For new stuff, be at the new blog

Everything newer than 2007 is at the new blog: Ryvr Blog.

Updates on The Fitness Train application community website, plus news, opinion, and analysis. How hot will it get? Stay up-to-date with the climate at Ryvr Blog.

Peace in Public

An Alternet headline asks, "Why Can't We Talk about Peace in Public?"

I mean not to nit-pick grammar, as some would have called a misplaced modifier, but instead to pun off of Alternet's twist of grammar.

Peace in public. Peace in ourselves, with our lives, is the road to world peace. Whorled peas?

"There is no way to peace, peace is the way." --A. J. Muste

Do you ask why we are fighting in Iraq, and perhaps about to fight in Iran? Ask why you are fighting in yourself for the answer. I take no holier-than-thou here. I am as guilty as you.

And It's ONE, TWO, THREE

WHAT are we fightin' for??
Don't ask me I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Iraq(Iran??)-(nam?)
And it's FIVE, SIX, SEVEN
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why
Whoopee we're ALL gonna DIE!

-- Country Joe and the Fish, Woodstock, NY, 1969

Technorati tags: SDS, peace, anti-war, protest,iraq, iran

Huge Step, Capitol Steps

And here's the video of SDS at the Capitol Steps. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised? But maybe it'll be on YouTube:



Technorati tags: SDS, video, peace, anti-war, march, protest, Washington DC

SDS Is Back

SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) bears the greatest credit for transforming what otherwise might have been a well-attended march this past Saturday into an action of street theater, resistance, and civil disobedience that has the potential to launch the movement that will end this war.

The re-launch of SDS has been supported and joined by the group's first President, Al Haber, along with Tom Good and Paul Buhle, also SDS originals from the sixties.

The SDS is talking about a parallel group to be called MDS, Movement for a Democratic Society, that would provide non-student or "older radicals" with a vehicle to work with students and participate in a strong, multi-generation movement.

Technorati tags: SDS, peace, anti-war, march, protest, Washington DC, Iraq

Birth of a True Movement

I've just returned to Asheville from the wildly successful anti-war march in Washington D.C. My deep thanks go to our local Veterans for Peace Chapter for the wonderful travel and lodging they coordinated for us.

I rate this effectiveness of this march extremely high based on several important measures. United for Peace and Justice, who organized the rally, estimate the number of attendees at 400,000, which the NYT cites without question. Consensus suggests this is a quite accurate number. There were also many local rallies around the Nation, and so the numbers were fantastic.

There were also at least two very valuable civil disobedience actions, the first of which was the storming of the Capitol Building's steps by SDS. That's right! SDS IS BACK!

The other was a massively energetic street-blocking sit-in on the parade route with chants of "SIT DOWN! Surround the Capitol!" Lots of folks sat, several danced, and the chanting was loud and cohesive. This peaceful but illegal and confrontational demonstration with about 60 people participating (SDS'ers joining after the Capitol Steps "Surge") escalated into a major stand-off with Capitol Police. The police responded with about 12 each of motorcycle units and horseback units, a helicopter, about 10 police cars, and rooftop surveillance. The number of protesters probably delayed their attempts to make arrests, and as they eventually moved in to make arrests and rammed forward through the crowd with the motorcycles, the chant changed to "ARREST GEORGE BUSH!" right into the faces of the befuddled police.

I'll write more about Saturday's march and the now highly energized 2007 Peace Movement tomorrow. Gotta get some shut-eye now.

war, peace, anti-war, march, protest, Washington DC, Iraq, Iran

We're Still in Hot Water

Sure is chilly here, but global warming remains an urgent problem. Scientists will release a report that Human-caused global warming is currently evident through undeniable smoking guns all around us.

The water temperature at Key West, FL of 78.3 F is at the April average temperature for that location, far above the 69 F typical of January.

CO2 has hit a new record in atmospheric concentrations of 383.04 PPM, and we have a new record year-over-year increase every month.

If you haven't seen Al Gore's 'An Inconvenient Truth,' you must.

Technorati tags: global warming, climate change, environment

28%

"Bush Poll Ratings Before Speech Fall to Nixon's Level" observes *Bloomberg*, reporting:

Bush reached an all-time low 28 percent approval rating in a CBS poll released today. Sixty-six percent of those surveyed in the CBS poll said they opposed Bush's sending 20,000 additional troops to Iraq, and 75 percent said the war there is going badly. Fifty percent said Congress shouldn't provide money for the 20,000 additional troops.

