Okay, I've got your attention now, don't I? Greetings all you fellas at NSA.
I'm going to piss a lot of people off today. All the drones in the news media are harping on what a terrible thing Edward Snowden has done by exposing the NSA's domestic spying program. Oh, what a terrible thing he's done, ohh our national security has been exposed to the whole wide world of terrrorism (there's another code word, boys!), blah blah. And they swallowed the Government line hook line and sinker, no questions asked. That's the sound of Thomas Paine spinning in his grave that you're hearing, by the way.
The truth is that Snowden has not named any names; no agents in the field have been exposed thanks to his revelations. He exposed a program of government paranoia that would make Nixon smile, and which really should come as no surprise to anyone.
Nobody seemed to raise a stink when Dick Cheney outed CIA operative Valerie Plame in 2003--an act, by any definition, which constituted high treason. And he did that because her husband Joseph Wilson spoke the truth, that Cheney's justification for the Iraq War was all lies and horse pucky.
It takes a special kind of coward to go after a man by attacking his woman. Ohh, but never mind the 4,500 U.S. troops who died for that useless war, never mind the half a million Iraqis killed for no good reason so we could harvest their oil. Close to 8,000 Iraqis have died this year alone as a direct result of terrorist attacks, which are a direct result of our military intervention. But that doesn't matter, 'cos it's happening to somebody else. Who really gives a rat's ass?
The best that can be said for the NSA is that they don't actually carry out the dirty jobs their work is enabling. Let's leave that to the CIA. The NSA collects intelligence; it has helped our national securuty in the past and its a job they do very well, more than can be said for the CIA.
Here's the rub; they're part of the system of spies (including CIA and Homeland Security) that reports directly to the government which apparently has operated since the Bush Administration on the assumption that the people of the United States are not to be trusted. That's a paranoid, very Nixonian delusion which may only go to prove that the reverse is true.
The ultimate aim of any police-state is always power and intimidation. They want the people to live in a constant state of fear and helplessness. I'd shed that attitude very quickly, boys. Fear and powerlessness is not an attitude that has ever gone down well with the American people.
You parrots keep saying Snwoden has undermined our national security? Horse feathers. Oh yes, trot out that old chestnut. Tell me--how did he do that? Are you spies so mono-talented that you weren't prepared to adapt when the Chinese or Russians did break your spy codes--assuming that hadn't happened long before Snowden exposed your ditty lil' secret? Let me tell you, you blinkered children, our merest involvement in the warped politics of the Middle East is a bigger threat to our national security. Our kissy-ass kow-towing to the Saudis and the Israeli lobby is a bigger threat to our national security.Throwing up that 'ohh he;s a threat to our national security' argument is a blind, a distraction from your blind violations of the U.S. Constitution, and it's turned around to bite you square in the ass.
Thank you, NSA. Pleasant night's sleep.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Memories of a Doctor Who fan
I am SOO jealous of my daughter. She gets BBC America and I don't, which is still okay 'cause she gets to see the 50th anniversary special of DW. She's in her teens now and DW is one thing we can always talk about.
I cam to DW rather late in the game, just as Colin Baker was finishing his run as the Doctor. In those days you had to wait a year for the program to wind its way across the pond to our local PBS station. Colin Baker was my first Doctor, and I came in at the fourth episode of the Trial of a Time Lord. I had no idea--I was totally clueless. Had no idea it was NOT the norm for a story to go on for 14 episodes. By the time the 10th episode rolled around I was thinking come on, wind it up already! Then they rolled out the next Doctor, Sylvester McCoy. The first time I saw hij I thought he was a troll! Well, he kind of grew on you, but it took a whole season for them to sort him out.
Back in the day it seemed the only DW I saw before that was always the last episode of Tom Baker's first outing in 'Robot', a prime example of the crap special F/X the BBC had in the 1970's. My favorite Doctor was and remains Jon Pertwee; he seemed like a kind grandfatherly wise old man who didn't suffer fools--or the military-lightly. He just had that right mix of intelligence, wit and action that made for a scientific hero. Plus he had to make do with what he had to work with during a long exile on Earth.
We've corrupted another generation, by the way. My son Nathan grew up watching DW reruns with me every Saturday night. One of his first words was "Exterminate!", which is kind of a long word for a toddler. We'd play at faking the Dalek voice doing the "Exterminate!" shriek, and it always got a giggle out of him. Which I hope doesn't embarrass him in front of his girlfriend, telling the world like this. My daughter Kelsey got in on the ground floor when the series returned in 2005; her 'first' Doctor is David Tennant, and like I said, it's something we can always talk about. .
I cam to DW rather late in the game, just as Colin Baker was finishing his run as the Doctor. In those days you had to wait a year for the program to wind its way across the pond to our local PBS station. Colin Baker was my first Doctor, and I came in at the fourth episode of the Trial of a Time Lord. I had no idea--I was totally clueless. Had no idea it was NOT the norm for a story to go on for 14 episodes. By the time the 10th episode rolled around I was thinking come on, wind it up already! Then they rolled out the next Doctor, Sylvester McCoy. The first time I saw hij I thought he was a troll! Well, he kind of grew on you, but it took a whole season for them to sort him out.
Back in the day it seemed the only DW I saw before that was always the last episode of Tom Baker's first outing in 'Robot', a prime example of the crap special F/X the BBC had in the 1970's. My favorite Doctor was and remains Jon Pertwee; he seemed like a kind grandfatherly wise old man who didn't suffer fools--or the military-lightly. He just had that right mix of intelligence, wit and action that made for a scientific hero. Plus he had to make do with what he had to work with during a long exile on Earth.
