a plane. i am thinking homegrown terrorism and i am thinking biochemicals or germs.

not only that- but islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. did you hear me people? in the world. that means black folks, white folks, yellow folks, brown folks- all believe in islam. yes, the middle eastern folks have their knickers in a twist but so did the phillipines not too long ago. look at malaysia- there was a night club bombing there that killed how many westerners? so- my thought- professional screeners and equipment. i mean actual trained folks at the screeners. it's taxpayer's money- shouldn't we get what we are paying for? seriously.

on to book banning. that one really tees me off. especially when i read the reasons given. especially after i read some folks from the island of cuba who were interviewed tell how they would not want american democracy because they all had jobs and healthcare. because an exiled cuban family knew what their version of the truth was and wants to inflict it on everyone. because they wouldn't want any good news to come out of cuba- it would defeat their mission- and their movement. piss poor reasons to defy the first amendment in my estimation. yes, that's right folks- banning books is an unpatriotic and undemocratic thing to do. you don't want your kid to read it- then don't let them read it. don't read it yourself. you have no right whatsoever to infringe on my constitutional right to read it. that is what i am fighting for.

think i'll go have my wine now :)

correction- when talking about the nightclub bombing in malaysia i actually meant indonesia. thanks to bz.

and so it continues...

apparently, some folks in florida only want their version of life in the libraries. their version is the only version that is right. let the book banning and burning begin. i am feeling the stirrings of a post- perhaps tonite. i have many things i am mulling over.

labor day nears...

days getting shorter
nights cool; 'mums- purple, yellow
late summer arrives

head's up everyone

this is important! thanks to ea over at details for this article. we have to make sure that we save our freedom to the internet. this is the world's last great hope and we can't let it go the way everything else has in this country.

thought for tuesday

"Most people assume the fights are going to be the left versus the right, but it always is the reasonable versus the jerks."

Jimmy Wales, Keynote Speech, SXSW 2006, founder of Wikipedia

signs o" the times

i think that the cats are still sleeping. yep- the small one is napping- they both had a bite and took naps. probably be a couple of days before they settle back into their daily routine of eating and napping :) so, the company left and i came home and showered and put my jammies on. thought i would watch a bit of the mindless boob tube before calling it a night. has anyone out there ever tried to find anything decent to watch on a sunday nite? is this punishment or pennance? i know in olden days that folks couldn`t do any work or play but had church and reading the scriptures quietly all day. apparently, the cable and network folks still believe this is true- absolute bupkus on. so- i found myself watching the history channel. now, it was just on in the background because i- true to form from one of these blog surveys i have taken on many of your blogs- was making my left brained, uptight, perfectionist list of who to get what for the holidays. i say holidays because i have many folks of different "faiths" who we participate in gift giving with. not to mention the cookie and fudge making- so i prepare in the summer when i am not stressed. but, i digress.

i look up at the tv- and i discover that i am watching a show called "the antichrist." it is apparently a 2 hour show. huh. cable tv with a show on about the rapture and stuff. it got better because i watched "the exodus decoded" after(and fyi it was a much better show). anyhoo, after spending the weekend debating and discussing politics and religion with my friend- it was interesting to even catch part of these shows. the only part that stuck out in my mind was the mark of the beast- and in referencing it- the show flashed chips that are implanted in the head or hand. well, i think you all know where we are headed with this one. rfid technology is on the scene. in fact, walmart and some medical offices are currently using it. since i missed the first part- ok most of- the program- i took it upon myself to do some research. no- not about rfid- about prophecy.

i found it interesting that today's current rapture crapture was really invented in the 1800's and that so many folks really bought into it. it really took off in the 1970's with hal lindsey's books and there has been no turning back. anyhoo- my question isn't one that wants to know how anyone can buy into this- we have already established my stance as anti organized religion of any kind. no- i was wondering- what is the evangelical take on current events here in this country? are they beginning to see cheney and rummy as the beast and the false prophet? how can they reconcile the move by our own government to make (and let me borrow the term from the right) a "new world order?" their knickers have been in a bit of a twist about the proposed federal id card- so i wondered what they are talking about these days- is that another reason the repubs are a bit nervous about midterm elections? i mean they have been a bit big brother lately and allegedly- according to benny hinn and that other guy on the history channel- evangelicals are against that sort of thing. so- please feel free to chime in and anwer some of these questions- again the biggest being how to reconcile continued support for this government in light of them taking on bestial properties- and clue me in on the true story.

