Change

what are you going to say now, Aussie friend?

OK, so I am sort of halfway unemployed, an artists choice I guess. I could work for WallMart part time, Home Depot or Radioshack (if I shave first and then put a tie on) or the local grocery store if I handle to stack shelves with fried bean cans. I don't imagine my future to be this way.
OK, so here is my final proposition. I will open a Chinese restaurant, right here in downtown Hillsdale. I like to cook and I like Chinese people. What a combination!
All I need now is start capital. Would you please donate through the PayPal link below? You thereby could become a shareholder for my venture. It is indeed a viable thing to invest in local initiatives. You knew that, but I just would like to remind you of it.

So the Banking Situation is not fixed in the US, the DOW has dropped to 7500 something, Oil is below $50 a barrel, naughty executives fly from Detroit in three separate private jets to bargain with congress for a 25$ billion bail out?
Let's scrap the private jets - then talk!
Even Red Neck folks have no mercy anymore, and they should know...
Go to CNN and read the last articles.
Am I upset? Fuck no - I am devastated, and so will you be in the end.
Time to change gears. Time to invest locally. And I am not even going to be mad if you don't invest in my Chinese restaurant called "Golden Dragon"... Just be mindful to put effort into your own local community!!!

dog talk

Check this dog out her name is Gin. Never have I seen anything like it!

by the way, if you get sick and tired of that song, just click the pause button on the embedded player below! Will take it down eventually...

the eat out

They eat out
by Margaret Atwood

In restaurants we argue over which of us will pay for your funeral
though the real question is whether or not I will make you immortal.

At the moment only I can do it
and so I raise the magic fork over the plate of beef fried rice and plunge it into your heart.

There is a faint pop, a sizzle
and through your own split head you rise up glowing;

the ceiling opens a voice sings Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing
you hang suspended above the city in blue tights and a red cape, your eyes flashing in unison.

The other diners regard you some with awe, some only with boredom:
they cannot decide if you are a new weapon or only a new advertisement.

As for me, I continue eating; I liked you better they way you were,
but you were always ambitious.
"They eat out" by Margaret Atwood, from Selected Poems 1965-1975. © Houghton Mifflin

naked tree "competition" for lyrics

As we approach yet an other week of labor and sweat, nature is whispering: Calm down!
Listen to the cranky voice of Tom Waits for a few minutes and it will make you kick your audio system into shambles and make flying little pieces flaring around in mid air in no time. Nothing against Tom per say. He got some good blues tunes worth listening to. But he is sooooo Monday; or was that so mundane? Without his back up band he would barely compete with a rooster having pneumonia. But hey, he's got some fine lyrics. Maybe that's what counts these days, and that's where you come in...
This is not a Haiku competition even though there is a Haiku on that photograph from my evening walk. This is a competition about you doing the lyrics - you write them, and I and my friends will come up with the sound. So, go ahead and be creative. A personalized mp3 version will be awaiting if you happen to be the "winner" of the lyric crafts contest!
Have an excellent Monday and a fair sailing in the week ahead!
Sharpen your pen and write something that makes a tune roll...
The final blockbuster hit will be published here - and everywhere else of course, let's make history!
Oh, I forgot to mention, the theme is: FALL !

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the music you hear was a totally spontaneous session between brother Pete (cello) and me on guitar, voice and violin on July 4th... There you go, you're up for trouble. Win this contest and become immortal. We will be doing a much better job than we did with these Dylan lines you listening to right now, maybe your own song therefore will sparkle and stand out like a gem ....

Hairy business ahead

I am still pondering what kind of "change" the new elections in the US will bring for real.
The Democrats are now talking about a bail-out of the "big three", GM, Chrysler and Ford - in essence rewarding them for their misdemeanors and mismanagement in the past and thereby giving them a green light to continue business as usual. I see no "change" in that.
In utter despair the government throws money here and there, not only for bank and other acquisitions, but now also as droplets to homeowners. Where does that money come from, where is the printing press to keep up with such a demand?
As much as I like Obama and his charismatic personality, I stay a skeptic of the course ahead. There is too much hairy business to wade through, entrenched in sieves above the drain.
Now that the USA per say has become a socialist country, I wonder when the knuckleheads in Washington realize that the present "free market system" has failed. But no, they are hanging onto it as if their lives would be saved on a magic raft, while their actions only prolong the inevitable course of drowning. Maybe that is a human instinct: Let's stay on the course we choose, no matter what happens.
But there is a way to avoid the iceberg and savor this moment of present uncertainty and turn it around to our advantage. People who are looking for "self regulated", decentralized, community orientated businesses, are definitely on the right track.
I happened to be in Detroit when Bush gave his speech To the Union. I also cruised around then, and all I saw was desolation and decay. The image was as vivid as a city seen after a war. The palaces of the "big three" were still there, but they turned into shopping malls on the ground level, cheap jewelery from China, leather belts from Mexico and twirling stands of postcards depicting times long gone. I thought right then, that I was participating involuntary in a SiFi movie.
The answer is not to bail out these aging giants so that their ruthless course will continue. Detroit will not benefit from it either. The unfortunate side effect is, that there will be colossal collateral damage, thousands of people jobless.
But so be it. Maybe we could focus on a brand new economy, one that serves the people of each country and not the top 2% of jerks running the show.

