Oh My, They're Really Outraged......Again...

On Friday, John McCain unveiled his first general election television ad. In it we were reminded that John McCain was a real American and proud to be an American in America running for the American Presidency. Perhaps it was a little redundant in its use of the word America, or perhaps a wee bit condescending to an electorate, but none the less, it manged to use the word American too many times in one sentence and of course, the Democratic National Committee offered a rather mild criticism of the ad.
Howard Dean called McCain "another out of touch Bush Republican who promises four more years of the same failed leadership."
The ad also included interrogation footage from the Vietnam era inprisonment by the North Vietnamese.. Dean commented, "While we honor McCain's military service, the fact is Americans wantt a leader who offers real solutions, not a blatant opportunist who doesn't understand the economy and is promising to keep our troops in Iraq for 100 years."
Deans criticisms seemed pretty tame and routine, but Frank Donatelli of the Republican National Committee was outraged! How dare a political opponent rebut and criticize St. John McCain, especially an expensive election ad!

Donatelli demanded, "Howard Dean owes John McCain an immediate apology and both Senators Clinton and Obama should unequivically denounce this disgraceful attack!"
The RNC added that Dean's remarks amounted to a "character smear".

They are outraged? They demand an apology? These are the lame tactics we can expect from the Republicans? Isn't conservative outrage becoming a rather pathetic over used concept already? They are going to stay in a constant indignant snit for the next eight excruciating months? Aren't they afraid it might get a little boring at the pity party?
C'mon, McCain is the most shameless "blatant opportunist" in American politics today! Haven't the conservative pundits and poobahs been pontificating endlessly about McCain's voluminous flip-flop list? If they are outraged now, what kind of emotional pinnical will they have to ascend to after McCain gets royally creamed in a debate?

Yeah, so conservatives are really outraged, what ever...Does anyone care any more?

-BQ

The official first Barbeque of the year took place here in La Sechere on Saturday night! We had a tiny window of opportunity, a beautiful warm spring day that appeared after a week of rain and wind, and as the coals died down in the darkness, the day before France officially switched to daylight savings time, a new storm was on the horizon.
I got out the barbeque and fired it up with charcoal briquets, using trimmings from the fig tree as kindling. We had a few guests and I had thawed out a few magret de canard we had bought during the foir au gras a few months earlier.
I don't know how available magret de canard is in the USA, so this might be a vicarious post if you want to try this. Here, we are in the land of ducks and the type of duck raised is the Barbary. They are as big as geese and raised commercially for foie gras and confit. The males have big muscular breasts and each side is like a small beef tenderloin with a layer of fat.
The meat is red like beef and many people, including myself swear that they would rather have a perfectly cooked magret than a beef steak.
It is one of the culinarty specialities of Southwest France. In a pan, it is seared and cooked very quickly over a hot fire. The meat should be rare and sliced thinly before serving.
The fat side of the breast is scored diagonally with a sharp knife.
I enjoy barbequed duck breast. I score the breasts, then when the fire is nice and even, I put the breasts, lean side on the hot grill and then move them after a few seconds to sear them with an X pattern from the gill.
Then I flip them and the fat renders. This can present a problem, but if you are a watchful griller and keep moving them, you can avoid incineration from fat flare ups. I usually find that over a hot grill they take about 12 minutes.
Let them rest on the cutting board for 5 minutes, then slice no more than 1/4 inch thick and serve! The slices should be pink inside!
We traditionally serve them with sauteed potatoes, cooked in duck fat with garlic and parsley and a fresh green salad.
I serve the magret with sweet accents also. On Saturday night, I had mirabelle plums from last year. I also like fig jam as a sweet accent. Duck goes well with fruit. The classic roast ducks are with cherries or a l'orange.
A very wonderful classic dish is the sauteed duck breast done in a hot pan. The pan is then deglazed with just a bit of white wine, then green pepper corns are added with a bit of cream. The duck is served the same way, carved thin and with the sauce on the side. I love green pepper corns. My wife brought back some fresh green pepper corns from a market in Thailand, which she froze and we have been enjoying them for a few weeks now! They seem to be impossible to find anywhere except of course for the bottled ones.........they are good too.
Well, if you can find nice thick Barbary Duck Breasts to Barbeque, try this!
Bon Apetit, bien sur!

More Peace!

These badges are the Chinese spelling for PEACE and are available from Reporters Without Borders. They have developed the badges and are promoting a campaign to get as many people as possible,who actually go to the Beijing Olympics to wear them.
Of couurse they are calling for a total boycott of the games and I support that as well!
Here is the pwerful official graphic they have been using to promote the boycott.


So far a few countries including Germany are going to boycott the opening ceremonies. The poignant reports from Tibet in the last few days which even the state sponsored controlled trip to Lhasa couldn't suppress have painted a picture of cultural and religious persecution that has gone on brutally for 50 years.
The Chinese government has tried to spin it as irresponsible thuggery. They paint the Tibetans who did riot as violent criminal dissidents and have denied and tried to change the actual history of the region. They ignore the fact that the Tibetans have been discriminated against in their own land and treated like second class citizens while other ethnic groups have been transplanted to the region in an attempt to eradicate Tibetan identity.
In the last week, the organization Avaaz, which works for human rights all over the world has collected over a million signatures. They have been working inside Tibet and China for years. Sign this petition now and take a little time to learn about Avaaz and what they have done and plan to accomplish. They would like to have 2 million signatures by the middle of the week. We are attempting to participate in a consumers boycott of Chinese goods. So far, there are a few thousand people participating. Maybe, somehow, we can persuade the Chinese Government to have realistic talks with the Dalai Lama and resolve this situation.

I have been asked how I can support the rights of religious group being in a sense anti-religious. I have never said that I oppose the right of any religion to exist or the right of anyone to believe what they like. I, myself, feel that organized religion is a stage of the development of human society and conciousness that was neccessary, but like all things that develop and grow, our collective conciousness has reached the point where we are able to see beyond the past. I feel that some religions have a more enlightened theology that enables them ot be a part of this on going evolution..
Some religions have been able to leap ahead in their development of the concious and unconcious mind.
I also feel that the growth of religions and their popular acceptance have more to do with political power and social movements. I see examples of this every day.
I try to promote with my stance towards religion, on this blog, the idea that organized religion is a stagnating force and we live in a time of great flux. In this very crucial part of our develoment as a specie, we can easily destroy ourselves by not making it through this dangerous bottle neck.
If you want to talk about religion on this blog, please do not try to use it as a tool to try to proslytize and convert. We can talk about concepts, respectfully, but I will not tolerate hysteria.

PEACE AT LAST!

Earlier this week, it was the "sleep deprived mis speaking" that led Hillary to give us her fantasy action figure version of her trip to Bosnia. Unfortunately, she had mis spoken 3 times earlier on this ame subject.
The above video is a production of the Jed Report and shows that she has mis spoke for months now regarding her role in the Irish Peace Process.
What next? A compilation of her mis spoken sleep deprived statements on NAFTA?

Realistically, it is one thing to mislead the public in the heat of the primaries. It is easily done. Hillary's campaign seems to believe that this kind of mis speaking is something that can be swept under the carpet after she gets the nomination.
In the real campaign, this is the stuff that will be used to destroy her by a armed and loaded Republican trash machine.

We can't afford to have a candidate who's record is built on mis speaking and exagerrations. A network of lies, so easy to expose, will become the very ammunition used by the Republicans and the Conservative Press.

The Earth Is Flat

A debate between an Iraqi "Researcher on Astronomy" and a physicist on Iraqi television. Apparently, this is an important question in the Fundamentalist Islamic world...as well in the Fundamentalist Christian World....
We now take you to Bagdhad, Kansas......

