The "W" is for "Whack"

Seize the Day

Poem of the day:

Let America be America again.

Let it be the dream it used to be.
Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed -

Let it be that great strong land of love

Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme

That any man be crushed by one above.

For all the dreams we've dreamed

And all the songs we've sung

And all the hopes we've held

And all the flags we've hung,

The millions who have nothing for our pay -

Except the dream that's almost dead today.

O, let America be America again -

The land that never has been yet -

And yet must be -

the land where every man is free.

(Excerpted from "Let America Be America Again," by Langston Hughes)

Headline of the Day:

Ex-Homecoming Queen Beats Sister With Fake Leg In Trailer

or

How NOT To Do an Intervention

(from Pittsburgh)

Article of the Day:

Poverty is Poison

“Poverty in early childhood poisons the brain.” That was the opening of an article in Saturday’s Financial Times, summarizing research presented last week at the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

L. B. J. declared his “War on Poverty” 44 years ago. Contrary to cynical legend, there actually was a large reduction in poverty over the next few years, especially among children, who saw their poverty rate fall from 23 percent in 1963 to 14 percent in 1969.

But progress stalled thereafter: American politics shifted to the right, attention shifted from the suffering of the poor to the alleged abuses of welfare queens driving Cadillacs, and the fight against poverty was largely abandoned.

In 2006, 17.4 percent of children in America lived below the poverty line, substantially more than in 1969. And even this measure probably understates the true depth of many children’s misery.

America’s failure to make progress in reducing poverty, especially among children, should provoke a lot of soul-searching. Unfortunately, what it often seems to provoke instead is great creativity in making excuses.

(excerpted from Feb 18, NYT article)

Thought of the Day:

Each time someone stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against an injustice, they send forth a ripple of hope. --- Robert F. Kennedy

Do Until You Die

I don't want to give the impression that I am playing off a movie that looks as cheesy as a Wisconsin kurd bucket. But I think February is a great time to be thinking about what place(s) we want to see or thing(s) we want to do before another year passes.

Also, I don't really need help with my "Things To Do Before I Die" list. Nonetheless, I think it'd be cool to hear what some of you have on your lists - and what others might be planning on marking off this year.

I have never been to the great Northwest, but have always imagined I'd love it there...which sets me up for a two-fer this autumn: seeing southern Oregon/northern California AND climbing a titan Redwood. (Okay: so I'll be climbing an old growth Douglas fir tree - not a Redwood - get over it. It's still a 300-footer!)

There's something about these majestic millenia-old beauties that has grabbed me by the 'nads and won't let go. Not sure about the firs, but the titan Redwoods don't even have any branches until you get about 200 feet off the ground. They actually have to shoot fishing line over them with a high-powered bow, tie a climbing rope to the fishing line and then pull it back over.

The scientists who study them aren't sure just how old they become - their best guess is between 2,500 and 3,000 years old. The massive trunks of the fallen are often hollowed out - it's a survival mechanism that let's them live through forest fires. The botanists remain a little baffled about how they manage to stay alive...though they've learned a lot, there is still much they don't know about them. It's only been in the past 25-30 years that botanists have even gone exploring forest canopies.

One woman got lost in a "trunk cave" while climbing a live, still-standing tree. She went in to explore and was lost for about 20 minutes, unable to find her way out: that's how enormous these suckers are.

In the eco-adventure trip linked above, they spend a few hours teaching you (on the ground, thank Dog) how to use the ropes. Then one of them goes up with you (climbing at your side). They feed you when you get near the top, then strap you into a treeboat (hammock) and spend the night up there. (The hammocks are called "treeboats" because the whole tree sways around in the wind and people often have "sea legs" when they get back on terra firma.) The guides feed you breakfast and coffee, then you come back down.

Like I said (if you couldn't tell), I am juked-up about this.

Also, thanks to a friggin' awesome job (no gloat - just grateful), I'll be knocking off Africa this year, too. More about that later...

What has you enthused? What are you hoping to be able to scratch off your list this year - and come back (hopefully) enriched in some way?

enthusiasm = en theos = with god. Not that you need a trip or something out of the ordinary to get enthused - daily life offers plenty of opportunity for that, I hope.

I just believe you gotta be enthused about something or you're not really living.

Let's talk!

Faux News - Insanely Imbalanced

No one reading this is gonna be shocked or surprised by this headline.

"Faux News really isn't fair and balanced? Oh my!"

Nonetheless, the Dupert Mularchy Machine marches on...finding new ways to propogandize even as their dogmatic faithful remain tuned-in and deluded.

The screenshot captured here has not been doctored in any way...they really did run this clip of McCain speaking in front of the Conservative Political Action Conference yesterday, identifying him as a Democrat. No shit. No tongue-in-cheek...no commentary about the "mis-labeling." Nothing. Well, nothing except pure ideological hate-mongering lies.

The only reason I care is because more people watch Faux News than any other cable news channel. WTF is wrong with these Americans?

Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised (even though it seems to always amaze me).

We didn't elect Bush once. No...he was elected twice.

At least we have a chance to break out of this divisiveness. A chance to redeem ourselves.

We have a lot more in common as Americans than these idealogues (particularly on the right - but both sides are guilty) want us to see or admit to.

Mamas for Obama: Unite!

:~)