Tuesday, January 25, 2005

Hey! Over Here!

I've received several emails from people, asking me why I've stopped writing my blog. My instinct almost drove me to pen a bitter retort, pointing out that "there seems little value in my writing more entries, when you don't even read the ones already there!". Then I realized that my notice, advising readers that my blog has moved, is actually kinda small and easily overlooked by any but the most Flaubertian reader.

So, to clarify the matter:

"The Mad Hatter Monologues" blog is retired!
Long Live (for at least a year or so) "2005 Notes from Within"!

Do join us...

Saturday, January 01, 2005

Happy New Year...now focus.

As I did last year, so shall I do now. This entry marks the last but one in this blog, as I jump ship to a new blog. The short entry below this one will be the link to the new blog, as I invite you to follow me into 2005's adventures.

2004 has been momentous, and those moments might have been dubbed exciting, challenging, sad, or otherwise dramatic in one form or another - depending on one's political, sexual, or religious preference....However, recent events have literally and tragically washed away any pretence that any one of us can justifiably stand on any sort of moral, religious, or other high ground without sacrificing the well-being of others. We are none of us outside of reach.

For more information and to find out what you might be able to do, go to http://tsunamihelp.blogspot.com/

Into the Woods....

The Mad Hatter has passed his duties onto the Big Bad Wolf, who welcomes you HERE

Wednesday, December 01, 2004

Visit the Getty: "Event Calendar"

Saturday, November 27, 2004

There's a new foxy playah in town!

I've been trying out a new browser for the past week or so, and I must say it lives up to the hype! When you add those available extensions and themes that most suit your tastes, this becomes a highly personalized and modular tool for customized web use and maximized internet rewards!

Try it for yourself:

Friday, November 26, 2004

Nonsense leads to clarity...

Another silly little questionnaire, that might lead you to some interesting places...I find these things tend to awaken a little nugget of awareness in me whenever I come across them, and bother to think about how I might answer each question!

Send me your answers, if you'd like, I won't post them (unlesss you want me to)...


1: Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, find line 4. Write down what it says

2: Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What do you touch first?

3: What is the last thing you watched on TV?

4: WITHOUT LOOKING, guess what the time is

5: Now look at the clock, what is the actual time?

6: With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?

7: When did you last step outside?

8: Before you came to this website, what did you look at?

9: what are you wearing?

10: Did you dream last night?

11: When did you last laugh?

12: What is on the walls of the room you are in?

13: Seen anything weird lately?

14: DELETED FOR YOUR OWN GOOD.

15: What is the last film you saw?

16: If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy first?

17: Tell me something about you that I don't know

18: If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?

19: Do you like to dance?

20: George Bush: is he a power-crazy nut case or some one who is finally doing something that has needed to be done for years?

21(a): Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?

(b): Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?

22: Would you ever consider living abroad?

(With thanks to Koolthing)

Wednesday, November 24, 2004

Like a snowflake...

Just like a snowflake, The Polar Express is a sparkling and unique creation which leaves one a little cold on contact.

There's no denying that visually it is an impressive piece of work, and I can see why the IMAX-3D version is being hailed as a mind-boggling experience. This story was "shot" as a roller coaster ride for the senses..with one difference.

On a roller coaster your cheeks flush, and your teeth chatter from excitement...and your eyes...your eyes flash with anticipation as you climb the incline, and stream with tears of excitement and reaction to the wind blasting against your face, as you whoosh forward.

There were some daunting-looking inclines, and hurtling descents, in this movie, but not one single eyeball reflecting the unmistakable sense of excitement, anticipation, anxiety, fear, thrill - or for that matter any sort of emotion whatsoever. Motion Capture, at least at the time this feature was made, had managed to create some astonishing work with hair, skin, and crowd scenes, but the eyes simply didn't have it.

This will unquestionably become a classic holiday film, and it deserves to be praised for its almost Willy Wonka-like environments and characters (especially that great "carriage of discarded toys" scene). However, I couldn't help but feel a little squeamish at the hobo character development. I liked where it was headed, but didn't feel good about where it went...it ended up feeling dirty, instead of mysterious.

Bottom line: visually stunning, faithful to the book's style palette; solid, if unimaginative performances, with particular kudos to Mr. Hanks for his portrayal of 5 of the characters; a marked lack of emotional strength in both the characters' souls (via the eyes), and the "beefed-up" storyline. I can't bring myself to call this a failure, because elements certainly impressed me, and I didn't feel I'd wasted my time (two prerequisites for labeling it a failure!). However, it fell short of the mark that I sincerely hope will be met by the upcoming "Monster House". I guess I could offer the back-handed compliment that the PS2 game is way worse...?

Ultimately, filmgoers want to be told a compelling story, and if the technology is not ready yet to powerfully support this storytelling, it - by default - is nothing but an obstacle. Keep up the experimentation, Mr. Zemeckis et al - but don't expect us to cheerfully pay $9 until you are ready to confidently cry "Eureka!". We might pay, but that will be as a result of a marketing blitz that numbed us into submission, and not because we genuinely want to see this...and we will watch with dull eyes...

Monday, November 22, 2004

Coffee Talk...

Following is a letter written by an unknown source. It seems to be an amalgam of original composition, and an excerpt from an episode of "The West Wing". That said, it also is not necessarily this author's opinion. It does, however, raise some interesting questions, worthy of some debate. What are your thoughts on the matter?:

Dear President Bush,

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's law. I have learned a great deal from you and understand why you would propose and support a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. As you said, "In the eyes of God, marriage is between a man a woman." I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can.

When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination . . . end of debate.I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's laws and how to follow them:

1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
3. I know that a man is allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanness--Leviticus 15:19-24. The problem is, most women take offense when they're asked if they're unclean.
4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord--Leviticus 1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states that he should be put to death.Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?
6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination (Leviticus 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there degrees of abomination?
7. Leviticus 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?
8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Leviticus 19:27. How shouldthey die?
9. I know from Leviticus 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Leviticus 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton-polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them(Leviticus 24:10-16)? Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, as we do with people who sleep with their in-laws (Leviticus 20:14)?

I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters.

Thursday, November 18, 2004

It's movie time...

Awards season is here: the most recent films I saw were a couple of very different films I caught this week: one small and great; one grand and over-the-top.

Sideways featured a powerful ensemble cast led by Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church, and including Virginia Madsen, Sandra Oh, M.C. Gainey, Alysia Reiner, Alex Kalognomos, and Patrick Gallagher. Giamatti was extraordinary, but he had the "marrow" role - something an actor with talent can really bite into. Haden Church had the more thankless role of the apparently one-dimensional "stud", and his accomplishment was as impressive as Giamatti's. Virgina Madsen and Sandra Oh hold their own with aplomb, though...especially the gorgeous Ms. Madsen. That's probably the only part of the review by Salon.com that I agree with. That review otherwise completely "missed the point", IMHO. This is a movie well worth the watching, and far more than "quaffable".

The Phantom of the Opera is Andrew Lloyd Webber's vanity project, and my does that man have some vanity in him! Putting him together with the ever florid Joel Schumacher was set to be a stroke of genius or madness, with no hope of an even-keeled balance in-between. However, kudos are due to Mr. Lloyd-Webber for his persistence: so many directors and studios turned him down...and kudos to Mr. Schumacher for taking such a daunting task on. The theatrical spectacle is not first among our thoughts, when attempting to conjure up worthy cinematic adaptations of old French horror novels...but - in the immortal words of Professor Higgins - They "did it"! This is as powerful a renovation of the movie musical as anyone is likely to accomplish in the next decade, or has accomplished in the past quarter century, "Moulin Rouge" included. Of course it has its flaws, just as did the Paris Opera House - the design of which was so painfully described by Claude Debussy as "a railway station on the outside, and a Turkish bath inside". Schumacher falls prey to his camp sensibilities left, right and center - especially during the climactic "Don Juan returns" duet and "Masquerade" scene. It got a little long in parts, but if you surrender to the campness of it all, this is a grand spectacle of musical, visual, cinematic, and even emotional brilliance. If you don't enjoy over 2 hours of rock opera singing, over decorated sets, and obvious plot devices you may find this a less-than-rewarding experience. However, if you enjoy spectacular sets and costumes, beautiful lush (dare I say "operatic"?) cinematography, and an achingly beautiful Emmy Rossum, you will feel rewarded indeed. Gerard Butler, looking more like Brendan Fraser than ever under that make-down, accounted for himself admirably, too...until you realize that he, and all his fellow cast members (even Miss Minnie Driver herself!) were actually singing all the songs themselves! Then, this experience became a revelation in how far a group of dedicated (albeit very well paid) individuals can stretch themselves creatively. I know that this will receive very mixed reviews, but my final conclusion is simply that this will be praised by those who love the stage version, panned by the purists, and equally split by those who view it with an open-mind. This film does not try to be all things to the whole audience, but instead remains completely true to the grand operatic vision of one driven impresario, like him or loathe him: Mr. Lloyd Webber himself.

Tuesday, November 16, 2004

AMAzingly dull.

Watched the American Music Awards the other night...tried desperately to go along with the attempts at humor: Snoop Dogg and his "$500 brownies" table; Diana Ross and the Puli Dog on her head; Brooks and Dunn desperately looking for the interpreter as Outkast's Big Boi gave his acceptance speech; Jessica Simpson and her hiccup song...the girl is undeniably cute, but what's with the spasmodic jerks throughout her performance?

Then we began entering the time warp: Kenny Chesney walks on in a hippie tie dye glory, joined promptly by Uncle Kracker, wearing...well...wearing the same clothes he'd obviously been wearing for a month or so. Take a shower, Mr. Biscuit! However, unconventional expansion of norm was the theme of the evening, supported in part by the appearance of Ciara, the world's first naturally redheaded African-American woman...

Brooks and Dunn didn't need the elusive translator, when the writing went up on the wall: 4th win in 4 years in their category!

Then came Anna Nicole Smith...

She looked more like Marilyn than ever, and when she opened her mouth, I thought she was doing that cute little Marilyn slur, until the slur stretched out into a drunken mumble, and then I realised she must have stopped off at Snoop Dogg's Brownie table on the way in...

Didn't know what to make of Kanye West's performance. The man thought he'd suddenly become the fifth member of the Kronos quartet...

From too much noise, we segued to too little noise: John Mayer began his set with a dead mic, and all we saw was moving of the lips. Well, we actually saw more than that, as he seemed to have a serious case of Jessicasimpsonitis. If they ever tour together, they should consider having Joe Cocker open for them...that would make it a trifecta.

Didn't know what to make of Rod Stewart, either: "70's Brit rebel rocker sings classic American Jazz crooner standard"...in tartan and velvet no less!!

Everyone's stretching tonight! Alicia Keys came strutting out, gussied up in an Al Pacino black silk godfather wannabe outfit. Insisted on getting away from the piano to prove to the world that her booty is just as big as Beyonce's. It was. Blessed relief came soon, when she sat back down at the piano.

The incongruities piled up, as Norah Jones was nominated in the Pop/Rock category...

Then Snoop Dogg came out from behind his Brownies long enough to sample the opening sounds from Monty Python's "Holy Grail" (the bit with the coconuts)...ya know?!

Kobe Bryant got booed...Usher won again...Toby Keith looked as nonplussed by the whole thing as Brooks and Dunn had done earlier....Nicolette Sheridan channeled Anna Nicole Smith...Bon Jovi represented the geriatric ward even more honourably than Rod Stewart had earlier done. they even had Richie Sambora speaking through a tracheal pipe...Maroon 5 gave perhaps the only positively compelling performance of the evening...followed by a whole host of forgettable performances. Heck, the Apple iPod ad featuring U2, shown during one commercial break, was more entertaining!

Wednesday, November 10, 2004

Base, base, baseness....but basically true

Sometimes it takes a pottymouth to speak with eloquence!

Click here for some true reality, but be duly warned: the language can get colorful.

Monday, November 08, 2004

The Global Business Perspective

Peter Wodtke is the archetypical international business executive. Born July 16, 1934. He graduated from Princeton University with a Bachelor of Arts in European Civilization, joining Citibank in New York immediately, where he stayed until 1970. Before moving to Henry Schroder Banking Corporation he held the position of CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of PICA (Private Investment Company for Asia) in 1971. In 1976, he joined the former Swiss Bank Corporation North America as Director, before becoming an independent advisor on investments, M&A and corporate finance in London in 1982. From 1990 until 2000, he was a General Partner of Peter Wodtke & Partners. In 2000, he founded the private firm Peter Wodtke LLC, New York. While I respectfully disagree with one or two of his specific observations, I think he has hammered home some crucial points that cannot be ignored anymore, in a speech that is quite impresssive. Appended below is the transcript from that speech, given at the Wingate Limited Partners' lunch in Dallas, Texas, October 27, 2004.

Before my remarks I would like to pay tribute to Wingate I, which has now completed its operations. For all his quiet modesty, Fred Hegi is a person of extraordinary ability in finance and in business; he has an exceptional following of persons who believe in him and trust him. The talented and complementary combination of Fred Hegi and Tom Sturgess, who could not be with us today, and Jim Callier, in starting Wingate took courage and endurance. Thank you, Fred, Tom in absentia, and Jim for what you did in building a successful fund.

I will talk about three things today: the situation in Iraq, and how the United States can get out of Iraq responsibly; the international situation of the United States, and some thoughts on how the United States should earn its living in a time of growing US trade deficits and heavy US borrowing. None of these topics have been addressed by President Bush or Senator Kerry in the Presidential debates, yet they are important issues. Irrespective of whether Bush or Kerry wins the election next week, he will be faced with them. At the end of my remarks I will circle back to Iraq, and then hopefully there will be some questions.

Let's talk first about Iraq: we have to be prepared for the news getting worse before it gets better. Iraq is substantially out of control and the insurgency is likely to grow in scope and in effectiveness. There are four things we must do:

First, we must support Iraqi elections due to be held in January. The elections should not be postponed, they may not be perfect, but they will hand the responsibility for Iraq back to Iraqis, and that is what Iraq needs. To the extent of our limited influence, we should urge all Iraqis to take part in the election.

Second, we should announce a firm date for the departure of coalition troops from Iraq. The sooner, the better: June 30, 2005 would be a good time. The situation will not be stabilized by our staying longer. A longer stay will increase resistance to our presence. A US announcement as to a date of departure for coalition forces will be believed by the Iraqis, because we kept our word on the handover of power to the Iraqi administration by the end of June 2004. We should then stick to the date we announce.

Once Iraqis understand that they are going to have full sovereignty, and that coalition troops will be out in months, there will be less tacit and material support for the insurgents, less sabotage, and greater willingness to face realities at home and take responsibility for improvement.

Third, the United States should immediately build friendly, cooperative ties with both Iran and Syria. Look at the map: Iran abuts the eastern frontier of Iraq, a potential source of Shia armed infiltration, while abutting the western frontier of Afghanistan. Friendly ties with Iran would secure both these frontiers, a critical step in reducing the turmoil in Iraq and in controlling the opium trade out of Afghanistan, which since the Afghan war has reverted to being the largest opium supplier in the world. Iran also has detained senior Al Qaeda people, it would be helpful to have intelligence access to them. Syria abuts the porous north western frontier of Iraq through which Sunni insurgent recruits reach Iraq from Europe and the Middle East. Both Iran and Syria are countries with capable people, 70 million of them in the case of Iran, and substantial resources. We need to change our mindset about these countries.

Good relations between the USA and Iran and Syria will contribute to lessening tensions in the middle east. An initiative on our part would be welcomed in the region, including by our ally Saudi Arabia. Cooperation with Iran will protect the flow of oil through the Arabian gulf, which Iran potentially controls through the choke point at the Straits of Hormuz, and could help reduce concern in the international oil markets, and reduce oil prices.

Last, the war on terrorism must be stepped up. The USA must improve its intelligence gathering, our cooperation with other like-minded countries, and our timeliness in translating, analyzing and acting on information. Only a month ago there were reports of agencies not sharing information, a subject critically addressed in the 9/11 Commission Report, and of shortage of translators, and delays of weeks in evaluating "chatter". Delays in analyzing information can make the essential difference to terrorists planning an operation. On the ground, the south eastern part of Afghanistan where senior Taliban and Al Qaeda are believed to remain at large, remains unsecured more than two years after the Afghan war. We never dedicated the necessary military resources to solving this problem at the end of a war that was genuinely justifiable for the USA.

Let us go on to the economic situation of the USA. We are incurring record trade deficits. In the month of August, the most recent for which we have figures, the USA incurred a record trade deficit of US$54 billion. The trade deficit is paid for by borrowing, through the issuance of treasury bills and bonds to international creditors. Many of these bills and bonds are taken up by China, which has a huge trade surplus with the United States, that continues to grow as American companies feel compelled to purchase or set up in China on cost grounds.

In contrast to the past, the USA's international borrowing is now to finance consumption, not investment. Historically, much of the shortfall was made up by foreigners' financial investments in the USA, but lately, these are declining. Our savings rate has also declined from 8% twenty years ago to less than 1% today: everywhere we are urged to borrow money, to take out home equity loans, to finance purchases, and to sign up for more credit cards. We are turning into a nation of borrowers, both at the government level and at the level of individuals, and because the available credit seems limitless, we are not facing the problem.

An aspect that has not yet become obvious is that being a debtor nation reduces the strategic options of the United States, because creditor nations, if sufficiently influential, will have something to say, or actions they can take, in response to our policy moves. It is not far-fetched to think that China may have leverage on the United States in regard to its traditional policy support of Taiwan because of the large amounts of US government securities held by China.

In the past two years it has become a policy objective to get China, and other Asian countries, to revalue their currencies. Would that really help? Apart from the fact that China will not revalue its currency just because we ask it to, the effect of even a considerable devaluation will not make a major difference. Think about this: a US manufacturer relocating to China compares, say, a US$7.00 per hour wage plus fringe benefits, a low wage by US standards, against an all-in Chinese wage of US$5.00 per worker per day. If China were to revalue by as much as 20%, the US$ translated effect of the Chinese worker's pay would go from US$5.00 to US$6.00 per day, reflecting the 20% increase. That competitive gap is still vast; a US employer contemplating a move to China will still be looking at US$6.00 per day in China, and the case to move remains compelling.

Add to this the fact that Asian countries increasingly hold really large amounts of capital, while the USA does its borrowing for consumption, our currency is sliding, and technology transfer is so much easier than it was in the past - not least through the numbers of Asian students who study in the best universities of the United States and Europe, and graduate at the top of their class.

A backdrop to our USA economic situation is that the image of the United States abroad has turned bad. The USA is disliked for having waged war on Iraq without adequate international consultation, and especially for its doctrine of preemptive strikes on potential threats.

The time when the United States could go along its own path is over. The fate of the United States will not be different from the fate of the rest of the world by a single millimeter. Air travel, modern weaponry, instant information transfer over the internet, migration from poorer to wealthier countries, have made the world much smaller, and each part is far less isolated from each other part. Many western countries have large, unassimilated, dissatisfied minorities. The challenge for the West is to make our societies inclusive, and the challenge for the USA is to accept other nations and peoples on their terms.

American business is starting to suffer internationally, at first in consumer goods that have an essentially American image like Coca-Cola and McDonalds. Movies will be the last affected, because their identification with the USA is not always clear, and audiences cannot live without them. All things being equal, a consumer abroad who is politically unhappy with the United States may choose not to buy an American product or service when he can buy a comparable one from another country. This is already hurting, as the Financial Times reported earlier this week, but will hurt more if anti-American feeling grows.

The United States is starting to pay a price. The rest of the world does not agree with attacking a country, and forcibly introducing democracy into a culture that did not ask for it and may not be prepared to receive it. The United States cannot remake the world by force, even for its own good.

The United States has always been regarded as a good example of democracy, and literally, a beacon for the whole world. People everywhere want this good example from the United States, and expect it; historically there was always the feeling that the United States may make mistakes but will in the last analysis do the right thing and the decent thing. Since the war on Iraq and the policy of preemptive strikes that faith in the United States is no longer there.

American traditional values of decency, fairness and democracy should be exported by example, and not by force. The values of our country must again become "values of choice" for the world. We need this back. Our commercial future depends to a very great extent on whether this can be achieved.

How will the United States 'earn its living' in the world we have, to a considerable extent, created? We heard several examples today of companies that were increasing their international business; 4 out of 5 Wingate companies discussed today had international business. Amercable, to take their example, is rapidly increasing its technologically based, high value, niche, exports to foreign buyers. In a business where customization and excellence counts rather than large numbers. Amercable prospers, and stays sufficiently ahead of the game that it is constantly developing new products ahead of the market's ability to copy them.

American companies like Amercable, Corrpro and ENSR as well as thousands of other American companies need to increase their exports, and need to invest overseas on location. The United States needs greatly increased income from exports, as well as financial income from overseas investments, to counter the rapidly growing cost of imports, and resultant borrowing.

The United States also needs to open up new markets: examples are Syria and Iran, as well as other middle eastern countries. The USA, with no colonial history in the middle east, used to be the international supplier of choice throughout the middle east, an area with immense purchasing power from which we today benefit little. We have it in our power to restore this.

We should greatly increase our trade with Russia, which needs everything to help its vigorous economy develop, but also needs international acceptance. Vladimir Putin may not be perfect, but he is the best President that Russia will have and we as their trading partner should help and support Russia.

Finally, an obvious choice: after 44 years, it is time to lift our embargo on Cuba. What purpose can our outdated embargo possibly serve, and what does it matter if Mr. Castro, 78 years of age and having suffered a fall, benefits from an economic opening from the USA? It is time for common sense: Cuba needs everything, and a true opening to Cuba's capable people could result in unparalleled prosperity for Cuba as well as for the whole southeastern United States. Everyone will win.

Our country remains the easiest place in the world to start a business. One of our strengths is the optimism and resourcefulness with which people from anywhere come here and establish themselves, with less red tape, fewer regulations, and a more forgiving environment than in any other country. Let us also make the United States, again, the easiest and most welcoming place for foreign investors to make investments and set up their businesses. Historically, many people from overseas looked to the United States as a place to invest and keep their nest eggs. We need these people: let us treat them with courtesy and consideration when they come here, make them feel welcome, and welcome their investments.

Finally, let me circle back to the beginning: Iraq. The fifth, and final point that is needed in order to stabilize Iraq and the middle east is a fair, comprehensive and permanent settlement between Israel and the Palestinians. President Bush is committed to the "road map" for formation of a Palestinian state, although he has taken tactical steps backward during the past two years.

Exposure to suicide bombings, killing and maiming of innocent people is no life for Israel, which has the right to live in peace, security and safety. But equally, the Palestinians need to live in peace, security and safety in their own state, with a decent life for themselves and a real future for their children.

The United States is the only country that has the power and the influence to ensure that a fair settlement really takes place. The USA needs to do this for two reasons: first, the world expects it of us, it is the right and fair thing to do, the killings and suffering in the region have to be brought to an end; second, the Israel - Palestine situation is the central issue at the heart of Islamic fundamentalist terrorism, which to people so-minded illustrates that the West in general, and the United States in particular, cannot be trusted to treat Arabs fairly and will always side with Israel irrespective of the justice of their claims.

Take away the Israel - Palestine problem with a fair solution that brings peace and satisfaction, and we take away the principal recruitment attraction for Al Qaeda. Continue the Israel - Palestine problem, and the fireball of Islamic fundamentalist terrorism will grow and grow, rapidly enveloping more of the uncommitted, non-fanatic Moslem world.

If we resolve this long-standing problem, recruitment to the Iraqi insurgency, which has now become the venue of choice for resistance to the United States and the west, will abate. In a larger sense, we will have made the most important possible contribution to a peaceful and prosperous world.

Thank you. I look forward to your questions.

Question: Would a settlement of the Israel - Palestine issue mean Israel giving up its settlements in Gaza and the West Bank?

Answer: it should. Settlements in territory conquered by force are illegal under international law, and everyone knows that. It is well known in Israel. Further, Israel is perfectly entitled to build a wall for its own security, but the wall should be built along its frontier, and not through the West Bank.

Question: How do you think Americans could be encouraged to save, rather than borrow?

Answer: I'm not an expert on taxation, but we could make it attractive for people to save and form capital, through encouragement of more and larger IRAs.

Question: What do you think about the situation of Saudi Arabia?

Answer: I believe the Saudi regime will survive, not least because they have a very efficient internal information system. Unfortunately for them and for us, they were far too permissive about extremist and inflammatory religious teaching. Bringing that back under control is a very difficult problem. The Saudis, by the way, have been good friends to us when it comes to oil.

Wednesday, November 03, 2004

Half the orchestra missing?

So the fat lady did sing, but half the orchestra was missing at the time of performance...

Consider the following: Nationally, there were 217.8 million people age 18 and over living in the USA as of October 26th, 2004 (US Census Bureau Website). The vote tally, as of 2pm today, is 114,453,190 (CNN). That means that up to 103,346,810 US citizens, over the age of 18, DID NOT VOTE (the non-citizen fraction is both negligible and factored, apparently, according to the US Census).

Nearly 48% of eligible voters stayed home...How pathetic is that? For all the media talk of "massive turnout", it still ranks as shameful.

One long Shampoo Commercial...

I thought I'd wait until the election was in the past, before I typed up the report on my latest Salon. However, given the phalanx of lawyers lining up on either side of the Constitutional courtroom, I might be waiting awhile, so on with the journal:

The last Salon of the year was as splendid a gathering as any other this year, and a great way to close out the year. We had beautiful weather, all the more pleasant given the monsoon downpours that had hit us mere days previously. Everyone congregated on the back porch to dip into some fine cheeses and fresh breads, as we carved our pumpkins, and made a glorious orange mess of the place. I read a short history of pumpkins at Halloween, while the gang hacked into their gourds with quasi-psychotic glee.

After a couple of hours, we moved indoors, where I had built the first fire of the year, and we feasted on homemade Lasagna, homemade Basil and prosciutto meatloaf (with Fontana cheese!), cowboy caviar, Salads, and lots of wine. For those who still had room, we were then treated to homemade pumpkin cheesecake, cookies, and Halloween cupcakes!...and the readings hadn't even begun yet!

After we were all sated, we settled down for some deliciously spine-chilling ghost stories, and no better way to start than with a true account of "Gladys the Ghost" - an eerie true tale of ghost sighting. This was followed by a deceptively innocent reading about "Harold the Scarecrow", presented by our newest Salon attendee - age 10! (somewhat similar story made into a short Flash movie HERE). Her elder sister (at 13) presented a later reading, "Cold as Clay", with equal aplomb! These two guests deserve special admiration, not just due to their excellent storytelling, but because they took the time to dress in very impressive costumes for the occasion.

Not everyone dressed up for the evening, but it was optional, so I can't get too upset! One other guest, who DID make the effort, came in a very clever disguise, as Sylvia Plath during her College years at Smith! This 1950s scholar read us Hans Christian Andersen's "Story of a Mother", after which we were led deep into an excerpt of Edgar Allan Poe's "Premature Burial".