The country came out and voted for the Democrats last November. They must now come through for us and bring the troops HOME.

Technorati tags: bush, war, peace

Rule, Britannia!

We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

I guess we should have just stuck with old England. We have none of these rights ... at least they have some.

Downhill From Here

Yesterday, Stuart Staniford at The Oil Drum updated his moving-average graph of world oil production which is an excellent visualization of the cliff off of which our drunken civilization is driving:



Irreversible, significant, and compounding decreases in oil production are imminent. Price will rise dramatically, and recession and "The Greater Depression" will be harbingers of the end of this civilization. But don't worry - the next one will be much better. We'll laugh about those things we used to call "cars" around the campfire next year.

Technorati tags: collapse, peak oil, tribalism, anarcho-primitivism

Independence from Empire

As we celebrate the "holiday" weekend, I wanted to note that the revolt we are commemorating was a battle of the people for liberty and freedom from an empire which had lost touch.

Today, there is a new Empire which dominates our people and has lost touch. We must battle this one with peace and love, always non-violent; the last revolution failed in part because it was bloody one. Ours will succeed if we make Love, not war, and Turn on, Tune in, and Drop out. Remember: Don't Feed the Capitalists!

I hope that this weekend, you will salute not the flag of the Empire, but instead one like this:

Hurricane Severity Due to Climate Change

Livescience.com reports: "Global warming, and not natural variations in ocean temperature, provided most of the fuel for last year's unusually strong hurricane season, scientists said this week."

It is likely to get worse rapidly. We seem to be entering a period of accelerating heating due to feedback cycles that may not be stoppable even if we were able to radically reduce CO2 emissions today. Even if we cannot stop disastrous consequences any longer, the severity of the problem is still in play. Any further delays in this issue gaining major traction as a global emergency will have dire repercussions that are beyond our ability to imagine.

Technorati tags: collapse, global warming, climate change, environment, tribalism, anarcho-primitivism

Global Warming Emergency NOW

The Sydney Morning Herald, among many news sources, reports:

The Earth is the hottest it has been in at least four centuries and perhaps in thousands of years.

The US National Academy of Sciences reached that conclusion in a broad review of scientific work requested by the US Congress.

In a report released on Friday it found the "recent warmth is unprecedented for at least the last 400 years and potentially the last several millennia."

And you can rely on me to keep you posted on the Pensacola, FL water temperature; the current temp in the GOM at Pensacola is 89.4 F. The average June temp is 84 F, and the warmest average month is August at 86 F. Let me repeat: It is now 89.4 F. Warmer water makes bigger, more dangerous hurricanes.

Global warming is not someday. It is now. We are in an unprecedented disaster.

Technorati tags: collapse, global warming, climate change, environment, tribalism, anarcho-primitivism

Bare Feet Safer

I noticed a search engine query hit to the blog on "Is going barefoot dangerous?"

I wanted to pass along personal experience that I have been going barefoot as often as possible for a couple of years now without any injury or problem, just more comfort and freedom. It is safe and healthy. I have had injuries from shoes, but never from going barefoot.

Also, the Society for Barefoot Living has some great info for questions like that here.

Here are some other recent queries and keywords related to going barefoot:

barefeet in public
convenience store barefoot
Society for Barefoot Living
walmart barefeet [But don't BUY from Walmart!]
barefoot day

barefoot (12), barefeet (6), barefooters (3), bare (2), feet (2), barefooting (1), shoes (1)

Technorati tags: barefoot, barefooters, tribalism, anarcho-primitivism

Gaza Update

Update 16:35 EST - cnn.com: "Syria says it chased Israeli warplanes out of its airspace Wednesday after what it called a "hostile and provocative act," Syrian state television reported Wednesday."

news.bbc.co.uk: "Israel's PM warns of "extreme action" to free a captured soldier as troops enter Gaza and air strikes are launched."

^
| (WEDNESDAY 6/28)

Update 19:36 EST - Vital Perspective: "Fox News reports... troops on the southern border of Gaza... are now moving north into the area under the cover of night with the electricity having been knocked out and transportation infrastructes destroyed."

