News

                                                                                    8/20/08

News for now, comment on Karen’s blog, maybe a post

            The whole paper is mobbed up and the rich people seem to have their way with the news.  Precisely because of this it will continue to be printed to tell the people what to think.  For control.  What would Murdoch do?  As if I can drop Citizen Kane’s name too.  I don’t know.  How about running both paper and internets divisions, and one needn’t be exact in allocating common costs.  We’ve heard how youth is illiterate for a long, long time.  Because of television perhaps.  Nowadays high school graduation is less frequent.

            If the paper doesn’t hold the youngsters’ interest, whose fault is that?  I prefer hard copy to all this scrolling and clicking, and ads taking forever to open up.  And whose racket is high speed ISP anyway?  The same people who collect the campaign money, and the oil money?  Oh… I’ll shut up about responsibility.

 

                                                                                    8/24/08

            So the above little piece, without the top line, began life as a comment on a blogger lady’s blog.  Her cartoon showed how newspaper readership has declined because people have no time, information can be had by scanning blogs, and that being informed isn’t necessary.  She asks what happens when it’s known that only dorks and oldsters read newspapers, and what happens when newspapers go away.

            Maybe I should be thankful for an editor who saved me from embarrassing myself on her forum.  Maybe not.  I think my response, though containing vinegar, is more optimistic for newspaper future.

            Maybe it should have been split into another paragraph or two.  Maybe it’s all over the place.  I subsequently considered explaining line by line.

            I was surprised when she demonstrated how newspapers have editorial control, or self censorship.  My comment was deleted by a blog administrator.  I’m guessing she didn’t like my first sentence.  I’m thinking the paper never met a union it didn’t like.  Including its employees.  I say this favors the mob, as well does the fact that every headline can be read with multiple meanings that do inform in an underhand way.

            A guy blogger commented that the paper was slow to expose the county corruption of late.  Perhaps related is that I have complained how big construction is corrupt with the mafia (in a prior post.)  I’m saying maybe people are tired or reading that sweet stuff.  How about telling the mob to get stuffed.  Perhaps even half measures along this line would boost readership.

            About the rich, consistently it seems that money talks, and B.S. walks.  Example include these:  when the stock market goes up, how about saying that the rich are getting richer, or that the capital wealth of the nation is getting farther out of reach of the working or unemployed poor?  Likewise when housing stock devalues, how about saying the dream of owning one’s own home is more within reach?

            So that’s a lot about the first sentence.  And at the end I vent about these large money transfers.  This is related to newspapers because news, whether paper, radio, TV, or internet, is big business.  I think I’ve brought hope in tweaking perspective with regard to the mob and the rich.  Also it may help to try harder to interest the young.  As for myself, I tend to be irresponsible as a life choice.

            Still I’m working on the medical piece promised.  It’s slow reading regarding how rural Chinese eat less animal fat and protein, and have less cancer and heart disease.  I expect this message is slow to get out because of big medicine, big pharma, and animal foods industry.

Garden Spells and Wal-Mart Plus

Garden Spells and Wal-Mart Plus

                                                                                                            7/31/08

OK this doesn’t mean you should not read the previous post.  And the next post may have something to do with the system of medicine in this country.  And this post does not examine the morality of locking people up for using illegal drugs, or just how well the status quo functions  This post does critique a novel, and ruminate on the food goods one gets at Wal-Mart, plus reports on other stores.

Garden Spells was written by Sarah Addison Allen.  I went to a book discussion group.  Reading a book is a lot of work for an intelligent conversation and the chance of meeting a romance partner.

                                                                                               

                                                                                                8/3/08

This novel is called by me to be an example of magical realism.  From my dictionary as I remember, this is a realistic narration with elements of fantasy.  Here is a story about four female relatives who have paranormal gifts.  The main character is able to use plants from her garden that seems pharmacological but also magical.  At the end of a book is an index of plants and their uses.  Is this a kind of grimoire?

A more important point is, why does the author make the personification of evil a man?  Is evil masculine?  I think it is an effort by the author to segregate the genders.  The women get along together just fine.  I think this is to sell more books to bonbon eating female loners.  Who needs a man?  To be fair, two couples do pair up eventually.