-From the transcript-

Interviewer: Lunar and solar eclipses, sunset and sunrise, and the changing of seasons -- how would you explain all these phenomena, if the Earth is not round, as you claim?

Fadhel Al-Sa'd: The sun circles the Earth because it is smaller than the Earth, as is evident in Koranic verses.

Have you ever seen how the sun moves? I have seen the sun moving. The sun makes one move every 24 hours.

What I say is based on Koranic science. He bases his arguments on the kind of science that I reject categorically -- the modern science that they teach in schools. This science is a heretic innovation that has no confirmation in the Koran. No verse in the Koran indicates that the Earth is round or that it rotates. Anything that has no indication in the Koran is false.

Sad Ironic Question: Don't you feel that you could substitute the word, Bible for the word, Koran and the same debate could be aired in the United States and defended as freedom of religion?

AN OPEN WINDOW!

I would like to point you in the direction of a blog called
Islam&Muslims (the truth) by a young Egyptian man named Mohamed Fadly.
He is not trying to convert you to Islam, but his purpose is to give his perspective of what it means to be a Muslim and explain passionately, but rationally the real emotion, pain and frustration of the slow genocide in Palestine..
He wants to talk to you and he wants to know what you think. He has really only heard the viewpoints of a small group of conservative bloggers who are good at making a lot of noise. I can sense in his posts his openess and good nature slowly turning to cynical resignation as his passion is ridiculed and rebuffed. If you want a window into the feelings and ideas of a rational young man who truly wants peace and REAL justice in Palestine, he is ready to open it for you.

OBAMA/BLOOMBERG 08!

I haven't written much about the Democratic Party Nomination Battle. Lately, I have been more and more dismayed and appalled by Hillary and Bill.
I believe that if Hillary is the candidate, she will probably lose to McCain. I don't want that, but I already see how the Republicans are armed and ready to destroy her.
She has not helped herself lately and I think she is self destructing with her own miscalculated negativity and a sense that if she has to destroy Obama to win, she will.
What she hasn't calculated on is Barack Obama's resilincy and ability to grow in stature with every take down attempt.

There, I've said it! I support Barack Obama for President of the United States. So far, I like and admire him and I am not alone as a growing number of important endorsements are coming his way from the top and up from the bottom. I admire and respect the fact that while Hillary is scrambling for cash from the very rich donors, who are beginning to wonder if throwing more money into a black hole is worth it, Obama is getting allthe funding he needs from small donations from the people all over America who can believe in him!

There is just a little more than a hint of desparation when a group of her very wealthiest supporters try to blackmail Nancy Pelosi and threaten to stop donating to the Party if Hillary doesn't get the nomination. Interestingly, there is a list of the blackmailing donors available and you will be surprised at how many of them were guests in the Lincoln Bedroom in the Bill Clinton White House.

I won't even go into the Tusla "mis speak/sleep deprivation" debacle. Sheryl Crowe and the comedian Sinbad were on the same helicopter and have been telling their version for months, since Hillary mis spoke about this the first time last year... it's only now that any one is paying attention.

So, today, after a slight vacation and the polls showing that instead of destroying him, the Reverend Wright controversy only made it clear to a lot of folks in North Carolina that Barack Obama is a Christian, he is in New York to give an economic policy speech at The Cooper Union this evening.
This morning at a breakfast engagement hosted by Michael Bloomberg, Obama said of the mayor:

"I want to thank Mayor Bloomberg for his extraordinary leadership. At a time when Washington is divided in old ideological battles, he shows us what can be achieved when we bring people together to seek pragmatic solutions. Not only has he been a remarkable leader for New York –he has established himself as a major voice in our national debate on issues like renewing our economy, educating our children, and seeking energy independence. Mr. Mayor, I share your determination to bring this country together to finally make progress for the American people."

The buzz in New York City is that Michael Bloomberg is on the verge of endorsing Barack Obama. The feeling is that there is more than a possibility that they are talking about a trans party ticket. Michael Bloomberg could be the vice presidential nominee. I'm for that! Talk about challenging expectations! What a unifying team it could be! Bloomberg, the Jewish mayor, self made billionaire and Obama, mixed race political genius. Both have the solid credentials to put together programs that will solve so many of the problems America faces..

In the race, McCain will only misread teleprompters and have to change his Depends during debates. Barack Obama and Michael Bloomberg have the goods to cut across race and political boundaries.
If this becomes reality they won't just win, they will conquer!

Spy In The House Of Love

Here's a piece of music from early 90's by a band I can't help loving, Was/Notwas.
Yes, they are slick as hell, with the incredible Sir Harry Bowens and Sweetpea Atkinson on vocals. Sir Harry was with the O'Jays for years and Sweetpea was on the Ford assembly line. Don Was on Bass and David Was on sax and flute.
I heard today that they are releasing a record next month after a hiatus of over 10 years working apart on other projects. Don went on to produce Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan, Cheb Khaled among others, David worked with Rickie Lee Jones and Wayne Kramer.
The record to be released next month is called BOO!

If you are interested, David Was has a blog and it looks like he is reporting on the progress of the revitalized Was/notWas...check it out from time to time!

FREE MONEY!

Last night on the ARTE Network, here in France, the Patti Smith Documentary, Dream Of Life was shown. A very amazing film that was made over a 10 year period. It went back and forth through time, with archival footage from the 70's up until some of the recent performances of the last few years. In it, you saw her children grow over a 10 year period, she introduced her parents and spoke about her companion of the 70's, Rober Mapplethorpe and her marriage to Fred Sonic Smith.
Patti Smith was one of the artists that re awakened my interest and passion for rock and roll in the mid 70's. She is one of the people who inspired me to write and play music. I met her in the 70's in Detroit with a friend who was a rock writer, after that I saw her every chance I could. I had known her husband, Fred when he was the other lead guitarist of the MC5 in Detroit and loved his work with The Sonic Rendezvous Band. I have profiled the Sonic Rendezvous on this blog and mentioned the career of Scott Morgan of the Rationals who was the lead singer. Wayne Kramer put out a very good tribute record after Fred died called Dodge and Main...I highly recommend it!
Check out this video of The Sonic Rendezvous.
This is a video of Free Money from 1976 performed in Stockholm. This is a woman who trancends the lable Female Rock Artist. She is a great poet and a powerful passionate performer. What a life, small town punk poet who worshipped Arthur Rimbaud, New York Artist who learned to weld her poetry to rock and was one of the inspirations to a generation of punk rockers! While touring and visiting Detroit, she became friends with the members of the MC5, who were considered the prototype, and still are one of the most powerful political/rock musical units of all time. At that time, Wayne Kramer was still in prison and her Detroit performances would always end with various mewmbers of the MC5 on stage yelling FREE WAYNE KRAMER.
Wayne was released from prison and became reborn as a great solo musician in the 90's.
Meanwhile, Patti fell in love with Fred Sonic Smith, married him, stopped making recordes and lived as a mother and house wife in East Detroit for 10 years. She and Fred made one Record together, People Have The Power.
Fred died of heart failure, and she moved on and was encouraged to go back on stage.
She has only gained stature as a great American artist, a powerful voice, an icon...

CUFI

"the United States must join Israel in a pre-emptive military strike against Iran to fulfill God's plan for both Israel and the West... a biblically prophesied end-time confrontation with Iran, which will lead to the Rapture, Tribulation, and Second Coming of Christ.".

