Haiku 042909

small puddles
i skip over sunlight
and bits of sky


***************

Recently, we read the following:

Associated Press: “Israeli official: Swine flu name offensive to Jews, Muslims”

"The outbreak of swine flu should be renamed "Mexican" influenza in deference to Muslim and Jewish sensitivities over pork, said an Israeli health official Monday.

"Deputy Health Minister Yakov Litzman said the refe'ence to pigs is offensive to both religions and 'we should call this Mexican flu and not swine flu," he told a news conference at a hospital in central Israel. Both Judaism and Islam consider pigs unclean and forbid the eating of pork products.

"Scientists are unsure where the new swine flu virus originally emerged, though it was identified first in the United States. They say there is nothing about the virus that makes it 'Mexican' and worry such a label would be stigmatizing.

"Two Israelis who recently visited Mexico have been hospitalized with symptoms of the flu. Health authorities have not yet confirmed whether they actually have the virus…."

***************

And we thought:

…. Two things: (1) Why would a mere reference to “swine” be considered offensive by Mr. Litzman? Apparently, it’s simply a term intended to describe a new strain of flu, presumably picked up from swine. Except for Mr. Litzman himself, no one else has been reported making any sort of connection between “swine flu”, on the one hand, and Judaism and Islam, on the other.

And (2) why would Mr. Litzman oppose the use of “swine flu” but, in the same breath, propose that it be called the “Mexican flu”? You wonder whether he thinks it’s not okay to offend Jews and Muslims, but it is okay to offend Mexicans. Hope that was not what he really meant. Otherwise, his perspective on this matter really seems narrow-minded and silly. It looks like he doesn’t care about anything else beyond his bit of the sky.

On the other hand, maybe Mr. Litzman was just kidding.

Anyway, it shouldn't hurt to pause and at least be open-minded about the religious and cultural concerns of others. We need to realize that, really, the sky is bigger than what we see from our part of the world....

a contemporary haiku and current events blog. occasional notes on [and pokes at] nature and society. and some of their maddening stuff…like the economy finance capital mergers energy health care insurers jobs retirement politics government congress courts conflicts united nations human rights peace culture& society education alienation religion erving goffman artifacts history social change twitter scientific method sports travel environment wildlife carbon footprint global warming earth...

Haiku 042709

starless sky
blinking plane lights
past midnight

***************

Recently, we read the following:

Associated Press: “Obama touts plan to change college loan system”

“President Barack Obama on Friday renewed his call for the government to stop backing private loans to college students and replace them with direct financial aid to young people….

“The administration has pushed for federal financial aid to go directly to students, not to banks that lend money to students…. Obama wants to end the decades-old, dual system the federal government uses to advance loans to students to pay for college. Under that system, students at some colleges borrow directly from the government, while others get loans from banks, nonprofits or state agencies that in turn receive subsidies from Washington. The president's proposal would switch the federal student loan system entirely to direct lending from the government….

“Obama has claimed that the change would save at least $48 billion over the next 10 years — money that could be funneled to more student aid. But Republicans are concerned about the costs of that and even some Democratic lawmakers oppose the switch….

“The president acknowledged the proposal's critics. "It's about whether we want to give tens of billions of tax dollars to special interests or whether we want to make college more affordable for eight and a half million more students…. The banks and the lenders who have reaped a windfall from these subsidies have mobilized an army of lobbyists to try to keep things the way they are. They are gearing up for battle. So am I," Obama said….”

***************

And we thought:

.... Senator Lamar Alexander (R), what’s wrong with eliminating the private, profit-oriented middlemen, i.e., the student loan lenders? Their college loan lending business is essentially subsidized by the federal government and they have in fact been enriching themselves at the expense of taxpayers. What’s wrong with using colleges and universities as the facilitating agents through which the federal government could course the funds for lower interest, student loans? This is currently the process for Pell and similar federal grants or loan programs anyway. What’s wrong with supporting more of our deserving youth through college to prepare them for gainful careers and fruitful lives and better citizenship? Hasn’t that long been America’s promise to them?

What’s really wrong, obviously, is that private, for-profit student loan companies will be losing a very lucrative, risk-free business. What’s really wrong is that the unholy deals between some people in Congress and these student loan lenders will finally be coming to an end. What’s really wrong is that the bilking of families who only want a college education for their kids will finally stop. These are the things wrong about President Obama's nutty plan -- in the minds of these money lenders and their partners in Congress, like Senator Alexander.