One slightly negative female character is the mother of someone and is unpleasant.  Surprise, surprise she also use her sexuality for advantage.  This is pounding away with the theory that sex is bad (and I don’t agree.)  At least in the end there is a baby born – kind of a Christmas story.

About this book Garden Spells.  The title is literally describing magic, so it is controversial from the beginning.  I think the mob doesn’t like magic, unless it’s doing it itself.

 

                                                                                                8/4/08

An actual character in the book turns out to be an apple tree that can throw apples to people.  These apples promote dangerous precognitive visions.  At the group someone mentioned a parallel to the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden.  Do you think apples promote paranormal abilities?

 

                                                                                                8/5/08

Wal-Mart has sold me poisonous items.  Recently it was a can of Chef Boyardee canned pasta.  In the past, it was defective Diet Mountain Dew.  Time and time again, their Sam’s Club generic Diet Cola has come up pain inducing.  My theory is that it’s the mob trying to damage Wal-Mart’s sales because 1) they are non-union and 2) they are pro-China, which happens to be kind of a rotten country if you think about it.  I feel humble in not casting stones, but if you consider pollution, human rights, censorship and their lead in wages race to the bottom, there is room for improvement.  They’ve also given us cannibalism and the Death of a Thousand Cuts.  So they help make Wal-Mart an easy target for the bad guys.

Other stores have sold bad milk and my gosh beer and other alcohol for reasons that I can only guess that they were too cheap and they are trying to stimulate more expensive sales.  Other theories include that it’s a two part poison to spare others, and that appropriate paranoia indicate that the bad guys are plain out to get me.  These stores include Walgreen’s, CVS, and Giant Eagle.

I believe physical pain is intrinsically related to our souls.  Luxury is not necessary, but of things like hunger, pain, and sleep deprivation from the cold:  It doesn’t take an Einstein to know that these things suck.  And I’m saying again that the bad guys have delivered to me all sorts of pain that has not yet been diagnosed.  I will be happy to report that I am mistaken if that is in fact the case.  People who are inexpert on the situation say no one is poisoning me.  How do they know how common it is or isn’t?

So that’s me whining.  I am not recommending the book.  In the book and at the discussion I asked if magic is always a bad thing (like as all originating with the Devil, as was told to me by a priest.)  So I asked and I got a lot of No, No’s, magic isn’t all bad.  The book treats it as a matter of course as it mixes the real with the surreal, and never uses the phrase white magic.  And I can use some preternatural assistance in dealing against the bad guys who poison goods.

On McMafia

On McMafia

                                                                                                            7/6/08

            This doesn’t purport to be only a book review, or attempt to be a thorough one either.  It is on the subject.  The title of the book by Misha Glenny comes from the idea that mafia or organized crime, is as globally diversified as McDonalds, and that it can be franchised like McDonalds, or the Chechen mob.  I’ve been nervous about even reading this book because the network of the Charlie Rose show went off the air when Rose was interviewing him about his book.

            Glenny travels the world and discusses the organized crime here and there.  He doesn’t say they are all connected.  He does count the organizations as Mafia.  He lets us off lightly as he says the United States is mostly a consumer of crime products.  He says that the mob here was seriously damaged in the 70’s and 80’s.  However it seems to me that the bad guys have control of EVERYTHING here.  And I’m in serious trouble and I get poisoned all the time.  Philip Carlo says they are in construction, concrete and steel, in EVERY major city.

            There is crime in just about the entire world.  Here is comment on a few countries, and as discussed in the book.  Japan struck me as bad because big business used their criminals to route the pour from their housing in a big way, to make money on real estate speculation and appreciation.  This was done on a large scale, and I can’t believe law enforcement was mostly on board for this.  Way to go, Japan.

            PBS comes up short in the news department when it speaks of Columbia.  They make out FARC to be the bad guy communists, but who will speak for the poor?  And the media mostly leave out the story of the paramilitaries (which story is in the book,) who use drug money, and have right wing ties to the national army.  (This means to me they have access to U.S. drug fighting monies too.)  One answer is drug legalization, more below. 

