I am coming! Author: RaineDate:12/06/2007 13:25:33
ok... the blog is coming. ====================================================== The blog came.
This morning I woke up to write the blog. I found myself lying in a warm comfortable bed, and I did not want to get up. I did not want to look at the headlines. I did not want to get outraged. I did not want to become overwhelmed with the headlines du Jour. I did not want to justify everything that is going on in this world today. I wanted to lie in bed, where everything was perfect.
But I didn't lie in bed. I got up. Then I found myself not knowing what to write about. Romney and the speech he will be giving today about faith? Huckabee and his newest explanations about creationism and whatever drama will be happening with his campain? Hillary and her latest let-down? The hope of Kucinich? The bizarre facination of Ron Paul? Rudy... oh dear, what can I say about that train wreck...
I still don't know. I suppose I am suffering from overload today. So, I sit here and I think. I sip my coffee, I enjoy the sun shining in on the studio, I wave hello to a neighbor walking his dog. I take stock of this life. I listen to my partner clicking away on his keyboard in the other room. It's soothing. The slow hum of the heat coming thru the grates is almost hypnotic. There is so much richness in the silence.
So I thought what to write about. The political realm is so vast and complicated these days. I love it and I hate it all at once. And then it hits me. I have been writing my blog all along... And here it is:
It's a good life. I have friends. I have love. I have passion. I don't really want everything to be perfect, I simply want to be a part of this life, working in the great collective to make things better, just and equal. That is the power of love as activism, I suppose.
I am so grateful that all of you reading this are part of this life.
:peace: and :heart: Raine.
P.S. Now get inside and kick some Republican ® ass! 242 comments(Latest Comment: 12/07/2007 04:04:50 by livingonli)
I posted this story on the board, but I think it's important enough to bear repeating here. I apologize in advance for all the cut & paste...
Although Darfur gets a lot of press and lip service, there is a little-known genocide going on in the Congo (little known in the U.S. anyway). From this article:
... By rights, Ombeni should be nearing the end of her university life, perhaps fending off marriage requests or applying for teaching posts in the city. But her schooling, and her life's journey, were brutally interrupted almost five years earlier.
Back then she was a typical 15-year-old with dreams of university and a better life. Her home was a village in the countryside, where, when she wasn't studying, she helped in the fields. It was while out working one evening that rebel forces captured her carefree innocence. For months she became their slave, both sexual and physical, as they lived in various wooded compounds along the Rwandan border. Heavily pregnant, and near death from lack of food, the rebels returned her to her village so her parents could watch her die...
---snip---
Schuler Deschryver's anger is also felt a few kilometres away, on the outskirts of Bukavu, where Dr Denis Mukwege, an obstetrician for more than 20 years, tries to deal with the aftermath of sexual violence. He runs Panzi Hospital, set up in 1999 in response to the emergency crisis after the so-called African war; it houses more than 350 patients. Each day, 10 new cases are admitted, some as young as nine, so badly damaged that reconstructive surgery is often required. The victims sit on benches, lining urine-soaked corridors, alone and frightened. On eye contact, there is nothing. No expression, no acknowledgement, no smiles - just a fleeting confirmation that behind their eyes, a pained suffering lies deep...
We'll start this morning as we always do, with the latest casualty figures, courtesy of Antiwar.com:
American Deaths Since war began (3/19/03): 3882 Since "Mission Accomplished" (5/1/03): 3743 Since Capture of Saddam (12/13/03): 3421 Since Handover (6/29/04): 3023 Since Election (1/31/05): 2445
Other Coalition Troops: 306 US Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 469
91 comments(Latest Comment: 12/04/2007 21:41:33 by Mondobubba)
The Crucible Author: RaineDate:12/03/2007 13:18:45
Also known as the end of free speech in America. This must be stopped, NOW. We can't stop this war if we aren't allowed to think organize and speak out.
Mc-Car-thy-ism: (mæ-kär'thç-ìz'æm) pronunciation n. 1. The practice of publicizing accusations of political disloyalty or subversion with insufficient regard to evidence. 2. The use of unfair investigatory or accusatory methods in order to suppress opposition.
It could be on it's way back friends. This is no fearmongering. A bill has passed in the house, by a vote of 405-6, called the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act. It has been referred to the senate and you can read the bill here. From the bill:
...ideologically based violence’ means the use, planned use, or threatened use of force or violence by a group or individual to promote the group or individual’s political, religious, or social beliefs...