Since this last was one undeniably chilling author's account of some true tales of "inhumation", it was fitting that we continue with some more true tales of haunting, as we were told two frightening tales of how "mischievous spirits" affected one of the attendees. These reflections resurrected several long buried memories in the minds of several of the guests, and we were treated to a good number of true tales of terror, as well as a closing comment on the famous Greystone Mansion, right here in LA.

What night of horror stories would be complete without an excerpt from Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein"? Ours was therefore thus completed, and then topped with some contemporary icing as we were introduced to the poem "Fullerton Road Trick", by Jeff Buckley.

---

In just the short time it took me to compose this entry, John Kerry apparently called George Dubya to concede defeat, although I still have heard no arias from the proverbial "comfortably built" lady...

Is he or isn't he?...

It's all in the timing...

What better evening to watch Jonathan Demme's remake of "The Manchurian Candidate" than Election Day!?

As I sat watching this otherwise "acceptable" feature film, my appreciation for it was heightened by the fact that I had come directly from voting...gave the evening a whole new twist.

It wasn't the performances that made this movie so mediocre. In fact, Denzel Washington, Liv Schrieber, Meryl Streep, et al were quite excellent in their portrayals. Demme's direction was intelligent although occasionally predictable. The work was somewhat pedestrian, though, and I can only attribute this to the old theatrical adage "a series of fine performances does not a great play make"...or something like that!

When you have a cast and crew of this calibre, all under the guidance of a director who used to be exquisite in his sensitivity....I don't understand what he hoped to achive by remaking an undeniable classic...

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

I can't stand the waiting!...

Exit Polls aren't proving consistent enough, pundits are running scared, given their bravado of 2000, so where to turn?...

Try this

So you couldn't be bothered, huh?

Find yourself on the chart below... (courtesy of John Stewart's recent release "America")

Get back out there!!

Have you voted today? If you are a registered voter in the USA, you should be wearing a little "I VOTED" sticker on some legally permissible part of your body right now...are you? If not, why are you sitting at your computer reading this blog?!?!


GO VOTE!

Monday, November 01, 2004

World Voting Day

If the rest of the world had its druthers, we'd have a Democrat landslide tomorrow....

Check out the details here (the link is sometimes sluggish)

Dirty Tricks

This is not going to be a pretty week...:

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/10/29/news_pf/Decision2004/Dirty_tricks_litter_p.shtml

Closer still the day creeps....

Here are some numbers and sites that will, I hope, help you avoid any Election Day mishaps. Thanks to the Swing State Project for furnishing this valuable info:

866-MYVOTE1 is a hotline where you can report all manner of voting problems, such as broken voting machines. They'll also connect you to local election officials at no additional charge, although you'll probably have a mighty long wait trying to get through to them on the actual day.

You can use the above number to find your polling place, or click here for the information.

The other useful hotline, 1-866-OUR-VOTE, is being staffed by volunteers of the Election Protection Coalition, and it can apparently handle 15,000 calls a minute. The EPC, by the way, is totally non-partisan. If you encounter any legal difficulties, such as spurious voter registration challenges, call this number immediately. MoveOn calls this "the 911 of voter hotlines," so only use this if there is a serious emergency.

Many of the people who are likely to experience voting-day problems - the elderly and those in poorer communities - are less likely to use the Internet, so please share these phone numbers through word-of-mouth. MoveOn has created a handy printable card (PDF), containing all the hotlines, etc.

I sincerely hope you will make the right decision on Tuesday. Whatever you do, so long as you are a registered voter, I urge you to perform your duty, and take advantage of your right to vote. Even if you live in a state that is already considered a "shoo-in" for one or the other candidate, your vote can only help clarify what the popular vote numbers may represent.

GO VOTE, or don't ever call yourself an American again. Tuesday will be an irreversible moment in history, and I hope your part in it will be driven by hope for what this country might build in the future, and not fear of what is threatened in the shadows of the present.

Saturday, October 30, 2004

Site update

FYI, I've posted some of my more recent magazine articles on my website, if you're yearning for something to read...(!)

Just go to the "Sample Articles" section.

Friday, October 29, 2004

Swingin' Xenophobia

There's no denying that the conceit is an amusing one, and that the imitation is astonishingly good, but just as the stunt brings a smile to the lips, it brings a grimace to the face - this is indeed how so many Americans feel: a somewhat ignorant assessment of smelly, turban-headed foreigners who wish us nothing but horrific deaths...It's so simplisitc that one would hope that the majority of US citizens would look askance at this blunt portrayal, but unfortunately, the majority of Americans are quite happy to think in simple, single-syllabic, primary color formats. It may seem harsh, but the one assessment that cannot be deemed simplistic is the following:

The United States' inability over the past 25 years or so to effectively educate its general populace as citizens of the world has placed us in the unenviable position of once more returning to our 19th and early 20th century standing as a nation comprising a very small collection of "landed gentry", and a mass majority of ill-educated and disenfranchised yokels.

It may seem innocent enough, but you decide: Sinatra sings

I'm proud to be American, but ashamed to be a part of a country where so many of the citizens lack the mental sophistication to think for themselves, let alone with international sensitivity. The Romans, Germans, British, and Austro-Hungarians (among others) all reached this pinnacle of arrogance...just before the collapse of their vaunted "Empires". Is that the history waiting to be written for the United States of America? I shudder at the prospect...

100 Facts, and one Opinion...

I'd be interested to hear what your thoughts are on this article by JUDD LEGUM
[from the November 8, 2004 issue of The Nation]

Click here to download, circulate and distribute a PDF version of this article.

IRAQ
1. The Bush Administration has spent more than $140 billion on a war of choice in Iraq.
Source: American Progress

2. The Bush Administration sent troops into battle without adequate body armor or armored Humvees.
Sources: Fox News, The Boston Globe

3. The Bush Administration ignored estimates from Gen. Eric Shinseki that several hundred thousand troops would be required to secure Iraq.
Source: PBS

4. Vice President Cheney said Americans "will, in fact, be greeted as liberators" in Iraq.
Source: The Washington Post

5. During the Bush Administration's war in Iraq, more than 1,000 US troops have lost their lives and more than 7,000 have been injured.
Source: globalsecurity.org

6. In May 2003, President Bush landed on an aircraft carrier in a flight suit, stood under a banner proclaiming "Mission Accomplished," and triumphantly announced that major combat operations were over in Iraq. Asked if he had any regrets about the stunt, Bush said he would do it all over again.
Source: Yahoo News

7. Vice President Cheney said that Iraq was "the geographic base of the terrorists who have had us under assault for many years, but most especially on 9/11." The bipartisan 9/11 Commission found that Iraq had no involvement in the 9/11 attacks and no collaborative operational relationship with Al Qaeda.
Source: MSNBC , 9-11 Commission

8. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said that high-strength aluminum tubes acquired by Iraq were "only really suited for nuclear weapons programs," warning "we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud." The government's top nuclear scientists had told the Administration the tubes were "too narrow, too heavy, too long" to be of use in developing nuclear weapons and could be used for other purposes.
Source: New York Times

9. The Bush Administration has spent just $1.1 billion of the $18.4 billion Congress approved for Iraqi reconstruction.
Source: USA Today

10. According to the Administration's handpicked weapon's inspector, Charles Duelfer, there is "no evidence that Hussein had passed illicit weapons material to al Qaeda or other terrorist organizations, or had any intent to do so." After the release of the report, Bush continued to insist, "There was a risk--a real risk--that Saddam Hussein would pass weapons, or materials, or information to terrorist networks."
Sources: New York Times, White House news release

11. According to Duelfer, the UN inspections regime put an "economic strangle hold" on Hussein that prevented him from developing a WMD program for more than twelve years.
Source: Los Angeles Times

TERRORISM
12. After receiving a memo from the CIA in August 2001 titled "Bin Laden Determined to Attack America," President Bush continued his monthlong vacation.
Source: CNN.com

13. The Bush Administration failed to commit enough troops to capture Osama bin Laden when US forces had him cornered in the Tora Bora region of Afghanistan in November 2001. Instead, they relied on local warlords.
Source: csmonitor.com

14. The Bush Administration secured less nuclear material from sites around the world vulnerable to terrorists in the two years after 9/11 than were secured in the two years before 9/11.
Source: nti.org

15. The Bush Administration underfunded Nunn-Lugar--the program intended to keep the former Soviet Union's nuclear legacy out of the hands of terrorists and rogue states--by $45.5 million.
Source: armscontrol.org

16. The Bush Administration has assigned five times as many agents to investigate Cuban embargo violations as it has to track Osama bin Laden's and Saddam Hussein's money.
Source: Associated Press

17. According to Congressional Research Service data, the Bush Administration has underfunded security at the nation's ports by more than $1 billion for fiscal year 2005.
Source: American Progress

18. The Bush Administration did not devote the resources necessary to prevent a resurgence in the production of poppies, the raw material used to create heroin, in Afghanistan--creating a potent new source of financing for terrorists.
Source: Pakistan Tribune

19. Vice President Cheney told voters that unless they elect George Bush in November, "we'll get hit again" by terrorists.
Source: Washington Post

20. Even though an Al Qaeda training manual suggests terrorists come to the United States and buy assault weapons, the Bush Administration did nothing to prevent the expiration of the ban.
Source: sfgate.com

21. Despite repeated calls for reinforcements, there are fewer experienced CIA agents assigned to the unit dealing with Osama bin Laden now than there were before 9/11.
Source: New York Times

22. Before 9/11, John Ashcroft proposed slashing counterterrorism funding by 23 percent.
Source: americanprogress.org

23. Between January 20, 2001, and September 10, 2001, the Bush Administration publicly mentioned Al Qaeda one time.
Source: commondreams.org

24. The Bush Administration granted the 9/11 Commission $3 million to investigate the September 11 attacks and $50 million to the commission that investigated the Columbia space shuttle crash.
Source: commondreams.org

25. More than three years after 9/11, just 5 percent of all cargo--including cargo transported on passenger planes--is screened.
Source: commondreams.org

NATIONAL SECURITY
26. During the Bush Administration, North Korea quadrupled its suspected nuclear arsenal from two to eight weapons.
Source: New York Times

27. The Bush Administration has openly opposed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, undermining nuclear nonproliferation efforts.
Source: commondreams.org

28. The Bush Administration has spent $7 billion this year--and plans to spend $10 billion next year--for a missile defense system that has never worked in a test that wasn't rigged.
Sources: www.gao.gov/new.items/d04409.pdf, Los Angeles Times

29. The Bush Administration underfunded the needs of the nation's first responders by $98 billion, according to a Council on Foreign Relations study.
Source: nationaldefensemagazine.org

CRONYISM AND CORRUPTION
30. The Bush Administration awarded a multibillion-dollar no-bid contract to Halliburton--a company that still pays Vice President Cheney hundreds of thousands of dollars in deferred compensation each year (Cheney also has Halliburton stock options). The company then repeatedly overcharged the military for services, accepted kickbacks from subcontractors and served troops dirty food.
Sources: The Washington Post, The Tapei Times, BBC News

31. The Bush Administration told Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan about plans to go to war with Iraq before telling Secretary of State Colin Powell.
Source: detnews.com

32. The Bush Administration relentlessly pushed an energy bill containing $23.5 billion in corporate tax breaks, much of which would have benefited major campaign contributors.
taxpayer.net, Washington Post

33. The Bush Administration paid Iraqi-exile and neocon darling Ahmad Chalabi $400,000 a month for intelligence, including fabricated claims about Iraqi WMD. It continued to pay him for months after discovering that he was providing inaccurate information.
Source: MSNBC

34. The Bush Administration installed as top officials more than 100 former lobbyists, attorneys or spokespeople for the industries they oversee.
Source: Source: commondreams.org

35. The Bush Administration let disgraced Enron CEO Ken Lay--a close friend of President Bush--help write its energy policy.
Source: MSNBC

36. Top Bush Administration officials accepted $127,600 in jewelry and other presents from the Saudi royal family in 2003, including diamond-and-sapphire jewelry valued at $95,500 for First Lady Laura Bush.
Source: Seattle Times

37. Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge awarded lucrative contracts to several companies in which he is an investor, including Microsoft, GE, Sprint, Pfizer and Oracle.
Source: cq.com

38. President Bush used images of firefighters carrying flag-draped coffins through the rubble of the World Trade Center to score political points in a campaign advertisement.
Source: The Washington Post

THE ECONOMY
39. President Bush's top economic adviser, Greg Mankiw, said the outsourcing of American jobs abroad was "a plus for the economy in the long run."
Source: CBS News

40. The Bush Administration turned a $236 billion surplus into a $422 billion deficit.
Sources: Fortune, dfw.com

41. The Bush Administration implemented regulations that made millions of workers ineligible for overtime pay.
Source: epinet.org

42. The Bush Administration has crippled state budgets by underfunding federal mandates by $175 billion.
Source: cbpp.org

43. President Bush is the first President since Herbert Hoover to have a net loss of jobs--around 800,000--over a four-year term.
Source: The Guardian

44. The Bush Administration gave Accenture a multibillion-dollar border control contract even though the company moved its operations to Bermuda to avoid paying taxes.
Sources: The New York Times, cantonrep.com

45. In 2000, candidate George W. Bush said "the vast majority of my tax cuts go to the bottom end of the spectrum." He passed the tax cuts, but the top 20 percent of earners received 68 percent of the benefits.
Sources: cbpp.org, vote-smart.org

46. In 2000, candidate George W. Bush promised to pay down the national debt to a historically low level. As of September 30, the national debt stood at $7,379,052,696,330.32, a record high.
Sources: www.georgewbush.com , Bureau of the Public Debt

47. As major corporate scandals rocked the nation's economy, the Bush Administration reduced the enforcement of corporate tax law--conducting fewer audits, imposing fewer penalties, pursuing fewer prosecutions and making virtually no effort to prosecute corporate tax crimes.
Source: iht.com

48. The Bush Administration increased tax audits for the working poor.
Source: theolympian.com

49. In 2000, candidate George W. Bush promised to protect the Social Security surplus. As President, he spent all of it.
Sources: georgewbush.com, Congressional Budget Office

50. The Bush Administration proposed slashing funding for the largest federal public housing program, putting 2 million families in danger of losing their housing.
Source: San Francisco Examiner

51. The Bush Administration did nothing to prevent the minimum wage from falling to an inflation-adjusted fifty-year low.
Source: Los Angeles Times

EDUCATION
52. The Bush Administration underfunded the No Child Left Behind Act by $9.4 billion.
Source: nwitimes.com

53. In 2000, candidate George W. Bush promised to increase the maximum federal scholarship, or Pell Grant, by 50 percent. Instead, each year he has been in office he has frozen or cut the maximum scholarship amount.
Source: Source: edworkforce.house.gov

54. The Bush Administration's Secretary of Education, Rod Paige, called the National Education Association--a union of teachers--a "terrorist organization."
Sources: CNN.com

HEALTHCARE
55. The Bush Administration, in violation of the law, refused to allow Medicare actuary Richard Foster to tell members of Congress the actual cost of their Medicare bill. Instead, they repeated a figure they knew was $100 billion too low.
Source: Washington Post, realcities.com

56. The nonpartisan GAO concluded the Bush Administration created illegal, covert propaganda--in the form of fake news reports--to promote its industry-backed Medicare bill.
Source: General Accounting Office

57. The Bush Administration stunted research that could lead to new treatments for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, diabetes, spinal injuries, heart disease and muscular dystrophy by placing severe restrictions on the use of federal dollars for embryonic stem-cell research.
Source: CBS News

58. The Bush Administration reinstated the "global gag rule," which requires foreign NGOs to withhold information about legal abortion services or lose US funds for family planning.
Source: healthsciences.columbia.edu

59. The Bush Administration authorized twenty companies that have been charged with fraud at the federal or state level to offer Medicare prescription drug cards to seniors.
Source: American Progress

60. The Bush Administration created a prescription drug card for Medicare that locks seniors into one card for up to a year but allows the corporations offering the cards to change their prices once a week.
Source: Washington Post

61. The Bush Administration blocked efforts to allow Medicare to negotiate cheaper prescription drug prices for seniors.
Source: American Progress

62. At the behest of the french fry industry, the Bush Administration USDA changed their definition of fresh vegetables to include frozen french fries.
Source: commondreams.org

63. In a case before the Supreme Court, the Bush Administrations sided with HMOs--arguing that patients shouldn't be allowed to sue HMOs when they are improperly denied treatment. With the Administration's help, the HMOs won.
Source: ABC News

64. The Bush Administration went to court to block lawsuits by patients who were injured by defective prescription drugs and medical devices.
Source: Washington Post

65. President Bush signed a Medicare law that allows companies that reduce healthcare benefits for retirees to receive substantial subsidies from the government.
Source: Bloomberg News

66. Since President Bush took office, more than 5 million people have lost their health insurance.
Source: CNN.com

67. The Bush Administration blocked a proposal to ban the use of arsenic-treated lumber in playground equipment, even though it conceded it posed a danger to children.
Source: Miami Herald

68. One day after President Bush bragged about his efforts to help seniors afford healthcare, the Administration announced the largest dollar increase of Medicare premiums in history.
Source: iht.com

69. The Bush Administration--at the behest of the tobacco industry--tried to water down a global treaty that aimed to help curb smoking.
Source: tobaccofreekids.org

70. The Bush Administration has spent $270 million on abstinence-only education programs even though there is no scientific evidence demonstrating that they are effective in dissuading teenagers from having sex or reducing the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.
Source: salon.com

71. The Bush Administration slashed funding for programs that suggested ways, other than abstinence, to avoid sexually transmitted diseases.
Source: LA Weekly

ENVIRONMENT
72. The Bush Administration gutted clean-air standards for aging power plants, resulting in at least 20,000 premature deaths each year.
Source: cta.policy.net

73. The Bush Administration eliminated protections on more than 200 million acres of public lands.
Source: calwild.org

74. President Bush broke his promise to place limits on carbon dioxide emissions, an essential step in combating global warming.
Source: Washington Post

75. Days after 9/11, the Bush Administration told people living near Ground Zero that the air was safe--even though they knew it wasn't--subjecting hundreds of people to unnecessary, debilitating ailments.
Sierra Club , EPA

76. The Bush Administration created a massive tax loophole for SUVs--allowing, for example, the write-off of the entire cost of a new Hummer.
Source: Washington Post

77. The Bush Administration put former coal-industry big shots in the government and let them roll back safety regulations, putting miners at greater risk of black lung disease.
Source: New York Times

78. The Bush Administration said that even though the weed killer atrazine was seeping into water supplies--creating, among other bizarre creatures, hermaphroditic frogs--there was no reason to regulate it.
Source: Washington Post
79. The Bush Administration has proposed cutting the budget of the Environmental Protection Agency by $600 million next year.
Source: ems.org

80. President Bush broke his campaign promise to end the maintenance backlog at national parks. He has provided just 7 percent of the funds needed, according to National Park Service estimates.
Source: bushgreenwatch.org

RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES
81. Since 9/11, Attorney General John Ashcroft has detained 5,000 foreign nationals in antiterrorism sweeps; none have been convicted of a terrorist crime.
Source: hrwatch.org

82. The Bush Administration ignored pleas from the International Committee of the Red Cross to stop the abuse of prisoners in US custody.
Source: Wall Street Journal

83. In violation of international law, the Bush Administration hid prisoners from the Red Cross so the organization couldn't monitor their treatment.
Source: hrwatch.org

84. The Bush Administration, without ever charging him with a crime, arrested US citizen José Padilla at an airport in Chicago, held him on a naval brig in South Carolina for two years, denied him access to a lawyer and prohibited any contact with his friends and family.
Source: news.findlaw.com

85. President Bush's top legal adviser wrote a memo to the President advising him that he can legally authorize torture.
Source: news.findlaw.com

86. At the direction of Bush Administration officials, the FBI went door to door questioning people planning on protesting at the 2004 political conventions.
Source: New York Times

87. The Bush Administration refuses to support the creation of an independent commission to investigate the abuse of foreign prisoners in American custody. Instead, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld selected the members of a commission to review the conduct of his own department.
Source: humanrightsfirst.org

FLIP FLOPS
88. President Bush opposed the creation of the 9/11 Commission before he supported it, delaying an essential inquiry into one of the greatest intelligence failure in American history.
Source: americanprogressaction.org

89. President Bush said gay marriage was a state issue before he supported a constitutional amendment banning it.
Sources: CNN.com, White House

90. President Bush said he was committed to capturing Osama bin Laden "dead or alive" before he said, "I truly am not that concerned about him."
Source: americanprogressaction.org

91. President Bush said we had found weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, before he admitted we hadn't found them.
Sources: White House, americanprogress.org

92. President Bush said, "You can't distinguish between Al Qaeda and Saddam when you talk about the war on terror," before he admitted Saddam had no role in 9/11.
Sources: White House, Washington Post

BIOGRAPHY
93. George Bush didn't come close to meeting his commitments to the National Guard. Records show he performed no service in a six-month period in 1972 and a three-month period in 1973.
Source: boston.com

94. In June 1990 George Bush violated federal securities law when he failed to inform the SEC that he had sold 200,000 shares of his company, Harken Energy. Two months later the company reported significant losses and by the end of that year the stock had dropped from $3 to $1.
Source: The Guardian

95. When asked at an April 2004 press conference to name a mistake he made during his presidency, Bush couldn't think of one.
Source: White House

SECRECY
96. The Bush Administration refuses to release twenty-seven pages of a Congressional report that reportedly detail the Saudi Arabian government's connections to the 9/11 hijackers.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer

97. Last year the Bush Administration spent $6.5 billion creating 14 million new classified documents and securing old secrets--the highest level of spending in ten years.
Source: openthegovernment.org

98. The Bush Administration spent $120 classifying documents for every $1 it spent declassifying documents.
Source: openthegovernment.org

99. The Bush Administration has spent millions of dollars and defied numerous court orders to conceal from the public who participated in Vice President Cheney's 2001 energy task force.
Source: Washington Post

100. The Bush Administration--reversing years of bipartisan tradition--refuses to answer requests from Democratic members of Congress about how the White House is spending taxpayer money.
Source: Washington Post

OPINION
If the past informs the future, four more years of the Bush Administration will be a tragic period in the history of the United States and the world.

Thursday, October 28, 2004

Florida Voters take notes!

This speaks for itself:
http://www.boomchicago.nl/images/Voting_Machine.wmv

Wednesday, October 27, 2004

Some reading for the long dark nights of waiting ahead...

As we count down to whatever future holds in store for our nation, and world, here are some interesting sites, containing articles and essays of note:

The Washington Monthly

Mystery Pollster

Kerry versus Bush Values Chart (Democratic leaning) (PDF file)

And for a little contemporary "entertainment", catch Eminem's newest Video:
http://mosh.eminem.com/video/

Tuesday, October 26, 2004

Truth in Advertising?

I was fed up years ago with the mudslinging and lies that seem par for the course in election seasons, but things are bordering almost on the compellingly excessive this year, especially when you see some of the ads coming out on TV. There is a tone of mean-spirited desperation, as if the ends truly do justify the emans, regardless of principles of ethics, legality, or manners.

So imagine how pleased I was to discover the following non-partisan web site!:

http://www.factcheck.org/

In the site's own words, "We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit, "consumer advocate" for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases. Our goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.
The Annenberg Political Fact Check is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The APPC was established by publisher and philanthropist Walter Annenberg in 1994 to create a community of scholars within the University of Pennsylvania that would address public policy issues at the local, state, and federal levels.
The APPC accepts NO funding from business corporations, labor unions, political parties, lobbying organizations or individuals. It is funded primarily by an endowment from the Annenberg Foundation."

Sunday, October 24, 2004

Swift Boasts refuted

For those still seeking clarification on the issue of Kerry's worthiness in combat, here is an interesting revelation which seems to finally justify the award, or at least put to shame the partisan lies of O'Neill et al:
http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/print?id=166434

Saturday, October 23, 2004

Comparison Shopping

So, let's stretch things a little, and assume there are really 3 candidates in the upcoming Presidential election: Bush, Kerry, and Nader. While we all know Nader hasn't a hope of getting close to elected, he must be included in consideration because, as with 2000, his presence in the race could have a profound effect on the outcome...the ubiquitous "spoiler". As I continue my research on these three chaps, I've discovered some facts that make for good comparison and contrasting. Below are the positions of each candidate, relative to the issues shown (in each instance, the issue is listed first, then Bush's position listed next in the line, then Kerry's, then Nader's) :

Bush Kerry Nader Republican Democrat Independent Abortion Outlaw Abortions Except for Rape/Incest Strongly Favors Strongly Opposes Strongly Opposes Death Penalty The Death Penalty Favors Opposes Opposes National Review of Death Penalty Fairness Strongly Opposes Strongly Favors Strongly Favors Education No Child Left Behind Act Strongly Favors Somewhat Favors Strongly Opposes Increase Federal Funding for Higher Education Somewhat Opposes Somewhat Favors Strongly Favors Environment Oil Drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge Strongly Favors Strongly Opposes Strongly Opposes Mandatory Clean Air Emissions Standards Somewhat Opposes Strongly Favors Strongly Favors Tougher Fuel Efficiency Standards Strongly Opposes Strongly Favors Strongly Favors Foreign Trade U.S. Involvement In NAFTA Strongly Favors Strongly Favors Strongly Opposes Mandatory Labor/Environment Strongly Opposes Somewhat Favors Strongly Favors Gay Rights Constitutional Gay Marriage Ban Strongly Favors Somewhat Opposes Strongly Opposes Equal Rights for Civil Unions Strongly Opposes Strongly Favors Strongly Favors Allow Gays to Openly Serve in the Military Strongly Opposes Strongly Favors Strongly Favors Gun Control Safety Devices on All New Guns Strongly Opposes Strongly Favors Strongly Favors Background Checks on Gun Show Purchases Somewhat Opposes Strongly Favors Strongly Favors Require Safety Course, License Before Gun Strongly Opposes Somewhat Favors Somewhat Favors Health Care Universal Government-Supervised Health Care Strongly Opposes Somewhat Opposes Favors Expand Medicaid to Cover More Uninsured No Opinion Strongly Favors Strongly Favors Homeland Security The Patriot Act Strongly Favors Strongly Opposes Strongly Opposes Tighter Immigration Controls Strongly Favors Strongly Favors Strongly Favors Iraq The War in Iraq Strongly Favors Somewhat Opposes Strongly Opposes Turning Over More Political Authority to U.N. Strongly Opposes Somewhat Favors Strongly Favors Immediate Withdrawl of U.S. Troops Strongly Opposes Strongly Opposes Somewhat Favors Jobs Raise the Minimum Wage Strongly Opposes Strongly Favors Strongly Favors Extend Unemployment Benefits Strongly Opposes Strongly Favors Strongly Favors Social Security Raise Retirement Age No Opinion Strongly Opposes No Opinion Privatize Social Security Strongly Favors Strongly Opposes Strongly Opposes Cap Payments to Wealthy Strongly Opposes Somewhat Favors No Opinion Tax Cuts Roll Back the Middle Class Tax Cuts Strongly Opposes Somewhat Favors Strongly Opposes Roll Back Cuts for People Making Over $100,000 Strongly Opposes Strongly Favors Strongly Favors Additional Tax Cuts for Businesses Strongly Favors Strongly Opposes Strongly Opposes Welfare Reform Hiring Welfare Workers Somewhat Opposes No Opinion No Opinion Tax Incentive Welfare Benefits for Legal Immigrants Strongly Opposes Strongly Favors Strongly Favors *Sources: AOL, AP, CBS News, Fox News, iwon.com

Friday, October 22, 2004

2004 Interactive Election Guide

First off, let's explore the way this election might be borne out on November 2nd. The New York Times has a very user-friendly voter guide, showing the potential breakdown of electoral college votes by state, the Nader factor, the swing states, how the Senate and House runnings might fare, the governorship races..everything on the numbers...and it's updated constantly. The guide even lets you manipulate the scenarios, so you can see how one state might affect the outcome more than another, and so on...

