Buddha's Temple

Serj Tankian

2007-09-14T08:35:00.000-07:00

As an underground music aficionado, I used to be pretty hardcore about going to shows in Hollywood at the Whisky A Go Go (the Whisky), Roxy, Troubadour, and a few other clubs that don't exist anymore. One band that I experienced at the Whisky was the band System of a Down.

I've talked about this band in a previous post and since then they, like many of the worlds greatest rock bands, have taken a hiatus. The individual members are doing their own music projects, and Serj Tankian, the lead singer is about to release a new album.

Gone are the days of ever getting to see System of a Down or Serj in such an intimate place like the Whisky, which makes that experience all the more cherished, but sometimes one can't help but be selfish and wish their favorite music acts didn't get so damn popular.

Here is the music video for Serj's new song: The Unthinking Majority.
Enjoy, and read some poignant comments from Serj about the song and the lyrics below.

"The Unthinking Majority" lyrics:
(note - because there is a lot of repitition, I only post the verses, choruses and such once, but you'll be able to follow)

We don't need your democracy
Execute them kindly for me
Take them by their filthy nostrils
Put them up in doggy hostels

We don't need your hypocrisy
Execute real democracy
Post-industrial society
The unthinking majority

Anti-depressants
Controlling tools of your system
Making life more tolerable
Making life more tolerable

I believe that you're wrong
Insinuating they hold the bomb
Clearing the way for the oil brigade
Clearing the way for the oil brigade

Note From Serj Tankian
“The Unthinking Majority” is a song that I needed to release now, before my record or single comes out, to make a statement about the current catastrophe of our failing democracy. It is unlike any other song on my solo record and meant to inspire collective action.
Borders are the gallows of our collective national egos. Subjective lines in the sand, water and air are separating plants, animals, and atmosphere. Fear! Fear is the cause of separation for this imposed illusion, this cordoned off space from pre-birth. When we run out of borders, we reach infinity and unity. As for flags, they’re much less useful than toilet paper. No one has been caused distress by running out of flags. They become useful in times of crisis and unjust manipulative coercions pitting the victim against the victor or vice-versa. Neoliberal globalism is failing due to its underlying imperial ambitions and the discoveries of those sinister ulterior motives. So the ambitions have reawakened for “democracy promotion,” in the past few years.
In real terms, that means promoting democracy if and only if it serves imperial ambitions. How about we create a real democracy right here and now! Let’s allow the people to vote for or against a pre-emptive war, universal healthcare, expansion of social security, the Kyoto Protocol, the International Criminal and World Courts, and the role of the United Nations in interventions and reconstruction of devastated lands. Let’s vote for how we want our taxes to be spent, directly. Major referendums discussed and debated thoroughly representing all sides of each issue on television. All empires represent the aristocracy in their imperial ambitions, not the general populace! Also in dire need is a true democracy of nations. The UN Security Council should be dissolved and the General Assembly should rule all international affairs, allowing all nations equal access to the international forum and law. Given the truth, all human beings will collectively choose the direction of this lost, possibly last civilization.

Are we forgetting 9/11?

2007-09-11T09:33:00.000-07:00

Yes, there are ceremonies around the nation commemorating the significance of this day, but these ceremonies seem a bit hollow.

Like anyone else, I remember exactly where I was, and what I did that morning. I'll never forget the feeling of shock at what had happened to our great nation. Since then, things have only gotten worse...in far too many regards.

This nation has been lead in the wrong direction by its leader.
After 9/11 we (the U.S.) first entered Afghanistan and were unsuccessful in finding the main culprit of the 9/11 attacks: Osama Bin Laden.
We then entered Iraq because it was said by our leader that Saddam Hussein was as big a threat to the U.S. as Osama Bin Laden (which couldn't have been further from the truth).
As a country that prides itself on human rights, we trampled them as with what occurred in Abu Ghraib and continues to happen in Guantanamo Bay.
Shadiness in government contracts ensued and have continued with regard to oil companies that have links to those in our Administration.
Profit and political gain was made from 9/11 for this administration.
And since then, Iraq has been our focus.

What happened to our manhunt of the main culprit behind the 9/11 attacks?
When was the last time we heard our President even mention the progress (or lack thereof) of the search for the person behind the organization that masterminded an attack on U.S. soil that killed thousands of people?

It it purely the President's fault? Absolutely not.
The media and pundits have allowed the news and topics to be dictated to them.
The general public is more demanding today about putting a stop to dogfighting than they are demanding our leaders find Osama Bin Laden.
The presidential candidates have MAYBE mentioned Bin Laden in passing in their campaigns.

We have become afraid to question anything with regard to 9/11 or the war in Iraq out of fear of being labeled weak, unpatriotic, or unsupportive of our troops....because that's the way its been spun.

Justice for the lives of those who died in the 9/11 attacks (in the twin towers, the Pentagon, the passengers on the airplanes, first responders) has seemingly been forgotten. Until justice is served, the significance of 9/11 has not been given its proper respect.

In the words of Zack de la Rocha, we need to "Wake Up!"

Coachella 2007

2007-05-02T17:42:00.000-07:00

I was there all 3 days. and it was truly incredible. If you've not been to a Coachella Festival, you should go. Without being able to truly put into words what REAL music is, you experience it here.

It was truly a great concert for me personally to go to as many of my favorite music artists were there and in full effect. My personal favorites artists I was able to watch included Rage Against the Machine, Bus Driver, Ozomatli, Stephen and Damian Marley, the Roots, and Manu Chao....to see those artists in one setting of the course of one weekend was awesome. Others I got to watch were Julieta Vinegas, CocoRosie, Bjork, Red Hot Chili Peppers, El-P, Willie Nelson, and Amy Winehouse. There were more, but I can't remember them off the top of my head.