This is a quote from Reverened James Hagee, the Evangelical Minister whose support and endorsement was so sought after by John McCain.
Hagee is one of the leaders of CUFI, Christians United For Israel, an organization which promotes the cause of Israel in America because they purport to believe in Israel's role in the scriptural fulfillment relating to the Rapture, Armageddon, The destruction of our world and
The end of time.
Soon after Hagee met with McCain, he released this email to his followers.

Pastor Hagee's email to members of CUFI:

CHRISTIANS UNITED FOR ISRAEL

Membership Update

January 29, 2007

Newsflash!

This morning I had an extended breakfast with Senator John McCain of Arizona. Our topic of discussion was Israel and his candidacy for the Presidency of the United States of America.

Senator McCain's comments concerning Israel are on target! He gets it! While I do not want to put the specifics of our conversation in this update I am glad to report to our leadership and supporters that John McCain is solidly pro-Israel.

We discussed his positions on other matters that I will share with you when I speak with you in person. This newsflash goes to the ends of the earth and I don't want to read it in the media tomorrow.

You did see, a few days later, McCain and Hagee appearing together and McCain gratefully accepting his endorsement.
Questions: Does McCain actually believe this interpretation of biblical scripture?
Who is using who here?
How involved is Israel with CUFI?

I personally believe that the abuse of the mindless belief of the masses to promote this insane doctrine is one of the gravest threats we face today...

A heaping helping of handy advice for politicians...
via crooksandliars.com

Flight of the Bumblebee!

This post was inspired by a fellow blogger, Village Green in Akron, Ohio.
She recently commented on my posting of Iggy Pop performing at Madonna's induction iinto the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Iggy performed Ray of Light by Madonna and turned it into a Stooges Piece. I remarked that I would like to see Madonna try to perform something of Iggy's...Now I Wanna Be Your Dog, not that I don't believe she couldn't, I just can't imagine it. Well, maybe I can...
Village Green recently featured some news about legendary Detroit Rocker, Suzi Quatro and I began to think, maybe Rock has always had a macho swagger about it, but there have been a lot of major woman rock artists who are not honored or really taken seriously because of their gender. A lot of times they are thought of as Novelty acts, but I would like to at least here, on thebrainpolice, try to jog our collective memories and feature some of the great artists, you forgot.
I would appreciate any suggestions for my WOMEN IN ROCK series. I will try to find videos and bio material.
To kick this off, I am posting a video of Jeniffer Batten. She is a major innovator in the world of guitar technique. She played on Michael Jackson's albums and in his touring band and recorded extensively on her own. She has been the second guitar in Jeff Becks touring band and a co writer on much of the work that has propelled Beck into his 5th decade as an innovative and visionary master of Rock guitar.
This is Jennifer performing Flight Of The Bumblebee with a symphony orchestra and shredding as no normal non super human on this planet is capable of!

PISENLIT

Ahhh, the first dandelions of spring. They are always the hardiest, lushest of the spring growth, ready to put out a tentative blossom at the first hint of sun and warmth.
To some, they are a curse, impossible to eradicate from an otherwise perfect lawn, to me, they are just a another plant that is good to eat!
The common French name is Pisenlit, literally pis=piss, en lit=in bed...piss in bed!
Why such a rude name? Because they are a gentle diuretic, the leaves and roots stimulate the kidneys to cleanse the blood and recycle nutrients. Unlike pharmeceutical diuretics, dandelions don't leach potassium from the body. Clear skin and improved general health are a reason why dandelions are eaten as a spring tonic by the people in the country. In markets, you can buy big dandelions all season.

In the spring, though, the plants are best before they flower. The dandelion is related to chicory, endives, batavias, salsify and lettuces. They have a mild bitter flavor.
A classic salad is the leaves with a mild mustard vinagrette with toasted croutons.

The basic vinagrette is 3 parts oil to one of wine vinegar and a little dijon or stone ground mustard. Salt and pepper to taste.

A more substantial salad is made with sauteed lardons, vinagrette and dandelion greens. A substitute for lardons would be chopped pieces of smoked bacon.

Today for lunch, we had a salad of mache, which is like baby spinach, dandelions, a dressing of a little mustard, cream and vinegar with walnuts. Yesterday a salad of endives, apple slices and dandelions...
At this rate, I won't have to mow the lawn!

Merci Jean McCain!

John McCain was in France today for a campaign photo op paid for by your tax dollars.
Now a grateful nation would like to thank John McCain!

IN LIVING COLOR

In the mid 80's, the FOX Network began broadcasting and became the innovator in offering programming that pushed the limits. They tried to position themselves in a Youth Oriented marjet with such programs as Arsenio Hall, The Simpsons, Married With Children and the ground breaking predominantly black cast of In Living Color by the Wayans Brothers.
Their marketing has shifted and as far as entertainment programming goes, they have the market, but FOX News has become the propaganda arm of the Bush Administration and there is a network of personal friends and Bush family members working for the Network. It was FOX News that announced that Bush had beaten Gore in the 2000 election while it was in the early stages of being contested.. A fact confirmed in in quite a few places, has Bush being called at his family home and okaying the strategic announcement that in effect was "making it so by saying it."
FOX News has been the main source of disinformation, smoke screens and down right false reporting attempting to sway public opinion and I have documented instances on this blog and any responsible media monitoring organization keeps a daily running tab of the propaganda flowing from it's tap.
In the wake of Barack Obamas Historic Speech on race this week, I was prepared to hear the usual distortions, misquotes and slanted analysis which I expect from them..
But, I was horrified with the continued non stop flow of utter racist fear and hate coming from their commentators.

On his Fox News radio show, Tom Sullivan predicted that African-Americans would be rioting in the streets similar to what happened after the O.J. trial in the 1990s.

"Let me put it to you a different way. What if Barack Obama is not -- does not win the Democratic nomination, or he does win it, and loses in the presidentiial race against John McCain? Is black America going to throw their hands up and say 'Man, you know, I thought we were getting somewhere in this country, but this is just a bunch of racial bigots in this country and they still hate blacks and, I mean, if Barack Obama can't get elected, then we're never gonna have anybody that's a black that's gonna be elected president.' And will there be rioting in the streets? I think the answer to that is yes and yes."

It will be interesting to see if the media takes Sullivan to task for his racist rhetoric.

Sullivan has also compared Obama to Hitler in the past by saying that they both had similar speech patterns.

Last weeks criticsm by Bill O'Reilly of comments on Ariana Huffingtons blog was a little bizarre because he compared Ariana to Hitler (again, the all too common invocation of Hitler by a conservative to smear an opponent).
He compared Ariana to Hitler because he didn't like the tone of comments made on her blog.
I went to FOX News' website today and the unleashed racist fury, one comment stoking and encouraging the next was over whelming. Here are two of hundreds!

"I am sooo tired of hearing how the black man has been mistreated since he was shipped over here to help build America! All I hear is them groveling over being victims.

They are the ones making themselves the victims with their attitude that whites owe them something for bringing their ancestors to the best country that has ever existed. All my life I have only witnessed the blacks with their hands out to the government expecting it to give them everything they want and shouting racist if they don’t get it! No wonder most whites have the opinion that blacks are worthless, lazy sloths who know only how to make more babies and steal everything not nailed down. Barak Lenin Obama, the big eared Muslim, is only fostering this “wo is me” attitude with his obvious prejudices. I, for one, like my white race over that of any other, so does that make me a racist? I don’t thing so. The black man will not break free from his self-imposed shackles until he picks himself up, dusts himself off and begins to provide for himself just like every other race has done who came to this country. Before the blacks can do this, however, they have to rid themselves of the likes of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Farakan, and the good reverend Wright.

