Food for thought...

I really need to be more attentive of this site.

Healthy Foods...

We are what we eat - so the saying goes.

Ain't it the truth.

Americans cram pounds of crap down their gullets every day and spend billions trying to get rid of said crap after the fact. We want it fried, dried, fresh or frozen, packed with sugar, racked with salt, high fat, high carb, low fat, low carb, boiled and baked, covered in sauce, bathed in glaze, roasted, toasted, basted, tasted, leftovers wasted, extra foam, no room, skimmed, trimmed, take out the fat, heavy on the cream...three times a day.

We're fat. We're lazy. We love to tell our kids to eat their vegetables then give them a Big Mac 'cause we haven't got time for dinner. Our refridgerators hold six condiments, leftover Chinese, something brown, and a box of baking soda. We haven't a clue.

A single blueberry has all the natural ingredients to save our bacon but we add 2 grams of sugar, 8 grams of fat, dress it up like a work of art, give it a $13.00 price tag and call it dessert.

We give billions of dollars to people to tell us this and make us do something about it. They bend us, break us, pull our muscles, bruise our egos, take us to task, lift that bale, tote that barge, give me $800, now you're in shape.

We live in front of a box of shiny lights that sucks the imagination out of us like a puddle evaporating in the sun. It tells us what crap to buy, what to look for, what is in and what is out. It tells about a new gooey bar of processed sugar and fat that has more unpronouncable ingredients than a medical research project that's just waiting for your gluttonous consumption.

Whole industries have sprung up in the last 50 years that serve no purpose but to fill our arteries with cement. We spend decades of time and millions of dollars to break our bodies down then lament the high cost of fixing them up. No one wants to see to the root of the problem - no, that would be sacrilege. Thou shalt not bite the hand that feeds you this crap. We are a gloriously Capitalist Society and, God willing, will stay that way through every coronary bypass, diabetic coma, liver transplant and 31 flavors of cancer treatments.

And God help us if we run into those who've taken the pledge. Instead of going after the root cause of our food calamity - over-processing - they select certain types of food to rail against. No meat, no fish, no sugar, no milk, no eggs, no carbs, no fat, no dairy, no calories, no way, no how, no left turn, do not pass GO, do not collect $200.

Vegetables are a vital form of food, one that should be on every table at every meal. But so are meat or fish. The answer is not exclusion of food but balance and moderation. We have to re-learn to prepare our own food in a way that's healthy. Make the time to fix your own damn food. Take the time to feed your children what they need. Give them a reason to eat healthier. Fill them full of nothing but sugar and fat and you make them dependant on that crap like an alcoholic. Fast food is a multi-billion dollar industry because we are too damn lazy to cook the good stuff. Convenience has replaced responsibility. Parents would rather spend 30 minutes and $50 on fat, salty crap then spend $20 and an hour to feed their family a healthy meal.

Long ago we sat at the dinner table and ate like families. We prepared the food, set the table, got all the kids together with Mom and Dad and ate as a family. We discussed the day, asked each other about this or that, got kudos for the good stuff, got reamed for the bad; we saw each other as part of something wonderful. If someone was absent, they had their dinner set aside for their return - provided it was an acceptable reason. Screwing around with friends was not a good reason so no dinner was saved. There was a price to pay for missing dinner. No one could raid the fridge for goodies later, dessert was earned by good behavior not provided pro bono.

But we put all that aside. We enrolled our kids in soccer and ballet and baseball and softball and tae kuan do and boy scouts or brownies or any of dozens of other afterschool activities. Not just one though, we signed them up for two or three sports just to keep them busy so we could work longer at the office, see the girls at the club or finalize the sale of the Johnson house. We have to make an appointment to see the kids or our spouses. Every family member is glued to the cell phone or the blackberry, twittering, texting or talking to a spider's web network of other mindless robots, grabbing a quick bite at Mickie D's or Jack in the Box before heading out to the Mall. Even when we finally get back to the homestead, we plop our butts in front of the Shiny Box to watch the latest and greatest dreck ever conceived by demented minds about something called 'reality' that has no connection to the actual word just a distorted play on semantics about worthless pathetic victims of their own greed and gluttony.

We no longer use the dinner table to sit and eat. We use it to organize our bills, put the laptop down to work, or kept nice and clean with place settings of sparkling dishes in stylish colors that will never be obscured by gravy or spaghetti sauce. We eat standing up, staring zombie-like into dead space while talking into an electronic cockroach attached to our ear. Family members with white strings coming out the sides of their heads run in and out of the kitchen oblivious to everything except the sugary sodas in the fridge or the chocolaty sludge bars in the cupboard. Dinner isn't roast beef with gravy, mashed potatoes and green beans; it's a chili cheese burrito fresh out of the microwave with a Coke and a Ho-Ho.

We talk about change. We talk about doing what's right. We talk, talk, talk, talk until we can't speak any more. But we don't do.

Eat your own food. Drink real water. Buy fresh. Grow it yourself. Let your belly do all the processing. Spend your time with the kids at the park with frisbees, a ball and glove, or a volleyball. Eat dinner at the table then see a movie. The television isn't a lamp. Talk about what's on TV then decide if it's worth turning it on.

Get to know members of your family, I hear they're kinda cool.

Update: I posted this as a diary on the Daily Kos to see what response I would get. It only got about 3 feet from the line of scrimmage... Oh, well. So much for fame and fortune! I'll stick to my own neighborhood for now.

So Mote It Be,
David A.

What does it take?

What is it about the Right wing? They seem to live for hypocrisy. Usually, each of us can be counted on to do something or say something hypocritical – hell, its human nature. But we get schooled by friends or adversaries and shown back to the real world with our egos lowered a few notches. Not the Republicans. They seem to thrive on hypocrisy. It’s not even criticism anymore. They wear it like a badge of ‘honor’.

They speak out of every corner of their mouths, spewing any spurious tidbit of bullshit pulled straight from Karl Rove’s ass without any sense of regret. When called on it, they just wave the flag and accuse you of being a traitorous commie fascist who eats babies with hot sauce. They then smile at you and go on like nothing was out of place.

They speak to groups that they know will sit loyally in their seats without comment or criticism, staring into dead space with all the mental faculties of a dandelion, the attention span of a flea and the curiosity of driftwood.

I weep for America if these are the people that represent the electorate. We put Barack Obama in office but couldn’t defeat right wing crazies like Michelle Bachmann, John Boehner, and Eric Cantor. The current political playing field will look a lot different in 2012, no one will be looking at what’s best for America only what is popular.

Color me concerned, even a bit frightened.

The Democrats are in a position to cement their majority. They can take the lead on the issues that really matter to the ordinary people of America, not the lunatic fringe of the Right. These are inroads that can only reap rewards on those Democrats courageous enough to walk the talk. Courage is the only price they have to pay. Too bad it’s too big a price for many of those we put in Congress.

I watch the news. I watch the sessions of Congress and the meetings of committees led by people I used to admire and respect. All I see is fear and cowardice. The road to recovery is paved and clearly mapped out. All we have to do is put on our shoes and start walking down the road. Seems even that is too much for our leadership.

