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…
Showing posts with label NPR. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NPR. Show all posts
Saturday, October 10, 2009
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…
Monday, September 14, 2009
Haiku 091409
burnt orange
stains the small lake
summer’s end
burnt orange
stains the small lake
summer’s end
***************
Recently, we read the following:
NPR: “Why 'GQ' Doesn't Want Russians To Read Its Story” by David Folkenflik
"For war journalist Scott Anderson, the most confounding part of his recent assignment for GQ magazine to explore the root of terrorist acts in Russia a decade ago wasn't the suggestion of treachery and subterfuge he found…
"It was the reception his story ultimately received in the United States.
" 'It was quite mysterious to me,' Anderson says. 'All of a sudden, it became clear that they were going to run the article but they were going to try to bury it under a rock as much as they possibly could…'
"His investigative piece, published in the September American edition of GQ, challenges the official line on a series of bombings that killed hundreds of people in 1999 in Russia. It profiles a former KGB agent who spoke in great detail and on the record, at no small risk to himself. But instead of trumpeting his reporting, GQ's corporate owners went to extraordinary lengths to try to ensure no Russians will ever see it…
" 'Conde Nast management has decided that the September issue of U.S. GQ magazine containing Scott Anderson's article 'Vladimir Putin's Dark Rise to Power' should not be distributed in Russia,' Birenz wrote.
"He ordered that the article could not be posted to the magazine's Web site. No copies of the American edition of the magazine could be sent to Russia or shown in any country to Russian government officials, journalists or advertisers. Additionally, the piece could not be published in other Conde Nast magazines abroad, nor publicized in any way… "
***************
And we thought:
…Conde Nast has decided to sequester significant information for what ends? It's a sad day when Big Business and Big Politics bare their stained teeth and decree that their ends take precedence over Journalism’s obligations...
NPR: “Why 'GQ' Doesn't Want Russians To Read Its Story” by David Folkenflik"For war journalist Scott Anderson, the most confounding part of his recent assignment for GQ magazine to explore the root of terrorist acts in Russia a decade ago wasn't the suggestion of treachery and subterfuge he found…
"It was the reception his story ultimately received in the United States.
" 'It was quite mysterious to me,' Anderson says. 'All of a sudden, it became clear that they were going to run the article but they were going to try to bury it under a rock as much as they possibly could…'
"His investigative piece, published in the September American edition of GQ, challenges the official line on a series of bombings that killed hundreds of people in 1999 in Russia. It profiles a former KGB agent who spoke in great detail and on the record, at no small risk to himself. But instead of trumpeting his reporting, GQ's corporate owners went to extraordinary lengths to try to ensure no Russians will ever see it…
" 'Conde Nast management has decided that the September issue of U.S. GQ magazine containing Scott Anderson's article 'Vladimir Putin's Dark Rise to Power' should not be distributed in Russia,' Birenz wrote.
"He ordered that the article could not be posted to the magazine's Web site. No copies of the American edition of the magazine could be sent to Russia or shown in any country to Russian government officials, journalists or advertisers. Additionally, the piece could not be published in other Conde Nast magazines abroad, nor publicized in any way… "
***************
And we thought:
…Conde Nast has decided to sequester significant information for what ends? It's a sad day when Big Business and Big Politics bare their stained teeth and decree that their ends take precedence over Journalism’s obligations...
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Haiku 090809
he lies
with a book in bed
a loon's call
he lies
with a book in bed
a loon's call
***************
Recently, we read the following:
John-Yoko Photo Copyright by Central Press/Getty Images
NPR: “After 40 Years, The Bed-In Reawakens” by Margot Adler
“In 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono spent their honeymoon in bed…
“The Bed-In was a publicity stunt: Lennon and Ono used their honeymoon to talk about peace during the height of the Vietnam War and the Cold War. Lennon sang about the event in ‘The Ballad of John and Yoko.’
“Drove from Paris to the Amsterdam Hilton. Talking in our beds for a week. The newspapers said, ‘What are you doing in bed?’ I said, "We're only trying to get us some peace."
“Since then, other artists have used the bed to explore similar themes. And this year, an international peace group called The World March for Peace and Nonviolence decided to bring back the bed-in to promote hundreds of global peace events taking place in every continent over the next year. The issue at hand: the spread of nuclear weapons.