Below are just a few pics from my experience.

Layout of the Coachella Grounds.
Two big stages and 3 "tents" where the music went down, lots of reasonably priced food sold, and of course a few beers gardens here and there (which when you saw one in that desert 100-degree heat was like seeing an oasis).

Photo of the "Outdoor Stage" or 2nd stage where Stephen and Damian Marley were performing. (if you look closely you can see the Jamaican flag being waived around)

Photo of Bus Driver performing in the Gobi Tent.

It may not look like much, but it was hard getting a pic of my favorite band of all time in the pit. So yeah, this is Rage Against the Machine on the main stage.

Me in front of this art/light design thingie.

Simply put, them were good times.

Screamers

2007-04-24T10:54:00.000-07:00

There was a movie released last year titled "Screamers". It was a powerful film/documentary based on the Armenian Genocide and the band System of a Down. It draws ties between what happened then to today's genocide in Darfur and why in modern times genocides continue to occur.

In the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) it describes the movie this way:

Internationally known director Carla Garapedian follows the rock band System of a Down as they tour Europe and the US pointing out the horrors of modern genocide that began in Armenia in 1915 up though Darfur today.

As far as I know it is no longer in theaters, but if you are interested in watching it, a DVD should be coming out soon. The website for that info could be found here.

Here is a trailer for the film:

I post this on April 24th as it is the day that is recognized as the Armenian Genocide Commemoration Holiday, not by our country, but by many in Europe. Sadly, the United States has failed to recognize the events that occurred in Armenia from 1915 through 1918 as an official genocide. The main reason for that is the political relationship the US wants to continue to have with Turkey. Gotta love politics.

More info on the background to all this, and to why April 24th is the date for the commemoration of the genocide can be found on the link in the right hand column of my main blog page.

The link between the Armenian Genocide to the band System of a Down is simple: all four members of the band are of Armenian descent. Through their music they have pushed for justice on many issues, but one most dear to them being the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

One song by the band that was inspired by the Armenian Genocide was titled “P.L.U.C.K.” which stood for Politically Lying Unholy Coward Killers. So yeah, they’re a pretty intense band, lyrically and musically. I will post more about System of a Down later, as much of their art/music is very relevant and should be heard, but this post is dedicated to the Armenian Genocide, and here are some lyrics inspired by it:

P.L.U.C.K.

Elimination,
Die, Why, Walk Down, Walk Down

A whole race Genocide,
Taken away all of our pride,
A whole race Genocide,
Taken away (watch them all fall down).

Revolution, the only solution,
The armed response of an entire nation,
Revolution, the only solution,
We've taken all your shit, now it's time for restitution.

Recognition, Restoration, Reparation,
Recognition, Restoration, Reparation,
Watch them all fall down.

The plan was mastered and called Genocide
(Never want to see you around)
Took all the children and then we died,
(Never want to see you around)
The few that remained were never found,
(Never want to see you around)
All in a system , Down~

An Intellectual Debate

2007-04-19T23:42:00.000-07:00

Here is some classic video of Noam Chomsky debating William F. Buckley in 1969 (that year is what the poster of the video said when it took place). And don’t quote me on this but I believe this is from the show Buckley hosted on PBS called “Firing Line”.

One comment to the video (from youtube.com) I thought put it well:

It's hard to believe there was a time when American political debate was more than just a moderate and right-winger yelling sound bites over each other for five minutes.

EZLN/RATM

2007-04-17T23:45:00.000-07:00

EZLN = Ejercito Zapatista Liberación Nacional, which translated into English is the Zapatista National Liberation Army. They are a group of indigenous people from the Southern Mexico state of Chiapas. They are more often referred to as the Zapatistas.
The EZLN started a rebellion on January 1st, 1994, in their home state (Chiapas), the day that NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) was to become “operational”. They chose this day to take up arms and rebel because of the effects NAFTA would have on their country. The EZLN leader, Subcomandante Marcos called NAFTA a “death sentence” and said "when NAFTA goes into effect it will represent an international massacre because the treaty will only exacerbate the polarization of wealth in Mexico and hence increase the poverty and misery of the Mexican poor.” More to the point (from wikipedia):

Apart from opening the Mexican market to cheap mass-produced US agricultural
products it spells an end to crop subsidies and drastically reduces income and living standards of millions of Mexican farmers who can not compete with the artificially fertilized, mechanically harvested and genetically modified imports. The signing of NAFTA also resulted in the removal of Article 27 Section VII in the Mexican Constitution which previously had guaranteed land reparations to indigenous groups throughout Mexico.

Could you ever imagine the US allowing another country to adopt a policy that would exploit (putting it nicely) our cheap labor (if we had that) and at the same time, erased articles of our federal constitution that guaranteed land to our Native Americans? It would never happen. The only reason they thought it could happen in Mexico is because they didn’t believe people would actually take up arms to protect what is rightfully theirs. That’s not to say the effects of NAFTA didn’t happen in Mexico, they did, and they continue to, but the land that was thought to be used for corporate use was not taken away. It was not taken away because the indigenous peasants and farmers didn’t allow it.

The use of “Zapatista” is derived from the last name Zapata. It is used in honor of Emiliano Zapata, who was the leader of the Mexican Revolution of the early 1910-1921. He is famous for his quote: “I would rather die on my feet, than live on my knees.”

The leader of this rebellion is iconic figure Subcomandante Marcos (left).