The Republicans have made their position crystal clear. They will do everything in their power to obstruct and destroy President Obama’s agenda. They will NOT compromise on this. Their leadership has voiced this in every memo and every media outlet right and left. Even the most inattentive backwoods hermit knows that the GOP is not going to help Obama in any situation.

Why do we still seek their support for our legislation? We know their answer. We know that they will vote NO. They may make noises resembling support or acquiesce but, in the end, all of our hard work making concessions will be for naught as they vote it down. So, why try? Leave them to their hypocrisy. The voters made them irrelevant; let’s keep them there. We have loose cannons in the Democratic caucuses that need to be addressed, why waste our energy and resources on a fool’s errand?

We, the progressive activists, put the hammer to nail building this agenda and the voters put their stamp of approval on it. They said, “YES, DO THIS!” Now, we put the message out to our elected officials and they fumble it trying to do this ‘bipartisan’ bullshit. It’s like the kid who gets his lunch money taken away every day bringing extra coin in the hope that the bully will leave him enough to eat with.

What is the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing in the same way over and over again but expecting different results?

We have to get a hold of this process immediately before the damage gets too big to fix. The Democratic leadership has to be pulled back into reality before they give away all of our lunch money to the Republicans. We’re bigger than them; we can say, “NO, I’m keeping my lunch money! Get Lost!”

Health care is the big issue dancing in the spotlight now. It’s so big it can affect the lives of every American right away. The only real solution is staring at us with big blue eyes. There has to be a viable, aggressive public option that can effectively compete with the private insurance companies. Too many legislators have accepted bags of coin from the insurance industry for real reform to take place. They are actively working against the best interest of the people in order to satisfy the will of their wealthy overlords. The money is too good to ignore. The smell of greed overwhelms the will of the voters.

This is what we have to fight. This is the face of our enemy.

Firedoglake has taken the lead in bringing some of the senators to task for their connection to the corporate lobbying groups with promising results. However, there are some who are anchored in their ways of greed and graft with their industry sugar daddies. Some of those people chair the very sub-committees and committees that we need to advance the public option. As it sits now, the public option has been watered down to the point of being an easy target for the insurance companies should it become law. It would be forced into obscurity and end up worthless and neutered by the forces it was originally supposed to compete with. Then, we would be back to square one with another failed attempt at reining in the one thing that would do the most to bring us out of this recession/depression. As Obama said, we can’t afford to fail this time. A failure now would doom Americans to many more years of skyrocketing health care costs, millions more denied care or coverage and an economy swirling down the bowl for no other reason than abject greed.

Aren’t we supposed to be better than that? There was a time when I thought we were.

So Mote It Be,
David A.

Sarah 'FAIL'in

In an attempt to steal the limelight from Michael Jackson, Sarah Palin committed political suicide on national television yesterday. Pundits from across the spectrum have been spinning this like a set of dishes at a cheap vaudeville show.

There's brewing evidence that a landslide of grief is coming down Mount Wasilla right on top of her new house on Lake Louise. Seems good ol' boy Todd got hisself some sweet deals from a contractor while he and his 'buddies' built their pretty new home on the lake. More like free building materials.

Then, as a way of rewarding good public service, or better put - servicing the public - this company got the prime bid on the Wasilla Sports Complex built while she was mayor. Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Wasilla have only a few thousand folks?

WTF do they need with a $13M sports complex? That is unless you have a willing contractor, a corrupt family of political hacks and a ready supply of free gov't money. Then, why the fuck not?

I come from a small town about the same size as Wasilla. They couldn't gather $13 million to build a sports complex without taxing the hell out of the unemployed loggers and orchardists that live there. They couldn't gather $13. I'm also sure that any attempt at such an action would result in mass lynchings of city officials. Why would Wasilla be any different?

Oh, yes... they have Sarah! She's as pure as the driven snow. And you know what snow looks like after it's been driven on.

The clocks are ticking on Sarah Palin's future. Some say she's quitting to prep for 2012. Bullshit, she's toast. She won't even get an invite to the convention by the time the dust settles on her. This scandal is still perculating, not ready to boil over yet, but Shannyn Moore in Alaska says the smart money is on total FAIL!

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

So Mote It Be,
David A.

Welcome to the Senate, Al Franken!

'Bout fucking time.

Coleman's been nothing but a punk through this whole thing. He was in a close race and that gives him the right to making sure the count was done correctly but there comes a time that when all the agencies involved say there were no problems, no major discrepancies or errors, courts have decided unanimously, and the people have given both their vote and their voice to Franken you just have to bow out and take your lumps. This is a case of a person who has no character, no ethics, and no sense of fairness.

He's an asshole. I can't see where this is a plus. This is a has-been wingnut politician who hopes to make a great big splash on the national scene. Everyone in the world has an asshole and nobody's looking for another one.

So, my man Al has prevailed!

This was at the Senior Prom in 1972
that's me next to him

Cool!

Now, Harry! You got your 60. Forget the Republicans! They mean NOTHING! Use your resources to keep the Dems in line. Gawd, why does that sound so unlikely? Why does my gut start to turn into knots when I think of Sen. Harry Reid doing his job? See my previous posts!

Can you imagine Chris Dodd in this spot? Or John Kerry? Hell, I would have loved to see Hillary Clinton in this job at this point just to see the heads explode all over Wingnutia! There are at least a half dozen Democratic senators who would take this opportunity to the Moon and back. John Boehner, Eric Holder, Mitch McConnell and the rest of the Republican leadership would be cleaning out their shorts at this point had there been anyone else in the Majority Leader's chair.

We have our 60. It's not herding cats, it's pushing magnets together. They have a natural repellent bred into them. I say call a meeting of the leadership and make it damn fucking clear what the goddamn agenda is. Then work it! No more fringes! Cut them off right now. Corral those Blue Dogs and show them the millions of fucking dollars the DSCC has and how much it can raise. Show them the best primary prospects that are circling the pond in their home states waiting for the chance to feed on the bones of the incumbent. We only need the Republicans to provide stepping stones and doormats to get into the Senate Chamber. After eight of the worst, most damaging years that these sleazy bastards gave us on a silver platter, I wouldn't even clean my shoes before walking on them. Call me petty.

So, what are we going to do about Harry?

Congratulations, Senator Franken!

this just in: Bill O'Reilly got the news while he was in the grocery store. Clean up on Aisle Four!

Update: No, that's not really me in the photo. I kid.

So Mote It Be,
David A.

For What It's Worth 2.0

I do go on about courage. It's not that I consider myself so courageous but I've been in the presence of those who've fit the bill. I try to live by their example, see the bullshit for what it is and not let it force me down a road I don't need to be on. This isn't rocket science, it's common fucking sense. There are standards of conduct that people should be living by, not anything religious or political but responsible. Treat others as you would have them treat you. Simply put, easily said and the most difficult to accomplish.

A standard like that leaves no room for greed, hatred or intolerance. It forces people to look at our neighbors in a new light, a new understanding. It allows us to see people as they really are and go from there. There will be lots of people who won't pass the test. Unfortunately, these people are just no damn good. Rather than go after them or react to them; we should just ignore them. Glenn Beck wouldn't be such a pain in our asses if he had no audience. He would be just another wingnut screaming at the wind.

