Rush Limblah & The Republican art of Symbolism over Substance

Awhile back, Rush Limblah went on at lengths comparing the Terri Schiavo situation to the Elian Gonzales situation in response to the idea that Jeb Bush should use his executive authority to raid the hospice in the same manner that Janet Reno used the FBI to seize Gonzales and return him to his father. I remember him saying it'’s a classic example of how the conservatives are always on the side of life and liberty. I mean after all they drew a line in the sand when it came to Terri Schiavo's life and Elian Gonzales' liberty.

I say it's a classic example of how the right chooses symbolism over substance. In other words, it's easier and manageable for the right to be on the side of one illegal immigrant when in serves their ideological purpose. But consider for a minute that west of Florida along the porous Mexican border, the Minutemen project is stirring passions, angst, and headlines. Would the right wing in this country be willing to open their arms to millions seeking a better life were they not economic refuges but political refugees? Maybe, the best thing that could happen in Mexico for those who want to flee their dire economic situation would be for the country to take a sharp left turn into the state of Marxism.

As for being on the side of life, I've always believed the right wing'’s obsession with abortion is due in part to the fact that it allows them to rally on the side of the underdog, without having to actually touch it, clothe it, feed it, or smell it. It's this abstraction; this potential person growing in someone else it. But once they are born, they are loathe to provide them with quality healthcare, or a decent education. So whether it'’s a fetus tucked away in someone's womb, or a brain-dead woman tucked away in a hospice in Florida, or a child stashed away in a relatives house, Republicans will rally around the individual in a so called stand for life or liberty, but its little more than grandstanding for the sake of scoring ideological points..

Further Proof that W is a true Dolt!

I think the hand-wringing over Harriet Miers speaks volumes about W's idiocy. I really think he thought all he had to do was nominate an evangelical who many would assume would overturn Roe W. Wade. I give credit to those conservatives who are questioning the wisdom of this move. It'’s like they'’re saying: What did you think all we care about is whether or not they will overturn Roe V. Wade? Actual judicial experience and constitutional law expertise are't important to us. Just give us that no vote to Roe V. Wade and we will be happy. Furthermore, to nominate someone from his own inner circle. What a dunderhead!

Driving to the sounds of my favorite tunes

Something about the Eminor chord and/or a good solid Em D major riff like in Oasis' What's The Story Morning Glory that makes me hear God in the music and see love in the fabric of the universe around me. Mornings are always mystical man, on my way to work at the ungodly hour of 2:30 A.M. to work the UPS preload, I enjoy a clarity of thought and superb vision.

Man, the letters I write; the stories I tell, in the first, few fresh hours of the day. But by the time I get home to actually be able to write and have some time for myself, I am just so burned out. I try to make lists, and reminders of all the things I've thought during the day, but it becomes hard to focus.

Much of my focus lately has been on Duchess. As well, I have published a version of Double Down at lulu.com. I went ahead and ordered one hard copy book. I want to see the finished product before I make a bigger and bolder leap in trying to get folks to check it out there, or purchase it.

P.S. Kiss The Duchess For Me and Godlike Productions Radio

Well, I am of the mind, in this day and age, that is story is the most important story I can tell. I have often grappled with the dilemma and that is that attempting to use this story to achieve some sort of greater financial security is not appropriate as these letters were quite personal, and yet at the same time, I find that the things I do do for money, to earn a living, so to speak, mean so little to me, that I begin to hate them.

I do want to publish Double Down and write more, for a living, if I can ever get back into that game. I am also intrigued by a long time friend's foray into Internet Radio.
He'd like me to provide some content. I have long been brewing this idea that I could do some cool stuff over the Internet. Maybe, this is fate calling.

Lovely Rita

Near the corner of Sweet Leaf and Dreamtime.I've always wanted to toss that out as that is the truth. I live on Sweet Leaf lane, just a few doors away from Dreamtime. The builders have a tea motif thing going on, as you can tell.