constitution monday

i think that many americans are under the false assumption that their vote counts in presidential elections. read the constitution- and read my lips: the only branch of government that is directly elected by the people is the legislative. you should always vote in elections and excercise that civic right- however, voting for congresspeople is vital. they will not look out for your best interests- if you don't take an interest in the first place. the president is voted in by the electoral college- period.


Article. I.

Section. 1.

All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

Section. 2.

The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.

No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.

AMENDMENT XVII

Passed by Congress May 13, 1912. Ratified April 8, 1913.

Note: Article I, section 3, of the Constitution was modified by the 17th amendment.

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.

Article. II.

Section. 1.

The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows:

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.

Section. 2.
He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.


the declaration of independence

the constitution

the bill of rights

whew!

everyone here in betmoland is pooped. mr.betmo had to go out of town for some training- so he had dinner with me and the friends and then left from there. i am pooped; the cats are exhausted from being mauled by two teenage girls who had to put their own cat to sleep last year. we shopped and bowled and watched a teenage girl movie at the theater. well, that was an experience i haven't had since i worked at the girl's group home almost 5 years ago. so- i am going to turn in early and get back into the fray tomorrow. it is good to recharge and debate in real time. my friend is very dear and has a different perspective in many ways from mine. she is an independent but i could see her in either party- i mean she doesn't really have a lean to her. very liberal on some issues- very conservative on others. blue collar, traditional middle class family. she is a nurse. really helps to put a finger to the pulse(nod to her profession) of where middle america is at. so- lot's of food for thought and many posts i hope. back at ya'll tomorrow.

and so it starts...

Unclaimed Territory - by Glenn Greenwald: Fear-mongering leads to anti-Arab hysteria on airplanes

i will have more on this when i get back.

interesting

former cia analyst bill christison

long weekend

we have friends coming for the weekend- for their yearly sojourn to the house of betmo. i will be around a bit- but doubtful any real posting of substance- no comments from the peanut gallery if you please :) so in the spirit of no posting weekend- i will blab about what i have been thinking about lately. i have actually been thinking quite a bit lately about life in general and the world at large- so here goes nothing:

as most of the regular folks around here know- i have opinions on just about everything- and if i don't- i get one pretty quick :) as i am a fairly political person- believe it or not i didn't used to be-i thought it only fair to start there. i am tired of this current government. i am tired of the fear tactics and the war mongering. i am not against republicans or conservatives- i am against whatever we have running things now- neo- cons? whatever. i am tired of being called names because i 'don't get' what these folks are spewing. fyi- i do get it and i ain't buying it. i am tired of having to defend common sense, peace and diplomacy- and i am tired of having to fight for the constitution. the track record of the current government goes against everything i believe in- which, by the way, includes less government and fiscal responsibility- state's rights and personal responsibility. i think that we should stop the scaredy cat routine and get down to the hard and long task of REAL homeland security. not the throw the lipgloss into the trash routine while letting a nutjob on a plane with lighters and screwdrivers- but honest to goodness real security.

i think that we also have to decide whether we want to continue to be america- you know- the united states of america- open democracy, land of the free-- or america where one attack on our shores and we shrivel up and cry to the government to take away our freedoms to 'protect' us. we need to foster personal responsibility in this country folks and stop relying on the government to legislate and babysit us so that we can go shop until we drop or go on vacation. it is up to us to protect our families. we need to insist on the least government we can have- and become more involved in the decision making process of our country.

we need to get over ourselves too. yes, america is a great country. however, there are billions of other people on this planet who are alive- just like us. we need to be able to co-exist with these folks- and share the planet. this may come as a news flash- but america does not own the world. we garnered world support after 9/11. other folks didn't have to give that to us- there are countries around the world who live with terrorism daily. they gave us support because of what america stood for. we don't stand for that today. we need to wake up to that fact.