But you say, how can we ignore these assholes? They infect us with their bile, foster open wounds in society and unravel any progress toward a better understanding between different groups. I say ignore by moving on without them. Cut them off from the discussion. Let them rant! If we engage the people who matter the most to them, their audience, that will leave them without a forum, without a base. Of course, there will always be a fringe who will buy into the poison Beck, Limbaugh, Savage Weiner, and the rest of the hatemongers sell. Fuck 'em. Isolate them by working for the folks who matter - Mom and Pop America. As long as we can engage the mainstream by showing them how important we think they are, they'll abandon the wingnuts like rats from a sinking ship.

For the most part this is happening now. Limbaugh parades his Arbitron numbers around like a gold star, making noise about how popular he is. Well, he has an audience, but a shrinking one. He takes weekly numbers and posts them as daily, his base is declining but becoming more vocal. He has to stir up the rabble, after all, the American people elected a black man as president despite his daily reminders of how awful that would be. As Gov. Schwarzenegger said on the Today Show a few years ago that 'Rush Limbaugh is irrelevant, I am not his servant." There's one Republican that won't be invited to the Tube and Lube party down in the Dominican Republic any time soon.

But Limbaugh isn't alone here. We have Michael Savage Weiner making fart noises about a 'fatwa' against Media Matters like this is supposed to send shivers of cold terror through their spines. Ordinarily this would be laughable, much of what the Weiner says is nothing but manure, however with the recent killings by right wing loonies we have to be aware of what these ass pimples are saying. It's no secret that they've come to realize just how powerful their words are to the Right Wing fringe. Despite the killings, perhaps because of them, the Crap Talkers on the Right are ramping up their vile. They all are counting on that lone listener who will hear the last word and snap. This is the antithesis of courage. A four year old girl touching a worm shows more courage than Limbaugh, Weiner, O'Reilly, or Beck have in their entire pathetic lives.

Cretins like these should play no role in the reconstruction of the American Ideal. They only exist to keep us honest, to reinforce the common threads that bring us together. They show us what happens when you lose all sense of community, all self-respect and get your head permanently lodged in your ass. They are the rats that congregate around our social garbage. If we deal with the trash, the rats will go away.

Talk show idiots aren't the only pustules on our ass. We seem to have developed a few in leadership roles too. The Republicans in Congress are a cadre of hacks, crooks, fools, and cheaters. Just put a camera in front of them and they can't help but prove this to the country. They have show the world they're an idiot. It's like a contest amongst them. Who can be the biggest idiot on the Network News?

Which brings me to the next part of this screed. The Democrats. I've mentioned the bad guys, now I need to bring up the 'good' guys. Who's a bigger fool, the idiot you expect to say something stupid or the one who comes out of left field with it? I expect the Right to be idiots, it's their nature. Can't expect the zebra to walk away from its stripes. But I had hoped to see the people I helped put in the majority show some spine. I thought that the only reason Democrats were so wimpy and soft on the Republicans over the last eight years was simply a measure of power. You can't do much as a minority party.

Boy, was I wrong! The Repugs have a smaller minority than what the Dems had and are hamstringing ever effort at turning this country around. The Dems have a fillibuster proof majority and they are being held up, frozen in fear. WTF?

I mentioned the cowardise of the Right Wing talkers, how disgusting they were. But I have to place the cowards in Congress, my own Party leaders, beneath the likes of Limbaugh and Weiner. They have the votes, they have the people's will, they have a strong leader in the White House and they still crumble like a graham cracker at every turn. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is the biggest of the cowards. He's the worst of the worst. Our little girl with the worm could probably make Sen. Reid piss himself. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is not as bad but still terrified of the GOP. What are these marshmallows afraid of?

We should be driving our agenda through Congress like a Mack truck through a corn field. Progressive issues would be discussed and debated, voted on and put on the President's desk in record time. The recovery would be in full swing and the people would be reaping the fruits of their vote last November. But, NO! We have a couple of dozen Republican Senators running the show. Sen. Reid spends his day cowering under his desk so the leadership of the Senate is taken over by Boehner, McConnell and the rest of the GOP caucus.

I mention courage. There is no courage in the Democratic leadership. None. When challenged, they always seem to fall back on claims of strategy, chamber rules, and super-secret back room manuvering. Bullshit! The GOP has Reid by the balls, parading him around like a child's pull toy for all to see and laugh at. None of the other Democrats in the House or Senate seem to want to step up and challenge this. The ones that try are shot down in flames by their own party, leaving the Repugs to piss on the wreckage. How many times has good legislation been torpedoed by the Dem leadership, only to have the GOP pick up the pieces, toss it in the bowl and give it a final flush? The Recovery Package, EFCA, Closing Guantanamo, Single Payer Health Insurance, real climate change legislation, energy policy, immigration... the list of casualties goes on.

Who the Hell are these people working for? Certainly not me.

So Mote It Be,
David A.

Sad day for icons...

This hasn't been a good week for icons of my youth. A few days ago, I mourned the loss of Ed McMahon, someone I watched as a young insomniac with Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show. He was always the foil to Johnny's antics but was the rock that kept the Master in check. I understand he was destitute at the time of his death. He deserved better.

God Speed Ed. Johnny's got your spot on the couch waiting for you.

Then yesterday, I hear about Farrah Fawcett going back into the hospital. I knew from what I had heard about her illness this was the final time. She passed away a short time later. She was the first poster girl for this old fool. My story about her involved the last day of high school, May 20, 1977. I was wearing a t-shirt with her iconic poster on the front. My classmates and I had just spent the lunch hour in a massive water fight. We went back into the school building only to be confronted by the Principal. I was talking to a couple of my classmates who were drenched by the water fight. These young ladies had forgotten to wear anything under their shirts so, needless to say, they had my undivided attention. The Principal came up to us and without looking in my direction (yes, his eyes were occupied) he ordered me home to change my shirt. The poster of Farrah was, in his opinion, obscene. I said no. He threatened to keep my diploma and I dared him to do it. Nothing came of it. That was the first time I stood up to an authority figure.

Thanks Farrah, your beauty was legendary but it also gave me the courage to stand up for my rights. Goddess Bless You!

Just now, I read where Michael Jackson has died of a heart attack. Lately, I haven't been a great fan. His antics were kinda creepy in the last few years. However, I remember a time when it was just his brothers and he and they were singing as a group. The Jackson Five had lots of hits and yes, I was a fan. Michael struck a chord with me because he was just a few months older. I saw someone my age hit the big time and become an icon. Thoughout the years, I saw him undergo a transformation that concerned me. He seemed to need something that he didn't get as a child in the spotlight. I think this was one reason he strayed from the norm so often. He didn't have the chance to develop an anchor growing up, a stable place or mindset that would give him comfort and security. I don't think he ever had a sense of home.

Be at peace, Michael. At long last.

They say celebrities die in threes. It's a morbid game but we all play it. These were three fellow humans with great talent and creativity. They touched our lives and entertained us. But they were only human. We owe them our blessings and condolences to their loved ones during this painful time.

