Lift off; Minerva, Hank and other old friends

Lift off, with the goods.

We're going to Los Angeles for a few days. I should be trying to sleep. We're leaving early. I always seem to do this, stay up late before a trip and have a lot of trouble getting up in the morning. Whywhy? Oh well. No deep thoughts after 9 pm. I left Delicata and Nugget slices of avocado, orange and banana plus the usual dry food and Minerva has a new block of suet. I think she may be a raven rather than a crow. She travels alone which is typical of ravens not crows. Mr. Lee mentioned it the other day and I was only too happy to agree. I like the idea. Ravens are cool and then I get to say, "she travels alone, not in a ......... murrrrrrrrrrrrderrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" (of crows). The legend of crows murdering one another isn't even true, as the FAQ points out, but it makes a good story therefore persists. And I am always up for a bit of drama. Minerva, on the other hand, is more into stuffing her beak, although she did fight off a couple of intruder crows the other day.


A few personal deities and friends of mine.


Hank is not in this happy group shot. He's taken to sitting on the top of my monitor, smoking cigars and talking tough. Ducks are like that, especially black ducks.

Feast

Delicata loves sweet oranges.

Heaven on earth
I gave the cockroaches a slice of a sweet, juicy orange the other day. It was a treat after I cleaned their terrarium. Nugget couldn't have cared less. She shot straight back into the dark safe hut. Delicata, on the other hand, loves sweet oranges. If it's not sweet, forget it. She stayed out and feasted, in spite of the fact that it was her first day out in a long time. The two of them have been laying low in the hot hut and we've hardly seen them all winter. I guess this is a sure sign it's spring. Well, and the fact that Delicata really loves oranges.

I liked the photo even though it was blurry so I slapped a couple of filters on it. The glow in the orange reflects the way Delicata feels about oranges, as does the way she is straddling it. All in all, it "captures the mood"... ecstasy. Ever think a cockroach could feel such happiness?

Bush forced to consider reality

Review May Shift Terror Policies

The shift is meant to recognize the transformation of al Qaeda over the past three years into a far more amorphous, diffuse and difficult-to-target organization than the group that struck the United States in 2001. But critics say the policy review comes only after months of delay and lost opportunities while the administration left key counter-terrorism jobs unfilled and argued internally over how best to confront the rapid spread of the pro al Qaeda global Islamic Jihad.

I'm still not expecting any kind of sane leadership from the White House because I don't believe any of them are capable of living in reality. They are high on hubris. They really fucked up after 911 by squandering the world's good will towards us. Did they learn? No. They continue to fuck up. The result? Now to many, terrorists are folk heroes. We all know it, even if we can't/won't admit it. I don't know about you, but that really pisses me off.

We can also thank this swelling anti-Americanism on the Christian fundamentalist, right-wing extremists and their Armageddon wet-dream. Like all fundamentalists, they believe they are "above the law"; forgiveness without accountability. They believe they can steal, lie, even murder for god with no consequences because they are forgiven. It's a lie. For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. That's a law. It doesn't merely apply to physical nature. It's true politically. It's true spiritually. Bush and Co. don't believe it so they are icons for these one-note, flag-waving, xenophobes with their hysteria, sense of entitlement, and addiction to one-dimensional solutions. Their uncritical, unwavering support of the Republicans is essential to the spread American imperialism.

As a result, our foreign policy is in shambles but karma (cause and effect), unlike "justice", truly is blind. Why wouldn't foreigners fear and/or hate us for swaggering around, waving the world's largest cache of weapons of mass destruction? We thrill at the evil empire in the movies. They see us rolling through their villages. It's so ironic. Bush, himself a military deserter during the Vietnam war, is the world's biggest bully. We can't bomb countries into the stone age and expect people to bless us for it.

To go over the short list again, Bush continues committing us and our children to more and more debt. He whipped up support for his invasion of Iraq by lying to us and continues to lie to us. He is responsible for the ongoing, needless deaths and maiming of thousands of innocent, young American soldiers and hundreds of thousands of innocent people in other countries. Ever wonder why we don't hear much about US military deaths in the news? After all, we are at war. The Bush mandated black-out on causality reports. shsssss......he prefers us to sleeeeeeeeep.....His administration is cloaked in secrecy and is doing everything possible to spy on US citizens...with no check or balance on its power. The guys in the backrooms, who stay in power as presidents come and go, like it like that. Currently, they are doing everything they can to pad the Supreme court with extremist toadies who will support their nefarious agenda's. They will continue running this game until we collectively, emphatically say NO!

