Sunday, October 16, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Poem for The President
Madelyn Dunham meets Nancy Hanks
by Genki
If Tutu Madelyn
Returned as a ghost,
Seeking news
Of the one she loved most,
She'd ask first
Of her grandson:
"Was Barry successful?
What has he done?"
"Can I now rest,
With God above?
My family's pride
A sign of love?
Is Barack strong,
To help the weak?
Could he find lasting
wealth to seek?"
"I wonder now
How he's got on...
Help light a path,
When hope is gone."
Hillary Clinton on the Fence
Weeks have passed, and the movement to Occupy Wall Street has become bigger & more determined.
Hillary Clinton, former Senator for New York, has been largely quiet about the 99% movement. She sits on the fence, expecting to scavenge useful morsels. Disgusting ! Poorly imitated emotion... She's an animated dancer solely for those who fund her wealth. Hi Sugar Daddy!
Hillary Clinton, former Senator for New York, has been largely quiet about the 99% movement. She sits on the fence, expecting to scavenge useful morsels. Disgusting ! Poorly imitated emotion... She's an animated dancer solely for those who fund her wealth. Hi Sugar Daddy!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
A Man Called Boy
Dear Diary,
I go to work everyday, happy to be employed. My employer knows of many hungry outside willing to work, so while this job sucks -- it'll probably get worse. My duties require wearing a jacket & tie (what's the function of a necktie anyhow?) and dealing with the public. Always professional, our clientele looks at me with a mix of respect, fear & envy. I read of friendly small town life, but here all is sterile, semi-efficient, & dull.
My boss and her boss speak to me in flat measured tones. They also seem to dislike their jobs. I'm ordered to complete work tasks and follow directions. My boss's boss's boss once visited our branch and ordered me: "Boy! - help me with this copier!" He yelled "Boy!" though I'm 41 years old and he's younger... I ran to help him. I dislike the name boy, but I heard him angrily yelling at my boss & called her "slut" - so I feel lucky in comparison.
When my wife & I go out to dinner, we wear nice clothes and look prosperous. Walking from our car to a restaurant, or for shopping, I notice more & more ill-dressed people eying us, perhaps with revulsion. Recently one asshole cursed me for no reason. When I told him to "Get a life!" he sort of choked & sobbed.
I sometimes wonder: Is this a Wonderful Life?
I go to work everyday, happy to be employed. My employer knows of many hungry outside willing to work, so while this job sucks -- it'll probably get worse. My duties require wearing a jacket & tie (what's the function of a necktie anyhow?) and dealing with the public. Always professional, our clientele looks at me with a mix of respect, fear & envy. I read of friendly small town life, but here all is sterile, semi-efficient, & dull.
My boss and her boss speak to me in flat measured tones. They also seem to dislike their jobs. I'm ordered to complete work tasks and follow directions. My boss's boss's boss once visited our branch and ordered me: "Boy! - help me with this copier!" He yelled "Boy!" though I'm 41 years old and he's younger... I ran to help him. I dislike the name boy, but I heard him angrily yelling at my boss & called her "slut" - so I feel lucky in comparison.
When my wife & I go out to dinner, we wear nice clothes and look prosperous. Walking from our car to a restaurant, or for shopping, I notice more & more ill-dressed people eying us, perhaps with revulsion. Recently one asshole cursed me for no reason. When I told him to "Get a life!" he sort of choked & sobbed.
I sometimes wonder: Is this a Wonderful Life?
Monday, October 10, 2011
Understand the Press as Parasite
"The press of the United States? It is a parasitic growth that battens on the capitalist class. Its function is to serve the established by moulding public opinion..."
-- Jack London (1908) The Iron Heel. Macmillan, Ch.7
"The revolution will not be televised."
-- Gil Scott-Heron (1970)
(On the Occupy Wall Street movement) "Sure we're scared. But admitting weakness is suicidal. We've got strategy teams working round-the-clock developing ways to defuse this situation."
-- Anonymous source (2011) Speaking 'on background' to avoid responsibility & accountability, and to increase the sinister fear of unseen forces quickly ready to powerfully strike & stifle dissent
-- Jack London (1908) The Iron Heel. Macmillan, Ch.7
"The revolution will not be televised."