So Mote It Be,
David A.

Senate Democrats...Have I got a deal for you!

Right here, right now... you can be the proud owner of a brand new, state-of-the-art Spinal Column for the low, low price of one vote!

Just take a look at this beauty!

You won't see this kind of craftsmanship anywhere in Washington DC. Be the first in the Chamber to have one, be the first one in your Committee to put it on display for all Americans to see and admire.

* Republicans giving you the jitters?
* Are your nightmares always tuned to Fox News?
* Does the sound of Rush Limbaugh's voice cause you to wet yourself?
* How often has Newt Gingrich taken your lunch money?

You NEED one of these NOW!

They come in all sizes, fortified and strengthened for long term use. No complicated installation, just use your vote correctly and the SPINE will insert itself!

With these babies, you can stand up to the Republicans like a lion to a lamb. No one will threaten a filibuster, use terms like 'weak', 'timid', or 'bipartisan compromise' in your presence ever again!

We're OVERSTOCKED! Ordered way too many after the election of 2008 so our overconfidence is your GOLDEN opportunity!

ACT NOW! These SPINES are top quality but won't last long on the shelf. If not used soon, they'll start to crumble. GET YOURS NOW!

See your local PROGRESSIVE constituent for details.

So Mote It Be,
David A.

Happy Father's Day - a Tribute

I've mentioned my dad in many comments throughout the Toobs so now I want to put it out there in style.

My dad is a child of the Depression. He was raised in a rural area with few jobs and fewer social services. Back then, you took care of yourself as best you could 'cause there was no bailout, little charity and most of your neighbors in the same boat as you. My grandparents couldn't afford to live together most of the year. Grandpa would be staying at a logging camp and Grandma with her brother and his family. Dad stayed with his other uncle on his ranch on the Colville Reservation. Dad got to know most of the Indian kids his age from those years. Through it all, Dad never lost his perspective that no matter the situation, you always had options even if they were hard to do.

He played basketball in high school, was pretty good too. He held the single season record for points scored for 20 years, until a kid from Spokane broke it by one point in 1970. A couple of colleges wanted him to sign up but there was not much of a scholarship so he declined and went to work at the lumber mill. It was 1950. After a year of working in the mill, Dad got a chance to fall trees. This meant more money and better job security. However, once he got started as a logger, the Korean War came calling. Dad went into the Navy.

He was lucky and didn't see any action. His first ship went to Korea just as he was reassigned to another ship, one that had just come back. He only stayed for one hitch. Then, it was back to the woods.

One has to take into consideration the nature of this kind of work. Today, there are dozens of safety systems in place to protect timber workers from accidents but there are still fatalities. In those days, loggers had little safety equipment save a tin hat, leather gloves and thick leather chaps (if you could afford them). Dad saw many of his buddies succumb to the dangers of falling trees. There's no amount of experience or calculations that can tell you how a tree will fall. You just take a good guess and hope you have a clear path out of the way.

He worked the woods of Northeastern Washington for 50 years. His legs bear the scars of chain saws and fir trees, snake bites and burns. When his woods caught fire, he picked up his McCulloch and went to carve fire lines. A few times he was nearly overrun by fire, but I think Mother Nature had a soft spot for him.

In 1956, he married my mom and soon had a gaggle of kids running him ragged in a two bedroom, one bath house. I have seven brothers and sisters. From 1956 to 1970 about every two years, there was a new screaming poop factory added to the fold.

He and my mom never flinched in taking care of us. There were no vacations but there were day trips and picnics to the campgrounds and backwoods areas Dad knew well. My brothers and I would accompany Dad hunting sometimes but we never got anything. I don't think any hunter got a buck within a hundred miles of my brothers and me, loudmouth little punks that we were. But it was time with Dad. Good time, time to bond and fart and show Dad that you knew the proper way to handle a knife without a trip to the emergency room. We would go fishing with my sisters and catch loads of fish on Conconully Lake even if it meant we had to touch fish guts.

Dad never made more than $30,000 per year his whole career, that was the last year before the mill close. I remember my college financial aid form had Dad's income in 1976 at $18,000. I can tell you as a fact that we were never poor. We always had food, clothes and trips to the movies once in a while. The clothes came from the church rummage sale sometimes, the movies were far and few between but we weren't deprived. The food mostly came from Dad's buddies who bartered with him for meat, eggs, and such. Dad got end cuts from the mill that we chopped up and split for firewood. Cords and cords would be stacked in the back which would go out to his buddies that had ranches and orchards. Dad would get a half beef which would go to the butcher for cutting and wrapping. The butcher would keep the fancy steaks, cut roasts and some steaks and make hamburger out of the rest. Little to no cash would change hands. Dad also would pick apples on the weekend during the fall for a bit of extra cash for my glasses or my brother's football camp. Dad also had a garden. We've always grown our own veggies. Dad's garden took up most of the back yard at first but dwindled in size as he got older.

Now, Dad's retired and living the easy(!) life with Mom and my sister. He still has a garden - Boy, does he still have a garden. If I live to be a hundred I'll never have the talent at growing that he does.

Let me introduce you to my dad and his garden...

taken in 2005, he's 74 here.

the backyard (June 2004)- the grass on the left and behind the building were once garden too.
From someone who had to pull weeds in that garden, I can't tell you how thankful I am that the grass was planted.
In the garden, the beans on the left are on an archway trellis. They grow up the wire and meet at the top.
Then you have a 'tunnel' of beans that we walk through and pick.

Everyone thinks their dad is the greatest and I'm no exception. I've learned a great deal about life, responsibility and honor by his example. I hear lots of guys talk shit about courage and what it means to be a 'man' - well, that's it right there. You'll find no better example of what a man is supposed to be like. Don't take my word for it, I've got seven siblings that'll say the same thing.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there.
And especially to the one who means the most to me.

Thanks, Dad, for everything!

So Mote It Be,
David A.

The Revolution WILL be televised: You can't stop the signal, Mal

The Supreme Leader has spoken. He's thrown down the gauntlet to the Iranian protesters and put their leaders' heads on the chopping block. Mir Hossein Moussavi and the rest of the wronged candidates in Iran's sham election were put on notice that the election is over, Ahmadinejad is president and any 'violence' is on their heads.

This means Ayatollah Ali Khamenei can call out the Republican Guard (wonderful name for a repressively murderous bunch of savage sycophants, eh) crack down on the protests and do a Tienanmen Square on these people then put the blame on Moussavi.

I wouldn't put a ten dollar bet on Moussavi lasting two weeks in this climate. My gut tells me we're seeing the birth of the end of the Supreme Leader.

A lot depends on the reaction to this speech in the coffee shops and rooftops. Are the Iranian people angry enough to defy their Supreme Leader? Will they throw Moussavi to the wolves and accept Ahmadinejad's warped election? If he was unpopular before, he'll be a freaking pariah after this.

Rachel Maddow pointed out some of the most glaring discrepancies in the election last night on her show. She mentions a few Iranian towns that defied logic and posted more than 100% voter participation. One village, Taft, had returns of 141%.