In a quote he says:

We have a choice: we can have a cynical attitude in the face of the media, to say that nothing can be done... Or we can simply assume incredulity: we can say that any communication by the media monopolies is a total lie. We can ignore it and go about our lives.... But there is a third option that is neither conformity, nor skepticism, nor distrust: that is to construct a different way -- to show the world what is really happening....In August 1996, we called for the creation of a network of independent media, a network of information.... We need this network not only as a tool for our social movements but for our lives: this is a project of life, humanity -- humanity which has a right to critical and truthful information.
-- Subcomandante Marcos (January, 1997)

RATM = rage against the machine

RATM = rage against the machine. They are a hard/aggressive rock band born in the early 90's. I’ve posted lyrics by them in previous posts, but here is a little more info on them.
They are the first real rap/rock band, which I love and hate. As the pioneers of this music, they put two very different things together and made it sound literally like nothing ever heard before. I hate that they are the pioneers of this music because they spawned shit music like Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit (I can't stand either of those bands). The difference between rage and those other bands are twofold: one is the political edge of their music; and two is the originality of their sound. Their music and lyrics are in your face, angry, and loud, and as an avid concertgoer, they happen to be the best live band I have ever seen.

Politically motivated shows they've done include:
- benefits shows for the Tibetan Freedom Concert organized by Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys,
- for individuals they consider political prisoners such as Mumia Abu-Jamal and Leonard Peltier (both of who have also been inspiration to RATM songs)
- against the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), an organization formed by 4 wives of elected officials in Washington (including Tipper Gore) that claimed “popular music, especially rock music, was partially responsible for the contempory increase in rape, teenage pregnancy, and teen suicide.” So how did RATM protest? At a 1993 Lollapalooza show in Philadelphia that they were performing in, they took the stage, stripped naked, had the letters PMRC written on their chests, and stood silent with only the sound of feedback from both guitars in the background, for 15 minutes.

What do the EZLN and RATM have to do with each other?
The lead singer of RATM happens to be of Mexican descent, and among the many inspirations for his lyrics, the Zapatista movement is a huge source. This band is the way I learned of the Zapatista Movement, as well as the situations that surround Mumia Abu-Jamal and Leonard Peltier, and countless other social/political issues. They opened my eyes to something I probably wouldn’t otherwise care about: government and politics. To put it more bluntly, they have changed my life (I’ll explain in a later post).

With regard to the Zapatista Movement, this movement in Southern Mexico is happening now…and this post serves as a reminder of it. For those that didn’t know about it, hopefully it serves as a little enlightenment.

Most people don’t believe revolutions can occur in today’s world of corporate oppression, but this movement is a reminder that it is possible.

Below is the music video and the lyrics for the RATM song titled “People of the Sun”. The title is fitting as this song is inspired by and dedicated to the EZLN. Enjoy.

People of the Sun

Yeah people come up
Check it, since 1516 minds attacked and overseen
Now crawl amidst the ruins of this empty dream
With their borders and boots on top of us
Pulling knobs on the floor of their toxic metropolis
But how you gonna get what you need to get?
The gut eaters, blood drenched get offensive like Tet
The fifth sun sets get back reclaim
The spirit of Cuahtemoc alive and untamed
Now face the funk now blastin' out your speaker, on the one Maya, Mexica
That vulture came to try and steal your name but now you got a gun,
Yeah this is for the people of the sun

(this is the Chorus)
It's coming back around again!
This is for the people of the sun!
It's coming back around again!

You never forget that the whip snapped you back
Your spine cracked for tobaccoooh I'm the Marlboro man, uh
Our past blasting on through the verses
Brigades of taxi cabs rolling Broadway like hearses
Troops stripping zoots, shots of red mist,
Sailors blood on the deck, come sister resist
From the era of terror check this photo lens,
Now the city of angels does the ethnic cleanse
Uh, heads bobbin' to the funk out your speaker, on the one Maya, Mexica
That vulture came to try and steal your name but now you found a gun,
You're history, this is for the people of the sun

Chorus repeated

Nice timing...

2007-04-15T23:27:00.000-07:00

...with the whole Imus issue having just gone down, it was awesome to see the Jackie Robinson being honored as the first black player to play in the major leagues. There were some teams that honored him by having every player on their team wear his #42 on their jerseys.

Not only did he play, but he excelled, and he helped change the face of baseball, and the perception of blacks in the eyes of many white Americans.

Speaking of free speech...

2007-04-13T13:09:00.000-07:00

Don Imus is gone, for saying something he shouldn't have...especially something he shouldn't have said within the capacity of what he does for a living.

The article here, gives some background on his firing. Les Moonves, President and CEO of CBS put it well:

"There has been much discussion of the effect language like this has on our
young people, particularly young women of color trying to make their way in this
society. That consideration has weighed most heavily on our minds as we made our
decision."

What lead to his firing was his referring to the Rutgers women's basketball team as "nappy- headed hoes". Publicized less is what his producer chimed in with as he said the match-up of Rutgers vs Tennessee should/could be called "the Jigaboos vs. the Wannabes". That can be found here. It's my understanding that the word "jigaboo" is akin to the N word. I'm not quite sure why there wasn't more of an uproar from that...there should be.

Bottom line is, while free speech should not be regulated, free speech has its limits, especially when it is someone with he platform/media capabilities of someone like Don Imus.

"Blogging Code of Conduct"

2007-04-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

Interesting news article here about a proposed "Blogging Code of Conduct". Part of the proposal...

"...calls for blog content to be deleted if it is abusive, threatening, libelous, false or violates promises of confidentiality or rights of privacy."

The idea came...

"...in the wake of anonymous death threats posted on the blog of author and speaker Kathy Sierra."

I understand the intent of this, but the right to free speech is compromised. While free speech should not include threats, libel, or abuse, the users that commit those acts are usually ignored anyway. Trying to restrict the way one wishes express them self shouldn't be done. If we allow KKK members to congregate and say the hateful crap they say, then I can't find the reasoning behind regulating what someone on the net would. Too, I believe we as bloggers all have the control to allow (or disallow) anonymous comments and police (delete posts from) our own sites.

