April 2008 archive

My “April Fool” — the black hole of mental illness health care

All kidding aside, it’s true. My former husband had his first psychotic episode on April 1, 1984. Ever the punster/joker, he later referred to himself in a conversation with me as an “April fool.” Would that it were so–for one can live with a fool.

Diagnosed at that time with bipolar illness, for ten years he kept his demons at bay, continuing with his 25-year career as a full professor at a respected university in Boston. His brilliance dimmed but he continued writing and publishing books and articles.

Why was he able to maintain a certain normality in his life for those ten years? Are all those who suffer such illness afforded that opportunity? No, and there are 5.7m Americans with this illness. That’s why I’m writing today, democrats. The story might move you, I don’t know. It’s long, but skim it or skip it, and get to the bottom line, okay?

Crossposted on Orange.

Docudharma Presidential Endorsement: George W. Bush

Yes. You read that right.

After completing a deep personal consideration that included exiting this time space continuum and meditating in tantric union with Montana Wildhack in a dome on Tralfamadore for 23 years…I have come to the conclusion that the inhabitants of this planet deserve to suffer…..more.

And I can’t think of a better way to increase their suffering than having George W. Bush refuse to step down.

Why do they need to suffer more? As I posited in NL’s recent essay it sometimes seems that that the only way people change is through crisis….and we need change desperately!

So here we human beings are on April First 2008……..facing some hard choices, while things get steadily worserer on this third rock from a minor sun in a rather nondescript little galaxy. One choice that looms larger each day will either present (in the grand scheme of things) a relatively small change for the worst, McCain…or a relatively small change for the better…a Dem.

I say why fuck around? I say we go for BIG change!

                              Photobucket

Mugabe Negotiating Resignation

Voters in Zimbabwe, sick of struggling to get food and water under his reckless regime, have rejected Robert Mugabwe.

PRESIDENTIAL RESULTS (very incomplete)

Morgan Tsvangirai 1000, 000   51%

Robert Mugabe        844, 000   42%

Simba Makoni         148, 000   7%

He is reported to be negotiating a transition of power with the leading opposition candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai. Inside sources say he has decided against participation in a run off election.

The negotiations about a possible transfer of power away from Mr. Mugabe began after he apparently concluded that a runoff election would be demeaning, a diplomat said.

(also in orange)

On Tibet, Dick Lugar, Baichung Bhutia and the Power of One

“I sympathise with the Tibetan cause. This is my way of standing by the people of Tibet and their struggle. I abhor violence in any form,” Bhutia told the Times of India newspaper.

link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sou…

Baichung Bhutia, an Indian footballer, is making headlines across Asia and the world by making this statement and refusing to carry the Olympic torch across India later this month.

This is the power of one.

Where governments fall short in decrying injustice, it remains for all of us, regardless of religion, or ethnicity, or politics, to stand up and let our voices be heard.

GBCW

That’s right, I’m outta here. Haven’t seen me around much? Yeah, well, I’ve been busy. But geez, people, this place has gone straight to the cats. And as a dog person, I can’t take it any more.

Nocatz – you with me?

Pony Party, vigilance

Don’t be an April Fool 😉

Stay on your toes today, it might get funny out there…

Anti-landmine Campaigners Target War Robots w/poll

Original article by Jason Mick via Dailytech.com:

Warbots. Not just human controlled, but autonomous Warbots. Think about that for a minute

Docudharma Times Tuesday April 1



And instead of saying all of your goodbyes – let them know

You realize that life goes fast

It’s hard to make the good things last

You realize the sun don’-go down

It’s just an illusion caused by the world spinning round

Tuesday’s Headlines: Insurers Faulted as Overloading Social Security: GAO Blasts Weapons Budget: Secret Mugabe meeting ponders military move or fixed result – but not an admission of defeat: Chad president pardons French charity workers: Turkey’s ruling party to stand trial for being ‘too religious’: Pro-Russia enemies of Nato give Bush a mixed reception in Ukraine: Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia refuses to carry Olympic torch: Opponents of Musharraf Assume Posts in Pakistan: Ballet amid the bullets in Iraq: The day the US declared war on Iran: FARC: Raid harms Betancourt release bid

