dinner time
his kite pulls the wind
home
_______________
For One Single Impression, Prompt 87: Elusive
**********************************************
Recently, we read the following headline: "The wind may carry a solution for Kenya"
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Haiku 102609
autumn rain
water heading back
to the lake
***************************
Recently, we read the following headline: "In recession, one road led back home"
autumn rain
water heading back
to the lake
***************************
Recently, we read the following headline: "In recession, one road led back home"
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Haiku 102209
miles high
the left wing slices
dense clouds
***************
Recently, we read the following:
Washington Post: “Italian court convicts 23 Americans in CIA rendition case” by Craig Whitlock
“An Italian court on Wednesday convicted 22 CIA operatives and a U.S. Air Force colonel of orchestrating the kidnapping of a Muslim cleric in Milan in 2003 and flying him to Egypt, where he said he was later tortured….”
***************
And we thought:
… Will the policy makers and decision makers at that time be made accountable, too -- for the thick web of lies they spun?....
miles high
the left wing slices
dense clouds
***************
Recently, we read the following:
Washington Post: “Italian court convicts 23 Americans in CIA rendition case” by Craig Whitlock
“An Italian court on Wednesday convicted 22 CIA operatives and a U.S. Air Force colonel of orchestrating the kidnapping of a Muslim cleric in Milan in 2003 and flying him to Egypt, where he said he was later tortured….”
***************
And we thought:
… Will the policy makers and decision makers at that time be made accountable, too -- for the thick web of lies they spun?....
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Haiku 101609
she ducks
behind wild bushes
delay of game
***************
Recently, we read the following:
San Francisco Chronicle: “Uruguay Supreme Court rules out dirty war amnesty” by Raul O Garces (AP)
"Uruguay's Supreme Court on Monday declared unconstitutional a law that has provided amnesty to military officials accused of murders, disappearances and other human rights violations during the country's dictatorship.
"Ruling in the case of a young communist detained and slain by the military in 1974, the justices said the amnesty law violates Uruguay's separation of powers and failed to pass by a required supermajority — arguments sure to be made in other dirty war prosecutions.
"The law remains on the books, but the ruling could swing voters in favor of overturning it altogether in a plebiscite being held Sunday along with presidential elections. Until now, polls have shown the plebiscite failing.
"Former vice president and constitutional scholar Gonzalo Aguirre told The Associated Press that the ruling 'supports the conviction that on Sunday the law should be annulled by popular vote and that this will lead to the reopening of dozens of cases that could not be prosecuted because of the amnesty…'
"Amnesties for human rights violators were key to enabling democracies to emerge from the dictatorship era in South America, but they have been increasingly challenged recently…"
***************
And we thought:
… Human rights violators who had run brutal dictatorships like Uruguay back in the 70s and 80s cannot be allowed to duck behind anomalous laws passed to shield them from prosecution. For the people of Uruguay to realize peace and progress, justice and democracy must be allowed to play out at some point. Reason dictates that the process of justice and democracy cannot be delayed indefinitely...
she ducks
behind wild bushes
delay of game
***************
Recently, we read the following:
San Francisco Chronicle: “Uruguay Supreme Court rules out dirty war amnesty” by Raul O Garces (AP)
"Uruguay's Supreme Court on Monday declared unconstitutional a law that has provided amnesty to military officials accused of murders, disappearances and other human rights violations during the country's dictatorship.
"Ruling in the case of a young communist detained and slain by the military in 1974, the justices said the amnesty law violates Uruguay's separation of powers and failed to pass by a required supermajority — arguments sure to be made in other dirty war prosecutions.
"The law remains on the books, but the ruling could swing voters in favor of overturning it altogether in a plebiscite being held Sunday along with presidential elections. Until now, polls have shown the plebiscite failing.
"Former vice president and constitutional scholar Gonzalo Aguirre told The Associated Press that the ruling 'supports the conviction that on Sunday the law should be annulled by popular vote and that this will lead to the reopening of dozens of cases that could not be prosecuted because of the amnesty…'
"Amnesties for human rights violators were key to enabling democracies to emerge from the dictatorship era in South America, but they have been increasingly challenged recently…"
***************
And we thought:
… Human rights violators who had run brutal dictatorships like Uruguay back in the 70s and 80s cannot be allowed to duck behind anomalous laws passed to shield them from prosecution. For the people of Uruguay to realize peace and progress, justice and democracy must be allowed to play out at some point. Reason dictates that the process of justice and democracy cannot be delayed indefinitely...