Another comment stated:

"Let's make sure that the culture we create with our blogs is one that we are proud of."

I'm not sure who the "we" in this sentence is. Is "we" the public intellecuals of the blogosphere? Who decides who belongs in this "we" group? How do "we" decide what is something to be proud of? Sounds pretty pompous and elitist to me.

There will always be a group of people that say things just to get under people's skin. From crude offensive things, to downright hateful frightening things, all to get attention. When threats are made on the net, they should be handled the same way threats made in person are dealt with - contact the authorities and be more aware of things around you. I agree with NowPublic co-founder Mike Tippett when he says:

"I'm not sure a code of conduct is the answer. It makes about as much sense as me wearing a badge to have a conversation. It won't make a difference. People don't need to sign pacts of civility to use telephones or send letters. I think the wisdom of the crowds, societal mores, and the expectations of civility will generally solve the problem, the Internet is just an extension of our everyday lives. Presumably, we are all bound by the social norms of our communities. Violate them and you are locked up."

And so it read: "Mission Accomplished"

2007-04-11T12:04:00.000-07:00

May 1, 2003 George W. Bush said:
“…major combat operations in Iraq have ended…"

Wow. Considering this news report just hit the net almost 4 years later, I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry.

"U.S. cedes to U.N. demand to delay Sudan sanctions"

2007-04-10T22:50:00.000-07:00

That was the headline on a news report Reuters for this story.
A quote in the story read:

"As a courtesy to the (U.N.) Secretary General, we delayed," Natsios told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee." I am going to give him the four weeks,"

Courtesies should have ended a long time ago. More time for "diplomacy" equals more deaths, pain, and bloodshed. If the Sudan was rich with oil there would be no delay.
As Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, put it:

"If I was sitting in those camps I could not stand the counsels of patience and delay,"

Sen. Joe Biden, D-Delaware, head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chimed in with:

"People are bleeding to death now....it is genocide, we should act now"

While it's great that the United States is getting involved in this situation, it knew of this genocide long ago. Proof of the knowledge of a genocide occurring can be found here. While Secretary of State of the U.S., Colin Powell made this statement on September 9, 2004 to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee:

"When we reviewed the evidence compiled by our team, along with other information available to the State Department, we concluded that genocide has been committed in Darfur and that the Government of Sudan and the jinjaweid bear
responsibility -- and genocide may still be occurring...."

So yeah, there will be no pats on the back for doing something now that should have been done years ago.

More on MMA: a little history on the UFC

2007-04-08T14:55:00.000-07:00

Mixed-Martial Arts fighting is growing in popularity throughout the United States and is spreading more and more internationally. Mixed-Martial Arts is the combination of striking and grappling arts.

Striking martial arts include boxing, Muy Thai, kickboxing, karate, kenpo, tae kwon do, kung fu....basically anything having to do with punching, kicking, kneeing, or elbowing an opponent.

Grappling martial arts include brazilian jiu-jitsu, freestyle wreslting, greo-roman wrestling, and judo. These are arts the do not include striking (punches, kicks, etc) but are more about ground conrtol, balance, body throws, and submissions.

Putting a few, or all, of these together and you have mixed martial arts (MMA).

Now a little background on the main organization that is leading the growth of MMA: the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship).

The UFC was started by the Gracie family who hailed from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was started before the idea of mixed martial arts existed. Back then, different martial artists wanted to prove that their particular art was the best. You would have judo guys saying their art was better than karate, karate guys saying they were better than boxing, boxing better than brazilian jiu-jitsu, and so on.

The Gracies from Brazil started their own martial art which they called Gracie Jiu-Jitsu (now known as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu). In order to prove their art was the best, they would invite the best karate, tae kwon do, boxing fighters into their gym and challenge them to a fight. Their thought was the winner of this fight would show which art was the best. The Gracies even offered $10,000 to anyone that would beat their best fighters. Their best fighters all happened to all be the sons of the founder of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, Helio Gracie. They took on hundreds of fights with this challenge, and never lost once.
Below is a photo of grandmaster Helio Gracie and his best students, his sons.

So it is with this idea of pitting one martial art versus another that the UFC was born. The business savvy Gracie son, Rorion put the UFC together with the idea of showing what they called "Gracie Jiu-Jitsu" was the best martial art in the world.

The UFC started as basically a no-rules fight. There were little regulations, no weight limits or catagories, no reasonable time limits or rounds, and it was held in a tournament style format where a fighter would have to win at least 3 fights to be declared the "Ultimate Fighter". It was this format that caused the sport to be called "human cockfighting" and it was Senator John McCain who wanted it outlawed. By the time UFC 9 rolled around, he started a letter writing campaign to put an end to it altogether, and was successful in getting it pulled from many cable companies Pay-Per-View (PPV) offerings and creating some rules for these fights. Some viewe this as the end of the UFC. In actuality, it helped the UFC transform into what it is today: a regulated sport that grosses more PPV money and more ticket sales than boxing in the last 2 years. Regulations include drug testing, wearing 8 ounce gloves to protect a fighters hands and his opponents face from injury, weight catagories, and timed rounds.

As the UFC tranformed from no-rules fighting into a bonafide sport, the fighters competeing also tranformed. Gone were the days of one martial artist vs another martial arts of a different art. Now fighters realize that to be able to compete at the highest level, they need to cross train in various arts in order to be able to defend themselves and keep from losing. Of course fighters have their speciality, but they now realize that they need to well versed in many arts in order to become the champion. And so Mixed-Martial Arts was born.

More information on the UFC can be found here.

More information on brazilian jiu-jitsu can be found here.