Apparently, the Ayotollah thinks this is God's way of ensuring a landslide for Ahmadinejad.

What brings me to mention this on my blog is the video series I posted a few weeks ago by Rick Steves on Iran. I had the whole series posted but the segments have been removed by YouTube. The video is only $20.

In the video, Steves goes through the cities and talks with the people. It points a big stick in the perception of the great boogieman that Bush's cohorts created about these people. Yes, the Ayotollahs are repressive and theocratic but the Iranian people, as we've seen recently, are not the 'Axis of Evil' that Cowboy George and Prick Cheney made them out to be. It would behoove us to realize this in the wake of what may happen in the next few days and weeks.

The American people have plenty of demons to deal with. We don't need the government telling us lies to gin up support to overthrow another damn country. Our record on this front is dismal to say the least. Many would like to forget some of the bullshit we pulled back in the day, especially in Iran. Sen. Saxby Chandliss, a GOP goon from Georgia, claims that our well-documented involvement in overthrowing the democratically elected Iranian gov't to install the Shah in 1953 is old news and that he's sure that no one in Iran would remember something that long ago.

Senator Dumbass, Gettysburg was 145 years ago and I dare you to find a fourth grader who doesn't know about it. America's involvement in bringing back the worst dictator in modern Iranian history kinda sticks in the mind. Perhaps the fact that millions of people who lived and suffered under the Shah are still fucking alive makes that happen.

Obama is playing this correctly. We can't let the Iranian authorities use our rhetoric to give them reason for a crackdown. Our silence forces them to take ownership of any violent actions they take against the protesters. However, loudmouths like John McCain, Chandliss, and the rest of the GOP clowns give aid and comfort to the Ayotollah and his Republican thugs. (you know, I've written that phrase before!)

My heart goes out to the Iranian people. It's their country and their responsibility to make it right. They don't need and don't fucking want any help from us, other than getting the message out.

You can't stop the signal, Mal.

Update: It's confirmed! 4:00pm local time tomorrow (4:39am PDT) the protest is ON. Also, the Repubican Guard has ransacked Mussavi's office and ordered him to be silent.

Tomorrow is June 20th but will it be the 4th of July for the Iranian people? The clock is ticking...

So Mote It Be,
David A.

Politics, a game for fools, clowns and scalawags

Hope is a important part of how we accept things that may not be great for us. Hope that times will get better. Hope that the bump in the road is short and not too damaging. Hope that our leaders will step up and take us down the correct path to recovery. Hope is the fuel that sustains our patience.

We are running out of gas.

Health care is an abomination in this country. Those who can pay way too much for far too little. Doctors spend as many hours weekly on paperwork than they do on their craft. Hospitals trim essentials from those least likely to afford them just to keep lining the pockets of corporate investors. HMO's, Big Insurance, Big Pharma are doing their corporate damnest to kill the one option in our health care debate that offers the greatest hope for the most Americans. Single payer, or a national public health care plan, offers to cover the most people at the lowest cost for a modest payroll deduction. As I see it, one version has no co-pay, no deductible, and applies to all physicians and health care providers. Contrary to the popular lies of the never-right wing, there is no restriction of doctor choice, or hospital. Paperwork is streamlined to ensure the most efficient process.

Robert Reich, a man I've grown to admire since his days as Secr. of Labor under Bill Clinton has a bit to say about the prospects of the single payer option in the current health care debate. In his words: "Big Pharma and Big Insurance are gaining ground in their campaign to kill the public option in the emerging health care bill."

Hope is becoming a dry hole.

I won't presume to know what each of you think of the different options being considered in the health care debate, but if you're anything like me, you can't afford to shell out thousands of dollars for care that should be a birthright. For-profit health care providers, insurance and pharmaceutical companies only see numbers when looking at patient claims. How much money can we make by culling the claims down to just those who can pony up the pennies? How can we convince Congress to keep the status quo in place so that our profit margins stay the same or perhaps go up?

The answer? Meet Senator Max Baucus, (D-MT). He chairs the Senate Finance Committee which is in charge of the discussion and debate of the health care crisis and possible remedies. He has made statements recently that place the single payer option off the table. He said: "We need a uniquely American result. And that will be a public/private
hybrid. There may come a time when we can push for single payer. But that time is not yet, and so I'm not going to waste my time."

Why would he make such a statement? Why drag our feet with the one issue that concerns the most Americans? How can providing the most coverage in the most efficient way be a 'waste of his time'?

Who is whispering in Sen. Baucus' ear? What reason could he have to delay this? Could it be this?

Contributor	Total	Indivs	PACs
Schering-Plough Corp	$92,200	$64,200	$28,000
New York Life Insurance	$80,400	$43,900	$36,500
UST Inc	$73,950	$37,950	$36,000
Amgen Inc	$70,750	$35,750	$35,000
Blue Cross/Blue Shield	$62,350	$21,350	$41,000

“Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive” Sir Walter Scott 1771-1832

Hope is what sustains us. Those of us who rely on our health care providers to give us peace of mind and decent care don't need the added stress of finding pennies under the couch to pay for it. I pay for insurance through my employer. They provide the plan, take 'X' amount out of my check in addition to their contribution. Yet each year I pay more, they pay less and my coverage goes down. Over the last 18 months, I've accrued $8300 in doctor's bills after insurance. Nothing I was treated for was exotic or experimental, just the trials and tribulations of living to the ripe old age of 50.

If Sen. Baucus were to have had the same medical treatments I've had, he would have no bills, no payments to make. He has the advantage of being covered by a public, single payer government health plan.

Single payer is the best hope for all Americans who struggle to pay their medical bills. The big insurance and pharmaceutical compaies will do anything legal and otherwise to keep this abominable situation from changing. To them, it's all about keeping their wallets full; the health of the people be damned.

Support the Single Payer Option.

Update: Nunya, over @ Politickybitch gave me a cool link in the comments. (Thanks!)
"119 million Americans want a public option. Why aren't Politicians listening?"

The easy answer? Because 119 million Americans don't contribute to Sens. Grassley and Baucus' campaigns.

So Mote It Be,
David A.

Friday Afternoon Cartoons for Old Hippies

Here's a few vids to keep the memory cells from going soft. I haven't seen these in years and thought that many of you would get a kick out of taking a step back to those days of running home after school to see these 'Toons.




Big fan of the Herculoids. Not sure why.



This last one is the keeper! The origins of Mr. Peabody and Sherman!

Enjoy the cartoon history lesson, I have to get Peabody's W.A.B.A.C machine back before he knows its gone!

So Mote It Be,
David A.

Time for the Garden

Been pretty serious lately. Lots of anxiety in the Toobs this past week. Through it all, I've been tending my meager garden of veggies and herbs. Net buddies Monkeyfister and the Ornery Bastard, Busted Knuckles have posted about their contributions to the produce aisle, now it's my turn.

I live in a small apartment with limited sun coming from the east and southeast. Trees line the parking lot on my east so the sun doesn't get to shine on my plants until around 10 or 11am. Regardless, I'm growing some tomatoes, peppers and some herbs. I hope to get some potatoes in a planter real soon.