head's up

the task of race

Now that the big wave of orgasmic election days are done, ripples of water trickle into the ground, the leftovers of that ejaculation.
I am cautiously optimistic and that does not make me a "true blind believer". But you see, this nomination has great merit. Two hundred years ago, the United States raised its wealth and existence on the bleeding backs of imported slaves from Africa and they called them niggers. Now such a man of color is president-elect of same country. A marvelous transformation indeed. Only in America such a transformation is shown to be possible in such a short span of time, historically speaking. (could you for example envision a woman or man of color as president or leader in Sweden? See, you can't - the question therefore is, why not!)
So the present road ahead is not without obstacles. Obama will face challenges unprecedented compared to any other US leader before him: The "western-capitalism-model" is in shambles, there are multiple wars still dominated by US-forces, nature takes its toll each day and little is done to reverse that trend.
It will be tough to reverse some, if not all of these issues within four years of presidency.
Now that said, I have confidence that Obama will try his best. He has a good heart after all, one that seems to be uniquely human, a heart that reaches out to all people!

(photo, Vinalhaven, Maine)

the song: This is your victory!

I had a night, that was not blessed with lot's of sleep
but I guess the sheep
whispered
I took no time to count them,
others did.

The miracle is not in the making anymore
the janitor has already cleaned the floor
Obama must now carry the sun
undo what others have begun

The hope is high, the hope is slow
what will turn out, you only know
the leaves will fall this autumn day
and that's as much I dare to say.

Hallelujah

Now I've heard there was a secret chord
that David played and it pleased the Lord
but you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this, the fourth the fitht
the minor fall, the major lift
the battled king composing Hallelujah.

Your faith was strong, but you needed proof
you saw her bathing on the roof
her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you to a kitchen chair
she broke your throne, and she cut your hair
and from your lips she drew the Hallelujah...

(LEONARD COHEN, and five more verses after these two)


I had the luxury today to recline outside on a stretcher, nah - you don't call it that, some kind of mobile steel tubed sofa for 45 minutes. What the heck, you get what I mean. So I gazed up into the sky and followed the tracks of hypersonic-fat-ass-military planes scratching artificial clouds into the sky. To some extend it was pretty how the patterns evolved - and then dissolved again. There is something poetic about momentary existence, be it in clouds, or the pulse of the heart of a reclining person staring at the sky.
Sometimes life can be so simple, even hours before a groundbreaking general election.

what fear is yours?

You can take the poll above, leave your comments here, or do both...
Fear is a powerful ingredient of the human soul. It should not be underrated. Partially fear is the destructive behavior that shows up at the threshold of anything that previously is unknown to you. Eliminating fear is rather difficult. It is as tough as eradicating predestined opinions of gender, race and all kinds of other garbage lying around. Dreadful - fearful...
So on this beautiful, sunny, Halloween day - you might as well ask yourself what it is, that unknown thing, that throws you eventually off course. The fear you never admitted to previously.

I'll scrap the poll, it's a nuisance..,

Hellowhat?

Ok, the festivity of Halloween is upon us tomorrow (for some it is already happening today, down under...).

There is not much I can say about this "vacation" - "holiday". Can I fly through the spiders web? Well. the Celtic folks invented this festival, to chase away the demons, or so I've been told. My pub, the other one, downtown keeps up with the spirit. They put up some spiderwebs for kicks.

Well, the poem will come tomorrow...
or an other day.

Billy Joel - The Downeaster Alexa

Billy Joel - The Downeaster "Alexa" This video/soundtrack was ment to be downloaded somehow at "Put your lipstick on the Face Book website". I messed up, and it got double posted, both here and there. But since the link is now here, I might as well deal with it. It is a beautiful pop song, and by all means, pop songs are not my only favorites. But this one in particular carved through my sentiments, leaving tear drops behind, or in my eyes, because I know the issue first hand... Most of you don't know - that I do know someone closely who depends to catch pray in the North-East Atlantic. The pain and agony he goes through these days, would be worth some paper to scribble on, a novel of sorts, a short story with sad endings, or rays of hope if you wish! Be well, be good, and save all your forces to further healthy coexistence within our fragile civilization and environment.
PS - did anyone else had a problem to listen to this song besides Aggie?
© 2008 YouTube, LLC

no more new posts until this US election is over

Until then, post whatever you want in the commentary section. (I might reply, I might not)
You see, I just happened to roll out of steam these days, sorry for the inconvenience.