Do you know what MMA is?

2007-04-07T22:40:00.000-07:00

MMA is Mixed-Martial Arts, and I'm a huge fan of it. The leader of MMA fighting is the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), and tonight was UFC 69.

Tonight featured the biggest upset in UFC history as Matt Serra knocked out UFC Welterweight Champion George St. Pierre. Matt Serra at 5'6, 170lbs fought St. Pierre (the champ...before tonight's loss) who is 5'10, 170lbs. No one gave Serra a chance against St. Pierre, but Serra proved that in the MMA game, the fight is decided in the ring/octogon. Major respect to Serra for believing in himself when no one else did.

Good Ole Rummy: The Fast Rise, the Even Faster Fall - A Brief Timeline

2007-04-07T10:35:00.000-07:00

From what was being published in April 2003, to what was being published in May 2004, you can see what a difference a year makes.

On March 4, 2003 Donald Rumsfield stated:

"There is no doubt in my mind that he has weapons, chemical and biological weapons, and he has been working on nuclear weapons"

On Sunday April 20th, 2003 this is published in the Washington Post:

"Rumsfeld Stands Tall After Iraq Victory
As U.S. forces wind down the war in Iraq, Donald H. Rumsfeld stands astride the military establishment as few defense secretaries ever have.
After two years in office, he has his own people in top slots across most of the military establishment. He has triumphed in a military success in Iraq that featured an audacious war plan he helped to shape. He also looms large outside the Pentagon, injecting himself far more into intelligence matters than his predecessors and playing an unusually large role in shaping Bush administration foreign policy. He even has turned around a sour relationship with Congress."

On Sunday, September 14th, 2003 this was published in the Washington Post:

"Iraq Takes A Toll on Rumsfeld
Criticism Mounts With Costs, Casualties
Rumsfeld appears to be losing ground most dramatically on Capitol Hill, where even some conservative Republicans are expressing concern about his handling of Iraq. "Winning the peace is a lot different than winning the war," said Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), who counts himself as a strong Rumsfeld supporter but notes that not all his colleagues feel the same. "His bluntness comes across as arrogance, and he's made some enemies on Capitol Hill, probably because of style differences," said Graham, an Air Force veteran who serves on the Armed Services Committee. "

On Saturday, February 7th, 2004, this was published in the Washington Post:

"Bush, Aides Ignored CIA Caveats on Iraq
Clear-Cut Assertions Were Made
Before Arms Assessment Was Completed
Now that extended efforts to find weapons of mass destruction have proved futile, some are asking why Bush, Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld used unequivocal rhetoric to describe the threat from Iraq when the intelligence on the subject was much more nuanced and subjective.
For example, when Bush on Sept. 24, 2002, repeated the British claim that Iraq's chemical weapons could be activated within 45 minutes, he ignored the fact that U.S. intelligence mistrusted the source and that the claim never appeared in the October 2002 U.S. estimate.
On Aug. 26, 2002, Cheney said: "Many of us are convinced that Saddam will acquire nuclear weapons fairly soon." The estimate, several weeks later, would say it would take as many as five years, unless Baghdad immediately obtained weapons-grade materials."

On Sunday, May 9th, 2004 this was published in the Washington Post:

"Dissension Grows In Senior Ranks On War Strategy
U.S. May Be Winning Battles in Iraq But Losing the War, Some Officers Say
Some officers say the place to begin restructuring U.S. policy is by ousting Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, whom they see as responsible for a series of strategic and tactical blunders over the past year. Several of those interviewed said a profound anger is building within the Army at Rumsfeld and those around him.
A senior general at the Pentagon said he believes the United States is already on the road to defeat. "It is doubtful we can go on much longer like this," he said.
"The American people may not stand for it -- and they should not."
Asked who was to blame, this general pointed directly at Rumsfeld and Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz. "I do not believe we had a clearly defined war strategy, end state and exit strategy before we commenced our invasion," he said. "Had someone like Colin Powell been the chairman [of the Joint Chiefs of Staff], he would not have agreed to send troops without a clear exit strategy. The current OSD [Office of the Secretary of Defense] refused to listen or adhere to military advice."

Higher Prices

2007-04-06T20:22:00.000-07:00

No I'm not talking about the rising cost of fuel, I'm talking about the cost of enjoying an LA Dodgers game at Chavez Ravine.

The prices of games tickets and parking have gone up, and some Dodgers fans are upset. The basis for increasing the price of game tickets I'm not too sure of (considering they didn't sign many bigtime free agents for bigtime dollars). The basis for increasing the cost of parking from $10 to $15 they say has gone to hiring more parking attendents and a parking consultant.

As a diehard Dodger fan, I know we fans have been spoiled for a long time with the cheap cost of tickets. The seats in the Pavilion (the seats behind the outfield walls) and top deck (nosebleed seats) have gone from $8 gameday prices, to $10 if purchased on gameday. I don't think that's so unreasonable. Nor do I mind the higher cost for parking. Here's why:

Now, I'm not sure if you've even been to a Dodgers game, but if you have on a night when the game was sold-out, you'll know the worst part of it there being so many people are: 1 - the beer lines, and 2 - the time it would take to get out of the parking lot.

If the extra $5 means I don't have to be on high alert when trying to exit the stadium, that there is some calming to the chaos of 45,000 people trying to leave the stadium at once, and that it won't take 45 minutes to over an hour just to get out of the parking lot, then it will be well worth the cost.

VIVA LOS DOYERS!!!