Inchworm on a friend's grave

She was my first friend when I left home.


She had an indomitable spirit and kind heart.

Michael Ferguson and Lynne Hughes
The Charlatans, 1965
photo credit: Sam Andrew

It was strange visiting her grave years later.




After he died they buried her dog at her feet. She'd of liked that.

Lynne and her faithful companion

 

Plonk's legacy

Now that it's warm out and we're sleeping with the windows open, the early morning pigeons visiting my bird park are waking us up very early. This morning I shooed them off and promised Mr. Lee I'd stop tossing seed randomly in the grass, at least until things cool off again. Sadly, I've lost track of Plonk in all this. It's a long story.

I have to admit, I'm a bit embarrassed by all the pigeons that drop by for breakfast. I think they're a great bird but they do suffer from a bad wrap. Besides their kind of crazy group-coo (too many horror movies), the problem is that they hang out with humans and have a bad reputation because of it. People blame pigeons for being dirty but the fact is pigeons are just people tolerant. People are the dirtiest, most polluting creatures on the planet but still look down on pigeons. Swans hang out it parks but manage to stay aloof and enjoy a certain mystique. I'm hard pressed to think of one bird more tolerant of humans, other than buzzards.

Seeing so many pigeons outside my window, I have come to a new appreciation for their sense of style. They don't wear drab uniforms. I'm visited by white pigeons, black pigeons, metallic green, purple, silver, and blue ones plus all the regular muted beige, sienna, mauve, plum, yellow, cream colored "ordinary" ones mixed in. That is all.

Infiltrating Bilderberg 2005

Daniel Estulin: Infiltrating Bilderberg 2005



Novus Ordo Seclorum: "New Order of The Ages" or New World Order.
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Why is an Illuminati symbol an official US symbol? While we sleep, the annual Bilderberg Conference works. Could they be aliens bred into human bodies for the purpose of exploiting the resources of our planet and enslaving our population or are they the human manifestation of oil scum, living waste risen from the slit veins of the Earth so that we may all drink and drive? Perhaps they are covert because they are deeply humble and don't want all the love and gratitude we, citizens of the world, would heap on them for all the service they render humankind and all the cuddly animals, if we could. Decide for yourself.

It's done!

I took the manuscript for Ash Canyon Review to the printer today. If all goes well, it should be done in a week. It looks great and is a wonderful read. In fact, we're going to nominate a couple of the poems for the Pushcart Prize. We think they're that good. Well, more later. Got a movie to watch.

No spin zone

If you like hearing the rest of the story, check out zReportage. It's a site dedicated to "telling stories that need to be told."

Workshop, Miles the Dog and Ash Canyon Review

Brewery Arts Center, home of Ash Canyon Poets
The writer's workshop went very well today. We decided we have to do it again soon. Krista's going to lead next time. Some good poetry came out today's session. A couple of poems were nearly ready for submission in the first draft.

The workshop was scheduled for the Comma but the place was closed today due to illness so we trundled over to the Brewery Arts Center (where we meet on Friday nights). There were some interesting people outside the Comma when I first got there though, travelers doing a road trip documentary with their very cool Black Lab, Miles. It's a kind of Travels with Charley thing. They are searching out what there is of non-corporate America and were very surprised to find Carson City is in such a groove. They gave me their card with their URL, but I can't find the damn thing. If you guys happen to read this, send me your address again. I'd like to follow your trip. Thanks.

Ash Canyon Review, draft cover
Also, a quick update on the Review. Susan and I did the (nearly) final draft last night. Rita is proofing it again then, after some last minute corrections to Breakfast with Gothic Girl, we're about ready for the printer. It looks good. If you want a copy, lemme know. We're only doing a tiny run.

Home again

I've spent the last couple of days at the Reno Hilton. Lee's mom was in town and got us a room there so we could visit more easily. It was fun, but nice to be home. I refueled the bird feeders, tossed Minerva some peanuts and now I'm off again for an evening with some Ash Canyon poets. Saturday is our copy editors meeting for the Review and Sunday I do the writing workshop. It's almost like having a life.

Tuesday's amendment following "Blew" Monday

Crap . . . I'm guilty once again of sniveling and this time I even have to make an amends to someone else because of it. This is embarrassing....give me a minute....tickticktick...tock. Deep breath as Minerva lands for her daily popcorn. I owe my daughter an amends. In yesterday's post "I said she said" she didn't. And she called me on it. No door mat this girl and I'm glad of it. I put words in her mouth for dramatic effect. Not ok.

