Marcy's

To celebrate my passing of the state certification to now be a Certified Nurses Assistant, Shusli took me to our favorite local Mexican restaurant, Marcy's.

We tried it a few weeks ago to see what it was like and we were happy to find the quality of their meals above excellent. We had the #14 combination, an enchilada and a chili relleno, and yesterday was no different.

Their chili rellenos are amongst the best I have eaten, and Shusli says the same.

Not only is their food great, but they are very hospitable, friendly, and attentive. They definitely make sure that you not only have a great meal, but a great eating experience.

So, when passing through Coos Bay, stop by Marcy's, you will be happy you did. They are on the south heading one way of highway 101 in Coos Bay, just before Virginia Avenue, across the street from the co-op. If you drive past, you have indeed missed something very special.

A Blog of Great Disburbance

An alert reader of this blog from South Africa who knows my e-mail address, kbooindian@yahoo.com, informed me that when he visited my blog a notice came up stating:

"Some readers have complained about the content of this blog."

So, I would like to perform a survey.

If you find this blog disturbing, tell me why?:

Is it the discussion of the Nazi Pope and how he is doing nothing about the systematic and problematic issue of child rape happening within said organization?

Is it my desire to find the King of the Cut Throats, Peter Brzica, an employee of the death camp called Jasenovac in Croatia where he slit the throats of 1360 Muslim Serbs under the watchful eye of the Vatican Crime Organization? Peter came to the U.S. under an assumed name in 1958. That is as far as I got with that criminal.

Is it my desire to get some form of justice for IBM, whose Hollerith division during WWII leased machines to the Nazi's that not only that helped the trains run on time, but also helped in the rounding up of Jews, Sinti, Roma, Jehova's Witnesses, Gays, Lesbians, etc., for slavery and extermination?

Is it my calling on King Dick and co-King George's genocidal and criminal activities in Iraq, Somalia, Afghanistan, etc.?

Is it my calling King Dick and co-King George's horrific activities here at home, such as poor health care for U.S. citizens, the collapse of the economy, etc.?

Is it the picture of the Skunk Headed Bird?

Is it my discussion on Freedom of Speech? You see, here in the land of alleged freedom of speech, you are not supposed to talk about certain subjects like: Nazi Popes and useless apologies and criminal activities, alleged presidents and vice presidents and their criminal activities, journalists who tell the truth and some who get murdered, etc.

So, feel free to e-mail me if you find my material disturbing. I may publish what you say, but I will not publish your identity without your permission. Or, you can brave up and make your comments here. I'm willing to discuss such things. I'm willing to give references if you'd like.

Disturbing or not, I do my best to speak the truth. If I'm wrong, I will admit here, on this blog, on this public forum, and anywhere else for that matter.

That said, does anyone out there know where Peter Brzica is, or where his remains might be buried? Does anyone know if there was a Vatican connection to his coming to the U.S. in '58 under an assumed name. Peter was also a lawyer and a member of the Catholic inteligensia.

Secretary of State, Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, the future Pope Pius XII (center) signs the Vatican's Concordat with Nazi Germany's foreign minister Franz von Papen (seated left from Pacelli) at the Vatican, 20 July 1933.

Some of the work supported by the Vatican Crime Organization.

A disturbing photo indeed, but one of the tamer ones I can find on the internet. This is a toddler in Jasenovac death camp. What is that that Reverend Lovejoy's wife always said on the Simpsons...oh yeah..."Will somebody think of the children!" You can all see what the Vatican supported and Catholic ran death camp in Croatia thought of children. At least certain children.

You see, what disturbs me about this is their has been no justice for this crime, not really. The Vatican Crime Organization continues to thrive and create lots of resources for itself. Children are still being raped by their priests and this will continue long into the future. What disturbs me is that criminal organizations such as the Vatican, the U.S. government and its personell, other governments, etc., have and continue to commit such crimes. What about the child raping contractors the U.S. hired to interrogate folks at Abu Ghraib?

This is not a world that actually practices nor believes in laws or justice, just the perception of it when it comes to our kings and queens and members of their royal courts. Please, don't give me this democracy BS, the U.S. is NOT a democracy, never has been, and never will be.

These are just a few of the things that disturb me. Don't these things disturb you? Or is it the fact that folks like me, and there are a lot of us, speak to such issues as these that you would sooner forget because it might cut into the privilege you receive at the hands of this alleged civilization?

This inquiring mind wants to know. What about my blog disturbs you? Lets have a discussion. The lines are open and their are no callers thus far. What do you have to say?

Oh, and anyone from Google, is a common practice to tag blogs such as mine? What are you concerned about?: Truth? Justice? Disturbing the comfortable (as Peter Webster might say)?
Any comments Google folks, since it is your organization that has tagged my blog for your alert readers. Do you read my blog? Do you have any questions?

CNA

It is amazing what one has to go through to become a CNA. You have to take a 2 month course. In that two month course it requires one month in class study and one month of clinicals. Clinicals are where you take the skills you have learned in the classroom and demonstrate them on residents. In clinicals, your skills are scrutinized by your teacher. I was the worst in class and finally finished my skills check list on my last day of clinicals.

This particular facility will hire you immediately after the class they offer is over. This facility offers the class for free. The class itself can run up to $1000 I've heard. They offer it as a service to the community. Mighty nice of those folks.

