This is something I know . . .

THE WORLD WILL BE DIFFERENT FOUR YEARS FROM NOW! This is one thing I know; what I don't know is which way the pendulum will swing. If things go the way I want them too, Barack Obama will be our president and things will move more to the left then they have in the history of our country. Things we have to look forward to include: Health care for everyone, a better standing in a greatly degraded worldview, a transparent - accountable governing body that fears the poeple - not people that fear thier government; and in general a change from the nightmare that has been the last eight years. Things we have to fear: John McCain! And, as we watch the upcoming presidential race from our computer screens and televisions, a little bit of action from all of us who care could not hurt a bit. I know most of you live in Washington - a state that will surely "go Obama" - but maybe its time that we do more to influence the people, counties, and states that wont "go Obama." This might be the last real chance to turn the history of our country. I can not express enough how things will go from bad to worse if we elect another "war mongering conservative" to the White House. The USA will continue to be a target by global radicals and "terrorists," Canadians who travel will still feel it important to put thier flag on thier backpacks so as not to be confused with Americans, and we will not take the torch and become a leader in the upcoming "green revolution." This is our destiny and if you can't see it, your not paying attention - to both history, and the future - becuase this is the only direction the world can go right now. So as we stare at TV screens, with laptops on our laps, checking cellphones for text messages; WAKE UP! We have become dissconnected from the rest of humanity and our reality in in this consumer society is that of prisoners with manufactured higs and lows that dependant on silly things like, gas prices, stimulus checks, digital TV conversions, home prices, technology trends, student loans, and an endless list of other things that should not be influencing happiness. Look to your families, loved ones, and the rest of the rewarding human connections that should be the only source of happiness. I beg you, all of you, anyone that will listen, anyone that has read this far to not let John McCain be elected in November; I swear on everything I know and hold sacred that this is a turning point for the United States and the world; and if we don't take this seriously now, we might not have another chance!

Incase you thought America was great. . .

I guesss I knew the Micheal Moore's new film would be good; I even thought I knew what the subject matter would be. I also prepared myself for the kind of bais and sensationalistic tactics that Moore has become known for in his past films. No preparation was useful though, nor was I even close to guessing where Sicko would go to make its point. Moore's latest is a blatant slap to the face to all Americans; or at least the majority of the populace that have no medical coverage like myself, or the even larger percentage that have medical coverage but have its usefulness limited by innsurance companies that are encouraged to deny claims that are too costly in order to maximize the bottom line. All this is well and good, we all know insurance companies are terrible in thier many institutions in American society, especially considering we are talking about the health care industry that keeps all citizens healthy and happy. But its not this aspect of the film that was infuriorating. It was American's national health care ranking and general comparisons to other countries that really deflated my pride in a country that was founded on such great ideas and circumstances. What you ask is so great about other countries health care, well for starters they care about thier citizens and keep them living longer and healthier than Americans. England was utterly torn apart after world war two and its citizens were demoralized, so what did that government do for its poeple--yep universal health care. Moore compared this point to our only attack on American soil--9/11--asking why couldn't we have responded in the same way. Well the answere is easy; our health care system means alot of money for the insurance companies, the phamacutical companies, and a very suspect American Medical Association. A call was played on the film between - then president - Richard Nixon from one of his aides concerning opening up the health care industry to privitized insurance companies. It would appear that this was the point when corruption and a generalized buisness model entered into an industry that should be about unconditional treatment of anything and everyone. Albeit, did we listen to the message of the founding fathers when they tried to create a system limiting power from government: Or when President Eisenhower warned us about the growing threat of the military industrial complex: Or even this generations greatest thinkers such as Noam Chomsky and Howard Zinn concerning corporations and thier growing influence in government. We didn't listen to these warnings and the evidence of this ignorance is blatant in many areas of American society. Although, there are some messages througout our history that we did listent to: Bush saying we need to bring war to the "evil doers," Reagan warning the popluace that allowing for socialized health care is the same as opening the door to communism in America, as well we listened the afformentioned Nixon about it being a good idea to allow insurance companies control over health care and look where it got us: Thirty-sixth in the world in a health care ranking, right under thied world Costa Rica, and well below most of our closest allies such as Canada, England, and France. So as an example what is so great about those systems; well for one--universal health care with no exceptions--even in the case of a visiting American in need of treatment. As well, to use France as an example; they have unlimted sick days, house calls from doctors on call 24hrs a day, no expensive medications that are not subsidized. Allright, France isn't a good example, of course they have socialized health care, thier government serves the poeple of France the way it should be. The reason for that is that the people of France revolted from thier own government during the French Revolution. This action set an example that the poeple of France made it very clear that the government of France should and will fear its people and not the other way around. And, while America has had a revolution that would have sent this same message, our revolution was against the monarchy in England and not our own government. But, remember England has socialized health care for all and we don't, maybe if we would have lost the American revolution and today would still swear allegiance to the queen, then maybe we too would have a health care system that doesn't favor the rich, or let ceartain citizens go without treatment, or have no coverage at all. I don't want to spoil the movie or its final one-two punch in the end , but I think its important to make one last comparison for the call of universal health care in America. Cuba, comunist Cuba; under that "evil" man Fidel Castro - has a better health care system than America. It's true, another third world country, a communist one nonetheless, has a better health care system than America. Not only that but its own poeple live longer, happier, healthier lives than Americans. This simple fact is the slap in the face I refered to earlier in this blog. Not only do the Cubans care more about thier citizens but they also use thier high standard of health care to help out other nations in the Caribbean, South, and Central America to make thier health care systems better. I won't say what Moore does to prove this point, it could be his only sensationalistc aspect of this film, but it was nonetheless a powerfull one and it sucked me right in without any knee-jerk response. So I say this to the American populace with no trepidity; if you want your government to truly serve you then you need to make it fear you through action, like the message the French Revolution inscribed in its history. It's about time the American populace started getting a government that listens and rewards its citizens for being a part of the greatest nation in the world, all I ask for is health coverage because sadly I don't have any and don't know when I will. Elect a democrat that promises universal health care, and if they don't follow up on that promise, thats when its time to act, to demand, to stop being apathetic, to begin to take the power back to where it was always meant to be; in the hands of the powerless, the masses, the largest--unrepresented--percentage in American today!