we need to realize that we need separation of the branches of government and of church and state. we need to dust off our copies of the constitution and insist on the government abiding by it. we need to stop thinking that this is politics as usual. the folks in power at this time are not typical politicians. get our heads out of our asses and realize that there is something wrong in america. at least half of the population of this country- and it is more like 70%- and most of the rest of the entire world are angry with america- shouldn't that tell us something? millions of people can't all be wrong- no? i will leave on the note of-- forewarned is forearmed.

cats keeping cool

the cats did everything to keep cool during the heat wave. you can't tell but the fan was on high.

justice blog has a question

shawn had some interesting questions and in light of all of the recent 'scare' tactics and propaganda(from my point of view not shawn's) i thought i would ask you all to take a look at his site and comment. thanks in advance.

justice blog

as if i needed more reasons...

not to believe in organized religion- this article by pravda came to my attention via cap'n dyke. thank ye cap'n fer the educatin'. aargh!

from my friend...

she knows me too well.

good news!

local props to binghamton high school and the patriots! this is not my alma mater- but i have lived here for so long that this is my home now and i am proud of the school, the students and teachers who have worked hard. this is good news as the population becomes more diverse.

too much before coffee

i have got to stop reading before i finish my first cup of coffee in the morning :) there is so much out there to digest and take in. first- hat's off to the gaelic starover for once again giving me something to think about: craig murray . quasar9 came by and left this one too- and i am still mulling it over- pentagon strike.

so- now i am headed to get my second cuppa and think. can't do one without the other:)

my new favorite righty

david gergen has served as advisor for nixon, ford, reagan and clinton. he advocates bipartisanship as the way to move america forward. very classy gentleman.

Minority population growing around U.S.

census bureau reports

will you let me learn?

divided nation
i know not of your culture
will you let me learn?

more questions aren't asked than are
people assume; people shout

will you let me learn?
"red and yellow, black and white"
the sun sets- the moon rises

the divide widens farther
can common ground be found now?

will you let me learn?
we are not so different
feeling joy; feeling pain

breathing, living, loving- all
can't we learn from each other?

thought for tuesday

"politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy."
ernest benn

anyone else think this is strange?

what is happening in iraq? weren't they supposed to pay for our war with their oil? where is the oil, gas and money? apparently, the folks in iraq not only don't have regular electricity, sanitation, clean water, and food, but they too are out of gas

i'm back

yes- i know- i didn't go away completely but i did take a break from really big thoughts to post :) i actually got some poetry going and i watched some really crappy movies. fyi- mr. betmo and i somehow only pick really bad movies at the video store. it is kind of like our 'badge of honor' to have sat through a crap movie. we even compare these movies to other crap movies we've seen: " oh yeah- well this one wasn't as bad as the one with the garbage pail gang in it." so- all in all a good weekend for some soul rejuvenation. into the fray we go...

so- the news circulating now is the whole flying bruhaha. sorry- i don't buy it. makes absolutely no sense to make folks dump all of their liquids altogether into a big garbage bin. apparently, these things are not so dangerous as all that or there would be a different way of disposing of things. if they are too dangerous, potentially, to be on a plane together- aren't there a heck of a lot more folks in the airport itself than on a plane? methinks it's a ratings ploy and methinks it's a fear tactic. the uk has already started allowing things back on planes and they have also let one guy go. karl, karl- we are on to you. i think the only folks hurting will be the airlines again. people are not going to want to fly unless they have to- who the hell likes the airport enough to be there 5 or 6 hours not counting actual flight time? not me. it's bad enough taking a 2 hour flight to florida occasionally. you show up 2 hours early at least and now have to wait longer while you dump out all of your shit and take your shoes off- to what end? somehow, i don't think folks who are smart enough to stop using cell phones and stop using the banking system upon realizing that they were being watched are going to be stupid enough to try and use a plane again as a bomb. just a thought. subways, water systems, energy grids- you know stuff like that- might be the next target. just a suggestion homeland security guys and gals....

constitution monday

"In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this constitution, with all its faults, --if they are such; because I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form of government but what may be a blessing to the people, if well administered; and I believe, farther, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other."
benjamin franklin, excerpt from speech on final day of constitutional convention 9/17/1787

the declaration of independence

the constitution of the united states of america

the bill of rights

supporting the troops the american way

is as armament sickening u.s. soldiers?

apparently,

this is a "conservative" western world way to deal with things

australian government's immigration law faces knife-edge vote

things that make me go hmmmm...

disagreement over timing of arrests

makes the little light bulb in my brain switch on.