USA 2008: The Great Depression

Food stamps are the symbol of poverty in the US. In the era of the credit crunch, a record 28 million Americans are now relying on them to survive – a sure sign the world’s richest country faces economic crisis

By David Usborne in New York

Tuesday, 1 April 2008

We knew things were bad on Wall Street, but on Main Street it may be worse. Startling official statistics show that as a new economic recession stalks the United States, a record number of Americans will shortly be depending on food stamps just to feed themselves and their families.

Dismal projections by the Congressional Budget Office in Washington suggest that in the fiscal year starting in October, 28 million people in the US will be using government food stamps to buy essential groceries, the highest level since the food assistance programme was introduced in the 1960s.

Muse in the Morning

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Muse in the Morning

The muses are ancient.  The inspirations for our stories were said to be born from them.  Muses of song and dance, or poetry and prose, of comedy and tragedy, of the inward and the outward.  In one version they are Calliope, Euterpe and Terpsichore, Erato and Clio, Thalia and Melpomene, Polyhymnia and Urania.

It has also been traditional to name a tenth muse.  Plato declared Sappho to be the tenth muse, the muse of women poets.  Others have been suggested throughout the centuries.  I don’t have a name for one, but I do think there should be a muse for the graphical arts.  And maybe there should be many more.

Please join us inside to celebrate our various muses…

Ceasefire In Iraq

Bush and McCain have been telling the American people for weeks and even months just how well things are going in Iraq.  But then all hell blows up in their faces.  But the good news is that it is being handled by the Iraqis.  well not exactly, it is US air support and US Special Forces that are holding the whole thing together in Basra.  Shortly after McCain leaves Iraq it blows up into a massive situation killing 100s.  

But now the good news is that there will be a ceaefire called by al-Sadr.  Iraqi PM Maliki has praised the guy for his influence in stopping the violence.  Are we that stupid?  Who do you think called for the violence?  His a/hole is just flexing his muscle to show that he can do anything he wants and the the US and Maliki must deal with him and him alone.  He is a power broker and anything pertaining to Iraq will have to go through him.

There is little progress that would indicate that there is any way that we can be out of Iraq in 16 months.  Something a couple of candidates are saying.  The Iraqis have no Air Force and the US will be there to provide that for them for as long as I am alive.  I hate to admit it, but it looks like McCain is the only one of the candidates telling the truth–and his 100 year scenario looks like a done deal.  God, I really hate to admit to that!

Voters need to know this kind of stuff.  Will their candidate really produce what they promise as far as Iraq goes?

“We Are Your New Winter Soldiers” – IVAW Winter Soldiers 2008

Back on March 19th I placed a post, on my site, as well as a few others. I also sent that out to a small e-list I maintain to a few site boards, mostly Veteran, and individuals. I will give you the link and part of that post shortly, but first I would like you to view these closing remarks, from the Winter Soldiers 2008 Testimonies, by Camilo Mejia of Iraq Veterans Against The War.

From The Real News Network

Camilo Mejia, chair of Iraq Vets Against War on GI resistance, the Real News Network Video report.

The Stars Hollow Gazette

You realize of course, this means war.

What a bunch of whiny Ass Titty Babies our Beltway Bozos are.  Their egos too fragile to stand up to the rough and tumble of the internets.

You morans.  You bet we are laughing at your vapid Village Idiot insights, your breathless discovery of the obvious.  It has been a staple of deconstructed entertainment for years how hackneyed and formulaic our sitcoms and dramas are and your reductionist telepromptered “newscasts” are no different.

We’re not only on to you, we’re smarter than you are.

You’re a bunch of blow dried brainless buttkissers who’s only special talent is for being relentlessly wrong!

Oh, and mutual mental masturbation you feces flinging lice grooming primates.

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