Update 19:18 EST - Israel Matzav: "Some 2,500 Egyptian border guards were deployed in the Rafah area on Monday... to prevent 'Palestinians' running away... into Egypt."

Update 19:02 EST - Vital Perspective: "AP reports that the Palestinian Authority says the IAF hit power stations in Gaza City, knocking out electricity." (Multiple confirmations).

Update 18:28 EST - BBC News: "Israel's military has attacked three bridges in Gaza amid heightened tension over the capture of an Israeli soldier."
Three bridges.

18:10 EST - breitbart.com is reporting: "Israeli planes attacked a bridge in central Gaza late Tuesday, Israel Radio reported, and Israeli tanks were said to be on the move, possibly signaling the start of a military operation."

Technorati tags: Gaza, war, peace, Israel, Palestine

BlogAsheville Awards

Ryvr Scrawl had been nominated in two categories in "The First Annual BlogAsheville Awards."

- Least Likely to Make Money by Blogging
- Least Likely to Care About Traffic

Modern Peasant ultimately took the winning spot in both those categories!

War is Not the Solution

The cnn.com headline reads: Israeli troops mass on Gaza border
'Strike will come,' Cabinet minister warns.

This appears to be a dangerous situation that may result in unacceptable bloodshed and pain for both sides. Deep breathing and caution are what is needed. Peace is every step.

*** More soon. Depending on the direction this goes, I may try to blog it somewhat continuously for a while. ***

Technorati tags: peace, war, Gaza

Be Disruptive on Monday

Hats off to pro-immigrant activists who are organizing a massive strike for Monday, May 1, 2006.

We all have an obligation in these times to participate however we can. Keep it nonviolent, but do not support destructive capitalist activity. Do not buy gas. Try not to spend anything and boycott as much economic activity as possible. If you don't feel well, please don't go to work to spread the germs around!

My Way News conveys a great forecast:

Organizers have timed the action for May Day, a date when workers around the world often march for improved conditions, and have strong support from big labor and the Roman Catholic church. They vow that America's major cities will grind to a halt and its economy will stagger as Latinos walk off their jobs and skip school.

How will you contribute to sending a message that we don't have the society we want?

Technorati tags: Immigration, Revolution, May Day, May 1

Oil Crisis Emerging

The mainstream media appear to be deliberately downplaying the acute skyrocketing of oil prices which threaten significant harm to the economy overall and certainly much pain to consumers both at the gas pump and in other cost of living impacts.

Crude oil for June delivery is now trading at $71.90 per barrel.

The Himalayan Times says:

"As one risk factor for the global economy is crude prices, which remain at high levels, I will closely watch how each G7 country discusses the issue," Japanese finance minister Sadakazu Tanigaki said...

In London, Brent crude futures have broken through $70 dollars a barrel for the first time, owing to tight supplies and to tensions over Iran's nuclear ambitions...

The higher the deficit goes, the greater the risk of the dollar crashing, "which would push US interest rates up sharply and possibly lead to a recession”," ...[the IMF] warned.

It is very possible that oil prices have entered territory which is economically destructive, and they will not ease much without a recession or depression which could cause demand to plummet. Barring capitalists having some clever or lucky cards up their sleeves, we may be just now entering a strange new era with much pain and some glimmers of hope for a future which is based on cooperation and sharing rather than competition and private ownership.

Technorati tags: collapse, peak oil, tribalism, anarcho-primitivism

We're In Hot Water

The current water temperature in the Gulf of Mexico at Pensacola, FL is 80.2 F. This is close to the average temperature (84) for June. April's normal is 71.

June is when hurricane season normally starts, but it would seem unsurprising if we see a very early start and fierce season this year since these storms obtain their energy from ocean heat. Global warming is now.

*** Update 4/17/2006 15:45 EST - Pensacola water temp is now 81.5F!

Technorati tags: global warming, environment, collapse

OM, Drums, Barefoot Dancing

Alan Ginsberg chanting OM may have helped end the Vietnam War.

I hope that maybe the drummers and we who dance barefoot at the Asheville drum circles at Pritchard Park on Friday evenings may also be rebalancing world Karma to help us all to our soft landing in the paradise of the noncapitalist future.

Peace and Love always, Brothers and Sisters.