Check it out here.

(UPDATE - 11/02/2004 - The above link has expired, replaced by an "election results" tracker, viewable HERE)

Let the Countdown begin...

November 2nd is just over a week away, and I'll be posting thoughts and insights, however pithy or personal, in this run-up to what may be the most important election of your lifetime.

Political groups are running false ads, and meddling with facts, in an attempt to overwhelm our emotions, believing that we voters do not possess the self-discipline or intelligence to avoid such blatant scaremongering. I choose to vote with my head as well as my heart, and will be spending the next week or so educating myself as to the candidates, their positions, and their messages.

I admit that I already now for whom I'm going to vote, but my decision will be reinforced with information, not guided by propaganda. Indeed, if I learn something that has the ability to conclusively change my mind, I am prepared to accept the possibility. I recommend you commit yourself to the same goal, because on November 2nd, you are running this country, and - by extension - you are dictating the relationship the US will have with the rest of the world.

Are you up to the challenge?

Monday, October 18, 2004

"Nominee, que, nique, nique!"

Was invited this evening to the Kirk Douglas theatre in Culver City, the newest jewel in the Center Theatre Group's crown. I was among 150 or so nominees for the 2004 Ovation Awards, who were honoured to see the inside of the new space before it was opened to the public (the season begins on Halloween night). It's an impressive space, with seating for well over 300, in a raked auditorium space. The stage is very flexible in its layout, and I'm sure some very exciting productions will take place here.

Wednesday, October 13, 2004

Letters from the Road - All the rest:

I realize (perhaps a little belatedly!) that my attempt to republish all 29 of the Boulder Institute's letters in this, my blog, is proving to be too specialized a focus for a journal supposedly housing my own rants and raves in predominance. So I've decided to stop here, and urge you to continue the journey yourself below, where I've placed links to the remaining 15 letters:

LETTER # 15, What About Saddam? Colorado, March 7, 2003. Elias.
LETTER # 16, Creating a Nonviolent Culture, Colorado, March 19, 2003. Rabia.
LETTER # 17, A Gesture, Colorado, April 11, 2003. Elias.
LETTER # 18, On Pilgrimage, Colorado, May 1, 2003. Elias & Rabia.
LETTER # 19, From a Desert Monastery, Nebek, Syria, May 27, 2003. Elias.
LETTER # 20, Jesus Wept, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Ramalla, Hebron, July 26, 2003. Elias.
LETTER # 21, Gaza, Gaza, July 30, 2003. Elias.
LETTER # 22, Being Alone, Hell Roaring Canyon, Utah, September, 2003. Elias.
LETTER # 23, Syrian Pilgrimage, Damascus, Syria, November 22, 3003. Rabia.
LETTER # 24, The Believer's Candle, Damascus, Syria, November 24, 2003. Elias.
LETTER # 25, A Dream from the Holy Land, Israel-Palestine, December 24, 2003. Elias & Rabia.
LETTER # 26, In the Fourth World, Samoeng, Thailand, January 6, 2004. Elias.
LETTER # 27, Indigenous Survival, Samoeng, Thailand, March 3, 2004. Elias.
LETTER # 28, The Way of the Bard, Brazil, May-June 2004. Rabia.
LETTER # 29, Our Great Loss, Mexico, July-August 2004. Rabia.


Now that we're all caught up, I will be publishing future letters here on my blog, as they come in. The reason for my desire to share these letters is straightforward: they offer a little exposed perspective on the way our actions affect the world about us, and - as you walk into your local polling station on November 2nd (you are registered, right?!) - I hope you will be voting from a full informed, and globally compassionate point of view. Nationalism is to the 21st Century what indentured servitude was to the 20th Century...out-of-date.

Wednesday, October 06, 2004

Letters from the Road - #s 11-14

These are the last in this block of letters from the Middle East. The next letter will come from Colorado.

For those of you who have missed the full complement of postings thus far, you may find them under the following dates below:

#1 - Friday, September 03, 2004
#2 - Friday, September 10, 2004
#3 - Wednesday, September 15, 2004
#4 - Wednesday, September 22, 2004
#5 - Sunday, September 26, 2004
#6 - Wednesday, September 29, 2004
#7 - Saturday, October 02, 2004
#8 thru 10 - Monday, October 04, 2004

LETTER FROM THE ROAD, 11
ELIZABETH ROBERTS (RABIA)
11 FEBRUARY 2003

DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL

But we, like sentries, are obliged to stand
In starless nights, and wait the 'pointed hours.

-John Dryden

Elias has been busy for the past days making banners, getting tents and setting up sites for a series of actions the Iraq Peace Team will initiate during the coming week. In contrast to his energy, I am paralysed by a deep dread. I feel the war's shadow over my shoulder. And at the moment its darkness has me in its grip. I don't want to meet new people or have new experiences. What's the point, I think? This place is over! When I do talk with some old friends from my previous visit to Baghdad in November-December, we cry together. The future approaches and millions must stand silently through the coming night.

Those Iraqis who can afford it have already left Baghdad. United Nations officials are taking their vacations and humanitarian groups are being sent home. Businessmen have relocated their families. Foreigners are returning to their homelands. Journalists are surveying hotels for their structural soundness. People are selling their cars, their possessions, anything they have to help them get out of the city.

But the vast majority have nowhere to go. Five million men, women and children must stay here and endure the rain of bombs, the lack of electricity, clean water, food supplies and medicines. Schools and hospitals will close; so will shops and businesses. No one knows when and where the shells made with depleted uranium or other chemical, biological or nuclear weapons will be used. Rumors are that marshal law will be enforced.

Hassan is an out of work electrician. He tells me that he and his wife have put extra food by, but they worry that if the war lasts too long, looters will come for their supplies. He is a mild man. He tries not to discuss the war in front of his four children "but they hear it in school and from their friends. Yesterday Alla (his 9 year old son) asked if we are going to die. This is their great fear, not their own death, but the loss of their mother and father."

Why? Why? Why? This is the one question every person I talk with asks. "Will you destroy so much just for the oil? Do Americans know what a catastrophe this will be? Nothing will be good between the Arabs and the Americans again - not for 100 years." I can only bear witness to this pain. I have no answers.

Every day in the hotel, in small groups, the Peace Team people discuss the countdown to war. How many more days before the invasion? When should we leave? Will those who choose to stay through the war be safe? What can we do to prevent the coming disaster? Will anything stop it? The U.N. Security Council? France and Germany? The American public? Saudi Arabia? Most of us have given up hope for a last minute reprieve. Bush will have his war. And we will stand in solidarity with the Iraqi people as long as each of us can.

Khaled, our Yemeni graduate student friend looks at me and says I have "the fear sickness". He says he is seeing it a lot. He says I should leave Iraq. It's true I have a little fever, no appetite and sleep a lot. I do feel despair. Today a memo was slipped under my door. It had 14 questions. The first one: "In the event of your death, do you agree to your body not being returned to your own country but being disposed of in the most convenient way?" With decisions like this how does one not have the "fear sickness?"

Elias and I do have an exit date that we believe is safe, but of course it is not fool-proof. And the very fact that we can exit only heightens my despair for those we leave behind. Perhaps staying through the war with the Iraqi people would be easier on the soul. But not on the body - some people here say the survival odds given to the American peaceworkers staying through the invasion is about 30%. I am simply not ready (yet) to face the end of my life or to answer the second question: "Have you written a letter that can be sent to your loved ones in the event of your death?"

While I puzzle about how to avoid death, life goes on all around me. The shoeshine boys still play in front of our hotel, hoping for spare change. Amal, my friend with the art studio, opens her shop every morning, offers tea, weeps quietly and then shows me the new fabrics from Kurdistan. Kamel, the Imam's assistant from a nearby mosque still comes to work every day, tall and dignified, serving coffee to us and teaching us a few words of Arabic. Last night seven wedding parades, complete with ribbons and music, drove down our street - seven! Across the street the Palestine Hotel has begun to tape its large glass windows to try and prevent them from shattering or imploding when the bombing starts. And on the grounds right below these windows there are two Iraqi men still tending to the few green plants and small garden that are in front of the hotel. Preparing for death, tending life. The truth of this lesson breaks my heart. A small green shoot pushes through the ruins. Surely the very least I owe these beautiful people is the energy of my smile and good cheer. What right do I have to despair when everywhere life continues. I pray that with the help of grace this "fear sickness" will pass. Insh'allah!

*****

LETTER FROM THE ROAD, 12
ELIAS AMIDON
12 FEBRUARY 2003

TO END THE SCOURGE OF WAR

A wonderful thing happened this morning at our vigil in a field across from U.N. headquarters here in Baghdad. We've made an encampment there with an open-sided tent and several large banners that read LET THE INSPECTIONS CONTINUE and INSPECTIONS YES, INVASION NO and LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH. There are TV and newspaper crews from around the world who interview us each day.

This morning while we were standing silently I read aloud the preamble to the U.N. Charter. "We the peoples of the United Nations determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war..." When I finished we stood silently again. After a few minutes a man came out of the U.N. compound and crossed the road. He was a U.N. inspector. He approached us, rather shyly, and called out, "We, over there, just want to thank you all. You are a real encouragement to us. Your being here has greatly helped our morale. Well, that's all...thank you." And he turned and crossed back over the road. We applauded as he left.

There was something so human and generous about that particular encounter in a dusty field in Baghdad, with the tensions of the entire world bearing down on it. On each side of the road the people of the United Nations worked to end the scourge of war. We helped their morale, and they in turn helped ours. Even Hans Blix took part. At his news conference the other day he was asked if there was much support here for the continuation of the inspections. He said he believed there was, and described the "large demonstration at the airport" (ours) he saw upon his arrival. He said, "They had a banner saying 'Inspections Yes, Invasion No.' This is just what we want."

But like Rabia in her last letter, I begin to wonder what's the use of all these actions and appeals for peace. "Bush will have his war." It may come very soon. We are scheduled to leave in a week and the idea of leaving, as well as the idea of staying, fills us with dread. How can we save our own skins while the Iraqi people around us, and our fellow Peace Team members, remain facing such peril?

Of the 50 of us here, about 18 members of the Peace Team intend to stay. I've been asking them why they are staying. Their answers suggest they are moved by a force more powerful than fear and violence. Here are a few examples.

Lisa, a 32 year-old woman from Rwanda, now living in Toronto, told me, "This is the first time in my life I've settled down. Here in Baghdad I fit in at last. It's like my people in the refugee camps in Rwanda - we have to go home and get what's ours. We have to get what belongs to us. And what is that? That's the question. Here, in Baghdad, I've found what it is. It is the power I have. The power I have to say 'this is unacceptable.' It's like people say 'land mines are unacceptable.' How can you unaccept something that is there? You can. This is the power I have here. I won't stand for this war. I stand for something else. You have to position yourself in one way or another."

Mike, a Vietnam vet, said something similar: "You know, most things in life are defined for us. We fit into somebody else's definitions. The reasons for my staying here are something I can define myself. If I say my intention is for peace, it is. No one can say otherwise. I'm here to put my life where my truth is."

Or Cathy, a 50-year old Catholic Worker: "I don't want to be in the country that's dropping the bombs. And if I'm here and am killed under those bombs, what difference does it make if it's me or the Iraqis?" As she talks I feel her echo an early Christian ideal of self-sacrifice. I ask her if this is not her own "imitation of Christ." She answers plainly, "I try to live a surrendered life."

Or Cynthia, a 73-year old librarian from upstate New York: "I will stay because it's the place for me to be. You know, we are one family on earth, no matter what. The Iraqi part of my family is in danger now. I must be with them. If you ask anybody in the world what they would do if their family was in danger, they would say they'd want to go be with them. That's all I'm doing. I'm here to be with my family in their hour of danger. It's simple. You act because your conscience tells you to act. Anyway, I've already had my three score years and ten. Every day now is a bonus for me."

A full day has now passed since writing the last paragraph. Things have gotten very intense and busy. The press is paying a lot of attention to our actions and vigils - we've held dozens of interviews. Everyone awaits the inspectors' report to the U.N. tonight. Some say the bombing could start in two days, others say not for another week, and a very few still say the war will be called off. There are more prayers, and deeper ones.

Last night Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, the special envoy from Pope John Paul II, celebrated Mass in St. Joseph's Cathedral here in Baghdad. During his homily he said the following:

Peace? Who doesn't talk about it today everywhere in the world without thinking about the huge threats that weigh on Iraq? Who does not desire peace? But how many among them think that peace is still possible? How many truly want it with all their will? How many see in prayer something other than a refuge during hours of panic? Something other than a simple alibi from human engagement?

Today, tonight, here, we pray for peace in Iraq and in the entire Middle East. It is most certainly a test of faith and the harder for those of us who take seriously both prayer and peace. They go hand in hand.

*****

LETTER FROM THE ROAD, 13
ELIAS AMIDON
16 FEBRUARY, 2003

THE PEOPLE YES!

It is Sunday, the day after the massive international peace demonstrations. We here in Baghdad are so heartened by this historic event. Thank you world! It felt like a great prayer, a shout, an uprising sweeping across the land, a call for sanity against the insane accumulation of weapons and the war-making heritage of our species. The great historian Will Durant once calculated that in all of recorded history there has been only 29 years without war. And now, at last, the people are finding their power and linking arms across all that divides them and calling out to the politicians and the generals and the arms-dealers, "Stop this madness!"

Even here in Baghdad - you should have seen it - the first international peace march! We of the Iraq Peace Team began by hosting a large press conference, inviting all the other international delegations we knew of: "Bridges to Baghdad", "Human Shields", plus a large group of Okinawan musicians calling themselves "Weapons into Musical Instruments!" The hall was filled with TV and newspaper reporters, the Okinawans dressed in bright yellow and red, the Italians with their multi-colored flags, and Germans, Swedes, Spaniards, French, Slovaks, Poles, English, Irish, Americans, Canadians, Australians.

I began the briefing: "As we gather here this morning President George Bush, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and Secretary of State Colin Powell are still asleep in their beds in Washington, D.C. We have come here to trouble their sleep, to trouble their sleep with dreams of people around the world coming out of their homes and workplaces this day to say no to war and yes to peace. By the time these men wake up, people all over the Middle East, Russia, and Europe will be on the streets. In a few hours they will be joined by millions of people across the United States and Canada, and beyond. We few hundred internationals here are their representatives in Baghdad. Together we are millions! May our voices be heard!"

After the leaders of each group gave a statement and answered questions we poured out onto the street and took up our banners. We couldn't believe how big our procession had become - it stretched back several blocks and soon was joined by Iraqi children and mothers, an Iraqi Benedictine monk and Islamic clerics. The police blocked off the main street and let us march down the middle. Iraqis came out of their homes and shops, looking surprised to see all these smiling foreigners marching with their huge banners in Arabic, English, Italian, and Japanese calling for peace. By the time we had gone a mile crowds had gathered on the sidewalks to see us. The Okinawans were a great hit, chanting and singing with their huge red drums, spinning their drumsticks up into the air and leaping to catch them.

Then suddenly an Iraqi woman on the sidewalk started ululating in a high-pitched call. Another woman brought out a basket and began throwing bunches of candies up into the air over us. Another pulled blossoms from a basket of flowers and tossed them in front of us, and then embraced several of the women marchers. Further on, as we turned a corner, a larger crowd of men had gathered. Suddenly one of them started clapping, and another and another, until the whole crowd of Iraqis was applauding. It sounded like rain on a dry land, like something that would outlive all the distrust of the world.

We called out to them, "Asalaam aleikum!" (Peace be with you!) and several called back, "Wa Aleikum salaam, Iraqi!" (And to you peace, Iraqi!)

We proceeded up onto the Al Rasheed Bridge spanning the Tigris River. The bridge is a simple arc with low railings about a quarter of a mile in length. It commands a majestic view up and down the river. When we were all on the bridge our procession stopped and we spaced ourselves and our banners along one side. There we stood for a few moments in silence. The sun was shining and a light breeze billowed through the banners and peace flags. Then the TV and newspaper teams caught up with us and the march ended with individual interviews with them and much good feeling. We joked, "Have you heard? They called the war off! If there can be a peace march in Baghdad there will be thousands of them around the world!"

Of course, they haven't called it off, at least not yet. We heard today the Americans have moved troops closer to the border. The Pentagon claims it will take Baghdad in a day, though the U.N. people here estimate they won't be able to come back to Baghdad for three to six months because of unstable conditions.

If war does come, will this great movement for peace by the people of the world have been in vain? Will we have lost? No, as the marchers chant in dozens of languages, "The people, united, will never be defeated." We are building new neural pathways for the human mind and the entire human project. It may take a little time, but once these landscapes of imagination have been opened they will not be closed again. We are using the threat of yet another war to collectively take a leap in human evolution. As a Carthusian monk once wrote, "The darkness of the future is the necessary space for the exercise of our liberty and our faith."

*****

LETTER FROM THE ROAD, 14
ELIAS AMIDON
20 FEBRUARY 2003,
AMMAN, JORDAN

SHOCK AND AWE

Last week my Iraqi friend Fais told me how he used to take his son fishing. "I liked to sit there doing nothing, I liked just to watch the river go by. But we don't go anymore. No one relaxes now. We're only nervous about the war coming."

Yesterday morning Fais and I said goodbye. When we embraced he said, "When you come back to Iraq, God willing there will be no more talk of war. Maybe then we can go fishing together."

For an unspoken moment we both held that image of the two of us lazily sitting by the Tigris River, fishing but not caring if we caught anything, watching the fish plop and the herons wait in the shallows for minnows.

But then we drew away from each other and the image disappeared. In its place the familiar war-anxiety returned. "Fais," I said, "you take care of yourself. If the war starts, stay home, don't go out, stay with your family."

"Yes, yes, I know," he said. It was unnecessary for me to warn him like that. He had told me the same scenario of American war planning I had read about a few days earlier, the one called "Shock and Awe."

It goes like this: according to the Pentagon the war will begin with "the most intense air attack in history", and that in the first 48 hours the U.S. will unleash more bombs and guided missiles than were used in the entire Gulf War: 3000 smart bombs and 800 missiles. Much of this will be directed at military targets in Baghdad. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th days of the attack will see the firepower of 800 allied jet bombers let loose with 1500 missions a day, 24 hours a day. Then the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions will attack under the cover of hundreds of Black Hawk and Apache helicopters. In another day they will be joined by thousands of U.S. Abrams and British Challenger tanks roaring in from the north and south, along with the 3rd and 4th Infantry Divisions, British forces and the U.S. Marines. The idea is to overwhelm and demoralize the Iraqis with the enormity of the attack, and be able to occupy Baghdad quickly with minimum fighting.

Of course, Saddam Hussein knows all this, and he knows that his country does not provide natural cover for a protracted guerrilla war against U.S. forces in the way the jungles of Vietnam provided cover for the Viet Cong. Except for urban buildings. The Pentagon says it would be immoral for Hussein to use civilian areas as shields for Iraqi forces. It may be immoral, but Saddam has little choice. And the citizens of Iraq fully expect it. From my conversations with Iraqis, they believe many of their countrymen will join the regular forces in resisting the Americans in both urban and rural areas. They are armed and have said to us many times, "Even Iraqis who don't like our government will resist an invasion. We are a proud people and do not want to be occupied by any foreign power. You Americans would do the same if someone invaded your country."

There is no way to know for sure if the Iraqis will dig in for long-term resistance after the initial weeks of Shock and Awe. But it is a distinct possibility. Baghdad could turn into Gaza. Wrecked buildings, no clean water, no sanitation, homeless kids, nervous GI's patrolling bombed-out neighborhoods.

The possibility that this could happen haunts all of us: Fais, me, the Iraqis on every street, the American military planners, the soldiers of each side, the peace advocates marching in a hundred countries. None of us want this to happen. And because we share this revulsion for war, there is hope.

In the 14 letters we have sent from Iraq we have shared many little stories and images of the ordinary people there. That has been our central purpose in writing: to help remind ourselves and anyone who cares to listen of the human costs of this imminent war.

"The struggle of man against power," the novelist Milan Kundera wrote, "is the struggle of memory against forgetting." The stories in these letters are a small part of a vast web of conversations happening around the world concerned with helping each other remember. We are trying to remember what matters to us, and how to protect and nurture it. The centers of accumulated power in our time, economic, military, and political power, are sustained by our collective amnesia. To join in this struggle against forgetting is why we went to Iraq, and why you have taken the trouble to read this.

Before we left last November I wrote a statement about why we were going, a few lines from which I would like to conclude with here. We were going to Iraq, I wrote, to appeal "to something inside us, inside me and inside all of us, the place where we are startled by the realization of our common origin, spirit, desires, and destination. If we could truly touch that place, I believe, swords would fall from our hands."

May the shock and awe of that remembering guide us!

Monday, October 04, 2004

Letters from the Road - #s 8-10

3 in a row, for those of you who enjoyed reading Tolstoy:

LETTER FROM THE ROAD, IRAQ #8
ELIAS AMIDON AND ELIZABETH ROBERTS
30 JANUARY 2003

BACK TO BAGHDAD

Today we write from a small hotel in Amman, Jordan, waiting for our visas which will enable us to return to Iraq. The newspapers we have just finished reading announce "America Targets Iraq!" and recount the number of soldiers and tonnage of munitions destined for the country across the border. So why then are we going back to Iraq now, when an attack seems inevitable? What possible use is there in this action?

Since our return from Iraq one month ago we have helped take the anti-war message to the American public. We have given speeches, interviews on TV and radio, been the subject of numerous articles in newspapers, and been quoted in USA Today, the Nation, and the BBC. Our "Letters from Iraq" have reached around the globe. By now probably several million people have heard about our earlier journey to Iraq. A week ago we decided it was time to return - to stand in solidarity with Iraqi citizens in their vulnerability. Not everyone can do this, or is called to such a gesture, but we are and have chosen to follow this call not only for ourselves but for all who travel with us in our prayers.

Two days ago we were in Pasadena, California, giving a talk to a large group at an Episcopal church. After our talk we attended the Sunday service - the church was full, maybe 1500 people, the sermon by Father Ed Bacon a powerful exhortation to become disciples not simply believers, to put Christ's message of peace into action. Following the Mass, Father Ed called the two of us to the center aisle of the church, asking everyone to get up out of their pews and come gather around us. He asked those closest to us to put their hands on our shoulders, and then for each person in the church to touch another until we were all connected. The choir came down from behind the altar, the organist, the altar boys, the elderly ladies in their hats, the young couples, the wealthy businessmen, the Hispanic families, we all bowed our heads together in this web of people. The church grew silent. We waited. Then the priest invoked a blessing that encompassed and moved through everyone toward the two of us at the center of the web, and then beyond us. We were asked to be their emissaries, to carry their love and compassion as we journey back to Iraq. The charge was electric - many of us were in tears.

This was the most dramatic, but not the only time this happened prior to our return. We were blessed and asked to carry blessing by friends, by our children, by Buddhist roshis, Jewish rabbis, Sufi sheikhs, Methodist and Unitarian ministers, and by countless people in church halls and community centers and through our daily email. We understand this outpouring is not about us - we are simply its occasion. People throughout our country, from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles, California, are standing up, raising their voices, coming out of their homes and offices and demanding that our government not go forth in violence, not consider itself the sole arbiter of justice throughout the world, and not continue to undermine the work of a half century of multilateral agreements and treaties establishing cooperation among the community of nations.

So what is the use of returning to Baghdad with a war so imminent? While we do not intend to stay if the war starts, there are several good reasons to be there until then: we will help the Iraq Peace Team train the short-term delegations still coming through Baghdad (there are at least five groups coming in the next two weeks); as long as the electricity is up we will send out stories about the Iraqi people through these letters and through phone interviews; and we will help create public actions in Baghdad to attract the attention of the international press to humanitarian issues. We believe in the usefulness of the Peace Team's presence in Iraq. It serves to inspire and link the worldwide peace movement to this beleaguered land, standing for the power of nonviolence as the circle of war tightens around this country and its 23 million people.

But beyond these reasons there is a deeper one - which is not about reasoning but about spirit. It has to do with the prayers of the people given to us in that Episcopal church and in all the other churches, homes, universities, and street demonstrations we have experienced in the past month. These prayers are inside us. They represent the intention of people everywhere to break through the logic of fear and war with gestures of hope and friendship. We take the spirit of these prayers back with us, to the mosques and churches of Baghdad to offer them in the presence of Iraqis. Prayer - which we understand not as supplication to a distant deity but as an expression of the heart's deepest intention - may not be able to stop the U.S. attack on Iraq, but we know it has implications beyond what we can imagine. We return in this faith.

********

LETTER FROM THE ROAD, #9
ELIAS AMIDON AND ELIZABETH ROBERTS
BAGHDAD
6 FEBRUARY 2003

IN IRAQ WITH COLIN POWELL

We arrived in Baghdad three days ago. It is good to be back, though it seems strange to say that. There is something about being here now that is extraordinarily heartfelt. "Baghdad is a realistic city," said Khaled, the Yemeni doctoral student we visited yesterday. "It is a city of real sadness. I will miss it. I don't want to leave." Khaled was packing his family's belongings to leave next week for Syria, and then back to Yemen. He doesn't want his four young children to experience the trauma of bombing and an American attack. Khaled is writing his doctoral thesis on the American writer William Faulkner. He has no savings. On Saturday he will sell his old car to try to raise enough cash for the trip. Indeed it is a city of real sadness. Between the policies of our president and theirs, the people here are trapped and their lives robbed of the dreams of their youth. But as Khaled says, at least the sadness is real, "not like the unreal smiles of the Emirates and Saudi Arabia."

How is it that tragedy has this effect? Last night several of us from the Peace Team huddled around our short-wave radio to listen to Colin Powell's speech to the U.N. Security Council. It was an effective presentation, especially effective in stimulating fear in the U.S. public of being the target of weapons of mass destruction. We can identify with that fear from our vantage point in Baghdad, a city and country surrounded by a massive U.S. arsenal of weaponry ready to inflict, by U.N. estimates, up to 500,000 Iraqi civilian casualties.