Here are some photos of my progress...


These are the tomatoes. On the left is Sunsugar Cherry and LaRoma on the right. The Roma was moved to this spot for the photo then moved back into the sun. So far, so good. Lots of blossoms and there are bees around.


Here are my peppers. We have Yellow Bell on the top, Serrano in the middle and Super Chili on the bottom. The yellow bell and the super chili have started to bud, the serrano is still thinking about it.


My herbs so far. I have rosemary on the left, basil and greek oregano at right front and hiding in the right rear is lemon thyme.

Mmmm, can hardly wait!

Update! Go forth and take a look at Monkeyfister's place. He's got some damn fine photos of his garden up for all to see. Also, if anyone has pics of their efforts and want some props, I'll be happy to post them here with proper kudos.

Weather Update! Buggers! Came home last night from work to find that the minor lightning storm we had blew my garden from one side of the deck to the other. My poor Yellow Bell was sent careening down two stories to the pavement below. I got everyone back in place, watered and secured them and hope like mad that this didn't set me back. These kids were doing so well! I should have expected the wind but was preoccupied as I was rushing out the door.

Happy Gardening!

So Mote It Be,
David A.

Courage and Cowardice

Courage is a rare commodity in the halls of leadership today. I see faces on my TV box that are supposed to be in my corner giving aid and comfort to the enemy, namely the GOP.

Senator Harry Reid...grow a fucking spine. Jesus H. Christ, Senator, you fold more than an old lawn chair. He covers his yellow streaked ass by making it out that he's a crafty strategist. How can it be good strategy to cave in to your opponents at every turn? What, win the battle by losing the war? I think the reason he's so scrawny is from all the lunch money he had to fork over as a kid. I hear he was a boxer. Well, how many boxers lose a fight with their own shadow?

When I speak of courage, understand the distinctions I make when using a well-trod upon term. Courage is listed in the dictionary as: "the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery."

There are aspects of courage that are more observable, more apparent by action rather than attitude, than just a 'quality of mind'. Any one can talk a good game of 'courage' but what happens when they face that insular moment when the talk has to be substantiated? Courage isn't a soundbite, it doesn't exist only in novels and history books. It exists in the actions taken by those who need it - now.

One problem is that we are a visually based society. If we don't see it, it does not exist. We claim the reverse to be true as well; if we do see it, we believe it. Just seeing something gives many of us all the proof we need that a certain condition exists. Conversely, if someone tells us that something doesn't exist because he can't see it, we tend to believe him because he seems to have gone to the trouble of looking for it so it must be true. Seeking out verification for what we claim and what we believe is hard. Too hard for talking heads who make their living on the people's ignorance and the politicians who service them.

I consider most right wing talkers and bloggers to be abject cowards. I say most because recently I witnessed Chicago talk show host 'Mancow' Muller subject himself to water boarding to show that it's nothing but getting wet. He got schooled and schooled hard. He lasted six seconds without interrogation. Afterward, he related an epiphany - "yes, this is torture and I have to admit that"

That took courage. Not only to be subjected to the pain of the water board, but to go on to admit that he (and the rest of his cohorts on the AM dial) were wrong about this form of torture. So, give him props for doing something Hannity, Limbaugh, Fox Nuz, and Newt Gingrich would never do.

I look for courage in my leaders. Sounds sappy and trite but I expect the people elected to high office to have a modicum of courage to accomplish the task of running the country. I see it in the President but it's Deja vu' all over again when he starts backing off issues near and dear to progressives. We saw it during the Clinton years. Lots of speeches, lots of promises, then the aides and advisors come in and pour cold water over the whole agenda. Obama needs real leadership in both the Senate and the House. Instead he got cowards. Reid has to go. For the sake of the nation and the progressive movement in general, Harry Reid must be sent to the Old Washington Home for Cowards, Capitulators, and Compromisers.

The issues that mean the most to the American people are coming to the forefront now. Health care, education, economic assistence, global climate change, energy, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan need, no - beg for a radical shift from the status quo solutions. We've done the ol' 'tried and true' and found them to be wholly inadequate for the task. The Repugs want the ship to stay the course. They're on the Titanic and still feasting from the buffet line. Why give up a good thing if it feeds the greed?

Courage. My dad has it in spades. He worked the woods for 50 years as a logger and helped raise 8 kids with near poverty wages. Our troops have it too. They serve with honor and distinction and still get the shitty end of the stick in pay, rotation, and respect. I've seen courage come from little kids, feeble old folks, and young people of all colors and creeds. But we are losing our center by not focusing on making a courageous life the only life we should be striving for. We teach our kids how to get around the rules, how to shirk the responsiblities inherent in life. They enter adulthood with the education to be a con artist, not a responsible human being.

I'm tired of watching my leaders cower under their desks in Congress. Sick and tired of seeing Repug wingnuts give wedgies and noogies to the people I have to rely on to run this country. The Democratic Party better take a long hard look at their leadership and start making some definitive changes while we still have control of Congress. Most of the Dems I see on my TV Box haven't the backbone of a marshmallow Peep.

So Mote it Be,
David A.

This is our time

This is our time. Time to boldly take the next step or fall back and let the cowards take over.

We worked our asses off to get here. Through the Reagan years and four years of Poppy Bush, we endured a lot of crap. In the 80's, the GOP came in and started their policies of corruption and greed. Reaganomics was a joke. It was only a scam to make the rich richer and the poor irrelevant. Even some Democrats got caught up it the bullshit 'cause no one can say no to a free lunch.

But we persevered. We got Bill Clinton elected and, although not exactly what we were hoping for, he was good enough to set the ship of state on the correct course. But somewhere along the way, we lost our courage. We became complacent and weak. We elected marshmallows instead of statesmen, chickenshits instead of cougars. Clinton did a lot to further our cause but he fell far short of the goals we needed to accomplish. We didn't take full advantage of the opportunities that were made available to us because we were afraid of what our enemies might think of us. We stopped in the middle of the race because we were winning. Somehow we considered that bad form.

It was this lack of courage that led to the election of the Village Idiot. We even shied away from standing up to the hoards of goons that took away the presidency of Al Gore. We sat back and bitched but didn't fight. The GOP saw that they were losing and pulled out all the stops, left no stone unthrown and snatched our victory out of our trembling fingers. They did it, not because they were stronger or smarter; they did it because they knew we would let them.

We suffered through eight fucking long ass years of an egotistically elitist buffoon as Commander-in-Chief, a megalomaniac as his VP, a cadre of crooks, liars, and thieves running the country with policies that put the United States in the same shoes as a Third World dictatorship. The effects of our cowardice will be felt for years, perhaps decades to come.

Now, we have a new leader. Somewhere, somehow we found the moral cahones to put a man in the White House who has the potential to put us back on track and take us to the Promise Land. Obama is showing all the signs that he has the stuff but do we?

Is this going to be Clinton Era 2.0? Will we lose our spine just as the big decisions need to be made? It happened once, will we let it happen again?