Here is another:

"Wow! Jan L. nailed it right on the head! Reparations? I’m waiting for my thank you! You blacks would be naked and eating bugs if it weren’t for white people. Name ONE successful society started by blacks. Any sign of civilization in Africa was started by Europeans. Any city in America with predominately black leaders is a cesspool. Look at New Orleans, Philadelphia, D.C., Detroit…"

Where is Mr. O'Reilly and his blog indignation now? Listen to the stuff that FOX spews out daily. It is almost as if they are trying to start a race war to boost ratings.

Is this how white Americans think? Was Barack Obama mistaken in trying to treat race hatred in a mature manner? Perhaps Republican Jesus can explain it for us:

Thanks to Patriot Boy for Republican Jesus. Check out his manly blog, Jesus General, today! It's in the side bar!

New Improved Protection!

My Friends, John McCain here. You might remember me from the 2008
Presidential Elections. I'm not a real candidate, but I play one on TV.
Running for President can really put the pressure on, if you know what I mean!
All this talk about the surge! Sometimes it gets a little too real.
Trust Depends to help you lead a normal happy active life.
When things get a little to tense, and pesky reporters ask questions that need facts,
Sunni, Shiite? Al Qaeda?
I'm ready for Wars, Wars and more Wars!
I know that I will always be able to Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran in total comfort.
I always feel secure when I'm wearing Depends
with New Improved Protection!

OLYMPIC BOYCOTT!

There is a world wide out cry getting louder by the minute as China brutally represses the protests in Tibet and several Chinese cities supporting cultural and political autonomy for Tibet.
The news is being controlled, internet access is being cut off and YouTube is being flooded with propaganda videos and people aggressively posting to support the Chinese hard line.
The video posted above was put on YouTube today and was clandestinely shot. If you go to YouTube there are many videos on line now and more every hour exposing the real brutality China is using to repress the protests.

Tibetan Culture has been systematically destroyed by the Chinese since the 1950's when the Dalai Lama was forced to flee to Nepal as a teenager. The Chinese try to show historically that Tibet was always a part of China, but Tibet has always had a unique cultural history. Tibetan Budhism is a direct link to a much older religion called Bon.
Budhism has had the unique ability to conform to the various cultures wher ever it spread. The very unique character of Tibetan Bon is very much a part of Tibetan Budhism.
Hundreds of temples have been destroyed with artifacts dating back to medieval times and before as well. Thousands of monks have been slaughtered and disappeared into prisons. The Chinese have been destroying Tibetan culture and identity by moving different groups into Tibet for 50 years to support the claim that Tibet is not made of a single ethnic group.
In spite of all of this, the Tibetan spirit and identity remains strong and intact.

We have seen a very deliberate and brutal disinformation campaign coming out of Beijing. We are told that this is plot that is being directed by the Dalai Lama and even that the Dalai Lama is a CIA operative. We are shown only Chinese victims of the violence and the numbers of Tibetans killed is denied and changes depending on which news release you hear.
If the nations of the world do not speak up, this brutal repression will continue and a virtual genocidial event will occur beyond the reach of television and the internet.

Here is a organization which has worked with other groups for Tibetan Liberation, they have an on line petition to sign.

I believe it is time to press for a general boycott of China's 2008 Olympics and the time to act is now. It is too bad that the United States has destroyed its moral high ground by its ongoing violations of human rights because any protest by Washington is being tossed off by the Chinese as hypocritical.

BOYCOTT THE 2008 CHINESE OLYMPICS! GRANT TIBET POLITICAL AND CULTURAL AUTONOMY NOW!

Tilting At Windmills

Last year, when Nicolas Sarkozy narrowly defeated Segolene Royal in the French presidential elections, the American conservative press was crowing about a new era in European politics and the death of the Left. In France, in the aftermath, it looked pretty grim; A very fractured Left that had spent more time in the campaign sniping at each other than giving united support against Sarkozy and his American style political tactics.
In fact, Segolene's own party was at war with itself as generations clashed.

But, this is the world of French politics and the American pundits have very little grasp or understanding of what is really taking place. Much faster than anyone would have dared to predict, the charm of Sarkozy wore thin and his plot began to unravel. He tried to run a government with the same technique of backstabbing and continual flow of substanceless ideas. He has surrounded himself with a coterie of ministers who cannot act on their own and are in continual fear of losing his favor and hence their position.

Most of all, the cult of his narcissiscm has become a tired litany of his name being constantly mentioned in each news cast. In the exit poll from the Munincipal elections 2nd tour yesterday, 65% of the voters said he should just shut up.

His slogan, Travaillez plus, gagnez plus (work more, earn more) has become a tired joke as his policies favoring business management and crushing unions has not stopped the flow of French Companies laying off workers for cheaper Eastern European Labor and prices have continued to skyrocket for the basic neccessities, of course, his Prime Minister, Francois Fillon will be happy to explain that the cost of imported cheap electronic goods from China has to be factored in, so in reality, no matter what you are paying at the supermarket and gas pump, things aren't that bad.

Last night in the 2nd tour, the results were evident. The Socialists were reborn and the Communists took cities. The Socialists now control 59 Departments in France and the majority of French Mayors are Socialists. The only big cities that retained UMP Mayors were Bordeaux, Agen, Biarritz and Marseille. Marseille by a thread!
2 of the ministers in Sarkozy's government lost their cities, including the hotly contested race in Perigueux, lost by Xavier Darcos.

One of the casualties of the election last night was Francois Bayrou's MODEM Party.
If you remember the American Press in the last election, Bayrou was touted as the "third man", the dark horse of French politics, as if he had risen out of obscurity.
Bayrou tries to represent a moderate position, he sees himself as the heir to his hero from his region,The French King, Henry IV, or Henry of Navarre. Henry IV is always referred to as France's best king, a Protestant who assumed the Regency after the death throes of the Valois. He was able to unite the country and bring an era of stability and economic prosperity after the devastating Wars of Religion.

In reality, Bayrou more resembles Don Qixote, the fumbling knight errant, never quite in touch with reality. Last night he lost his last platform of elected office which he had held for years. The new Mayor of Pau is a Socialist.

A smart slap was delivered to Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday. Last week, we saw the re election by a handy margin of The Socialist Government of Zapatero in Spain.
The golden age of a Thatcherist Conservative Paradise which was fantasized by the American Conservative press a few months ago turns out to be just that, an elusive dream of a fading empire tilting at windmills.

OP ED/PROPAGANDA?

Today, March 13, 2008 Ny Times Op Ed column by William Kristol contains a major prejudicial error. The premise of Mr. Kristol'c column is that Barack Obama was in the pews of his church on July 22 when the pastor of his church delivered the sermon which the Conservatives and the Clinton campaigned have pounced on as evidence of the anti American sentiment of his religious affiliation. It makes no matter that Mr. Obama refuted his pators remarks. It makes even less of an impression that many Americans agree with The Reverened Jeremiah Wright and the message is quite like what they hear from their pulpits each Sunday.
But, let's get back to Mr. Kristol and his attempt to imflame the Conservative penchance for "outrage" with him condemnation of Mr. Obama for not getting up and refuting his Pastors Sermon from the pews.

How could he if he simply was not there? The facts are, Mr. Obama was on his way to Miami, Florida when the sermon was delivered. Here is video evidence.

This is not the first time Mr. Kristol has played with reality to sway opinion in his Times column.
.......AMAZINGLY ENOUGH! I was going to provide links to comtact Mr. Kristol and the Times to if you wanted to inform thm of their error. I did just that when I heard about it. I just checked the link to the article and Mr. Kristol amended it in the on line version, apologizing for his error and not checking facts. I think a lot of people wrote emails!