"learning from hezbollah"

Learning from hezbollah- Brian E. Humphreys, served in Iraq as a Marine infantry officer in 2004

news

bush seeks political gain from foiled plot with a little help from his loyal poodle- tony blair

huh

Your Blogging Type is Confident and Insightful You've got a ton of brain power, and you leverage it into brilliant blog.
Both creative and logical, you come up with amazing ideas and insights.
A total perfectionist, you find yourself revising and rewriting posts a lot of the time.
You blog for yourself - and you don't care how popular (or unpopular) your blog is!


http://www.blogthings.com/whatsyourbloggingpersonalityquiz/

from spadoman

i found this story over at heart melody. figured since i am not writing anything original for a bit- i would pass this along.

"Cathy Berta is a retired elementary schoolteacher. At 66, she’s also a member of Progressive Action for the Common Good of the Quad Cities.

When she heard that Vice President Cheney was coming to Davenport, Iowa, on July 17, she decided to heed the group’s protest call.

“I knew it was going to be extremely hot that day, but I said I’m going to take a stand,” she recalls. She joined about 120 people along River Road next to the Mississippi, and they marched part way toward the home where Cheney was doing a fundraiser for the Republican House candidate, Mike Whalen.

“It was absolutely ridiculous,” says a 66-year-old retired
schoolteacher, who had her flagstick taken away. “Talk about overkill.”

Berta was carrying a sign that said: “No, You Can’t Have My Rights, I’m Still Using Them.”

And she was also holding a little American flag on a stick.

But the police wouldn’t let her, or anyone else, carry the flags."

story continued

only in the "land of the free and home of the brave."

'the flower of life' summer 2006- renku

bells ring; school's out now
classes over- vacation!
summertime freedom

carefree- trees to climb- funtime
packed suv- gone camping!

barefoot, sandaless
lazy, hazy daydreamin'
sipping lemonade

hop a plane- trip to the beach
picking, choosing seashells

endless days- walt disney world
mickey, minnie, and goofy

mowing lawns- smell fresh cut grass
sunflowers; corn-on-the-cob

bumblebees, lightning bugs, gnats
june bugs, garter snakes, tadpoles

heat lightning flashes- raindrops
thunderstorms rumble; mudpuddles

neighborhood kids pretending
playing until dusk- called home

sunbathing in the backyard
asleep in the sun- sunburn

scorching hot july- endless
independence day picnics

'rockets red glare'- baseball games
'bombs bursting in air'- fireworks

protect america- spend!
fight them there instead of here!

suicide bombers on bus
israeli civilians killed

tanks, troops- retaliation
palestinian towns razed

allah versus jehovah
whose god is right? battles rage on

crescent moon or david's star?
the right to live on the line

meanwhile, terrorism grows
hamas, hezbollah, iraq

democracy's spread halted
'collateral damage' done

rumsfeld, cheney, bush and rice
no 'cut and run'- no armor

american troop's courage
faces challenges from home

shia, sunni, kurd- unite!
drive satan from your homeland!

american troop's courage
faces challenges from iraq

middle eastern mothers weep
bombs fall; sniper's bullets hit

once proud cities- now rubble
history gone instantly

'birth pangs' of a new era
democracy in iraq

'rockets red glare'- katushas
'bombs bursting in air'- more wars

north korea and iran
nuclear threats or more lies?