            China counterfeits everything, everything whether there are copyrights or not.  Glenny says North Korea does a good job on $100 bills and is cheaper on some things that say made in China.

            Russia and Israel deal in much, including trafficked women sex slaves.  Glenny asks if those in the brothels, the men, knew the extent of the devastation of the kidnapped women, would they still use the services.  I know I have a poor opinion of mankind, and think this knowledge would change little.  Yet I’m hoping this blog can change things.

             The U.S. consumes so much drugs, can you imagine the corruption involved in the distribution.  Glenny points out how much has been spent on incarceration and other law enforcement.  The war on drugs can be rethought to emphasize medical treatment WHEN NECESSARY.  Legalize it.  This would mean less profit for crime, and we can save the baby from the bath water, and make society better by being less prude; (my opinion is that prudery promotes prostitution for some men and women.)  And we can make love not war, instead of funding merchants of death and smuggled cigarettes.

            I don’t know, read the book to learn more.  The book McMafia is listed in my profile, and last I checked I was the only person to do so.  I don’t know why I feel harassed about this book and will continue to try to make this a better post.

Spectator Sports Goes

Spectator Sports Goes

                                                                                                                        6/3/08

            Time to mention this issue again.  Not to get too excited, but the point is worth making.  Too much spectator sports are too much.  Maybe viewing sports can be a little relaxing, to calm some jangled nerves, because the outcome, like flipping a coin is not going to be too bad or negative.  But for three reasons, don’t waste your time.  And I’ll be brief because the topic bums me out.

            First spectator sports are militaristic.  All those uniforms and order taking.  Some of us think Viet Nam and Iraq were bad ideas.  Self defense for you and yours is necessary, but I’m glad I’m too old for the service.  Some us think too much militarism is too much.

            Second, they are gay.  Teams are made up of the same sex.  Not much women’s football these days – and if you’re gay, you’re lucky the NBA is playing in their shirts and shorts.  You can figure out a way to be my friend, because I don’t need any more grief.

            Third, they are fixed by gambling interests.  On any given Sunday, the result can be manipulated.  Time and time again it looks to me like someone is pulling their punches, a phrase from boxing shenanigans.

            All this is just in time for the Olympics.  All of this applies, though maybe to a lesser degree.  I wouldn’t bet on any of the basketball games though.  It’s better to participate, where the exercise keeps one healthy.

            So participation in healthy athletics is recommended.  When I was young, I was warned about watching too much baseball, but alternative activity was lacking.  I now recommend poetry, listening to the sound of it orally, or reading.  Reading in general helps.

            Again, how about Make Love, Not War.  Sex is fun.  It’s possible some of you, for some reason, don’t like sex.  We’ll still talk to you, but you’re on a short lease.  So spend some time with your kids, and teach them something, like how to fish or something.  And if guys spent the time working on their marriage instead of soaking up the sports bill of goods they are being sold, they would be happier.

            And I hate to be negative, but a reason for this post is that I’m still feeling painfully tormented by organized crime.

            News is that organized crime has taken over the whole country of Mexico.  This is from late night radio.  They control the crossing the border trade, where illegals are charged money and harassed by the criminals, who are the drug cartels.  There’s huge drug trade.  Maybe I wouldn’t mind, but I’m getting tortured.  Lots of honest police are resigning because they don’t want to be murdered.  I was talking to the bookstore lady about the next peace rally, but maybe we should take on Mexico (it’s been awhile.)  The way things are going, crime is going to take over THIS country, if they haven’t already.  Peace, War, I’m hoping for the best.  I still think they’re going after Iran for better or worse.  Other than on sports and bad guys, I’ll spare you my opinions for now.  Also I welcome ideas or other contributions.

            P.S.  Someone is coughing in my hallway, so it sounds like I’m hitting a nerve.  I don’t think it’s the fascists.

