on Mexico's west coast. Just behind us
a mother pig and her baby came sauntering down the hill.
It was a good day for a walk, a little snooze
and some exploring
but not too much.
Language itself is a barrier.
24/01/2005
Slow motion adventures
One morning, we drove to a tiny village
on Mexico's west coast. Just behind us
a mother pig and her baby came sauntering down the hill.
It was a good day for a walk, a little snooze
and some exploring
but not too much.
on Mexico's west coast. Just behind us
a mother pig and her baby came sauntering down the hill.
It was a good day for a walk, a little snooze
and some exploring
but not too much.
23/01/2005
21/01/2005
The Great Divide
533 Russian sable coats: 40 mil
26,000 Kevlar vests: 40 mil
One Bush lame duck inauguration: 60 mil
One life: ?
The lavish, second inauguration of George Walker Bush cost over $60 million dollars, when you count the $20,000 for yellow roses and the $20 million or so that taxpayers had to pony up to protect our War(monger) President. Wait. Not president. That's too twentieth century. Bush and company like to think of themselves as leaders of the New Empire.
Besides being ostentatious, the event was the height of irony. To people waiting hours in the snow to see him, our Kevlar-poster boy-Leader of the Free World, was nothing more than a distant dot, gliding by in a bomb-proof limo or waving from behind a rocket-proof shield. Once he got that out of the way, he and his cronies enjoyed the most expensive inauguration in American history. Beyond being another example of the guy's colossal ego and incredible bad judgment, the event offered a candid peak at his true values: power and prestige.
As many have already said, it should have been a simple event. But no. Apparently nothing is too good for Bush who, in his beaver fur cowboy hat, and accompanied by his glittering, fur-swaddled wife, flitted through the string of coronation style parties like pampered royalty. His tip of the Stetson to American soldiers rummaging in Iraqi garbage pits for makeshift body armor was a "Military Ball", topped off, of course, with a few prayers. Praise the Lord and pass tin cans. Naturally, Bush himself, is very fond of his Kevlar underwear, but I say forget about getting some for the troops. Just bring them home, NOW! We never had any business in Iraq in the first place. Be a man, Mr. President. Admit and correct your tragic mistake.
Having had enough of the brain drain, we tossed our TV out a few years ago. These days, I get my news almost exclusively from the internet, but here's a rare clip from the FOX PROPAGANDA CHANNEL (of all places) that is actually worth watching. Judy Bachrach from Vanity Fair gets in a few, very refreshing words about the pompous sham before being cut off by the interviewer. Unless you have a subscription, you have to watch a quick ad but, if you haven't seen it, it's worth a watch. But if you don't want to bother with a that, there's a transcript here. We all know what King George and his smirking toadies have to say about all this grumbling. Get over it. Right!
26,000 Kevlar vests: 40 mil
One Bush lame duck inauguration: 60 mil
One life: ?
The lavish, second inauguration of George Walker Bush cost over $60 million dollars, when you count the $20,000 for yellow roses and the $20 million or so that taxpayers had to pony up to protect our War(monger) President. Wait. Not president. That's too twentieth century. Bush and company like to think of themselves as leaders of the New Empire.
Besides being ostentatious, the event was the height of irony. To people waiting hours in the snow to see him, our Kevlar-poster boy-Leader of the Free World, was nothing more than a distant dot, gliding by in a bomb-proof limo or waving from behind a rocket-proof shield. Once he got that out of the way, he and his cronies enjoyed the most expensive inauguration in American history. Beyond being another example of the guy's colossal ego and incredible bad judgment, the event offered a candid peak at his true values: power and prestige.
As many have already said, it should have been a simple event. But no. Apparently nothing is too good for Bush who, in his beaver fur cowboy hat, and accompanied by his glittering, fur-swaddled wife, flitted through the string of coronation style parties like pampered royalty. His tip of the Stetson to American soldiers rummaging in Iraqi garbage pits for makeshift body armor was a "Military Ball", topped off, of course, with a few prayers. Praise the Lord and pass tin cans. Naturally, Bush himself, is very fond of his Kevlar underwear, but I say forget about getting some for the troops. Just bring them home, NOW! We never had any business in Iraq in the first place. Be a man, Mr. President. Admit and correct your tragic mistake.
Having had enough of the brain drain, we tossed our TV out a few years ago. These days, I get my news almost exclusively from the internet, but here's a rare clip from the FOX PROPAGANDA CHANNEL (of all places) that is actually worth watching. Judy Bachrach from Vanity Fair gets in a few, very refreshing words about the pompous sham before being cut off by the interviewer. Unless you have a subscription, you have to watch a quick ad but, if you haven't seen it, it's worth a watch. But if you don't want to bother with a that, there's a transcript here. We all know what King George and his smirking toadies have to say about all this grumbling. Get over it. Right!