missle tests fall short of land
sabre rattling goes on

lebanese children on beach
splashing through waves, laughing

high rise hotels- tourism
democratic lebanon

hezbollah wins elections
israel on high alert

soldiers kidnapped; bombs rain down
no ceasefire on horizon

neo-con's quest for power
ideology of greed

oil mixed religion
god, allah, and jehovah
no 'flower of life' grows here

no olive branch for peacetime
the endless days of summer

time off

i think i need some time off. my heart is so weary and sad. i need time to regroup. i think i have been feeling too much of the world's negativity and the nation's negativity- and it is too much. so- i am taking a long weekend and will be back blogging my booty off on monday. thanks to all for being there and being partners in the quest for peace. keep fighting the good fight! see ya monday.

bye-bye ricky

one down and

one to go

money where his mouth is

i don't pretend to know the ins and outs of rap or hip-hop. i am a jazz, classical and soft rock kinda gal. i was impressed by jay-z's announcement that he wants to help folks in other countries who don't have enough access to clean water. we hear about bono's and u2's efforts to help ease the rest of the planet's woes- but we don't often hear of younger stars- and more notably young rap or hip hop artists make the news for their humanitarian efforts. so- i thought that i would highlight some good and positive in the country- before blogger shuts down tonite.

america- my country

"dissent is the highest form of patriotism."
thomas jefferson

ladies and gentlemen...

without further ado... doug mcintyre of kabc

thought for tuesday

"There are people who control spacious territories teeming with manifest and hidden resources. They dominate the intersections of world routes. Their lands were the cradles of human civilizations and religions. These people have one faith, one language, one history and the same aspirations. No natural barriers can isolate these people from one another ... if, per chance, this nation were to be unified into one state, it would then take the fate of the world into its hands and would separate Europe from the rest of the world. Taking these considerations seriously, a foreign body should be planted in the heart of this nation to prevent the convergence of its wings in such a way that it could exhaust its powers in never-ending wars. It could also serve as a springboard for the West to gain its coveted objects."

prime minister campbell-bannerman, 1907

thanks to kafir and changeseeker for bringing this to the forefront.

check out the peace train

for those of you who don't know about the peace train- you should go and check it out. it is incredible! i recently got access to the site and i am really impressed at the sheer amount of work that has gone into it- so if you haven't- go check it out!

freedom of the press

new orleans

new orleans update

new orleans update 2

larisa alexandrovna

constitution monday

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.

the declaration of independence

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

the constitution of the united states of america

THE Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution.

the bill of rights

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

President Whitmore's Speech

i thought that this was relevent

summer haiku 2

olive branch is gone
'bombs bursting in air'- iraq
lebanese summer

sad and weary in america

i am going to be honest here and say- i feel a sense of impending doom in america. i am not nostradamus but i have been putting the pieces of the puzzle together and i don't like what i see. i am heartsick and worried- so much so that i had a long talk with my husband last night about giving up my blog altogether because i want to protect my family. i will tell you why:

many folks will say that i am a worry wart- that america is america and will never be anything other than a democracy- we wouldn't allow it here. there would be a great public out cry- and besides- all of our civil liberties that are being taken away are because we are in imminent danger of a terrorist attack. stop being a doomsday teller. i say to you folks- you are in denial. what is happening in america today happened in europe in the 1930's. you don't have to take my word for it- it is history- stark and simple. this is what has happened recently in america:

white house proposes taking over the national guard from state oversite

white house proposes using secret military tribunals to try non combatants

foundations in place for martial law in america

supreme court upholds no knock police entry

un urges america to close secret prisons

this is not about a war on terror- as much as many americans want to believe. we are losing america by allowing our government to take away our freedom. this has been a gradual thing- but if we let it continue- there could be a knock at our door and off we go to a secret location IN AMERICA never to be seen or heard again. remember cheney going to congress to push for allowing the cia to torture folks? don't be in denial- prepare!

anyhoo, i talked with my husband and told him i would walk away tomorrow to protect the family. he was thoughtful and told me that we needed to continue to stand up for what we believe. how could we live with ourselves or live in such a world? not only that, he said, but without people like us standing together with other people fighting- there would be no change. if something happens to us- then at least it happens with us going down fighting. so- for now- i will continue to press for the truth and continue to fight for our civil liberties. i am also researching other places to live and compiling a refugee checklist in case we have to flee. it just may come to that. he is planning to make a presidential run in 2012- so i have to get started researching that. no- i am not kidding and i am proud of him.

