McKinney-Clemente Campaign Welcomes Chomsky's Support
Cynthia McKinney, in a prepared statement, today expressed her appreciation for the support of Professor Noam Chomsky, noted linguist tenured at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In private emails with campaign supporters this week, the respected social critic noted that he had voted Green in 2004 and would be voting for McKinney next Tuesday, as well. "I find it very gratifying that our campaign has garnered the support and vote of such an imminent thinker and noted critic of our nation's foreign policy," said Ms. McKinney, Green Party nominee for President of the United States. "I share Professor Chomsky's analysis that our vote is best invested in building an institution which will survive the close of the polls next Tuesday."
http://legacy.runcynthiarun.org/Endorsements/Chomsky_SupportWelcomedByCampaign

Halloween: Canvassing your Neighbors for Candy and Votes
It is Halloween -- when all of the ghouls and goblins are about -- almost as scary as another Presidential administration that would work against the best interests of the people! On no other night of the year do so many people happily invite their neighbors to their homes; what better time to do some campaigning? We urge all supporters of the Power to the People Campaign, as you accompany your children in their door-to-door canvas of your neighborhood for candy, to please take this opportunity to also spread the good news about our candidates. Please head to our website for literature suitable for download and local duplication which you can share with your neighbors. http://legacy.runcynthiarun.org/CampaignMaterials

New Literature Just In Time
With our appreciation to Marshall Sanders, a Green Party member in Oakland California we are pleased to offer a new literature piece just in time for our 11th Hour GOTV visibility efforts. Its called RealChange, and offers eight affordable pieces for each sheet printed. Please use it as you canvas your neighborhood Friday night with your kids for candy and votes. http://legacy.runcynthiarun.org/system/files/RealChange_8up.pdf



Presidential Race Highlights 2008 General Election
Kent Dinnebier, Clarinda Herald-Journal
http://www.clarindaherald.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20183283&BRD=2703&PAG=461&dept_id=555115&rfi=15

[Duchess Note: Wow, this is a rarity, a news agency that actually provides its voters ALL the presidential candidates who’ll be on the ballot November 4th, plus info on them and their running mates. Very few news agencies and newspapers do this sort of thing nowadays. It’s so refreshing to see a news agency do this and I wish to thank Linda in TX for sharing with us. Be peace and vote your interests, values and conscious, please don’t let guilt or fear guide you.]

US Financial Bailout Shows Who Holds Power
Sault Star, Ontario, Canada
http://www.saultstar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1274801

Conyers, Kucinich Express Alarm Regarding the Use of Funds from the $700 Billion Rescue Package
http://kucinich.house.gov/News/DocumentPrint.aspx?DocumentID=105232

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and Government Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today expressed alarm that the $700 billon from the Troubled Asset Relief Program has apparently not yet been used to make loans to businesses and consumers. Recent media reports suggest the banking industry will not use these funds to facilitate lending, but will instead use them to facilitate mergers.

“It is very troubling to learn that the $700 billion rescue package sold to the American consumer as necessary ensure to continue loans to small businesses and consumers, is apparently being used instead to squeeze smaller banks out of the market,” said Conyers. “I’m concerned about the federal government using these funds to take sides in mergers and to promote consolidation within the financial markets instead of reviving our economy.”

“It seems evident that bailout funds are being used in unintended and objectionable ways,” said Kucinich, a leader in opposition to the bailout. “Nowhere is this more clear than in my district in Ohio, where National City was recently purchased by PNC; a bank that did not receive bailout money was purchased by a bank that did. Federal money should not be used to subsidize consolidation of the banking industry.”

Back at the Sharpe End
Ian Wylie, Manchester Evening News
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/showbiz/s/1076851_back_at_the_sharpe_end

Sharpe Pointe Blog
http://www.sharpepointe.com/



Ultra Sharpe
The Northern Echo
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/leisure/3805163.Ultra_Sharpe/

[Duchess Note: Three cheers for Richard Sharpe and Sean Bean!]

PERSONAL NEWS #154
October 16th through 20th – Took some vacation time to celebrate my 50th birthday and entertain my friend Michelle, who was visiting me from Nevada and enjoy a terrific party. More on that weekend to come, so please, stay tuned.

On Tuesday evening, October 21st, I attended the monthly NYDoP board and core team meeting. Not much of a turnout for the meeting and we whisked through the agenda in an hour. Howard talked about a fascinating book he’d read on a town in France during WW2 that practiced non-violent communication and action. The book is called “Lest Innocent Blood be Shed” by Philip Haley.