So, to illustrate this piece, I have a YouTube video of Mr.Kristol getting royally pied at a speaking engagement last year. Here's a link to the noble organization,
The Biotic Baking Brigade, who have been serving up their tasty pies to obnoxious blowhards for a few years now. I think they have some recipes posted as well as gallery of their greatest "hits"!

OH GREAT SWAMI!

Oh Great Swami, who knows all and sees all, what glimpse of the unknowable future can your mysterious wisdom allow us mere mortals?

The Swami sees Wars and more Wars! Swami sees a war in Iraq that could last
100 years.
The Swami sees Al Qaeda trying to influence American Elections!
The Swami is singing Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran!
This mantra seems to calm him and induce his visions. We must all chant with him!
Can he tell us anything about the economy?
Hmm, things are hazy, try again later.....
What is the source of your great knowlege and ancient wisdom?

The Swami gazes dreamily, in his trance state at the sacred picture of
Dick Cheney's rather large and glowing buttocks.

All together now: Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran!

That Pasta Machine....

So, that pasta machine, it's been sitting in a box since the day you got it as a gift. What a great idea! Make your own Pasta! Gotta try it, someday......
How about today? It's too simple and hand made fresh pasta is the best!
How simple? Figure 100 grams of flour and one egg per serving. I make a "volcano" shape with the flour on the counter, in the volcano crater, I crack the eggs and add a 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Then, you start to push the flour into the eggs, and mix it. You might need a little more flour. I think in America, the best flour is bread flour, here in Europe it is referred to as Type 55.
The dough must be kneaded for 10 minutes. Let it rest for a few minutes while you set up your nifty chrome plated hand cranked pasta maker.
The pasta maker has a knob with 7 settings on it. Start with setting #1. Cut the dough into portions, usually, thinking that one portion should be the size of of a serving.
Feed the dough into the pasta machine, fold it over and repeat a few times. After the third time the dough becomes smooth and very easy to handle.
Then feed the strip of dough through the rollers, adjusting the size each time until you reach the desired thickness. #6 is a normal spaghetti or fettucini thickness, but #7 is nice and thin.
What kind of pasta do you want?
There are the attachments which will cut the strips into fettucine or what ever.
The simplest way to enjoy fresh fettucini is to open a can of crushed tomatoes, In a frying pan, heat a little olive oil. Put a crushed garlic clove in the oil and cook it, but never let it brown! Put in the canned tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until it thickens a bit. You could add chopped fresh basil. A little salt and pepper and you have the staple pasta sauce all of Italy enjoys. Of course, serve it with Parmesan.
But the strips, rolled out to thickness #6 are perfect for lasagna.
The strips, rolled out to #7 are perfect for home made ravioli. You lay out a strip, place spoonfuls of filling on the strip by eye and then lay another strip on top. The ravilolis are simply crimped together with a simple ravioli/pastry crimper. Just run the wheel between the portions and the pastas are cut and sealed at the same time.
Raviolis can be frozen. Fresh pasta can be frozen, but it's so easy to make!
Here's a classic ravioli, very simple actually:
Pumkin Ravioli with Sage Butter

The filling:
650 grams Pumpkin
125 grams Unsalted Butter
4 Slices Prosciutto or air dried ham
Pinch of Allspice
Pinch of Nutmeg
Sea Salt to taste
Ground Black Pepper to taste

Cut the pumpkin into chunks and roast in the oven at 250 F, until it's soft. You cna easily peel the skin off when it's cool. Mix all the ingredients together, after finely chopping the ham. Then portion it out on the pasta sheet, cover and cut your raviolis.
Cook the Raviolis in boiling salted water about 10 minutes.

The Sage Butter Sauce:
Fresh Sage Leaves
1/2 stick unsalted butter

To make the sage butter, melt the butter in a frying pan over low heat. When it's hot and sizzling, add the sage and turn off the heat.
To serve: Put a portion of raviolis on the plate and drizzle with sage butter.

SUN RA SPEAKS

The above cartoon was sent to me by The Engineer of Knowlege. I thought I'd let the great American Philosopher, Sun Ra, explain in his own words how to interpret the Bible:

"The problem began with the Tower of Babylon, where languages were confused. God set traps for men with words, by creating confusion with phonetic tricks. and writing perpetuates the confusion. Intellectuals and theocrats haven't seen the source of this confusion, and people are dying for want of words. "He switched the languages.'The first should be the last; The last should be the first'; That means the "a" to the "z", "b" to "y", see that? Switched the alphabet, very subtly, very subtly. The He said, "Forgive them. Father. They do not know what they do.' And so that's because they are dead in their heads. That's what it is. And to this day, they don't know what they do, because they're dead."
But the bible provides the means for reversing our backwards state on this planet. "Take with you words, and turn to the Lord" in Hosea 14:2, a particularly obscure book, tells us what we must do. The key to the languages are the roots of words to put things back in place to where it was at first, and then you'll have the whole story...
people are nothing but jigsaw puzzles now...it doesn't make sense because some of the pieces are just slightly off, and you have to be able to put it over in the right place and you have the whole picture.

TOMORROW NEVER COMES
COMES TOMORROW NEVER
NEVER COMES TOMORROW
NEVER TOMORROW COMES
COMES NEVER TOMORROW

I hope that clears it up for you.

Iggy Pop Performs Madonna's Ray Of Light as a tribute to her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Iggy's the guy who should have been the one Madonna did a tribute for. I want to see Madonna come out on stage and try to perform any of the Ig's classics...This guy should have his own separate Hall of Fame.
Iggy Pop, a 61 year old adolescent motivated by the sheer force of his will to rock!

O Lucky Man......

I just watched The NBC Nightly News interview with Geraldine Ferraro. I watched in utter disbelief as NBC gave her the pulpit to accuse the Obama Campaign of of attacking her and painting herself and her resignation from the Clinton Campaign as a martyrdom. She claimed that she was the victim of reverse racial discrimination. She spun it in every direction as she tried to turn her denial of her very obvious attempt at a smear into an attack.

Dear Hillary –

I am stepping down from your finance committee so I can speak for myself and you can continue to speak for yourself about what is at stake in this campaign.

The Obama campaign is attacking me to hurt you.

I won’t let that happen.

Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do to make this a better world for my children and grandchildren.

You have my deep admiration and respect.

Gerry

I think of all the ways her comments have been offensive and I’m having a hard time choosing between “staggering ignorance of U.S. history and current culture” and the insightful Catholic theological category for human sin, “willful ignorance.” I lean toward the sin concept, because I believe this is a sinful statement on a number of key levels. But I’m not going to ignore historical and cultural ignorance either, as I believe it is the way forward for the country beyond the Ferraros and their monovision.

The New York Times has reported the Justice Department statistic that “an estimated 12 percent of African-American men ages 20-34 are in jail or prison…The proportion of young black men who are incarcerated has been rising in recent years, and this is the highest rate every measured.” Just for comparison, note that 1.6 percent of white men in the same age group are incarcerated.

So, let’s see, to follow Ms.Ferraro’s logic, the other 88% of African American men are being promoted to high public office? Facts dictate otherwise. There are more African American men now in prison than in college and the employment rate for African American men has dropped to just over 50%. It’s nigh on to impossible to get a job in this economy anyway, let alone when you have a prison record. Incarceration rates, unemployment and poverty are linked.