I was hired by the center and since then, almost 2 months, I have been told that the residents really like me (which it is rare that they like male nurses aides), and all of the staff likes me from my fellow co-workers all the way to the administrator. But that doesn't help you pass a test. You see, to become a Certified Nurses Assistant, one has to pass a certification test required by the state before a qualified observer who is an RN...at least.

The state test requires that you pass a written exam and are tested on five skills. One of the skills is handwashing, four others are chosen from a list of about 40 skills you have to have knowledge of and can demonstrate you can do them PROPERLY. One person who recently took the test was failed in one skill because she didn't put on the bed brakes for a transfer. Although she passed the other skills, she is required to take the skills tests over. Last Friday was my scheduled test date.

Driving to the testing site, I was thinking I have to put up with a lot of bullshit for this job. My biggest issue is how my schedule has been messed with. Since I've been working at this place (less than two months) 5 times I have shown up on days I was scheduled previously for to find the schedule had been changed and I was no longer working on that day. It doesn't rub me well to find when I come in to work that my schedule had been changed. There are other issues I have with this JOB (not the work), but that has been the biggy. I have to put up with all of this, and all of this stress about TESTING, for a wage that is not all that higher than minimum at the moment. I was thinking all of this driving to the test, which doesn't bode well for taking a test.

...And, after the testing was over, I could not honestly tell anyone whether I passed or not.

Shusli and I have been making plans for many various possibilities for our future together. One of those possibilities has been what we would do should I not pass the test. Honestly, I felt like I failed. You see...

At the test, I was told I had to take someone else's skills test because one person did not show up. This had the scent of my JOB, and set me off right away. The name on the skills test was crossed off and mine in its place. The observer handed me the written test with my name and ss# on it. We had 90 minutes to finish. At question 54 of 77, the observer informed me that I was doing the wrong test and had to do the absent persons test, requiring that I cross off her name and put my name and ss# on it and start over. She would allow me more time to finish should I require it. I SERIOUSLY felt like I was at my job. I still finished under the alotted time, but was unsure of passing. Some of the questions asked about things that we did not study and do not do. Some of them I answered as the best possible scenario.

My skills test was set up for 3:30, and I went home to nap and study. At 11am, the observer calls, interrupting my nap, and asked if I wanted to take my skills test now. Half awake, I foolishly answered yes. Heading down to the testing site, I am again thinking why am I doing all of this for making a wage barely above minimum, although a certification would raise that wage. Doubtful about my written test, groggy and without further cramming for my skills, there I am taking my skills test.

I felt I did close to adequate on all...but 1, and it only takes one..."perineal care," or, in layman's terms, "crotch washing." I was not offered enough towels and wash cloths required to do the job. I talked my way through it, though, and hoped that was enough, but upon leaving the testing site, I had more serious doubts than I did hopes.

But then again, a lot of folks have told me that I am "certifiable."

Oh yes! I got my results back a couple of hours ago, and yes, all those folks were correct, I am INDEED certifiable. I passed my written test with 88% and all of my skills tests. Now with this certification, many more doors are opened up to possibilities and plans Shusli and I have been discussing.

I am now a CERTIFIED NURSES ASSISTANT. I Love the work and hate the job. I'm told it is not a whole lot different in any of the nursing homes. I could gain more skills under this certification and get further certified to do things like work in hospitals, pass meds, give therapy to a limited extent, but we'll see. I could always go back to driving which pays more, less stress, but also less of the amazing treasure one finds working as a nursing assistant. So I have another skill I could use to find work and hopefully make the lives of others better when they find themselves in situations where they no longer have the independence they once enjoyed.

The future has been opened just a little bit more.

That's right folks! I am not only qualified, but STATE CERTIFIED to wash your ass should your life situation require that such a job be done.

"Witness" the Truth, Then Do Something With It...ANYTHING!

While playing with the Al Jazeera website, I came across a very interesting program they produce called "Witness." Why this show isn't on prime time in the United States...OK...I know why it isn't on prime time in the United States. As our friend Jessica says about Coos Bay, folks here are "beligerently anti-intellectual." In general, it seems that most U.S. citizens are "beligerently anti-intellectual." That is why FANTASTIC programs like Witness are not on the air on prime time on any major U.S. network.

One I recently watched and was hoping to post here from YouTube, but seem to be having some sort of problem from YouTube's end, is called "The House of Journalists."

Click here for part 1.

Click here for part 2.

137 journalists were killed last year. One of my favorites, Anna Politkovskaya, was killed in her apartment elevator by assassins who didn't like her work. She mostly wrote about the illegal and genocidal activities of the Russian government in Chechnya. She wrote a book called "A Dirty War," detailing the attrocities enacted in that nation by Russia and how Soviet soldiers were going AWOL. A fascinating read you all should read.

The House of Journalists is in Paris, France. It is for journalists who's lives are in danger especially from the nations they reported in. Journalists from Cuba, Africa, the Middle East, etc., are housed there and most are survivors of torture in their own nations. One journalist in Iraq was tortured because he wrote articles about Iraqi's sticking together instead of fighting amongst each other. As the Cuban journalist stated about the Cuban government he wrote so much about, they are afraid of the truth. They could torture him, but they could not change the truth.