Thursday, October 23rd, at 12 noon the EY Insurance Tax staff went to a farewell luncheon for a staff member, Juan Antonio, who is heading back to Chile in early November. We dined at Heartland Brewery and the food, plus conversation, was all good. My boss, Marc, and I got into a somewhat heated discussion on whom to vote for on Election Day. That evening I met up with my friend Jackie for dinner at a nice Asian place on 7th Avenue in Greenwich Village. We caught up on news and gossip, plus relating our current health and job issues. Afterwards we strolled around the village for abit and did some shopping at Barnes & Noble. I picked up “Vanity Fair” by W.M. Thackeray and a biography on Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire.

Saturday, October 25th, was movie night at Linda’s place. We [ie: Linda, Parimal & I] noshed on chips, ice tea and Chinese takeout while watching two movies … “Murder on the Orient Express” and “V for Vendetta”. Both were terrific films, especially the latter one, which I thought was brilliant. [This brilliant film is based on comics from 1981, it parallels what is going on now in the early 21st Century of the USA. We are on this fast moving train and its time to get off. NOW! It’s time to do something about it and bring back justice, truth, democracy and peace to our country. If you love your country, then join me and others in stopping this train from hell with non-violent action/communication.] I highly recommend this film/DVD to all. This latter film leads to a discussion on the current political situation and upcoming election.

Early Monday evening, October 27th, after my foot doctor appointment, I walked up to City Hall to attend the “Power of Peace – Youth Led Lower Eastside Anti-Violence Coalition”. This two-hour coalition/panel discussion was organized and sponsored by Councilmember Rosie Mendez. When I arrived at the event it was already underway and I sat with Joe [NYDoP member]. Afterwards we spoke with some of the ladies [ie: Lynn, MaryBeth & Miriam] from the Lower Eastside Girls Club, plus they in turn introduced us to others interested in peace. It was a terrific event and glad to see folk take an interest, plus help out the youth of today.

Tuesday evening, October 28th, I participated in the NYDoP CCR Committee conference call. Main topic of discussion was regarding local Community Board meetings and doing the prep work [ie: letter & presentation] for these meetings.

Why I’m NOT Voting for Obama
Susan Rosenthal Blog
http://susanrosenthal.com/articles/why-im-not-voting-for-obama

[Duchess Note: Bravo Susan! Her words are spoken with much truth, intelligence, research and clarity. If you vote for the candidate who best represents your interests, values AND with a clear conscious, then that vote is precious. Those who vote out of fear, manipulation, guilt, being misinformed AND against their core interests or values, well, they are just throwing away their vote. The corporate elite and ultra rich don’t have the majority of Americans interests at heart. Far from it! Get the facts, search for the truth and vote with your heart. Remember that voting is OUR right as American citizens and we need to protect that right to the very end.]

The New Kleptocracy: Biggest “Giveaway” in American History – An Interview with Dr Michael Hudson
Bonnie Faulkner, Global Research
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=10731

V for Vendetta
Sara Michelle Fetters, MovieFreak.com
http://www.moviefreak.com/artman/publish/movies_vforvendetta.shtml

[Duchess Note: Brilliant movie and I highly recommend renting this DVD. Based on comics from 1981, it parallels what is going on now in the early 21st Century of the USA. We are on this fast moving train and its time to get off. NOW! Time to do something about it and bring back justice, truth, democracy and peace to our country. If you love your country, then join me and others in stopping this train from hell with non-violent action/communication. Be peace!]

Green Party Becomes the First Party to Endorse the Standing For Voters Pledge to Defend Election Integrity
Press Release from the Green Party
http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=124

Your Bailout Money Feeds Bonuses
Greg Brown, MoneyNews.com
http://moneynews.newsmax.com/streettalk/wall_street_bailout_bonus/2008/10/27/144527.html
And former presidential candidate and House member Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) was angered by a report in The Guardian that tallied bonuses for the first three quarters at $70 billion — fully 10 percent of the original bailout bill’s cost. "When Congress placed restrictions on excessive executive pay, it had no intention of permitting business as usual with respect to bonus structures," he told The Guardian. "It would add insult to injury to ask taxpayers not only to bail out a firm, but to pay for bonuses as well.”

[Duchess Note: Many thanks to Linda in Texas in providing the above informative articles. I don’t know about you all, but I am royally pissed off that those rich, greedy, selfish Wall Street buggers are taking OUR hard earned taxpaying dollars as bonuses. After what they’ve done with the economy, mortgages, foreclosures and such … they DO NOT deserve one friggin dime of OUR money. Not one cent! Nothing! Zilch! Zippo! Nada! If your Congressperson and Senator approved of this disgusting “bailout”, I say it is our responsibility as honorable Americans to vote them OUT of office next week on Election Day. It’s time to take OUR country back from the ultra rich and corporate elite.]