The reason I believe this statement by Ms. Ferraro is an example of the sin of “willful ignorance” is that a person would have to will themselves to actively exclude evidence fully available in every paper, blog, and 24-hour newscycle to come to the conclusion that it’s a “lucky” break for Senator Obama that he was not born a white man.

Let's get one thing straight, a few months ago, the Hillary campaign was crowing that they had the African American vote. The Conservative pres was trying hard to make the case that his mixed racial background would be a problem with African Americans.

Let's get this straight, has Obama ever campaigned using his racial identity as part of his platform? As he said in his cool and measured response to this today, "Could I expect to become president if I used my race or my middle name as part of my appeal?"
Frankly, I sense real desparation coming from the Clinton Camp. They have committed major sins in the world of inter party politics. This will not go away as easy as Samantha Power resigning from Obama's Camp because she used the word "Monster" to describe Hillary in the British Press.
Ferraro has offended a lot of Americans and degraded the Democratic Party. Her defiant stance is all the more offensive. If her statements had come from a conservative commentator the furor would be deafening.
I think that if Hillary is interested in her "legacy", her supporters should urge her to stop destroying it.

Mousse Souflee Au Chocolat Mi-Amer

I haven't posted too many recipes lately so here is a real winner. This is a dessert that really isn't too sweet. It's a Chocolate Mousse that is served warm after it's been puffed in the oven with vanilla ice cream.

This is for 4 persons:
100 grams of bitter sweet dark chocolate
1 coffee spoon of poudered cocoa
4 nice scoops of vanilla ice cream (a quenelle shape, long instead of round)
50 grams of sweet butter, and a little for the ramekins
4 egg yolks
3 egg whites
40 grams of sugar

Melt the chocolate and the butter carefully, use a wooden spatula.
When it is nice and smooth, take it off the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
One at a time, stir in the egg yolks with a spatula and add the spoonfull of cocoa powder.

preheat the oven to 375 farenheit or 200 centigrade, if there is a ventilator that is very good!

Beat the egg whites until they begin to mount, then add the 40 grams of sugar and continue beating until they get stiff.
Carefully fold in the egg white into the chocolate. Fold carefully until the chocolate is all mixed with the eggwhite.
Lightly butter 4 serving ramekins. Spoon the mousse into each one, put on a baking surface and put into the preheated oven for 3 or 4 minutes...you will see them rise.

Take them out and spoon the ice cream on top and serve immediately!
This is very simple actually, and not very heavy or too sweet!
Bon Apetit, bien sur!

No.John.com

I just picked this up from Americablog. The author of this video will back up each and every one of his points at his site- No.John.com:

This is quite interesting. A former John McCain supporter, and 40-year Republican media consultant, is now running a campaign - NoJohn.com - to educate the public as to how radical and how shifty John McCain has become.

For nearly 40 years I have been a campaign media consultant working exclusively for Republicans. My first spot was created for Governor Ronald Reagan in 1970 when I founded Spencer-Roberts Advertising for Reagan's two top political gurus, Stu Spencer and Bill Roberts. I was 23 at the time and went on to documentary filmmaking, television news, and ultimately, back to politics, working for moderate Republicans for the U.S. Senate, House, governors, mayors, and on one of the several Dole for President campaigns.

I have always taken a low, or no, profile in campaigns, as I learned long ago not to become an issue myself. But as I approach 62, the impact of another Republican in the White House on my 9-year old daughter, my 39-year old son, and 1-year old grandson, drives me ever deeper to the radical center.

I admired and supported the John McCain of 2000, less so the John McCain of 2004. And, now I barely know the man, who he is or what he really stands for, and against.

As my medium is visual and my message, visceral, I have produced this brief video to take you to the www.NoJohn.com website.

NoJohn.com -- where anyone and everyone can be a "political consultant."

The Portsmouth Symphonia

In the last video by a very early version of Roxy Music, I metioned the backgrounds of the musicians briefly. Brian Ferry and Brian Eno both came out of the Portsmouth College and were ver influenced by the British Artist who taught there, Richard Hamilton. They even wrote a masterpiece based on one his pop art collage paintings, In Every Dream House, A Heart Ache.
Obviously a time of experimentation and much more open possiblities than what the over commercialized world of pop music offers today. We have the freedom today, but not the imaginations to really listen to something "outside".
Before Brian Eno played with Roxy Music and still in College, he became invloved with a grand project by the Composer Garvin Byars. Byars created a Symphony Orchestra of artists who were not musicians. They would play the classics and in the ensuing attempt create something completely different. I have some battle scarred lps of the Portsmouth Symphonia, but there is very little available on the internet. This is a medley of some of their "greatest hits". The rythymn track seems to have been added by the person who made the compilation video. Does it help? Can you dance to it? It's Funky Rossinni Time!

ROXY MUSIC

The year is 1972 and pop music as we know it is beginning to crumble under the weight of commercialism, waiting to be reborn messily, kicking and screaming as punk.
But, wait, suddenly, out of a cloud of multi colored prism lit smoke something completely different emerges!
Roxy Music! and this is the original version with both Brians, Brian Eno and Brian Ferry. The focus of the music is totally intellectual, it an art project. This particular song is a reference to the Ready Mades of Marcel Duchamp, Editions of You.
Totally fresh energy and ideas, they play with every aspect of music and performance.
Brian Eno, an admitted non musician is the electronic effects wizard of the band and quite the fashion plate. At times in live performance, he actually plays the entire band as an instrument, running the live feed of various instruments through an 8 track reel to reel tape recorder and manually dragging the tapes. In a way, these guys pioneered most of the techniques of scratching in rap and invented so much just through sheer artistic instinct rather than being technical junkies.
Eno went on to be one of the most influentially conceptual recording artists and producers of the 80's and the 90's. His work with U2 is still ongoing.
Brian Ferry recently recorded one of the most original interpretations of Bob Dylans Music I have ever heard on his CD from 2007, Dylanesque...

SAVE THE OIL COMPANIES!

C'mon America, pitch in! You can do it! Pay more at the pump! These guys need more money, now! Remember, last week Karl Rove said that if we pulled out of Iraq, Oil prices would shoot up to $200 a barrel....hmmm...since he said that, we've stayed in Iraq and oil prices have risen almost a dollar a day per barrel...that was 7 days ago?
Hmmm, pull out now, pay $200 a barrel or a dollar more a day for the next how many years? Didn't John McCain say something about the next 100 years?
You do the math, my brain hurts!

Ain't Gonna Happen

Yesterday, March 9th saw the the Municipale Elections across France. All the Mayors and many regional posts were up for grabs. The Elections here are a two tier system.
There is the premier tour and if there is no clear majority, especially with the multiple party system involved, the election will have a second tour a week later, with the two close candidates being voted on.
We saw last night as the returns came in a very definite turn around for the Socialist Party with the Conservatives losing ground even in some of the cities they have traditionally held since WW2. Lyon for example, a bastion of Conservatism, went to the Socialists in the First Tour. Remarkably, The Communist Party had a resurgence as they took Dieppe. Here in The Dordogne, which has a long Socialist history, Xavier Darcos, the Education Minister in the Sarkozy Government will probably lose to the Socialists in the Next tour. In the neighboring departement, The Correze, there was a solid Socialist victory. It was a resounding slap in the face to Sarkozy's Conservative Liberal Business and anti Human Rights Policies.
Many UMP candidates, as the UMP mayoral candidate here in our little town of Badefols d'Ans, tried to disassociate themselves from their party to be elected.