Over the last few decades, average tuition costs have reportedly increased twice that of the inflation rate -- very much greater than increases in household incomes. For many students and their families who are increasingly finding it difficult to fund a college education, what is there to fault in President Obama’s plan to reform the college loan system? For them, the President’s plan is the light at the end of this dark tunnel of horrific college loan interest rates and college loan debts....


a contemporary haiku and current events blog. occasional notes on [and pokes at] nature and society. and some of their maddening stuff…like the economy finance capital mergers energy health care insurers jobs retirement politics government congress courts conflicts united nations human rights peace culture& society education alienation religion erving goffman artifacts history social change twitter scientific method sports travel environment wildlife carbon footprint global warming earth...

Haiku 042509

sunrise
her opening act
birdsong

***************

Recently, we read the following:


New York Times: "Why I Am Obsessed With Twitter" (by Jenna Wortham)

"It’s official. The Oprah effect has worked its magic on Twitter.

"Since Oprah Winfrey’s first on-air tweet Friday, traffic to Twitter has jumped 43 percent, according to Hitwise, a Web tracker…. Personally, I’m obsessed with Twitter. I’m a fascinated voyeur, transfixed by the streams of bursts, musings, insights and complaints unfurling before my eyes.

"But many people, including the Times columnist Maureen Dowd, are wondering what all the fuss is about. Why would they possibly want to add yet another technological tool to their lives, on top of e-mail and Facebook and everything else that competes for their scarce time? ….

"Twitter is much more than the collective musings of the tech-savvy elite. It’s a window into the public mind, as my colleague Claire Cain Miller recently reported. Since the service tugs at our innermost navel-gazing ... the flood of messages can deliver surprising insights into the digital pulse….

"... Twitter in many ways delivers on the promises of the Internet. It reminds me of a quote by J.G. Ballard, whose recent death I learned about and was heartened to see mourned on Twitter.... [H]ere’s a slightly longer version:

" 'Twenty years ago, no one could have imagined the effects the Internet would have: entire relationships flourish, friendships prosper. … There’s a vast new intimacy and accidental poetry, not to mention the weirdest porn. The entire human experience seems to unveil itself like the surface of a new planet.' ”

***************

And we thought:

.... Another tool to encourage and enhance interconnectedness? Or to further increase distractions -- in our already-fractured lives? Whichever it is for now, intended or not,"Twitter, take a bow!" ....

a contemporary haiku and current events blog. occasional notes on [and pokes at] nature and society. and some of their maddening stuff…like the economy finance capital mergers energy health care insurers jobs retirement politics government congress courts conflicts united nations human rights peace culture& society education alienation religion erving goffman artifacts history social change twitter scientific method sports travel environment wildlife carbon footprint global warming earth...

Haiku 042309

morning rain --
rabbit digging up
tulip bed


***************

Recently, we read the following:

Washington Post: “Defense Chief Gates Says He Backed Releasing CIA Memos” (by Ann Scott Tyson)

“Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates indicated Thursday that he supported the release of sensitive memos on detainee interrogation methods last week because he viewed their ultimate disclosure as inevitable. Gates, a former CIA director, said his foremost concern was that CIA officers who had used the interrogation techniques should be protected from prosecution.

“Another concern, Gates said, was the possibility that the Obama administration's release of the memos would cause a "backlash in the Middle East" that could adversely affect U.S. forces operating there. In discussions, he said, senior administration officials realized the disclosure could be "used by al-Qaeda" to generate opposition against the United States....

" ‘All of us wrestled with it,’ he said when asked whether he personally supported the release of the memos. But he added that his own view was shaped by his belief that the methods would ultimately become known....”

***************

And we thought:

….This article reports that Mr. Gates’ support of the memos’ release “was shaped by his belief that the methods would ultimately become known.” If that was the extent of the Defense head’s concern, maybe the President needs to have a serious one-on-one with him.

We thought the administration disclosed the “torture” memos not simply because their disclosure was inevitable. We thought they were disclosed because the administration found the subject and the results of the memos – the justification of torture, the order to use torture, and the actual use of torture – to be essentially immoral and reprehensible, and that the administration wanted to clearly dissociate itself from the Bush-Cheney regime on this matter. We thought that, ultimately, the primary concern was that the Obama administration wanted the country to regain its “moral bearings”….