This has nothing to do with Rita. I've just always wanted to work that into something I posted to my blog. It's very surreal here in Austin. The supermarket shelves are bare of certain necessities. A co-worker who has a second job at target described chaos and panic as customers grabbed batteries and bottled water.

It's the end of the world as we know it, keeps playing inside my head as does Dylan's Hurricane. This the story of the hurricane.

We should be OK here in Austin, though I feel a bit evil for not wanting to it to drift so far to the east. We need the rain. You should see my water bill. We should see some rain and high winds. I do feel rather silly because I have a case of Ozarka water in our pantry. It's like I really didn't think it was necessary, but then when everybody else was doing it, I thought: well maybe they know something I don't, and figured better safe then sorry.

Anyway it's about 9 p.m. and she's washing ashore, somewhere just over there. We have about 50 zillion people from the Houston area in town. I feel kind of bad, because we're not putting anybody up, but then, we don't know really anyone from that area, and I'm not gonna house strangers.

Anyway it's very surreal here, with all the Katrina refugees and not those trying to dodge Rita's bullet. I'll try to keep you posted, and I'll let you know if we ever needed that Ozarka water.

dark words combine

dark words collide
combine
with crimson brides
and history holds a fist hard & cold
slaps you with it in your time
will take you, render the rest blind

and history folds
on easy folklore scolds
a whipping so brutal
and nobody can tell
nobody nothing for it
after it all goes down.

speechless .... really ... I'm lost on the sadness of it all

Louisiana... words fail me.. this hits so close to home, feels so damn strong..yet it could be anywhere, happens all the time, in different places.

A whole city wiped away. Whole lives. Just swept away.

I'm noticing annoying spam. Hopefully I've taken care of it.

Much going on, life just heaves itself forward.

The Birth of Tribe and other trivia

truth be known, it was Sohum, myself and Bee, of i2iproductions, along the blazing SKYE, that first conceived of Tribe as a creative online zine for a bunch of us original doors chatters back in the last millennium. It soon took on a life of its own under the guidance, care and love, of Crystalheart and Poe Sparrow where it metamorphosed into tribal soul kitchen in its current 21st century state.

Small World Tec

Man, everyday in the midst of my life when I have those periodic flashes of remembering what I remember when I am in that state, I remember thatIT is really about LOVE. About love and friendship and I keep thinking I need to focus on the friends in my life and the people in my life.

Like Sohum, for instance. Otherwise known as the Byron. He does web hosting and has hosted my site for years. Check out site: smallworldtec.com

and there's our mutual friend, out amongst the snowcaps of Tahoe and the whirl of the gambling scene, doing his own web-hosting thang: http://www.i2iproductions.com

Two more classics ...

... still recall the deadhead days with nostalgia and longing. So many roads ... so many roads.
Music calls out to me. I listen to radio, mostly to Bob FM, a variant of Jack FM, only his catch is "He Plays Anything." I hear chords, music. I can feel it sometimes. Alas, I digress: two more stickers from my days as a deadhead vendor.

BUY THIS STICKER!!!

If only I could channel my thoughts

If only I could channel my thoughts from throughout the day. There's so much I'd like to do with this blog but by the time I am home, I am pretty much wiped out, mentally, to really create the kind of expositions I am yearning to do.

So many topical issues. So much going on. The tragedy in Louisiana, so close to Austin, yet a world away. The price of gas is through the roof. I am about to the point, where I am going to quit driving till it comes back down, and stay home and write and hope to make a go of it, and see what happens. Seems like I am getting some hits. It's hard to tell from where, but I appreciate folks stopping in for a readsy.

Much on my mind. What's up with Marshall Nagle. How about Ken Whiteley? Is he still playing guitar? Suzanne Sellers???

Got a letter from Eric and Margaret. They're in Latvia, Eric's ancestral homeland. Hi guys!!! Thanks for the card. Makes me think about Judy. She has family in New Orleans, her mother I believe. I hope she is OK!

Ok, that's all for now.