Today "mass destruction" is not a very discriminating term. As you can imagine, the conversations here over late night glasses of Iraqi tea and early morning cups of coffee are busy responding to Powell's accusations and the assumptions they rest upon. Here is a brief summary of some of those conversations: Mr. Powell did not demonstrate the government of Iraq has a clear intent to use any weapons it may possess against the United States. A war against Iraq would be aggression, not self-defense. Yes, the government of Iraq has missed opportunities to show complete compliance with the weapons inspection process. However, the inspections are wide scale and definitely force Iraq into ever greater compliance. They are in no position to continue producing or to use any weapons they might still have. The policy of containment works. An Iraqi told us, "Any third-rate intelligence agency could fabricate the recorded phone conversations Powell used as "evidence". You have to understand, Iraqis would never discuss such things on the telephone. We are used to being listened to."

Mr. Powell neglected to mention that many countries possess weapons of mass destruction, including countries in the Middle East, and that the U.S. has actively helped these countries obtain such weapons. Indeed, the U.S., along with Germany and Britain, helped design and equip chemical weapons plants for Iraq during the 1980's. As for biological weapons, a 1994 investigation of the Senate Banking Committee turned up dozens of biological agents shipped to Iraq under license of the Commerce Department, including various strains of anthrax. The point is, the U.S. is not really serious about eradicating weapons of mass destruction since it actively engages in their sale. The U.S. is using this cause as a pretext for establishing a central and stable "police station" and "gas station" in the region. The links to al-Qaeda are flimsy. The area in northern Iraq where the terrorist group Ansar al-Islam has camps and purportedly interacts with al-Qaeda is outside of the government of Iraq's control in the Kurdish autonomous region. In any case, Saddam Hussein would be loath to give such dangerous weapons to a group who could turn these weapons against him. In addition, if the U.S. is so concerned about keeping nuclear weapons out of al-Qaeda's hands, why did Congress stop funding the program to decommission nuclear weapons and weapons-grade material held by former states of the Soviet Union, forcing Ted Turner and others to try to fund these efforts privately?

As we engage in conversations such as these filled with historical references and stories of intrigue and deception, we realize how difficult it is to surface the truth. The current confrontation with Iraq is a "signifier" that, if we look deeply, implicates all sides and many generations in conflict. Mr. Powell and the U.S. administration appeal to a moral code that is commendable - a revulsion against the making and use of terrible weapons, and the call for nonviolent and truthful behavior on the part of a nation state. Yes, by all means, let us stand for this moral code. And let us be consistent. Let us insist on this code in all the dealings of the U.S. Departments of State and Defence and in all our trade practices. How can we expect the world to exhibit nonviolent and truthful behavior if we continue to flood it with weapons of all kinds while we pose as the moral "good guys"? This world of politics, accusations and counter-accusations has a strange unreality to it, as if we are walking on foam. No wonder there is something reassuring about being here in Baghdad, in the streets, in the eye of the storm, where we can at least take refuge in something real, like sadness.

********

LETTER FROM THE ROAD, IRAQ, 10
ELIAS AMIDON
BAGHDAD,
9 FEBRUARY 2003

IF ONLY I HAD WINGS TO FLY

I woke up at 5:30 this morning to go out to the U.N. headquarters on the outskirts of Baghdad with my friend Mohamed, an Iraqi driver and helper-with-all-things. He and I spent the last few days preparing an encampment for the Iraq Peace Team across the road from the U.N. We were expecting Peace Team members to arrive there by 7:30 AM, in time to greet the U.N. inspectors as they left for their rounds. It's also an ideal time to receive the attention of the international press who come there every morning. We made a 40 foot-long banner to stretch between two palm trees over our tent, the same tent we had used for a press event for Sean Penn's visit two months ago. The beautifully lettered banner read, in Arabic and English: "INSPECTION - YES. INVASION - NO."

Mohammed put one end of the rope tied to the banner between his teeth and shinnied up the palm trunk. It wasn't easy. Mohammed's 53 years old and had been badly shot up in the war with Iran. Once he passed the rope around the tree he threw it to me, and I pulled to hoist the banner tight. It was a moment I will not easily forget. Here were two grey-haired men, one Iraqi and one American, one clinging precariously to the trunk of a tree while they both pulled with all their might to lift this banner appealing for peace up into the first rays of sunlight. It was, at the same time, both something absurd and splendid - splendid because while our two countries glared at each other menacingly we were like happy brothers putting up tents and hanging flags, and absurd because it was such a small, meaningless moment in the terrifying political storm enveloping us and our people. Later several TV crews came to interview the Peace Team. I told Reuters we were there appealing to the community of nations to continue the inspections process, and that an American-led invasion would murder countless Iraqi civilians like those whose pictures we had hung throughout our tent. The camera panned across the photos of their faces - children, mothers, old uncles, working-men - just normal people. Each of them has a name. Each of them breathes in the world as we do, each one a miraculous subjectivity like ours, unique and worthwhile. Those of us over here on the Peace Team cling to the belief that if the war-makers could just see the actual nature of the people who will suffer the atrocities of this war they would simply stop in their tracks. Or would they?

Yesterday, driving around the city, we were stopped in traffic and I watched as a young Iraqi soldier stood by a vendor's cart trying to decide if he should buy a certain pair of socks. He picked them up, pulled at them, put them down, picked them up again, and listened while the vendor encouraged him. I watched his face as he tried to decide. He wasn't any older than my own son, and just as sweet looking. As we drove on I had to wipe tears away. I have to admit that in between the sadness and love I feel here, I've found myself getting angry. It's not an emotion I feel comfortable confessing to - I know anger is a fuel for violence - but the enormity of the cruelty about to land on these people is nearly impossible to bear. Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld said yesterday to some assembled soldiers that the war may take six days, or six weeks, but surely not more than six months. Six months! Can you imagine what six months of bombardment by the U.S. military will do to the individual lives of the people of this land? Please, dear friends who read this, this coming Saturday, February 15, please go out from your homes or from wherever you are, and join one of the actions planned in cities and towns around the world to say no to this war! Millions of people will be marching! Join them! Make your voice heard and your presence felt. If you think, "What difference will one more body make?" remember, it makes ALL the difference! Give the leaders of the world courage to resist American manipulation and pressure toward war. Here in Baghdad we will be holding our vigil each morning this week outside the U.N. At 11 AM each morning we will leave to go to a different vulnerable site of civilian infrastructure - a water treatment plant, an electrical generating station, a hospital, a school, a bomb shelter - all of which were targeted here in the '91 war. We will hang a large banner at each place that reads, "BOMBING THIS SITE IS A WAR CRIME, Geneva Conventions, Article 54." Team members here are each contacting their home communities with this same appeal to join demonstrations on February 15. In addition, we are suggesting that people go this week to similar sites of civilian infrastructure in their home towns - to hospitals, water treatment plants, electrical stations, schools - and hang banners which read: "BOMBING SITES LIKE THIS IN IRAQ IS A WAR CRIME, Geneva Conventions, Article 54." Our hope is that actions like these will bring attention to the indiscriminate killing done in our names. In Iraq during the '91 war, 28 schools were bombed. A few days ago we met with Amira, an Iraqi-American woman leading a delegation here. She had just visited her family who lives near Babylon. She spoke for a while, and then began to cry. In between her sobs she said, "I may never see my family again...it's going to be a terrible disaster...it's going to be a terrible disaster...my family, all the people here, they only talk about how to survive...how to save their children...the only thing that keeps them going is their faith...what they have in their hearts...as they face this disaster." As I typed that last sentence I assumed it would be the end of this letter. But, as it's Sunday evening, Rabia and I decided to join a few other Peace Team members who were going to the evening Mass (said in English) at St. Raphael's Church about a mile from here. We walked. There was a tender light reflecting off the Tigris River. Father Vincent, the priest, spoke about fear and faith in his homily. And then he had us sing this song:

O God please listen to my cry and give me an answer. I am afraid of what the future holds for me. Let me hide in the shadow of your wings. If only I had wings to fly, I would escape Lord. I'd fly as far as I could go to find some peace of mind. Let me hide in the shadow of your wings. All of this I can survive if you are with me. My life is here, my life is now, and I must carry on. Let me hide in the shadow of your wings.

Sunday, October 03, 2004

George Bush's Hometown newspaper is endorsing Kerry...read all about it by clicking here.

Meanwhile, on the subject of fish...

Finding Nemo 2 - Wisefish

Saw "Shark Tale" a few days ago...don't quite know how to rate it.

Was it fun? absolutely.
Was it well animated? beautifully.
Was it original? Not really, but then that was one of the things that made it entertaining....:

"Shark Tale" was a take-off of Disney's "Finding Nemo", HBO's "The Sopranos", and "The Godfather" series of movies. Nearly all the characters were take-offs of either characters previously played by the stars voicing them, or take-offs of the stars themselves. The "creative adaptations" were undoubtedly inventive, but not wholly original. Is that a bad thing? That's why I'm not sure how to rate this movie...

Does a piece of entertaniment have to be original to be successful?
Financially, no: that's why we have sequels, big studio development departments, and "America's Funniest Home Videos".
Critically, usually: audiences and critics alike want to feel that their $7-10 was wisely invested in an experience that will recharge their moviegoing batteries, and refresh their spirit of adventure/romance/fantasy...you fill in the blank.

Shark Tale has received mixed reviews, with a North Carolina newspaper proclaiming in unsurprisingly sugary southern tones that the feature "has changed the template for animation, making a timely film that still deals with timeless children's themes", while The Boston Globe, Washington Post, and New York Post, among others, collectively filleted the poor flick...

My take? It was smart, irreverent, sweet, simplistic, urban, colorful, and you might as well wait until the DVD comes out, when you'll get all sorts of extras besides. But hey, the website is kinda fun, while you're waiting!

Saturday, October 02, 2004

Letters from the Road - #7

LETTER FROM IRAQ, #7,
ELIAS AMIDON & RABIA (ELIZABETH ROBERTS)
BAGHDAD
CHRISTMAS, 25 DECEMBER 2002

THE DARKEST TIME OF THE YEAR

This is a letter from both of us, our last from Iraq for the time being. After two months here we have decided to return to the U.S. to help on the home front with efforts to stop our country's rush to war.

It has not been an easy decision. Even now we question if this is the right step. Are we simply afraid to be caught in the crossfire? Are we using the excuse of our children as a way to avoid sharing in the suffering and mortal risk war will bring?

A small group of six or seven of the team has decided to stay through the duration of the war if it happens. We love and admire these people. There's Charlie, a 72 year-old Vietnam chaplain who won the Congressional Medal of Honor for carrying 22 wounded soldiers out of heavy combat. He later returned his Medal of Honor, and the pension that goes with it, in protest against American policies in Latin America. He's a tall, soft-spoken man, who says, "I figure I should just put myself into the breech and see what God wants to do with me. My life and my death are in His hands." There's Cynthia, also in her seventies, a retired librarian from upstate New York who quotes from the classics and from children's stories, and who would never hurt anyone. There's Kathy, the inspirer of the Peace Team, who wants to share the Iraqis' vulnerability and prove to them they will not be abandoned in their time of trial. There is Michael, a 33 year-old Irishman, with a smile so bright it dazzles, who simply feels that this is the best place to be to prevent the war. "We haven't the right to give up on peace," he reminds us. The other members of the "duration team" feel the same.

For us, two issues were most important in our decision to return to the States at this time. The first is our children. It doesn't feel right to take that level of risk with our lives without their permission. We may yet ask for it, but up until now we haven't done so. Secondly, we have reluctantly become convinced that the most useful front for us is in America now. All of us who oppose this war must rise up and demand: "NOT IN OUR NAME!" Too much is at stake. Now is the time to take the anti-war message to the steps of the White House and the Congress and wherever and however we can. The next six weeks are critical. Once in the States we will turn nearly all of our energy to this work. We will be speaking at churches, universities, rallies, on radio, TV, to congress-people, etc. Since we've spent the last two months in Iraq we may get some attention. If you can be of any help in providing contacts or venues for us we would be most grateful. We will consider travelling for appropriate audiences - please email us if you have suggestions (eliasamidon@earthlink.net).

We hope to be of service in whatever ways we can to existing peace actions. The planned march on Washington on January 18 could become a tidal wave of opposition to our country's militarism. Can you come? Let's inundate Washington with a million people! And not just for a day, let's stay! A million of us in the streets! Let's shut Washington down! It may be the only way to stop the impending war - massive non-violent civil disobedience. We want to take our country back, to save it from its slide into an ignorant imperialism. A Russian reporter asked a woman on our team here if she was afraid. She said, "Of my own death? A little. But more I fear for my country. I fear what it is becoming and what is happening to its soul."

We came here to bear witness to the reality of the Iraqi people and to share their vulnerability. We have gained some insight and witnessed much suffering and love. While U.N. inspectors have searched for weapons, we have sought out signs of kindness, love, peace - and we have found them.

The other side of bearing witness is to give testimony to the truth we have directly experienced. This is what going back to the United States allows us: to speak truth to power. To share what we have learned. To help shine a little more light on the darkness of prejudgment that shrouds our government at this time.

There are also plans for a final, large delegation (75-100 people) to come to Iraq for 10 days, January 18-28. This journey will not involve visits to hospitals, schools, agencies, or other cities like previous delegations. Instead, its purpose will be to hold a prayerful, spiritual presence in Baghdad as an appeal against the launch of a war. Contact info@vitw.org and ask for Kathy or Jeff for information.

Last night we held a Christmas Eve Vigil at St. Raphael's, a small neighborhood church. The priest, Father Vincent, said we were most welcome, even when we told him we would probably attract a crowd of international press. We stretched a large banner across the front of the church that said in Arabic and English: LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH. Holding candles and singing Christmas carols, we indeed welcomed a crowd of TV people: CNN, BBC, NBC, ABC, Reuters, and French and Russian network TV. Even the Papal Nuncio showed up and led the High Mass. At one point the cameras turned to Rabia who was asked, "Why are you here?"

She answered, "This is the darkest time of the year. It is the time of the year when people come together to pray for the return of the light, and for the birth within us of the spirit of Christ. Here in Iraq, now, there is the added darkness of the threatened war. So we have come to pray for the return of the light, in the world and in our leaders, that the Christ of Peace may indeed be born."

Friday, October 01, 2004

Big Little Event...Be There!

There's an exciting event coming up and, if you feel you want to be there, I recommend you sign up on their web site:

The Summit for Emerging Entertainment

They're going to have Nascar cars, the new Sony Playstations, Futuristic full-size interactive homes from Intel, exciting panel discussions, fully catered breakfast and lunch, and much more! Most exciting of all, they're only letting 500 people attend max.

So hurry up and sign up today, so you get your invitation.

Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Letters from the Road - #6

LETTER FROM IRAQ, #6,
ELIAS AMIDON
BAGHDAD
22 DECEMBER 2002

LETTER TO A WARRIOR

I recently received the following email message from a man I have never met but who must have read one of our letters from Iraq:

"I would be happy to join your peace delegation to Iraq, as soon as we bomb that brutal dictatorship into the stone age."

PO2 Terrence Graves, U.S. Navy

Though his message itself has a brutal edge to it and may be offered cynically, I've learned the hard way that those who disagree with us are often our best teachers. There may be something that I, and we, can learn from Terrence's tough sentence. So here in this public forum, with you who receive these letters as our assembly of conscience, I will try to write a reply to see what may be learned.

Dear Terrence,

I am pleased to hear you would consider joining our peace delegation - you are most welcome. However, the condition you set is puzzling to me - I don't understand how we can bomb this dictatorship back to the stone age without hitting a lot of innocent people down here, and causing wounds that will provoke even more violence in the future, poisoning the very hope you would bring to the delegation of peace. I know yours is the hope of many wars: to bring about the conditions of peace by killing those who, in our view, obstruct peace. You have put this very succinctly in your one-sentence letter. And if I could be convinced this tactic would truly bring peace and rid the world of brutal dictators, then I'd say with you, bomb away! But it doesn't bring peace. It brings suffering, anger, and death, and sows the conditions for more dictatorships, more wars, more bombs.

You are in the navy. Perhaps you are a sailor on one of those aircraft carriers out in the Gulf making ready to launch air strikes on this country. Imagine what happens when those sleek bombs and missiles you see strapped on the bottom of the jets are let loose over the skies of Iraq, what happens when they strike - let's say even hitting their intended targets, not going astray into civilian areas as so many of them do. Imagine you've spray-painted on one of the missiles "Back to the Stone Age Saddam!" and it hits the Ministry of Information building here in Baghdad, surely a bastion of the brutal dictatorship.

Imagine that moment. There's an eight year-old kid out by the entrance. His name is Ahmed. He shines shoes to help his family get by in these hard times. He could be your kid. He has these soulful eyes - you've seen them. The missile crashes through the north side of the building - that's when the picture on CNN from the missile's eye-view goes blank, and millions of viewers in the U.S.A. feel a little surge of national pride at our amazing pin-point strike, our surgically-accurate technology. Ahmed, who's sitting by the east entrance on his empty paint can, looks up, just in time to get a blast of building debris in his face. He is thrown backward and mercifully knocked out when his head hits the pavement. They find him under the rubble about an hour later and bring him to a hospital flooded with victims. He's blind, one side of his face burned off by the blast, and one of his feet is nowhere to be found. But he lives, somehow, in a truncated fashion, further back than the Stone Age. You might see him on the streets of Baghdad in a few years, when you come here for that peace delegation. Put some dinars in his paper cup.

Terrence, you can hear that I am bitter, and I ask your forbearance for that. I have lived for nearly sixty years, and during that time my country, my grand old country whose founding principles I wholeheartedly endorse, has pursued foreign policies more reliant on distrust, domination, and violence than on intelligence or kindness. Our nation is supremely powerful through its military might, but is it powerful morally? I grew up believing our country stood for "liberty and justice for all". Ask around - is that the impression the majority of the world's people have of the United States of America now? I know the standard response to stories of "Ahmeds" is that they are the unfortunate collateral damage of a necessary war that will ultimately save more lives. When asked about the 500,000 children who, by U.N. estimates, have died as a direct result of the sanctions on Iraq, our former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright replied famously, "the price is worth it." What strange calculus is this? 500,000 Ahmeds! Does this not qualify as genocide? Is it a wonder that people here consider the U.S. as "brutally dictating" their lives?

Last night we held a candlelight vigil at an electrical power plant here in Baghdad. There were about 60 of us there, all holding candles, our faces beautiful in the flickering light. It looked like a Christmas pageant. Our taxi drivers joined us, and workers from the power plant, these men with moustaches holding their candles before them like children, looking out into the dark. Standing next to me was an Iraqi mother with three kids. Her name was Amara. She gave birth to the eldest during the bombing of Baghdad in 1991. The assembled press thrust nearly a dozen microphones in front of her as she stammered in broken English, "Please, tell American government, please, no more bombs. No more bombs. We want to be to live in peace."

Terrence, I do not expect I will change your point of view by these few words, but I am thankful for the opportunity your message gives me to express what is in my heart. I am here in Iraq to give voice to the Ahmeds and the Amaras, at least to raise their images in our minds so that we recognize these are real people whose lives are as precious as our own. I believe you as a warrior, and all of your colleagues in the military, and all of our countrymen and women, must constantly keep this fact foremost in our minds and hearts, whether we intend to make peace or make war. You may say this sentiment is nice and that you even agree with it, but that it is not practical for confronting evil. I think this is where we most disagree - not on our mutual desire for peace, but on how to sow real seeds of real peace. You say bombs are those seeds. I say we have tried sowing them and the crop always fails. What if, instead of funding more bombs, the good citizens of our rich country decided to allocate, say, a third (about $120 billion) of our huge military budget each year to help curb AIDS in Africa, provide clean water and adequate food for the world's children, and to establish schools, universities and hospitals throughout the world? Would that not build a more stable basis for our security as a nation? What if we offered to fund the United Nations to the level it needs? What if we promoted student and citizen exchanges among all countries, so that through people-to-people contact the fear of those different from ourselves would dissipate? What if we stopped flooding the world with dangerous weapons, and worked through the U.N. and other international bodies to eradicate weapons of mass destruction from the arsenals of all nations? What if we supported in every way possible the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Earth Charter, and all the resolutions of the U.N.? What if, rather than dominate the world by fear, we would lead by inspiration?

Actions such as these would do more to assure our safety than all the wars we might attempt. Of course, there would still be bullies and dictators to contain and weapons to dismantle. We, along with the great majority of the world's nations, would deal with these problems with all the diplomatic and nonviolent tools in our collective power. In so doing we would have helped transform the entire context in which the community of nations work together for the common good. We would become the friend, the good neighbor, to the world's people.

Surely the price is worth it.

With best wishes, and in peace,
Elias Amidon

Neverland redux

Wept my way through "Finding Neverland" earlier this evening, a retelling of the J.M.Barrie story that is as grounded in reality as his most famous character, Peter Pan. The story does not even attempt to hew to real historical events, but it succeeds on so many other levels that the trifle of evading verisimilitude ought to be forgiven, in the face of such a finely crafted script, and in the presence of such eloquent performances by Johnny Depp and his company of cameos: Julie Christie, Dusting Hoffman, and Kate Winslet. The film belonged largely to Mssrs. Depp and Freddie Highmore , the latter of whom portrayed Peter Llewellyn-Davies, the inspiration - in name at least - for Peter Pan. I am now truly eager to see the young actor in his next role, starring as Charlie Bucket in next year's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (currently in production). This was a confection of restrained performances, satisfactory on every level.

The film will be in theaters November 12th.

Sunday, September 26, 2004

Letters from the Road - #5

I've posted previous letters on the following dates:

#1 - Friday, September 03, 2004
#2 - Friday, September 10, 2004
#3 - Wednesday, September 15, 2004
#4 - Wednesday, September 22, 2004

I realise I need to hurry it up a little, as we need to get from 2002 to the present day in the next month or so. Therefore. I will be posting several of these each week, either in totum or excerpted. For the full text of each letter, and more about the writers, visit The Boulder Institute.

LETTER FROM IRAQ, #5,
ELIZABETH ROBERTS
BAGHDAD
18 DECEMBER 2002

HOW WE SPEND OUR DAYS

Almost every day there are new rumours that a U.S. attack is coming soon. Once again a large group of the press was asked to leave. The hotel manager has bought a generator and we are starting to store dry foods and water. We even bought a bicycle! Yesterday the Iraqi dinar dropped another 20% in value. The eyes of our Iraqi friend, Sitar, teared up when he told us this. He simply cannot support his family under these conditions, despite his three jobs. There has been a slowdown on trips out of Baghdad because of military movement around the country. The international press sounds like there won't be an attack for at least one or two months and two people I talked with hope there is still a way to avert war or delay it until next winter. No way to know from where we sit. Does anyone know?

Some times I feel like we are literally voices crying in the wilderness. And I am just a Cassandra, staffing a far outpost of the anti-war movement. (You will remember that Cassandra was given the blessing of seeing the future and the curse that no one would believe her - an impotent doomsayer.)

With the growing sound of the war drums it is easy to forget that we actually do some good here. We have developed relations with the media folks in Iraq. We bring them human-interest stories, introduce them to families and hold our own press conferences at water treatment plants, electrical facilities and cancer hospitals. It is important to mention that we get much better coverage from the European press than from our brethren from the U.S. Our numbers are growing now with more short-term delegations coming through every 10 days or so. The holidays have given Americans some free time. There are also short-term delegations from Canada, Italy and Japan who work with us on setting up special interfaith religious services, candle-light vigils, demonstrations, and other creative actions to emphasize the cost of war on human life. Our long-term presence here makes these short-term visits more effective. Hopefully we also give a boost to the anti-war efforts back home. We send our articles, stories and emails. But again are we just voices in the wilderness?
We pray ever day that more and more people are beginning to realize how dangerous an attack on Iraq will be to the whole world: more terrorism, more violence in Israel/Palestine, a weakening of the United Nations, the growth of fundamentalists of all persuasions, higher risk of biological or nuclear war, a global depression, growing hubris and imperialistic notions in the U.S. and of course the unforeseen blowback this will all cause and the time we will spend trying to end what we didn't prevent. And what about the cost to our souls? Well, you all have heard "Rabia's rant" before, think of it as a reminder of the talking points you can use to persuade your politicians and corporate heavy-weights to "say no to war".

Our days at this outpost are busy visiting families, schools and small shops. We have more meetings than any of us like. But as we grow more numerous they seem necessary to support each other and ourselves and avoid mistakes that could threaten the mission or our lives. We have interviews almost every other day. The most recent one was with Dr. Said Al Mousawi, former Iraq Ambassador to the United Nations. He acknowledged that Iraq "has not been perfect, we have made mistakes, but we are coming out of 700 years of occupation. We have to learn about human rights and civil society. You could have helped us, instead of arming first our enemy and then us" - he is referring here to the U.S. arms sales first to Iran and then to Iraq as we tried to pit each country against the other to keep both weak. He claimed that until 1990 no country in the Gulf was as good on education, health and women's rights as Iraq. Of course he avoided the facts of the 1980 attack on Iran, the gassing of the Kurds in northern Iraq and the attack on Kuwait in 1990. For him the "real human rights violation is the Iraqi sanctions". Yes, the sanctions are a human rights violation, but does this make Iraqi violations any less real? In truth nobody has clean hands. None of this is excusable. There is no higher moral ground for anyone to claim. Only the common sense of avoiding more war. What I am certain of at my core is that more violence will only beget more violence. It is not possible as some neo-liberals are arguing for the U.S. to use violence "benignly" to clean up the world.

One of our delegates asked Dr. Al Mousawi about the utility of our presence here. He has lived in the West and was genuinely positive. "You send the message to Iraqis and the world that all Americans do not submit to war mongering and that many of you are seeking peace. What more can you do?" What more indeed?

As I write this the latest rumour comes: the U.S. is about to declare Iraq in "material breach" of the U.N. resolution 1441. The horizon darkens and I am speechless. This is not the world we dreamed about.

With faith and humility,

Rabia (Elizabeth Roberts)

Friday, September 24, 2004

You like me! You really like me!

Well, whaddaya know?! The last play I wrote and directed just got nominated for a Los Angeles Ovation Award...!

Wednesday, September 22, 2004

Letter From the Road - #4

The fourth in my ongoing reprinting of these fascinating journals from recent history...:

LETTER FROM IRAQ, #4,
ELIZABETH ROBERTS
BAGHDAD
12 DECEMBER 2002

THE WORK OF MAKING MIRACLES

I am in back in Baghdad after an absence of two weeks, here to bear witness to the reality of the Iraqi people, "standing in solidarity" with their suffering. But today it doesn't seem like enough. I don't want to simply bear witness, I want to walk on water for them, raise the dead, multiply the loaves and fishes. I want a miracle. I want the United States not to attack, not to fall back on the barbaric use of violence and war to achieve its ends. I want the American people to continue to rise up against this most dangerous undertaking. I want to see a thousand U.S. and British women and men walking the streets of Baghdad with white armbands, carrying placards protesting the imminent attack on Iraq. I want a miracle. Can we set aside our appointments, our jobs, our busy schedules for a short time to amass a visible presence here, showing our support for a nonviolent alternative? Former President Jimmy Carter said in his speech the other night accepting the Nobel Peace Prize, "sometimes war may be a necessary evil, but we must remember, it is always an evil."