Haiku 042109

raindrops
ripples on water
unending

***************

Recently, we read the following:

New York Times: “What Are Friends for? A Longer Life” (by Tara Parker-Pope)

“In the quest for better health, many people turn to doctors, self-help books or herbal supplements. But they overlook a powerful weapon that could help them fight illness and depression, speed recovery, slow aging, and prolong life: their friends.

“Researchers are only now starting to pay attention to the importance of friendship and social networks in overall health. A 10-year Australian study found that older people with a large circle of friends were 22 percent less likely to die during the study period than those with fewer friends. A large 2007 study showed an increase of nearly 60 percent in the risk for obesity among people whose friends gained weight. And last year, Harvard researchers reported that strong social ties could promote brain health as we age.

“ ‘In general, the role of friendship in our lives isn’t terribly well appreciated,’ said Rebecca G. Adams, a professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro…. Friendship has a bigger impact on our psychological well-being than family relationships.’

“In a new book, “The Girls From Ames: A Story of Women and a 40-Year Friendship” (Gotham), Jeffrey Zaslow tells the story of 11 childhood friends who scattered from Iowa to eight different states.... Using scrapbooks, photo albums and the women’s own memories, Mr. Zaslow chronicles how their close friendships have shaped their lives and continue to sustain them. The role of friendship in their health and well-being is evident in almost every chapter….

“ ‘People with stronger friendship networks feel like there is someone they can turn to,’ said Karen A. Roberto, director of the center for gerontology at Virginia Tech. ‘Friendship is an undervalued resource. The consistent message of these studies is that friends make your life better.’ ”

***************

And we thought:

…. “Man is a social being” – this is one of the things that we learn early enough in life. As social beings, we're sustained in many different ways by a sense of belongingness, by that feeling of being part of a group that we believe appreciates, supports, and protects us – a group we can feel comfortable in. However, this article’s focus on friends and friendships versus family members and family relationships can be misleading. It appears to imply that the family as a group – the nuclear family and the extended family of relatives -- cannot also spawn the friendships and social networks that a circle of friends provides.

One wonders -- can't family members be friends or be like friends? We think they can. The friendships will come as family members increasingly outgrow most, if not all, of the unequal or dependent relationships that naturally form in families -- kids being dependent on parents, uncles and aunts, and grandparents; younger family members dependent on older members; the weaker dependent on the stronger, etc. When family members outgrow these dependencies and become more interdependent, friendships among family members can also be cultivated in the way they are shaped among individuals who become friends. And such friendships can be as profound as any.

Finally, we think that what's really pivotal in providing the sense of well-being the article describes is not “friendship” per se. It is instead that element of “interconnectedness” that profound friendships eventually engender —whether it is friendships among friends or among family members. It’s that feeling of being one with others outside oneself….

Haiku 041909

winter sun
brown spruce needles
facing south


***************

Recently, we read the following:


Huffington Post: “Tea Party Fallout: Independents Turned Off, Some GOPers Worried” (by Sam Stein)

“It's been two days now since angry conservatives hosted a series of tea parties across the country, and the fallout has some Republicans nervous. While the anti-tax sentiment of the protests may have been sincere, the images pulled from the events have often been offensive, embarrassing, or politically problematic. It is a development that has tripped up the GOP before. The rallies outside McCain-Palin events included some of the same bile that was seen at the tea parties: charges of fascism, terrorism and other malicious criticisms leveled at Barack Obama. And it did the Republican ticket little good in its efforts to bring moderate voters to the cause.

“Not everyone sees the connection. But some Republicans and Independents do view the fallout between the tea parties and the McCain-Palin rallies in a similar way: bad for the GOP. ‘It is not clear-cut that the tea-party phenomena helps the GOP, unless they have a specific measure or policy (like Prop. 13 in 1978, and income tax cuts after that) to coalesce around,’ said Steven Hayward, a scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute….

“Of course, because the series of nationwide tea parties were geared towards a specific day (Tax Day), the political ramifications of the events seem naturally limited. ‘Those tea parties will be long forgotten by, oh, say tomorrow,’ said Stu Rothenberg, of the Rothenberg Political Report...."


***************

And we thought:

…. Sam Stein’s piece says what we think about the Republican-instigated “tea parties”: bad for the GOP. The Republicans need to remember from whom Obama inherited the mess and backwardness that the country is now in: the Bush-Republican administration of the last eight long years. The long Bush-Republican winter of gross incompetence.