Look at the news running across the 'Toobs today. Everywhere we look we see the Bullshit Media licking the asses of the Republican Talkers for their next big soundbite. The airwaves are full of GOP crap about everything from Speaker Pelosi's torture memo to Obama's yet-unpicked Supreme Court nominee. The wingnuts are doing the same thing they did when Clinton was in office: control the word, frame the speech and make sure the Democrats have a nice, safe table to hide under.

Not this time! Not while I draw breath!

I didn't work my fat white ass off to see a bunch of mealy-mouthed Democratic marshmallows take this victory and piss it away. The time to take a stand is right fucking now!

Many of my friends on the web have a lot more traffic than I and I hope this call to arms sings for them. We have so many tools and weapons at our disposal. Jesus H. Fucking Christ on a Pancake, our troops are light years smarter than they are. We can control the news if we choose. All it takes is for the face of the Democrats to be someone who can fight back, not let the wingnuts shout them down. Put it to them. Make them ask the hard questions. If the Media won't, we should. Ask them over and over on every news talk show until they get it. Above all challenge every lie, every claim, every word that spews forth from the Repugs about every issue.

David Waldman from Daily Kos took a couple of wingnuts to the shed the other day. This is what we should be doing. Every Damn Time. No more Joe Lieberman. No more Evan Bayh. No more Ben fucking Nelson. it's time for the leadership to do what the fuck they're supposed to do. If a Democrat goes rogue and starts backing off the GOP, slap him/her down. This is no time for cowardise. It's long past time for courage. We have to learn how to grow back our spine.

The GOP is in the toilet now. We knocked them around and almost out of the way. Many would say we should back off and let them regroup. It would be the 'sporting' thing to do. Compassion and charity, I guess.

Bullshit! The GOP invaded our space, flaunted our laws, trashed the country, gave our enemies the resources and will to stand against us and pushed this country to the brink of a global economic disaster just to line their pockets and golden parachutes. We don't show compassion after that. The GOP is on the ground, we don't offer a hand up.

We step on their neck! No Mercy! No Quarter! Take the fight to them and never back down!

This is our time! Get off your asses and start fighting back!

So Mote It Be,
David A.

The Supremes confirm it! Fed law does not trump state law

San Diego County in the great state of California was sent packing today by the US Supreme Court. They have been trying for three years to overturn California's medical marijuana law, especially the part that says they have to issue patient ID cards. This fine bit of news was lifted off the NORML website. Paul Armentano does a better job of running down the goods on the ramifications of this decision.

"Let’s be blunt: San Diego and San Bernardino’s protracted lawsuits — lawsuits that arguably cost county taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars and jeopardized the health and safety of thousands (if not tens of thousands) of citizens — were never about resolving legal ambiguity."

This is the kind of push back we have to expect from the Prohibitionists. They won't go quietly into that good night. There are still a lot of people in positions of power who will do anything and everything to keep us from ending this travesty of justice. The tide is mostly in our favor right now, but it can turn in a bleeding heart beat. There are folks out there who wouldn't think twice about falsifying evidence or highlighting some innocuous bong hit by a suspected serial killer just to put the spectre of 'reefer madness' back on marijuana. It ain't over yet.

The ending of prohibition will have far reaching effects throughout the law enforcement community. Many cops will be relieved that they no longer have to be tied down to low-ball busts and paperwork. Others will be upset because prosecution of marijuana has been a financial boon to many law enforcement agencies through abatements and seizures of property and assets.

In addition to the law enforcement issues, states and counties will have to contend with hundred, if not thousands, of people applying for medical marijuana cards. In Oakland, there's an Oaksterdam University campus right next door to a Green Cross distributor and a medical clinic where ID cards and prescriptions can be obtained. Doesn't seem too hard to get a card.

This is why Prohibition must end. We will find ways of obtaining our weed, by hook or by crook. Why force millions of otherwise law abiding citizens to run afoul of the law just because they want to sit and relax with a pipe and a munchie?

The tide is turning so we have to be extra vigilant to keep the rhetoric on our side and counter every sound bite and bullshit Faux News report about marijuana's role in the downfall of America.

So Mote It Be,
David A.

Time to get our heads right

So much shit. Who do you trust? Which way is up?...Up, down, right, left....

Did we torture? Yes, we did but was it legal?
Fuck you, it WAS against the law!

No, you dirty damn hippie, our lawyers wrote the magic memo! It was legal, kinda.
Besides, we had too! The evil Brown People were coming to make us all Muslim!

The give and take between the right and the left is getting shrill. This is just the torture memos. Health care is on the table now and we have some of our own party blocking single payer insurance. The corporate whores of the for-profit health care industry, the insurance industry, and the pharmaceutical companies are no-holds barred trying to woo Dems away from Obama's original plan.

The battles are on many fronts today. Too many to count and too many to mount much opposition. Our personal windmills are being pushed into the background as the MSM determines what story should be foremost on the news. This means my issues of affordable health care and decriminalized marijuana take a back seat to Miss California's tits.

So, I give you a moment of zen. A musical Valium to wrap your head around the situation and get a new perspective. This video takes us back to a time when the country was in chaos like now. Different time, different war, different players but the shit was just as deep. Then, as now, music was our channel to truth. Or at least the seeds of it.



I will update this post in a few. Work is calling and I have to bring home my meager slice of bacon. Enjoy the trip!

So Mote It Be,
David A,

No overtime pay for Mom

On this second Sunday in May, I want to take a moment to give a shout out to those young ladies (of all ages) who have brought life into the world. One in particular brought this poor old grizzled hippie into the light 50 years ago.

I wasn't the only one. No, I was only the second of eight children bore by a housewife from South Dakota who married a logger from Eastern Washington.

Talk about love, they've been together for 54 years These fine folks, right now, are sitting at the kitchen table, having a cup of coffee, reading the paper and telling the grandkids to shut the hell up.

Mothers Day is the day we set aside to honor our maternal parent, the lady who wiped our nose and our ass when we leaked, swatted that ass when we screwed up and praised us when we made her proud. Like when we got three book awards to Angie Johnson's two in second grade. (In your face, Mrs. Johnson! Whoop-Whoop!)

My mom looked the other way on many an occasion when she could have taken me out like a bag of trash. Like the time I experimented on the electrical properties of a dinner fork. After replacing the fuse and putting out the little fire on her brand new bedspread, she simply said:

"Well, you won't do that again, will you?" At least I wasn't holding the damn fork when I plugged it in.

Growing up, I saw the power of compromise. I learned what sharing REALLY means. If you buy candy, you better eat it all before you get home or you have to give some to everybody! With seven brothers and sisters, my mom taught us how to get along with all kinds of people. Even those who would take your favorite yellow Foghat t-shirt to a slumber party and get a god damn, big ass grease stain on it. Fucker!

In 1977, I wrote out an essay about a day in the life of my mother. It was about the daily care and feeding of three youngsters and four teenagers. My English teacher submitted the essay to a contest and my mom was selected Mother of the Year by my town's Chamber of Commerce. I would show you a picture but it was 1977 and I'm wearing a gawd awful leisure suit type thing so that photo will never see the light of day.