“So on Aug. 16, the organizers brought a bed to Central Park and put it near Strawberry Fields — only a short walk from the Dakota apartment building where John Lennon lived and the street where he died. There was a big bed with white sheets, fluffy pillows and flowers. Anyone could take the microphone, sit on the bed and say his or her piece on peace…
“Chris Wells is the North American spokesperson for the World March for Peace and Nonviolence.
“ ‘John and Yoko had the vision to turn their honeymoon into a call for peace,’ he says. ‘They asked us to imagine a world without violence. It is a call that remains unfulfilled.’
“After their Bed-In, Lennon and Ono sent acorns to heads of state and tried unsuccessfully to meet with them. Wells and the organizers of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence are planning hundreds of events this fall and winter, in the hope that they might have more of an effect.”
***************
And we thought:
… Yoko and John – they evoke love or hate. For what they actually stand for or what people think they stand for. Genuineness. Hypocrisy. Spirituality. Godlessness. Freedom. Anarchy.
Is imagining peace so crazy? For instance, why are some folks so suspicious of John’s “Imagine”? The song’s just saying, certain institutions have historically subverted peace. They have engendered conflict and war: Countries and governments. Religions and traditions. They have created, and continue to perpetuate, “us” and “them.” Can't we imagine other options?
Of course, things are more complex than what "Imagine" tries to distill in several lines. It’s up to us to break things down into elements we can possibly act on for now. Then, it’s up to us to ask, Why not? ...
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Haiku 082709
the old dock
by the lake place
a loon's retreat
***************
Recently, we read the following:
NPR: “Homeless Man Leaves Behind Surprise: $4 Million”
"Every day on NPR, listeners hear funding credits — or, in other words, very short, simple commercials.
"A few weeks ago, a new one made it to air: 'Support for NPR comes from the estate of Richard Leroy Walters, whose life was enriched by NPR, and whose bequest seeks to encourage others to discover public radio.'
"NPR's Robert Siegel wondered who Walters was. So Siegel Googled him.
"An article in the online newsletter of a Catholic mission in Phoenix revealed that Walters died two years ago at the age of 76. He left an estate worth about $4 million. Along with the money he left for NPR, Walters also left money for the mission...
"Walters was a retired engineer from AlliedSignal Corp.; an honors graduate of Purdue with a master's degree; and a Marine. Walters never married, didn't have children and was estranged from his brother. But he wasn't friendless.
"Rita Belle, a registered nurse, met Walters at a senior center 13 years ago…
"Belle and Walters became friends. Belle stayed with Walters when he was ill. She became his nurse and ultimately the executor of his estate — as well as one of the beneficiaries — despite fundamental differences between them.
" 'He was an atheist and I'm a very profound practicing Catholic, and I'd never met an atheist,' Belle says. "And that just blew my mind that somebody could not believe in the Lord."
"Belle knew him as a very well-informed man ... She heard that he slept on the grounds of the senior center. He told her he ate at the hospital and used a telephone there or at the center.
" 'And I'm sure that's when he was making his trades and so on,' Belle says. 'He was involved in investing; we talked investments a lot.' Belle says Walters even did his own income taxes.
"When Walters retired, he evidently retired from the world of material comforts. He didn't have a car.
" 'He just gave up all of the material things that we think we have to have,' Belle says... 'I never heard him complain.' "
*****************
And we thought:
…Goodness from a most unusual source. It looks like, even without religion as a moral center, Richard Leroy Walters nonetheless was a morally-centered man. He saw the good in people and in groups that serve people. And he thought they were worth all the $4 million he had. He wasn't about to leave his $4 million to his trusty backpack in the same manner that that multi-millionaire matron from New York had left her millions to her trusty cat.
We don’t know how Mr. Walters finally decided his last act. But it certainly looks like it was about giving back to those from whom he received. And yet he apparently didn’t take any more from them than he thought he needed to get by. Talk about walking the good talk, even without the prodding of religion.
To paraphrase the late Sen. Ted Kennedy's (1932-2009) words: "The good endures."
the old dock
by the lake place
a loon's retreat
***************
Recently, we read the following:
NPR: “Homeless Man Leaves Behind Surprise: $4 Million”
"Every day on NPR, listeners hear funding credits — or, in other words, very short, simple commercials.