Note to K.: I'm very sorry for the dirty little trick. I tried dragging you into my web-o-lies. Bad mama. Thanks for calling me on it.






Variation on "skeery" house based on a fine drawing from Elizabeth Massie.

Questions without right answers

In response to a question, my daughter said to me the other day, "Why not do it, mom? After all, what are you doing besides blogging about the birds that visit your backyard and tweaking the hyperlinks on your basically dead website? I raised that girl to tell the truth. But is it the "whole" truth? No, if you don't know the background of the question. If you do, she's right. I have a writing project I'm not working on. The new project I'm considering would take time away from that...something I'm not doing. It would take from the time I am currently lavishing on pointless bird stories and web graphics. I say this with a glance to Minerva the crow who is outside at the moment, finishing up her popcorn breakfast. These days she doesn't fly off every time I move in my chair and that delights me. It's the small things. Anyway, I have a decision to make and to be that most obnoxious person who quotes herself, "It's noon at my place on earth."

Surprise yourself

I'm facilitating a writer's workshop next Sunday. By accident. Some people argue there are no accidents but if that is the case then this was happenstance. No doubt about it. Judge for yourself. Ash Canyon was planning to host a workshop/book signing for a UNR professor/poet sometime this month so I called Comma Coffee to see if the 22nd was available. As it turned out, the workshop was cancelled but a writer's workshop was added to the calendar anyway. The cafe print calendar went out with my name on it so what the hell? I'll do it. Come if you can.

Mid night ramblings

Couldn't sleep. Too many ideas running around my head. So I got up, made a cup of cinnamon tea and dinked around on the synthesizer for a while. That was comforting. Now it's just me, the keyboard and candle and, beyond the window, black night . . . edge of the starry, lapping sea. Listen closely. Words cannot go past this point.

Minerva in the rain

Minerva is one suet loving crow. She's been back every day since she discovered it last week.

I know it's her because of the pale feathers on her right wing. And now, of course, a couple of other big birds have caught on to the goodies and she is pissed. There was a brief but interesting mid-air battle which M. won.

She has been keeping me amused today as I worked on the Ash Canyon Review. It's coming along nicely. I've got all the poems formatted and pasted-up. It looks good.

Oregon Lit Fellowships

Here's something for my Oregon writer friends. Do yourself a favor and apply for one or both of these literary fellowships. The deadline is June 24th. There's no entry fee so what the hell? Leap before you look. After all, they want to give money to some Oregon writers. Why not one of you? At the very least you'll get a little more focused. This is an annual event so remember what the spider said, if at first you don't succeed, keep at it.
Touch
Fellowships ranging from $500 to $3,000 each are given annually to Oregon writers to initiate, develop, or complete literary projects in poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. In addition, a Women Writers Fellowship of $1,000 will be given annually to an Oregon woman writer of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction whose work explores experiences of race, class, physical disability, or sexual orientation. Submit 15 pages of poetry or 25 pages of fiction or creative nonfiction with an application by June 24. There is no entry fee. Send an SASE or visit the Web site for an application and complete guidelines.

Literary Arts, Literary Fellowships, 224 N.W. 13th Avenue, Suite 306, Portland, OR 97209. (503) 227-2583. Kristy Athens, Program Coordinator. www.literary-arts.org

Deadlines

What's the most important thing for a writer? Gary Short had a two word answer for that question recently. A deadline. That's certainly true at around here. Today is the submissions deadline for the first issue of Ash Canyon Review and we've got a fine magazine lined up. Gary and Bill (Cowee) reviewed the final picks yesterday. They are the editors. I did a mock up of the issue and gave it to Cowee last night at the Brewery. He's ecstatic. My god, he's fun to work with. His enthusiasm for this project is boundless. Everyone's excited. And he's right. It's going to be a great issue!

Bush hides from cloud

Poetic Justice by Joey T.

The following was reported by Julian Borger of The Guardian today:

"President George Bush was bundled into an underground bunker, Dick Cheney was evacuated to an "undisclosed location" and heavily armed secret servicemen took up defensive positions when a fast-moving cloud scudded towards the White House, it was reported yesterday. Such false alarms are common, triggered by clouds, flocks of birds or private aircraft wandering off course, but the White House confirmed yesterday that this was not the first time since September 11, 2001 that the president has taken refuge in the hi-tech bunker beneath the building, the Presidential Emergency Operations Centre. It was not clear yesterday what it was about Wednesday morning's cloud that created such havoc. It was moving at about the speed of a helicopter, disappearing and then appearing again on the radar screen, but the same could be said of many clouds."