To my mother's credit, my siblings and I get along really well. We have our fights and arguments, but in the end we hold no grudges. We talk to each other on a regular basis, exchange gossip and take great pains to interfere in each other's lives. My in-laws (spouses of siblings) have said that our family is a tough club to crack into. We do stick our noses where they don't belong, that's true but we stick together in times of trouble. Some of my sisters' ex-boyfriends can attest to that. Imagine facing down three older brothers AND a dad who knocks down trees for a living. It's a wonder any of them are married at all.

Mothers have great powers. They have the power of time travel and can re-awaken a person's youth. Even at 50 years old, I still revert back to 12 when talking to Mom. She can sent me back in time to 1971 in a single sentence. "David, I'm disappointed in you!" I can only respond "But Mom!"

Such is the power of motherhood.

Happy Mother's Day to all the young ladies (of all ages) who have gifted us with life and love. We are in awe of your grace and your patience. And if one of your children causes a minor power outage by cross-circuiting the toaster, be gentle.

So Mote It Be,
David A.

Top o' the world to you all...

Been trolling the 'Toobs and have come across a few tidbits here and there...

HelenWheels is celebrating four years in Blogtopia (thx, skippy) at her place Just Ain't Right. I found her through our friend and co-conspirator, Grandpa Eddie. Congrats, Helen! Have a glass of chablis on me!

Just realized that I have been remiss in adding some of the best of the Co-conspirators to my list. Our friend, DistributorcapNY has a righteous blog and some of the best insight around and I fukked up by keeping him a secret from you all. (not really, but you know...) Go there and be introduced to Reality with a taste of scandalous fun!

Driftglass has a great family photo to share with us all. I would love to make about 100 posters of it and post them all over my district. (home to Deputy Dawg Dave Reichert, worthless fop who represents the WA 8th)

What trip around the bloggy neighborhood would be worth the coin if we didn't stop by the Ornery Bastard? God Damn, this trailer park is the Shit! One of these days, I'm going to talk that dude into traveling up I-5 to have a beer or three. We could gather the hoards for a real Drinking Liberally. His latest post is about those gawd-awful store club cards. They got your number tattooed on your freaking ass these days.

...By the way, BK...that concert in Atlanta was fan-fucking-tastic. The show (Bare Naked Ladies) was great even in the middle of a thunderstorm. Gotta hand it too those folks in Atlanta, they get some fucking rain!

One Fly, at Outta the Cornfield, has a post about the amount of Lithium in our water. The study was done in Texas. So, is that why those fukkers are so bent?

So, everyone pretty much knows that I'm an advocate for Cannabis or the Great Ganj. I've been on this tear for quite a few years and have been harping on it constantly. Most of my friends, at least the ones still conscious, always tell me that it'll never happen.

No Way No How, Uh-huh, Nope, Nada, Zip, Zilch, Fuck no, Forget it, What, you fuckin' crazy, and In your dreams!

Even my posts have been qualified with statements that it'll be a long, long time until we get to the point of strolling into the corner smoke shop, lay down an Andy-J and walk out with an teener of Purple Spank-me Punch. But there is a bit of smoke drifting into the discussion. Ahnold down in Cali is seriously talking about a debate, a real debate. More states are looking at medical marijuana laws and the MSM is putting a reasonable' face on those who favor legalization.

Used to be that whenever the Media was doing a story about pot, they sought out the best Cheech and Chong look-alikes or the more righteous skater dudes they could find. The interviews, if you could call them that, usually started out with "Cool, man." "Dude...." and "I was so baked...". Now, I see reasonable people discussing cannabis in reasonable ways. People in TIES! Lawyers and shit!

There may be hope yet!

Well, there's lots more places to go today. I thought I'd let you know what altitude I was cruising at this morning.

Have fun!

So Mote It Be,
David A.

Wednesday Morning - Hump Day Offering

Here it is Wednesday already and I haven't posted anything since Sunday. I've been traveling the 'Toobs, especially my blog list (see sidebar) and leaving comments around like so many landmines.

As some of my co-conspirators of the less-than-famous blogs know, I've been fighting a battle with health issues. To those who have asked, I'm finally on the mend. I'm actually able to walk to the store without a lot of assistance. Now, if I can find a way to get rid of this 80 lb beer barrel strapped to my six-pack abs, I'll be a damn sight better. Now that these old bones are getting better, the worst part is becoming apparent... paying for it.

I have insurance through work. Over the course of the last three years, my employer (who shall remain nameless) has reduced benefits and raised costs - go figure! As a result, I find myself in the middle of the health care battlefield. I am luckier than a lot of folks. I'm not so far in debt that I can't eventually crawl out. But, should I lose my job or suffer an additional medical setback - I am thoroughly screwed. However, I know of folks who have chronically sick kids or who have cancer or AIDS who are racking up bills like a drunken sailor in Singapore.

There will come a point for them when they can't go on any more. They will have trashed their credit with unpaid bills, lost their homes and assets, blown through any savings only to face their personal war on that illness - the fight of their fucking lives - with no resources, no weapons and no allies. Do they just give up and die? Let the bastard disease win? Do the rest of us just sit in the bleachers and watch and say: "Damn, I thought he was going to get better. He was really strong in the end, why did he just roll over?" All over money.

All of us know this game. Many of us live it. Health is humanity, humanity is health. There are certain absolutes that humanity requires to exist. However, it seems those absolutes are negotiable. Corporate greed has cast its deadly shadow upon those absolutes; chief among them maintaining good health. We have the means to provide every American with excellent health care. American medical care is second to none. It's there. It exists all around us like the air we breathe. But it's kept in a vending machine. The problem in our health care system isn't that quality doesn't exists, its that it only exists for those who can pay for it.

For-profit hospitals, insurance companies, HMO's, and pharmaceutical companies have placed quality health care on the top shelf, out of the reach of many Americans. When confronted with this fact, these corporate goons say that the problem isn't that their services are out of reach, it's that the population is too short. In other words, we have to rise up to meet their needs, they don't have to lower to ours.

The crime in this isn't the companies though. They are born and bred greedy bastards, that's their nature. You can't expect any other action from these groups. The crime is that we, as a society, have allowed them to do it. There have been many opportunities to rein in these bastards and put this system right. At each point, we shied away, allowed ourselves to be gilded by the scare tactics and insidious lies and propaganda of these industries to maintain the status quo.

We let our ignorance and fear dictate our actions over the objections of our best interests. Even now, as our leaders debate the health care crisis in the halls of Congress, we are starting to smell the acrid scent of capitulation, feel the fear and loathing of all things government creep into our psyche and the pushing of our best interests once again into the dark basement where it has been for the last twenty years.

There may come a time in my medical treatment when I say "Stop! I can't afford any more!" That frightens me as I'm sure similar situations frighten millions of my fellow Americans. How did we get here? But more importantly, how do we get better?

So Mote It Be,
David A.

Sunday Morning Cartoons

Ok, I love cartoons. The old Hanna Barbera cartoons (Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear, and Snagglepuss) were my favorite. So, I'll put out a couple of them from time to time just to keep it real.

When was the last time you saw this character?

Now, a second helping...

I love this stuff...

So Mote It Be,
David A.