In this case it is an evil we can stop before it starts and becomes intractable. I am not naive. Like most of you I have spent months trying to fathom the real reason the Bush administration is so determined to wage war on Iraq. There are many theories: oil, terrorism, Israel's security, weapons of mass destruction, a clash of civilizations, redrawing maps. All of these give way in the face of reasonable assessment: 1) We can negotiate to buy the oil we need; 2) Iraq has not convincingly been shown to be involved in terrorist actions; 3) Iraq will never be able to match U.S. power with its pathetic arsenal - if it still has one anyway - and there are better ways to contain, reduce, or eradicate any possible threat they hold; 4) Israel is the country in this part of the world with weapons of mass destruction; 5) The war isn't about Islam - American policy claims not to care about religion - and in any case Iraq is (or was until we pushed so hard) the most secular state in the Arab world; 6) And it won't be about maps either since the current fragmented state of the Arab world serves American interests just fine. Then what?

Add them all together and the whole is more than the sum of its parts. Imperialism is what we called it in school when talking about the great rapacious empires of Rome, the Ottomans, Portugal, Spain, or England. Could it be that an occupation of Iraq is the next step in the emergence of the greatest empire in history? Is this our country's goal for the 21st century? Is it something we want to accept as long as the loot reaches our tables and our automobiles?
Clearly I must be overwrought and too emotional. But I grew up believing that my country was the great defender of freedom and democracy. I am dismayed at being so deceived.
Perhaps my feelings have been stimulated by Elias's and my recent experiences at the Convening Conference of the global Nonviolent Peaceforce last week. We travelled from Baghdad to Delhi, India, to meet with 140 people from 47 nations to take the next steps in building the first large scale "force" committed to nonviolence since Gandhi's inspiration for the creation of a "Peace Army", or shanti sena as he called it.

The aim of the Nonviolent Peaceforce is simple: to bring an end to military violence by non-violent means, creating a diplomatic space for armed conflicts to be resolved without resorting to further violence. To this end the Peaceforce plans to create an unarmed standing peace brigade of (ultimately) 2,000 civilians from around the world trained in specific techniques to intervene nonviolently in international, interethnic, or inter-religious conflicts. A response network of over 5,000 people around the world will support those in conflict areas by communicating their progress through a worldwide network of monitoring systems comprised of video, phone, and Internet. Our current Peace Team in Iraq is a small-scale precursor of this type of "3rd Party Intervention" - along with other similar efforts such as Peace Brigades International, Christian Peacemaker Teams, and Witness for Peace.

The Peaceforce Convening Conference in Delhi was opened with men and women translating into their own languages the proverb, "The path is made by walking." A great exercise in cultural understanding. My favorite was the Korean translation: "If we walk and walk and walk, people will call it a road." And so we are walking.

The five-day conference was not easy. There was much suspicion about the Peaceforce's origins as the brainchild of three North American men. Was this yet another form of Western imperialism? Here we have the U.S. causing so much conflict and suffering in the world and now in come "the U.S. heroes on white horses to try and fix it," as one Asian delegate put it. This distrust was not just an undercurrent. It was upfront and genuinely felt. Those of us from the U.S., Canada, and Europe found ourselves in the position of trying to share the insights gained with the participation of dozens of co-workers from other countries during three years of research and development while constantly being asked to let go of what we think we know.
The plan for the Nonviolent Peaceforce had always been to come to this stage and turn it over to its "Member Organizations" from around the world. We all had to share the dream. After much struggle, the impossible happened. 140 people worked together without complete knowledge or mutual understanding and made the decisions necessary to make the Nonviolent Peaceforce truly a global reality, and responsible to grassroots organizations around the world. A colleague from Singapore said he had never seen a more diverse people's peace gathering. In the end it was people's good will that overcame their distrust. As a woman from Kenya said, "We agree to disagree and still keep walking the road to nonviolent resolution of conflicts - the need is too great not to." Together we accepted the reality that we were certain to make mistakes and to mis-communicate, but our children and grandchildren's lives demanded that we try. One of my personal practices during this conference was on being told I was wrong to continue to smile and to ask how it could be better, rather than using my wit to reply.

After this meeting I firmly believe that the dream we all hold for a different world is not impossible. I see this dream being worked on in thousands of ways at the local level and it gives me much hope. Now we must learn how to make it possible at a larger scale. The work of our politicians, businesspeople and diplomats is to ask how they can serve the peoples' dream. Anything else has always failed - empires made of dust litter this Iraqi landscape: Mesopotamia, Assyria, Babylonia. One feels the fleeting nature of the will to dominance.

I believe the American people have a choice to make now. We can watch our environment and our civilizational structures crumble violently - the evidence is already visible on every continent and it will only speed up. Or we can become the transformative agent, mobilizing the good will of the world's people to work together on our collective task of healing the world.

"Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions,
slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures”

- John F. Kennedy

Monday, September 20, 2004

Tenderfoot

It would be odd, and inappropriate, to invite a medieval knight in shining armor to resolve a dispute between a pair of cattle ranchers: out of place, and even ineffectual - no matter how fine a broadswordsman he may be. The Wild West needs a Sheriff, with a quick-drawn six shooter and no care for chivalry.

It would be equally inapt to consider Yimou Zhang's latest epic, "Hero", as the film that will rescue the wild and wooly cinematic industry from its current spate of mediocre productions of "lowest-common-denominator"rubbish. Why? Because "Hero" is too good, and spends too much time involving itself in the worlds of opera, ballet, theatre, and haute couture, to ever have a chance at conquering the cowpokes that sit in your average 21st Century movie theatre.

Zhang's previous epics, "Ju Dou" and "Raise the Red Lantern", were cinematic triumphs: designed for the big screen, and made to be seen in a darkened movie theatre. "Hero", however, in spite of (and perhaps because of) its spectacular set pieces, balletic grace, and soaring visual craft, fails to make a home for itself in the movie theatre, and was thus unable to invite me to watch it with anything more than an outsiders detached appreciation of its merits. There was no denying that this was an extraordinary accomplishment, both creatively and logistically (the scene at the great hall in Beijing really has 1,000 extras representing the 1,000 courtiers). The cinematography created scenes as crisp and stylized as Henry May's stage sets, or even Donald Oenslager's. The symbolic use of colors outdo even the US Flag. In this film, as on Old Glory, White stands for purity, red symbolizes hardiness and valor, and blue stands for vigilance, perseverance, and justice. On the other hand, these colors stand for many other things, at different moments in the film, until you realise that they represent little more than expressionist color-coding to set one scene apart from another.

Don't get me wrong: this is a worthy use of your $7-$12 (depending on where you live!), but be aware that your appreciation of this work as an intelligently creative and technically wrought artistic masterpiece may not be matched by your wish to be told a good story. This is many stories, all tied in many pretty bows, but the package - as a whole - ends up being very light and empty...effective...but I'm still not sure to what end. I did not feel I had wasted my time or money, but I somehow felt I might have experienced this more fully at the Opera...or ballet...or concert hall...in a book?....painting?...

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

Letters from the Road - #3

Letter number 2 was posted 5 days ago, here is the next installment:

"LETTER FROM IRAQ, #3,
ELIAS AMIDON
SOUTHERN IRAQ
26 NOVEMBER 2002

FLYING IN THE NO-FLY ZONE

The captain of the aging Boeing 727 Iraqi Airways flight 642 to Basra stands by the cockpit door greeting his passengers as they board the plane. His uniform is trim and well-pressed. Our eyes meet - beneath dark eyebrows his Arab eyes are marked with kindness and sadness. "Good morning," I say to him in Arabic. "Morning of light!" he replies - the standard response in this part of the world.

The plane leaves its gate at the Saddam International Airport and taxis to the runway. There is no queue of planes waiting - there are no other planes. Flight 642 rises into the pale blue morning of light, and in a few minutes we are cruising at 25,000 feet.

Here in the no-fly zone are many secrets. No one knows where the F-16 fighter jets are patrolling in the blue above us. No one knows what they will choose to shoot at. In early March, 1991, two U.S. Air Force pilots watched helplessly, under orders not to intervene, as below them Saddam's helicopter gunships massacred rebelling Iraqi Shi'ite forces. The U.S. did not want the Shi'ites to gain control in the region, preferring Saddam's brutal hand to the possibility of an Islamic state allied with Iran. It is said those U.S. fighter pilots wept.

Secrets. Below I see roads, clusters of mud-brick houses and farm buildings, patches of crops. Four days later as we drive back to Baghdad on the ground I see these same areas from a different perspective. As the dull miles roll by I stare out the GMC Suburban's windows - for no discernible reason my mind thumbs through a list of "b" words: blasted, benighted, bereft, blighted... One-room mud huts, little kids barefoot, gaunt dogs with noses to the ground looking for scraps - all the usual, banal secrets of poverty. They are secrets because we drive past them so quickly, or fly over them, shake our heads in resignation and never crack the hard shell of their secrecy: what it feels like to be condemned to no other choice.

As the plane banks in a wide circle around Basra, I imagine how easy it must be to make a game of shooting the little ant-size toy trucks below. In the port two large steel hulls lay on their sides in the water. Two days later a few of us drive south to the Kuwaiti border, stopping at a graveyard of vehicles pulled off one of the several "Highways of Death" where Iraqis fleeing from Kuwait were caught in a "turkey shoot", as the fighter pilots called it. The burned-out carcasses of trucks, buses, cars, and tanks are spread over several acres. We are told not to touch anything, since the Americans used depleted uranium shells to blast through tank armor, the dust from which flew into the air and soil and still makes Geiger counters swing.

I stand next to the skeleton of a bus sitting on the sand, rusted, half its roof blown off. It reminds me of those photos of bombed-out buses in Israel, fresh with blood, the wails of the bereaved thick in the air. But the wails of those bereaved by this bus's deadly end are long since silenced. I stare vacantly at the few seats left, their bare springs casting strange shadows on the floor. Secrets.

We land safely and I watch how the mostly men passengers bid each other goodbye - shaking hands, kissing each cheek, touching their hearts with their hands. I remember being in Denver Airport, seeing a solitary Arab-looking man make his way through the crowds and wondering how it must feel for him to be the object of so much restrained suspicion. Now I am in his position, with thousands of troops from my country 40 miles away, poised to attack. But I don't feel enmity from these people. When I smile, nod, say "A’salaam alleikum" (Peace be with you) to strangers, they always nod and reply, "And to you, peace."

The first afternoon in Basra we visit a children's hospital, the region's center for pediatric oncology. Ever since the Gulf War there has been a drastic rise in leukemia, lymphoma, breast, skin, and lung cancer, and of course malnutrition. A Dr. Jamash meets with us and patiently describes the by now familiar scenario: shortages of medicines, shots for chemotherapy, machines for radiation therapy, money for doctors and nurses. "The economic embargo has destroyed everything," he says flatly. Dr. Jamash tells us of a dramatic increase in "strange cases not seen before" – congenital deformities with babies born eyeless, or with no face, or absent limbs.

The hospital is bleak, beat up, the windows and walls dirty. I find myself in a room with at least eight black-robed mothers caring for their sick children. I start taking pictures of them and showing them the results on the little screen of my digital camera. They laugh and point at themselves and ask for me to take more pictures. The atmosphere becomes joyful, the sick kids with hollow eyes smile, the old grandmothers pull their families together for one more shot.

The next morning a few of us go south, near the Highway of Death, to Safwan, a small dusty town on the Kuwaiti border where the cease-fire was signed in 1991 with the Americans. We track down a peasant family's house where a young boy is said to be suffering from skin cancer. He was born six months before the Gulf War, and soon thereafter the first signs of skin cancer appeared. His parents lived and worked at that time on a small farm near where many Iraqi tanks were hit with depleted uranium shells. As I write this I want to stop, to spare you and me from remembering this, from prying into this secret held in a poor mud-walled compound on a forlorn road in a remote town, the dirt in front of the door swept clean, the little windowless room with palm mats on the floor, both the single clock on the wall and the calendar marking time's meaning with gaudy pictures of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, and there a broken plaque with the Arabic inscription "May Allah's blessings be upon Mohammed and his family." We enter and sit along the walls. The door darkens with the figure of the grandmother, covered with a black abaya, gathering herself together for this unexpected invasion of foreigners, her hand shepherding in the boy.

The boy's name is Naathn Massim. He is wearing a dirty sweatsuit with a matching cap that has written on it "Camps Fashion." He keeps his head down, chin to chest, and dabs a crumpled tissue to the open sores across his face. His nose is half eaten away, as are his eyes. We are told that three weeks ago he went completely blind. Naathn sits down next to his grandmother, who answers our questions. The boy has been seen by doctors in Safwan and Basra, she says, but they say nothing more can be done. "Allah kareem," she says. “God provides.” Naathn's hands move from dabbing on his nose to shooing away the constant swarm of flies that settle on him. Neville, a 72 year-old minister with us on the Peace Team, begins to weep. A bottomless pit of grief opens inside us, for this boy, for his family, for this country, for our country, for ourselves. If we could we would push away this secret we have uncovered, this dirty secret of the rotting flesh of an eleven year old boy, the end result of grown men calculating attack and counter-attack in distant well-lighted rooms.

Maybe this is all I can say. Maybe this is why I came to Iraq, to witness this secret. Maybe this is the most peace teams like ours can hope to accomplish - to look for a moment into the face of all that is lost in the catastrophe of violence, and then again and again re-commit to life.

That night four of us went to stay with a family in the poor Jumariyah district of Basra. We sat on the stoop on the dirt street while dozens of kids gathered around us. I began to sing songs for them, teaching them call-and-response lines. Six or seven boys around Naathn's age hung on me, wanting me to keep singing. I remembered one song I used to sing to my own kids, "Gospel Train", and the boys rollicked and clapped to its refrain: 'Get on board little children, get on board little children, get on board little children, there's room for many a'more." The sounds of our songs rose up into the black sky, up into the no-fly zone, and beyond."

Monday, September 13, 2004

Sit down...you're rockin the boat

Sometimes one has to make one's position known, simply to help others clarify their own position. So many of us float through life, hewing to certain beliefs, only because they have never been challenged. When was the last time somone asked you directly whether you were pro-life, or pro-choice? Are you religous? Spiritual? Can you be one, and not the other? Do you understand what it means to be a true citizen of a democracy?

In answer to the last question, I would present this single credential: the right to elect my leaders, and the regular opportunity to possibly replace them, if I am dissatisfied with their performance on my and my country's behalf.

In exactly 7 weeks, Americans will be presented once more with that aforementioned "regular opportunity".

Are you ready?
Are you registered?
Are you fully informed?

I said earlier that sometimes it's necessary to make one's position known...for mine, please visit http://volunteer.johnkerry.com/member/552654

Marketing to the Stars

I have never failed to find the answers to my questions via the World Wide Web...until now.

My mechanic told me a sun roof is solid and only sits over the front seat area, whereas the moon roof is clear and often retracts further back than just he front seat area. My Volkswagen dealer, however, reversed that description!

So I let my fingers dance across the keyboards, in search of a definitive description for sun roof versus moon roof...no such luck. Google returned thousands of websites, with varying degrees of relativity, but no clear cut answer. Same with Yahoo. A couple of links actually gave answers, but then were either contradicted by the very next link or, worse still, by commentary later within that same site...

...I believe these two items (sun roof and moon roof) must have been invented by very accomplished US Congressmen. How else to explain the ability of such equipment to be all and nothing, at one and the same time?

Il Professore

If anyone wants 6 weeks of fun and mental challenge, why not take a class at UCLA? I'll be teaching a class - beginning September 30th - entitled "Producing Entertainment in the Digital Age", and I welcome all and sundry to partake.

Producing Entertainment in the Digital Age
X 478.087 Film & Television

This fast-paced and colorful overview of new entertainment production trends explores the creative, technical, and business side of the process. Lectures; workshops; discussions with industry guests; and demonstration of crafts, tools, and programs cover such topics as the nature of new media, the creative promise of new media, and the business of entertainment in the not-so-new millennium. The course also discusses the value of budgeting, creativity, planning, and knowledge of tools available. Equal emphasis is placed on technological innovations in filmmaking as well as the more ephemeral elements of creativity and advance planning. Fulfills Digital Technologies/Convergence requirement in Certificate Program in Film, Television, and Digital Entertainment Media.

Friday, September 10, 2004

Letters from the Road - #2

Next in our ongoing series:

LETTER FROM IRAQ, #2,
ELIZABETH ROBERTS
BAGHDAD
NOVEMBER 2002

WAITING FOR THE BOMBS

How do you prepare to be attacked by the most powerful military in the world? This question troubles me daily. When I ask Iraqi people about their feelings and preparations I understand how utterly vulnerable they are. We know very little here about what or when something is going to happen, only what we can read on the internet when it is working - a luxury that most of the folks in Baghdad do not have. Everyday they wait for tons of explosives to rain from the sky. They wait and worry and go on living.

I asked Fatima, a mother with nine children all living with her husband and her sister in three rooms, "How are you preparing for the war?" She replies, "Oh, there is not much we can do. We have a few extra liters of kerosene for our stove and we buried some gasoline in the yard if we need to leave Baghdad. We are just waiting and hoping America will turn away from this war."

Amal, an older, educated middle-class woman expressed her outrage at President Bush. "I just don't understand how he can do this! How can he discredit the inspections, and still talk about attacking us? He will kill innocent people. He won't even leave us our hope! Does this man have no blood in his veins?"

Amal's house was hit by a bomb in 1991. She lives near a bridge over the Tigres River. I asked if she had a bomb shelter. "No, bomb shelters are no good, we will just sit together in a room so if something happens we will all go together." Her daughter reminds me of the disastrous bombing of the Aamayria air raid shelter. It was hit directly by a U.S. missile in the Gulf War. 415 mothers and young children were killed and hundreds more were injured. Now there is the general suspicion the U.S. will deliberately target bomb shelters so few people plan to use them.

In preparing for the coming war, a school we visited regularly shoots a rifle when the national flag is raised so the children get used to the sound of explosions. I read a recent article about the trauma and mental health problems that result from war - children are especially vulnerable.

The government gave a combined November and December food ration, urging people to save some. But many people either ate the extra food or sold the ration for much needed cash. A representative of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization told us if there is a war many Iraqis will face severe shortages of food and water. They have been under sanctions for 11 years and are extremely weakened. The war will take a heavy toll in civilian deaths - collateral damage. (For an extremely informative and well-researched article on the expected war's consequences on civilians, prepared by the Nobel Prize-winning International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, see www.ippnw.org or www.medact.org. Print it off and pass it around.)

Many people here tell us they will fight if America invades Iraq. They may not like their government, but the thought of being invaded by a foreign power rallies them together. "If American soldiers come," Amal says, "we will resist, just like the Palestinians, we will resist." I can't tell if this is true, or simply an emotional response to the idea of an invasion.

There is no sign of preparation for war on the streets of Baghdad. Outside my window the roads are filled with cars and people. Gasoline is about 5 cents a gallon. The sidewalks are in bad repair, the stores are humble, and dusty, and the items for sale are minimal. It is Ramadan, and restaurants and cafes are closed during the daylight hours. The place feels tired. Iraq was nearing first-world status at the time of the Gulf War - now it is clearly third-world and struggling. A few days ago we visited the U.N. Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq. The director there told us, "Sanctions paralyse every single aspect of Iraqi society." There isn't enough of anything - food, clean water, ambulances, medicines, doctors, teachers, tractors. Someone shows me this statement by Denis Halliday, the former U.N. Assistant Secretary General and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq:

"I had been instructed to implement a policy [in Iraq] that satisfies the definition of genocide: a deliberate policy that has effectively killed well over a million individuals, children and adults. ...What is clear is that the Security Council is now out of control, for its actions here undermine its own Charter, and the Declaration of Human Rights and the Geneva Conventions. History will slaughter those responsible. ...We are in the process of destroying an entire society. It is as simple and terrifying as that."

I had read about the deadly effects of the sanctions on Iraqis before coming here, but seeing these effects with my own eyes is a shock. I know that some people in my country say this is Saddam's fault - if he would only comply with the U.N. resolutions the sanctions would be lifted. Yes, the Iraqi government should be held to account for many things, but not at the expense of a hair on the head of an Iraqi child! I have also come to learn that, according to U.N. weapons inspectors, the eradication of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq was 95-98% completed in 1998 when the U.S. - worried they would lose the leverage sanctions provided to gain control over this country - pressured the U.N. to withdraw its inspectors. Like many people in the world, I suspect U.S. motivations toward Iraq are not primarily about eradicating weapons of mass destruction.

I feel the imminent war inside of me too. The fear of attack manifests itself in little ways: my impatience with other team members; my craving to have more control over my actions; the frustration of not knowing who I can talk with; will this conversation compromise them? Is this solo walk I want to take all right? Is it an acceptable risk? I have more medical supplies with me than the local hospital! What does it mean to be in solidarity with a people? Our team meets almost every night to discuss scenarios for our response to an air attack, a ground attack, or a coup. Feelings are strong and diverse. I feel afraid of being useless. But perhaps the service is simply to be here, to share in the suffering of a people attacked by my country. I am more convinced than ever that it doesn't have to be this way, and that it is up to us to change the future.

There is one bright light for me however. It erases all my thoughts and anxieties. Every morning I go to work at an orphanage run by the Missionary Sisters of Charity of Mother Theresa. There are about 20 little boys and girls with severe cerebral palsy. Only two can speak a little and some cannot even raise their head. But they all have shining eyes and beautiful smiles - surely these are the angels everyone speaks of. I spend 3 hours holding them, massaging them, singing, and playing. Their gaze never leaves my face. They squirm across the floor to put their head in my lap. They are completely present and so am I. This is the only time I am not ambivalent. I belong here. I feed them and clean them. They stay focused on my face. This smile is all they want in the moment. Toys come and go but the face of a smiling adult is their heaven.

I hope where you live there are opportunities to resist the U.S. war machine. Nothing we do is too little and I always speak of the caring American and British people who are struggling to prevent the rain of bombs.

In peace,
Rabia (Elizabeth Roberts)

Friday, September 03, 2004

"LETTER FROM THE ROAD" - Number One

I promised, in my last posting, that I would begin posting archived letters from the Boulder Institute's journals. Here is the first one, written a couple of years ago, from Iraq...:

LETTER FROM IRAQ, #1,
ELIAS AMIDON
BAGHDAD
9 NOVEMBER 2002


DANCING IN THE STREETS
We arrived in Baghdad at 1 AM in the morning to a decaying six-story hotel next to the Tigris River. The lobby smells of kerosene used to wash the floors in the absence of detergent. A monkey behind the registration counter climbs to the top of his cage and peers at us curiously as we surrender our passports. A parrot sleeps in another cage, her head buried in shoulder feathers.

In the morning we drive across Baghdad to visit a children's hospital, getting to see the city for the first time in the morning light. Though it looks generally like I imagined, I am shocked by the recognition that this is the capital city of the "enemy". The neighborhoods are a jumble of two- and three-story buildings, tired and dusty, strung with makeshift electrical and phone wires, the sidewalks broken. There are larger buildings here and there, some in better shape, but the overall impression is one of exhaustion - the city is exhausted and worn out. The cab we ride in is a good example. The dashboard has a large section broken off, the inner panel of the door is missing, as is the window crank, the speedometer doesn't work, and the body is an assemblage of colors, its sections repaired over time from different wrecks. It reminds me of Managua and Havana, other erstwhile enemy cities brought down by American sanctions. On the streets are thousands of vehicles like our cab, all groaning forward, belching smoke, sagging buses with dirty windows and dented sides, filled with people who fit the overall theme of the city, tired and cheerless.

This is our enemy? This is what the U.S. considers a threat to the geopolitical balance of power in the world? It is incomprehensible. As I write this we have been here for four days and have made several trips around the city - this impression has only grown stronger. The U.S. wants to bomb this place? What misguided cruelty is this? I think of Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, and Paul Wolfowitz gliding around
Washington in their sleek black limousines on smooth roads with curbs, tidy tree-lined streets, impressive buildings whose windows are washed on schedule, carpets vacuumed each evening, with their computers humming with vast interconnected information systems. Here in Baghdad completing a simple telephone call is a major achievement. The contrast, and the trumped-up Iraqi threat, borders on the absurd. We fear a myth.

Today all the talk is about the unanimous U.N. Security Council resolution to send in weapons inspectors. Over lunch I naively suggest it may not be such a bad thing - the Iraqis have the opportunity to make an aikido move and allow the giant aggressor to fall on its face by submitting to all inspections. The old hands here patiently describe to me how the U.S. will make it impossible for Iraq to comply - in the past they have accused the Iraqis of blocking access because of a traffic jam! Because of a blown tire! Because of a lost key! But all this is not the point, I am told by a well-spoken Irishman on the Peace Team. The U.S. is not interested in making successful weapons inspections, he says. They want them to fail. They are interested in the huge sea of oil underneath this land, and in controlling its sale so that the cash spent for it is recycled back into the U.S. economy through purchase of U.S. goods. I go away hoping he's wrong, hoping against hope that my government's only motive is to eradicate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. But when an Iraqi I meet at the hotel asks me, "If the inspectors find no weapons here, will the U.S. not attack us?" I find cannot assure him they won't.

The bridges over the Tigris, most of them bombed out during the Gulf War, are now repaired. As we drive over one I look out at the city and imagine another U.S. attack, this time even more ferocious since it would be followed by invading U.S. and British troops with their high-tech gear, M-16's, Bradley tanks, armoured personnel carriers, and Humvees. I ask the soft-spoken cab driver, an out-of-work architect and father of five, what he thinks would happen if American and British troops entered Baghdad. He said - and Mr. Rumsfeld, Mr. Cheney, listen carefully! - he said, "Let me tell you something. The people here would resist them. Even people who might have disagreements with the government here would fight the invaders. Excuse me, but we will fight the Americans if they invade our city. We will not stand for an American occupation." At the children's hospital we spoke with the sad-faced director who recited the now familiar statistics - lack of medicines, broken, un-repairable equipment, no money to pay staff, post-natal child mortality rates now eight times what they were in 1990. "Iraq has eight machines for radiation therapy to treat cancer. Five are completely broken. The remaining three have no radioactive source. We need cobalt for this, not uranium! But the sanctions do not permit the import of cobalt."

Two days ago several of us went out to the U.N. headquarters to hold a vigil, a daily occurrence. We stood next to the busy highway holding banners which read, "No U.S. War on Iraq!", "Peace" in English and Arabic, "Let Iraq Live!", etc. Cars honked, drivers waved. The Iraqi guards around the U.N. building were solemn-faced. After about 15 minutes two cars pulled up delivering several reporters hung with cameras and microphones. Then a bus drove up and out spilled a most amazing sight - twenty Italian musicians with drums, saxophones, violin, tambourines, and they immediately greeted us with rambunctious, infectious gaiety! In a moment they were wailing away wild jazzy tunes, dancing up and down, laughing and grinning. They had come to Iraq for the week as ambassadors of good will, and good will it was! The scene quickly became something out of the sixties - everybody grinning, dancing, the guy on the saxophone bobbing and jumping, his eyes squeezed shut. Cars pulled over, people got out, more soldiers came out of the buildings to keep a lid on things, but the Italians were irrepressible. Soon even the soldiers were grinning and clapping to the music, posing for photographs with the musicians, and everybody was interviewing everybody, the buttoned-up lady from the Christian Peacemaker Team was surrounded by Italian drummers, each taking snapshots of each other, everybody was laughing, swaying, clapping - as if, for a moment, all of us forgot the poverty, the need, the threat of war, and peace just broke out, happy careless loving peace, right there on the side of the road.