During the 2008 Presidential campaign, McCain and Obama presented to the American electorate their respective programs of government. Each expounded on how he intended, in various fronts, to bring the U.S. out of the deep rut to which George W. Bush had driven the country. On 4 November 2008, three million more American voters chose Obama and his program over McCain and his.

It’s only been three months since Obama assumed the Presidency. If he and his team don’t get the country moving forward, as promised -- in education, health care, energy, and the economy – then give them the boot in 2012. Meanwhile, the majority of the American people gave Obama and his team a decisive mandate last November. For now, the democratic, i.e., American, way is to let them settle in and govern in the next four years….

Haiku 041709

robin landing --
burrowing back down
two earthworms

***************

Yahoo.com: “Ashton Kutcher Becomes First Twitter Member To Net 1 Million Followers, Beats CNN Breaking News” (Access Hollywood)

“Ashton Kutcher has become the first member of Twitter to have over one million followers. Surrounded by his wife, Demi More, Soleil Moon Frye, and Sean "Diddy" Combs supporting him via phone, the star officially crossed the one million mark, beating out rival CNN Breaking News shortly after 11 PM Pacific time…. CNN, which lost by less than 1,200 followers, quickly congratulated the star…. The race was a tight one with only a handful of followers separating the two Tweeters as their numbers inched closer to one million on Thursday evening.

" ‘Tell me this isn't better than watching tv,’ Ashton Tweeted on Thursday, just a few hours before he crossed the finish line. ‘We get to participate in the entertainment. I feel like I'm directing an episode of punk'd.’ …. Ashton promised if he became the first user to reach 1 million followers on Twitter, he would buy 10,000 mosquito nets, a pledge he repeated on Thursday afternoon. ‘I'm calling to have a check made out for $100,000 to the Malaria No More Fund,’ he wrote.”

***************

…. Here’s something silly that had something worthwhile going on as well. For beating CNN Breaking News in the run-up to 1 million Twitter followers, Ashton Kutcher is donating $100,000 to the Malaria No More Fund. Way to go – wish more and more celebrities would use their popularity to steer folks to worthy social causes. Hey, Ashton, how about another $100,000 to Free Rice – a UN World Food Programme to address world hunger. Anyone has Ashton’s email address? High time this blog learned how to Twitter, maybe ….

Haiku 041609

red maple
casting its shadow --
robin bobbing

***************

Associated Press: “No charges against CIA officials for waterboarding”

“Seeking to move beyond what he calls "a dark and painful chapter in our history," President Barack Obama said Thursday that CIA officials who used harsh interrogation tactics during the Bush administration will not be prosecuted.

“The government also released four memos long held secret by the Bush administration in which its lawyers approved in extensive and often graphic detail the tough interrogation methods used against 28 terror suspects, the fullest and now complete government accounting of the techniques. The rough tactics range from waterboarding — simulated drowning — to using a plastic neck collar to slam detainees into walls….

"It would be unfair to prosecute dedicated men and women working to protect America for conduct that was sanctioned in advance by the Justice Department," Holder said….

“The CIA has acknowledged using waterboarding … on three high-level terror detainees in 2002 and 2003, with the permission of the White House and the Justice Department….”

***************

…. Prosecuting CIA operatives who carried out torture of alleged terrorist-prisoners does not address the root cause. It’s silly to go after them and not their superiors. This is like home improvement not going far enough. The point is to make accountable the Bush White House and Justice Department officials who justified the use of torture, set the protocols of torture, and ordered the use of torture.

According to a related Associated Press story, these individuals are former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales; ex-Undersecretary of Defense Douglas Feith; former Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, David Addington; Justice Department officials John Yoo and Jay S. Bybee; and Pentagon lawyer William Haynes. (And Bush and Cheney, too?) The mugs of these guys should be placed on Facebook for the world to remember.

One understands the circumstances that spawned the Bush administration's philosophy on torture. But weren't there really "less invasive" ways to obtain the information needed? There is in fact the view that information extracted during torture is not necessarily reliable. Subjects of torture can make anything up to make the torture stop.

Another AP report said: "The scientific community has never established that coercive interrogation methods are an effective means of obtaining reliable intelligence information," former military interrogation instructor and retired Air Force Col. Steven M. Kleinman wrote in the Intelligence Science Board report. "In essence, there seems to be an unsubstantiated assumption that 'compliance' carries the same connotation as 'meaningful cooperation.' " The AP report added: "In short: Slam someone up against the wall, keep him awake for days, lock him naked in a cell and slap his face enough, and he will probably say something. That doesn't necessarily make it true."