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
Haiku 101209
park concert
pigeons take flight
clapping
****************
Recently, we read the following:
Washington Post: “Castro Country, Giving a Concert for Peace” by William Booth
"Rock-and-roll diplomacy came to the communist isle on a smoldering afternoon, as hundreds of thousands of Cubans filled the Plaza of the Revolution on Sunday and sang along to a dozen international musical acts led by the Colombian singer and peace activist Juanes.
"The free 'Peace without Borders' concert was criticized by hard-line Cuban exiles in Miami as a propaganda coup for the Castro brothers, and that it might have been. But for thousands of young Cubans, it was a rare treat to hear a lineup of global Latin music stars, such as Olga Tanon of Puerto Rico and Miguel Bosé of Spain.
"Under the watchful gaze of a huge mural of Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, and beneath the socialist slogan 'Always Toward Victory!' on the side of the Ministry of Interior building, there was no trouble from the mostly young crowd. Many were dressed in white, in keeping with the peaceful vibe…
"Tanon shouted that she brought greetings from Miami -- home of many Cuban exiles who live in opposition to the Cuban government -- and no one in the crowd booed, but instead whistled and cheered…"
***************
And we thought:
… Imagine music without borders. Peace without borders. All we are saying…
park concert
pigeons take flight
clapping
****************
Recently, we read the following:
Washington Post: “Castro Country, Giving a Concert for Peace” by William Booth
"Rock-and-roll diplomacy came to the communist isle on a smoldering afternoon, as hundreds of thousands of Cubans filled the Plaza of the Revolution on Sunday and sang along to a dozen international musical acts led by the Colombian singer and peace activist Juanes.
"The free 'Peace without Borders' concert was criticized by hard-line Cuban exiles in Miami as a propaganda coup for the Castro brothers, and that it might have been. But for thousands of young Cubans, it was a rare treat to hear a lineup of global Latin music stars, such as Olga Tanon of Puerto Rico and Miguel Bosé of Spain.
"Under the watchful gaze of a huge mural of Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, and beneath the socialist slogan 'Always Toward Victory!' on the side of the Ministry of Interior building, there was no trouble from the mostly young crowd. Many were dressed in white, in keeping with the peaceful vibe…
"Tanon shouted that she brought greetings from Miami -- home of many Cuban exiles who live in opposition to the Cuban government -- and no one in the crowd booed, but instead whistled and cheered…"
***************
And we thought:
… Imagine music without borders. Peace without borders. All we are saying…
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Haiku 101009
rainbow's end
fruits and vegetables
in baskets
***************
Recently, we read the following:
NPR: “Obama Wins Nobel, Vows 'Call To Action' “
“President Obama was ‘surprised and deeply humbled’ to be selected for the Nobel Peace Prize, he said Friday, promising to accept the honor as a ‘call to action’ to meet the challenges ahead in his presidency.
“At a short White House speech, Obama said he did not view the surprise award ‘as a recognition of my own accomplishments’ but rather as a recognition of goals he has set for the United States and the world…
“He won the prize ‘for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples,’ the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced, saying it had ‘attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons.’
" ‘Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future,’ Thorbjoern Jagland, chairman of the Nobel Committee, said. ‘In the past year Obama has been a key person for important initiatives in the U.N. for nuclear disarmament and to set a completely new agenda for the Muslim world and East-West relations…’ "
***************
And we thought:
… We congratulate President Obama for being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. And we applaud the Nobel Committee for this apparently bold decision. Its members must have certainly expected that their decision would be criticized by some as "premature."
On the other hand, perhaps the committee meant this award to be a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts -- a challenge to Obama to pursue more profoundly and concretely the ideals that the award upholds. And, given Obama’s position as U.S. president and his current standing in world politics, perhaps the committee saw an opportunity to make a robust statement of support for Obama -- someone it sees as uniquely placed to lead the world more firmly along the path of peace, and of plenty that comes with peace.
Since the presidential campaign until now, Obama has talked consistently about pursuing more diplomatic and peaceable options in international relations. Now the Nobel Committee appears to be asking for a higher level of commitment -- for Obama to walk the talk. For the sake of all peace-loving peoples and nations, we hope he succeeds. He will, of course, need a lot of help…
rainbow's end
fruits and vegetables
in baskets
***************
Recently, we read the following:
NPR: “Obama Wins Nobel, Vows 'Call To Action' “
“President Obama was ‘surprised and deeply humbled’ to be selected for the Nobel Peace Prize, he said Friday, promising to accept the honor as a ‘call to action’ to meet the challenges ahead in his presidency.
“At a short White House speech, Obama said he did not view the surprise award ‘as a recognition of my own accomplishments’ but rather as a recognition of goals he has set for the United States and the world…
“He won the prize ‘for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples,’ the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced, saying it had ‘attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons.’