(so I lied... sorry Bettina)
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The Dick is not in Cheney - 'cause they never found that thing on him...
I am cautiously optimistic. But the truth is, the "world" will not change dramatically if either McCain, or Obama are being voted into office. The US democracy is build up as such, that legislative control is not executed by the president ("commander in chief") very much at all. He or she follows the leads of advisers, committees and most of all two "chambers", the Senate and the Congress. I don't want to bore you with creamy details how this mechanism is all supposed to work. In many ways I do not understand particular aspects of it myself. It would be a waste of time to try to solely "pose" on that one...
All I know for now, is that the foreign-policy advisers from both Obama and McCain don't differ very much at all. They spawn all from the same pond of political breeding ground that will ensure the same course - as it always was, as it always has been.
As for Obama, he has some charisma. Maybe he will be able to use it to inspire legislative processes to find a new direction. Maybe he will achieve to be a steward to this nation, and not act as some warmongering idiot from an oil clan, running around in circles on a fortified ranch in Texas. You know Texas - the country that actually should not be part of the USA. That's an other story. But maybe there will be a grain of pride in this guy Obama, a spark, something that will him "move" (not change!!! I'm tired of that slogan...) things along for the better for this nation. That's where my hopes are resting, and that is why I will vote for him in the next few days.

what is religious tolerance?

My grandfather used to work in this city -Duisburg, a town close to Essen, a former industrial center, in the middle of Germany. What did he do? Well, he was responsible for iron-ore import for Thyssen and other companies, yes, also during WW2. Somehow he managed to keep his integrity, never joined the Nazi-party. He survived the massive "carpet" bombing of this city by the Allies, only to get into a car accident in the early 60's, lost his leg and died of incurable infections.
OK, that was a long preamble. Bloggers don't like that usually. But I had to attempt it this way. My point is, they are building the largest mosque in Germany, right in the center of what was once the "industrial-heartland" of this country. The thing is huge. Maybe it is the largest mosque in Europe yet.
So yes, I do have objections, otherwise I wouldn't mention it. The population there is 90% Christian, denomination 60% Catholics. (I don't particular care for Catholics, just so you know...). In any case, even though I don't have anything per say against mosques, I do though have a problem with "injecting" religion where traditionally faith was carried otherwise. The dimensions of a "Duisburg mosque project" would for example never be possible in a Muslim Arab country. Imagine a cathedral built, funded by Christians in Iran, or even Dubai! So there is a double standard here, and I don't like it. Muslims whining all over Europe to archive equal rights to follow their faith, build mosques and all, while denying "equal opportunities" in their homelands.
I am sorry to push this issue once again, but the Koran says, that all other religions will be tolerated only as long as the "nonbeliever" pays a price, namely monetary bribes to stay alive. All other nonconforming "infidels" will be killed if they can't be converted. It is as simple as that. Read the Koran (I have three different translations) and you can prove me wrong (if you can).
OK, I am ready to receive an avalanche of stabs from Arabic and Muslim friends. But you know, bottom line, I just want to see equality and a fair appeasement between religious orientations, in all countries!
The "Duisburg project" in this light, was a wrong move, just an accentuating of differences, and not the building of community.

(just a small afterthought: All Muslim countries around the globe have never achieved to be a secular society, except for Saddam Hussein 's Iraq. Now that the man got hanged, killed by the rope, with US conformity, spectacular videos, western style - Sunnis and Shiites will fight each other forever - a continuous tragedy in the making. )

does it matter if I vote?

Yeah, it actually does! McCain got me pissed off in recent days, severally hit my not so funny bones. What does he think - that I'm just an other stinking idiot who slides down the latex fibers of cheap rhetoric chutes? This man is in his 70's - he got to retire by now and put all the Cuban crisis and Vietnam struggles behind him. Time to find a condo in Florida - McCain. Because my "leader", you are not! It has become very annoying how you attacked Obama in recent days, the lies that spread like wild-fire.
" Obama spreads the wealth around..."
Bullshit, (Obama) said to "Joe the plumber" that people earnings exceeding more than a quarter million would have to pay 39% instead of the regular 36% in taxes. Why does McCain misquote him daily?
There is no "free for all spreading it all out" plan by Obama.
Get it? The Republicans who have run this country into debt, shoved us into wars that costs us a bundle each week, still claim that we are fiscally a superior nation. That is total bullshit!
OK, I am going to be real mean today. Whoever votes for McCain is for Armageddon, who votes for Obama might see a bit of light on the horizon instead. So even if this "electoral-pony-express-voting-system" of the US is a screwed up system, go out there and vote and make a statement, even if it is just to adjust the statistics!