WHAT I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS
Robert Green Ingersoll
The Arena, Boston, December 1897

If I had the power to produce exactly what I want for next Christmas, I would have all the kings and emperors resign and allow the people to govern themselves.

I would have all the nobility crop their titles and give their lands back to the people. I would have the Pope throw away his tiara, take off his sacred vestments, and admit that he is not acting for God — is not infallible — but is just an ordinary Italian. I would have all the cardinals, archbishops, bishops, priests and clergymen admit that they know nothing about theology, nothing about hell or heaven, nothing about the destiny of the human race, nothing about devils or ghosts, gods or angels. I would have them tell all their "flocks" to think for themselves, to be manly men and womanly women, and to do all in their power to increase the sum of human happiness.

I would have all the professors in colleges, all the teachers in schools of every kind, including those in Sunday schools, agree that they would teach only what they know, that they would not palm off guesses as demonstrated truths.

I would like to see all the politicians changed to statesmen, – to men who long to make their country great and free, — to men who care more for public good than private gain — men who long to be of use.

I would like to see all the editors of papers and magazines agree to print the truth and nothing but the truth, to avoid all slander and misrepresentation, and to let the private affairs of the people alone.

I would like to see drunkenness and prohibition both abolished.

I would like to see corporal punishment done away with in every home, in every school, in every asylum, reformatory, and prison. Cruelty hardens and degrades, kindness reforms and ennobles.

I would like to see the millionaires unite and form a trust for the public good.

I would like to see a fair division of profits between capital and labor, so that the toiler could save enough to mingle a little June with the December of his life.

I would like to see an international court established in which to settle disputes between nations, so that armies could be disbanded and the great navies allowed to rust and rot in perfect peace.

I would like to see the whole world free — free from injustice — free from superstition.

This will do for next Christmas. The following Christmas, I may want more.

[Duchess Note: Many thanks to Caitlin in sharing this poem, which resonates more so now.]

PERSONAL NEWS #153

Friday, October 10th, I volunteered with City Harvest at the Union Square farmers market.

On Saturday, October 11th, I hopped onboard a Coach USA bus bound for NJ to spend the day with my friend Sheila. Arrived in Monroe Township around 10am and went back to her place for a tasty brunch of delicious fresh muffins, tea and juice. You couldn’t ask for a better weather weekend. It was a perfect autumn day with blue skies, gentle breeze, warm temps and no humidity. We drove over to Princeton and found parking on Nassau Street a block or so from Thomas Sweets. Before conducting a brief tour of the lovely university grounds, we stopped by Thomas Sweets for some delicious ice cream. [I highly recommend this place!] We ate our ice cream leisurely outside in the sunshine. Did some people watching and it seemed all of Princeton was out that day. We were abit limited on what we could see and do around Princeton, as Sheila had a bootie on her foot due to a stress fracture. We mostly checked out the areas around Firestone Library, Chapel, McCosh Hall, Dickenson Hall, Witherspoon Hall and Nassau Hall.


We gazed at the shop windows on Nassau Street and briefly down a few side streets until we found “Pins & Needles”. At this point, I walked briskly back to the car to put more quarters in the meter. Back at the shop I joined Sheila and purchased some yarn for a charity scarf project I plan to start in November. On way back to the car we stopped by Holder Hall to take pix and my camera died on me. Darn Darn Darn!! Holder Hall has some lovely architecture and archways. I drove the car back to Monroe Township, as Sheila was abit tired and we made a brief pit stop at a RiteAid. After a nice, leisurely break out on the sunny porch we drove over to charming Cranbury for dinner at a popular Italian place. The buildings and Main Street in Cranbury remind me of Washington Street in Cape May. Caught the 7:40pm bus back to NYC and arrived at 9pm.

Next day, October 12th, on the way to Riverside Park on the subway, I ran into another NYC Harry Potter Group member [James]. We chatted about our respective interest in the Harry Potter craze, plus Renaissance/Medieval festivals. We got to the Quidditch pitch, off of West 108th Street, shortly after 11am. Games had not started yet and still in process of setting up. We joined members of TGTSNBN for the first Quidditch match of the season and we were blessed with perfect weather for it. Eventually others showed up and the teams [ie: Marauders & Centaurs] formed, plus Jonathan and Diane were the referees.

One of the team members gave me his digital camera and asked if I’d take pix of the game. Over the course of two games, plus a break, I took 100 pix. If I ever get some funds together, I’m heading over to B&H to purchase a decent affordable digital camera. Regarding Quidditch, I’d love to be “keeper”, but not sure how my left foot would hold up due to the Plantar Fascia. Maybe if I wore my ACE bandage I could get away with it, as both Diane and Jonathan think I’d make a good keeper. Being tall does help, I guess. Due to limited funds I decided not to join the group for brunch after the games at TOAST. Instead I headed home to take care of chores around the apartment.