Technorati tags: Asheville, peace, tribalism, barefoot, barefooters

On Blissful Liberation

Eula and Ran Prieur have been discussing some hazards of the terminology that we use to identify likely future trends. At issue is that "crash," "collapse," and "die-off" are perhaps poor branding choices compared to "involuntary powerdown," "Utopia," or how about "Blissful Liberation from the Capitalists."

Technorati tags: collapse, peak oil, tribalism, anarcho-primitivism

LATOC #1 For "Oil" on Google

The most straightforward and lucid explanation of peak oil and its consequences I have yet seen is found at the site Peak Oil: Life After the Oil Crash. I highly recommend familiarizing yourself with the facts and logic presented at this site.

They have now become the #1 result returned by a Google search on the term "oil." That's some huge writing on the virtual wall.

Technorati tags: collapse, peak oil, tribalism, anarcho-primitivism

DEA Agent in Video Shoots Self in Foot

And is apparently now suing for humiliation that has "crippled" his "career."

You can also see the video of the "agent" shooting himself in his foot here.

He should lose the case, because if his career is lost at the DEA, he now has a better opportunity to find an honest line of work doing some kind of good instead of harassing and destroying people for the morally legitimate use of spiritually helpful and medicinal plants, fungi, and chemicals.

Asheville Items

Since it remains unclear how long the system will limp along before crashing from oil starvation, it is good that communities like Asheville are engaging in positive action with results. It is also great practice for a community that will evolve a healthy tribal network post-capitalism.

Blog Asheville tells us that local activists have stopped a new Walmart infection:

Just as the forces were gathering to battle it out at Ashvegas City Council tonight, Wal-Mart has announced that it's not going to pursue siting a Wal-Mart Supercenter on Smoky Park Highway next to the Lowes' there.

Also from BA, we have a link to freep a poll on support for the Dem. (Schuller) candidate working to unseat the Republican (Taylor) incumbent in the local Congressional race. Scroll down this page and vote!

Technorati tags: Asheville, Walmart, politics

Oil's Well That Ends Well

The Globe and Mail is reporting on the continuing rise of oil prices:

Light, sweet crude for May delivery rose $1.36 to $68.75 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. If the gains stick, it would be the highest closing price since Sept. 1, when Nymex futures settled at $69.47.

My recent analysis of global production numbers leads me to believe that the Hubbert Peak of oil production was in June 2005. It is probably only massive efforts by producers that is delaying significant production decreases for perhaps a couple more months.

Given the fact that demand for oil will soon be running off ahead of supply, the oil price is a huge capitalist bargain. However, the pain of $2.79/Gal. and rising gas at the pumps is real and must get worse.

We must all learn to live without oil. And remember that when we say oil, we mean gasoline, plastic, fertilizers that allow large-scale agriculture, and many of the other building blocks of this civilization.

Technorati tags: collapse, peak oil, civilization, anarcho-primitivism

Pentagon Nuke Plans: Iran

Seymour M. Hersh reveals vile plans by the Pentagon to attack Iran:

One of the military's initial option plans, as presented to the White House by the Pentagon this winter, calls for the use of a bunker-buster tactical nuclear weapon, such as the B61-11, against underground nuclear sites.

Steve at BIO cites *political* risks for the self-styled Emperor Bush:

I think Bush has gone to the terror well too often. I think playing the only card in the deck for short term political gain, to bump the polls in advance of the mid-term elections, will backfire on him, for precisely the same reason Iraq backfired on him.

The moral implications of using nuclear weapons in conflict for the first time since 1945 are mind-bogglingly horrific. We each have a profound obligation to do everything (non-violent) that we can to stop such an attack by the U.S.

Technorati tags: peace, Iran

Wikipedia Offline

Wikipedia has been offline for some time today, and I am hoping to be able to report more info soon as to why or when it will be back up. I'll keep trying to find out. It is intersting to think about all the students with research papers due Monday morning among millions of other information seekers who must be in a huge jam right now. (21:00 EST).

Updates to come as I find out more information.

Update 21:06 EST - The front page is now showing, but searches still do not work.

Update 21:15 EST - Searches appear to be working and the site appears to be up and functioning. Apparently it was down for about 4 hours.

Update 21:27 EST - While some areas of the site are still having problems, Wikipedia is up and running. According to the Server Admin Log there were apparently problems associated with a mySQL install, and servers not booting or registering DNS properly.