The U.S. has arrested artists and destroyed the careers of many a truthful journalist. Some still shine through, like Seymour Hersch. But here in the U.S., the system is different. The citizenry in general are "beligerently anti-intellectual," and all the U.S. has to do is put on another reality TV show and the citizenry becomes satisfied with their ignorance.

I produced a radio program for KBOO called "Mitakuye Oyasin" for 12 years. For those 12 years, I did my best to bring forth the truth. I had help from folks like David Liberty, Jim Craven, Shusli Baseler-Johnson, Leigh Anne Kranz, and Warren Robinson to help. We had guests on the phone and in the studio like Vine Deloria, Jr., Ward Churchill, John Trudell, Klee Benally and the whole Blackfire band, Skip Mahawk, etc. We had guests live on the phone from occupations in Ontario enacted by the Mohawk nation. All those years and with a lot of help, we brought you truth and beauty. Truth...

I've been told by several people that they feared I would be killed for speaking the truth the way I did. Personally, the actuality of something like that happening here is pretty minute. Again, folks here are "beligerently anti-intellectual" and empire can always count on that. You could run them over with a bulldozer full of truth and they would still demand that bulldozers don't exist. The U.S. government is secure in their populace having little desire to know the truth about its activities. The corporate owned government also started our public education system which was headed by the elites in order to insure that the masses remained silent against the horrors they committed to their own citizenry, let alone world wide.

KBOO is having some hard times these days. KBOO is a good venue for truth and beauty. However, the listenership has dropped and so have the funds from the listeners. KBOO is listener supported. Read this article in the Skanner by Lisa Loving, "KBOO 90.7FM Community Radio at a Crossroads." KBOO is really working hard on regaining their listenership, and it is undoubtedly ruffling a lot of feathers. No matter the process, I hope the truth still keeps coming over the airwaves.

The truth is a dangerous thing to empire. There are many things they don't want you to know. Dig deep, folks. It really doesn't take much to find the truth. It is out there and easy to get your hands on. But the terrorist actions of empires worldwide keep us scared from seeking the truth. Empires don't want you to know the truth, because the truth is, empires will stop at nothing to acquire wealth for the few. We who are not members of those few far outnumber those few. Since they have done a great job of teaching us to FEAR the truth, most folks will rarely seek it out. The empire has many armed thugs to serve and protect the puproses of the elite.

So go out there, find the truth, and use it to crush empire as best you can and give the world back to the people instead of the ultra elite.

CHIRP!

This little guy makes a big noise. Throughout the whole day, and I do mean whole day, this little guy and his buds let out this loud chirp that sounds rather similar to the noise a smoke alarm makes when the battery is low, except much louder and more frequent and ALL DAY LONG!

Cute little bugger, though, huh!? Looks like he is wearing a skunk skin cap. I couldn't resist getting the little annoying guys photo this evening.

Anyone have any idea what these birds are called? Maybe "Loud Annoying Chirpers" or "Skunk Skin Skulls," or something like that.

Violence

Inspired by Shusli's blog, Death and Conscience, and her work around the murder of Andrew Hanlon, an Irish national, by a Silverton cop who is on paid administrative leave while he sits in jail for allegations of child molestation, the question of violence and what to do about it has come up within our community here in Coos Bay.

So, I open a discussion here:

How do we deal with violence?

Andrew Hanlon, Murdered June 30 by Silverton Cop

Officer Tony Gonzales, the cop who shot Andrew Hanlon to death for allegations of burglary.

Shusli, my Beautiful and Wonderful Wife

Tip Toe Through the Tulips: With Edit Added 7-24-08

I've been told a story that the Dutch economy was based on Tulip bulbs at one time (how true that is, I don't know). One day, a foreign sailor comes to port and he sees all these tulip bulbs in trays being sold for various prices depending on the variety. He thought they were onions. He grabbed one and ate it. Folks were not only shocked, but they also realized that their economy was based on tulip bulbs, and their economy collapsed. [Explanation: The Dutch lost "trust" in the basis of their economy, the Tulip. Without the peoples trust (example: in the U.S. we "trust" the dollar will purchase something, a common belief that it is actually worth something when it is only a piece of paper) in what their economic system was based on, there was an economic collapse.]

The U.S. economy is based on credit. This credit far exceeds any properties that one has to back said credit. Thus, the U.S. economy is based on debt, and most of the debt is without any form of backing. The debt that does have backing, such as real property, is losing value. The subprime loan forclosures are partly sucking the U.S. and world economies dry. With increasing unemployment, there are not as many buyers to purchase the properties that are forclosed upon or the properties are sold at a much lower value thus furthering the struggle the U.S. economy is in. The dollar, in a very real sense, is based mostly on NOTHING.

So, with banks like IndyMac experiencing what can only be called runs, and other banks struggling or on the verge of collapse, the falling value of the dollar (which is inflated in value anyway), make the values of banks and the dollar even less, but not what they are actually worth, which is far less as they are all mostly based on tulip bulbs...er...credit.

But such worthlessness can be maintained by illusion. Illusion meaning lies. Although the dollar has been HIGHLY inflated for years, its worthlessness is maintained by the belief in the lie that it is worth far more than it is. This lie is maintained by FORCE. The U.S. is the most terroristic nation and has the worlds largest nuclear arsenal and sincerely wants to use it. With a-holes in office like King Dick and co-King George, folks are more apt to kneel before U.S. brutality and accept that indeed, the dollar is worth its highly inflated price.

