Turning the Corner (cont.)

In continuing the theme of turning corners, here's a bit of proof that a few US citizens are alive and awake: Public Workers in Wisconsin Protest Plan to Cut Benefits

As protesters turn out in the tens of thousands in Madison, WI, bigger plans are being laid for US austerity in efforts to keep the failing USS American Dreamliner afloat. And it couldn't come at a better time! With recent and ongoing events in Egypt, Tunisia and Bahrain fresh in the news and hopefully on people's minds, I can't think of a better time to question our current path - 'our' place in 'their' system, or better yet 'our' place in 'OUR' system?

Personally, I think that asking the average American to shoulder the burden of unending, unpopular wars, bogeyman state-security measures, and the fallout of decades of government kleptocrats selling us out to the corporate oligarchy does not sound like an acceptable means to an end. It is merely a band-aid holding back an eventual torrent of bigger problems, while we dig deeper to fill more sandbags and cross our fingers.

Time will tell, and history will document a time of action and change, or the continuance of a downward spiral of a nation.

Turning the Corner

What a pleasant February day here in Seattle! Mild temperature, dry, and sunny. Seemed like everyone was out. It's starting to feel like we're turning the corner and can see Spring and Summer up ahead!

WAKE UP!!!

“…a house of cards that has to be constantly held together…we have to be told every single day what the story is. And they have to do it every day because it is unnatural. If it was natural, they wouldn’t have to do it, and if they stop they know that it in fact would fall apart. That actually is the great hope for me…the amount of time they have to spend convincing us about the value to society is in fact what gives me hope that there is an alternative…just below the surface. And that alternative is much more human, much more compassionate, is much more connected to concern for other people, it’s much more connected to concern for the planet, and it’s being held down by this incredible and relentless propaganda system.”

Excerpt from Metanoia's film PSYWAR

Watch full 1 hr 39 min video here PsyWar (YouTube)

You Shouldn't Do That

...no, you shouldn't, but you did.

Digging through a box of CD's this afternoon, I came across some music that doesn't make it onto my regular playlists.

What a nice find, and a reminder to slow down and enjoy the ride.

Hawkwind; You Shouldn't Do That; Album - In Search Of Space (1971)

Winter Respite

The last few days in Seattle have brought us cold, but beautiful weather here in Seattle. That coupled with vacation days, made for a great opportunity to get out and enjoy some scenery.

Here are a few shots that can hardly bring the true feeling of this stretch of these rare, dry, crisp winter days here in the Pacific Northwest. It's days like these that get you through until summer.

Chop, chop!

When the family is together we cook. And, what better time to capture the movement and action of hurried hands working away in the kitchen.

Here's to a bit of togetherness, good food and good cheer!

Bank of (Un)America

In a recent stand against activities that are "inconsistent with internal policies for processing payments" Bank of America is refusing to handle payments for WikiLeaks.

Well, I'm glad to see that such a highly regarded corporate entity can proudly stand above the crowd and propose it's high standards of integrity. And if you'd like to know anymore about any the great Bank of America moral code, all you have to do is do a web search.

And what do we see?!

This was first to come up:

• Bank of America Agrees to Pay $137.3 Million in Restitution to Federal and State Agencies as a Condition of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Corporate Leniency Program (US Dept of Justice)
  

"Bank of America was the first and only entity to come forward and report its wrongdoing to the Department of Justice before the department opened its investigation into anticompetitive conduct in the municipal bond derivatives industry. The department’s ongoing investigation has resulted in charges against seven executives and one corporate entity and guilty pleas by eight executives for antitrust and related federal crimes. The investigation remains active and ongoing."

Other instances of Bank of America's high standards can be found over at Bad Attitudes, where they cite the bank's participation in such activities as accepting illicit funds from drug traffickers; doing business with a global arms dealer; and ongoing investigations into home mortgage chicanery.