"A few weeks ago, a new one made it to air: 'Support for NPR comes from the estate of Richard Leroy Walters, whose life was enriched by NPR, and whose bequest seeks to encourage others to discover public radio.'
"NPR's Robert Siegel wondered who Walters was. So Siegel Googled him.
"An article in the online newsletter of a Catholic mission in Phoenix revealed that Walters died two years ago at the age of 76. He left an estate worth about $4 million. Along with the money he left for NPR, Walters also left money for the mission...
"Walters was a retired engineer from AlliedSignal Corp.; an honors graduate of Purdue with a master's degree; and a Marine. Walters never married, didn't have children and was estranged from his brother. But he wasn't friendless.
"Rita Belle, a registered nurse, met Walters at a senior center 13 years ago…
"Belle and Walters became friends. Belle stayed with Walters when he was ill. She became his nurse and ultimately the executor of his estate — as well as one of the beneficiaries — despite fundamental differences between them.
" 'He was an atheist and I'm a very profound practicing Catholic, and I'd never met an atheist,' Belle says. "And that just blew my mind that somebody could not believe in the Lord."
"Belle knew him as a very well-informed man ... She heard that he slept on the grounds of the senior center. He told her he ate at the hospital and used a telephone there or at the center.
" 'And I'm sure that's when he was making his trades and so on,' Belle says. 'He was involved in investing; we talked investments a lot.' Belle says Walters even did his own income taxes.
"When Walters retired, he evidently retired from the world of material comforts. He didn't have a car.
" 'He just gave up all of the material things that we think we have to have,' Belle says... 'I never heard him complain.' "
*****************
And we thought:
…Goodness from a most unusual source. It looks like, even without religion as a moral center, Richard Leroy Walters nonetheless was a morally-centered man. He saw the good in people and in groups that serve people. And he thought they were worth all the $4 million he had. He wasn't about to leave his $4 million to his trusty backpack in the same manner that that multi-millionaire matron from New York had left her millions to her trusty cat.
We don’t know how Mr. Walters finally decided his last act. But it certainly looks like it was about giving back to those from whom he received. And yet he apparently didn’t take any more from them than he thought he needed to get by. Talk about walking the good talk, even without the prodding of religion.
To paraphrase the late Sen. Ted Kennedy's (1932-2009) words: "The good endures."
Friday, June 26, 2009
Haiku 062609
a wet quilt
of leaves and grass...
stormy night
***************
Recently, we read the following:
NPR: “Michael Jackson: Life Of A Pop Icon” by Neda Ulaby
“Singer Michael Jackson, the man known as the King of Pop to legions of fans around the globe, who lived most of his extraordinary life in the public eye, died Thursday in Los Angeles after going into cardiac arrest. He was 50 years old….
“It used to be that Jackson's talent was the most compelling thing about him, says music critic Jody Rosen….
“And then came the charges of child molestation.
“For comedians like Chris Rock, Michael Jackson became a punch line….
“Or an extended riff….
“Not long ago, Rosen was at a nightclub. Everyone there was too cool to dance. Then the DJ started spinning Jackson's early hits, one after the other.
" ‘As soon as he started playing those, the dance floor was stampeded,’ Rosen says. ‘The longer it went on, the more ecstatic the crowd got, and everyone was dancing. That's the image I'd like to remember MJ by: just sheer joy generated by his best music.’
“The Michael Jackson in his mind, Rosen says, was not a has-been, a controversy or a joke. He was a genius.”
***************
And we thought:
… People are stunned all the more by Michael’s sudden passing because, in the last 5 years, he did keep a low profile for the most part. Out of sight, out of mind. People were practically unaware as Michael was being buffeted by storms -- emotional, legal, financial, etc. -- caused by child molestation charges being filed against him one after the other. Most will be kinder now….
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...
a wet quilt
of leaves and grass...
stormy night
***************
Recently, we read the following:
NPR: “Michael Jackson: Life Of A Pop Icon” by Neda Ulaby“Singer Michael Jackson, the man known as the King of Pop to legions of fans around the globe, who lived most of his extraordinary life in the public eye, died Thursday in Los Angeles after going into cardiac arrest. He was 50 years old….