Tuesday, October 14th, was the first “EY Crafters Lunch Gathering” in a conference room at work. Then at 2pm I jumped on a conference call with Joe and Kevin to talk with Aja Worthy Davis from Councilmember James office on re-introducing Resolution 627.


[My good friend Katherine with her hubby and grandson at Shelton Day – Oct 2008]

A FEW PHOTOS FROM MY 50th BIRTHDAY PARTY






[Duchess Note: More “personal news” coming up regarding my birthday weekend.]

HOW CAN OBAMA LOSE?
Rustbelt Radical Blog

It’s just not the Republican’s year. They have eight years of Bush and Cheney, the economic crisis, a couple of wars and their own candidates mitigating against them. My propensity to support underdogs doesn’t, of course, apply to the shaken Grand Old Party. I’m perfectly happy to watch them crash and burn this election. One would assume that the Democrats will, barring any truly dramatic unforseens in the next weeks, solidly win the Electoral College and Presidency and increase their majority in the House and take majority control of the Senate. Control of the legislative and executive branches ought to mean that we see the full flowering of the Democrats program. Which is the problem.

The Dems could have, especially in the last two years since they won control of the House, blocked damn near every one of the things they are now representing themselves as running against. The Patriot Act (I and II), the appropriations for the bloated military budget, including war spending, the bailout for the banks, etc. all done with indispensable support form the Dems. I haven’t even heard a lot of talk about repealing the Bush tax cuts since this will be presented as “raising taxes”. On policy we have two parties in which the differences that exist between them are also found within them to varying degrees. They are hardly poles apart since the poles they represent are variations on the same theme; defense, stabilization and expansion of the capitalist system. Defense, stabilization and expansion of American power in the world. I am not interested in either and workers, as a class, have no interest in these projects.

Now clearly there is a cultural and in some ways a political change that is partially represented by Obama’s candidacy. Largely symbolic (since that change is not represented in policy) in the Democrats this shift in attitudes towards race, gender, sexuality among the younger generations is surely to be welcomed and bodes well for future struggles regardless of who wins the election. It is certainly something I never thought I would see in 2008. But everyday I am presented with things I never thought I’d see. Life is rich. There are plenty of illusions in the Dems as there is nearly every election. There were illusions in the Republicans as well. Remember well that Bush ran in 2000 as a relative moderate, a “compassionate conservative”. This was bullshit of course; elections are largely built around bullshit. We’ve been up to our eyes in it for the previous 18 months of the interminable campaign. That said, the Democrats are not prepared to follow through on the anticipations of those millions who will vote for them on the promise of change. This at least raises the potential for struggle.

The problem is that the (feeble) social movements around the war, immigrant’s rights, health care and economic distress have largely been demobilized in support for the Democrats. If these movements cannot find the political will to hold the candidates to account over their issues before the election how can we expect them to do so after? Independence from the Democrats is even more essential when they are in power. The current leadership of these movements are not up to that task, just as they aren’t up to the task of making those issues a part of the discourse during the campaigns. We have a ton of work to do. I’m voting for Cynthia McKinney without illusions in what that means, but because I favor a break from the institutional parties and see her as representing that break in this election. Many who want that break will vote for Nader, and I can see why. The reason I support McKinney rather than Nader is that McKinney is trying to build a political project to the left of the Democrats beyond her candidacy and the election cycle. We need such a vehicle, whether she and her supporters achieve it or not, to fight the battles that will surely come.

LATEST IN NEWS

Progressive Voter Guide to Human Rights and Civil Liberties
AlterNet
http://www.alternet.org/rights/102092/

Readers Write: 12 Stomach-Turning Revelations About Sarah Palin
AlterNet Commentary
http://www.alternet.org/election08/103018/

Why the Bailout Won’t Do Anything for the Root of the Problem
John Miller, Dollars & Sense
http://www.alternet.org/workplace/102906/

Dr Paulson’s Magic Potion is Pure Poison for Us
William Greider, The Nation
http://www.alternet.org/story/103397/

John Cleese: Michael Palin No Longer the Funniest Palin on Earth
ZP Heller, Brave New Films
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/video/103511/

Montana Resident and Member of Pearl Jam, Jeff Ament, Goes Solo on ‘Tone’
Patrick Douglas, Great Falls Tribune
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081021/LIFESTYLE/810210306

Attention Voters: Here’s What You Have to Do to Make Sure You Get to Vote
Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
http://www.alternet.org/election08/103862/

Bad Media: More Than a Two-Person Race, the Corporate Media Largely Ignore Other Presidential Candidates
Baltimore Chronicle
http://baltimorechronicle.com/2008/102208FAIR.shtml