" ‘Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future,’ Thorbjoern Jagland, chairman of the Nobel Committee, said. ‘In the past year Obama has been a key person for important initiatives in the U.N. for nuclear disarmament and to set a completely new agenda for the Muslim world and East-West relations…’ "
***************
And we thought:
… We congratulate President Obama for being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. And we applaud the Nobel Committee for this apparently bold decision. Its members must have certainly expected that their decision would be criticized by some as "premature."
On the other hand, perhaps the committee meant this award to be a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts -- a challenge to Obama to pursue more profoundly and concretely the ideals that the award upholds. And, given Obama’s position as U.S. president and his current standing in world politics, perhaps the committee saw an opportunity to make a robust statement of support for Obama -- someone it sees as uniquely placed to lead the world more firmly along the path of peace, and of plenty that comes with peace.
Since the presidential campaign until now, Obama has talked consistently about pursuing more diplomatic and peaceable options in international relations. Now the Nobel Committee appears to be asking for a higher level of commitment -- for Obama to walk the talk. For the sake of all peace-loving peoples and nations, we hope he succeeds. He will, of course, need a lot of help…
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Haiku 100809
unmade bed
soiled clothes on the floor
low tide
***************
Recently, we read the following:
NPR: “France Razes Immigrant Camp Known As 'The Jungle' “ by The Associated Press
“French police cleared out, then bulldozed, a squalid forest camp near the northern city of Calais on Tuesday, detaining hundreds of illegal immigrants who had hoped to slip across the English Channel into Britain.
“French Immigration Minister Eric Besson called the site — known as the ‘Jungle’ — a ‘base camp for human traffickers’ who promise the migrants passage for enormous fees or dump them there after bringing them across Europe.
“The people who camped here — mainly immigrants from Afghanistan — have strained relations between Britain and France and become a symbol of Europe's struggle with illegal immigration…
" ‘This operation is not targeting the migrants themselves, it is targeting the logistics of the human traffickers ... who exploit them,’ he said…
“For France, the Jungle was inhumane and a sign of what is wrong with European immigration policy. The EU's 27 nations each maintain their own immigration policy, complicated by some open borders, creating a confusing mix of laws, accords and bilateral agreements…”
***************
And we thought:
…Illegal immigration is one of Europe’s dirty laundry. This politico-economic problem -- with human rights implications besides -- has to be addressed by the European Union as a whole. Dumping the problem onto a neighbor's backyard is shortsighted and untenable. Like the financial crisis that hit the world over the last year, resolving illegal immigration requires a multi-stakeholder, collaborative effort…
unmade bed
soiled clothes on the floor
low tide
***************
Recently, we read the following:
NPR: “France Razes Immigrant Camp Known As 'The Jungle' “ by The Associated Press
“French police cleared out, then bulldozed, a squalid forest camp near the northern city of Calais on Tuesday, detaining hundreds of illegal immigrants who had hoped to slip across the English Channel into Britain.
“French Immigration Minister Eric Besson called the site — known as the ‘Jungle’ — a ‘base camp for human traffickers’ who promise the migrants passage for enormous fees or dump them there after bringing them across Europe.
“The people who camped here — mainly immigrants from Afghanistan — have strained relations between Britain and France and become a symbol of Europe's struggle with illegal immigration…
" ‘This operation is not targeting the migrants themselves, it is targeting the logistics of the human traffickers ... who exploit them,’ he said…
“For France, the Jungle was inhumane and a sign of what is wrong with European immigration policy. The EU's 27 nations each maintain their own immigration policy, complicated by some open borders, creating a confusing mix of laws, accords and bilateral agreements…”
***************
And we thought:
…Illegal immigration is one of Europe’s dirty laundry. This politico-economic problem -- with human rights implications besides -- has to be addressed by the European Union as a whole. Dumping the problem onto a neighbor's backyard is shortsighted and untenable. Like the financial crisis that hit the world over the last year, resolving illegal immigration requires a multi-stakeholder, collaborative effort…
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Protracted journey*
1.
“The tyrants' prisons will find difficult to break
the spirit and firm resolve
the workers’ theory and practice mold.”
2.
While many travelers lost their lives
in many different ways,
others did give up.
Some did break down,
others were co-opted.
Still, we're told --
new travelers are backpacking anew
in regions not unlike Isabela,
"learning from the masses."
Not unlike the earlier martyrs
they're modeling "simple living
and hard struggle."
In the march to ten thousand barrios
even as the white storm
periodically stalls their journey,
the new travelers persist, we're told.
3.
The birthing of the new --
protracted, then violently sudden --
it’s Nature’s nature.