FYI

Knock Knock: September 1st Call to Action

thought some folks might be interested in participating.

democracy anyone?

white house proposal

rex 84

understanding each other

see- here's the thing- to continue from the freud post- what the radical right and radical left folks refuse to understand is this: i hear you. people like me hear what you are saying. it isn't that we 'don't get it'- i hear that alot. it is that we don't agree with you and YOU won't hear that. it is one thing to debate issues- economics, political differences, whether we should be at war, etc. what i am seeing and hearing are people who are small minded and mean spirited- often in the name of jesus. not so much in the name of god- but in the name of jesus. these people call names, threaten violence, want to kill people- in the name of jesus. if you don't believe in jesus, they are almost gleeful that you (supposedly) will burn in hell- and they don't know you from anyone.

the other thing that i feel badly about- i was judgmental about my neighbors. spado was right- i only know what i see and i don't know the whole story. that brings me to the point of where america is on the issues of race, in particular, and gender. i don't believe that racism has gone away. it has been replaced by a more insidious way of doing it- but it is still there. the way that mexicans and other hispanics are treated- regardless of being illegal or not. the way that black folks are still being profiled. the way that many in this country want women to go back and stay in the home. now- don't get your feathers ruffled - i am not talking about the folks who choose to stay at home - that is a choice. i am talking about the silent movement in fundamental circles to get women out of the workforce and positions of power and back into their 'burkas.'

i am a white woman in america- and i am sorry to say that most of this venom is coming from white folks again. my theory is that these folks like being in power and want to remain so. that explains the shift in the western countries towards conservative governments and for those governments to be forming an uneasy alliance with each other. i am too lazy and tired to cite my sources of opinion- so i will just ask you to take a look at the political makeup in europe, north america, and australia. surf the news a bit and these nations are starting to pass laws similar to ours. i think we need to take a look at our fellow americans- not in a condescending way or a judgmental way- but see what is really going on out there. it isn't enough to live and let live anymore. i don't use the united states of america anymore because we are not united behind anything anymore. i only ever say america. we on the left and right need to take america back and if that means putting christianity back in its place- then we need to do it. there is nothing wrong with having morals and ethics but, as with democracy, they cannot be forced on people. anyhoo- i want to take on exploring race, religion, gender and culture as honestly and openly and fairly as i can.

having said that- i will say right now-- and this has never been a problem here-- i will not tolerate any hate speech or name calling and such posts will be deleted. other than that- we will be as open as always. onward...

know your enemy BEFORE going to war

this is why we are not succeeding in iraq. this is why our plan won't work. you can force people to do many things. you can completely control every aspect of their physical life- but you can't control their spirits or their minds. even if you break one person's spirit- you can't break them all.

not freud- betmo

i went to college and got my degree in psychology because i have always been interested in how people think. when i got done, i understood the physiology of how our brain's work- and i got that it's a 'nature versus nurture' thing when it comes to our upbringings and environment. i even learned that many folks react similiarly in similar situations. what i haven't figured out is- how people rationalize hatred for other groups of people. how some people think so rigidly that they only ever think one way. this applies to the current situation in the middle east, america, and indeed the world. i have been thinking about this for obvious reasons- but also because of the recent post i made about my neighbors and a few posts i have read here, here, and here on racism- with a twist of gender discrimination and homophobia. so- i think that my current journey is taking me in this direction. exploring what people are thinking and the why, how, and consequences i think is a logical step in figuring out how to combat the current state of affairs. don't know how successful i'll be- but i don't have any agenda other than wanting to save america and the rest of the world.