Monday, August 30, 2004

This is going to be a big one...

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF INEQUALITY AMONG MEN, AND IS IT AUTHORISED BY NATURAL LAW?
by Jean Jacques Rousseau - 1754
(An Excerpt from the Second Part)

If this were the place to go into details, I could readily explain how, even without the intervention of government, inequality of credit and authority became unavoidable among private persons, as soon as their union in a single society made them compare themselves one with another, and take into account the differences which they found out from the continual intercourse every man had to have with his neighbours. These differences are of several kinds; but riches, nobility or rank, power and personal merit being the principal distinctions by which men form an estimate of each other in society, I could prove that the harmony or conflict of these different forces is the surest indication of the good or bad constitution of a State. I could show that among these four kinds of inequality, personal qualities being the origin of all the others, wealth is the one to which they are all reduced in the end; for, as riches tend most immediately to the prosperity of individuals, and are easiest to communicate, they are used to purchase every other distinction. By this observation we are enabled to judge pretty exactly how far a people has departed from its primitive constitution, and of its progress towards the extreme term of corruption. I could explain how much this universal desire for reputation, honours and advancement, which inflames us all, exercises and holds up to comparison our faculties and powers; how it excites and multiplies our passions, and, by creating universal competition and rivalry, or rather enmity, among men, occasions numberless failures, successes and disturbances of all kinds by making so many aspirants run the same course. I could show that it is to this desire of being talked about, and this unremitting rage of distinguishing ourselves, that we owe the best and the worst things we possess, both our virtues and our vices, our science and our errors, our conquerors and our philosophers; that is to say, a great many bad things, and a very few good ones. In a word, I could prove that, if we have a few rich and powerful men on the pinnacle of fortune and grandeur, while the crowd grovels in want and obscurity, it is because the former prize what they enjoy only in so far as others are destitute of it; and because, without changing their condition, they would cease to be happy the moment the people ceased to be wretched.

THE THEORY OF MORAL SENTIMENTS
by Adam Smith - 1759
Part IV - Of the Effect of Utility upon the Sentiment of Approbation
Consisting of One Section
Chap. I. Of the beauty which the appearance of Utility bestows upon all the productions of art, and of the extensive influence of this species of Beauty

From Paragraph IV.
The earth by these labours of mankind has been obliged to redouble her natural fertility, and to maintain a greater multitude of inhabitants. It is to no purpose, that the proud and unfeeling landlord views his extensive fields, and without a thought for the wants of his brethren, in
imagination consumes himself the whole harvest that grows upon them. The homely and vulgar proverb, that the eye is larger than the belly, never was more fully verified than with regard to him. The capacity of his stomach bears no proportion to the immensity of his desires, and will receive no more than that of the meanest peasant. The rest he is obliged to distribute among those, who prepare, in the nicest manner, that little which he himself makes use of, among
those who fit up the palace in which this little is to be consumed, among those who provide and keep in order all the different baubles and trinkets, which are employed in the oeconomy of greatness; all of whom thus derive from his luxury and caprice, that share of the necessaries of life, which they would in vain have expected from his humanity or his justice. The produce of the soil maintains at all times nearly that number of inhabitants which it is capable of maintaining. The rich only select from the heap what is most precious and agreeable. They consume little more than the poor, and in spite of their natural selfishness and rapacity, though they mean only their own conveniency, though the sole end which they propose from the labours of all the thousands whom they employ, be the gratification of their own vain and insatiable desires, they divide with the poor the produce of all their improvements. They are led by an invisible hand to make nearly the same distribution of the necessaries of life, which would have been made, had the earth been divided into equal portions among all its inhabitants, and thus without intending it, without knowing it, advance the interest of the society, and afford means to the multiplication of the species.

ELECTRICA
(a work in progress)

By D.
Cohen

Pulled from beneath the winter ice following the tragic and terrifying events of her accident, the girl hovered on the brink of death, beautiful in a restless slumber, deeper and more distant than mere rest, a small form adrift amidst the rumpled bedclothes of the Blue room's pacific bed. And while she lay thus, the room itself hovered on the threshold of clarity as the velvet drawn against the snow-glancing sunshine outside rendered the chamber sub-aqueous, blurring furnishings and boundaries in shadowy, blended outlines.

Whispers passed among us, the servants, that first night, as we exercised what care for the girl we could, keeping the fire stoked, bathing her icy, ashen brow with warm, wet towels; whispering so as not to let Mrs. Sizemore overhear. Such a beautiful girl, her skin so white, her hair like ebony, long and shining even now. Such a shame she'd likely never stir again, much less survive the night. In the kitchen, late that night, several of the newer girls recounted the story (originally related by Mrs. Sizemore's day maid, who'd been among the party on the ice when the careening sleigh came charging across the river), how the girl sobbed and called for help even as she struggled with the wayward horses' reins. The sled's near-comical lurch as the ice gave way under its runners, how the horses screamed as they scrabbled on the crumbling ice, tugged inexorably toward the churning black opening in the lake's cracked white and deceptively solid surface, the frost-licking water swallowing the horses, the sleigh, the girl.

And the men's race across the ice, too late for immediate rescue, but not pausing in their desperate search for the girl's form through the thick ice underfoot. The current passing her
beneath them like a barely glimpsed phantom, a shaded form beneath the frozen river's translucent, rock hard surface. Barely able to believe it, even as we watched the men hack through the ice at the shore, as we watched them heave away slabs, thinner there, and drag the slender, sodden, black-clad figure, clearly dead, clearly without hope of life, all too late in her rescue, from the black and freezing tarn.

Nonetheless, upon the night of the second day, the maids told us how the girl, no more than twenty, and possessed of the loveliest large eyes, now closed in deathlike pallor, began to stir, even as she remained insensate. Her movements accompanied by soft moaning, not painful, but
rather, as the chamber-girl charged with changing the untouched water pitcher did relate, more sad and mournful, as if breathing an eerie, airy dirge, that rose and fell lightly, like breathing.

At this, Mrs. Sizemore, who'd been no less than diligent in her attention to the girl already, intensified her time spent bedside in the blue room, watching the keening sleeper with deep concern, all day and evening, and being seen coming more than once visibly close to tears.

It was at midnight, as later confirmed by the head butler who'd been walking by on the second-floor landing and been called in by the maid sitting watch as per Mrs. Sizemore's orders, that the girl began to speak. Still seemingly sleeping - though perhaps far beyond such mortal vales as slumber and dream, her voice now distant, now close, now girlish, now shockingly masculine. A legion of voices, pouring relentlessly from the sleeping girl's lips. All espousing their lore in languages unrecognized, perhaps long forgotten, perhaps yet unlearned. For hours, the words poured from the girl, her form animated in no way but for the sounds emanating from within her, sources unknown, even unknowable.

Or so they said below stairs, though not at first. But even as the cold dawn splashed the sky white for another ice-encrusted morning outside the manor, the voices - never comprehendible in their babble - seemed to melt away, but not before leaving a benediction on the shocked listeners (Mrs. Sizemore herself, as well as the cook, who'd brought yet another meal to the blue room, in the increasingly vain hope that food’s presence might have some recuperative effect on the sleeper) as curious as it was touching: "as he believeth in me, so shall he live, and he that believeth in me shall know life ever after and shall know the splendours of all of God’s angels in heaven first hand." This she said, sitting upright - having suddenly risen, eyes wide and staring blindly, hands grasping, fumbling and finding those of Mrs. Sizemore, seizing them tightly as the words came now, finally, in recognizable English -- though mangled by who could say what powers evidently responsible for the girl's sudden, unsettling animation.

Thus, it was of little surprise when we learned that Mrs. Sizemore had sent for Madame Vanda, entreating her to brave the winter roads and rail and make her way up the valley from the city. In matters spiritual, in which contact with the denizens of the lands beyond the pale was the deeply desired, if not commonly achieved goal, Madame Vanda had been Mrs. Sizemore's chief aide and ally for near to five years, a date itself some years after the initiation of Mrs. Sizemore's interest in communicating with the residents of the summer lands.

It was while Mrs. Sizemore and Madame Vanda were examining the girl, in the afternoon of the third day since the accident, that the sleeper finally roused, her eyes at last opening and focusing on the two women. Though weak and fatigued, it seemed that, despite the catastrophe and her dormant days thereafter, the girl, who gave her name as Tenny, short for Tennessee (her father having been an ardent patriot, naming the daughters who followed his arrival from Ireland for states and cities of his newly adopted homeland - but this was not learned until later, for now in her state, her name alone was almost more than the girl could manage), would in fact fully recover from her precarious time upon the threshold.

The question Mrs. Sizemore put to her confidante, later, when the girl once again slept, but this time soundly, with a new air of sweet ease, and the two women eat a late dinner in the west salon, was whether, as terribly unfortunate as it all had been, whether the girl's accident, recovery and behavior during her consequent twilight convalescence didn't perhaps indicate some portal to, or union with, the spirit spheres. Madame Vanda allowed that it could indeed be possible, and that only observation of further phenomenon might serve to illuminate the possibility. The night maids clearing up related how the idea then came to Mrs. Sizemore, who proceeded to describe a plan wherein utmost care would be taken of the girl as she recovered her strength, until such time in the near future, when she would be well enough to be examined more thoroughly for any new predispositions or talents of the electrical magnetic variety.

"This is the beginning of a short story looking at the interstice of faith and science as shown in a group of people involved with a spirit medium and their exploration of "the summer lands" or spirit spheres. Told in a rich, anachronistic style, the story shows subjective realities completely overcoming and absorbing any idea of the objective -- extending, ideally, as far as the reader's view of what actually happens in the story (in particular, is the spirit medium, who by most evidence is in fact a con artist, really and truly completely a hoax?). Basically, asking how does faith and what we dearly wish to believe is true actually become / affect the quantifiable truth?"

LETTER FROM THE ROAD, 29, MEXICO
RABIA ELIZABETH ROBERTS
JULY-AUGUST,
2004

OUR GREAT LOSS

This story must be told.

Omar Diop is a finely-built black man, about 45 years old with small laugh lines radiating from his bright eyes. He lives in Dakar, Senegal, where he has spent much of his life working for peace through nonviolence in central Africa.

In July I traveled to Mexico to meet with him and 15 other internationals for the annual Board meeting of the Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP). Part of our agenda included a briefing and discussion of whether the Peaceforce should explore getting involved in the conflict in Northern Uganda/ Sudan. Omar's experience on this topic and with our other business was greatly needed.

But Omar never showed up in Mexico. We grew worried. Was he stranded somewhere? Had there been an accident? Or worse?

After waiting half a day for Omar to arrive in Quernavaca for our meeting, the NP staff began searching. After multiple phone calls they found that Omar had been deemed a security threat to the United States and was in the custody of Houston Immigration and its new policies to improve the security of our homeland.

"First they kept me for 7 hours of interrogation, then I was chained arms and legs and taken under guard to a damp wet cell. The toilet was bad. There were no beds and nothing to eat."

Omar's flight from Senegal to Mexico involved transit connections through Paris and Houston. Unfortunately neither Omar's travel agent nor Continental nor Air France had told him of the new U.S. policy requiring "transit visas" for any foreign national traveling through the U.S. to another destination.

This is just a bad mix-up we thought at first, and made plans to delay the opening session of our meeting. We called immigration in Mexico City who told us they would have no problem with Omar entering Mexico. We found an immigration lawyer in Houston and he called the immigration office to explain Omar's background and destination. There would be someone to pick him up at the airport and vouch for him.

"No," we were told. Immigration was pressing the full weight of the law "in this case." I imagine if his name was Tom, his skin was white, and he was coming to Mexico as a consultant for Halliburton, the Houston attorney might have been able to resolve the case at this stage. But Omar is a black man with an Arabic name. He was considered without legal rights.

To further plead Omar's case, NP staff contacted the U.S. Congressman and U.S. Senator from Minnesota (site of the NP U.S office). They tried to talk with immigration and sort things out. Again to no avail.

Omar never made it to Mexico. 30 hours after he was detained, he was taken to the airport office in chains to wait another 11 hours, given one sandwich to eat, and then he was sent back to Paris on Continental Airlines. His onward trip from Paris to Mexico or to Senegal was his problem and his expense. Unable to get a flight to Mexico City in time to make our meeting, he went home.

Whose security did these actions protect? Yours? Mine? Surely sufficient legal and political help had been secured to reassure immigration authorities that Omar was not a terrorist. In fact, the officers were repeatedly told by congressmen and lawyers from two states that he was a peace worker with an international non-governmental organization. But this did not stop the abusive treatment.

One week later, an NP staff member called the Immigration Service in Houston and asked for information about an African man's detention there a week earlier. She reported that he had been subjected to "shackles, no water, and no bed." The officer responded you should "hit the person who told you that with a brick," because it wasn't true. Asked if the officer could be quoted, he replied "Yes!"

But there were others to testify to the reality of Omar's treatment – two Palestinians, one Mexican and one Venezuelan suffered the same treatment with him. It was standard fare, I was told, for Mexicans in route home through Houston. Have all dark skinned foreigners become our enemy? Are we so afraid?

Middle class Americans are among the most fearful people I have met in our global travels. And every day the government and its policies feed this fear. Imagine the impact of seeing a black man in shackles walked through the airport by armed guards. The whispered comments - the children pulled near - the not so subtle message that "they" are coming at us from all directions. We are not safe.

Of course, we are all frightened by violence. Freedom always includes some risk. However terrorizing innocent foreigners is not making our country more secure. How abusive will we allow our society to become, how much freedom will we give up, and how many guns will we pay for (190 million by the latest count) to create an illusion of safety?

Omar has asked that there be no wide scale protest of his treatment. "Use your energy to work for peace in Uganda and Sudan." He will continue his peace work, but it is unlikely he will be able to visit the United States in the future. It is our great loss.

Wednesday, July 28, 2004

Upcoming events in town

Sun Aug 8 - Thu Aug 12
SIGGRAPH ~ COMPUTER GRAPHICS CONFERENCE
Exhibits open Tues Aug 10 -- Check out the art gallery, demos of emerging technologies and animation screenings, particularly the Electronic Theater.
(If you know someone who works for an FX or animation company, they might have a registration code you can use to get the normally $75 exhibits pass for free.)


Thu Aug 12 - Sun Aug 15
CA BOOM ~ FESTIVAL OF CONTEMPORARY DESIGN Celebrating and exploring original contemporary architecture, interior, furniture, landscape and prefab design. Enjoy exhibitions, demos, speakers, cuisine, lounges, DJ’s and live music, tours of cutting edge West Side design projects and architectural homes.
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 1855 Main Street, Santa Monica
(Regan Kibbee's Queen of Venice List is offering a special 40% advance booking discount:
purchase tickets online using this discount code RQV9007: One-Day Admission = $16.50 ($27.50 at door) Three-Day Admission = $41.40 ($69 at door) - offer good only through Aug.9)


Sat 9/11 - Tues Nov 2 (Election Night)
ELECT THIS! ~ ART EXHIBITION & BENEFIT AUCTION The Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC) is presenting this timely exhibition, "A creative response to the state of the democracy." Artists and "non-artists" alike are invited to "contemplate, investigate, interrogate, reveal the unseen and tell the truth" in this show celebrating freedom of expression.
SPARC Gallery (Old Venice Police Station) 685 Venice Blvd, Venice

Tuesday, July 27, 2004

What we need is a great big melting pot

Saw The Polyphonic Spree live the other day, at the El Rey Theatre. Definitely an "experience".
24-30 musicians in multicolored robes on that tiny stage, in a 2-hour cacophony of collective ecstasy...

Rewind.

The evening began with a 3-song set from the astonishing Section Quartet: 2 violins, a viola, and cello playing music filled with passion, humour, and punch. They then swapped out with the much-lauded Jon Brion, who did not fit the crowd well, although he is undeniably a talented songwriter. His tone and delivery were too low-key for the assembled masses seeking cathartic release. His last offering, though - in partnership with the Section Quartet - redeemed this atmospheric misjudgment somewhat as they launched into a fantastically original and enjoyable rendition of "I believe in a thing called love"; by the British Hard rock band Darkness, all on strings!

Over 2 hours after the event was supposed to begin, "The Spree" finally arrived, squeezing onto a stage that had comfortably held 4 musicians. Now we had a harpist, french horn, trombone, trumpets, violins, a big choir, keyboards, theremin, flute, drummers (2), and several guitars...A flock of first-class, improv-happy musicians.

The music was a mix of the Beatles during their Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band stint, ELO, The Beach Boys, and a sprinkle of the musical "Rent". It was at turns melodious and dissonant. It was almost always loud.

It was fun.

Thursday, July 22, 2004

Queen of Venice listings

Thu, July 22 7:30-9:30pm Free
LES YEUX NOIRS & QUETZAL ~ OUTDOOR CONCERT Enjoy Gypsy music from around the world from Les Yeux Noirs and the rich Latin rhythms of Quetzal with influences from hip-hop to jazz to R&B.
Santa Monica Pier
* * * * *

Thu, July 22 9:30pm-2am Free til 10:30/ $5 DJ PATRICK HARVARD (SCDC) @ CLUB TARA Enjoy an evening of friendly socializing and global dance grooves with DJ Jason Saville and guest Patrick Harvard from the So Cal Dance Collective.
(Come by tonight before TARA goes on hiatus in August for Burningman.) Sugar, 814 Broadway (@ Lincoln), Santa Monica
* * * * *

Fri, July 23 7:30pm $5
CUBA POSTER SHOW & LECTURE
In conjunction with the current poster retrospective, a panel of architects and others discuss projects they are working on in Cuba.
RSVP to 310-264-4678
Track 16 Gallery, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica
* * * * *

Fri & Sat, July 23-24 8pm $20
HYSTERICA DANCE COMPANY PRESENTS "VICTORIOUS"
Featuring the dramatic choreography of artistic director Kitty McNamee, original score by Anna Clyne and costumes by Grey Ant and Ryan Heffington.
(Also Thu-Sat, July 29-31)
Open Fist Theater, 1625 N. La Brea, Hollywood
* * * * *

Sat, July 24 8pm-12am Free
"INSTALLATION SCION ART SERIES" ~ OPENING & AUCTION Featuring urban art from some of the country's finest young talent; also djs, live painting and benefit art auction.
Track 16 Gallery, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica
* * * * *

Sat, July 24 7pm-2am $5 til 9pm/ $8
CREATE:FIXATE ALL PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW
The bi-monthly "optical lounge and audio lab" presents traditional, manipulated & digital photography + two rooms of DJs. Free gallery preview 4-7pm.
453 S. Spring St, Downtown L.A.
* * * * *

Sat, July 24 8pm-? $10
BLACK ROCK PROM
The Burningman camp, Nuclear Family presents this "FUNdraiser" for various creative projects they have planned this year.) Brewery, Downtown L.A.
RSVP to aimeewright01@aol.com and to get directions.
* * * * *

Sun, July 25 11am-4pm Free
KITES OVER REDONDO
Kite Festival hosted by Sunshine Kite Company features demonstrations of everything from fighter kites to kite dancing + music, yoyo and martial arts demonstrations.
Redondo Beach Pier and adjacent beach, Torrance Blvd at PCH
* * * * *

Sun, July 25 7pm $11.50-76
KCRW WORLD FESTIVAL: ELECTRONICA
Featuring Crystal Method, Nortec Collective, Sidestepper, Nitin Sawhney and dancers.
Hollywood Bowl
* * * * *

Tues, July 27 8pm Free
"SHOWGIRLS" INTERACTIVE SCREENING
MGM Home Entertainment celebrates the DVD release of the so-bad-it's-good stripper film with a screening hosted by drag queens Jackie Beat, Lin Tucci, and Patrick Bristow. Prizes for the best dressed (or undressed.) Early arrival recommended!
Download tickets: http://www.mgm.com/showgirls Vista Theatre, 4473 Sunset Dr, Hollywood
* * * * *

Thu, July 22 9:30pm-2am $10 Presale/ $15 At Door DJ KARSH KALE (NY) @ CLUB TARA Enjoy a sexy Indian-breakbeat set from Karsh Kale (pronounced Kursh Kah-lay), Six Degrees recording artist and leading American exponent of the Asian Massive movement. Also DJs Gabe Abraham & Jason Saville (last chance to experience TARA before August vacation.) Sugar, 814 Broadway (@ Lincoln), Santa Monica
* * * * *

Sat, July 31 6pm-4am $15
and Sun Aug 1 6pm-12mn
"SIX DEGREES" ART FESTIVAL
A two-day music and arts extravaganza bringing together presenters Cannibal Flower, Create:Fixate, The Lab 101 and Transport Gallery.
1329 E. 6th Street, Los Angeles (just E of Alameda)

Tuesday, July 20, 2004

It's about time...
 
Read a very interesting - and long overdue - article in the LA Times this weekend, all about how Americans have lost control of their children...
 
Read the article here (requires free registration on LATimes.com)

Thursday, July 15, 2004

Another great list of things to do in LA, courtesy of Regan, the Queen of Venice!:

Thu, July 15 9:30pm-2am $5/Free before 10:30 DUB GABRIEL (NYC) @ CLUB TARA The Brooklyn-based DJ/producer offers a fusion of tribal Middle Eastern and electronic beats. "Tablas tussle with funky-Kingston bass lines as ululant digital outbursts wax and wane, the now-you-feel-them/now-you-don't riddems veering from ominous to ecstatic..." -- LA Weekly.
Sugar, 814 Broadway (@ Lincoln), Santa Monica

* * * * *
Fri, July 16 8pm Free
LULULEMON 1 YR ANNIVERSARY
The upscale yoga wear store celebrates with an instore "Luau" party featuring drumming and dance contest. Winners receive a free lululemon outfit.
331 Santa Monica Blvd, SM 310.319.9900
RSVP to luluyearanniversary@hotmail.com

* * * * *
Sat, July 17 12noon-sunset Free
SACRED MOVEMENT BEACH BALL
Community gathering with potluck picnic, volleyball, swimming, beach yoga, music, sunset chanting, etc.
Venice beach at Navy Street
For more info: jeff@sacredmovement.com ("Beach Party" in subject line)

* * * * *
Sat, July 17 6-9pm Free
MARK VALLEN (ART-FOR-A-CHANGE) OPENING RECEPTION A retrospective exhibition encompassing thirty years of socially conscious artworks by this renown local artist.
Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring, 1525 S Robertson Blvd, L.A.

* * * * *
Sat, July 17 7-11pm Free
"AGE OF AQUARIUS" SUMMER SOLSTICE GROUP SHOW RECEPTION Featuring work by Mark Ryden, Shag, David Lynch, Marilyn Manson and many more.
Copro Nason Gallery, 11265 Washington Blvd, Culver City

* * * * *
Sun, July 18 9am-9pm By Donation
WORLD MUSIC & YOGA FUND-RAISER FOR JOHN KERRY Featuring yoga classes, music (by Yuval Ron & friends, Temple Bhajan Band Kirtan, Christine Stephens Remo Drum circle) and dancing.
RSVP + more info: 323.428.5700
Focus Fish Studios, 6121 SM Blvd (@ Gower), Hollywood

* * * * *
Weds, July 21 7-9pm Free
WEST L.A. DEM CLUB HOSTS JAY HARRIS
Jay Harris, publisher of Mother Jones magazine and CEO of the Foundation for National Progress, will talk about the upcoming presidential election and our current state of affairs.
United Methodist Church, 1020 Victoria Blvd, Venice - 800.784.5182

Monday, July 05, 2004

It's strange how possibly the best Salon yet should also make me question whether I want to continue this project...

I began this monthly gathering as a means to collect together a group of intelligent, fun, interesting, and interested friends. The goal: to present various works of original or rediscovered literature, art, and otherwise creative work; to discuss these works, and together learn a little more about the world and the dreams that move it hither and thither...

That was the intent, and for a while it bore great fruit, and wonderful conversations. Lately, however, through nobody's particular fault, there has been more conversation, and less literary critique. Discussions are taking place 3 or 4 at a time, overlapping and drowning one another, and more often than not the topics have little or nothing to do with the works presented.

It would be selfish of me to demand that the group stick to one path of discussion, if the majority prefers to wander wherever the mood leads, but then we find ourselves in the middle of a dinner party, as opposed to a Salon. I love dinner parties, but have no desire to host a monthly dinner party. It's too much work.

The only solutions I can imagine, therefore, are as follows:

A) I allow this gathering to remain the dinner party it has become, and dispense with the readings, unless somebody particularly wants to share something. In this case, I don't imagine doing this on a regular basis, but only as the mood dictates. Indeed, perhaps others would host such a dinner party at other times...?

B) We all agree that the original intent of the Salon should be preserved, and recommit ourselves to a monthly evening of literature, art, poetry, politics, and other discussions DIRECTLY borne of presentations offered by one or more of the assemblage.

C) We quit while we're ahead (16 Salons isn't a bad run), and everyone finds something else to feed their creative soul.

It's not my decision to make alone, so I will look forward to hearing from my friends, as to their opinions.

In the meantime, back to what - as I wrote earlier - was possibly one of the best of the lot:

We had a record-setting seven offerings today and 100% of them were original! This was as a result of a suggestion made last month, that each person compose 2 pages of original material, to be presented one month later.

We began with the opening moments of an original play, written by the originator of the "2-pager" idea. A compelling piece which elicited a discussion about the relative merits of stage directions. We dredged up various famous playwrights who have or have not chosen to rely on stage directions and author commentary to advance and influence the action and setting of their pieces: Shakespeare; Shaw; O'Neil, et al...each devoted to their own sense of the value (or lack thereof) of words beyond the dialogue...This is an issue that has divided and fragmented theatrical afficianados for centuries, and our motley crew did not even begin to assume we were equipped to reveal a definitive resolution to the matter. However, it was fun to acknowledge the vibrant and organic nature of an art form which, despite its incredible age, is still in flux!

We then moved on to a visual offering, created by one of our group who has heretofore considered herself unqualified to contribute, despite varied voiced assettions from others to the contrary. That she chose this evening to bring forth something wholly of her own creation was another of the reasons this was one of the best gatherings to date. Her creativity took root in discarded magazines, which she discovered at her office. Her offering grew in the fertile, and previously fallow, soil of her imagination, and bloomed this evening into a multi-colored collage of commercialism gone to seed, in the best sense of the word: a simple yet evocative expression of natural beauty, torn from nothing but magazine ads:



After this we were treated to a short exercise in Gallic wit, as our next offering was presented: taking the letters from "SALON" a short equation - Smart Ambitious Living Organism (Nicholas), suggesting a predisposition to the end result, namely a SALON. Add to the midst of this our collective Minds (M), and we are fed with SALMON. For his second page, the creator offered up a blank page, at the top of which he wrote "writer's block"...

