Being Inspired by Others

"Think of the magic of that foot, comparatively small, upon which your whole weight rests. It's a miracle, and the dance is a celebration of that miracle."

--Martha Graham

Being in Afghanistan

Bye bye General McChrystal. This is not his first act of insubordination. Hopefully, it will also be a bye bye to a war in Afghanistan where there is no end in sight. This war can't be won.

Being Inspired by Others

Being President Barack Obama

President Obama never ceases to amaze. His steadiness is extraordinary. Yesterday's speech left me quite disappointed. I wanted to hear him talk policy. He did not. But the BP announcement today has made me very happy. Carol Browner, White House Energy Adviser, impressively outlined the agreement with BP. There will be a $20 billion independent escrow account that isn't a "floor or ceiling" and a $100 million fund for the people of the Gulf which will expedite the claims process. This does not change or preclude any other future claims. "All rights of the claimants are preserved," said Browner. This a first in the history of a multi-national company. Bravo, Mr. President!

Being Timothy Geithner

Why is the Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner, out front talking about Iran's nuclear capability? Is this unusual? What are his expertise in this area? It seems as if he has enough on his hands with the economy alone I would think.

Being Mohammed Ali

In a conversation with my brother Haywood earlier today I asked him a simple question, "Is there anyone anywhere in any field that can't be bought today? Mohammed Ali is one of my heroes not only because of his extraordinary skill in the ring but because of his complete refusal to be bought and his fundamental sense of fairness. Where are those leaders today who would go to jail for their beliefs or even take a pay cut?

Being Inspired by Others

This aria from the movie "The Fifth Element" is what's commonly known as "The Mad Scene from the opera "Lucia di Lammermoor" by Gaetano Donizetti. The ending is not quite in the style of Donizetti in one way but is indeed in another. After all, this was the era of bel canto (beautiful singing) where singers included spontaneous elaborate rapid brilliant cadenzas which spanned more than a few octaves. The style of singing is know as coloratura. It's just that this version has a way cool techno beat. Do stay for the ending. It's awesome! Someone researched the period well in this movie. This is always good to see. Enjoy!

Being Women

If this is the year of women with Carly Fiorina and Meg Whitman who act just as irresponsible and reckless as corporate men, what praise is that then?

Being the Supreme Court

Isn't it strange that it's never judicial activism when conservative leaning judges make decisions on behalf of corporations, but it's always so when liberal leaning judges do so on behalf of the people? In The New York Times Op-Ed,"Keeping Politics Safe for the Rich," it is asserted that the Supreme Court "upended the gubernatorial race in Arizona, cutting off matching funds to candidates participating in the state's public campaign finance system." But the rich can spend endlessly of their own money as Whitman did with some $81 million in California and Bloomberg did with some $100 million in New York.

Th Supreme Court's decision declares what Jim or Jane can do with their money via matching funds but not what a billionaire or multiple millionaire can do with theirs. I think the law has to do with the inability of the power structure to envision the giving of millions of people via the internet and has hence corrected itself to maintain the balance of power. The Roberts' court has sided on the side of corporations and the wealthy repeatedly. Remember corporations are now people too. Surely these rulings aren't just.

Being Alvin Greene

Before yesterday I didn't have a clue who Alvin Greene was. I caught a bit of his interview on "Countdown" with Keith Olbermann last night and a bit more on "The Rachel Maddow Show." I was aghast. He has no job, no campaign organization, no degree, and no name recognition. He doesn't even have a website. Yet, he was elected as the primary candidate for the Senate in South Carolina. Oh, did I mention he's facing felony obscenity charges? I smell a rat.

You be the judge of his qualifications:



This guy is thoroughly unqualified to serve in the Senate. But, of course, he would never make it anyway. He is obviously being used as a tool to run against the well-funded established Republican candidate, Jim Demint. While I think he's totally unqualified, just think about this. Sarah Palin could have been our president. Same difference.

Being Immune from Public Opinion

The article written by George Friedman, The Limits of Public Opinion: Arabs. Israelis and the Strategic Balance, is very disturbing, for it posits that the only way to get Israel to abide by international law is through an alliance of Arab nations whose intention is annihilation, if only by threat alone. This is how power works, through the threat of war or annihilation. This is the only kind of respect it seems. The article posits that in the short term Israel can act without impunity as an Arab alliance doesn't exit because of factions. This can't be allowed by any country anywhere at anytime and the mere threat of annihilation, with countries with nukes whose purpose it is to be safe, annihilates itself anyway with their use.

Being Inspired by Others

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa sings one of my favorite pieces, "Vocalise" by Rachmaninoff. Feel free to add you own lyrics.

Being Empowered

Ain't no power like the power of the people, 'cause the power of the people don't stop! Say what? Ain't no power like the power of the people 'cause the power of the people don't stop! Power to people. Power to the people. Power to the people. Power to the people.

Right on!