*Chapter 8, Fractured Memories
“The tyrants' prisons will find difficult to break
the spirit and firm resolve
the workers’ theory and practice mold.”
2.
While many travelers lost their lives
in many different ways,
others did give up.
Some did break down,
others were co-opted.
Still, we're told --
new travelers are backpacking anew
in regions not unlike Isabela,
"learning from the masses."
Not unlike the earlier martyrs
they're modeling "simple living
and hard struggle."
In the march to ten thousand barrios
even as the white storm
periodically stalls their journey,
the new travelers persist, we're told.
3.
The birthing of the new --
protracted, then violently sudden --
it’s Nature’s nature.
*Chapter 8, Fractured Memories
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Haiku 100409
lake spray
catching sunlight
bows of colors
***************
Recently, we read the following:
NPR: “Rio De Janeiro Named Host Of 2016 Olympics”
“Rio de Janeiro was chosen Friday as the host site of the 2016 Olympic Games, brushing aside an unprecedented personal appeal from President Obama and the first lady on behalf of their home town of Chicago.
“International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge, speaking in Copenhagen where the body voted, opened a ceremonial envelope and read off the vote of IOC members naming Rio as the winner. A huge crowd that had gathered in the Brazilian city sent up a roar of approval when the announcement was made.
“The winner beat surprise finalist Madrid in the last round of voting. Chicago was eliminated in the first round of voting at the meeting of the IOC in Copenhagen, and Tokyo was eliminated in the second. In awarding Olympic bids, the IOC holds rounds of voting until one city receives a majority.
“Rio's victory marks the first time a South American city has been chosen to host the games. ‘It is a time to address this imbalance,’ Brazil's charismatic president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, told the IOC's members before they voted. ‘It is time to light the Olympic caldron in a tropical country…’ "
***************
And we thought:
… It is not only time that the Olympic Games be brought finally to South America. In the context of North-South parity (or disparity), it is right. The colors of the Olympic flag will be much brighter in 2016 in the tropical sun…
lake spray
catching sunlight
bows of colors
***************
Recently, we read the following:
NPR: “Rio De Janeiro Named Host Of 2016 Olympics”
“Rio de Janeiro was chosen Friday as the host site of the 2016 Olympic Games, brushing aside an unprecedented personal appeal from President Obama and the first lady on behalf of their home town of Chicago.
“International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge, speaking in Copenhagen where the body voted, opened a ceremonial envelope and read off the vote of IOC members naming Rio as the winner. A huge crowd that had gathered in the Brazilian city sent up a roar of approval when the announcement was made.
“The winner beat surprise finalist Madrid in the last round of voting. Chicago was eliminated in the first round of voting at the meeting of the IOC in Copenhagen, and Tokyo was eliminated in the second. In awarding Olympic bids, the IOC holds rounds of voting until one city receives a majority.
“Rio's victory marks the first time a South American city has been chosen to host the games. ‘It is a time to address this imbalance,’ Brazil's charismatic president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, told the IOC's members before they voted. ‘It is time to light the Olympic caldron in a tropical country…’ "
***************
And we thought:
… It is not only time that the Olympic Games be brought finally to South America. In the context of North-South parity (or disparity), it is right. The colors of the Olympic flag will be much brighter in 2016 in the tropical sun…
Friday, October 2, 2009
Haiku 100209
on the sand
the sea ebbs and flows
fresh canvas
on the sand
the sea ebbs and flows
fresh canvas
***************
Recently, we read the following:
NPR: “A Turning Point For Afghan War, And For Obama” by Kevin Whitelaw
"President Obama has spent most of his young presidency grappling with tremendous challenges, between trying to rescue the struggling economy and pushing for a major overhaul of the country's health care system. But a request from his top general in Afghanistan for more troops sets Obama up for perhaps his most difficult and momentous decision yet.
"With U.S. troops facing spiraling violence and a growing insurgency, Obama must decide whether to renew America's commitment to the war and boost troop levels by more than 50 percent.
"The moment is fraught with historical parallels, from Vietnam to Iraq…
"Obama says he is still conducting a strategic review of his options in Afghanistan…"
***************
And we thought:
…No doubt President Obama wishes he had a fresh canvas to work on in Afghanistan. Since he doesn’t, he has to deal with the various geo-political hues already painted in place.
The Vietnam war taught us at least three things: (1) You can’t fight an unconventional war with a conventional one. (2) You can’t fight a war on behalf of a people. (2) You can’t entrust resources, intended to help a people fight, to their corrupt leaders and politicians.
No doubt Obama, apparently a student of history, has a keen mind. He also has keen advisers. They will help him figure things out…
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