Technorati tags: wikipedia

A Poster Showing Healthy Living

I am unspeakably flattered to find out from my new stats tracker that this blog is the #6 result in MSN Search on the terms "a poster showing healthy living."

Keep reading me brothers and sisters! It's great for your health!

And studies show that 2 out of 3 hippies say that posting comments at ryvr scrawl could reduce your risk of contracting Bird Flu, H5N1.

Technorati tag: meta

TEOTWAWKI: And I Feel Fine

(It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine).

Jason Godesky has a good analysis of the flaws of an article by Toby Hemenway:

Hemenway makes an argument about demand, and points out the basic economic fact that price is not only set by supply, but also by demand. This is the common Cornucopian reply to the question of Peak Oil: as supply contracts, prices will rise, which will simply extinguish demand. This entails a distinct lack of imagination, in my opinion, as to what "extinguishing demand" might entail. With a human population far beyond its carrying capacity already that can only be fed with petroleum-fueled, industrial agrictulre, a rise in the price of oil must be carried over into a rise in the price of food. That will increase the percentage of the population that cannot afford food, and that increases the desperation of a society very quickly.

I think the other point that cornucopians miss is that this will be a permanent and widening decrease in the amount of energy available to civilization. Capitalism is predicated on growth. Sustainability (at some level) will be possible, but not endless growth. This means that capitalism will fail completely.

Now, where I am more "optimistic" than many doomers is that I like to focus on the fact that many of the most spirited of tribes can look forward to a future that will be much better than the anti-human civilization in which we live. Many of us will be able to grow food, eat well, and see a new renaissance of art and music instead of Walmart and American Idol.

And don't forget Karma: stay non-violent and lead your tribe in peace, love, and happiness always.

Technorati tags: collapse, peak oil, tribalism, anarcho-primitivism

Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out

tom campbell writes:

[M]y grand scheme to 'save the world' is simply to walk away from participation in those institutions that diminish diversity and learn about or create a new way of living that increases diversity[.]

You don't hear too many people advising us to "Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out" these days. However, it appears beyond doubt that the "system" is even more broken beyond possibility of being fixed from within than it was in the 60's.

Many of us want a better world but continue to crank the engines that are driving it off a cliff. Compassion and love, shared with our communities can accomplish true good, and we are at the point where we must build our better world through ourselves without expecting justice to come from the top.

Tom is right. As many of us as possible do need to find a new way of living that brings peace, love, and happiness to our tribes.

Technorati tags: revolution, 60's, peace and love

Theological Treatise (En bref)

I'm gonna tell a BIG secret. I can't tell you why I'm tellin' it, but I'm tellin' it. And know truthfully that there's a Holy Rosary wrapped around my hand right now as I write this. But Lo, it is still and surely your left-wing wacko ** Ryvr ** who loves all the other people far faster than the people who say, "Ha, I have many jewels!"

The Secret ***IS***: Look around you; look at you. This all has meaning. And VERY, Very Good meaning. Wanna disagree with me? O.k. Go Ahead. But as for me, I would rather live a beautiful lie, than die an ugly death.

So immediately, this moment! Embrace yourself, embrace the person next to you, and (deep breath) EMBRACE GOD. Now that you're shocked ... realize that a supremely meaniful quest offered to you is to find a place for the idea "God" that you feel at one with. "At One"-Ment = Atonement.

For many liberals and intellectuals, "God" the word is dead or never existed. But God=Love, God=Truth,God="This means something and Right will win" are what "liberals" are all about.

So the secret is: Be as good as you can be (and keep trying better), Good Will Win, and YOU are a Child of God.

Music Matters: Update I

We have nominations updates for our list of musicians and bands that are helping to make a better world. See the original post for the idea behind this list.

We need more nominations! Please use comments to submit yours (up to 3, currently performing or recording).

Nominations as of March 24, 2006 (alphabetical):

• Dark Star Orchestra


• Rick Frost


• Warren Haynes


• Gandolf Murphy & the Slambovian Circus of Dreams


• Max Creek


• Rusted Root

Technorati tags: Music, Revolution, Peace, Peace and Love

A New Atlantis

On AlterNet, Don Hazen correctly proclaims:

It is time to resurrect the good '60s and help many people understand much of what has been hidden. It was an era when millions of people were clear about their values -- especially nonmaterial aspirations, and sharing, and ways of living simply that have long since been steamrollered by the nonstop tsunami of global consumer culture.