Global Warming Effect: Hybrids

2007-04-05T19:59:00.000-07:00

Which of you Judas's is willing to walk the walk? Sure you liberals talk a good game. You vote pro-choice. You speak negatively about George W. Bush. You dislike Arnold Schwarzenegger half the time. So what kind of car do you drive? Just as I suspected, something that's not hybrid or environmentally friendly. I bet some of you fiends actually drive a SUV (just so you know you're going to hell for that.) Well soon I may "walk the walk" and buy a hybrid.

As I look into buying a new vehicle, and I feel compelled to check what hybrid car I might be interested in. Being the good citizen that I am, I want to do my part to make this world a better place. Getting rid of my older truck for a newer, more fuel efficient vehicle seems like the right thing to do. Unfortunately, fuel efficient cars are pretty awful looking, but luckily they have made hybrids that are more appeasing to the eye.

Nissan and Toyota both have hybrids that fall within the price range I was hoping for. The ’07 Nissan Altima or the ’07 Toyota Camry are both vehicles I’ve looked into. I may be siding with the Nissan considering the truck I’ve had is a ’97 Nissan and has given me few problems.

One perk I was hoping to get for my being a good citizen was to drive in the carpool lane with no passengers by applying a few bright hideous yellow stickers to the bumper of my soon to be new hybrid vehicle.

I remembered hearing how all the attractive stickers that the state of California set aside for hybrid owners to drive in the carpool lane had been disbursed. To my dismay, when I visited the State of California site in bright red it stated: "The 85,000 Clean Air Vehicle Stickers (yellow) that VC §5205.5 allows for hybrid vehicles have been assigned. Original Clean Air Stickers will no longer be issued to hybrids...". So there went that perk.

I did some more research, and found that not only are the stickers to drive in the carpool already disbursed, but that even if there were some available, the two vehicles I am interested in didn’t qualify anyway, as they do not meet the state standard of getting 45 miles per gallon. No carpool lane? The decent looking hybrids don't meet state requirements even if more yellow stickers are doled out? Maybe I should just get a gas guzzling SUV.

The Truth About Immigrants: Beauty in the Breakdown

2007-04-04T22:58:00.000-07:00

Too often it is said that immigrants in this country are like leeches on the economy, that they come here illegally to reap all the great benefits that this nation offers, without giving anything back. There are pundits, elected officials and government officials that would like you to believe that immigration has had only negative effects on our nation, but that is too simplistic and completely ignores the facts. They use the issue of the day, “Homeland Security” as cause to “strengthen our borders” and revamp immigration laws. There is a need for change in our immigration policy, but the fact remains that this country was built on the backs of immigrants (and unfortunately slaves). This country will continue to move forward on the backs of immigrants who pick our fruits, build our homes, and fix our cars. As we move into a new time and territory where more and more immigrants are becoming college educated and owning their own businesses, they will also sell us our homes and goods, teach our children, fill our cavities, and give us our medical exams. So while there is a need to change our immigration policies, it needs to be inclusive, and not exclusive of the people who helped build this country and of the people who will continue to reside and better it for a great future.

Getting Past the Myths: Don’t Buy What They’re Selling

There are a few myths of the immigrant population in the United States, whether they are here legally or illegally. One is that they “steal our jobs”, and another, that they come here simply to leech off of our system. First things first, are those bastards really stealing our jobs?

If by “stealing” it is meant that immigrants run to the strawberry patches or orange groves and cut in line in front of high school kids or college students eager to work those jobs, then yes, they are stealing jobs. Reality is that there is no line of people trying to get these jobs, and now more than ever, citrus groves, vineyards, and strawberry fields are feeling the crunch of what some new immigration policies are doing to their economy. Simply put, there are less and less workers to pick their fruit. In a February 11, 2007 article from the L.A. Times titled “A Town That Wants Illegal Immigrants”, this issue was exposed:

“Some say that the current farm labor shortage — of as much as 50% — made the effects of last month's freeze worse than it otherwise would have been. The recent crackdown on the border is being felt in this corner of the Central Valley.

"If we had more workers, we could have picked up to 75% of the crop," said Lindsay-born labor contractor Alice Gutierrez. Growers had a week's notice that the freeze, which caused an estimated $418 million in damage in Tulare County alone, was imminent.”

Another fact to add to the claim that immigrants, illegal or legal, steal jobs is found in numerous studies highlighting the number of businesses owned by these immigrants. In an article titled “The New Immigrant Dream” from the New York Times in early February of this year it was stated that:

“In Los Angeles, at least 22 of the 100 fastest-growing companies in 2005 were created by first-generation immigrants. In Houston, a telecommunications company started by a Pakastani man topped the 2006 list of the city’s most successful small businesses.”

Another fact to add that is the list of immigrant-founded companies such as Google, Yahoo!, eBay, El Pollo Loco, Panda Express, and Forever 21. These are huge corporate companies that have thousands of employees that work for them. The immigrants that founded these companies not only give back as individuals, as they are more than likely in a very high tax bracket, but they also created hundreds of thousands of jobs with their companies. This doesn’t even take into account the thousands of “mom and pop” business we see everyday lining our streets. These “mom and pop” businesses line the streets of cities throughout the nation, and while they may not have hundreds of employees like the bigger companies mentioned, they do employ a small workforce between 5-20 people. These are jobs that didn’t exist before. Thus, not only are immigrants taking jobs that no one wants, but they contribute to society by creating businesses that create more jobs.