i think i need chocolate

it is any absolutely gorgeous day here today. there is a nice cool breeze and the sun was out for a bit but not too hot. you know- the kind of days i used to post about way back in june and july? anyhoo- i wanted to publicly acknowledge that the heat has dissipated here and i can go back to being only marginally crabby and cantankerous. my heart is not completely free to enjoy it however- yes it is because i apparently have a bleeding heart. i am just glad that i have a heart at all. i can't help but think about the flood victims here in my area cleaning up and having their homes demolished. homes with lifetimes of memories gone in a flash. i think about the folks in the gulf coast who are in the same boat a year later- and some who lost loved ones to katrina. i think about the arab and jewish families in israel, palestine, lebanon and iraq who have lost everything and some who have lost everything- again. i think about the folks in africa who go to sleep in refugee camps with no food because otherwise they would be killed or maimed. i think about the poor in south america who are losing their rainforests for no reason other than greed.

i think about the path that america is heading down. i think about that and my heart grows sad indeed. i don't think chocolate is going to be enough.

summer haiku

sunny summer days
lazy, hazy daydreamin'
raindrops, mudpuddles

tag you're it!

i have been tagged:

1: One book that changed your life:
"the years of the locust" by loula grace erdman

2: One book you have read more than once:
i am embarrassed to say it is a book called "serial killers" and has bundy, gacy, and quite a few more

3: One book you would want on a desert island:
"war and peace" unabridged. i keep meaning to read it.

4: One book that made you laugh:
i don't read many funny books- but i do have fun reading the harry potter series.

5: One book you wish had been written:
perhaps someone should write a coffee table book about ancient serial killers if and when they were caught.

6: One book you wish had never had been written:

"cujo" was like watching paint dry.

7: One book that made you cry:
"the yearling," "a separate piece," "the red pony"- i am very emotionally involved in my reading.

8: One book you are currently reading:
"our endangered values" by jimmy carter, "lord of chaos" by robert jordan(book six in wheel of time series)

9: One book you have been meaning to read:

"founding mothers" by cokie roberts(it's a loaner from a friend), "the complete book of american presidents" by william degregorio

10: Now tag five people:

the poor mouth

spooky pete

my journey

my crazy life

details

is this typical?

being left leaning- i just don't know.

alberto gonzalez- wants a new system for trying terror suspects to let prosecutors withhold classified evidence from the accused, ... detainee legislation also should permit hearsay and coerced testimony, if deemed "reliable" by a judge.

rumsfeld, et al- Rumsfeld stuck to his usual assertion that it depends on conditions and on the ability of the Iraqi government to suppress sectarian tensions. Pace said he did not anticipate one year ago that Iraq would now be in danger of descending into civil war. Abizaid said it was obvious a year ago that sectarian violence was on the rise, and that Iraq's police forces did not develop as well as U.S. officials had expected.

senator burns, bigot, montana- Burns, one of the most vulnerable incumbents in the fall elections, confronted members of a firefighting team at the Billings airport on July 23 and told them they had done a "piss-poor job," according to an official state report and the U.S. Forest Service. Burns, a third-term lawmaker already facing questions about his ties to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. ... In 1999, Burns issued a written apology after referring to Arabs as "rag heads" during a speech while commenting on oil prices. In 1994, Burns repeated a story that included the word "niggers" and commented that living with blacks in Washington, D.C., was "a hell of a challenge." He also onced asked a woman who was wearing a nose ring what tribe she belonged to. Last year, the senator denied a flight attendant's claim that he told her she could "go home and be a mother" if her airline job were eliminated.

katherine harris, prima donna, florida- floundering Senate campaign received a grand jury subpoena from federal investigators, but she kept it from her top advisers, prompting several staff members to quit when they found out, a former aide said Wednesday.

what we can do this year...

i don't know if it will do a damned bit of good but here goes: i am supporting jonathan tasini for senate in 2006. i looked at his platform and it didn't look status quo. i am not saying that i disregard the good things that hillary clinton has done for upstate- because i am not. i don't agree with her pro-war, pro-israel no matter what stance and i think that for any real change to occur in this country- we have to start voting first- and voting incumbants out second. so all of you folks in new york- check out tasini and vote your conscience. in connecticut- check out lamont- and vote your conscience. if we all started excercising our right to vote- there wouldn't be a silent majority in america.

jonathan tasini

hillary clinton

chuck shumer

maurice hinchey(my area)

ned lamont

"You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise."

