I am, as I write this, being tortured (TORTURED, I tell you) by a neighbor who is playing (of all things) bagpipes. It could be worse, though. S/he could suck at it (which s/he doesn’t) but I can only hear “Amazing Grace” 10 hundred times before I want to pull out our chainsaw and go a’visiting. (sobs quietly into her pillow) Plus, they make a little “WHOO!” sound after every stanza. (methinks there’s some drunk bagpiping going on over there)
So, yeah.
Didja know our financial system is in a meltdown? And that the “fix” this administration (from hell) wants to put into place. Alas, really not a good plan, yo. Everywhere on the blogosphere, I am reading some pretty depressing things written by some pretty intelligent people. This one, from a column on the Huffington Post pulls it together neatly:
Let me first point you to the Bush administration’s so-called Wall Street bailout bill, here, so that you can see for yourself that this treachery is being conducted in the light of day. Fascism is finally and formally out of the right-wing closet even if the F word is not yet openly being used (although it should be, and often).
Now, if you do not yet understand that the Wall Street crisis is a man-made disaster done through intentional deregulation and corruption, I have a bridge in Alaska to sell to you (or Sara Palin does anyway). This manufactured crisis is now to be remedied, if the fiscal fascists get their way, with the total transfer of Congressional powers (the few that still remain) to the Executive Branch and the total transfer of public funds into corporate (via government as intermediary) hands.
I bought Naomi Klein’s book “The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism” when it came out but only dipped my toe into it because it’s pretty heavy. I’ve picked it back up again because it seems like things are more and more heading that way and I’d like to have half a clue. (Sigh)
On a happier note, I stopped by Obama headquarters the other day to pick up a lawn sign and a couple stickers and decided to volunteer my time doing what I can to help get him elected. I enjoyed talking to the people there and it will be cool to gather with like minded, forward thinking individuals who share this goal. Amazingly, I think I might even do some phonebanking which is SOOO not my thing but we are in deep, deep shit. Desperate times call for desperate measures and for me, that involves making phone calls and/or canvassing. (Scares the bejeebers out of me, it does.) Wish me luck.
I have these great ear plugs called Ear Screws – they block my singing cubemate! Today is the 1st day of training camp and I got my FULL SEASON Caps tickets today!!! Who wants to be my best friend…..
I phonebanked a TON for Senator Kerry four years ago and it’s really not so bad. I begged for money part of the time and asked what issues were really important in that community part of the time. Just read the script over to yourself a few times so that you know the essence of what they want you to say, and then wing it. Otherwise, soon you’ll feel — and sound — like a tape recording, saying the same thing over … and over … and over …
I have a website on mybarackobama.com from which I have been nagging friends and family for money.
I’m contributing to Obama’s cause for purely selfish reasons. I learned four years ago that being involved feels a LOT better than just sitting there, yelling at the TV and complaining to friends who probably agree with you.
Hmmm…perhaps you can convince them to play you Billie Jean, or something equally not-Amazing Grace? ;)
And I’m with you 100%. It scares the pants off me to see where our country is headed, and the only way to change things is to force ourselves out of our comfort zone and do the legwork. I need to go pick up my yard sign still. We had requested one be dropped off (they do that due to the high number of elderly in our area) but it hasn’t arrived yet, and this time has most definitely come.