2007 state of the union address by Goerge W. Bush

Best described as politicians on pogo-sticks the State of the Union address was received today by members of the house and senate, along with the judges of the supreme court, and army generals; they bobbed up and down,--from sitting to standing—like a headgear adorned eight year old on a sugar high bobbing for that last unattainable apple. The speech given by President George W. Bush was notably contrived and placid; surely in response to the lowest presidential rating (28%) since Richard Nixon was bracing for the break in the Watergate flood, as well as having been given to a newly democratic controlled house and senate. In this context I am sure the president and his speech writers knew exactly what to emphasize in the forty minute speech and what to strike from it altogether.
Considering the presidents mention of the isle, and that it doesn’t matter which side representatives were on, only that they crossed that line when it came to getting things done; it was amusing to watch the red side hop to its feet leaving the blue’s in theirs with signs of contempt on their faces. The most contentious issue the president addressed was surely the Iraq war and the loaded yet mostly uninformed debate concerning whether to send more troops of start bringing the ones already there home. Are senators, representatives, and the American people that uniformed and naive to believe that “failure” in Iraq will surely result in worsening terrorist attacks on our county or simply that it will leave Iraq worse that when we got there.
I guess this use of fear as a weapon has always been one of most irritation for me. And, while it is possible that terrorist attacks could increase if the US pulls out of Iraq, it is also just as possible that by “staying the course” in Iraq could also easily result in more terrorist attacks. Its just how all things work when the future is uncertain and best described as chaos like a drop of water on the hand could easily fall in any direction. Of course I could just as easily compare the war in Iraq much like a responsible camping trip in the wilderness: That you leave those areas exactly as you found them, taking with you only pictures, and leaving some sparse but inevitable footprints.
For the most part the speech was almost too safe, with no real policy points being addressed, or with nothing unexpected coming out of it. The only real unexpected part of the speech was in the introduction of former professional basketball player Dekembe Mutumbo following a section of his speech about AIDS in Africa. Although, where the correlation of Mutumbo’s American citizenship and the worst regional AIDS epidemic in the world relate to each other, I don’t know. If Mutumbo has sponsored an organization to confront this issue that affects his homeland of Congo then the president did not name that organization.
I wanted to make this “review” more comedic, even gonzo-ish in nature but like all things I let the writing take the lead and not my intentions. So as the reader is left with an expressionless glaze over their faces and a thought about how it would be nice to have those last five minutes back; I say to you: You read really fucking slow I could have read over this in at least two minutes! Oh yeah and as far as stats and things go, the same sort that interest me the least, this state of the union was first ever to be opened by a female speaker of the house.

Questions for robots on saving the world: Media!

So do we know why corporations like GE and Westinghouse own media outlets; well its so they can keep wraps on ceartain issues that effect thier buisness. Also, Did you know that in the old days radio stations had to present opposing views; called the "fairness doctrine." But this was abolished under the idea that corporations had thier right to free speech; huh - what they didn't realize is that corporations are exponentially more powerful than people and can direct public oppinion in whatever direction they wish. Also, in 1996 behind closed doors it got worse with the passing of the "Telecommunications Act" under the Clinton administration where almost all radio regulations were thrown out; these regulations kept radio somewhat balanced and ownership was mostly local and widespread. So back to the point: Say the media isn't covering vital issues that should be covered would we know. Well tell me if any of you knew any of the following bullets and that should be your answer: --Two companies count 80 percent of the votes in US elections and the two companies are owned by brothers. --Our national debt now equals $30,000 for each person, also for bonus points guess what political party has accumulated the majority of that debt. --Last month, half the lawyers in the IRS's "Estate Tax Division" were laid off en masse, I wonder why? -- George H.W. Bush is making millions through the Carlisle group, thanks to administration policies; favoritism anyone. --and here's an easy one: The wealthiest 5 percent own 84.4 percent of everything in the US, and the bottom 40 percent owns less than 1 percent; thats about as "fair and balanced" as FOX NEWS. And while were on the subject of Rupert Murdock; his networks here and in England that pretend to appeal to the working class with right wing uber-patriot rhetoric that directs them towards the right only to find themselves aligned to a party that in no-way reflects their standing in the US: ie, economically, socially, gender, race, fill in pretty much anything here and it applies except rich and white> And how do companies convince the public that thier views and those of corporations are the same; well with billions of dollars, think tanks, public relations, marketing, blah, blah, blah. Kale Lasn the author of the great book "Culture Jam" and also behind the mag adbusters has tried repeatedly to publish ads on local television stations only to have his ads rejected for corporate favoritism, go fuigure. You want to know the way to truly affect change in the US, first stop absorbing all corporate controlled media - and then take them over and give em back to the public the way it should be. Question: If the media is supposed to be the watchdog over the government then why aren't they doing thier job and have become entangled in a public - corporate - government three way orgy where the corporations, like stated before, are far more powerful than the poeple.