However, with rising gas and food prices, decreasing incomes, rising unemployment, increased bankruptcies, excessive health care bills, etc., the average good old American is left holding a whole lot of something, and that something is debt. Debt that folks are having increasingly hard times repaying because of high gas and food prices, lack of employment, etc.

I have this funny feeling that someone, somewhere, is doing some serious cooking with a tulip bulb.

Tiptoe Through the Tulips
by Tiny Tim

Tiptoe through the window
By the window, that is where I'll be
Come tiptoe through the tulips with me

Oh, tiptoe from the garden
By the garden of the willow tree
And tiptoe through the tulips with me

Knee deep in flowers we'll stray
We'll keep the showers away
And if I kiss you in the garden, in the moonlight
Will you pardon me?
And tiptoe through the tulips with me

Nazi Pope Makes Another USELESS Apology

I've been trying to avoid it folks, because I've talked so much about the Nazi Pope and his already USELESS apologies to child RAPE victims of clergy from past to present.

OK, let's start a new law. All convicted child rapists should be released if they simply make an apology. Does that sound good? Not that we don't have enough child rapists on the loose as it is, but let's make another law saying that any child rapist who gets caught should immediately be set free when the rapist makes a simple apology, sincere or not.

But here, we have the Nazi Pope, whose organization, the Vatican, has been well aware of the child rape happening in their organization and has done NOTHING about it for at least a century, maybe longer. Now they apologize and it is considered a good step in the right direction by most folks. Let's see, the Nazi Pope, whose aVtican Crime Organization lives off of wealth they stole from gazillions of other folks through the use of genocide (which inlcudes rape), makes an apology and everything seems to be OK. The Nazis came to power BECAUSE OF TREATIES SIGNED WITH THE VATICAN. The Vatican supported somewhat directly the most horrific death camp the fascists in Europe had going, Jasenovac. The Nazi Loving war criminal Vatican also helped many a Nazi escape justice...if the escapee had enough money to pay the Vatican for their protection. The Vatican most likely helped Peter Brzica come to the United States in 1958 under an assumed name, but that is only an allegation because the alleged representatives of God don't seem to let out a whole lot of documentation about their crimes with the Nazi's, especially, I'm sure, since a Nazi now heads the genocidal organization. No apologies for these and gazillions of other crimes the Vatican Crime Organization commits, but because they want some good publicity and to hush the horrors specifically enduced through RAPING CHILDREN, the Nazi Pope makes an apology and meets with four victims for 1 HOUR in Sydney Australia.

There...all better, don't you think? I mean we have NO reason to believe that this Vatican Crime Organization will ever rape children ever again, right?

Let's see, what comes with this apology. The Vatican Crime Organization keeps its wealth. The bad publicity dies down. Victim/survivors receive no compensation or if they do they'll have to sign a document saying they won't discuss anything with the public nor litigate the crimes committed against them by the Vatican Crime Organization. And POOF! Look at that, would ya! The Vatican Crime Organization gets away with raping thousands upon thousands of children TO THIS DAY AND INTO THE FUTURE and the publicity settles and they keep their wealth and never see a day in court or a noose.

Oh yeah! Nice apology Nazi Pope! I'd tell you to kiss my ass, but considering the organization you represent, you probably wouldn't stop there. I'm sure you would apologize after you were done, though.

Nazi Pope, if you and your Vatican Crime Organization are truly reprentatives of God, I hope when I die I'm shot straight to HELL because if I have to spend eternity with child rapists, genocidal folks, theives, and murderers, etc., that your criminal organization supports or does itself directly, then I'd rather spend eternity in hell than sing praise to a heartless genocidal child rapist Loving god that you represent. FUCK YOU!

I guess the apology wasn't all that useless. I mean, the Nazi Pope and the Vatican Crime Organization gets away with raping thousands upon thousands upon thousands of children from past to present and ON INTO THE FUTURE! They VCO will never have to face a day in court. The VCO gets to keep all their ill gotten gain. The VCO receives good publicity for raping children through a simple apology. Business as usual continues without so much of that nasty publicity. The victims/survivors die off as new ones are created but the system will only have to point to one simple apology, and all crimes are forgiven like Jesus himself came down and raped children right along with those priests and made it a new commandment.

Oh, and don't forget, folks, James Fagan, Democratic Senator from Massachusettes says he would not only protect child rapist clients, but he would destroy the lives of children even more to defend his clients. He would make children commit suicide to protect child rapists. FUCK YOU FAGAN! ROT IN HEAVEN WITH THAT NAZI POPE!

What Good Am I?

What the hell can I do?
I haven't done a whole lot
of anything,
really.
People are dying senselessly
at the hands of others
directly and indirectly
and I sat on my ass
behind a microphone for 12 years
once a week
then every other week
as Indian time
disappeared from the airwaves
then I disappeared from the airwaves
my jaws a flappin'
and more people dyin' senselessly
at the hands of others
directly and indirectly.
What the hell good am I
as my skin stretches in a willow hoop
across the ribs of a lampshade
my scrotum stretches as a man pulls tobacco
from my former ballsack
and what the hell good am I?