Ya gotta love it. President Bush, the arm chair psychopath who fancies himself God's Personal Warlord, and Vice-President Cheney, the brains of the smarmy operation, scuttled to their bunkers today to protect themselves from what proved to be a cloud. There is poetic justice in that.

Table for one

Louie

You think you've got problems. Louie reported that Minerva the crow has been back several times today for more suet but at some point the screen holding it in place fell open and Minerva's very upset about it. She doesn't want to go near the damn thing but she wants more. Ever been there? Forget about terrorism, forget about the bunch of lunatics (GW Bush & Co.) infesting the White House, Minerva's world is fucked up. This I can fix. Excuse me, while I go out and close the suet cage.

Crow Woman and Lilth

Dinner at dusk

 Nevada

A crow is having dinner in the bird park as I write this. At the moment, she's gobbling big chunks of suet. I've cut back on the seed lately. Blame it on the pigeons cooing at dawn. But it's Saturday night so I shoveled out the goodies . . . and they came in droves.

Crow treats

French Fry Fellowship

I just reinstalled Hello so here's a test photo. It's from the recent French Fry party I threw in Seattle. Bill Gates, eat your heart out.

New territory

I applied for a Nevada Arts Council Fellowship this year. The council awards $5000 to six individual artists – two in literary arts, two in performing arts and two in visual arts including media arts (film, video). The deadline was Friday. I hand-delivered my 5 sets of 10 poems about 3 hours before the cut-off but I wasn't the only last minute entry. Tim Rhodes, another Ash Canyon poet, passed his envelope through the door at 5pm, just as they were closing. Ah, the drama! Cowee tells me the winners are selected in June at a day long, public event. Until I went through my files looking for material, I hadn't really appreciated the work I've done in the past year. I must say it's mostly due to Ash Canyon and especially Bill Cowee. He kicks everybody's ass into gear.

Bill Cowee, one of poetry's true honky-tonk angels.

PETA and PETCO agreement

Rat Woman, Hagwar and Buug
Invisible Theatre

Good news. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc. announced an agreement today that will advance animal welfare across the country. PETA will end its campaign against the national pet food and supply retailer and PETCO will end the sale of large birds in its stores. As there really is no such thing as a "cage bird", this is encouraging. PETCO also agreed to make some changes to benefit rats and mice, including separating the animals by gender to prevent breeding. A lot of these mice end up as live food for pet snakes. Ugh. I don't respect people who do that. Anyway, now the mice will have a bit better life along the way. That counts for something.

Empath

Another point of view

Perhaps I'm an empath. I've always had the ability to feel and see from opposing points of view at the same time. Grab a few, current hot topics out of the hat... abortion vs. choice, whether or not it's okay to perform medical experiments on animals, the death penalty, environment issues, gay marriage...I appreciate, even have strong feelings for both sides. I wonder how many people are like this. Hard to say. I don't think we make the news. People become famous basing their careers on being one-sided, the more inflexible, the more confrontational, the better. The public loves 'em. In fact, Big Media operates like a brothel madame for the media whores ever busy pandering all the sound and fury the world is willing to pay for.


Big Media Madame


Guess which one is the empath.

But don't assume that because I have a live and let live attitude, I don't have my own point of view. I have a very strong point of view. And I act on it. My bias? Compassionate Progressive. Are you surprised? Why am I telling you this? I don't know. I woke up with these thoughts on my mind and just had a very strong cup of coffee. By the way, did you write your senator yet about blocking the Rethuglican one party rule? See below.

Body screen TV protest

Bound to a wheelchair and repeatedly crossing the road in front of a local KFC, a protester in a giant chicken costume led a protest today against KFC suppliers’ abusive treatment of chickens. People passed out leaflets and held signs that proclaimed, "KFC Tortures Chickens." One man wore a body screen TV showing shocking undercover video footage of chickens in factory farms and slaughterhouses.

What is done to chickens would be illegal if it were done to dogs, cats, cows, or pigs. However, chickens are excluded from the only federal law that protects farmed animals, the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. An undercover investigation at a Moorefield, W.Va., slaughterhouse that supplies chickens to KFC revealed that workers were kicking, throwing, and stomping on live birds. Recently, PETA released the findings of an undercover investigation of a slaughterhouse operated by KFC'’s number one supplier, Tyson Foods, and found that workers were ripping conscious chicken's heads off, slaughter machinery was systematically mutilating chickens, and thousands of birds were being scalded to death after entering the defeathering tank while they were still conscious.

For more information, please visit KentuckyFriedCruelty.com.