Author's posts
Nov 22 2007
Blank Canvas
thrill or threaten
blank canvas
invisible threads appear
reveal what it wants to be
ever changing
hand sweeps surface
too sensitive
cut
lay flat
revolve
a mark
then others in random places
in case the first one was wrong
the hand moves ahead of the brain
time to slide behind the clock
they watch my back
and cock their heads
he doesn’t have to study
just make marks all day
hands caked in charcoal and white paint
the brush gets tossed
grabbing arms and legs to shape smooth
with tar and almond caulk
pure black ink
defines instantly
then the red
wash
like Sandra
at Doc’s Pond
who said
I howled in my sleep
after we made love
it hangs in San Francisco
in a friend’s loft
i traded it for a print
of a man in the fetal position
holding a nuclear symbol
Nov 21 2007
Krongard Brothers Update – Meta
After our Monday Morning News Drop story appeared here and on Kos, Keith Olbermann and John Dean ran with it as documented on Raw Story.
“It is a component of a larger investigation,” Dean asserted, “and I cannot escape the metaphor that has been running through my head, that we might see Waxman running into a cookie that is starting to crumble because it’s run into a buzzsaw brother. … Waxman isn’t one who will turn away from digging this entire matter out.”
Since then it was discovered that Mother Jones has been doing their own research on the issue where we learn some of the corruption charges:
Krongard stands accused of inadequate oversight of construction contractors at the new, $600-million U.S. Embassy in Baghdad; refusing to pursue procurement fraud charges in a case related to a DynCorp contract; intervening in an ongoing investigation of former Broadcasting Board of Governors Chairman Kenneth Tomlinson; questionable auditing of State Department financial statements; and an “abusive management style” that has contributed to an almost wholesale revolt against him by his own staff.
Nov 20 2007
Rollo May – The Courage To Create
In college I was asked to read The Courage To Create by Rollo May, I was a bit skeptical at first that something could be gleaned from looking at the lives of past artists and creative geniuses. I assumed that inspiration was as fleeting as a dust devil so how could one possibly present inroads into the creative process?
Mark-making was the mindset I was in at the time, focusing on every individual stroke of the charcoal or brush. It was myopic but necessary in order to progress. A popular term for this is “Art Marks”, you’ll often see them around focal points to represent distant objects or atmosphere.
The book does not promise that you will become a genius if you follow the steps but it does show you that a lot of the more creative types have similar patterns amongst them. Starting with long sessions of work, round the clock, with short catnaps, followed by a period of relaxation, like a day off and a hot bath. Sounds funny huh? Well follow me beyond the fold to find out why this makes sense.
Nov 19 2007
“It’s self interest” said Buzzy Krongard
On Friday at 4:43 pm this report, regarding conflicting accounts from a State Department official and his own brother, hit the news wires. The most interesting part of this article is that Krongard, the official in jeopardy, “had begun the hearing by denying the “ugly rumors” that his brother was associated with the company, which is under scrutiny for a September 16 shooting incident in Baghdad in which 17 Iraqis were killed.” According to the article he then took a break and came back into the same exact room and recused himself from the probes into Blackwater.
This is a clear example of a Public Official so used to doing things the Bush/GOP way that he didn’t even bother to check his facts before taking part in a hearing of this magnitude. I’ll say that again, this is a clear example of a Public Official so used to doing things the Bush/GOP way that he didn’t even bother to check his facts before taking part in a hearing of this magnitude.
Did it sink in?
Nov 19 2007
The Derek Trucks Band Live at the Egg
It was a cold windy night in Albany, a parking spot was available right outside the Empire State Plaza, a rarity indeed, a quick dash across the smooth marble promenade reveals the Egg uplit, mirroring the shape of the moon above. Once inside the crowd was happy and energetic, bouncing around, finding friends, or buying a CD or two. Unbeknownst to me a warm up act was playing called “American Babies”, I guess they are a mix of emo and blues but I didn’t get a chance to hear much.
The lights came on and the stage was prepared for the main act. A lot of couples, some college kids, many musicians and some neighborhood locals made up the crowd. This is the most packed I have seen the main theater at the egg. Energy started to build…the lights dim…out they walk. Cruising right into a number that most other guitarists would save until they were warmed up Derek did not disappoint. He played rhythm, lead and slide all without a pick. He used the volume button as his only effect, try that at home kids.
Nov 18 2007
State Department official and brother queried on Blackwater
Just a reminder,
I am working on the following story for an early morning release tomorrow. The concept is to compile as much known information about the situation into one semi coherent essay. If anyone has research or posts relating to this in any way please post it in the comments.