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It is a bit confusing for "outsiders" - believe me it took me a while as an "insider".
I will cast my vote no doubt, even though my vote will count shit since I happen to live in a "Democratic" (blue) state. So if I voted Republican or Democrat, it wouldn't matter at all. The State of New York will still be counted as a Democratic state and send its precious electorates to make up the tally on a national level.
Unfortunately, the "popular vote" is not part of US democracy.
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For those who wish to follow the election in the US firsthand, without fuss and advertisements,
my brother ALexander has put up a neat website with polls, statistics and all. Here it is again, written out and not as a sole hotlink as I placed it above:
http://www.voteprojections.com/

It is Monday - on that week day we should not work at all

I just came across this, this rambunctious poet who later in life chooses to be a merchant (hired killer) in Africa, throwing away his mental genius for the sake of guns and war, then further down the road (early 40's?) dies of cancer.

"Genius is the recovery of childhood at will"... he said

Brilliant! This Rambeaux person (did I spell this right?) was ahead of his time, a visionary of sorts.

You know this stuff, the "Facebook thing". You browse around and suddenly you get entrapped on pastures of the past. So here it is, no censorship, no bias. Came across this fine picture. It is a lovely woman from years ago, holding a toddler who I once took care of. Now this kid has her own kids and lives close by. Bizarre. (yeah - I did also care about the mother, no worries).
I think I am a bit dumbfounded to have turned 50, not realizing how time went flying by.

(Oh, you might wonder where this above picture was taken - in the suburbs of Bergen, Norway around 1980)


Maybe I confuse people, therefore I added this picture below of the above baby, now all grown up, holding her own child...
My point was merely, that time runs fast, like quicksand through bony fingers.

Capitalism versus Capitalism

All the big honchos are comming together (from the G8 and also a few delegates from "deprived" nations) to discuss how to fix the "global-economy-crisis" while the IMF boss intermediately will be questioned about favoring his former lover, who happened to be a an employee at this International Monetary Fund institution . Good luck with that. Guess who is hosting this storm-braining session? W. Bush, after the November election that is. This reminds me of a bunch of pigs. They are locked into their stable and the warden has left. The key buried under heaps of manure, or shall I call it growing piles of shit? No Exit. What the swines don't understand, is that they are on their own now - trapped. And so they grunt for pity, for resurrection, help from us common folks to take a shovel and clean up their shit, clean up the stable - and by a miracle maybe find the key, unlock the doors and let the pigs out again to let them all ravage on some untouched, virgin pastures?
This ain't no Animal Farm a la Orwell, this isn't an experiment of sociological studies. This is bluntly a bloody mess, and I will have nothing to do with it! But I'll give you just an example though of the "French pig", and what he said today:

Sarkozy said, the hedge funds, tax havens and financial institutions operating without supervision should all be re-thought."This is no longer acceptable," he added. "This is no longer possible... This sort of capitalism is a betrayal of the sort of capitalism we believe in."

This (the French minister) was his stereotype answer: This sort of present capitalism is not longer my capitalism, because I only gain shit. Therefore this capitalism is not the one I can believe in. But what is the kind of capitalism YOU personally believe in? Maybe we should ask the plumber Joe (or was it Bob) for the answer. After all, that dude is neither licensed as a professional plumber, nor did he pay his taxes in time and presently owes $32,000 to the IRS. Ah, it is exciting to be a celebrity for 15 minutes once in your life, but the risk is that all the shit you didn't want to talk about arises to the surface and becomes starkly available then to all the other six-pack buyers. Unclog them drains.

No, seriously - I am actually interested what your thoughts are about capitalism. Obviously the coloration of present schemes are not working out at all, neither does Fundamentalism in the Arab world or elsewhere. So, what will it be - a constant repair and continuum of present misdemeanors, or is there at some point, a new outlook and a focus beyond the stables of greed and destructive martyrdom?

It rained and then...

It rained all day - and then for a brief moment the sun came out, just before she was gobbled up by the horizon.

Joe the plumber - I want to see his (him) crack

After all the expenses, the pipes, the vehicles, the pay for the employees, all the other stuff you can write off - if then, you would still earn a net of more than $250,000 (a quarter million Dollar) annually, only then you would see an increase in taxes according to Senator Obama's financial plan. I found McCain's rhetoric last evening to be less than amusing, bringing up "Joe the plumber" more than a dozen of times.
The fact is, if McCaine will be elected, unheard of amounts of tax brakes will go out to the Fortune 500 companies, repeating the useless theorem of the "trickle down economy", invented by a charming third grade Spaghetti-Western actor called Ronald Reagan.
If Obama gets elected, there is still some hope that greed and bribes will slow down somewhat. Not entirely, but somewhat...
If he doesn't get elected, because of the ignorance of some "Joe the plumber dudes", it will be a sad day in USA history.