What was the calculus used by the Bush administration and its lawyers? Does national security justify giving up the moral high ground? In exchange for torture-extracted information that may even be worthless? Will one be fine if the same torture methods were used on one’s son or daughter? One wonders what John McCain’s position is. This is a difficult one to sort out, master Klein….

Or maybe the Obama administration is exorcising the wrong demons. Maybe they should be following the money. What one hears around the water cooler or in coffee shops is that the last administration’s cronies profited a bunch from the Afghani and Iraqi wars. Urban legend?….

Haiku 041509

goslings crowd
the pond's edge ...
skinny dippers

***************


Associated Press: “Six companies to get $9.9B under mortgage program”

“The Obama administration on Wednesday named the first six mortgage companies participating in a $75 billion program designed to help millions of struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure….The administration said the companies — including some of the mortgage industry's biggest players [such as Chase Home Finance, Wells fargo, GMAC Mortgage, CitiMortgage] — will receive a maximum of $9.9 billion in incentive payments, which are designed to encourage mortgage companies to lower borrowers' monthly bills….

“The program, unveiled on March 4, will offer struggling homeowners the chance to obtain modified loans with lower monthly payments….The refinancing plan is limited to borrowers who owe up to 5 percent more than their home's current value.....”

***************

…. It’s noteworthy that a campaign promise of assistance to homeowners is being kept. However, the administrators (would these be the six mortgage companies?) of the homeowners’ bailout program should be wary of the trap of unintended consequences. They could be unduly rewarding a bunch of undeserving folks.

For example, the unscrupulous flippers who finally ended up being stuck with "investment" properties, which they thought they'd quickly resell for a substantial profit as before -- but now can't. Or those irresponsible homeowners who took out so-called home improvement loans -- encashing their homes’ equity -- fully intending, however, to simply spoil themselves with frivolous or ostentatious purchases. If they're not screened out, the program would be such a silly waste of scarce resources ….

Haiku 041309

spring dawn --
budding bushes
purple haze

**************

Recently, we read the following:

TIME.com: “Why Legalizing Marijuana Makes Sense" (by Joe Klein, In the Arena)

“Legalizing marijuana may be politically risky. But the economic benefits are becoming difficult to ignore.

“For the past several years, I've been harboring a fantasy, a last political crusade for the baby-boom generation. We, who started on the path of righteousness, marching for civil rights and against the war in Vietnam, need to find an appropriately high-minded approach to life's exit ramp. In this case, I mean the high-minded part literally. And so, a deal: give us drugs, after a certain age — say, 80 — all drugs, any drugs we want. In return, we will give you our driver's licenses. (I mean, can you imagine how terrifying a nation of decrepit, solipsistic 90-year-old boomers behind the wheel would be?) ….

"We boomers are getting older every day. You're not going to want us on the highways. Make us your best offer.”

***************

And we thought:

…. Enough said …. Well, maybe, just one more point -- or a few. Why not a lower threshold age of, say, 75 instead? Or some age related to mandatory deferred compensation, pension, or retirement payouts? The sooner baby boomers can “tune in, turn on ... " (as Klein partially suggested) -- and make peace (one would add) -- the better for this increasingly uncivil world. And they don't really have to be allowed "all drugs, any drugs they want." Just the one -- pot. (In addition, of course to their legitimate stash -- i.e., prescription drugs -- for erectile dysfunction, arthritis, diabetes, cholesterol, etc.)

And then, maybe, they don't really have to give up driving totally -- just driving on the highways. No doubt, car and truck manufacturers wouldn't want to completely lose this large demographic too soon.... So much stuff to break down and consider further, Master Klein. Migraine's coming.... =)

Haiku 041009

freezing rain
on pine needles
icicles

***************

Recently, we read the following:

International Press Institute: "Malaysia Arrests Bloggers, Bans Newspapers in Fresh Assaults on Expression"

“The International Press Institute (IPI) today expressed concern about recent arrests of bloggers, restrictions on news organisations and other breaches of free expression in Malaysia. In the past month, the authorities arrested six bloggers, denied several news organisations access to the dominant political party’s general assembly, and banned two opposition newspapers, according to IPI sources in Malaysia. These actions came as the ruling National Front, which is dominated by the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), faced rising public concern over the economy and as Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi prepared to hand over power to his deputy, Najib Razak….