Truth Has More Than Two Sides
Greg Schlein, University of MD at College Park
http://www.diamondbackonline.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticlePrinterFriendly&uStory_id=f17c8683-0522-46ac-b5eb-33347f18fca7

How the Banksters Made a Complete Killing off the Bailout
Pam Martens, CounterPunch
http://www.alternet.org/workplace/103836/

Memos Confirm White House Explicitly Endorsed Torture http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2008/10/15

The Debate 'The Debate Commission' Doesn't Want America To See http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2008/10/15-8

Bankers Laughing All The Way To The... http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2008/10/17-1

Who Gets to Vote?
Amy Goodman
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/10/17-4

Could The US Election Be Stolen (Again)? http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2008/10/20-11

Chomsky: The Disillusioned Reality of the American Choice http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2008/10/20-10

LATEST IN THE NEWS

When the Federal Government Fails the People - Our Constitution Has a Solution
Joel S. Hirschhorn, My Town
http://www.mytown.ca/ev.php?URL_ID=124955&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201
The hardest thing for Americans to do right now in this presidential election season is to fight distraction and, instead, focus on the failure of all three branches of the federal government. And also to resist the propaganda masquerading as patriotic obligation that voting will fundamentally fix the federal government. The real lesson of American history is that things have turned so ugly that electing a new president and many new members of Congress will at best provide band-aids when what is needed is nothing less than what Thomas Jefferson wisely said our nation would need periodically: a political revolution.

The Fallacy of the 401(k)
Marie Cocco, Washington Post Writers Group
http://www.alternet.org/workplace/102775/

Bulls, Bears, Donkeys and Elephants
Tommy McCall, NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/10/14/opinion/20081014_OPCHART.html

Private Sector Loans, Not Fannie or Freddie, Triggered Crisis
David Goldstein & Kevin Hall, McClatchy Newpapers
http://www.truthout.org/101408K
As the economy worsens and Election Day approaches, a conservative campaign that blames the global financial crisis on a government push to make housing more affordable to lower-class Americans has taken off on talk radio and e-mail. Commentators say that's what triggered the stock market meltdown and the freeze on credit. They've specifically targeted the mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which the federal government seized on Sept. 6, contending that lending to poor and minority Americans caused Fannie's and Freddie's financial problems. Federal housing data reveal that the charges aren't true, and that the private sector, not the government or government-backed companies, was behind the soaring subprime lending at the core of the crisis.

The Presidential Debates Are a Scam
David Bollier, OnTheCommons
http://www.alternet.org/election08/102829/
Have you wondered why the presidential debates don't present any serious ideas or encourage any substantive exchanges about policy and political philosophy? Have you noticed that the events resemble a whirring jukebox of familiar sound bites -- a highly produced, tightly scripted affair with with no surprises and little passion? There's a reason. Both candidates and their political parties want it this way. The debates are not the production of some independent third party like the League of Women Voters, the host university or news organizations. They are co-produced by the Democratic and Republican Parties themselves, who have ingeniously disguised their actual roles by nominally delegating control to the Commission on Presidential Debates.

Palin Drops the Puck
Dave Zirin & Daniel Denvir
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/10/13-3

The Lord of the Rings 1981 Radio Series
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings_(1981_radio_series)

Transcripts - http://www.tolkienradio.com/

To sample the BBC radio version on YouTube - http://free--expression.blogspot.com/2008/08/lord-of-rings-1981-bbc-radio-adaptation.html

PERFECT AUTUMN DAY AT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
October 11th

[McCosh Hall off of Washington Road]


[Chapel on the left near Firestone Library]


[Duchess standing in a lovely archway at Dickinson Hall]


[Looking towards Firestone Library]


[Duchess standing in archway next to Dickinson Hall & Chapel]


[View of Nassau Hall]


[View of Holder Hall]

PERSONAL NEWS #152

Friday, September 26th, I volunteered with City Harvest at the Union Square farmers market.

On Sunday, September 28th, I headed up to Fort Tryon Park [northern Manhattan] to volunteer at the annual Medieval Festival. Over the past few years I’ve helped out my friend Eileen, who is Production Director of this entertaining one-day event. Even with abit of rain this year, it didn’t seem to dampen the spirits of participants, actors, vendors and attendees, as it was a good turnout. This time I was helping out at the information booth near the main entrance of the park. Unfortunately I didn’t get to spend much time with Eileen, as she is one busy bee at the festival. I did check out the many wares at the vendor booths, plus see some of the final Joust. I did run into some of the members of “The Group Who Shall Not Be Named” [Harry Potter related] before and after the festival. They reminded me that the first Quidditch match of the season is on Sunday, October 12th, in Riverside Park. I also ran into a fellow political activist [Al] and we discussed the current situation and the boring debates.