19/01/2005
Humming bird in Oaxaca
This picture will eventually be included in my photofiles with other ones I took in Mexico last spring but tonight I'm just experimenting with Picasa2. Wow! Does it ever make things easy. I highly recommend you try it, if you haven't already.
Juniper Creek Writer's Conference '05
The second annual Juniper Creek Writer's Conference scheduled for the weekend of July 15th is going to be terrific. So far, thanks to the efforts of Ellen Hopkins and Bill Cowee, we have two outstanding writers lined up to lead the faculty. Christian Wiman, editor of Poetry Magazine will keynote, conduct workshops and judge the national poetry contest. Gayle Brandeis, novelist (The Book of Dead Birds) short story writer, poet, community and environmental activist, will do workshops and judge the national short story contest. Richard Eloyan, songwriter and poet, will do a workshop on songwriting, plus, we're expecting an editor from Simon and Schuster New York, a children's book editor, an agent, a screenwriter and many literary magazine editors to commit soon. It is going to be fun!
We're holding the conference at the Western Nevada Community College campus in Carson City. The cost for the weekend will be $150 although we'll be giving a scholarship to some student at each high school in Northern Nevada. The event will include a poetry reading on Friday night, a Western BBQ and musical performance on Saturday night (it looks like I may be in charge of the vegetarian part), and a literary magazine editors round table.
We're holding the conference at the Western Nevada Community College campus in Carson City. The cost for the weekend will be $150 although we'll be giving a scholarship to some student at each high school in Northern Nevada. The event will include a poetry reading on Friday night, a Western BBQ and musical performance on Saturday night (it looks like I may be in charge of the vegetarian part), and a literary magazine editors round table.
17/01/2005
Inauguration Day protests
This Thursday is Bush's gala Inauguration Day and he is treating himself and his corporate buddies to 4 days of parties, including Texas State Society's "Black Tie and Boots" ball, at which he'll serve up tons of beef, oceans of booze, and mountains of bullshit. All in all, the gaudy event will cost over 60 million dollars, about twice the amount of aide money he sent to help tsunami victims.
It doesn't matter that the corporations he gave huge tax breaks to are picking up the tab. It's obscenely insensitive. Some "moral leader". It's a Texas size event for a Texas size asshole. As he dances the night away, soldiers in Iraq are scrounging in garbage heaps for scrap metal for makeshift armor to protect themselves and their vehicles. Bush rejected criticism of his ostentatious celebration by claiming his Victory War Dance is his way of paying tribute to the men and women he has put on the line. A formal salute to troops is part of the inaugural program. What a hollow man.
Protests for every mood and mentality are planned around the country. Call me a slactivist, but probably the most I'll do is wear all black, observe the economic boycott suggested by Not One Damn Dime Day and bitch on my blog. Of course, I'll shop on Wednesday and Friday so what's the point? I don't know. But elsewhere there will street demonstrations like the silent Turn your back on Bush event planned in Washington DC. When Bush's bullet-proof limousine glides by, people will turn their backs on him. That could be visually interesting, especially if they are all wearing black. We love our photo opportunities. And there will be plenty of political theatre, a few counter-inaugural balls like the one being tossed by Billionaires for Bush, and elsewhere buffet feasts and free drinks for all. All fun, in true American style, but his Oil Wars are not only costing the lives of young Americans dragged into this thing through his back door draft, it is genocide on a nation of innocent citizens caught in the cross-fire. Nothing to celebrate.
It doesn't matter that the corporations he gave huge tax breaks to are picking up the tab. It's obscenely insensitive. Some "moral leader". It's a Texas size event for a Texas size asshole. As he dances the night away, soldiers in Iraq are scrounging in garbage heaps for scrap metal for makeshift armor to protect themselves and their vehicles. Bush rejected criticism of his ostentatious celebration by claiming his Victory War Dance is his way of paying tribute to the men and women he has put on the line. A formal salute to troops is part of the inaugural program. What a hollow man.
Protests for every mood and mentality are planned around the country. Call me a slactivist, but probably the most I'll do is wear all black, observe the economic boycott suggested by Not One Damn Dime Day and bitch on my blog. Of course, I'll shop on Wednesday and Friday so what's the point? I don't know. But elsewhere there will street demonstrations like the silent Turn your back on Bush event planned in Washington DC. When Bush's bullet-proof limousine glides by, people will turn their backs on him. That could be visually interesting, especially if they are all wearing black. We love our photo opportunities. And there will be plenty of political theatre, a few counter-inaugural balls like the one being tossed by Billionaires for Bush, and elsewhere buffet feasts and free drinks for all. All fun, in true American style, but his Oil Wars are not only costing the lives of young Americans dragged into this thing through his back door draft, it is genocide on a nation of innocent citizens caught in the cross-fire. Nothing to celebrate.
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