The old lady
pushes her walker slowly
until she stands in front of me
hunched over from years of life,
silent from years of talking.
She communicates by pointing her
index finger, now,
and now she points at my belly
as she requests my attention.
"What do you need?" I ask
She reaches forward,
pokes my belly,
then pokes again,
and then again
until I laugh.
Then she starts pinching my belly
and I laugh harder.
I lean down and she leans up
until our eyes meet.
"Are you trying to tickle me?"
She nods joyfully
with a smile on her face.

My favorite thing to do
to relax
after work
is to wrastle my wife to the sofa
and rub her feet.

...I usually don't have to wrastle her...
OK, I don't have to wrastle her at all.
But when we wrastle...
there are no losers.

I Come Here to Work, I Don't Come Here to Die

On Tuesday, July 15, George Mann and Harry (whose last name I forget) played this old union song that Harry wrote around 1980. This is a rather famous song in the labor movement.

This is the first video I recroded and put on YouTube. I apologize for the quality.

Recently at my workplace, the word "union" has been spoken. That kind of talk can get you fired from a job here in the land of alleged freedom. As part of working for this company, I also had to sign a thing stating I wouldn't do anything about trying to join a union. This, of course, is a violation of "human rights," but since when do Americans read and learn about such things as what "human rights" really are.

Also, on one of the residents televisions about a month ago, I heard a television commercial for a company that specializes in union busting or stopping unions from forming within the corporations you may work for. A company specifically designed to violate "human rights" being advertised on American television and nobody says anything.

Were it not for unions, we'd all be working 12-16 hours a day 7 days a week with no vacations, wages just high enough for us to live in a cardboard box and to buy enough food to keep us alive for the next work day, no health care (not like there is much health care today), no weekends, no sick leave (including unpaid), no 40 hour work week, no overtime, etc. All of these things were brought to you by unions and corporations are working hard to take away all of these things AND MORE from you, the common worker (as it were). But that's OK, because this is the land of freedom where "human rights" are of the utmost importance and highly respected.

So the next time you have paid holidays, paid overtime, paid time off, health care (even shitty health care), 40 hour work weeks, etc., thank the unions because the corporations and the U.S. government in which they own wouldn't "give" you those things, you aren't members of the wealthy elite. Besides, as founding father James Madison would say if he were still alive, "you aren't anything but beasts here to do the work for the man."

Felicia

We picked up Felicia on Saturday during Oregon Country Fair, and have since brought her home to Coos Bay to hang out with us for a week.

We sure Love Felicia. She enjoyed walking on the beach.

We took her to a gathering of our local friends and she had a good time. She got to enjoy and understand a little of her own personal power.

I took her to a labor concert at Colette's the other day. She got bored, but I enjoy putting her into situations she would not otherwise be in. It may not seem to touch her, but I think it will be with her for a long time.

Last night, Shusli, Felicia, and I bought some junk food. Shusli made a delicious dinner and we all sat down and watched "Drillbit Taylor." It was pretty good.

It is good having Felicia around. We missed her and it is good to be an influence in her life of a different nature.

75

Today, my dad would have been 75. He died in '81 of scirrosis of the liver. He Loved his kids and all kids even when he was drunk. He wasn't perfect, but he was a damned good fella with a good heart. Don't forget, Dad, send reinforcements.

218b: CF

Shusli and I went to the Oregon Country Fair this weekend. We left Coos Bay on Friday.

Our first stop was in Mapleton at the Alpha-Bit Cafe, ran by the Alpha Farm, which is an organic hippie farming community started back in the '70's. We were the only 2 customers there that were having a sit down meal, Shusli a salad, me a vegie burger. With 5 employees that we saw running around there, it took them half an hour to get us served. I recall that one woman told the young woman who was serving us, "I know you are under a lot of stress..." A lot of stress? It took her about 15 minutes just to get around to getting started on our meals. WTF?

That was frustrating enough for me, so we headed to "Carefree Camp Grounds," just across the street from the fair, where the young woman at the gate had no idea what we were supposed to do. Again, adding to my frustration. We finally got an idea of what to do, went to find a camping spot and did so. Upon returning, they had one helluva time finding Shusli's name in their records. Turned out that they put her name along with her daughters when Rachel and her boyfriend arrived the evening before. Then they had a hard time figuring out why I had an extra ticket on order and what to do about that. Finally, we were all cleared to go, Shusli and I parked the car and walked into the Fair.

The fair was nice. It was really great to see all the folks dressed in all sorts of things, and in some cases, barely dressed at all. One thing was really clear at such a hippie fest, women are very beautiful, and we men...well...we men are pretty much NOT! Most men were wearing pretty much the same ensemble I was...long shorts and t-shirts. Wow...we men are pretty much not that creative when it comes to dressing. "What a lovely shade of beige." We listened to some music, I decompressed from the stress, we ate some food, and had ourselves a good ole time seeing all the folks expressing themselves in so many various ways.

Back at camp, we set up and went to a "Bonfire" where a whole mess of mostly young hippie types were playing drums and other instruments and having a good ole time. That was fun. Although it was a "quiet camp," there was noise all night long from the other camp that "quiet" is not really the word for it. One noise sounded like an amplified didjeriedoo being played Metallica style. Shusli and I slept well despite the noise.

Saturday morning we woke up and I found myself arguing with a Mr. Stone, Mr. Kid Knee Stone, so we sent Shusli on her way to have some fun while we argued at camp where I finally fell asleep and woke up later not long before Shusli got back, and we headed to Portland to pick up Felicia.