“It used to be that Jackson's talent was the most compelling thing about him, says music critic Jody Rosen….
“And then came the charges of child molestation.
“For comedians like Chris Rock, Michael Jackson became a punch line….
“Or an extended riff….
“Not long ago, Rosen was at a nightclub. Everyone there was too cool to dance. Then the DJ started spinning Jackson's early hits, one after the other.
" ‘As soon as he started playing those, the dance floor was stampeded,’ Rosen says. ‘The longer it went on, the more ecstatic the crowd got, and everyone was dancing. That's the image I'd like to remember MJ by: just sheer joy generated by his best music.’
“The Michael Jackson in his mind, Rosen says, was not a has-been, a controversy or a joke. He was a genius.”
***************
And we thought:
… People are stunned all the more by Michael’s sudden passing because, in the last 5 years, he did keep a low profile for the most part. Out of sight, out of mind. People were practically unaware as Michael was being buffeted by storms -- emotional, legal, financial, etc. -- caused by child molestation charges being filed against him one after the other. Most will be kinder now….
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...
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Haiku 062409
morning glories
lie still on the grass...
summer sunset
***************
Recently, we read the following:
NPR: “Iran Supreme Leader Vows Not To Bow To Protests”
“Iran's supreme leader said Wednesday that the government would not give in to pressure over the disputed presidential election, effectively closing the door to compromise with the opposition.
" ‘Neither the system nor the people will give in to pressures at any price,’ Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a meeting with lawmakers Wednesday….
“In his remarks on state television, Khamenei was adamant. ‘On the current situation, I was insisting and will insist on implementation of the law. That means we will not go one step beyond the law,’ he said…
“Mousavi claims that hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stole the June 12 election through massive fraud. He has called for annulling the results and holding a new vote.
“Mousavi supporters have flooded the streets of Tehran and other cities on a near-daily basis since the election, massing by the hundreds of thousands in protests larger than any since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Security forces initially stood by and permitted the demonstrations.
“Khamenei said in a stern sermon broadcast to the nation Friday that Ahmadinejad was the legitimate winner. He told opposition supporters to halt their protests and blamed the U.S., Britain and other foreign powers for instigating unrest.
“The government then ramped up both the use of force and its rhetoric, beating protesters, firing tear gas and water cannons at them. State media say at least 17 people have been killed in the postelection unrest. Amateur footage of a woman bleeding to death from a gunshot on a Tehran street unleashed outrage at home and abroad….”
***************
And we thought:
… You’d think that Iran’s mullahs would at least try to provide a safe forum to hear out the protesters. Or do Iran’s laws actually prohibit dialogue between its leaders and its people? Scores of protesters have since fallen in the streets – some killed, a lot more injured. But the protests continue. Obviously, "threats, beatings, and imprisonments" -- and blaming other countries -- will not resolve the issues protesters have raised. A good-faith dialogue might just help start the process....
morning glories
lie still on the grass...
summer sunset
***************
Recently, we read the following:
NPR: “Iran Supreme Leader Vows Not To Bow To Protests”
“Iran's supreme leader said Wednesday that the government would not give in to pressure over the disputed presidential election, effectively closing the door to compromise with the opposition.
" ‘Neither the system nor the people will give in to pressures at any price,’ Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a meeting with lawmakers Wednesday….
“In his remarks on state television, Khamenei was adamant. ‘On the current situation, I was insisting and will insist on implementation of the law. That means we will not go one step beyond the law,’ he said…
“Mousavi claims that hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stole the June 12 election through massive fraud. He has called for annulling the results and holding a new vote.
“Mousavi supporters have flooded the streets of Tehran and other cities on a near-daily basis since the election, massing by the hundreds of thousands in protests larger than any since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Security forces initially stood by and permitted the demonstrations.
“Khamenei said in a stern sermon broadcast to the nation Friday that Ahmadinejad was the legitimate winner. He told opposition supporters to halt their protests and blamed the U.S., Britain and other foreign powers for instigating unrest.
