American Empire - The Film . . . .

Coming soon to a theatre near you?   Sure hope so! 




From the YouTube page:

AMERICAN EMPIRE two words that don't fit together. The definition of Empire has not changed, but the definition of American has.This film examines the causes of what is destroying America and the illusion of freedom that we have been indoctrinated into by corporate media. Beginning with the founding of the Federal Reserve, a private banking cartel that controls debt and inflation, an economic empire has been created that is dedicated to destroying our planet and all its natural resources in an effort to amass money. Our food is produced to maximize profit despite the fact it is lacking in nutrition, is filled with pesticides (cide+to kill), and is causing diseases of epidemic proportions. Our medical industry is geared to maximizing profit as opposed to creating health. Our financial industry is a giant monopoly game where people who create nothing amass huge amounts of money at the expense of the middle class and the poor. All of this is orchestrated by a state, not a government, that is ruled by Wall Street.

Limited release starts later this month . . . .

Our Four-Footed Child . . . .

Since you've shared in a big part of her life, we thought you should share in this, too. 

 

My first night on "The Island" after being adopted from P.A.W.S in Ft. Walton Beach, FL.  I look like a "Beagle Mix" as advertised, right?
 

My personal pool on "The Island."

 

  

My favorite after dinner drink on "The Island."

My BIG ride across the continent barking at every large mammal that moved. 

  My first snow - EVER - in Vancouver.

 

 My favourite trip - Tofino, BC - this past summer checking out a natural pool.

My happy face . . . .

Our little girl is gone - From this place, anyway.  Too many recurring tumours with a not-good prognosis.

We bet she's going to finally catch that squirrel she's been after all these years!

As her vet in Florida told her on her first visit while looking at us and then at her:  "You're gonna have a good life, Darlin'!"

We like to think she did . . . .

Julian, Amy and Juan . . . .

Fascinating interview Amy and Juan have with Julian Assange on today's Democracy Now!:



 
Julian has views regarding the use of Facebook, Twitter and Gmail on the Internet ("A viscious dog that has suddenly spotted its own tail and had gone after it," indeed!), Bradley Manning and info on the sleazier-than-sleazy STRATFOR outfit. 

Definitely worth 38 minutes of your time . . . .

The Final Hurdle . . . .

Hi, Gang. It's been awhile and I've been lying low while my Canadian citizenship application was in process. Today, the process is complete!

Yup - West End Bob's a brand new Canadian! One more vote against stephen harper and his ilk. To tell the truth, the Canada today is vastly different one from the one "drf" and I began the immigration process to back in 2005. It's amazing how much damage one person/party can do to a nation in such a short period of time. I only hope the citizenry wakes up soon and restores Canada to the great nation it once was - It's not too late.

That aside, the ceremony itself was a wonderful, touching experience. Myself ("drf" doesn't have the required residency status for his citizenship yet) and 80 others from 23 different countries gathered in downtown Vancouver for the roughly two-hour ceremony.
The female judge gave a very uplifting and inspirational talk to us and interjected bits of humour, too. All in all, a great experience - I highly recommend it!

 Now for what's next on the agenda: Apply for my Canadian passport in a couple of days, join the BC Civil Liberties Union and The Council of Canadians.

Time to get to work on restoring Canada to its former position of respect in the world - pre-stephen harper . . . .

"This Is What Democracy Looks Like . . . ."

in the Excited States of America:




Pitiful, isn't it ? ? ? ?

Canadian Health Care - Revisited . . . .

It's been quite some time since I reviewed a personal experience with the Canadian health care system.  You know:  The one the "wrong"-wing in the Excited States refers to as "You don't want a system like they have in Canada, do you?!?"

Today I had a 10:00 am appointment with my dermatologist.  Left

the strata at 9:15 to catch the bus to the train.  Got in the exam room at 10:03 and the doctor arrived 7 minutes later.  He did his exam, sprayed a few areas with liquid nitrogen, made a follow up appointment and I was out the door.  On the way back to the train I dropped by Homo Depot to check on a couple of things and got back home by 11:00 am.

Total cost:  $2.10 for the transit fare and 1 3/4 hours of my time.

Yeah.

"You don't want a system like they have in Canada, do you ? ? ? ?"

Happy Birthday, Julia . . . .

In honour of Julia Childs' 100th birthday, PBS had this remix created:


"Bon Appetit" ! ! ! !

Those Were Good Times . . . .

Too bad they're gone . . . .

Chris Hedges on Moyers & Company . . . .

Commentary from me is unnecessary.

Suffice to say:  Moyers' questions are pointed, and Hedges' responses are powerful.


Watch.

Think.

Act . . . .

Here Comes the Bride . . . .