"Malaysia, a nation of 25 million, keeps a tight rein on the media through the use of national security laws and media licensing regulations. The government has also been intolerant of opposition bloggers and has ordered Internet service providers to block critical blogs. Reporters covering political rallies or other events often face harassment from security forces….”


Publisher’s Note: Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights says “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

***************

And we thought:

….Free expression, including the deliberate needling of subjects, may be a pesky beast. (Recall Sarah Palin's press coverage.) But it is a basic human right. Those in public governance need to just develop thick skin and be ready to be teased or criticized.

Or, to preclude being put in harsh light, they could just be decent and do their jobs as public servants. A responsible free press and public exchanges of public information, after all, keep government honest. Well, perhaps, not all the time, which is why we have to keep working at it.

And, perhaps, the Malaysian government holds itself to a different standard -- which would be another story….

Haiku 040909

a budless elm
among budding oaks --
spring funeral


***************

Recently, we read the following:

Bloomberg.com: "Nations Fail to Offer CO2 Targets at UN Climate Talks"

“The world’s wealthiest nations failed to offer more ambitious carbon-dioxide cuts, stalling United Nations climate talks as developing countries called for funding help and technology to combat global warming…. ‘The industrialized countries have not yet shown the necessary leadership,’ a Danish [delegate] said. ‘Not leadership when it comes to reduction commitments. Not leadership when it comes to finance’….”

***************

And we thought:

.... One expects that, by now, most understand that the survival of each nation, developed or developing, depends on collective and coordinated action. In the matter of global warming, politics and self interest serve no one ultimately. We have only one planet. It is the one we all inhabit. This game of chicken is silly ....

Haiku 040809

dawn breaking --
a dense tangle
of bare trees


***************

Recently, we read the following:

New York Times: "Peru's Ex-President Convicted of Rights' Abuses"

"Peru's Supreme Court convicted former President Alberto K. Fujimori of human rights abuses and sentenced him to 25 years in prison. The abuses included the killing of 25 people by the Grupo Colina, a military death squad created by Mr. Fujimori in the early 1990s as the country was locked in a bloody civil war…. Specialists in international human rights law closely followed the case because of its implications for other former or current heads of state who might face charges of war crimes and other abuses…."

***************

And we thought:

.... Karma -- nature's life insurance that things will balance out eventually. Who’s next?....

Haiku 040709

autumn leaves
the young rabbit nudges
her lifeless mom


***************

Recently, we read the following:

Philippine Daily Inquirer: "New York group hits Davao City vigilante killings"

"An international human rights group has expressed alarm at the reported resurgence of vigilante-style killings by a so-called death squad in Davao City. “What is worrying about the Philippines is that the trend [of killings] is upwards… Over the course of a decade, it is accelerating,” Executive Director Kenneth Roth of the New York-based Human Rights Watch said Monday. Roth also said, ” The Philippine people should understand that it is not in their long term interest to countenance this kind of extrajudicial violence....”

***************

And we thought:

.... In past years, the "favorite" targets of vigilantes were reportedly political activists and journalists. Now, those being killed are supposedly common criminals. One might dismiss the current killings as justified - "they were really bad guys anyway." The issue, however, is the rule of law: Are people willing to take the risk of a complete breakdown? Who decides who's a "proper" target of extra-judicial police actions? Who are they even accountable to?

The sad thing about this is Davao City, in itself, is a beautiful city. It deserves better press. Among Philippine cities, it is one that's truly worthy of a continuous influx of local and international tourists, considering the attractions it offers -- an international airport, fine hotels and restaurants, interesting places to see, a great variety of fresh seafood and local fruits....

Bit players*

1.
Like Sandburg’s fog
fractured conversations
would move in,
and on, in their minds:

“They shape our personal stories --
these hardy hands
in factories and fields…."

“They create wealth and histories
not yet their own…."

“Except in true red zones,
they remain nameless
invisible to bourgeois mores….”

2.
Back then, they thought -- and they struggled --
that their lives were petty and feckless
like the bit parts that bit actors profess
they only suffer for food on the table.

They imagined themselves progressives
taking on lead roles for love of the masses.
They referred day to day to little red books
presuming the act bestowed vanguard status.

