Be peace.
I’ll be gone for the rest of the week at this lovely retreat for Engaged Buddhists.
Author: Ruby Sinreich
Well, knock me over with a feather.
I was wrong about Gore’s irrelevence (see entry for 9/24 below). Since he made that speech, a number of Democrats have suddenly gone public with opposition to war. The latest: two Democratic congresspeeps actually went to Iraq and have announced that The President “would mislead the American people” to get us to war! Who woulda thunk it?
All this excitement has certainly gotten Al Gore all riled up about speechifying. I think he might remain more effective if he decides not to run, though. It’s hard to be an elected official and still pretend you’re affected by anything other than campaign contrbutions and voters’ lowest common denominator.
Globalize this.
![[protests]](http://dc.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/metafiles/dscf0009rmaejj-thumb.jpg)
20,000 people marched against the IMF in our nation’s capital today! Find out what’s hapenning in the streets. Undercover cops, preemptive arrests, etc. Over 600 people were arrested yesterday. You won’t read much about it in the news. However, you can read
a suprisingly balanced discussion of the IMF and World Bank in the Washington Post.
Ricas y famosas![[rica y famosa]](http://www.lavitrina.com/html/19/visual_arts/images/Rossell01_small.jpg)
Well this is just interesting. A coffeetable book of photos documenting the utter decadence of Mexico’s upper classes as expressed by women in fantastic clothes and settings. Daniela Rossel, who took the photos, is one of Them, and while she did intend to expose their excess, she seems surprised that they are angry with her now.
I did a search on the book title (Ricas y Famosas) looking for more information and the first site that came up was a typical porno. I think this means she picked a good title. But really, here’s some more about it.
Oh look, a Democrat who can spell S-P-I-N-E
I know I’m supposed to feel some kind of grateful that Al Gore took this articulate stand against bombing in Iraq. But it’s hard to wash that nasty taste out of my mouth. Plus you know the media’s going to ignore it anyway.
Poetic injustice
SUV driver kills nine-year-old trying to save a turtle on Jones Ferry Road. That little girl could have been me, 22 years ago. My mom and I relocated numerous box turtles from Smith Level Road and 15-501. It’s hard not to be disgusted by people who drive gas guzzling spewticles as fashion accessories and status symbols.
Leadership in action
Lest you think that congress is hard at work trying to figure out what to do about terrorists and the economy, here’s a piece of recent legislation that passed unanimously a few weeks ago: “Honoring the contributions of Venus and Serena Williams.”
Those puppet governments can be a real pain
Remember Enron?
Paul Krugman at the New York Times does:
Dick Cheney vehemently denies that talk of war, just weeks
before the midterm elections, is designed to divert
attention from other matters. But in that case he won’t
object if I point out that the tide of corporate scandal is
still rising, and lapping ever closer to his feet.An article in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal confirmed
what some of us have long argued: market manipulation by
energy companies – probably the same companies that wrote
Mr. Cheney’s energy plan, though he has defied a court
order to release task force records – played a key role in
California’s electricity crisis. And new evidence indicates
that Mr. Cheney’s handpicked Army secretary was a corporate
evildoer.
Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.
From that bastion of journalistic skill and integrity, The Daily Tarheel:
Lee said he is not optimistic about the district’s representation in the Senate once he leaves office. “We have reached a point in this county, our county, where most people choose to place symbolism over substance,” he said.
“I am concerned about our future, very concerned. Senator Kinnaird needs to learn to be a team player in the General Assembly.”
He said Kinnaird might face a rude awakening when she returns to the Senate next year.
“It is indeed possible she will realize that she is now the only voice in this county and I won’t be around to pick up the pieces if things crumble,” he said.
Also, look for Lee’s code word “ideology” when he really means Ellie (and Chapel Hill) are too left-wing.