State Department official and brother queried on Blackwater
Rep. Henry Waxman decided to call State Department Inspector General Howard Krongard and his brother A.B. “Buzzy” to the same hearing after they separately gave the committee conflicting accounts about Buzzy Krongard’s ties with Blackwater, which protects U.S. diplomats and other State Department officials in Iraq.
Thanks for helping.
Nov 16 2007
Netroots Go Boom
What a day,
This was all foreshadowed recently on Bill Maher’s show when Kos was speaking of the netroots in the past tense, apparently without even realizing it. He said that news media wasn’t allowing critical voices to be heard a few years ago which is why DailyKos became so popular but failed to point out the critical work being currently done and did not even mention the future of the netroots.
On a previous media appearance Kos said that anyone who posted photoshopped pictures on his website was an idiot. I figure that ruled out about 35% of the top posters who were now completely ignored as idiots by the guy they were helping to make rich. Arrogant? Hell yes. Self serving? Ahuh.
So perhaps we need better leaders. Perhaps here we need A leader. Because right now we aren’t accomplishing a hell of a lot.
Did the netroots go boom?
Is it worth salvaging? Or have our leaders already left us for the country club?
Nov 13 2007
Here but not (quickie)
Thanks Buhdy for your kind words, I really appreciated them. I just wanted to update everyone on where I left off with promotions and what I was up to over the past 2 days. First of all I added the recommended blog news feed to 15 more news services so your words will be getting out in a global fashion from now on. It looks like the traffic has picked up as a result.
The wiki is at a good stopping point until the group decides what avenue to go with it all.
I started News Drop which will be a simple hit and run blog with Friday afternoon stories delivered on Monday morning with extra research and background information included. That should keep me busy on weekends and out of everyone’s hair. Other bloggers will be invited to go there for quick references to dumped stories by the major media.
I’ll be doing more promotion work on the news feeds and hand submitting listings to various search engines and directories as time allows. I can’t write on the same political level as most of you but I can promote your work.
Peace and Derek Trucks
Nov 11 2007
What are we here for?
First let me apologize for my attitude last night. I should have walked away when I grew to tired to respond with more civility. The main reason why I became frustrated however still remains. Are we to be an echo chamber of other blogs simply posting and cross-posting the same things? This leads to fewer voices and perspectives being shared and makes us less interesting and less important.
Are we going to waste half a month figuring out what to call our first project? How many soldiers died during that time? If we can’t organize ourselves what is the hope of organizing a movement? I’m still trying to be excellent to everyone, I really am. But how do we justify spending so much time on creating a name when people are dying every day?
Nov 10 2007
Time to Vote! Round 2 (Poll)
Thanks to everyone that participated in Round 1 of naming our project. The votes are in and the top 2 names are The Progressive Charter with 9 votes or 27.27% of the total vote
and Progressive Voices Project with 8 votes or 24.24% of the total vote. These two beat the competition by a margin of 2 to 1.
In this round we will be voting on these final two plus some late submissions. This will be the final round of voting. The names that do not win can and most likely will be used for subsections or related projects so thanks for suggesting them.
Nov 06 2007
Time to vote! (poll)
In Buhdy’s essay The Manifesto Project Sucks…as a name a few new names were mentioned. I’ve taken those names and included them here in a quick poll. Please vote on your favorite one and or post an alternative in the comments and I’ll do a follow-up poll with the new suggestions.
Our current suggestions are below, please take a moment to think about the suggestions before voting or offering your own suggestions. To get in the mood you may want to open a bottle of purple ink.
Suggestions
The Tomorrow Project
Principles for Tomorrow
Amber Wave Platform
Progressive Voices Project
Project for the True Majority
Progressive Principles
Guide To Sane Politics
Declaration of Responsible Progress
The Bodhisattva Project
Leviathan
Dharma for Progressives: What Paths We Will Follow as if Reality Were Actually Able to Intrude Upon Us!
The Progressive Charter
Nov 04 2007
Update on the Dharmapedia
This is just to clue you in on some features and issues with our Wiki. To begin with some html tags are allowed. Font sizes and colors, horizontal rules, headers etc. That means we will be able to do some interesting layouts.
Image tags are a problem right now and the current image system is too difficult to work for us as a group. If anyone is familiar with our particular form of wiki and can figure out a way to solve this issue it would be a welcomed effort.
We can create templates for various parts of the wiki but are just figuring that out.
Please register an account so you can help us Beta test. Anytime you have a question or issue just post it on the wiki or here in the blogs and you’ll be helping us to build a better system.
We have a Help section and on that help section you’ll find a link to a test page where you can try out your wiki skills. Once you have a feel for it, join the rest of us on the real deal.
Current needs: graphics team; editors; reviewers
If you are interested in one of those volunteer positions please let us know but everyone is expected to contribute to the wiki as well as the blog, even in these early stages.
Thanks!