We had dinner at Burgerville in Portland, went to a Sumptown, and told Felicia that it our plan to move back to PDX next spring because we miss her and miss the town. Felicia seems a little more mature everytime we see her. I Love that little girl.

We got back to camp and went to the "bonfire" again where we heard lots of drumming and saw lots of young hippie types having a good time. We also had a good time. Felicia, unfamiliar with dancing, actually started dancing on her own to the music. There were bagpipes and such, and Rachel and her boyfriend Adam even brought drums and joined in the merry making. The camp police came out and ended our foray saying that time was up and this was a "quiet camp." Don't make us bring out the water cannons and pepper spray (just kidding on that last part).

On the way back, Shusli helped a young man with a disability carry his chair back to his camp. I helped out as well. And about the time we got him back to his camp, the camp police started checking bracelets and noticed Felicia didn't have one. I was told I would have to get her checked in right now. What the consequences would have been I'm sure would have included constant harassment and possibly eviction from the camp police, so I rather angrily got the ticket and got her checked in. I was not in the mood for such regulation and bullshit when we were there to have a good time.

Sunday AM, Shusli cooked up some potatoes and Rachel and Adam joined us from breakfast. We packed up the car and headed for the fair. We heard some good music. We watched an old Spanish woman dance Flemenco. That was amazing. Shusli informed me the woman was almost 70 years old. She was quite the dancer.

Shusli dressed up and looked very nice. Oh-boy! I wore the usual guy ensemble. We saw one fella whose body was painted and he had a bag over his package. We saw a parade, and we had ourselves a good ole time eating fruit salad, listening to good music, seeing all sorts of weirdos, and we walked back to the car to head back to Coos Bay.

Before we left, however, the littlest camp police person, a girl of about 9-years-old almost threw herself in front of the car to make sure we stopped so an adult camp policeman could come up and cut the wrist bands from our hands so we couldn't pass them on to someone else and these capitalist types would not be able to screw somebody out of a few bucks. And off to home we went. We skipped Alpha-Bit on the way home, as well, and got back to the cool air where we all, Shusli, Felicia, and I, sat down and watched Bubba Ho-Tep.

IT'S A NEW RECORD!

That's right, folks, oil which went down in price recently has REBOUNDED and is now at around $146.90 for A NEW RECORD! This after the U.S. threatened Iran for testing a rocket, so Iran tested another one. The impending war is helping to raise the price of oil. Nigeria is also up in arms, literally, as many folks there don't want the U.S. backed government in power and are threatening further violence. Exxon, Shell, etc., making a killing by making a killing.

Here in Coos Bay, gas prices remained at $4.39 for about 3 weeks and recently dropped with the price of oil to $4.35. No doubt this new development will raise the price of a gallon of gas. I guess we'll have to take out a loan to fill the tank.

But wait, taking out a loan just might become more difficult as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are in a downward spiral. The lending firms which back mortgages seem to be in a downward spiral as their stock values fall with the housing crisis. No clear news as to whether King Dick or co-King George will do anything about this, but there again, Fannie and Freddie aren't oil companies.

Combine all this economic downturn with a stock market that is plunging ever downward, a dollar that is plunging ever downward, a $3,000,000,000,000 going on in Iraq, a hefty priced war in Afghanistan (not to mention the millions of lives and millions of people displaced), the flooding in the midwest destroying a large portion of crops (which co-King George's versioin of FEMA will be helping like they did with Katrina), a continued drought in Australia destroying crops, impending trillion dollar war with Iran, airline cut backs and collapses, job growth collapsing, unemployment rising, stagnating wages, rising gas and food prices, war in Somalia, oil exploration which will cost more than it will save, destruction of the environment with oil exploration, the mortgage crisis, banks collapsing,...I'm sure I'm forgetting something.

Have a nice day!

Hello...World...!!!

Dear world,

As I'm sure you've heard, Iran has tested their Shahab-3 missile.

"Iran's state-controlled TV channel Al-Alam said that a Shahab-3, with a range of 2,000km, was among nine missiles fired from an undisclosed location in the Iranian desert on Wednesday."

This, of course, increases tension between the U.S., Israel, and Iran. They like to think that it can deliver a nuclear warhead because that plays into the propaganda in initiating a war against Iran. Iran refuses to hand over their oil resources to big U.S. businesses and therefore must pay, if the U.S. in consistent with their usual patterns.

As well, Iran conducted military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz in preparation for the onslaught led by the U.S. and Israel.

Robert Gates, U.S. Defense Secretary, denies that their is any plans to slaughter and displace millions of Iranians. However, denial is also a part of the U.S. pattern.

Don't forget, the U.S. planned their original attack on Iraq when Bush 1 was in office 4 years before hand with 7 different military exercises for an invasion, some of which inlcuded an invasion of Kuwait by Iraq. If the U.S. is consistent in their patterns, and they don't have any reason NOT to be, they are already performing their own military exercises against Iran which I'm sure will be an attempt at a form of Blitzkreig. Begin with an air attack, when Iran fights back, use greater force and then you have an excuse for a gound invasion and occupation.

The U.S. may also have the intent to just cripple Iran so they can steal cheap oil from them or have some form of control over Iran's oil sales. These are consistent with U.S. government behavior.