It was also the national Presidential Election in Spain. It was a bitterly fought contest as the conservatives tried to regain the power they lost in 2004 when Zapatero and his Socialist government won in the aftermath of the Madrid Bombings. The Catholic Church tried to sway the election.. The Catholic Church almost considers Spain as part of it's political power on Earth. They worked in close cooperation with the Franco Dictatorship and have much financial investment and property in Spain, unlike France which will not allow the Church to own property here.
Zapatero and the Socialists won and it was a huge victory, when all the votes are counted, they may have a clear majority, much more power than in the last election.
It is clear that The Socialists Policies are good for Spains economy and they enjoy the support of big business.
This is clearly in denial of what the American Conservative pundits have been saying about the decline of the Left in Europe since the days of Thatcher in Britain.
When Sarkozy was elected last year in France, the Conservative Press embraced him as the forefront of a wave of Conservativism that would surely sweep and unite Europe and sweep us all into a new era of Right Thinking Conservativism alligned with the Republicans in America, pliant and obedient to their will.......
Ain't Gonna Happen.

And He Can't Sing Either....

Since YouTube was forced to take the video of George Bush down, it really sucked big time anyway, I am posting one of the biggest hits of Le Guignols d'Infos! George Bush singing "WE FUCK THE WORLD!".
And this one goes out to Little Jeanette, who was kind enough to point out that the video of Bush singing at the GridIron dinner had been removed. Thanks Jeanette!

NO MORE MESSY ELECTIONS!

This is Jerome Corsi, Worldnet Daily Columnist speakig on C-SPAN on The National Security Directives NSPD 51 & HSPD 20 which were signed by President Bush and give him the power to assume "Emergency Powers" in a delclared "State of Emergency" which he of course would have the authority to declare.
This is why so many of us are very afraid of the spector of the hyped supposed threat of Iran and The Administrations eagerness to pursue an atttack on Iran before the November Elections. General Fallon, the one link to reality in the present High Command has constantly fought the plans of an Iranian attack. Because of his rather inconvenient penchant for reality based policy, he is going to be removed.
This is the clear and present danger facing our country now!

"I Don't Hate Gays, but.."

I am publishing this video of Images set to a screed by Oklahoma State Republican Representative Sally Kern. She did not know she was being recorded as she spoke to a group of 50 constituents last week, off the cuff.
This speil contains just about every patented smear and bigoted hate inspired untruth that is being flounced aboutby conservatives.
She talks about an agenda when it is her twisting of the simple fact that homosexuals are in society and want representation and protection from bigots like her..
The mere fact that there are homosexuals elected to city councils and other government offices is enough to convince her of a vast conspiracy.
There is no obscene language, but this is hate fueling filth at its lowest.
I am publishing this because it is the Municipal Elections here in France today and a very good friend, who is openly gay in a small community is running for mayor and we believe he is going to win.
In the small town he lives in, he is well loved and tolerated by almost every one save a few who have waged a vicious smear campaign. We believe that good will triumph today over a few extreme right hate filled individuals!

Election Update We got s call earlier this evening letting us know that our friend won and is now the mayor for the next 6 years. This is great because, it is a rural small town and inspite of the tendency for elections to be ruled by gossip out here, people are not always swayed by hate and prejudice!

GROLAND

A little piece from my favorite Television show from the principality of Groland!
I don't think it matters at all if you don't understand French, it's probably better that way.....

Gateau au Riz...continued

Last year I published a recipe for one of my favorite desserts, Gateau au Riz. A very simple, comforting, uncomplicated classic. I made it last night and took a picture of it before we devastated it. There is still enough for tonight and tomorrow!
I changed the recipe a little and it produced superior results!
Here is the revised recipe:

You need a nice pan you can put in the oven, a ribbed angel food or charlotte mold will work nicely .

In a saucepan on the stove over low heat, make the caramel with 100 grams of sugar and five soupspoons of water. Cook them until you have a golden brown caramel.
If you can get premade caramel, as we can here in France, that will work nicely.

Next, lightly wipe the mold with some oil, then pour in the caramel and try to coat the inside evenly as it gets thick and sticky.

Take a cup (200 grams) of rice, preferably arborio and rinse in cold water. Then put in a saucepan, cover with cold water and cook a few minutes, then rinse in cold water.

Heat a liter of milk with a vanilla bean or a 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. As the milk reaches the boiling point, add the rice. Stir with a wooden spoon and as the mixture reaches boiling again, reduce the heat and cover. Cook over a low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Now this is where I made a change. I cooked the rice and milk in a heavy copper pan with a cover in the oven. Instead of just vanilla, I added a packet of vanilla sugar. If you don't have access to vanilla sugar, the vanilla and a tablespoon of sugar will work just as well.

In a bowl, whip together: 2 entire eggs, 1/4 cup of milk and 150 grams of sugar.
Mix this with the rice and pour it all into the carmalized mold. Cover the mold with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven. Take it out and let it cool a bit. While it is still warm, take off the foil, cover the top with a serving plate and turn it over. It should just slip out of the mold with the caramel coating glistening enticingly!
The liquid caramel will have penetrated the surface of the rice, giving it it's characteristic caramel flavor. The rest of the caramel will puddle around the base of the gateau and should be spooned as a sauce.

This is one of my favorite desserts! Bon apetit, bien sur!

Aiding and Abetting, Inciting and Encouraging Criminal Acts

Before the Ohio Primary last Tuesday and in other primaries, Rush Limbaugh and other Conservative pundits openly encouraged their listeners to falsely register as Democrats and vote for Hillary Clinton in the elections.
Of course the strategy was to have Hillary, the percieved "most vunerable" candidate win. In a few predominantely Republican Counties in Southwestern Ohio, the results were obvious. Suddenly the amount of Democrats had increased dramatically and in the aftermath, there were even admissions by Butler County Republicans they had
done what Rush had suggested on his show.
This was quite obviously election tampering. It is against the law.

The law in Ohio, the Ohio Revised Code, is very clear on what Republicans have done. ORC 3513.20 says:

Before any challenged person shall be allowed to vote at a primary election , the person shall make a statement, under penalty of election falsification, before one of the precinct officials, blanks for which shall be furnished by the board of elections, giving name, age, residence, length of residence in the precinct, county, and state; stating that the person desires to be affiliated with and supports the principles of the political party whose ballot the person desires to vote; and giving all other facts necessary to determine whether the person is entitled to vote in that primary election. The statement shall be returned to the office of the board with the pollbooks and tally sheets . . . .
3599.36 Election falsification reads:
No person, either orally or in writing, on oath lawfully administered or in a statement made under penalty of election falsification, shall knowingly state a falsehood as to a material matter relating to an election in a proceeding before a court, tribunal, or election official, or in a matter in relation to which an oath or statement under penalty of election falsification is authorized by law, including a statement required for verifying or filing any declaration of candidacy, declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, nominating petition, or other petition presented to or filed with the secretary of state, a board of elections, or any other public office for the purpose of becoming a candidate for any elective office, including the office of a political party, for the purpose of submitting a question or issue to the electors at an election, or for the purpose of forming a political party.
Whoever violates this section is guilty of election falsification, a felony of the fifth degree.
A person that commits election falsification can face six to twelve months in prison as well as a $2,500 fine according to Ohio sentencing guidelines.

Rush Limbaugh is very evidently guilty of inciting and encouraging, aiding and abetting in the commission of felony acts.

Who Ya Gonna Believe?

Today, speaking to Bill O'Reilly on Fox TV, Karl Rove spoke movingly about that compassionate, big hearted Republican galoot running for president, John McCain and his adopted Bangladeshi daughter. I think Karl had to wipe a tear, carefully, because it's been said that Karl Rove's tears can burn through formica fake wood paneling.