From Seattle/Tacoma's NPR  KPLU.org yesterday:

Angela Marie Vogel, a local activist with ties to #MicCheckWallSteet and a initiative campaign to nullify Citizens United’s effects in Seattle, used a figure from an art installation in a downtown Seattle park to marry “Corporate Person.”

 “The purpose of the wedding is to highlight the insidious concept of corporate personhood – and its damaging impact on our community and the autonomy of our city council's legislative powers,” according to a press release of the event.

 The ceremony was conducted by Pastor Rich Lang of University Temple UMC and was staged by Envision Seattle, the group behind Initiative 103. If enacted, the initiative would provide a community bill of rights which strips corporate personhood and other judge-made constitutional "rights" such as free speech within the city of Seattle, the group said.

The happy couple is registered at all the usual corporate retail establishments, no doubt . . . .

Rapacious Oligarchy, Indeed . . . .

The second segment of yesterday's The Current is a Chris Hedges interview which is excellent.  Take 24 minutes out of your day and listen to the audio here.

The man nails it once again using terms to describe "the people who essentially hold power in the US" as those "with unchecked central authority" and are members of "a tiny, rapacious oligarchic class."

Good stuff . . . .

Bogus Banker Blues . . . .

Bill Moyers, Matt Taibbi and Yves Smith dissect J.P. Morgan/Chase's jamie dimon and other mafioso bankers in this Moyers & Company segment:
 

A pox on all banker's houses . . . .

Truth in Advertising . . . .

Lush Cosmetics has produced a rebuttal ad to the enbridge propaganda ad running constantly on BC TV stations:

 

 Much more accurate than the original one, don't you think ? ? ? ?

Side-Splitting Laughter on May 18th . . . .

From today's Adbusters email.

Full page link here.    Pay particular attention to the Laughriot on May 18th.

The May 2012 Insurrection

Tactical Briefing #30.

Adbusters , 26 Apr 2012

• #globalchange
• #M12
• #occupychicago
• #occupywallstreeet
• general strike

 

NICK WHALEN

Hey you dreamers, strikers and new left redeemers out there,

For thirty-one magical days beginning this Tuesday, May 1, we take the plunge and Strike! We block the Golden Gate Bridge; occupy a Manhattan-bound tunnel; seize the ports. In 115 cities, we march into banks, erect tents and refuse to leave. We disrupt financial institutions forcing thousands to preemptively close. Five thousand of us pray, dance, sleep on Wall Street and in front of the Fed and if the Bloombergs of the world bring out paramilitary police to intimidate us, we use our social media fire to call out 50,000 more occupiers.

Hope to hear ya'll laughing hysterically on May 18th . . . .

CISPA & C-30: Joined at the hip . . . .

From OpenMedia.ca today:



And from BGR today:

Thousands rally against CISPA cybersecurity bill

By: Dan Graziano | Apr 26th, 2012

The controversial Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA), which is supported by more than 100 members of the House of Representatives, is scheduled to be discussed in Congress on Friday, where it will be the first bill to go to a vote since the collapse of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in January. The bill looks to give businesses and the federal government legal protection to share cyber threats with one another in an effort to prevent online attacks. Internet privacy and neutrality advocates, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation, feel the bill does not contain enough limits on how and when the government may monitor private information . . . .

Stay informed and stay involved . . . .

Canadian Progressive Voices . . . .

Thanks to pale @ A Creative Revolution for taking up the banner for Canadian progressive bloggers.

 

It's not like pale's got nuthin' else to do, ya' know . . . .

Chow Down . . . .

Now for a break from our regularly scheduled program:



Hungry now ? ? ? ?

dickhead's Scared of Canadians . . . .

Score one for Our Side!

From today's Seattle Times:

Cheney deems Canada too dangerous for visit

Toronto - Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney canceled a Canadian speaking appearance because of security concerns sparked by demonstrations during a visit he made to Vancouver last fall.

Cheney was scheduled to talk about his experiences in office and the current American political situation at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on April 24.

 But Ryan Ruppert of Spectre Live Corp. said on Monday that Cheney and his daughter Elizabeth had begged off through their agent.

"After speaking with their security advisers, they changed their mind on coming to the event," Ruppert said. He said they had "decided it was better for their personal safety they stay out of Canada."

Last Sept. 26, Cheney was forced to stay holed up in the Vancouver Club for seven hours before it was deemed safe for him to leave. Demonstrators blocked the entrances and at one point scuffled with police.

Cheney critics accuse him of endorsing the use of water boarding and sleep deprivation against detainees while serving in former President George W. Bush's administration.

Before the Vancouver event, Human Rights Watch urged the federal government to bring criminal charges against Cheney, accusing him of playing a role in the torture of detainees.

It pays to participate, 'cuz occasionally we win one . . . .