Later that week, on Thursday evening, October 2nd, I attended the NYC Harry Potter meetup [The Group Who Shall Not Be Named] at Café Metro and it was Talent Night. It was a very nice turnout of regular and new members of this fun group. The evening was quite entertaining listening to songs, poems, dance and even an amusing skit revolving around Draco, Hermione and Harry. One of the members was selling buttons that said “I’m with the banned”, this in reference to that horrible Gov Palin.

The next evening, October 3rd, I attended the “Friday Nite Knits” group in the Kensington section of Brooklyn. I’d never been to this part of Brooklyn and it is along the F subway line. Nice little café near the subway and I enjoyed a delicious vanilla milkshake. OMG! It was so rich and thick. I find it so enjoyable socializing with others who knit/crochet, plus admiring different lovely knitting projects. It was a nice way to wrap up a work week.

On Sunday, October 5th, I headed up to CT for a visit with my good friend Katherine. We were supposed to attend the SoNo Festival back in early August, but I had to cancel due to being in the hospital. Took MetroNorth to Stratford and from there we checked out some shops before heading to her home for a warm lunch. I spent time with playing with her adorable two-year old grandson [Shane] and chat with her daughter Cherie. Then we attended [along with her hubby and grandson] Shelton Day and even with the overcast, cool weather all had a good time. Shane behaved himself and rode around the street festival in his little red wagon. He even got his face painted to make him look like a puppy dog. Great catching up on news and gossip with Katherine, then it was back to the train station for the ride back to NYC.

Monday evening, October 6th, after my foot doctor appointment for therapy, I participated in the NYDoP CCR committee conference call. We mostly discussed latest developments, faxes, rough draft of letter to Community Boards and phone calls with City Council.

On Wednesday afternoon, October 8th, I had my first eye exam in five years. Yep, that’s right, exactly five years to the day. Overall my eyes are doing well and I only need to upgrade my reading glasses from a 1.25 to a 1.75. I won’t be purchasing them from the eye doctor, as those are too pricey, but will visit RiteAid or Duane Reade during my next payday.

Guillermo Del Toro Says ‘Hobbit’ Script Is Coming Together ‘Magically’
Shawn Adler, MTV
http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1596511/story.jhtml

Kucinich: Bailout Opened ‘Financial Whirlpool of Insatiable Greed’
The Raw Storyhttp://rawstory.com/news/2008/Kucinich_Bailout_opened_financial_whirlpool_of_1006.html

Steal Back Your Vote!
People can bring this guide [click on above link] into the voting area. Please pass this on if you know anyone helping with new voter registrations. Click on this link for more info http://www.gregpalast.com/sbyv/

Flirting Her Way to Victory - Sarah Palin's Farcical Debate Performance Lowered the Standards for both Female Candidates and US Political Discourse
Michelle Goldberg, The Guardian/UK

At least three times last night, Sarah Palin, the adorable, preposterous vice-presidential candidate, winked at the audience. Had a male candidate with a similar reputation for attractive vapidity made such a brazen attempt to flirt his way into the good graces of the voting public, it would have universally noted, discussed and mocked. Palin, however, has single-handedly so lowered the standards both for female candidates and American political discourse that, with her newfound ability to speak in more-or-less full sentences, she is now deemed to have performed acceptably last night. By any normal standard, including the ones applied to male presidential candidates of either party, she did not. Early on, she made the astonishing announcement that she had no intentions of actually answering the queries put to her. "I may not answer the questions that either the moderator or you want to hear, but I'm going to talk straight to the American people and let them know my track record also," she said.

And so she preceded, with an almost surreal disregard for the subjects she was supposed to be discussing, to unleash fusillades of scripted attack lines, platitudes, lies, gibberish and grating references to her own pseudo-folksy authenticity. It was an appalling display. The only reason it was not widely described as such is that too many American pundits don't even try to judge the truth, wisdom or reasonableness of the political rhetoric they are paid to pronounce upon. Instead, they imagine themselves as interpreters of a mythical mass of "average Americans" who they both venerate and despise.