It is stated by Seymour Hersch that the U.S. plans on starting a war with Iran during co-King George's official lame duck period. That way, the next president will guarantee a continued Iranian oppression if not occupation.

All of this will cost a megaton of money which will continue the U.S. in its ever downward economic spiral. And, of course, oil prices will go up and we will feel it at the gas pump and on the grocery shelves.

So, world, let me point out a few things here, which I'm sure most of you are aware of:

The U.S. IS the biggest stockpiler of nuclear weapons. Israel is also a nation armed with nuclear weapons. The U.S. is the only nation to have ever used nuclear weapons. If the U.S., Israel, and other nations have nuclear weapons, why can't Iran? Isn't the U.S. in violation of the Nuclear non-proliferation treaty? Why doesn't any of this matter in the nuclear issue with Iran? Why has the IAEA stated that Iran does not have the capability to produce a nuclear weapon? Why does the intelligence state that Iran gave up their nuclear weapons ambitions in 2003? Why isn't Iran giving over their oil to the U.S. empire like they are required to by the U.S. empire?

Just a few questions, world. There's more, but I don't want you to forget to read about Somalia on the previous post.


The U.S. did this, and by gum, they wanna do it again!

Somalia: Another Illegal Bush War

Thanks to Ridwan for bringing my attention to more horrific genocide and senseless slaughter that I haven't paid attention to led behind the scenes by none other than the U.S. empire. King Dick and co-King George have an illegal and genocidal war going on in Somalia.

Here is a quote form a recent article called, "Bush's Rampage In Somalia," by Mike Whitney, gleaned from "Dissident Voice."

"Heavy fighting and artillery fire have reduced large parts of Mogadishu to rubble. More than 700,000 people have been forced to leave the capital with nothing more than what they can carry on their backs. Entire districts have been evacuated and turned into ghost towns. The main hospital has been bombed and is no longer taking patients. Ethiopian snipers are perched atop rooftops across the city. Over 3.5 million people are now huddled in the south in tent cities without sufficient food, clean water or medical supplies. It is the greatest humanitarian crisis in Africa today; a man-made Hell entirely conjured up in Washington.

"Just weeks ago, Amnesty International reported that it had heard many accounts that Ethiopian troops were “slaughtering (Somalis) like goats.” In one case, “a young child’s throat was slit by Ethiopian soldiers in front of the child’s mother.”"

Sounds like the work of the U.S. empire under King Dick and co-King George to me. It is their clear and consistent pattern.

This is from an interview by Amy Goodman on Democracy Now with Abdi Samatar, professor of Global Studies at the University of Minnesota, also quoted in Mike Whitney's article:

"What you have is really terror in the worst sense of the word, a million people have been displaced that the Ethiopians have been denying humanitarian aid, and the United States which seems to just watch and let it happen."

And go figure! Guess why the U.S. (in my opinion) is backing this illegal and genocidal war. OIL!

"The real motives behind the invasion were oil and geopolitics. According to most estimates 30 percent of America’s oil will come from Africa in the next ten years."

The article also states that the illegal occupying forces from Ethopia are close to signing an agreement to allow U.S. oil corporations in to steal all of their resources. Who would have thunk? Seems that the previous government wasn't convinced by the U.S. to sign over their oil.

The U.S. used its U.S. directed UN to sign illegal documents authorizing the illegal invasion. They stated that the ICU, Somalia's government at the time which brought actual peace and stability was linked to...you guessed it...Al Queda. They alleged that these folks who weren't signing over their oil to the king and co-king were terrorists.

If you are sitting on oil right now that you aren't handing over to the king and co-king, expect mass slaughter soon. King Dick and co-King George are again claiming Venezula is a terrorist state. They are trying to get a trade agreement with Columbia set up. I have to wonder if maybe there are military bases that will be created with this agreement. At least I'm sure their will be some wonderful arms deals going on there.

Right now, as gets pointed out in many arenas, the only thing making it to the news coming out of Africa is Mugabe. Mugabe makes a good smoke screen for U.S. illegal behavior all over Africa.

"Oil that is. Black Gold. Texas Tea."

Ian and Sue

Ian and sue are friends of mine and Shusli's. They put on a festival most every year called "The Spiral Rhythms Festival. This year, however, they did not have the funds and are fund raising for the festival for 2009. They are currently planning on having Casey Neill and Dr. Atomic's Medicine Show for the 2009 festival.

They are going through town and decided to drop by and see us. Because of her work schedule, Shusli was sleeping, so I visited with them myself at Books by the Bay and their Coffee Grounds cafe.

It was really good to see them and talk with them. It has been a long time. These are the first folks who have come through from our friends in the PDX area since we've moved down here. Since it is summer, I am hoping a few make it down this way, but understand along with the high gas and food prices and other things to do if folks don't make it down.

Good to see you, Ian and Sue. May your journey be fun and beautiful and may you be safe and happy!

Our Back Yard

These are a few photos of the beauty that grows in our back yard. Our front yard is trim and mostly brown, but since our back yard is fenced in, Shusli and I let it grow like it wants...with the exception of the invasive Scotch Broom.

Our back yard is especially beautiful on windy days with the grasses are bent back and forth to the changing rhythms of the unseen but felt forces of the wind. In general, it feels great to see it just outside our back door and to go sit on the deck thingy and watch the grasses bend and hear the force of the wind.