'still i rise'

maya angelou

what have i gotten myself into?

there i go again- getting myself into a fix i have to get myself out of. now- i have to solve western war. i guess the reason i posted the last post is i just don't know what to do about the current situation america is getting itself into. there is the comment that floats around the blogosphere- "hey if you think you can do better- come up with a plan." so- i decided to give it a think and see if i could come up with something. it has been so hot- i am mentally and physically spent- but i am going to have a go.

i think that i should preface with saying that i don't see good things on the horizon for america. i don't see good things for the middle east either. i think i may pour all of my big thoughts into one magnum opus and walk away from blogging forever- and i may have to or face a government inquiry :) but---this is not that post :)

hmmmm- where would i start? the knee jerk reaction would be the middle east. i think that we need to start in america. if i had a magic wand, i would remove the war hawks who are pushing for more war with diplomats to do some major reconstruction diplomacy. rebuild coalition forces in afghanistan and re-establish the elected government's autonomy. we need to pick a side in iraq and assist the elected government's autonomy and stabilize the country. with our re-established diplomacy- ask for coalition forces to help maintain stability in the region. we need to let israel do whatever it is doing- unless the country is doing our bidding- and then we would need to tell it to stop. once the region is stabilized- pull the hell out.

of course, the hawks in this country are lusting for blood. no way they would agree with this. some folks have said that we are the world's policeman. true- but why? we don't have to be- why do we do it? if we didn't do it- who would? why would it matter? we do it because we are arrogant and we believe that everyone on this planet is subservient to us because we can bomb the shit out of them. yes, every country on this planet has had hundreds if not thousands of years of war. i think that there is a 'john wayne' nostalgia among some folks in this country. war is not a proving ground and war is not glory. war is death and no good things come out of it. i am not getting into the 'necessary war' debate. there is no debate. sometimes you have to protect yourself- as in world war 2. this is not it.

as for fighting terrorism- we should have started at home. i was all for going to afghanistan to root out the responsible folks. we almost had him at tora bora but rumsfeld pulled back. that is for a different post. we needed to finish in afghanistan and leave- to focus on truly making the homeland safe- which we have not done. we are as wide open as we have ever been- except the current government has spied on citizens. i would focus on safeguarding our ports, energy plants, food supplies, water supplies, transportation. i would also fund it. bring the national guard home to help guard the homeland. that is what they are trained to do and what we need them to do. stop starting wars we don't have enough regular forces to fight.

i realize this is simplistic but why does it have to be complicated?

peace- what is it good for?

yes- i know it is really 'war what is it good for' but since we are at war against-oh everything in america and beyond- i thought it would be nice to ask a few questions.

how would you broker peace in the world? where would you start and why?

why are americans so war hawkish? meaning- not only do we have wars on terror and innocent civilians- but we have the war on drugs, war on families, war on christmas- you get the picture.

anyhoo- i will post my thoughts in my next post. comment away- and do some heavy thinking.

'it's too darn hot'

sweet jesus in a thong! (thanks to dusty at 'it's my right to be left of center' ) it is uncomfortably hot. for you folks in the west and midwest- thanks but we'd prefer not to share! we here in new york are about 10 degrees hotter than we should be and will be that way for the next day or two. we have a high heat and humidity warning going on here in binghamton- and i am sitting in front of the fan sweating my ass off- no spadoman- we only have air conditioning to sleep. not that i couldn't stand to lose some of my ass- that's for sure. the heat tends to make me cranky- so if my posts have a bit of an edge to them in the next few days- or the whole month of august- you'll know why. as i am fond of telling my husband- if i wanted to live where it is hot, i would have moved closer to the equator. the cats are understandably less than thrilled and the small one has taken to demanding an ice cube in her water periodically. i don't envy them their little fur coats that's for sure. the only consolation i have is this is a global heat. at least we are all sharing the wealth- from europe to south america to the arctic- the globe is hot, hot, hot!

thought for tuesday

to build may have to be the slow and laborious task of years. to destroy can be the thoughtless act of a single day.

sir winston churchill