3.
Down the long road, slowly stripped of dogma
layer by layer, they learned in practice --
there are really no bit roles, only bit players.
They serve the people -- even teachers in classes.

Perhaps the flaws they've unraveled
will better inform future journeys
of new travellers
now less naive.






*Chapter 2, Fractured Memories

Haiku 040409

last goose
canadians' tail end ...
headed north

***************

Recently, we read the following:

Washington Times: "Republicans fume over lost Alaska Senate seat"

"The Senate's top Republican said Wednesday there was "no question" former Alaskan Sen. Ted Stevens would have won re-election last year if the Justice Department had thrown his corruption case out before the vote. 'No question that if this decision had been made last year he'd still be in the Senate,' Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, told a small group of reporters on Capitol Hill.

"Attorney General Eric Holder said the government was dismissing its case because of prosecutorial abuse. Mr. Stevens, a political legend in his state, narrowly lost a bid for a seventh term to Democrat Mark Begich after his initial conviction last fall and had been appealing the verdict...."

***************

And we thought:

…. Note that it was Obama's Justice department that dismissed the federal corruption charges against Stevens – not due to a finding of innocence, but due to prosecutorial abuse. Alaska (R) Sen. Murkowski is disturbed by the “violations of civil liberties”? Guess when the charges were filed and who prosecuted the case? It was during Bush’s term and it was Bush’s Justice department! What -- have Republicans just contracted Sudden Onset Alzheimer's Syndrome -- the hideous, partisan type?!

Which makes one wonder: Was the Bush Justice department’s "prosecutorial abuse” pre-planned -- to give Stevens a way out, on a technicality?.... Well, now it's back to Alaska for him to consolidate political forces, rebuild alliances with the oil and energy companies, and stage a comeback in the next senatorial elections. More pork and another "bridge to nowhere". Bring out your high blood pressure meds!...

Haiku 040309

dead elm
a bird pecking
insect eggs

***************

Recently, we read the following:

New York Times: "As Indian Growth Soars, Child Hunger Persists"

"Small, sick, listless children have long been India's scourge — “a national shame,” in the words of its prime minister, Manmohan Singh. But even after a decade of galloping economic growth, child malnutrition rates are worse here than in many sub-Saharan African countries, and they stand out as a paradox in a proud democracy. "

***************

And we thought:

.... In London, recently, the G-20 nations met to fix the broken global financial system, brought into focus by the effects of the greed and reckless conduct of AIG and its ilk. In contrast, other parts of the world are grappling with a more basic concern -- hunger. For example, even after a decade of economic growth, the Indian government is still facing a horrific child malnutrition rate. Its children under 5 who are underweight – a critical gauge of malnutrition – total almost 43 percent! One wonders how we can help end world hunger .…

***************

Publisher's Note: Maybe, ten grains at a time.... To donate free rice ten grains at a time, try the Vocabulary Game. It's free and quite entertaining. The game is provided by FreeRice, a non-profit website run by the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), in partnership with the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University.

“Clicks on the FreeRice vocabulary game from players like you have already translated into WFP food rations for over 20,000 Myanmar refugees, currently living in Bangladesh. Pregnant women in Cambodia, school children in Uganda, and Bhutanese refugees in Nepal are also receiving rice, thanks to the award-winning [FreeRice] site.” (Friends of the World Food Program)

Haiku 040209

spring birdsongs
from the nearby marsh...
mallards, too


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Recently, we read the following:

Washington Post: "Lugar Urges Obama to Open Talks With Cuba, Ease Restrictions"

"... Obama said during the presidential campaign that he would adopt a new strategy toward Cuba, including removing some travel restrictions, but he has said that the embargo should not be lifted until the Cuban government improves its human rights record and holds free elections...."

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And we thought:

…. Why the pre-conditions? Since the 70s, the U.S. has had broad-ranging relations with China. Does China have a better human rights record than Cuba? Does China hold free elections? Something's not sounding right here. Does one suddenly need a hearing aid?….

Haiku 040109

noisy geese
tail the sunset --
a quiet pond

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Recently, we read the following:

In breaking news, hereisthecity.com: "Ex-Wall Street CEOs Lead G20 Protesters"

“A group of disgruntled former Wall Street CEOs led protesters and stormed the barricades in London early Wednesday.”

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And we thought:

.... One wonders what was going in the minds of these Wall Street discards…. Read the article to the end.... Happy April Fool's Day! ....