We can make a better world and recapture our human spirit, but to do so we must kill the "60's was a failure" myth. They did more good than can usually be expected of a generation, and we have just dropped the ball so far on the unfinished business.

You:
- Participate in nonviolent direct action
- Find a style that is you and your tribe's
- Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out
- Make Peace and Love
- Bare Feet Not Arms

Technorati tags: hippies, 60's, revolution

Equinox: Economy Egg Standing Upright?

Uh, yeah, the week of March 20... The AP is reporting:

Treasury officials, briefing congressional aides last week, said that the government will run out of maneuvering room to keep from exceeding the current limit sometime during the week of March 20...

[T]hey had used the $15 billion in the Exchange Stabilization Fund, a reserve that the Treasury secretary has that is normally used to smooth out volatile movements in the value of the dollar in currency markets.

Heck, who needs stabilization funds in times like these?

"Hippie Chimps" Endangered

On the heels of a great chimps/bonobos post at Anthropik by Jason Godesky, cnn.com is reporting:

Scientists are struggling to save the fast-disappearing bonobo, the gentle "hippie chimp" known for resolving squabbles through sex rather than violence...

"Bonobos are an icon for peace and love, the world's 'hippie chimps,"' said Sally Coxe of the Washington-based Bonobo Conservation Initiative. "To let them die off would be a catastrophe."

Praise The Lord, We're Free At Last

Of the near-future failure of industrial civilization, Jason Godesky says:

We should not hear "Stone Age" and think of a life that is "nasty, brutish and short"; rather, we should understand that living in the Stone Age means being free for the first time in our lives.

I think many of us will be clever and hard-working enough to live very well and happily post-capitalism. The most stressful thing is gonna be getting things organized initially since so few people are willing to accept the obvious conclusions to draw right now about where things are going and how soon. If it doesn't happen before the weather gets cold again, some advance preparation is going to be necessary. At this point though, I am not overly concerned about catching some fish and picking some edible plants the day the grocery store is no longer open.

Note about "how soon": The week of March 20, 2006 is going to be a big one to watch with the opening of the Iran Oil Bourse, the Fed-funny-money-thing, and the 3 year anniversary of the Iraq war. If on 3/24/06 things look similar to how they did on 2/24, the fat lady may have a few more stanzas to sing.

Technorati tags: collapse, peak oil, tribalism, anarcho-primitivism

Calling Peak - About Now

Stuart Staniford sums up the evidence, agreeing with many other intelligent observers that the peak of oil production is upon us:

Whether May 2005 will stand as the highest ever month of production or some month in 2006 or even 2007 rises a little higher is certainly hard to call.

Note that he suggests that some month could rise "a little higher" than May 2005 production. This is inconsequential as it represents some random fluctuation - just noise - in the peak production period which will soon transition to a decline.

It is not logical to think that capitalism can survive this. Capitalism is predicated on future increasing of return-on-investment which will not be forthcoming. Alternatives to replace oil will be wonderful for a post-capitalist civilization that will emerge in the coming years, however, the massive infrastructure transformation cost required to preserve the current economy will not be possible during this period of rapidly increasing energy costs.

I do not view these conclusions as at all pessimistic. I believe that we will view the late 20th century and the first six years of the 21st as the "bad old days" when we are gathering around the tribal campfire in the coming years.

Humans will once again be human.

Technorati tag: peak oil

Election 2004 Stolen

Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman explain clearly some of the rock hard evidence that the 2004 Presidential Election was stolen:

Exit polls flashed worldwide on CNN at 12:20 am Wednesday morning, Nov. 3, showed John Kerry winning Ohio by 4.2 percent of the popular vote, probably about 250,000 votes. We believe this is an accurate reflection of what really happened here...

Therefore, to put it simply: at least 308,000 voters, most of them likely Democrats, were eliminated from the registration rolls prior to an election allegedly won by less than 119,000 votes, where more than 106,000 votes still remain uncounted, and where the GOP secretary of state continues to successfully fight off a meaningful recount.