"I don’t think people know a lot about him. They don’t know about his views and values that informed him as a young man. They don’t know about what drew him to service in the United States Navy. They don’t know about all of the compelling story about the POW experience that he had. They don’t know what motivated him, but what people and places in Sedona touch his life. Let me give you just one example: I think most of your viewers be shocked to hear the story about Cindy McCain in Bangladesh, visiting an orphanage, and she has a small dying child thrust into her hands and the orphanage…the people in the orphanage say we can’t, we can’t care for her, she’s dying, we don’t know what to do. And Cindy McCain’s impulse was to hold that…hug that child to her chest, get on an airplane and bring her home. When she got off the plane, there was John McCain, and he said, “What do you got?” and she said “I’ve got a child who’s dying, we need to get her help…we need to get her care.” And John said, “Well, who is she going to be staying with?” and Cindy McCain said, “I was hoping that she could stay with us.” And today, that young child–who was near death–is their teenage daughter. I don’t think most people understand the compassion and love that would come from a moment like that. There’s a lot more of John McCain’s story that he needs to tell."

That was today, March 8, 2008, but 8 years ago, in the 2000 Republican Primary Race, Rove invented a uniquely injurious fiction for his operatives to circulate via a phony poll. Voters were asked, “Would you be more or less likely to vote for John McCain…if you knew he had fathered an illegitimate black child?” This was no random slur. McCain was at the time campaigning with his dark-skinned daughter, Bridget, adopted from Bangladesh.

Karl Rove's Tears...Who Ya Gonna Believe?

Herbie Mann Quintet

This is so damn cool!
A live performance on RAI Italian Television from the mid 60's featuring some of my favorite Jazz Players. The group performs Memphis Underground and a Brazilian piece, Upa,Neghuino. The ensemble is light as a feather!
The band features one of my very favorite guitarists of all time, Sonny Sharrock as well as the very influential bassist, Miroslav Vitous who went on to become a member of the original Weather Report. The other flutist who also plays saxophone is Steve Marcus who played with Larry Coryell for years and came from Seattle with him.
On the original album cut, Larry Coryell plays with Sonny Sharrock. Around this time, Miroslav Vitous recorded the amazingly influential Spaces record with Larry Coryell, with Chick Corea, John McGlaughlin and Billy Cobham. A record which in its quiet way spawned the 70's fusion jazz scene.
Sonny Sharrock went on to become the greatest freejazz electric guitarist on the planet. He fused a link between Jimi Hendrix and Pharoah Saunders and beyond!
If you want to hear modern masters, I suggest the record by Sharrock, Ask The Ages, rcorded in the early 90's.
Meanwhile, this is totally cool, a real joy to have discovered!

DON'T DIE HERE!

The mayor of a French village has issued a decree banning residents from dying in his territory unless they own a spot in the overcrowded cemetery.

"It is forbidden for any person not having a plot in the cemetery ... to die on the territory of the village," the mayor of the southwestern village of Sarpourenx wrote in a decree that warned of "severe punishment" for offenders.

Mayor Gerard Lalanne told AFP he had taken the radical measure to protest against a legal ruling preventing him from enlarging the burial ground in the village of 260 people.

"The first dead person to come along, I'll send him to the state's representative," he said.

Lalane said he had been inspired by the mayor of another French village, Cugnaux, who had also outlawed death as a protest last year and who thus won the right to enlarge the village's cemetery.

NAFTA? NO PROBLEM!

Seems the NAFTAgate leak started with -- surprise, surprise -- the Chief of Staff to Canada's conservative PM Stephen Harper. Only the first hint wasn't about stuff the Canadians had heard from the Obama camp. It was about reassurances the Canadians got from the Clinton campaign. According to a reporter who heard the original conversation, Brodie said "someone from (Hillary) Clinton's campaign is telling the embassy to take it with a grain of salt. . . That someone called us and told us not to worry."

Only somehow this evolved into a story about the Obama campaign giving such reassurances.

The Globe and Mail has the latest details.

So was HIllary bashing Obama for what her own campaign had done? Did they both do it? Was it all a set up? I think the overarching story here is that friendly governments should not interfere in our elections.

The Big Muddy!

Pete Seeger, A Legend of Great Talent, Sacrifice, and Wisdom

A guest post by The Engineer Of Knowlege

Pete Seeger was a folk singer who took personal chances by speaking out for the rights of the everyday working man. During the 1940’s, he went around the country singing and speaking out for workers to band together and unionize. In the 1950’s, McCarthy accused him of being a communist and was calling Pete before Congressional Hearings for Un-American Activities. Pete, stood up for his personal rights of free speech, and refused to accept the attacks made on him. He was black listed for a while which lost him and the singing group he belonged to, the “Weavers”, a TV contract. Later on, after McCarthy had been discredited and stopped, the Weavers got back together. When another chance for them to have their own TV show, he declined the opportunity because it was sponsored by a cigarette company and Pete left the singing group. Pete’s conviction of not promoting a product that was addicting and caused cancer was unheard of in the 1950’s.



Pete continued to speak out and sing about causes that he felt the American public was being mislead and manipulated by the established authorities. Pete soon was speaking out for Civil Rights and has been given credit of inspiring Martin Luther King in 1957 when he performed the song, “We Shall Overcome”; which King took as his message for his struggles.



Just before a concert in the late 1960’s, Pete Seeger spoke with a Vet who had just returned from Viet Nam. That Vet confided to Pete that he had originally come there that day to kill Pete because he lost several friends in Viet Nam and Pete had been singing anti-war songs. Instead of panicking and notifying the authorities, Pete told the Vet that wanted to speak with him after the concert. After Pete had completed the concert, Pete met with the Vet; they spoke for a while, and ended up singing the song, “Where Have All The Flowers Gone” together which was about the memory of all the fallen service men in Viet Nam. The Vet said that all of the hatred and anger that had been instilled into him from the constant droning propaganda by the war mongers of the time, had all been relieved and thanked Pete for helping him purge the hate so he could get back to putting his life back together after all he had been through.



Now today, some misguided people will say, “If you are speaking out against the War in Iraq, you are committing an act of treason.” I like to point out that during an interview; Pete Seeger asked the thought provoking questions of the same “Mind Thought,” the “Love it or Leave it” types during Viet Nam, “Was Lincoln Anti-American when he spoke out against the Mexican-American war?” “Was Samuel Clemons (Mark Twain) Anti-American when he spoke out against the Spanish-American War?” I don’t think that many people would consider these two icons of America as traders but without much thought are quick to accuse others for doing nothing more than Lincoln or Mark Twain had done themselves.



Pete Seeger is an old man now and I am sure is tired. I look about and wonder where the next person with the voice of reason who will pick up a cause, be willing to put others first, point out those who would manipulate the American public for their own gain, and sacrifice for the everyday man. After some thought on this subject, it came to me that it is happening with Bloggers right now. The needed messages are still getting out, just on a different medium. Where Pete went around with his banjo singing to gathered crowds, people are using the computers to communicate around the world with each other. Armed with this thought, it renewed my hope for our future.



In closing, I simply ask you to note and remember this line refrain from the song, “Big Muddy,” which is, “Soon even a tall man’ll be over his head, we’re stuck waist deep in the Big Muddy and the big fool says to push on.” I simply ask you to reflect on the song, “Big Muddy,” because as every historian knows, “If you don’t learn from the mistakes of the past, you will be doomed to repeat them.”

(The video is from the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour back in 1968. This performance by Mr. Seeger was the last straw for CBS, which cancelled the show for it's political views. I posted the words to the song in the comments, if you are interested.)

Thank you Mr. Engineer!