“The government then ramped up both the use of force and its rhetoric, beating protesters, firing tear gas and water cannons at them. State media say at least 17 people have been killed in the postelection unrest. Amateur footage of a woman bleeding to death from a gunshot on a Tehran street unleashed outrage at home and abroad….”
***************
And we thought:
… You’d think that Iran’s mullahs would at least try to provide a safe forum to hear out the protesters. Or do Iran’s laws actually prohibit dialogue between its leaders and its people? Scores of protesters have since fallen in the streets – some killed, a lot more injured. But the protests continue. Obviously, "threats, beatings, and imprisonments" -- and blaming other countries -- will not resolve the issues protesters have raised. A good-faith dialogue might just help start the process....
Monday, June 8, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Haiku 050709
breakfast call
a rabbit sniffing
the spring air
***************
NPR: “Rights Lawyers In China Face Growing Threats” by Louisa Lim
“A new report by Amnesty International says China has intensified its crackdown on activists and particularly lawyers. It says there has been a disregard of national laws, noting at least four cases this year in which lawyers were threatened with violence by the authorities.
“Lawyer Yan Yiming was called to his law firm's conference room in Shanghai to give advice to three men. When he turned around to write on a whiteboard, he was suddenly assaulted. The three men beat him with iron bars and a hammer….
“So far, Yan doesn't know who ordered the attack or why. He has made many enemies over the years, through his work in environmental protection, defending shareholders and pushing for government transparency. He knew the risks.
" ‘China is changing from a society ruled by men to one ruled by laws, but we're not even halfway yet. Rule of man is much stronger. Eight of the top 10 whistleblowers have been arrested. Those who fight corruption get caught,’ he says.
" ‘If China's legal system is a skyscraper, it should be 100 stories. But it's not finished, we've only built 30 or 40 stories. If we're standing high up in the building, and I get knocked to the ground and killed by corrupt officials and their friends, at least the 30 or 40 stories we've built will still exist,’ he says….”
***************
.... After reading about the difficulties they have been made to endure for “doing their duty”, how can one not be in awe of these lawyers in China? In spite of harassment, beatings, and kidnappings, they still remain so optimistic that things in their society will improve down the road.
These “rights” lawyers themselves point out that China has made inroads into becoming a society ruled by laws from a society ruled by men. They acknowledge that the legal skyscraper may only be about 30 or 40 stories, out of 100, completed -- certainly still a long way to go. But, as these men of the law see it, change is in the air. And that's a long way from where they started ....
breakfast call
a rabbit sniffing
the spring air
***************
NPR: “Rights Lawyers In China Face Growing Threats” by Louisa Lim
“A new report by Amnesty International says China has intensified its crackdown on activists and particularly lawyers. It says there has been a disregard of national laws, noting at least four cases this year in which lawyers were threatened with violence by the authorities.
“Lawyer Yan Yiming was called to his law firm's conference room in Shanghai to give advice to three men. When he turned around to write on a whiteboard, he was suddenly assaulted. The three men beat him with iron bars and a hammer….
“So far, Yan doesn't know who ordered the attack or why. He has made many enemies over the years, through his work in environmental protection, defending shareholders and pushing for government transparency. He knew the risks.
" ‘China is changing from a society ruled by men to one ruled by laws, but we're not even halfway yet. Rule of man is much stronger. Eight of the top 10 whistleblowers have been arrested. Those who fight corruption get caught,’ he says.
" ‘If China's legal system is a skyscraper, it should be 100 stories. But it's not finished, we've only built 30 or 40 stories. If we're standing high up in the building, and I get knocked to the ground and killed by corrupt officials and their friends, at least the 30 or 40 stories we've built will still exist,’ he says….”
***************
.... After reading about the difficulties they have been made to endure for “doing their duty”, how can one not be in awe of these lawyers in China? In spite of harassment, beatings, and kidnappings, they still remain so optimistic that things in their society will improve down the road.
These “rights” lawyers themselves point out that China has made inroads into becoming a society ruled by laws from a society ruled by men. They acknowledge that the legal skyscraper may only be about 30 or 40 stories, out of 100, completed -- certainly still a long way to go. But, as these men of the law see it, change is in the air. And that's a long way from where they started ....