We had a new guest this evening who brought with her some literary proof of the idiocy of US government, when applied to the arts: she read excerpts from the EDD guidelines to actors and other performance artists...imagine being a professional actor, temporarily unemployed yet having earned enough as an actor to qualify for unemployment insurance. Now what sort of advice do you think you would benefit from, after all those years you've spent plying your trade? Surely the Employment Development Department of the State of California has some useful and wise insights. Well, how's about that fact that they recommend you have a resume, or that you should have some photos of yourself, preferably 8X10? I could go on, but basically the EDD recommendations to professional actors seeking to reenter the workforce are as useful as advising a wall street banker that he/she should learn some basic addition and multiplication...State tax dollars at work once more.

We segued from the ridiculous to the sublime, as we were treated to an offering from another previously silent attendee, who shocked us all with the creativity, eloquence and intimacy of her writing: a 2-page journal rumination on how she might spend the last week of her life. At first blush, this may seem like a morbid examination, but her writing was filled with a warmth, goodness, and fluent embrace of the moments in life we take for granted...further critique would merely sully the event. If you weren't there, you missed out...big time.

Our penultimate offering was an excerpt from the ongoing autobiographical creation of one of "the gang", first introduced in the February 18th, 2003 Salon. The presented passage was written just this past month and examined the dreams experienced by the author during and following her convalescence. Dreams led to visions, visions to apparitions, and before long we found ourselves at the tail end of a 70-minute open discussion on ghosts, spirituality, and personal experiences with the supernatural.

It was a fascinating discussion, but left us with precious little time to enjoy the last offering, which I have appended below, as I think it deserves to be shared with as many readers as possible:

The Karate Kid, that's right, Ralph Macchio with a rising sun headband. I was blessed with the opportunity to see a life-size image of his face every morning this last week. His image is plastered on the side of an underpass on the transition road between the 101 west and the 405 south. I have no doubt it was Miyagi's protege, since I was averaging about two to three miles per hour as I passed his mug. I didn't slow down for this; I just followed the car in front of me as we crept along at near walking pace.

My normal commute to-and-from work does not involve the freeway, but this last week I was attending a training class that was far enough away that I thought I would take advantage of what the State of California spends some of my tax dollars on. I did this for five days - that's ten trips - and the speedometer never approached the posted maximum speed signs.

We are constantly reminded how the human brain is a marvelous thing; how it is able to take care of bodily functions like regulating a heartbeat while simultaneously deciding what to have for dinner. With all of this neural capacity afforded to the species that likes to think it is at the top of the food chain, it doesn't take much to stay within the Botts' Dots and leave a decent space between the car we are driving and the one ahead.

So what do we do with all of the excess time and energy we have as we sit on a near grid locked freeway? I don't think there is only one answer to this question, as the drivers I observed exhibited behavior ranging from manic, high energy slalom course, excessive lateral G-load swerving to a eyes at half-mast, mouth gaped open, torpor-like stare.

There is the utility truck driver with seven ladders securely strapped (I hope) to various parts of his rig. I think he gets paid by the job - and freeway time is his time. So that guy is doing whatever he can to bulldoze anyone in his path to the shoulder.

There is the young woman with big hair doing her makeup and talking on her Nokia. The crumpled front license plate of her car shows her lack of experience in knowing what the brake lights on the car in front of her signify.

There is the guy with the shaved head; his seat reclined as far as it will go, oozing with altruism as he shares his music with anyone within a quarter mile.

There is even the Van Nuys Flyaway bus driver who does this trip many times a day. His spot in heaven is assured.

What is it that people think about as they sit? Even more - do they think? Do most drivers tune out the world and revert into a semi-coma until they see their exit? For how many of these drivers is this a daily ritual?

The fact that so many drivers forgo the opportunity to share a ride and take advantage of a carpool lane suggests that maybe we like the isolation. Maybe we like the alone time that is a by-product of driving solo in heavy traffic. Maybe at this point no boss can make unreasonable demands, no child can be heard crying for more cereal, and no nagging mate can remind you of your extensive list of faults.

A comedian once said something like this: Anyone going faster than you on the freeway is a maniac, while anyone going slower than you is an idiot. Only drivers moving along at the exact same speed as you are normal. How sad that this theory finds Sunday morning at 3:00 a.m. as the only time it can be tested.

Thursday, July 01, 2004

Queen of Venice calendar for July

A reminder that the annual free summer concert series on Thursday nights at the pier begins tonight - afterwards you may want to stop by TARA and enjoy some more tasty dance grooves...

* * * * *
Thursdays 7:30-9:30pm
TWILIGHT DANCE SERIES @ SANTA MONICA PIER The free concerts on the pier begin tonight and run through September 2nd.
Tonight 7/1 features long-time local funk originals FISHBONE and THE BONEDADDYS.


* * * * *
Thursdays 9:30pm-1:30am
TARA - GLOBAL DANCE GROOVES @ SUGAR
Tonight 7/1 features the new release from Brazilian superstar, Bebel Gilberto; Co-sponsored by Soul Brasil magazine. (First 100 guests receive a free sampler CD.) Sugar, 814 Broadway (@ Lincoln), Santa Monica

* * * * *
Various Days & Nights
GRAND PERFORMANCES @ CALIFORNIA PLAZA (Downtown) More free outdoor concerts and performances!

Friday, 7/2 8pm Features conductor and composer Geoff “Double G” Gallegos and his 60-piece DAKAH HIP HOP ORCHESTRA

* * * * *
SatSun, 7/3-4
BURN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY (San Diego area) Join the L.A. Burning Man tribe for a "pre-compression" party close to home.


* * * * *
Sat 7/10 6-8pm
CUBAN POSTER RETROSPECTIVE @ TRACK 16 GALLERY (Santa Monica)

* * * * *
Sun, 7/11 12-8pm
BASTILLE DAY CELEBRATION @ PAGE MUSEUM GARDENS (Wilshire)

* * * * *
Sundays 7pm
KCRW's WORLD FESTIVAL @ THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL And more outdoor concerts -- the "nosebleed" section seats only cost $1.

Sun 7/11 is GLOBAL DIVAS night featuring Tracy Chapman, Oumou Sangare and Tania Libertad.

Wednesday, June 09, 2004

Trying out the Audio...

Click on the link...Let me know if it works or not!

Saturday, June 05, 2004

"Saturday night's alright"

The switch to Saturday seems to have worked well! We had a good collection of friends over for our May Salon, and - as usual - a tasty table laid with a variety of edibles: roasted chicken, salads, cheese platter, Pasta, wines, juices, sodas, and all wrapped in a juicy cool finish of strawberries and ice cream!

"It's seven o'clock and I want to rock
Want to get a belly full of beer"

While beer was not part of the list, our bellies were certainly full by 7PM, and we began the literary part of things with a reading from the Financial Times...

An article by Richard Tomkins was read, examining the unheralded function of advertising in a changed world of TV viewership:

TV ads have branded the big names on our brains (28 May)
By Richard Tomkins

Shocking news in adland: television advertising does not work. Oh well, commercial TV was nice while it lasted. Now, I suppose, we go back to whatever we were doing before it arrived: singing around the piano, talking to each other, going out of our minds with boredom or, in Britain's case, watching the BBC.

Before continuing, however, I had better qualify that opening claim. Clearly, TV advertising can work. But according to a provocative report from Deutsche Bank in the US (Commercial Noise: Why TV Advertising Doesn't Work for Mature Brands), the sort of advertising we tend to associate with TV, promoting well-known brands of consumer packaged goods, is usually a waste of money.

How does Deutsche Bank know? Andrew Shore, an analyst, spent two years monitoring the advertising and sales of 23 big packaged goods brands in the US. He found that, although TV advertising increased sales over the next six to 12 months, in most cases it produced a negative return on investment. In other words, the gross profit generated by the extra sales was exceeded by the cost of the advertising.

Things have changed since the golden age of marketing, the 1950s to the 1970s, when commercial TV allowed packaged goods companies to introduce their products to vast numbers of consumers. Today, media fragmentation has undermined television's power and many packaged goods are close to market saturation. Meanwhile, remote control ownership has risen from zero in 1965 to 97 %, and TiVo-style digital video recorders make it easy for viewers to skip commercials altogether.

Yet can we really be sure that brand advertising is such a waste of money?

Since I own a TiVo recorder and have hardly seen a TV commercial in more than two years, I have no idea why I would want to defend TV advertising (unless, of course, it is to preserve my access to free content). Yet somewhere at the back of my mind I hear the insistent voice of Philip Wrigley, son of William Wrigley, founder of the chewing-gum company, addressing this question of value for money. Asked during a transcontinental flight why Wrigley went on spending so much on advertising when its products were already successful, he replied: "For the same reason the pilot of this plane keeps the engines running when we're already 29,000ft up." Mature brands, by definition, face the prospect of decline, so perhaps the miracle of TV advertising is that it sustains them year after year when they might otherwise fade slowly into oblivion. In any event, what a study should surely be measuring is not just the increase in sales delivered by TV advertising, but the difference between the increased level and the level to which sales would have declined if there was no TV advertising. I have another quibble. Reluctant as I am to take issue with Deutsche Bank's intriguing study, I cannot help feeling that, by focusing on relatively short-term increases in sales, it takes an outdated view of the way brand advertising works.

Once, people used to see advertising as a means of persuading people consciously to choose one product over another. The advertisement was a sales pitch, and it was vital to get the consumer's attention in order to get the message across.

More recently, however, a British marketer named Robert Heath has drawn on neuroscience and psychology to offer a different explanation. In an influential monograph called The Hidden Power of Advertising (Admap Publications, 2001), he said people regarded most reputable brands as performing similarly and paid little attention to advertisements. However, this did not mean the advertisements did not work.

People absorb information both actively and passively. Some knowledge you seek, other knowledge you absorb through "implicit" learning without even knowing it is happening. According to Heath, brand communications fell mostly into the second category: although often ignored at the conscious level, they were absorbed through an automatic, subconscious mental activity known as low involvement processing.

The way long-term memory worked, the more often an idea was processed alongside a brand, the more it became associated with that brand. "And because implicit memory is more durable than explicit memory," Heath said, "these brand associations, once learnt, are rarely forgotten." So, even more shocking than the revelation that TV advertising does not work is that it does - and without our even knowing it. Just as we always suspected, we are being brainwashed.

Correction.You are being brainwashed - I have a TiVo. But the point is, it is already too late for me, too. Even today, every time I choose a product on a supermarket shelf, I am expressing brand preferences influenced by advertisements I saw when I was six. The payback from a TV commercial cannot be measured over six months or a year: it is for life.

I know, I know, TV is not the only means of advertising and other media offer better value: perhaps Coca-Cola gets more effective brand associations from its sponsorship of music and sport than it does from its TV advertising. But the fundamental asset of successful brands is fame, and there is something almost magical about television's ability to deliver it.

Sheer voodoo it may be, but it is a brave packaged goods company that stops advertising on TV while its competitors carry on. This is the age of celebrity and brands desperately want to be stars. Somehow, I think commercial television is going to be with us for a while yet.

Friday, June 04, 2004

What IS the problem!?!?

A good friend of mine recently decided he'd had enough of AOL, after many years of being a dissatisfied customer. He would get SPAM; he would fail to get emails he was supposed to get; he would be unable to connect...Basically shoddy service at thoroughly UNcompetitive rates (see NETZERO).

He contacted AOL and asked that his service be disconnected exactly a week from the date of notice, so that he'd have time to transfer his service, and alert his contacts. He indicated that AOL would be authorized to bill his credit card up to June 7th. Aol said "sure, whatever"...or words to that effect...and promptly cut him off, effective IMMEDIATELY!!!

Suffice to say, my friend is no happy camper, but I remain continually and increasingly perplexed. It's one thing to be a big impersonal conglomerate corporation, with little concern for "the little man"...but to be stupid as well?...Come on AOL, you know you can do better.

In a related story, AOL continues to block corporations and small companies around the world, preventing AOL users from receiving emails from these innocent small businesses, for no real reason...oh wait! There IS a reason. These small businesses have chosen not to pay to advertise on AOL...

AOL customers lose again.

Does anybody have a contact high up the ladder at AOL customer relations? Preferably someone who realises that their career is based upon CRM....That's "Customer RETENTION Management", not "Crudely Run Megacorp".

Thursday, June 03, 2004

Queen of Venice

Another month of fun events in the Venice area, compiled by Regan:

(The QofV List is a personal selection of local cultural events, preferably low cost and in the Venice area, compiled and emailed as time permits)

* * * * *
6/3 SIX DEGREES CD RELEASE PARTY @ CLUB TARA
6/5 PLANET ZORTHIAN (Celebration-Altadena) 6/10 CLUB TARA PRESENTS SOULSALAAM (Sta Monica)
6/11 HAITIAN ART RECEPTION @ GALARIE LAKAYE (Hwd)
6/11 DANCES OF ECSTASY @ EL REY (Screening & DJs-Mid Wilshire)
6/11-13 CORETOUR AT VENICE BEACH (Outdoor Sports-Venice)
6/12 JOHANNA WENT @ TRACK 16 (Performance-Sta Monica)
6/16 ERIC OWEN MOSS: THE ART OF ARCHITECTURE (Talk-Culver City)
6/17 CLUB TARA PRESENTS RARA AVIS (Music Performance-Sta Monica)
6/17 TIKI TIL DAWN @ LACMA (All Night Party-Wilshire)
6/19 STREETWISE @ THE LAB 101 (Art Opening-Sta Monica) 6/19-20 34TH ANNUAL PRIDE PARADE & FESTIVAL (WeHo)
6/22 JOE FRANK @ HAMMER MUSEUM (Reading-Westwood)
6/26-27 SANTA MONICA AUCTIONS (Art Sale)
6/26 HOMBRES GROUP EXHIBITION @ PAT CORREIA GALLERY (Sta Monica)
6/26 DREAM CIRCUS THEATRE @ EDC (Outdoor Festival-San Bernadino)
6/27 AIA VISTA VENICE (Architectural Home Tour)
7/3-4 L.A. BURNING MAN RECOMPRESSION PARTY (Mojave Desert)

* * * * *
Thu, 6/3 9:30pm-2am $5
SIX DEGREES CD RELEASE PARTY @ CLUB TARA Featuring Banco de Gaia's newest release, "You are Here" -- first 50 guests receive a free Banco de Gaia CD with paid admission. Ethno-electronic dance grooves by DJs Jason Saville and Gabe Abraham.
Sugar, 814 Broadway (@ Lincoln), Santa Monica

* * * * *
Sat, 6/5 4pm-2am $20
PLANET ZORTHIAN (Celebration-Altadena)
Artist, architect and zesty lover of life, Jirayr Zorthian died in January at an inspiring 96 years young. This celebration features tours of his eclectic ranch estate, an outdoor screening of a indie documentary about him and an eclectic lineup of performances and entertainment.


* * * * *
Thu, 6/10 9:30pm-2am $5
CLUB TARA PRESENTS SOULSALAAM (Dance Club-Sta Monica) SOULSALAAM is a deejay, percussionist and producer who mixes it up with "Brazilectro, Drum'n'Bass, Broken Beat, Arabic & Indian Electronica, Breakbeat, Nu Jazz, Bossa Nova, Jamaican Dub and Hip-hop."


* * * * *
Fri, 6/11 6-9pm
HAITIAN ART RECEPTION & BENEFIT SALE @ GALARIE LAKAYE (Hwd) RSVP to 323/460-7333 for more info

* * * * *
Fri, 6/11 8pm-2am $15 Presale/$20
DANCES OF ECSTASY @ EL REY (Screening, Music & DJ Party-Mid Wilshire) Dance is the drug for various cultures in this poetic documentary. Grooves tonight provided by DJs Jason Bentley (BossaNova, KCRW), Janaka (Dhamaal
Soundsystem-SF) and Patrick Harvard (Southern California Dance Collective.)

* * * * *
SatSun, 6/11-13 10am-5&6pm Free
CORETOUR AT VENICE BEACH (Outdoor Sports-Venice) The Boardwalk will be transformed into a course for athletes in BMX dirt jumping, in-line, mountain boarding and skateboarding plus bands, DJs and more.


* * * * *
Sat, 6/12 8pm $10
JOHANNA WENT: AGGRAVATED RESISTENTIALISM (Performance-Sta Monica) Track 16 Gallery, Bergamot Station

* * * * *
Wed, 6/16 6:30pm Free
ERIC OWEN MOSS: THE ART OF ARCHITECTURE (Talk-Culver City) RSVP required

* * * * *
Thu, 6/17 9:30pm-2am $5
CLUB TARA PRESENTS RARA AVIS (Music Performance-Sta Monica)

* * * * *
Thu, 6/17 -7am $9(?)
TIKI TIL DAWN @ LACMA (All Night Party-Wilshire)

* * * * *
Sat, 6/19 6-9 pm Free
STREETWISE @ THE LAB 101 (Art Opening-Sta Monica) An int’l exhibit by leading urban-influenced artists WK, Faile, London Police, & Shepard Fairey.


* * * * *
SatSun, 6/19-20
34TH ANNUAL PRIDE PARADE & FESTIVAL (WeHo)

* * * * *
Tue, 6/22 7pm $5(?)
JOE FRANK @ HAMMER MUSEUM (Reading-Westwood)


* * * * *
SatSun, 6/26-27 4pm & 1pm
SANTA MONICA AUCTIONS (Art Sale)


* * * * *
Sat, 6/26 5-8pm Free
HOMBRES GROUP EXHIBITION @ PATRICIA CORREIA GALLERY (Art-Sta Monica)

* * * * *
Sat, 6/26 4pm-2am $25
DREAM CIRCUS THEATRE @ ELECTRIC DAISY CARNIVAL (Outdoor Festival-San
Bernadino)


* * * * *
Sun, 6/27 11am-4pm $65
AIA VISTA VENICE (Architectural Home Tour)

* * * * *
SatSun, 7/3-4 $20 Presale/$40
L.A. BURNING MAN RECOMPRESSION PARTY (Camping Party-N. Mojave Desert)

Tuesday, May 04, 2004

A hair-raising evening

So April has come and gone, but not without another Salon to speak of! We had a full complement, including a new guest from a foreign land. It was almost perfect weather, and so we had dinner on the patio, by the light of tiki torches and Chinese lanterns. Our chef for the evening prepared steaks and Ahi tuna on the grill, and we had about 8 different salads to feast upon. Follow this with a delicious assortment of cheeses, and then the most exquisite Chocolate Ginger Cake with fresh strawberries Romanoff...the surfeit of culinary treats was as per usual. This didn't stop attendees from polishing off 6 bottles of fine French and Italian wine!

So it was a mildly tipsy majority that leaned in to listen to our offerings for the evening. We began with a commentary on Francine Prose's much talked about essay in Harper's Bazaar: "Voting Democracy Off the Island." The presentation was not so much about the article itself, but about whether Reality TV was influencing individual approaches to community mentality in the US, among other things. As usual the discussion led to "spirited exchanges". This evening, largely because the Salon Nazi was a little preoccupied (more on that later), these exchanges began to splinter into little group discussions, and the usual "Ive got the conch" order did not apply as strictly. I believe we lost some of the benefits of the usual Salons, but there's nothing wrong with mixing things up once in a while, simply to test the modus operandi.

We next heard a reading of Shakespeare's Sonnet 130 - an apt offering, given the proximity of the Bard's birthday:


My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damask'd, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.

This was followed by the passing around of some books on Provence, and a reading from E.M. Forster's "Howard's End", read - upon request of the presenter - with all due "Britishness", by yours truly.

Referring back to the Salon Nazi's cause for preoccupation, it was at this juncture that I presented my offering for the evening. I asked that everyone commit to a short session of "Performance Art", and I admitted that it was truly experimental, as I had only decided to undertake the piece a few hours prior. I then took off my shirt, and sat in a chair in the middle of the patio. I held forth my electric beard trimmer, and invited each person to come and shave off a section of the hair on my head. The only stipulation was that, as they shaved, the participants were required to express aloud something they wished to remove or discard from their own life, be it physical, psychological, emotional, or comical.

Ten minutes later I was basically bald.

I could go on for a paragraph or two about the meaning of, and the details surrounding, this experience, but I think I want to keep it "in the moment". It was an exciting experiment in spontaneous group art, and I'm glad we did it. I felt very vulnerable during the process, and a little nervous on occasion (see 6 bottles of wine above).

Thursday, April 29, 2004

Queen of Venice listings - events around LA

4/9 TARA presents DJ schlaut (SM)
5/1 Venice Garden Tour
5/6 TARA presents DJ Cheb i Sabbah (SM)
5/7-9 Joshua Tree Music Festival
5/9 Mother's Day Comedy Performance (CC)
5/15 Carnevale Venice Beach
5/15 "Mujeres" art opening @ Pat Correia's (SM)
5/15 Highways Performance Space 15th Bday (SM)

* * * * *
* * * * *
TONIGHT, Thurs, April 29 9:30pm - 2am
DANCE CLUB TARA FEATURES DJ SCHLAUT
@ Club Sugar, 814 Broadway (by Lincoln), Santa Monica

Selected by Cirque du Soleil for their VERAKAI premier party and just back
from the main stage at Xara, DJ schlaut explores the depths of ethnic
electronic grooves.

* * * * *
Sat, May 1 10am-6pm
VENICE GARDEN TOUR


This annual event, founded by local landscape designer Jay Griffith, visits
dozens of charming homes and eclectic gardens. Proceeds benefit
Neighborhood Youth Association's Las Doradas Children's Center in Oakwood.


* * * * *
Thurs, May 6 9:30pm - 2am
DANCE CLUB TARA FEATURES DJ CHEB I SABBAH
@ Club Sugar, 814 Broadway (by Lincoln), Santa Monica


Enjoy an ecstatic evening of floor shakin beats from Africa, Arabia and Asia
with DJ Cheb i Sabbah -- whose 14 years at Nicki’s in San Francisco's Haight
is the longest DJ residency in the country.

* * * * *
FSS 5/7-9
JOSHUA TREE MUSIC FESTIVAL


Sun 5/9
COMIC DANA EAGLE ~ MOTHER'S DAY PERFORMANCE


* * * * *
Sat 5/15
CARNEVALE VENICE BEACH


* * * * *
Sat 5/15
"MUJERES" ~ GROUP SHOW ART OPENING
Patricia Correia Gallery, Bergamot Station

* * * * *
Sat 5/15
HIGHWAYS PERFORMANCE SPACE "LA QUINCEANERA" ~ 15TH BIRTHDAY PARTY

Monday, April 26, 2004

Hello darkness, my old friend...

It's been nearly a month since I last made an entry in this journal, and I can't think straight enough to recollect what tidbits of cultural value to recollect...

Have spent the last month writing and designing a revamp on a website - with partnership from a hard working team of techies and graphic artists. 4 of us in total, and none of slept for the last 3 days. I have had 6 hours in the past 4 nights...total.

It's the middle of the afternoon. The site is up. I'm going to bed.

Check out the site at www.lipink.com

Sunday, April 04, 2004

Tuscany, Moscow, and Surrealism
Last Wednesday, we gathered for what will probably be the last indoor Salon of the year: the garden is reaching full bloom, and the weather is warming nicely. I'm looking forward to cleaning up the patio, and opening our new back garden gates to welcome the Salon al fresco...

In the meantime, this last living room gathering was a rich event: We had a delicious meal of Chicken Enchilladas, Beans and Rice, Pasta Salad, a special Canuck-Tuscan Salad(!), fresh breads, a variety of cheeses, wines, and other drinks. Once we'd sated ourselves on this feast, we settled down for a presentation of some gorgeous examples of Russian Impressionist art (often referred to as Socialist Realism).

The works shown elicited a good hour's worth of discussion, touching upon the nature of this movement and its place in the chronology of Art. Never having been introduced to this genre, I was fascinated to see the works up close: one piece used colour so exquisitely that from 6 inches away, the oil was a soft swipe of whites, and off-whites, barely influenced by hints of cold pink and peach. 8 feet away, these colours combined in a fiery alchemy, and a warm glow of light spread across the canvas, drawn from a peeking sun over the horizon that previously had simply not been there...The artist used his oils in a novel manner, such that the final effect was more akin to chalks or pastels - soft and matte, as opposed to slick and glossy.

Our resident "Zizanie" then read an essay, without revealing the author beforehand, examining the relative merits and dangers of Stem-Cell research. As usual, this incited spirited discussions on all those topics we are not meant to discuss in mixed company: Politics, Religion, Sex. Nobody drew blood, however, so - in the words of my good friend Sean Combs - "It was all good".

Next we were introduced to two books about Tuscany and gardening, two topics close to my heart! The first was "French Dirt: The Story of a Garden in the South of France", by Richard Goodman. The Second was "A Garden in Lucca", by Paul Gervais. We heard brief excerpts from both, and invariably began discussing Frances Mayes' book, "Under the Tuscan Sun"! The film adaptation came up, and was largely villified by those who had first read the book, while deemed quite enjoyable by those who had not. This led to comparisons with A.S.Byatt's "Possession", subsequently ruined on screen.

At this point, I determined that we had digested our main course sufficiently (i.e.: I knew what was for dessert!). We were treated to homemade chocolate bread pudding (a divine mousse-like concoction that I yearn to revisit even as I write this!), with Creme Chantilly. We also were gifted with a fresh carrot cake, and a chocolate cake, not to speak of the oatmeal raisin chocolate chip cookies!!! This evening we snubbed our noses at the dieter's of the world!

Meanwhile, it's official: I'm 20lbs overweight.

This evening would have been a rousing, albeit fattening, success - had it ended here, but the best was saved for last:

We were introduced to Surrealism, not as an art form, but as a social movement. Our guide explained how many core surrealists were more interested in using their art, creativity, and intellect to explore issues of social consciousness, while others used the foundation of surrealist thinking as a springboard to artistic expression. The former camp often used "games" to aid in their explorations, and we played two such games simultaneously. Suffice to say that the excercise was at times highly amusing, and at times chilling in its prophetic throughline. It was at ALL times fascinating.

Sunday, March 07, 2004

Noite de Churrascaria

Went to "Picanha", a local restaurant, and indulged in an authentic Brazilian Churrasco, minus the South American music, plains, or horses tethered mere feet away. However, we had an unlimited, and delicious assortment of skewered meats (including Filet Mignon, Top Sirloin (Espeta), Sirloin Tip (Maminha), Pork Loin, Pork Ribs, Sausage, Lamb (Cordero), Spicy Sausage, and Chicken wrapped in Bacon), a vast array of salads, beans, rice, vegetables, garlic mashed potatoes, and more! The only complaints would be that there was too much salt on some of the dishes, and our waitress - a prototypical California blonde surfer chick - was completely useless. The food, however, was exquisite.

For more info on Picanha, go here.

Rain on me...Shame on me

So, we had a Salon at last...dayyyyys ago! However, my new job has prevented me from even checking my personal emails on a regular basis, let alone compose a witty journal of that evening's events. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima etc...

