This song is called Alice’s Restaurant, and it’s about Alice, and the restaurant, but Alice’s Restaurant is not the name of the restaurant, that’s just the name of the song, and that’s why I called the song Alice’s Restaurant.
November 27, 2008 archive
Nov 27 2008
By the Rich, For the Rich ~ Land Grab
This posting may range a bit in the commentary but, as with the web of life, it is all connected!
First, psychopathic (**see sidebar next page) corporations buy up all the water, next the genome, now the arable land. No surprise!? This is perhaps the sickest subversion of food security I’ve heard of to date (e.g., Terminator Technology, et al.). I reference here an article from the UK’s Guardian, re-printed below.
It is so easy, healthful and connective to support LOCAL food security as opposed to this international (though legal) “theft”. How? By celebrating food! Buy Local (it’s not just a slogan, anymore! – unless you’re an Inuit) and check out the slow food movement.
www.slowfood.com (int’l) and www.slowfoodusa.org are two sites of interest, for starters.
This is a place where we can start. Multi-pronged approaches are surely needed, and there is a broad community of activists working on the larger issues of food and agriculture, but we can effect what goes on in our own homes and lives.
“Problems cannot be solved at the same level of consciousness that created them.”
Albert Einstein
Continue on to read the text of the article I’m referencing (and the “psychopathic” sidebar!). At the end I provide the link to the story as posted November 24th (when you go to the site you will find it about 1/2 way down that days breaking news” – just past the story on 10,000 new tasers for “the old Bill” (cops, colloquially) in the UK and renewed attempts to close down the terror training school at Fort Benning, GA).
Nov 27 2008
Musings on the state of liberalism
I haven’t yet begun the cooking and family gatherings that are part of this holiday season. So I’ve had a little time to muse on the current state of liberalism as we wallow in this “no fly” zone between the election and inauguration.
A couple of comments today here at Docudharma got me thinking. The first was an exchange between Edger and Buhdy
Edger: It may not be quick or easy.
And is that any reason to not have some fun while we’re at it?
So the guy isn’t perfect. Not even close. He’s part of their team. Not ours. We knew that a long time ago.
But at least he’s not an asshole (like george was and is), as far as I can see.
I know all that sounds a little bit like the old GOS mantra of not letting the perfect be the enemy of the good, but it’s not… not quite.
Self leadership, really when it comes down to where the rubber hits the road, is really all we can do. Tearing our hair out because someone way up at the top of the pyramid doesn’t climb down into the gutter and rail away at all the injustices of life with us would only result in us having less hair, I guess.
Buhdy: It is MUCH harder to not have the clear stark black and white of Bush!
It really is up to us.
Edger: Well, you know, it’s a bit weird I think because we spent most of a good eight years try to stop the president from doing things that were making everything fall apart.
Now it’s a gear changing thing I guess, to trying to make the president DO stuff to keep things from falling apart?
Buhdy: zactly! We have to learn new skillz!
Nov 27 2008
The US Chamber of Commerce and “21st Century Energy” — a glance with thoughts
For much of this year, the US Chamber of Commerce has been engaged in a public campaign related to energy issues. Early in the year, the Chamber aligned themselves with the National Association of Manufacturing in battling against any meaningful action on global warming, including running ads against action strongly reminiscent of the infamous Harry and Louise anti-health care advertising. In mid-2008, the Chamber’s Institute for 21st Century Energy, under the direction of General James Jones, USMC (retired) began to take a more prominent role in energy discussions.
To put it simply, the USCOC’s 21st Century Energy’s work lays out a path and recommendations that are recklessly dangerous in the face of the energy, financial, and global warming perfect storm.
Nov 27 2008
Bette Midler Pony Party
The Divine Ms. M
A real cool yule
Pony Party is an open thread. Please do not REC the party unless you are (as I am) a huge fan of Bette Midler.
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