In pronouncing upon a debate, they don't try and determine whether a candidate's responses correspond to existing reality, or whether he or she is capable of talking about subjects such as the deregulation of the financial markets or the devolution of the war in Afghanistan. The criteria are far more vaporous. In this case, it was whether Palin could avoid utterly humiliating herself for 90 minutes, and whether urbane commentators would believe that she had connected to a public that they see as ignorant and sentimental. For the Alaska governor, mission accomplished.
There is indeed something mesmerising about Palin, with her manic beaming and fulsome confidence in her own charm. The force of her personality managed to slightly obscure the insulting emptiness of her answers last night. It's worth reading the transcript of the encounter, where it becomes clearer how bizarre much of what she said was. Here, for example, is how she responded to Biden's comments about how the middle class has been short-changed during the Bush administration, and how McCain will continue Bush's policies:

Say it ain't so, Joe, there you go again pointing backwards again. You preferenced [sic] your whole comment with the Bush administration. Now doggone it, let's look ahead and tell Americans what we have to plan to do for them in the future. You mentioned education, and I'm glad you did. I know education you are passionate about with your wife being a teacher for 30 years, and god bless her. Her reward is in heaven, right? ... My brother, who I think is the best schoolteacher in the year, and here's a shout-out to all those third graders at Gladys Wood Elementary School, you get extra credit for watching the debate.

Evidently, Palin's pre-debate handlers judged her incapable of speaking on a fairly wide range of subjects, and so instructed to her to simply disregard questions that did not invite memorised talking points or cutesy filibustering. They probably told her to play up her spunky average-ness, which she did to the point of shtick - and dishonesty. Asked what her achilles heel is - a question she either didn't understand or chose to ignore - she started in on how McCain chose her because of her "connection to the heartland of America. Being a mom, one very concerned about a son in the war, about a special needs child, about kids heading off to college, how are we going to pay those tuition bills?"

None of Palin's children, it should be noted, is heading off to college. Her son is on the way to Iraq, and her pregnant 17-year-old daughter is engaged to be married to a high-school dropout and self-described "fuckin' redneck". Palin is a woman who can't even tell the truth about the most quotidian and public details of her own life, never mind about matters of major public import. In her only vice-presidential debate, she was shallow, mendacious and phoney. What kind of maverick, after all, keeps harping on what a maverick she is? That her performance was considered anything but a farce doesn't show how high Palin has risen, but how low we all have sunk.

[Duchess Note: Notice it takes a journalist with a prominent newspaper OUT SIDE OF THE U.S. to cut through the crap and lies regarding Palin. The majority of the U.S. mainstream media don't have the balls to engage in real reporting these days. Many thanks to Judith in sharing this terrific, insightful article.]

Are The Greens Spoilers?
Commentary from “Some of All Parts” MySpace

Greens aren't spoilers, they keep politics fresh! The Green Party has no expiration date. We stay fresh and keep politics fresh. We bring new ideas into the conversation. We freshen up the system that the Democratic and Republican parties are trying to rotten. We are fighting for Instant Run Off Voting, Public Finance of Campaigns, Secure and Supervised Voting, and Open Debates. The question is, do you want the system to continue to rot or do you want to help the Green Party to keep it fresh?

• The concept of spoiling was defined and created by the Democratic Party and their funders due to their fear of losing the undeserved power they have in our country. If they can convince us that we are doing the opposite of building a movement and exercising our right to freedom and democracy, then they win. But we know the truth and we believe in Choices and Voices. We believe in our values. We know we are the fresheners of freedom, the baking soda of bureaucracy. We are the party working to stop the rotting perpetuated by the Democratic and Republican Party.

• The year 2000, is an example of how the Green Party kept it fresh. Despite all that happened, it was the Green Party, 3rd Parties and Independent Voters, who fought for election justice.

The Supreme Court Spoiled (appointed by Dems and Repubs):
Al Gore won the 2000 election. George W. Bush became President when a biased US Supreme Court allowed election manipulation by Florida Republicans.

Al Gore Spoiled in 2000(Dem):
Gore ran a weak campaign with no clear message. He failed to defeat Bush in the debates and even lost his home state of Tennessee. MILLIONS of Democrats voted for Bush compared to the few hundred thousand who voted for Nader. Al Gore also accepted the "defeat" and let it go. Why?

Democratic Senators Spoiled:
When the Black Caucus challenged Bush’s election victory in January 2001, not one Democratic Senator stood up in support. Senate Democrats failed to push for an investigation of the Florida vote debacle.

The Democratic Party Spoiled:
For many years, Democrats never objected when officials removed African American and other voters from the voter rolls in Florida and other states. Why didn’t the Democrats sue when 90,000 Florida voters were disqualified earlier in 2000? Why were Democrats (including Gore) silent about disqualified votes in the weeks after the election. So, let's keep politics fresh. Vote Green!

When Lata Mangeshkar floored Andy Summers!
Ediff.com
http://www.rediff.com/rss/redirect.php?url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/oct/06look.htm
In his memoir One Train Later, Andy Summers, the guitarist for the legendary rock band The Police, recounts how he was mesmerized by Piya Tose Naina Lage Naa, sung by Lata Mangeshkar in the 1965 classic movie, Guide.