What's terminal is that it seems that not many Americans care that the last two Presidential inaugurations witnessed the swearing-in of the man who LOST the election.

I must emphasize again that we must make progress for the well-being and happiness of the people, and it becomes increasingly clearer that this progress will not happen just through the traditional political process. We must build communities of peace and love. We must stop being mindless consumers.

*** Don't Feed the Capitalists ***

Technorati tags: impeach bush, bush, stolen election

And It's 1, 2, 3 What Are We Fightin' For?

The unelected self-styled emperor bush's Iraq misadventure is in a state of utter meltdown:

With fears of full-blown civil war gripping Iraq, the capital was sealed off, cars were prohibited from entering, and all but the most official vehicles banned from traveling between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m.

,reports cnn.com.

After 2,300 Americans and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis dead, this has led to complete instability teetering on civil war. There is no "good" solution at this point, but first we must hold bush and the Americans who supporting him morally accountable for their disaster which has only made the world a considerably worse place.

Technorati tags: impeach bush, Bush, Iraq, anti-war, peace

Liberal Views harassed in CO School

9news in Colorado reports:

A 16-year-old boy at Overland High School doesn't want to hear what he calls his teacher's left-wing political rants...

A spokesperson for the Cherry Creek School District [in Colorado] said they have placed [the teacher] Bennish on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

I pass this along as more "sign of the times" evidence of this nation's continuing slide into fascism. The rest of us must continue to speak truth and love, loudly and clearly. What they are doing is both a grave and wrong injury to this teacher and a severe threat to moving our society forward through dialog, education, and free expression.

Music Matters: Nominations

Though I have given up on the Democrats, I can never give up on working together to build a better nation and world.

Please join me in this participatory post series, "Music Matters," in which we will try to find musicians and groups who make good sounds that lead us together to dream for better things.

In earlier decades, Bob Dylan, The Grateful Dead, The Beatles, Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Phil Ochs, and many others joined us together in song and dance into a vision that almost succeeded in transforming the world. We've slipped back, but now is the time to go forward.

Let's start with open nominations by readers (please use the Blogger comments) of up to 3 artists/groups per reader, of currently performing or recording musicians who contribute to our movement to make a better world. Please provide URL's if you have them, and feel free to plug your reasons for nominating them.

On March 20, the anti-war concert Bring '‘Em Home Now! will make music in New York featuring R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe, Bright Eyes, Public Enemy frontman Chuck D and Rufus Wainwright.

Nominations as of March 2, 2006 (alphabetical):

• Dark Star Orchestra


• Max Creek


• Rusted Root

Technorati tags: Music, Revolution, Dark Star Orchestra, Max Creek, Rusted Root, Peace, Peace and Love

Formal Unendorsement

At this time, I am choosing to formally unendorse and distance my support from the national Democratic Party.

While I have forgiven their capitulation repeatedly, including making no discernible efforts to stop the recent radical right-wing takeover of the supreme court, today's Senate vote where a greater than threefold majority of Democrats voted for a noxious, liberty-killing "Patriot Act" pushed by an unelected "president" with a current approval rating of 34%, I am flat out of excuses for them.

I believe now that even a Democrat presidency with a Democrat-majority congress is unlikely to bring significant improvement against the rapid slide of our nation deeper into the cesspool.

I urge all people of good-will in this nation to come together to explore all peaceful and non-violent means outside of the political system to bring a better life to our people. The solutions will not be found through either the republican or democratic party to any extent at all in the foreseeable future.

34: Does He Need More?

"Bush is done for ... You don't recover from 34%." asserts Cenk Uygur at AlterNet, conveying a seemingly self-evident truth.

Meanwhile, "Patriot Act compromise passes Senate, awaits House vote... The 89-10 vote marked a bright spot in President Bush's troubled second term as his approval ratings dipped over the war in Iraq and his administration's response to Hurricane Katrina," reports cnn.com.

So, I wonder, if Bush's approval dropped to 10%, would he get only the support of 65 or so senators for his most obnoxious, liberty-trashing legislation?

Clearly, although Bush is horrendous, the *** 89 *** senators voting to continue stripping us of any semblance of Constitutional rights are not doing this to stand with a popular president.

We must face the fact that we have at least 89 complete fascist senators, at least 35 of whom are democrats. "Broken" is a profound understatement of the condition of this former democracy.