We've corrupted another generation, by the way. My son Nathan grew up watching DW reruns with me every Saturday night. One of his first words was "Exterminate!", which is kind of a long word for a toddler. We'd play at faking the Dalek voice doing the "Exterminate!" shriek, and it always got a giggle out of him. Which I hope doesn't embarrass him in front of his girlfriend, telling the world like this. My daughter Kelsey got in on the ground floor when the series returned in 2005; her 'first' Doctor is David Tennant, and like I said, it's something we can always talk about. .
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Interview Extract: Jamai Dlamii (Fictional)
BLOG--You've consistently refused being termed a 'mutant', 'psychic', 'medium' et al. May I ask why?
JAMAI--Because they're just labels. They're another way of saying 'you're a freak, you don't belong.'
B--I take it you're not fond of labels.
J--I despise them. It's just another way of dividing people, of keeping them down. Listen, my husband's uncle once told me that words have a profound effect on our social relations. When I was young I was stupid enough to let myself be blinkered by these insults.
B--I'd never call you stupid.
J--Appreciated. I'll give you an example of what I mean from your own day and age. The great Miles Davis was invited to participate in a charity record--"Sun City", and the umbrella title for the group was Artists United Against Apartheid. The project was spearheaded by Steven Van Zandt. Miles' part was to be edited into a jazz track, but at some point in his performance, Miles started muttering, "you can't go in there, you're the wrong color."
B--"The Struggle Continues," that was the track.
J--Good. There's hope for you yet. Well, Miles' rap was entirely spontaneous, but so truthful, that they built that whole track around it.
B--I guess what you're saying is today, right now, you're comfortable with who you are?
J--Why shouldn't I be? I tried to fit in, to be like 'everybody else'. But the truth is, people or bosses or your leaders will never be satisfied no matter how much you try to fit in. Why should I change to satisfy them? Why make myself uncomfortable with myself? I'm a person and I'm different. So what? I don't have to prove anything to anyone but myself. And neither do you. If who you are isn't good enough form "them", whoever "they" are, they can get stuffed!
(shared laughter)
this writer's book BUTTERFLY AND SERPENT is still available at www.amazon.com as a paperback or Kindle. Check it out.
JAMAI--Because they're just labels. They're another way of saying 'you're a freak, you don't belong.'
B--I take it you're not fond of labels.
J--I despise them. It's just another way of dividing people, of keeping them down. Listen, my husband's uncle once told me that words have a profound effect on our social relations. When I was young I was stupid enough to let myself be blinkered by these insults.
B--I'd never call you stupid.
J--Appreciated. I'll give you an example of what I mean from your own day and age. The great Miles Davis was invited to participate in a charity record--"Sun City", and the umbrella title for the group was Artists United Against Apartheid. The project was spearheaded by Steven Van Zandt. Miles' part was to be edited into a jazz track, but at some point in his performance, Miles started muttering, "you can't go in there, you're the wrong color."
B--"The Struggle Continues," that was the track.
J--Good. There's hope for you yet. Well, Miles' rap was entirely spontaneous, but so truthful, that they built that whole track around it.
B--I guess what you're saying is today, right now, you're comfortable with who you are?
J--Why shouldn't I be? I tried to fit in, to be like 'everybody else'. But the truth is, people or bosses or your leaders will never be satisfied no matter how much you try to fit in. Why should I change to satisfy them? Why make myself uncomfortable with myself? I'm a person and I'm different. So what? I don't have to prove anything to anyone but myself. And neither do you. If who you are isn't good enough form "them", whoever "they" are, they can get stuffed!
(shared laughter)
this writer's book BUTTERFLY AND SERPENT is still available at www.amazon.com as a paperback or Kindle. Check it out.
Monday, September 16, 2013
I Was a PublishAmerica Author
I admit it--I was a PublishAmerica author. This is probably not the brightest thing I've ever owned up to, particularly online where the whole world can see it. But this kind of information tends to crop up sooner or later. And as we all kniw, all things posted to the Internet last forever. Someone was bound to see these books posted on Amazon...
Yep, books. Plural. I submitted two books to PublishAmerica, so technically I've doubled my sins. If nothing else, this expereince proves the adage that a person who represents himself has a fool for a client. In my case at least, the writer was not the best choice for editor.
I'm not ashamed of those two books, just significantly embarassed. I could've produced a much better product with an editor who wasn't so attached to the material. Some of the entries could've used more polish; some of it was downright embarassing and should never have seen print.
Neither book sold very well, by the way, which was as much as my shoulders as the puilbishers. So there, I've unburdened myself. I hope everyone cna overlook my past errors. Thnaks for putting up with me.
Yep, books. Plural. I submitted two books to PublishAmerica, so technically I've doubled my sins. If nothing else, this expereince proves the adage that a person who represents himself has a fool for a client. In my case at least, the writer was not the best choice for editor.
I'm not ashamed of those two books, just significantly embarassed. I could've produced a much better product with an editor who wasn't so attached to the material. Some of the entries could've used more polish; some of it was downright embarassing and should never have seen print.
Neither book sold very well, by the way, which was as much as my shoulders as the puilbishers. So there, I've unburdened myself. I hope everyone cna overlook my past errors. Thnaks for putting up with me.
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