dharma::vision by Amadeus

Pro-life Murder

Listening to right-wing radio today, I was not too shocked to hear them and many of their listeners making light of and even justifying the assassination of Dr. George R. Tiller.  Tiller was shot to death by a "pro-life" activist yesterday while he was performing usher duties at his Church.  I guess they don’t get that "pro-life" means not murdering people. 

 

Even the infamous anti-choice Randall Terry couldn’t contain himself, taking the liberty to speak ill of Dr. Tiller saying that the doctor "was a mass murderer and, horrifically, he reaped what he sowed."  Is that the pro-life position? Wow! Kind of throws their whole argument out the window.

 

When I heard the report back in April that a Federal agency was warning of radicals on right, I didn’t think much of it.  I guess the Feds were right.

“It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single-issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration,” the warning says."

I bet the Feds will be watching a little more closely now.  Some are saying the report should get a second look. 

Even Conservative Mancow says Waterboarding is Torture

Despite Dick Cheney and his gleeful (and weak) attempts to convince Americans that waterboarding is just fun and games, even Conservative talker Mancow Muller admits it is torture.  Now can we begin the torture trials already?

As you will see from the video, not even 6 seconds into it Mancow had the liberty to stop the "test". Those who are subject to the torture technique don't.

I am just wondering when Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter are going to take their turn, so they can refute Mr. Mancow. I suspect we will be waiting for the cowards for a very long time.

Thanks to the Young Turks for the commentary and the report.

~Amadeus

Faux News Con, Glen Beck gets Owned by the Women of The View

All I can say is, “Way to go!”

 

I was looking for the video, which will no doubt surface on the YouTube sometime today.  Stay tuned!

 

The interview is discussed here

 

I think Whoopi summed up Beck’s whole career in the most plainest language possible, "Why do you lie? You're a lying sack of dog mess."

 

Once again, I discover why Whoopi Goldberg is one of my favorite TV personalities.

 

~Amadeus

 

UPDATE:

 

 

Sham Trial of Aung San Suu Kyi Begins

Today begins the sham trial of democratically elected leader of Burma Aung San Suu Kyi.  The Junta of Burma has to exert something of it’s illegitimate power by persecuting Aung to keep her out of the 2010 elections. 

 

So, what is the Junta persecuting her for?  “Violating the terms of her house arrest.”  What caused her to be put under house arrest?  For her winning in a landslide election in 1990. 

 

The democratically elected leader has been jailed for more than 19 years which was set to expire at the end of May.  The latest sham trial is over what the Junta terms as an “unauthorized visit” Aung received from an American name, John Yettaw.  If found guilty, which in the sham court of the Junta she probably will be, she could face another 5 years. 

 

Nothing new from the brutal regime that jails it's country's chosen leaders and kills it's own citizens.

 

Read the full story from the Voice of America News

 

Aung San Suu Kyi will be in my thoughts and prayers as always. 

 

 

~Amadeus

Are you a Good Christian?

His Holiness feeds the Homeless

This is a great photo from Silenced Majority Portal:

We Called It America!

From the new NOFX album "Coaster" just out April 28th. The title of the song is "We Called it America". Check it.

Republican Teabaggers Want to Teabag You

Oh, dear...

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Economic & Banking Reform Action in Portland, Nationwide Today at 2:00pm

I got this email today.  It seems to be an action separate from the Teabagging Parties that are being leg by the Republican Party.  This one appears to have some solutions that Americans can agree with. Looking at the website, there these events are happening around the nation at 2pm today.  You can see if there is one where you live at www.anewwayforward.org/demonstrations/rally-list.php.

Did you know there are 12 million unemployed. Foreclosures are up 81%. And Wall Street has taken over?

Did you also know that the Republican Party wants you to teabag for the same Wall Street bankers that are bankrupting this country? And all the while they carry no solution for our nations floundering economy?

Americans are taking action all over the country on April 11. They won't be teabagging and they certainly will have a solution.

JOIN THE ACTION IN PORTLAND ON SATURDAY APRIL 11, 2009 (4/11) AT 2PM IN PIONEER SQUARE (715 SW Morrison St, Portland, Oregon).

Our plan: Real structural change of Wall Street--NOT JUST THE SAME OLD GOP TEABAGGING

DECENTRALIZE: Any bank that's "too big to fail" means that it's too big for a free market to function. The financial corporations that caused this mess must be broken up and sold back to the private market with strong, new regulatory and antitrust rules in place -- new banks, managed by new people. An independent regulatory body must protect consumers from predatory practices.

As Wall St. corporations grew bigger and bigger until they were “too big to fail,” they also became so politically powerful that they led to distorted and unfair policies that served companies, not citizens.

Its not enough to try to patch up the current system. We demand serious reform that fixes the root problems in our political and economic system: excessive influence of banks, dangerous compensation systems, and massive consolidation. And we demand that the reform happen in an open and transparent manner.

We'll make our voices resound in those closed-door meetings with the bankers. Spread the word!
AND DON'T BE A TEABAGGER--BE AN AMERICAN!