The Healing Power of Laughter

[Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis as Elvis and JFK respectively]

When I'm alone and watch a funny movie, I usually don't laugh all that much. Laughter is something I guess I enjoy sharing. That said:

I watched "Bubba Ho-Tep" with Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis and LAUGHED MY ASS OFF!

Elvis changed places with an Elvis impersonator years before but fell off a stage impersonating himself, broke his hip, and wound up in an old folks home.

Ossie Davis plays JFK who survived the assassination and was dyed black and wound up in the same old folks home as Elvis.

An ancient mummy does raids on the old folks home and sucks peoples souls out of their bodies to help him to live. Elvis and JFK decide to try to kill the mummy.

This movie was so funny, I laughed outloud all by myself at home.

It was made in 2002, and was another one of those movies I've wanted to see but just didn't get around to it. I'm glad I did.

Racism

[Malcolm X was Loved and Respected by many in Ireland]

Hello folks. I am going to get going here with another discussion on racism. This is gonna be fun, don't you think.

Shusli made a post of how a young Irish "illegal immigrant" was shot to death in Silverton by one, officer Gonzalez. Andrew Hanlon, the 20-year-old young man, shot to death by Gonzalez, was unarmed.

Along comes Mr. Anonymous spreading what seem to be false statements thus far that Gonzalez was related to a couple of Columbians who were shot to death by one Joe Horn in Pasadena Texas. Seems that these two Columbian fellas, Dejusus and Ortiz, were passing through Joe's backyard after committing a burglary, so Joe shot them in the back and killed them both. Mr. Anonymous alleges that information came out of Salem that he seems to be the only one privvy to, that Gonzalez is related to the two Columbians Joe Horn got away with murdering and that Gonzalez has been waiting to avenge their deaths by killing a white man. Still haven't found any relevant information linking the two, so I have no reason to believe this is true and personally think that Mr. Anonymous is attempting to fire up a bunch of race hate for his own personal agenda.

Here is one interesting quote from Mr. Anonymous on Shusli's blog:

"OREGON IS A GANGSTER STATE FILLED WITH ROGUE COPS. OPEN SEASON ON WHITE PEOPLE BY MEXICANS."

I have encountered this type of behavior before. There are many folks out there who believe that it is not racism until it happens to a white person. I don't hear Mr. Anonymous saying that it was open season on Latinos by whites when Portland Police shot Muhia Poot to death. Nor do I hear him say that it is open season against blacks when white male Portland Police shot to death Kendra James or James Perez. You see, to folks like Mr. Anonymous, racism doesn't really happen unless it happens to a white man.

So far, there has been no clear information or for that matter any "serious and founded" allegations against Gonzalez that his killing of Hanlon was done out of hatred for white folks.

Mind you, I have no Love for cops. Those that aren't criminals know of the criminal activities of their comrades and thus complicit and I will NEVER completely trust a cop as I've read of how some have even gone after their own friends because they wanted to steal their land. Cops are also chosen for their aggressive behavior and trained to "take control" of a situation. To take control, they are trained to use force. Everyone is a criminal to a cop, and thus treated accordingly.

So here we have a system that hires mean folks to keep us "beasts" under control. This is an issue many folks have been trying to deal with for years (like "Cop Watch"), and it still continues. Cops have gotten away with murder. They are not trained to de-escalate a situation and handle it safely. They are trained to take control by force. If that means innocent people have to die, then they will kill them. It is a whole system that needs to be recognized and changed by the people. I don't think folks will change the system, however, because folks enjoy the comfort of believing that "cops are our friends."

Mr. Hanlon's murder upset Shusli. So she wrote a post about it, a eulogy, if you will. Then, Mr. Anonymous gets on their using her eulogy to spread his race hate.

Mr. Anonymous has proven himself to be an extremely disrespectful fella. He has taken someones death, most likely a murder of sorts, and is using it to spread race hate and lies in my opinion. Like all chicken shits, he doesn't use his real name. Now this is an issue I have with folks like this because when you spread your racist ideas around like that, brave up, show your superiority, and give me your name and face.

I, and many others, have spread our ideas out in writings, on the radio, on television, and I and many others are not afraid to put our names and faces behind the ideas we profess. I have been proven a couple of times that I was wrong. I have admitted on the radio and on TV when this has been the case. I am not afraid to be humbled when I am wrong. I am not afraid to put my name and face behind the words and ideas that I speak.

Racism is a tool. It is a tool used to keep us at the bottom separated so we will continue our life's mission of doing our part to create wealth for the empire. That's the way it is in civilized society, and their is a heirarchy to our alleged freedom. We as whatever race, will fight with other races of folks instead of gathering together and fighting the real monster which is empire, which the United States IS and ALWAYS HAS BEEN. So, we are thrown a few scraps by our masters and fight amongst ourselves using the masters tools so he doesn't have to protect himself from us.

So, let's get it on here, because that was some of the most disrespectful behavior I have seen by a human being. Trying to get his agenda of a race war going taking advantage of the murdering of a young man by a cop man. That kind of racism sickens me, assholes with their personal agenda of starting race wars using the death of such a young man for their own advantage, and also spreading lies to that effect as well.

So, let's get to it, folks. Let's start our racism arguments and blah blah blah....