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Haiku 050509
dad's flannel shirt
the plaid glass façade
of blue sky
***************
NPR: “The Island Where People Live Longer”
“Making it to 90 years old is awe-inspiring in much of the world. But on a tiny Greek island in the North Aegean Sea, nonagenarians barely merit a second glance. The island of Icaria could be the newest of the world's so-called blue zones — places where residents have unusually long life spans.
“Dan Buettner has crossed the globe many times over the years in search of blue zones, and he recently teamed up with AARP and National Geographic to study Icaria….They found Icaria had the highest percentage of 90-year-olds anywhere on the planet — nearly 1 out of 3 people make it to their 90s. Plus, Buettner says, ‘they have about 20 percent lower rates of cancer, 50 percent lower rates of heart disease and almost no dementia.’
“Our life spans are about 20 percent dictated by our genes, Buettner says. The rest is lifestyle…. ‘They … have a diet that's very interesting,’ Buettner continues. ‘It's very high in olive oil; it's very high in fruits and vegetables.’ It's also very high in greens; about 150 kinds of veggies grow wild on the island….
“Particularly unusual to this new blue zone are the villagers' drinking habits. Tea drinking, that is. Icarians drink herbal teas every day, morning and night….This seems to be one of their secrets to longer living.… ‘That's something we haven't seen in Okinawa or Costa Rica or Sardinia or any of the other blue zones,’ Buettner says.”
***************
…. For those of us whose lifestyles haven’t really been particularly healthy over the years, hope it isn’t too late to make some changes. That is, if our plan is to remain active well into our 90s so that we can continue enjoying family and friends and avocations.
What would the point be of a longer life if you can’t be actively “up and about” anyway? Who would want to vegetate and waste away on a bed in a nursing home and be a burden to family and friends who have their own lives to live? Besides, is leading a healthy and active lifestyle even an assurance of long life in many parts of the world? What does one do about violent crime, pollution, pandemics, regional strife, and weapons of mass destruction?
Makes one wonder whether or not blue zones are indeed viable outside of Icaria, Okinawa, and similar places. It looks like places like these have taken generations to evolve -- and in relative isolation from the rest of this crazy world at that. So many variables....
dad's flannel shirt
the plaid glass façade
of blue sky
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NPR: “The Island Where People Live Longer”
“Making it to 90 years old is awe-inspiring in much of the world. But on a tiny Greek island in the North Aegean Sea, nonagenarians barely merit a second glance. The island of Icaria could be the newest of the world's so-called blue zones — places where residents have unusually long life spans.
“Dan Buettner has crossed the globe many times over the years in search of blue zones, and he recently teamed up with AARP and National Geographic to study Icaria….They found Icaria had the highest percentage of 90-year-olds anywhere on the planet — nearly 1 out of 3 people make it to their 90s. Plus, Buettner says, ‘they have about 20 percent lower rates of cancer, 50 percent lower rates of heart disease and almost no dementia.’
“Our life spans are about 20 percent dictated by our genes, Buettner says. The rest is lifestyle…. ‘They … have a diet that's very interesting,’ Buettner continues. ‘It's very high in olive oil; it's very high in fruits and vegetables.’ It's also very high in greens; about 150 kinds of veggies grow wild on the island….
“Particularly unusual to this new blue zone are the villagers' drinking habits. Tea drinking, that is. Icarians drink herbal teas every day, morning and night….This seems to be one of their secrets to longer living.… ‘That's something we haven't seen in Okinawa or Costa Rica or Sardinia or any of the other blue zones,’ Buettner says.”
***************
…. For those of us whose lifestyles haven’t really been particularly healthy over the years, hope it isn’t too late to make some changes. That is, if our plan is to remain active well into our 90s so that we can continue enjoying family and friends and avocations.
What would the point be of a longer life if you can’t be actively “up and about” anyway? Who would want to vegetate and waste away on a bed in a nursing home and be a burden to family and friends who have their own lives to live? Besides, is leading a healthy and active lifestyle even an assurance of long life in many parts of the world? What does one do about violent crime, pollution, pandemics, regional strife, and weapons of mass destruction?
Makes one wonder whether or not blue zones are indeed viable outside of Icaria, Okinawa, and similar places. It looks like places like these have taken generations to evolve -- and in relative isolation from the rest of this crazy world at that. So many variables....
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