MORE ON THE BAILOUT PLAN

Dennis Kucinich on Democracy Now Talking About the Bailout Plan
Scott Creighton, American Everyman
http://willyloman.wordpress.com/2008/10/02/dennis-kucinich-on-democracy-now-talking-about-the-bailout-plan/

Dennis Kucinich on the Democrats’ Bailout Betrayal
Chris Hedges, TruthDig
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20081006_dennis_kucinich_on_the_democrats_bailout_betrayal/
“Some of the most powerful speeches against this were given by members of the Republican Party who are on the political right,” Kucinich said. “They did a superb job in poking holes in the underlying assumptions of the bailout. They say what they believe. Give me somebody who says what they believe and I can figure out how to get them to a new place. When people say one thing and do another it is very hard to be able to move a debate.” So let us honor, in our moment of defeat, the handful of elected officials who valiantly defied their party leaderships in the House to stage a remarkable revolt that at first succeeded. Kucinich is one. There were others—Brad Sherman, Marcy Kaptur, Peter DeFazio, Lloyd Doggett and Robert C. “Bobby” Scott. They are about all that is left of the old Democratic Party, the party that once looked out for the poor and the working class. Send them a note of thanks. They deserve it. And if you live in their districts make sure you get to the polls in November. They did not sell you out.

They’re Stealing from You and Me – Where is the Outrage?
Garrison Keiller, International Herald Tribune
http://www.alternet.org/election08/101694/

Ralph Nader Calls Out Democrats for Financial Bailout
Afrique en Ligne
http://www.afriquenligne.fr/ralph-nader-calls-out-democrats-for-financial-bailout-2008100513265.html

[Duchess Note: We know Republicans short change and lie to the American people ALL the time, but now it’s also the majority of Democrats that have sold us up the river. It’s the continued rape of America and they support the Wall Street fat cats. This “bailout fiasco” has been lead proudly by that lying skunk, Obama. I am threw with the majority of Democrats! They are not worthy of my precious vote in November. Green all the way! Many thanks to Linda in Texas for contributing many articles.]

YOU CALL THAT A DEBATE?!?

The VP Debate: Palin’s Big Mistake
PostPartisan, Washington Post
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/10/the_vp_debate_palins_big_mista.html

QUOTE OF THE DAY … The majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the results that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. Sir Alex Fraser Tyler [1742-1813]

Biden vs Palin – Who Won? 6 Short Takes on the VP Debate
AlterNet Commentary
http://www.alternet.org/election08/101413/

Don’t Be Fooled, Palin is Bush in Pumps
Naomi Wolf Commentary
http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/dont-be-fooled-palin-is-bush-in-pumps/2008/10/03/1223013786182.html

Palin Has Never Actually Seen Russia From Alaska
Jed Lewison, Huffington Post
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/election08/101291/

[Duchess Note: Many thanks to Linda from TX for articles. Don’t forget that Congress will be voting again on this bailout fiasco. Call, fax and/or email your representative today. Tell them to vote NO on corporate welfare bailout!]

MORE BAILOUT NEWS

Bailout Lesson: Capital Crisis Will Wreak Both Parties
Glen Ford, Black Agenda Report
http://www.blackagendareport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=806&Itemid=1

Sanders on Bailout: “Let Paulson and His Friends Pay for It”
John Nichols, The Nation
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat/366927/print

Money As Debt [video]
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9050474362583451279

Bailout Protesters Send a Strong Message from Wall Street
Jeremy Scahill, AlterNet
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/rights/100370/

Bailout Passes Senate; 9 Reasons That’s Bad News for You
Senator Bernie Sanders, Huffington Post
http://www.alternet.org/workplace/101224/

[Duchess Note: Guess who voted for this friggin bailout fiasco in the Senate last night?!? Yep, that’s right, Obama and McCain! Both are hand in hand with the corporate elite and ultra rich. Help out the average American on Main Street? No way, they happily do the bidding of those that hold the purse strings. This lady is not voting for any Democrat in November, no way, it’s Green Party all the way. If you’re as pissed off as I am about this whole friggin mess, I recommend you contact your representatives in DC ASAP.]

LIVE FROM NYC - ITS THE NEWS

Press Release: Kucinich: Bailout Must Protect Home Ownership
http://kucinich.house.gov/News/DocumentPrint.aspx?DocumentID=104160

Dennis Kucinich on The Rachel Maddow Show [Re: Bailout]
http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2008/09/30/dennis-kucinich-on-the-rachel-maddow-show/

[Duchess Note: Many thanks to Linda in TX for sharing these awesome links. Bravo Dennis Kucinich! He is always there for the American people and championing our interests/values.]