-- Gil Scott-Heron (1970)
(On the Occupy Wall Street movement) "Sure we're scared. But admitting weakness is suicidal. We've got strategy teams working round-the-clock developing ways to defuse this situation."
-- Anonymous source (2011) Speaking 'on background' to avoid responsibility & accountability, and to increase the sinister fear of unseen forces quickly ready to powerfully strike & stifle dissent
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Our Unknown World
It is worthwhile to think about & appraise how much in our world we do not understand. Those with great hubris might imagine almost all is known. The more realistic will acknowledge that many systems and processes are still poorly understood, or almost wholly unrecognized. Curious scientists, trained to recognize anomaly, seek regularly to refocus their perspectives. We re-explain to a better fit reality.
Perhaps we actually understand just a small percentage of that happening around us. We create hypotheses and stories, but are largely blind.
This scenario better explains mass foolishness. And deliberate mis-education to perpetuate mass bewilderment. Ignoring a few key processes can result in virtual enslavement. Many enter a world with no right to rest peacefully - from the instant of conception starts a struggle to exist in a world "owned" by others. Immersed in Social Darwinist survival strategies, we eke out life. Personal well-being requires addressing a few central elements, including health care, freedom of communications, equal opportunity vs. the social impact of inheritance & privilege, investment in community, etc.
This explains how exploitation can exist in a systematic way. We're delivered at birth into a world of institutionalized criminality - many accept it, some exploit it; a few will always fight it.
Perhaps we actually understand just a small percentage of that happening around us. We create hypotheses and stories, but are largely blind.
This scenario better explains mass foolishness. And deliberate mis-education to perpetuate mass bewilderment. Ignoring a few key processes can result in virtual enslavement. Many enter a world with no right to rest peacefully - from the instant of conception starts a struggle to exist in a world "owned" by others. Immersed in Social Darwinist survival strategies, we eke out life. Personal well-being requires addressing a few central elements, including health care, freedom of communications, equal opportunity vs. the social impact of inheritance & privilege, investment in community, etc.
This explains how exploitation can exist in a systematic way. We're delivered at birth into a world of institutionalized criminality - many accept it, some exploit it; a few will always fight it.
Saturday, October 01, 2011
Occupy Wall Street
rejoice
have fun !
freedom to disapprove
dissent without aggression
identify contradiction
decline conform
hinder violence
Land of the Cree
Home of the Slave
have fun !
freedom to disapprove
dissent without aggression
identify contradiction
decline conform
hinder violence
Land of the Cree
Home of the Slave
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
McDonalds News Network
Would you be well-informed if all your nutritional news & background information were supplied by McDonalds fast-food franchises?
An independent press is essential - but most media outlets in the USA are owned by wealthy corporations. Americans are typically unfamiliar with press independence, and 99% of the media consumed is owned & controlled by the 1% richest people.
Too many people unthinkingly rely on the huge corporate news machines -- which clearly distort, omit & manage information. In the USA, official brutality is deliberately hidden when possible. Democracy is threatened when a large proportion of people are fooled, deluded or deceived.
Pre-digested infosnacks offered by corporatist networks are not "free news" -- docile media endangers the health of the world & the survival of future generations.
Neglecting media's importance is costly, but blame yourself. Civic media is an available alternative in many nations, but people are captivated by corporate-supplied buzz.
The below site offers a different view of the news:
http://commondreams.org
An independent press is essential - but most media outlets in the USA are owned by wealthy corporations. Americans are typically unfamiliar with press independence, and 99% of the media consumed is owned & controlled by the 1% richest people.
Too many people unthinkingly rely on the huge corporate news machines -- which clearly distort, omit & manage information. In the USA, official brutality is deliberately hidden when possible. Democracy is threatened when a large proportion of people are fooled, deluded or deceived.
Pre-digested infosnacks offered by corporatist networks are not "free news" -- docile media endangers the health of the world & the survival of future generations.
Neglecting media's importance is costly, but blame yourself. Civic media is an available alternative in many nations, but people are captivated by corporate-supplied buzz.
The below site offers a different view of the news:
http://commondreams.org
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