For more information visit www.anewwayforward.org

Being a Teabagger on April 15th

There seems to be a problem with the latest right-wing wacko stunt coming up on April 15th. They call them "Teabag Protests" or "Tea Parties", which is more or less just GOP code for "anti-Obama Sore Loser Pity Parties".  The right-wingers who organized the protests seemed to have not thought-out a very good name for their cause, but it is a little too late now. 

The Huffington Post has a funny article on what it means to be a "Teabagger" attending a "Teabag Protest". Catch the full story here.

"People were psyched at the prospect of reenacting the centuries-old technique first used to protest unjust taxation, and have planned "Tea Party" or "Tea Bag" protests across the country for tax day, April 15. The following video probes the use of the word "tea bag" in the media coverage of the impending events. Unfortunately, it leaves you with some pretty disturbing mental images."

Don't forget, Earth Hour starts at 8:30pm

We will be shutting everything off tonight at the house.  Earth Hour will start at 8:30PM PST, so if you are in the time zone join us.

For those that don't know, here is a little about the history of Earth Hour:

Earth Hour is an international event organised by the WWF (World Wildlife Fund), and held on the last Saturday of March each year, which asks households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights and electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change. Earth hour was conceived by WWF Greenwich CT and the Sydney Morning Herald in 2007, when 2.2 million residents of Sydney participated by turning off all non-essential lights.[1] Following Sydney's lead, many other cities around the world adopted the event in 2008.[2][3] Earth Hour is taking, and in some countries has taken, place on Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm, local time.  For more, visit www.earthhour.org

What a week!

Well I intended to write this week but an interruption in my health made it impossible.

Last Saturday we had a dinner party.  After we said goodbye to everyone I felt a little nauseous.  It wasn't until the next morning that I realized the full extend of my nausea.  I was hurting bad in my abdomen.  The pain lasted all day into the evening.  After speaking to my physician over the phone it became apparent that the only option was to go to the emergency room.

After arriving at almost 10pm, I was stuck in a little room with my partner.  She was great through the whole day, but obviously showing fatigue.  At 11PM the doctors finally had IV fluids running in me with a nice feeling narcotic that took away all the pain.

The only question remained:  What is happening.  The doctor took my blood and ran me for an ultrasound,  After little under a 45 minute wait the verdict came back.  I had an inflamed gall bladder which appeared to have some small stones in it.  The pain I was experiencing all day was termed a "gall bladder attack". 

The doctor told me it needed to be removed.  And although the pain had almost subsided, there was no guarantee that I wouldn't have another one these "attacks".  I was admitted that night and spend a whole day in the hospital eating jello and drinking broth.  On Tuesday at 5:30pm I had surgery.  By 6:30 I was back in my room.  For the first surgery ever in my life, I was surprised how uneventful it really was.  I was a bit scared to be put under anesthesia, but after getting the sedative, I was in a pretty mouldable mood.  I was even joking with the surgeons as I lost consciousness.

So Wednesday rolled around and I felt pretty good.  I was released at 10am to go home and recover.  Thursday came and went and by Friday morning I was having a severe pain growing in my abdominal region.  After calling the doctor, it became clear that I should return to the ER.  By the time I arrived, I was in severe pain all over.

I was again hooked up to IV and administered the pain meds.  The pain began to subside.  They again took me to do an ultra-sound that revealed nothing.  My blood screen however revealed that I had an elevation in Pancreatic and Liver enzymes signaling a potential blockage due to a gall stone.  I was again admitted and spent the night in the hospital.

This morning I was taken for my first ever MRI.  What a strange experience that was.  I never thought I was clausterphobic, but I was a bit nerved up being insuch a tight area.  After the test I was brought back to my room to wait for the doctor to give me the verdict.  He came in a little bit later and said that the test came back negative for any stones.  His thought was that the stone passed as my blood tests also came back improved.

Even though everything looked good, the Doctor decided to keep me overnight on IV fluids and have the nurses begin reintroducing food slowly and see how I do.

I just finished my dinner of cream o'celery, chocolate pudding, Italian ice, fruit juice and jello.  Yum!  I actually felt pretty good eating. 

For fun, I have pretty much been walking around the halls for exercise, watching a little t.v and writing.  will probably do some breathing meditation this evening. That is always great for healing.

I am so looking forward to going home in the morning.

Peace, Joy and Eat Well!

~Amadeus

Mall Rent-a-Cops Gone Wild on Animal Rights Guy

Here is a video from a "puppy mill" protest that took place at Scamps Pet Store at Lloyd Center Mall in Portland.  Towards the end you will see a man knocked to the ground by mall rent-a-cops.  The man's name is Matt who is an organizer with In Defence of Animals. 

I have been to several animal rights demonstrations as a photo journalist and have spoken with Matt on several occasions.  He is one of the most peaceful guys one could ever know. It seems speaking your mind about a business on public property is something that gets you slammed to the ground by a rent-a-cop.   I wonder how much money Matt will get for the cause after he wins the lawsuit?  More on the incident can be found at the YouTube page. 

 

Peace,

 

Amadeus