The other that immigrants come here to leech off our system has an incredible narrow view. While it is true, coming to this nation has its benefits from health care to getting a free education, there is so much more to it than that. Imagine being in a place where you have little or no chance for economic or political certainty…a place with no hope. You see a salvation of sorts by leaving this environment of no hope for a better life, a better place where it is said that dreams come true. It is well known that getting to this place is not easy, in fact, you can lose you life trying to reach it, but it is of little matter to you as reaching this dream place of hope is worth dying for. This is the plight of someone that wants to enter the United States. It is no secret that the United States is the place where dreams are made, and where there is hope. In an article from the Washington Post from August of 2006 the story of a young Guatamalan boy is told:

"My father was a policeman. He was shot to death when he was following a car that was smuggling cocaine," said Luis Santos, a short, almond-eyed 16-year-old. "After that, my mother couldn't have supported me even if she'd wanted to. . . . She sells vegetables in the market. She has no money."
For the last five years, Santos had been living and working on a cattle ranch, barely covering expenses with his $66-a-week paycheck and finding it increasingly tough to find time for schoolwork. He was drawn to the United States by the same hopes of higher wages that attract adults.
"I just wanted to finally have something of my own," Santos said as tears began to roll down his cheeks. "To show everyone in my family that I can do this. That I can have things, too."

This is but one of the stories in this article, and this article is only one of thousands that could be written covering the same topic. Leeching off of this system may be true for some, but they are the minority. Most immigrants do not come for that purpose. They come here wanting what is viewed as the simple pleasures of life: a place to live, a meal on their table, a job, and being able to support their family. More often than not, they want better for their children than what they had as children themselves.

Solution: Inclusion

In a country based on family values it is incredible that the current immigration policies allow for families to literally be ripped apart. Literally TODAY, from immigrant founded website Yahoo!, a story off the AP newswire read: “Children Stranded After Immigration Raid”. It read:

“Dozens of young children were stranded at schools and with baby-sitters after their parents were rounded up by federal authorities who raided a leather goods maker suspected of hiring illegal immigrants, authorities said Wednesday.
About two-thirds of the 500 employees of Michael Bianco Inc., mostly women, were detained Tuesday by immigration officials for possible deportation as illegal aliens.
As a result, about 100 children were stuck with baby sitters, caretakers and others, said Corinn Williams, director of the Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts.
"We're continuing to get stories today about infants that were left behind," she said. "It's been a widespread humanitarian crisis here in New Bedford."

From an administration that prides itself on family values, there seems to be something missing here. Mothers being ripped away from their children is appalling. There has got to be a better way. There is. Currently there is legislation being authored by various elected officials, and one piece that caught my eye was one authored by Presidential Candidate Barack Obama (D – IL) and Luis Gutierrez (D – IL). It is titled the “Citizen Promotion Act of 2007”. In it, there would be a freeze on the rising cost to the fees to start the naturalization process, there would be thorough background checks on the individuals applying to start the process of becoming a citizen, and there would be the creation of a new organization called New American Initiative (NAI) that according to the website of the National Association of Elected Officials (NALEO) would:

“develop outreach materials to encourage legal permanent residents to apply for naturalization, and must disseminate those materials through public service announcements and other media. The NAI also establishes a program that makes resources available for community organizations with experience and expertise in working with newcomers to provide a broad range of U.S. citizenship services. These services include English and civics classes, legal services, outreach and education activities, and application assistance.”

This inclusive proposal is due to be released soon, if it hasn’t been already, and is a step in the right direction towards inclusion of the people who have helped our country get to where it is today. Taking it a step further to protect the rights of immigrants that have lived in this nation for years, and have established families (with background checks of course) is an addition that would further help the stabilization of the immigration policy of this nation.

Back in business

2007-04-04T22:56:00.000-07:00

The Buddha has been away from his Temple, but he is back now and you will be seeing his works regularly.

No disrespect to Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert...

2007-01-27T11:49:00.000-08:00

...but this is, in my humble opinion, the best political spoof I have ever seen. It's Dave Chappelle's take on what it would be like if the current President were black. From "Black Tony Blair", to the "Black Head of the CIA", to Black Bush's mocking the UN, this is classic.
Let me add, it's not often I could watch something 100 times and find it equally, if not more hilarious each time, but this is genius. It's a little long, but I hope you enjoy it as much and as many times as I have.

Image of the Day

2007-01-25T11:08:00.000-08:00

State of the Union speeches are...

2007-01-24T03:01:00.000-08:00

…usually a pretty big waste of time, and last night was no different. There was one thing that did stand out to me, and that was that GDub actually mentioned the crisis in Darfur. That actually impressed me. Now, how sad is it that I’m impressed when the President of our nation, a world leader, to some he is THEE world leader, speaks of increasing attention to a genocide? Too, let’s not act as though he spoke about it at length, because he didn't...it was pretty much mentioned in passing.

Anyhow, now I'm left wondering if he actually knows or cares about what is going on in Darfur, which leads me to this point: the only reason that GDub hasn't pushed the UN to get involved in trying to put a stop to the genocide that has been occurring in Darfur is because the fields of Darfur are not rich with oil. A statement like that warrants some explanation…which leads me to my State of the Union response:

Let us not forget, why we entered into a second war with Iraq. The first reason GDub was supposedly pushing for war in Iraq was because he thought, according to his intel, that they had weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and that Iraq, not Iran or North Korea, were/are threats to our national safety. When no WMDs were discovered, the reason for an Iraqi invasion then became that we, the US, are the world’s “good guys”, and like knights in shining armor, we’re there to save the day and liberate the Iraqi people.