At The Zoo

                     

  

                                                           

 4/26/08

At The Zoo

            Here are some pictures I took at the zoo about a year ago.  I am a photographer.  There was a contest at the time, but I didn’t enter.  In your comment, please say which one I should have entered, and maybe why.  This is what I call them:  Leopard, Hippo, Polar Bear, Tortoise, Black Bear, Camels, Eagle, Bridge and People.  Tonight I spent HOURS with the scanner and Yahoo Mail to try to email them to a friend.  As I write this, I don’t know if my blog will take the pictures, so here goes.

 

 

 

 

Poem

4/25/08

Poem

 

City Boy Vs.* the Encroachment* of Nature

 

The Birds got their Revenge,

was it?  And further, do

the loose cats know

something more is coming?

 

I brake for skunks.

 

The chipmunks are almost faster

than the eye can see.

A racoon climbs the vertical wall

to the trash dumpster lip.

(Road kill.)

The fawn was more graceful

than they so small and wobbly

are made out to be,

and it escaped my wheel

unlike the inert critter –

(I thought it was a squirrel,

But it pro’ly was a rat.)

Deer dart in and out

of the suburbs, –

Will we see them

on the ball courts next?

 

We may lose our food bank

Because of a mouse –

SHE doesn’t want them in the building.

A mouse or mice lived in my T.V. box.

(Lots of turds.)

One died there.

 

The Chinese build 2 coal power plants

per week, and

the Governor says

yes we can strip mine the entire state of Montana,

yet I’m concerned that the rabbits

in their burrows

may not be able to read their eviction notices

on time

since they don’t seem to do that well

with the eye chart.

 

If I’m on my front porch

in the desert of the American West,

maybe I’ll see a snake;

I don’t think I’ll care for it,

but rather for a remedy

of man’s inhumanity.

Let the glaciers fall

into the sea.

And if the EPA lets me breath out CO2

(a greenhouse gas)

I will continue to breath in.

 

 

 

 

 

* Sports terms

 

 

by Sam Stevens   © 2007

 

 

            So that’s a poem I’ve mentioned before.  Global warming?  Maybe a half a degree. 

The orthodox dude at the JCC crowded my space and bumped (I said excuse me.)  Of him, I can say, he’s not Christian.  Perhaps he’s with the right wing settlers who should be educated.  I need to continue to show respect to my benefactors.

I’m now in new pain and I blame the mafia as the bad guys.  The Israeli air strike at Syria in September, 2007 was mentioned today on the news against conspiracy with North Korea.  That strike was cleared with the U.S.  Do you think George W. is going to clear it with you before he hits Iran?  I hope I’m wrong, maybe.  I should check with Kambiz, my would be friend from Iran.  Is there anything he can say to stave off an invasion?  In this country I was in the streets in 1979 against the Iranian kidnappings.  As Billy Jack would say, I try and I try… to support Israel.

8 Is Enough to Do Iran

8 Is Enough to Do Iran

            8 Is Enough used to be the name of a TV show where there were eight kids in one family.  I don’t think there was a marriage of instant family like the Brady Bunch:  there was probably no birth control or abortion, and some poor woman popped them out like a Mormon Fundamentalist.  Here, 8 percentage points victory in the Pennsylvania primary is enough for Hilary Clinton to continue her pursuit of the presidency.

            Thing is, the call for experience may intensify with the Iran War.  It’s a done Deal.  Gates is going to be the last person to know about it.  It is going to be nuclear.  Could be Israel, could be us, but those military cities will be incinerated.  I don’t know about the population centers, say Tehran for example.  In Iraq, the stage is set for a complete withdrawal of American troupes.  If the Iraqi forces answer the call, then Maliki can continue his federalist government.  Otherwise, the Sectarians can kill each other with our blessing.  We can hope for the $200 per barrel oil we are preparing for.  More dead Muslims is OK, just ask the crusading Pope.  Thing is, the military has proved its case that Iran is INTERFERING, in Iraq.

            I think this is going to happen sooner rather than later.  Clintonian experience will be at a premium, as we dismiss Cheney, ask for more Bubba, radio station Bubba, all Bubba, all day, all night.  Do you think we are going to forgive “W” for any of this?

            I may post a poem or pictures to muffle this.  You can send contributions to the Cedar Rd. address below, or, Network, you can comment!!!