Quick summary: Roaring fire in the living room hearth, monsoon rains outside, our trusty explorers in the land of Literatia convened once more around a table laden with wines from all corners of the world; home-cooked corn pudding, lima bean casserole; pepper-and-onion-wrapped Salmon; Salads; and topped with ample servings of hot mixed berry cobbler and (cold) ice cream.

Once bellies were filled, we entered our big yellow time traveling school bus and returned to 1985, to the site of my bright-eyed and bushy-tailed composition, "Lift Off": a stand-alone scene, written (I think) as part of a full-length play that never materialized. I found the scene lying amidst my various unfinished masterpieces, and we all read characters from therein with wild abandon, and much laughter - which I am choosing to ascribe to my teenage wit, as opposed to poor playwriting skills...

The experience proved both enlightening and embarrassing for the author, but also served to unwittingly draw resolutions out of two of the attending fellows who vowed to dust off long forgotten oeuvres, and compose something in time for a not-too-distant future gathering. I will hold them to their pronounced commitment.

We then heard from our resident Southern writer who, ably upholding the legacy of her famed brethren, read her short story, "Backyard Jesus". After some lengthy discussion about the work, and all sorts of tangential issues, we realized that despite the limited number of readings, we had already filled up the evening and, one by one, our intrepid visitors dove into the nocturnal rains, still washing down. I hear they made it home safely, but perhaps a couple washed out to sea...

Tuesday, February 24, 2004

Sine Na Quon

Forgot to mention my first time in Vegas....went a couple of weeks ago, and "did" Vegas...at least I think that was her name. Oh, come on! We're talking about Sin City here! Of course I didn't indulge, but I had to make some sort of crass reference, didn't I? I went to Vegas with my lovely wife, and we had a fantastic time walking the length of the Strip, watching all the free and cheesy shows. Went into the Bellagio, Venetian, and Caesar's Palace. Each impressive, although I most enjoyed the Venetian's shopping promenade.

Highlight of the trip, however, was nowhere near the Strip. We were picked up in a big black Humvee monster, and driven to Parhump, NV...okay, Pahrump, but considering the major attractions there (Chicken Ranch and Sheri's), perhaps the former spelling is more apt.

We were there to play with tigers, and we drove onto the white sand flats, and were greated by 3 untamed kool kats, two of whom ran immediately to meet us:



Unforgettable.

Monday, February 23, 2004

Teenage Ninja Mutant Dictionaries

What could eight VERY different children, from all over the country, share enough of that it would prove sufficiently compelling to film a feature length award-winning documentary?

Spelling Bees.


Spellbound is - whether unwittingly or not - the bastard child of Christopher Guest and Mark Burnett.

It is nail-biting, thrilling, odd, sweet, inspiring, hilarious, and eye-opening.

See it.

Saturday, February 21, 2004

Composers' letters home from summer camp


From Arnold Schoenberg:

Dear ma & pa. How are you? I am fine. Love Arnold. Arnold love, fine Am I. you are how? pa & ma dear. dlonrA evoL .enif ma I ?uoy era woH .ap & am reaD..read am & ap ?woh era uoy .I ma enif ,evol dlonrA

Love, Arnie

------------------------


From Philip Glass:

Hello heh heh hello, o-hell o-hell oh ellow ellow heh heh heh hello

mama mama muh muh muh-mah, ah ah ah ahhhh! Aye aye aye aye aye yam yam
yam

yam Eye yam yam Fie aye aye aye fuh fuh fuh fie un yun yun yun Hah hah
aha hah

ow ow ow wow ow wow ow ow ah hah aha haha are are are are yuh huh huh
huh yuh you? oooh. oooooh.

Sincerely, Phil

--------------------



From Milton Babbitt:

Dear bi-polar source set, All members of the aggregate feelings matrix
are demonstrating maximum congruity with respect to the positive
experiential axis.

With affections invariant under transposition, Milton.

-------------------------------



Anton Webern (c. 1913)

Hello. Hel. H.

Olleh. Lo. Fi.

I am I

Fine.

===



Pierre Boulez (c. 1952):

X=cm2

1x2x3

A+C

Schoenberg is dead.

Q to N

===


John Cage:



John

Thursday, February 19, 2004

Saw "S.W.A.T."...wasn't wowed.
"Bringing Down the House"...cute, but didn't exactly raise my roof.
"Core", better than I expected, and certainly better than that molten piece of flaming doo-doo, "Armageddon".
"Head of State" deserved to be impeached, it was so unforgivably awful.
"Tadpole" reminded me a little of the old Woody Allen films, with a mix of "The Royal Tenenbaums", topped with a sprinkle of "Igby Goes Down".

I find myself gravitating toward documentaries these days, and am looking forward to watching "Spellbound" in the next few days.

Wednesday, February 18, 2004

Stayed up late and watched "Lost in La Mancha", the chronicle of Terry Gilliam's sojourn in Spanish Hell. Directed by Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe, whose "Hamster Factory" witness to Gilliam's "The Twelve Monkeys" proved that "Making of..." docs need not be fawning paeans to the genius of all involved, nor sycophantic celebrations of the warm and fuzzy working environment on every movie set ever assembled. These two chaps seem to be Gilliam's personal biographers - although they've now moved on (of course) to their own fictional gig, "Living and Breathing".

But back to Spain, where the rain does fall on the plain, a lot...Mr. Higgins, you-have-no-idea...

Terry Gilliam has been trying to make a feature film adaptation of Cervantes' "Don Quixote" since 1991, or thereabouts. He has struggled valiantly against a host of obstacles (read financiers), and as this documentary begins, we learn he has finally acquired enough funding, all of it European, to squeeze out a production that might just approximate the rich tapestry currently residing in his Pythonesque cerebrum. Gilliam plans to make this $70 million for $35.1 million, and nothing seems to be able to stop him...that is, until he actually gets started.

As with "Hamster Factory", this feature shows the truth about the unglamorous aspects of getting a film made. Unlike the "Twelve Monkeys" documentary, this project keeps rolling as Gilliam's quest becomes swiftly unseated, landing unceremoniously in a mess of hailstorms, hemorrhoids, and high-flying (make that "not-so-high-flying") Spanish fighter jets.

This film is a must-see for film students, as well as for those wishing to better understand why movie tickets cost so much!

As those of you who read my reviews in the past know, I don't rehash the whole story, but prefer to share a few hors-d'oeuvres, in the form of background, and sideline info, leaving the meat for dinnertime.

Bon Appetit!

Tuesday, February 10, 2004

Janet Jackson vs. Robert Mapplethorpe

(From Edward Goldman's "Art Talk")

Do you remember the time - seems a century ago - when the controversy over Robert Mapplethorpe's photographs, with their graphic, homo-erotic images, erupted into a cultural war? It was the Reagan era and heated debates in Congress threatened the very existence of the National Endowment for the Arts. The beautiful and provocative photographic image by Andres Serrano of a plastic crucifix submerged in urine ignited Christian conservatives into a crusade against contemporary art. It was then that the Director of the Cincinnati Museum was sued on obscenity charges for showing a traveling exhibition of photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe, including his famously infamous nude self-portrait with a bull-whip inserted up his you-know-what.

In my opinion, these two powerful images have survived the test of time surprisingly well, as befitting any strong work of Art. Suspended in amber liquid, Serrano's Christ still appears solemn and transcendent, with the crucifix awash in golden light. While Mapplethorpe's sado-masochistic self-portrait, with its heady mixture of anger and provocation, hasn't lost any of its power either.

With the recent Janet Jackson fiasco, the whole world became witness to how hypocritical - and totally uncool - we Americans can be. This ridiculous incident has exposed something troubling about our culture, something that we are very uncomfortable and unwilling to look at, and yet only too happy to find a scapegoat. What a relief to be able to turn away from this obscenely obsessive, pseudo-news coverage of Miss Jackson's bare breast, and instead go to see an authentically shocking, provocative - and yet beautiful - works of art by the late Robert Mapplethorpe.

His exhibition just opened at the recently relocated Marc Selwyn Gallery, and rest assured, many of his images still pack quite a lot of heat, so be careful whom you go with. Several dozen of his images, including a few I'd never seen before, were smartly selected by Catherine Opie, a well-known lesbian artist who herself in the past, did not shy from controversy. On one wall, in tongue-in cheek style, she assembled an array of B&W photos, including the portrait of a young, still-innocent-looking bodybuilder, long before he became our governor. Next to him, hangs a close-up of a black man's anatomy, which "doesn't dare to speak its name".

There is an astonishing, luminescent portrait of the aging painter Alice Neil, with eyes closed and waves of silver hair framing her face like a halo. There is also a wonderfully moody portrait of William Burroughs in a pose reminiscent of Rodin's, "Thinker". The weakest part of the selection is the color photographs of flowers, merely tasteful, the way one might describe the work of an interior decorator eager to please. But the rest of the show is first rate. The stand-out is the B&W photo of a tattered American flag, harshly lit from behind, as it billows in the air. This poetic and poignant image reverberates especially strong in light of continuing political and cultural wars that are consuming our country.

And just in case you were wondering, Mapplethorpe's famously infamous nude self-portrait is there too. But now, a quarter of a century later, it reads quite differently, as if the artist, with a sardonic smile on his face, is turning to us and saying, "up yours!" and then waits for our reaction.

Robert Mapplethorpe: Pictures, Pictures
January 31st through March 13th
Marc Selwyn Gallery
6222 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 101
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Phone: (323) 993-9911
www.marcselwynfineart.com

Thursday, February 05, 2004

Rolling, rolling , rolling...

Worth seeing is the latest panoramic shot of the surface of Mars. A friend of mine has already issued a caption: "Countries affected by Compassionate Conservatism".

Tuesday, February 03, 2004

"You like me! You really like me!"

So, for the first time since I began writing my blogs, I actually received an email from a total stranger asking me when they could expect another update! I tell ya: I got goosebumps!...

Now that I've recovered from that life-altering moment of fame and unparalleled fortune. here are my latest feature film reviews:

Saw several films in the past week. The first was "Bend It Like Beckham" - Gurinder Chadha's charmingly pop market take on the FullMonty/Rocky/Breaking Away ethos. Parminder Nagra is both engaging, boyishly sensual, and intelligent in her lead portrayal of teenage Footballywood wannabe Jess Bhamrra. Keira Knightley, unhealthily skinny as she is (although her facial features look almost exactly like my high-school girlfriend!), is quite satisfactory as her counterpart, Jules Paxton. The script cleverly (and at times - thanks to Juliet Stevenson's great turn as Mrs. Paxton - hilariously!) helps us experience how Jules' androgynous name is not the only outwardly confusing element in this relationship. All in all, small as this feature was, the experience was a well placed kick, and a guaranteed gooOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Underworld", starring Kate Beckinsale in myriad tight-fitting leather costumes, was unfortunately offside. Watching this battle between Vampires and Werewolves, I was unaware for which side I was supposed to be cheering, although at the end there is a nicely subtle demonstration of reversal impression, when we realize the wolves are not the baddies they were apparently set up to be...but by then I didn't give a rat's arse, lycanthropic or not. Yes, it was nice to see Kate up on screen (see "tight-fitting leather costumes" comment above), but many pieces of paper do not a gripping novel make - and thus did first-time director Len Wiseman fail: the film - while visually striking (I expected no less from the Art Director on "Stargate" and "Independence Day"), was drained dry of compelling characters or rich soryline.

Last, but certainly not least, "Bug".

Written by Matt Manfred, and directed by Manfredi and his "Crazy/Beautiful" partner, Phil Hay - this chain link fence of action and consequence is a hypnotic visual and mental stream of consciousness that would put James Joyce to test. Several great performances in one of the few truly ensemble features where the ensemble never actually meets, all adding up to a surrealist take on how life is never as simple, nor as insular as we might think...or wish.

Wednesday, January 28, 2004

JOEL SHAPIRO AT L.A. LOUVER
ED MOSES AT CHRISTOPHER GRIMES

More from Edward Goldman's "Art Talk", with some links thrown in by yours truly:


"I used to take out-of-town guests on a sightseeing tour of L.A., saving the best for last. The Creative Artists Agency, built by I.M. Pei for the once all-powerful Michael Ovitz, stands on the corner of Wilshire and Little Santa Monica. In my opinion, it's a more refined example of Pei's architecture than his better-known East Wing of the National Gallery in Washington.

Once upon a time, Mike Ovitz was a major contemporary art collector in Hollywood, and the lobby and offices of his building were turned into a powerful showcase to display his collection. The über agent and his collection are gone, but two major artworks remain in the lobby as a reminder of the days of glory. Roy Lichtenstein's huge mural still dominates the entrance, and to the right of it is an excellent bronze sculpture by and Joel Shapiro - a perfect example of his trademark style - an abstract, minimalistic distillation of the human body to its basic geometric forms. There is a palpable sense of struggle emanating from this sculpture, as if it's trying not to lose its precarious balance.

To see what this major American artist is up to these days, go to L.A. Louver Gallery, where his latest bronze and wood sculptures occupy both floors. Most of the sculptures remind me of graceful ballet dancers balancing on one leg with torso and arms eloquently moving through space, expressing subtle emotions within a limited range of movements. My favorites are the large and small bronze pieces cast from roughly cut wood beams, with the metal surface of the sculpture retaining the texture and grain of the wood. I'm less taken by the few sculptures that are actually made of wood, with beams of varying sizes seemingly colliding in an attempt to expand the artist's vocabulary. These wood sculptures do not allude to a single human body, instead they're just clever abstract juxtapositions of rectangular shapes; their emotional impact is much less than that of their dancing bronze counterparts.

The art of 77 year-old Ed Moses, veteran of the Los Angeles art scene, is the subject of the new exhibition at the Christopher Grimes Gallery. His latest paintings continue to surprise with an endless variety of now-familiar looping movement of the paint brush dancing on the canvas or wood panels. There is nothing minimalistic about these paintings. Instead they are dramatic and exuberant, conveying the sense of an artist being led primarily by his intuition, endlessly exploring and improvising. This is where Ed Moses' life-long interest in Tibetan Buddhism is especially evident, with his paintings becoming a visual manifestation of the Buddhist concept of abandoning control.

The last but not the least of the qualities that surprises and intrigues me about these works is their clear intention to please, first and foremost, one person, himself. If an audience likes it, all the better. And don't be fooled by the glitter sprinkled in his new paintings, it's not there to dazzle you. It's there as a private record of a conversation between the artist and the stars in the sky.

Ed Moses: Cross-Cut
January 17 - February 21, 2004
Christopher Grimes Gallery
916 Colorado Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone (310) 587-3373
cg@cgrimes.com


Joel Shapiro: Recent Sculpture
January 16 - February 21, 2004
L.A. Louver Gallery
45 North Venice Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291
Phone (310) 822-4955
info@lalouver.com

Monday, January 26, 2004

I met Angela Lansbury this evening, and she really is as gracious and elegant as one imagines her to be. I was a guest at the screening of the upcoming Hallmark Hall of Fame film, "The Blackwater Lightship", based on the Booker Prize shortlisted novel by Colm Toibin. The film will premiere on February 4th, on CBS, and stars Ms. Lansbury, Gina McKee, and an incredible Dianne Wiest, among others.

For more on the story, go here.

For more on the film, go here.

For more on the area where the story takes place, go here.

For results on the New Hampshire primaries, go here.

Tuesday, January 20, 2004

Flights of Fantasy

For decades now, Peter Pan has been relegated firmly to the children's section of libraries, video stores, and other venues - with the lone exception of a strange relationship with Peanut Butter that I'd prefer not to explore too deeply...

Sometimes, with varying degrees of success, creative ventures were undertaken to expand the characters' appeal upward, as with the not so great, yet not altogether awful, "Hook". However, it is only recently that the simplest solution was found, and the story successfully retold in a manner appealing to young and old alike.

Producers Douglas Wick, Patrick McCormick, and Lucy Fisher assembled a smart crew, led by writer/director P.J. Hogan. The filmmakers returned to the source material, J.M. Barrie's 100-year old story, for not only inspiration, but also the very foundation of their script and story. It has been said before that a great book makes a lousy movie, but it really depends on how well the adapters comprehend the core nature of the original story. It's about telling a story faithfully, not putting a book onscreen, nor adapting the tale for "universal appeal" - which is an oxymoron. The makers of "Peter Pan" did a great job, and created a feature film that was poorly promoted, but will live on in DVD and Video and TV specials for many many years to come...

Another successful example of faithfully adapting a book or play for the screen is the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, capped splendidly by the latest, "Return of the King" episode which, in my mind, was the best of the lot. How rare that one can claim the last is better than the first. The first "Matrix" was stupendous, the last formulaic and bland, despite its visual fireworks. The first "Terminator" was thrilling, the last simply good popcorn fun. Peter Jackson and his fellow hobbits brought a deep sense of integrity and passion to this project, and it shows. This series of films eclipses even the first 3 Star Wars movies, and will not likely be matched in my lifetime.

ART TALK by Edward Goldman

Below is another dose of Edward Goldman's occasional report on the arts in Socal.

ELUSIVE PHOTOS BY HIROSHI SUGIMOTO
EXPLOSIVE PAINTINGS BY HOWARD HODGKIN


Let's start with a short trip I made over the weekend to Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, one of the magical places in Southern California. If you haven't been there, high in the hills above the Rose Bowl, you owe it to yourself to discover the college's main building - an iconic example of late-Modernism by architect Craig Ellwood - set amidst the mellow, rolling landscape.

The selection of architectural black & white photographs by Hiroshi Sugimoto - an Art Center graduate - is presented here in a highly unusual installation designed by the artist especially for this occasion. If you enter the gallery through the main door, you will see a row of narrow partitions, temporarily erected, with nothing displayed on them. I thought it was a little bit pretentious, somewhat melodramatic. It's only when you go to the back of the gallery and turn around, that you find large images of famous 20th-Century buildings, "shot purposefully out-of-focus and from odd angles".

I prefer Sugimoto's more traditional, small-scale photographs, which are included in this exhibit as well. Here is where the famous aesthetic minimalism of his images, with their palpable sense of quietness, creates a surprising, dramatic effect.

The other exhibition I want to talk about couldn't be more different. At the Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills there is an explosive show of paintings by British artist Howard Hodgkin, his first in L.A. since 1985. I was familiar with his small and medium-sized canvases, with their trademark exaggerated brush strokes. But this was the first time I saw his large paintings, flooded with color, exploding from the canvas onto the frame and outward into the gallery space. There is a sense of liberation in these new monumental paintings, as if Hodgkin has found, at last, the right scale for his art. (His smaller paintings, by comparison, look jewel-like, and for me, a little too precious.)

After almost five decades of art making, 71 year-old Hodgkin is absolutely at the top of his game. Bristling with young energy and seducing the viewer with the most sensual palette this side of heaven, his large paintings drench the austere gallery space with a celebration of color and movement.

In spite of their abstract nature, the new works by Howard Hodgkin evoke, for those who know their Art History, the tradition of European Romantic landscape painting. And for those who don't, seeing his paintings conveys the sensation of being confronted by a glorious rainbow.

I have respect for any artist who, fifty years into a career, is still motivated to wake up in the morning and go to the studio to mess around with paint. It gives me special pleasure to watch Howard Hodgkin's talent continue to push him forward, preventing his art from becoming stale - the common fate of so many of his contemporaries.

"Hiroshi Sugimoto: Architecture"
November 23, 2003 - February 8, 2004
Art Center College of Design/Williamson Gallery
1700 Lida Street
Pasadena, CA 91103-1999
(626) 396-2446
www.artcenter.edu

"Howard Hodgkin: Paintings"
January 10 - February 14, 2004
Gagosian Gallery
456 N. Camden Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 271-9400
info@gagosian.com
www.gagosian.com


Edward Goldman is the host of Art Talk, a program on
art and culture for NPR affiliate KCRW 89.9 FM.

Wednesday, January 14, 2004

Letters from the Road

Nowadays it is rare to find intelligent western individuals committed to a life of social justice and selflessness. It has been a pleasure, therefore, to read the travelogues of Elias Amidon, his wife, Rabia Elizabeth Roberts, and their international collection of "pilgrims", including Jesuit priests, Buddhist monks, Jungian therapists, and many more.

I occasionally receive a journal update of their expedition, and encourage you to subscribe to it yourself, for an insight into how some people choose to live their lives more fully. It's not for everyone, but there are definite lessons to be learned...

I've taken the liberty of reprinting Elias' latest letter from the Road below. Some of the letters are spiritual studies, others social, all intriguing and enlightening. The archive of the letters, along with an introduction to the project, can be found online here.

LETTER FROM THE ROAD, 26
ELIAS AMIDON
MAE LAN KHAM COMMUNITY FOREST, SAMOENG, THAILAND
JANUARY 6, 2004

IN THE FOURTH WORLD

Pati Daiya, the village headman, held the chicken gently next to the Water Spirit's bamboo shrine, her wings folded against her body. He prayed, and while he prayed he reached behind his back to the sheath containing his square-ended machete. Without hesitation he thwacked the chicken hard on her head, and then sliced open the vein of her neck. Blood sprayed forth, which he guided to mark various parts of the flimsy shrine, including the curved struts of bamboo symbolizing the rainbow.

The procedure was repeated with a second chicken, and then with a small pig. Sunlight dappled the grove of trees and the assembled villagers sitting around the shrine in their bright reds and blues. There was no sense of portentous ritual or religion, simply a respectful air of expectancy and naturalness. Performed each year at the confluence of two streams near the top of this remote watershed in northern Thailand, the ceremony honors the spirit of the waters, asks for forgiveness for polluting the river during the year, and offers blessings for all beings downstream from this place, which is virtually the entire world. It is a ceremony of purification and renewal of the waters.

You might think that blood sacrifice and praying to the spirits would conflict with my modern sensibilities, especially after spending six weeks in the monotheistic Middle East. How could these practices be anything other than relics of primitive superstition? This is blood sacrifice, after all!

We modern people know better. Each day in the modern world we slaughter millions of chickens and pigs without the least thought to honor their sacrifice to become our food. Each day we use whole rivers of water to cleanse our world without for a moment bowing our heads in gratitude. We know better than these primitive people. Their life ways are rapidly diminishing, and for all we care it will be good riddance when they are gone. Blood sacrifice!

And yet, there in that sunny forest something happened that was significant. The mortality of the machete's swift stroke, life of animal, life of human, joined, the sunlight, the passing of time, the pleasantness of the hour and our conversation, all of it seemed to me as if it was being harvested, lifted up from the moment and winnowed invisibly downstream to the waiting world. We were harvested.

Calling in the Spirits
In these small villages my name is Pati Hanapa. The name means "Uncle Hanah’s-father," after my first-born child, Hanah. Naming by relation is a sign of the Paganyaw's sense of interdependent identity - knowing something by its relations.

The Paganyaw tribe (also called by their English name, the Karen) live in a swath of territory extending from Burma to Thailand and Laos. They are the most culturally and spiritually integral indigenous group remaining in the region, though like indigenous cultures everywhere, their days appear to be numbered.

We've been coming to these villages for the past nine years, leading "Interfaith Solidarity Walks" and conducting trainings with the Paganyaw in bioregional mapping of their community forests, in an effort to help secure their land rights.

Last week, wanting to thank the members of the Solidarity Walk for our visit and the work we were doing together, the villagers said they would like to offer us the most precious thing they have - their prayers. But in order for us to receive the prayers, a special ritual first needed to be performed. This involved the preparation of a tray of sacred elements: rice, water, fruit, a sacrificed chicken, an egg, and a cowrie shell. As the group's leader I was to be made ready to receive the prayers - once I was ready, the whole group could receive them.

On our final evening together, I sat next to the village shaman as he prepared the ceremony. About 75 people, villagers and pilgrims, sat in the large half-open room, smiling and talking quietly. Dozens of candles were placed around the room, making everyone's eyes beautiful in the light.

The shaman put some rice and chicken in my hand, and placed a cotton thread leading from my hand to the tray of sacred elements. He began to pray aloud, tapping a piece of wood against the tray. He was calling in my spirits. The Paganyaw believe that we each have 37 spirits associated with us, but only five stay in our bodies. The other 32 may wander around the countryside. In order for us to receive the blessing of prayer, these 32 spirits must be called back to us. (It is similar, a psychologist with us remarked, to the psychotherapeutic process of bringing shadow material to consciousness.)

How would the shaman know when my spirits were all present? For that insight he relied upon a small cowrie shell which he was patiently trying to balance on the pointy end of an egg standing upright in a bowl of uncooked rice. Of course, the cowrie shell was also pointed and each time the shaman attempted to balance it the shell tumbled off the egg. We were told that when it balanced there, all my spirits would be present.

Three years ago I had experienced a similar ceremony, and at that time I had made the mistake of trying to pray the little shell to balance there. The harder I prayed the less the shell wanted to do it. Only when I gave up trying to will the thing to stand still did it find its balance. So this time I didn't try to interfere - I simply sat there, happy and open.

Within a few minutes the little shell was incongruously standing on its tip on the curved surface of the egg. Suddenly it seemed as if everything else was moving except that shell, which stood perfectly still. It was the unwobbling pivot of the world. I felt a rushing sound in the room, and at once the shaman was praying over me and tying the sacred threads on my wrists. When he finished, other village headmen took their turns, and then their wives, and other villagers. The threads were trailed through the elements of the sacred tray and then blessings spoken as they were tied on.

Soon the prayers spread beyond me to the other pilgrims, each person having multiple threads tied on their wrists. Then the whole place went up! All of us were tying threads on each other - Paganyaw, English, French, Dutch, American, Thai, Ladaki, Korean, children, grandmothers - the room became a honey hive of the sounds of people blessing each other. "May your life be long!" "May your children and grandchildren be healthy!" "May the spirits protect you!" "Bless your people, bless your forest, bless each moment of your life!"

The languages interwove and sounded like water flowing, like the sacred music of an ancient people. Eyes sparkled with tears. It was a moment - many moments long - that none of us who were present will ever forget.

How can it be that this apparently weak, primitive culture could reveal so effortlessly a radiant, communal love like this - a love so often eclipsed by our own advanced culture? What do they know that we don’t?

The balancing cowrie shell tells the story of our spirits: are they present or absent? How delicate a matter this is! The unity of our spirit allows blessings to be given and received.

Tuesday, January 13, 2004

Whaddayathink?

So I've made the best of a limited thing. Hope the rough design is acceptable. If you have trouble with any aspect (font, size, layout, etc) let me know the details of your problem, so I can see what can be done about it...

Meanwhile, review of LOTR and Peter Pan upcoming...

2.0

At some point I'll redesign the page to be a little less homogenous, but for now please bear with me, as I transition to this new site.

Literary Lonewolf was my blog for 2003. You can still find it (unless the powers that choose to be have erased it from their server), at http://www.lonewolff.blogspot.com

For 2004, I give you...The Mad Hatter's Monologues - the ongoing saga of my mental meanderings, with a few enhancements when the mood grabs me!

Last year was about beginnings. I built my Sim City. Now I must ensure that the population grows, the culture improves, and the sewage system doesn't back up...

If you have any comments, questions or cookie recipes, you can always contact me at playreadings@hotmail.com

Thanks for the fish, I think I'll stick around...