Now, I’m all for liberating the oppressed, whether they be Iraqis, Sudanese, Chileans, Vietnamese, etc, but don’t try and sell me that load of crap. I may be dumb, but I’m not naïve. When billion dollar contracts are awarded to Papa Cheney’s “former” employer (an oil company) without going to bid, as a result of our involvement in this war, it causes one to raise their brow a bit…errrr…A LOT

This all leads me back to the crisis in Darfur. The sad reality is that we as a nation are standing by and allowing genocide to occur. After the Holocaust the words “never again” were said and repeated over and over again. We, the US, and many other nations vowed to never let an atrocity like that happen again. Well it’s happening again, and it has been for a few years now, with basically no real response. If we continue to standby and let it happen, we will be left with the aftermath of genocide - hundreds of thousands, possibly millions dead. We will be left begging the question: how could this have happened? We as a nation will only have ourselves to blame, because the US is in fact a world leader, but we have failed in leading the world against atrocities time and time again. This time, the reason for not intervening in this crisis, is that there are no oil fields in Darfur. The US is not the world’s “good guys”, when in true Machiavelli fashion, we only do things when we have something to gain. A Union that operates that way is not something to be proud of. I look forward to continued change in the political leadership of this country, because right now, it is lacking.
(can a brotha get a standing O?)

I still can't believe it.

2007-01-22T10:20:00.000-08:00

They are back. They being a band that have had a prolific impact on my life - RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE. They will be performing live again, and there is no doubt, I will be there.

Here's a link to the breaking news: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070122/music_nm/rage_dc_1

Also, here is a link to see some great footage of this band live.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n7jjcnrfYM
It's a cover song they did of Cypress Hill's "How I Could Just Kill a Man". They get introduced to the crowd by the guitarist's (Tom Morello) mother. (Rage guitarist Tom Morello is a Harvard graduate by the way).

More on their impact on me to come, but for now, here are some lyrics from a few of the bands' songs. Believe me when I say this, NO ONE wrote lyrics/music like RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE...no one. So please read, enjoy, and ponder.

from the song "Bulls on Parade"
Weapons not food, not homes, not shoes
Not need, just feed the war cannibal animal
I walk the corner to the rubble that used to be a library
Line up to the mind cemetery now
What we don't know keeps the contracts alive an movin'
They don't gotta burn the books they just remove 'em
While arms warehouses fill as quick as the cells
Rally round the family, pockets full of shells

from "Sleep Now in the Fire"
The lie is my expense
The scope of my desire
The Party blessed me with its future
And I protect it with fire
I am the Nina, The Pinta, The Santa Maria
The noose and the rapist
And the fields overseer
The agents of orange
The priests of Hiroshima
The cost of my desire
Sleep now in the fire

from "Know Your Enemy"
Word is born
Fight the war, fuck the norm
Now I got no patience
So sick of complacence
With the D the E the F the I the A the N the C the E
Mind of a revolutionary
So clear the lane
The finger to the land of the chains
What? The land of the free?
Whoever told you that is your enemy
Now something must be done
About vengeance, a badge and a gun
'Cause I'll rip the mic, rip the stage, rip the system
I was born to rage against 'em
Now action must be taken
We don't need the key
We'll break in

Yes I know my enemies
They're the teachers who taught me to fight me
Compromise, conformity, assimilation, submission
Ignorance, hypocrisy, brutality, the elite
All of which are American dreams

from "Guerrilla Radio"
As the polls close like a casket
On truth devoured
A silent play on the shadow of power
A spectacle monopolized
The camera's eye on choice disguised
Was it cast for the mass who burn and toil?
Or for the vultures who thirst for blood and oil?
A spectacle monopolized
They hold the reins and stole your eyes
The fistagons, bullets and bombs
Who stuff the banks?
Who staff the party ranks?
More for Gore or the son of a drug lord
None of the above, fuck it cut the cord
Lights out, guerrilla radio
Turn that shit up

from "March of Death"
(a song by Zack de la Rocha (lead singer of Rage Against The Machine) with music by DJ Shadow)
Far from the norm
I wont follow like cattle
I'm more like a catalyst; calm in the mix of battle
Who let the cowboy on the saddle?
He don't know a missile from a gavel
This Texas Furor, for sure a, compassionless con who serve a
Lethal needle to the poor
The cure for crime is murder?
Here it comes the sound of terror from above
He flex his Texas twisted tongue
The poor lined up to kill in desert slums
For oil that boil beneath the desert sun
Now we split flame we flip this game
All the targets are taking aim
We're the targets, they're taking aim

A case of the pot calling the kettle black

2007-01-19T14:53:00.000-08:00

"Pelosi said Bush "has dug a hole so deep he can't even see the light on this. It's a tragedy. It's a stark blunder."

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino retorted that Pelosi's comments were "poisonous," referring to the portion of Pelosi's statement that asserted Bush is rushing new troops there and betting that Congress won't cut off funds once they're in battle.

"It's certainly not in keeping with the bipartisan spirit and civility that the Democrats pledged and that we looked forward to," Perino said. "Speaker Pelosi was arguing in essence that the president is putting young men and women in harm's way for tactical political reasons. She's questioning his motivations rather than questioning his policies."

Perino has a lot of nerve to question Pelosi's "bipartisan spirit" considering the fact that his boss, GDub, has said he will bypass Congress and the Senate and will send more troops to Iraq whether or not either legislative branch supports it. What would Perino call that? Bipartisan spirit? Patriotism? GDub's stellar leadership? I would use Perino's own words in describing Bush's actions as "poisonous".

you can read the entire article here: http://http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070119/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq

VIVA PELOSI!!!

"Don't talk about it, be about it."

2007-01-15T13:38:00.000-08:00

Music and politics oftentimes go hand in hand. There are a ton of good examples for that and this is one of my favorites. Below is a a video for the song called "Katrina Klap" by prolific hip hop artist Mos Def. The song is described as "a critical reaction to the lack of response by the Bush administration to the Hurricane Katrina disaster".

Maybe I'm a little slow, but I had to listen and watch this video a few times to get the complete feel of it (watched it once to pay attention to the lyrics and watch the video, and another time to read the scrolling text at the bottom, and another time put it all together). If you can do it the first time you see the video, you're better than me. Enjoy.

By the way, I LOVE youtube.com.