            Maybe in the face of all this blood, the PEOPLE will give up their taste for the mafia.

Same

                                                                                                4/16/08

Same

            I’m in pain below the belt.  I’ve got to write on my blog that organized crime, Alcoholics Anonymous, and the people who own the bars are all the same people.  The ninth step functions as a giant collection agency, including the negative connotations. 

I should be for Hilary because the Clintons were nice to my Aunt in Little Rock.  They were friends.  I just didn’t like that Sopranos commercial, and the way she used the word Family.  Plus I liked Edwards.

One Minute Warning

The One Minute Warning

            Trying to be positive with a little editing, I front load this a little.  First, if all else fails talk about the weather that has turned the corner.  Spring!  It’s warmer, and the clear skies were a bonus lately.

            Secondly, all of you with a special somebody of the opposite sex may be thankful you’re so lucky.  Even if it’s temporary.  Married, great.  If you’ve got kids and/or living parents, wonderful.  These are most important things.

            Thirdly, a guy walks into a bar, no, a grocery store.  He’s got a black eye and his friend says, “What happened to you!”  Guy says, “I was fighting for my girlfriend’s honor.”  The friend says, “Looks like she was trying to hold on to it.”  This is from a book I’m reading, The Welsh Girl, by Davies.

            Now back to our regularly scheduled program…

            Usually you have heard of the 2 minute warning in football games.  But then these are not the best of times, however weird.

            There was a Wal-Mart worker, a cop, and a priest at the door.  A joke, no, I wish.  I’m pretty sure it was the Wal-Mart worker who said, “You have three minutes left.”  Then a male voice said, “You have one minute left.”  Somehow I lost two my nuts. Or could I still keep one?

            In real terms I’m having enough pain so that I worry about my cajonnes the Mafia seems so obsessed with.

            I wrote against the Mob in a comment, but then Erin took down her post.  It’s to be published in print only.  I continue to wish her well.

            Maybe it was heard that I’m presently going neutral in the Pennsylvania primary, and saying I could vote for Obama in the general election.  This would be to ignore two R’s, Wright, and Rezco.

            Also, I am strongly against the Mexico fence, for environmental reasons.  I think there must be better ways, like fining employers, for dealing with illegal immigration.  I heard that there are tons (20 or more is a guess) environmental regulations that the Bush administration is overriding.

            Recently I was informed one of my emails from yahoo failed to go through to a gmail person.  I don’t understand if the filter sent it into something like bulk, or just evaporated it as spam.  This is more than symbolic if not implicit direct evidence of the collapse of Western Civilization.

Finally I want to write in support of Moses, who may or may not have been using psychoactive substances when he brought down the Ten Commandments, the kabbalah, and the 613 mitzvoth, (sp.) More than half of these don’t apply if we don’t live in Israel.  Or if we are not considered Jewish, exactly.  I say if natural substance pharmacology puts us in closer contact with our God, then more power to us.

Nicer

Didn’t get the memo:  Hillary or McCain?

           

Cleveland Heights blacks chased me.  I had fear.  I could have lost an eye.  I could have lost my wallet.  I could have lost my bicycle.   I pedaled hard.  I lost none of the above.  I can walk back there…  It can happen.  I am a white 46 year old man.  I was harassed by 3 blacks.  He said, “I’m going to bye me a forty, Homey”  The future can happen.

P.S.  3/30/08  So far I’m going to leave this as is, except to say that the goal of this blog for good should be non-racist  That is to say good people come in all forms.  But also it is wise not to walk in bad neighborhoods at night.

            That’s not what I was doing when I had this problem.  In the future I hope to have more positive writings.  I am being tortured by the bad guys.  I do poetry and book club groups on their turf, but I do not actively confront them very much.  I’ve seen scary movies that make me feel I’m out of my depth anyway.  But I’ve got nothing better to do.  If I write you an email, maybe you will write back.  I am a writer.  If I say something controversial, you are allowed to complain.  I like my blog because I can change it, or take it back.  So far I haven’t had to do that too much.  We can win.