So, gee, up here is an opening for Saturday. No big topic, just coffee tawk. No Big whoop. 45 comments(Latest Comment: 12/03/2007 04:55:33 by livingonli)
Everything old is new again. Clothing styles, hair styles, car styles... Apparently a drop in housing prices too. From this article:
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The biggest plunge in new home prices in 37 years was not enough to revive October sales, according to the government's latest reading on the battered housing and home building markets.
The sales pace for October was well short of economists' forecasts. The Census Bureau's latest report also sharply cut back on its earlier estimates for sales in August and September, when a meltdown in mortgage markets kept many potential buyers from getting the financing they needed.
Also depressing sales and prices was a record 191,000 completed new homes on the market that have not yet been sold.
Like that same time period in the 70's we also have an economy heading toward inflation and recession, both of which will likely be blamed on the president's successor. This got me thinking about Bush and Nixon. What other similarities do we have?
Continue reading...
232 comments(Latest Comment: 12/01/2007 13:48:16 by TriSec)
It’s that time of year again and this time I thought we could do a Cross Blog Blogger Joe with our friends at AAP(Air America Place)!
If you would like to participate just...
1) Email me ([email protected]) by Friday, December 7th, with your Name and the Address were you would like to have something sent. Also include a list of items that you do not wish to receive for reasons of allergies or ethics (i.e. leather, alcohol, Omaha steaks, etc.).
2) On Monday, December 10th I (wickedpam) will draw names and PM or email you back with the Name and Address of the Blogger Joe you are to gift.
3) Shop or create something for your Blogger Joe, but spend no more then $10 on that gift.
4) Send your gift to your Blogger Joe so that they will receive it during the week of December 19th, so we call open them together on either 12/21 or 12/24.
5) Enjoy and have fun!
If you have any questions post'em and I'll answer to the best of my ability!
16 comments(Latest Comment: 12/10/2007 17:30:52 by wickedpam)
I watched the debate last night, Wine and Nyquil and homeade chocolate chunk cookies make it all do able. I think Jesus would have had some wine and cookies with me.
I woke up this morning with a fresher set of eyes about what happened and what was said, and you know what? Nothing was said! Instead of addressing the serious questions, they all tried to out do each other, almost as if this race was between themselves, and not for the most important position a person can hold. It was mean, contentiuos and lacking substance.
There were some great questions. One of my faves was in regards to the Death penalty, and whether Jesus would have supported it. Huckabee, after not answering the question was cornered by Anderon Cooper about that finally said: Jesus was too smart to run for office". Continue reading...
129 comments(Latest Comment: 11/30/2007 04:11:53 by livingonli)
Tonite we blog as we watch. The drinking game is as follows:
1 shot for everytime a candidate mentions RayGun; 1 Shot for each time War on Terror™ is mentioned; Double Shots for any mention of 911™ in conjuntion with the war on terror ar anything associated thereof; Double shot for a Clinton reference; If any of the following occur: - Rudy's wife will call in the middle of the debate and tell him she is leaving him for a woman;
- Mitt will use a new hair gel and the heat from the TV studio lights will ignite his quaff mid-way through a question;
- Fred will fall asleep, literally, and begin snoring;
- Mike will talk way too much about Keith Richards, leaving many to question what he's really concerned about;
- Ron Paul will accidentally utters and inappopriate slur; The entire bottle must be killed. All credit must be given to Ms. Velveeta Jones for the Kill Bottle list... :clap:
See you inside! and :heart: Raine 194 comments(Latest Comment: 11/29/2007 04:14:22 by livingonli)
For years now, George Bush has embarrassed this nation. From his ignominious start with the Supreme Court appointment to his antics before and after "Mission Accomplished", along with all of his mispronunciations, he has looked and acted the buffoon.
Who can forget his schoolboy-forgot-to-study explanation of sovereignty? He repeated the word as part of the definition, stabbing out the syllables in his patented way as if that was all the explanation needed. Hell - who can forget ANY of his mangled syntax?
Who can forget his attempt at a "back rub" on German Chancellor Angela Merkel?... or proclaiming certain nations to be members of an "axis of evil"?
Oy.
But he's definitely outdone himself this time. Here he is mangling the names of the participants at the peace conference he put together:
Continue reading...
227 comments(Latest Comment: 11/29/2007 00:26:48 by Raine)
and :heart: