We Must Not Bomb Iran!

[At the end of these articles is an entry I posted over six months ago. At that point, the idea of a US attack on Iran was still considered by many to be a distant nightmare.]

METAFUTURE: Iraq, Iran and Permanent War
by Troutfishing
Sunday, April 27, 2008

The appointment of David Petreus to be head of CENTCOM is part of an ongoing, quiet purge by the Bush Administration of anyone in the US military leadership with more than a shred of moral conscience, and I am utterly convinced that if the Bush Adminstration can attack Iran it will.

I am not the only one concerned:
Petraeus' rise lets Cheney loose on Iran

WASHINGTON - The nomination of General David Petraeus to be the new head of the US Central Command ensures that he will be available to defend the George W Bush administration's policies on Iran and Iraq at least to the end of Bush's term and possibly even beyond.

It also gives Vice President Dick Cheney greater freedom of action to exploit the option of an air attack against Iran during the administration's final months.
Gareth Porter

Questions Linger on Scope of Iran’s Threat in Iraq
MARK MAZZETTI, STEVEN LEE MYERS and THOM SHANKER
New York Times, April 26, 2008

" For weeks, Mr. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and the top American officials in Iraq have portrayed Iran as a significant and growing threat to the American war effort in Iraq.
In particular, they have cited an intensified barrage of Iranian-made rockets hitting the Green Zone in Baghdad — including attacks during a visit by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice — that have killed Americans and Iraqis.

...in recent weeks the administration has sought to emphasize the threat by citing new evidence. The interrogations of four Iraqi Shiite militia commanders, for example, have provided new details about the extent of training conducted by the Quds Force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, officials said."

Here's Jim Lobe, for IPS News:
POLITICS-US: Hawks Resurgent?

Add the promotion of Gen. David Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq who has overseen the past year's "surge" of U.S. troops, to take over the U.S. Central Command (Centcom) this summer, as well as the increasingly harsh charges against Iran's alleged interference in Iraq that have been coming out of the Pentagon in recent days.

All these developments are seen by some as an answer to the prayers of neo-conservatives, in particular, who had largely given up hopes that Bush could be persuaded to attack Iran's nuclear facilities before leaving office.

In his testimony about the surge earlier this month, Petraeus had repeatedly blamed allegedly Iranian-sponsored and directed Shi'a "Special Groups" for attacking Iraqi government and U.S. forces in Basra and Baghdad, describing them as "the greatest long-term threat to the viability of a democratic Iraq"...

...there appears little question that the rhetoric here has become considerably harsher in recent weeks. The shift became particularly evident in February, when the former Centcom commander and the man whom Petraeus will replace, Adm. William 'Fox' Fallon, abruptly announced his resignation following the publication of a profile in Esquire magazine that depicted him as opposing key administration policies and as the one man standing between Bush and war with Iran.


Petraeus promotion an ominous sign of possible war with Iran
Salt Lake City Tribune, April 26, 2008
Farrah Hassan

The promotion of Gen. David Petraeus is another ominous sign that the Bush administration may attack Iran. President Bush is nominating Petraeus, commanding general of the Multi-National Force in Iraq, to replace Adm. William Fallon as head of Centcom: U.S. Central Command, which oversees the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Fallon was forced to resign last month after his outspoken opposition to an attack on Iran. Petraeus, by contrast, has been heating up the rhetoric against Iran. "Iran has fueled the violence in a particularly damaging way through its lethal support to the special groups," Petraeus testified to Congress in early April. Those special groups (meaning, the militias) pose the biggest threat to the United States, he added. He blamed Iran for the rocket attacks on the Green Zone, and he warned, "We should all watch Iranian actions closely in the weeks and months ahead." Petraeus' boss issued a warning of his own. "The regime in Tehran also has a choice to make," Bush said April 10. "If Iran makes the right choice, America will encourage a peaceful relationship between Iran and Iraq. If Iran makes the wrong choice, America will act to protect our interests, and our troops and our Iraqi partners."

Here's what I wrote over three years ago, January 2005, on the Daily Kos:
What the Bush Adm. may actually be aiming at - as a politically serendipitious blowback from strikes on Iran - would be another major terrorist attack on US interests or US soil.

Al Qaeda now exists more as an ideological franchise than an organization. But Hezzbollah on the other hand.... Hezzbollah is an actual organization, more like a ministate, which has both military and terrorist capabilities and which has close ties to, and receives funds from, Iran: The organization has missiles and drones, and demonstrated considerable military capability in driving Israeli forces from Lebannon. One cannot assume, for that matter, that the organization does not possess one or two portable nuclear devices.

In going to war against Iran, the Bush Administration will be inviting Hezzbollah retaliation. That might not come immediately, but it would be an underestimation, I feel, to discount the possibility that some of the most outrageous of the many Bush Administration generated US PR debacles surrounding the Iraqi invasion and occupation were wholly unintentional. The gratuitiously offensive nature of the sexual humiliation tactics used at Abu Ghraib, while disastrous at one level, also serve the interests of some in the Bush Administration who need a more significant Causus Bellum now that the sting of 9-11 has ebbed somewhat.

The overall effect of US behavior since the invasion of Iraq has been to polarize Islamic attitudes - this is surely happening within such subcultures as Hezzbollah, and so I have to wonder - when will the Bush Administration's Trotskyite rolling "permanent war" in the Mideast cause the voices of hotheads to prevail, against the voices of caution, in the call for strikes against US interests ? And, would the Bush NeoCons be blindsided, or would they have been expecting such an attack ? It would be a mistake to assume that the growing world hatred of the US was unanticipated or undesired by the Bush Neocons and their Dominionist and Rapturist Christian allies - such world hatred, and subsequent terrorist attacks on the US, would, indeed, serve to advance both the domestic and geopolitical aims of the NeoCons.

Of course, such attacks would provide a pretext for US actions against Syria and Iran. Domestically, however, they would be at least as useful for the Bush NeoCons and the new US Right (AKA the religious right ).

Another strike of magnitude comparable to or larger than the September 11, 2001 attack - "9-11 redux" - or even several much smaller attacks, would provide George W. Bush, the NeoCons, and the Christian right - especially with the likely escalation of conflict and mayhem in the Mideast - with sufficient pretext for substantial crackdown - under the rubric of "national unity -quashing domestic dissent. Frenzied demonization of Islamic-American groups with a subsequent widespread outbreak of hate crimes and perhaps the interment of Muslims and certain ethnicities of Mideastern origin may proliferate. Also, expect a crackdown on political and cultural dissident groups - outspoken voices on the left, gays, and so on. Some on the US right have long planned and yearned for something like this, the transformation of US government into an authoritarian security state.

Beyond harshly repressive domestic political measures, further terrorist attacks within the US would enable the "toughening up America", and full mobilization of America's war-fighting capability - by way of a reinstituted draft, privatized military services, or both. In fact, this has been underway in a low grade way since September 11, 2001, and it should be noted that one of the side effects of the Iraq conflict has been a dramatic expansion in the number of battle hardened US Army and National Guard units. This may have been unintentional, but it lays groundwork for future war and is congruent with an overall Spartanization of an American that has come to be viewed by some as grown dangerously soft.

The upshot of this train of events will be a "Spartanization" of America, under a new, embattled and combatitive mentality, and - meanwhile a rolling, graduated blitz through the Mideast which, conveniently, could have the effect of destabilizing Saudi Arabia - and that, in turn, would demand US led "stabilization" measures. Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia - one down, two to go, and the US will achieve direct control of something on the order of 1/2 of the World's oil. That control can be, in turn, used to exert pressure on nations opposed to the new US hegemonic order.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

NO War with Iran!!!
Faye Hadley

Rumors of war abound, and nothing could be more frightening than the thought of this derelict, incompetent administration launching yet another unnecessary war against a country that is at least three times the size of Iraq with nearly three times the population. Having learned absolutely nothing from the fiasco that is Iraq, the Bush administration is planning on attacking Iran. Or that is the buzz in the blogosphere anyway - I hope against hope that this prediction is wrong, but at this point, I've become so cynical and disillusioned that I wouldn't put any devious dastardly action past Darth Cheney or any of his minions (and I include Georgie Bush in that group).

Here are a few blog posts that have me worried:
Home Alone, Dick and George Desperately Scheme for War
Post Labor Day Roll Out - War with Iran
Do We Have the Courage to Stop War with Iran?
THE NEXT WAR? by Arnaud de Borchgrav, Benador Associates
Staging Nukes for Iran?

Here is a web site that gives me hope: StopIranWar.com

Here is an essay that explains much about why we are where we, as a people, are in time and war: Iraq, Iran and the Moral Rot Infecting the Soul of America

What a Meet-up!

This past weekend I flew to Washington DC with the intention of meeting up with some online friends - folks I'd never actually met before but with whom I already felt a strong connection. On Saturday night I participated in the FourFreedoms Meet Up at the Holiday Inn in Rosslyn (a block and a half off of DC's Metro Blue Line). I shared a room with Starling, an adorable lesbianite who had inadvertently booked a suite with a sofa, coffee table, comfy chairs, two balconies for the smokers, plenty of tabletop space and a working ice machine just down the hall.

We were all treated to an evening of Raintinis (a spectacular beverage concocted by Raine. Here's what goes into a Raintini - Vanilla Vodka (count 4), Seltzer water (count 1 or 2), Splash of cherry juice (from maraschino cherries), gently shaken then poured over three maraschino cherries in a martini glass. I recommend letting the cherries soak in the bottom of your martini glass all night long and just before calling it a night, slurping down the drunken cherries for an outstanding buzz cap - like a night cap but much better.

As you might expect amongst a group of bloggers, several of us brought along our laptops and we played Steph and the Mooks' Friday show which most of us had missed as we were en route to the meet-up. But with such a boisterous group of people gathered in a studio-apartment-sized hotel room, the conversation overwhelmed the sound of the show. The conversation kicked off as I shared with the group a disturbing comment, by a fellow blogger who happens to be a dog. This doggie blogger suggested that I, of all people, might want to join her imaginary deluded call for the murder of Hillary Clinton - we gathered around a laptop and watched the clip of Keith Olbermann's apparently threatening remark made against Senator Clinton. This remark was the unspoken inspiration for the astonishing (shocking and dismaying) comment that left a very sour taste in my mouth. And to which I will respond in due time, I am still recovering from my excellent weekend and don't want to bring myself down by sparring with a one-time friend over comments delusional and outrageous.

Back to the Meet-up...the topics of the night travelled from Raine's report on the on-air soap opera "How Air America turns," "Does this smell like it's turned to you?" "Yes, I think it has," was the concensus. We called TriSec and toasted him via speaker phone. We toasted Stephanie, Chris Lavoie, Jim Ward, and Rebekah Baker. Mondo made an awesome pizza run, BobR's beer flowed freely and the Raintinis kept coming. All-in-all it was an amazing evening of political banter, good friends exhanging ideas (political, familial, relationship and otherwise). I can't wait for the next meet-up :D Photos coming soon...

Here's the offensive comment that was posted on my blog:
"So, tell us, Faye, are you ready to join your and Steph's boyfriend Keith Olbermann in calling for the murder of Senator Clinton? That would settle the Democratic primary race for you once and for all, wouldn't it? God forbid we should let those pesky voters settle things, eh? Nice to see that His Hopeness inspires such high-minded thoughts in his delusional followers."

This Blog Cannot Wait... (John McCain - Get Offa My Lawn!)

This blog is sick and tired of waiting for the Democrats to pick a nominee, so this blog, beginning today, is running against John McCain. I am about ready to say that I don't care who the Democratic nominee is anymore (not true - I am still hoping for Barack Obama), but I won't go that far. Still, I am tired as hell of waiting around for the super-duper delegates to make up their minds and for every state (including Guam and Puerto Rico) to weigh-in with their selection for the presidential candidate that they think would make the better choice. Here are the

Top Ten Reasons Why John McCain Cannot Be President:

10. Waterboarding - Torture or No? Well, John knew the answer to that one when he was in the Hanoi Hilton, but now maybe waterboarding is okay.
9. Still standing by the Pastor Hagee endorsement.
8. What he knows about finance he learned from being a fifth of the Keating Five.
7. His foreign policy includes a statement that it is okay with him if we are in Iraq for the next hundred years.
6. Morally, he left his first wife when she was sick to marry a rich pill-popping recipe-swiping much younger woman (did I mention that she is a beer-distributor heiress?).
5. He has flip-flopped on important issues such as tax-cuts for the wealthiest Americans, torture and campaign finance reform.
4. He has pandered to the far-right-wing of the fundamentalist religious extreme (Jerry Falwell - once an agent of intolerance, is now a-okay with John).
3. He can't visit the Middle East without Joe Lieberman on his shoulder.
2. He's no maverick, he toes the GOP party line on reproductive choice, discrimination of gays, foreign policy, and corporate tax cuts.
2. So old that he can't remember the difference between Mickey and Daffy (one is a mouse, the other a duck).
2. His temper is a short fuse of dynamite, and his finger should not be on any trigger :(
1. Two words - Supreme Court.

This is just the first of a series of posts that will highlight all of the reasons why John Sidney McCain should NOT be the next president of the United States. Hope I don't have to write too many of these posts before I know who McCain's opponent will be ;)

10 Things You Should Know About McCain (but probably don’t) (April 5, 2008), Chris Guy

1. “The Complicated History of John McCain and MLK Day,” ABC News, April 3, 2008
“McCain Facts,” ColorOfChange.org, April 4, 2008.

2. “McCain More Hawkish Than Bush on Russia, China, Iraq,” Bloomberg News, March 12, 2008.
“Buchanan: John McCain ‘Will Make Cheney Look Like Gandhi,’” ThinkProgress, February 6, 2008.

3. “McCain Sides With Bush On Torture Again, Supports Veto Of Anti-Waterboarding Bill,” ThinkProgress, February 20, 2008.

4. “McCain says Roe v. Wade should be overturned,” MSNBC, February 18, 2007.

5. “2007 Children’s Defense Fund Action Council® Nonpartisan Congressional Scorecard,” February 2008.
“McCain: Bush right to veto kids health insurance expansion,” CNN, October 3, 2007.

6. “Beer Executive Could Be Next First Lady,” Associated Press, April 3, 2008.
“McCain Says Bank Bailout Should End `Systemic Risk,’” Bloomberg News, March 25, 2008.

7. “Will McCain’s Temper Be a Liability?,” Associated Press, February 16, 2008.
“Famed McCain temper is tamed,” Boston Globe, January 27, 2008.

8. “Black Claims McCain’s Campaign Is Above Lobbyist Influence: ‘I Don’t Know What The Criticism Is,’” ThinkProgress, April 2, 2008.
“McCain’s Lobbyist Friends Rally ‘Round Their Man,” ABC News, January 29, 2008.

9. “McCain’s Spiritual Guide: Destroy Islam,” Mother Jones Magazine, March 12, 2008.
“Will McCain Specifically ‘Repudiate’ Hagee’s Anti-Gay Comments?,” ThinkProgress, March 12, 2008.
“McCain ‘Very Honored’ By Support Of Pastor Preaching ‘End-Time Confrontation With Iran,’” ThinkProgress, February 28, 2008.

10. “John McCain Gets a Zero Rating for His Environmental Record,” Sierra Club, February 28, 2008.

Polar Opposite Commercials for the Climate

By now I'm sure that you all have seen the public service ads that feature Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Former Speaker Gingrich, and another ad that has Reverend Al Sharpton sitting next to Reverend Pat Robertson on a sofa on a beach. What in the world do these odd couples have in common? Well, if you've seen the ads, you know that these odd couples are paired up to highlight the growing climate crisis, and by appearing together they hope to send a message that the state of the climate is a bi-partisan issue that we all need to address together.

Speaking of odd couples, you all may remember that several years ago Momma teamed up with Bay Buchanan (sister of right-wing pundit, Pat Buchanan) to co-star on Equal Time on CNBC. That got me thinking - that Al Gore and his crew over at WeCanSolveIt.org would do well to pair up Steph and Bay again for a polar opposite spot, and I've got just the venue for it. This morning, somebody mentioned something about Gilley's Bull Riding and Steph admitted to riding the bull "back in the day." So there you have it - Stephanie Louise Miller and Angela "Bay" Buchanan together, saving the planet by riding the mechanical bull at Gilley's. Do we have an image of what this might actually look like? Why, yes, yes we do. and without further ado, I present to you - "Bay & Steph Riding the Bull to Save the Climate."

Steph Weighs in on Polygamy

Some Thoughts on the State of the Race

Yesterday I e-mailed my friend who is a superdelegate and, echoing the words of Dr. Howard Dean, I suggested that it is time for her to make her endorsement and I also presumptuously went on to suggest who she might endorse. Barack Obama, of course, is my choice, citing as my evidence my disgust with the Clinton's campaign tactics, and the fresh perspective that Obama brings to the political arena. I have not heard back from my friend, and don't really expect to, knowing how busy she is - she is not only a superdelegate, but she also runs a 527 organization and is in the middle of trying a class action lawsuit against Union Carbide over carbon black exhaust that has polluted the entire Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma.

Superdelegates are busy people. We are all fairly busy people - trying to make ends meet, trying to keep up with the twists and turns in this political year, trying to budget our paychecks so that we don't end up charging too much on our credit cards at the end of each month. In the midst of all of this economic turmoil, we are faced with making one of the most significant decisions that we may ever decide. Who will be our next president? I hope against hope that all of the infighting between Obama and Clinton hasn't permanently damaged the party to the extent that it would be impossible for us to come together and show up at the polls and defeat John McCain. But I am beginning to wonder. What will all those Hillary supporters do when she is not the nominee? Will they take their marbles and go home? I hope not, because every vote that we don't cast for the Democratic candidate is essentially a vote for the GOP, for at least four more years of the tragic war in Iraq and the downtrodden economy.

Just reviewing a few blogs and web sites I am aware how rabid and dug-in the Hillary supporters have become. They all seem as implacable as their heroine, as determined to deny reality as she is. This, I worry, may prove to be a problem not only for Obama but also for the nation come November. What we cannot risk is another stolen or even a close-enough election for the GOP to win via more election shenanigans. What we must do is get every newly-registered voter to the polls on November 4th and make sure that they are not handed easily-dismissed provisional ballots. We need to make sure that all the enthusiastic young voters who have turned out in record numbers for Obama are not sitting at home on that fateful Tuesday in November. What we must do is WIN in November - that is what matters the most, a victory over greed, incredible hubris, dishonesty and a violent outlook on the world and our neighbors. We all know that it will likely take years and more than one Democratic administrations to undo the horrible damage done by the Bush/Cheney administration. We cannot wait or risk a continuation of these despicable policies.

I am reminded of a line from one of my all-time favorite movies, Thelma & Louise. (It is a decisive moment in the film, when Louise is contemplating her future - in Mexico - and she needs to know if Thelma is with her on her trip or not, and it goes like this):
"Are you up to this? I mean, I have to know. This isn't a game. I'm in deep shit. I gotta know what you're gonna do." This is the question I pose to each and every Hillary Clinton backer in the country right now - I gotta know what you're gonna do. If not today, then definitely by the middle of next week - I hope that Pennsylvania doesn't leave us hanging, but if it does, I hope that the superdelegates see the writing on the wall and come on board the Obama bandwagon, and end the madness of indecision of the Democratic primary and name our nominee (Senator Barack Obama).

Facing Obama Fund-Raising Juggernaut, Clinton Seeks New Sources of Cash (NYTimes, April 20, 2008)

Clintons Sort Friends: Past and Present (NYTimes, April 20, 2008)

Michael Moore Endorses Obama

Viva Obama!

Bruce Springsteen Endorses Obama!

The Boss has made his choice and it is for Barack Obama!!!

In making this important and significant endorsment Springsteen wrote:

"Like most of you, I've been following the campaign and I have now seen and heard enough to know where I stand. Senator Obama, in my view, is head and shoulders above the rest.
He has the depth, the reflectiveness, and the resilience to be our next President. He speaks to the America I've envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems, a country that's interested in its collective destiny and in the potential of its gathered spirit. A place where '...nobody crowds you, and nobody goes it alone.'"

Recipes from Momma's Kitchen

In light of Cindy Lou McCain's lifting recipes from the Food Network (Rachel Ray, etc....) I thought Momma might like to put together a little cookbook of her own with a few of her inimitable recipes. Here are a few that come quickly to mind:

Momma's Homemade Polish Sauerkraut
Start with bacon fat
Put the sauerkraut in the skillet with the bacon fat
Pour another tumbler of wine
Let the entire contents of the skillet burn until it's smokin'
Then serve

Momma's Charred Frozen Pizza
Turn on the oven
Place a frozen Pizza in the oven
Call a friend and forget about the pizza until you smell something burning
Open oven - Extract charred pizza
Eat anyway

Momma's Wine Spritzer
Hell, who is Momma kidding?
She wouldn't dilute her wine with juice or seltzer water
Put wine in tumbler - DRINK

Momma's Homemade Margaritas
Hire an adorable boy bartender
Hand him a bag of limes and a bottle of Jose Cuervo
Go lie down on the couch (or the chair - depending on where Max has chosen to sit)
Wait for beautiful boy to deliver Margarita to the Momma
Can you say "Caliente"? or perhaps "Donde los Yikes!"

Momma's Nuked Yams (Thanks Liv!)

Wrap a yam in aluminum foil

Put it in the Microwave

Turn on Microwave

Blow up the office (or home)

Call Fire Dept

Make out with Hunky Fireman

Screw the yam (not literally, unless you are into that sort of thang)

When all else fails, pick up the phone and order take out :D

Activity in Stephlandia (or Happy Tax Day :( )

DJ from the Empire State launched on the air yesterday morning via the Stephanie Miller Show a new Steph Fan Feature (tm) - Viva la Stephipedia, a wiki that focuses on all things Steph. That is just one of the many tidbits to report from Stephlandia today. The Stephanie Miller Live Blog is giving FourFreedoms Blog a run for its money (the sad thing is that none of this is making any of us any money :( ). Many die-hard bloggers like Raine, BobR, Liv, Shane-O and yours truly have become bi-bloggers (simultaneously blogging on two different live blogs). It varies between being a tedious task and challenging chore. But I will have to forego my bi-blogging today, because I'm back at work with many e-mails to answer, a research question to look into for a student, and my usual tasks as a radical militant librarian. The above cartoon is from a regular poster at FourFreedomsblog.com who goes by the handle - shelaghc.

Plus today is TAX DAY - I always wait until the last minute - it's my little gift to Uncle Sam. I let him collect interest on my money until the last possible day I can file, which is today. I'm not sure why I do this. It isn't as if the current administration spends my money in any kind of way that agrees with me. I personally wouldn't spend another dime in Iraq, given that they are sitting on oil revenue that ought to begin to pay for the reconstruction of their own country - sorry, we wrecked your country, but we think it would be better if we leave now (only if you agree, and rumor has it that you'll see us off with a parade :D).

Here's Producer Chris Lavoie's new favorite drop: "Oh, I don't have time for this, I have to go buy a single piece of fruit with a coupon and then return it, making people wait behind me while I complain." (Audio coming soon - thanks mucho, Shane-O!)

The Audacity of Truth

As I sat last night watching Keith "Truth-teller" Olbermann report on the most recent campaign flap - this one focusing on remarks Senator Barack Obama made in San Francisco last week about his assessment of the mindset of many voters in the middle of the country, my first thought was ho hum, here we go again, creating another mountain out of a molehill. But reflecting on not only Obama's comments, but also the outrageous response to what seems like simple statements of truth, I became angry. My anger grew out of realizing a distinct difference between Mr. Obama's remarks and Ms. Clinton's outright lies. Obama simply offered an opinion about what is going on in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and other mid-western states that have lost industrial jobs and are dealing with the ramifications of a souring economy along with the loss of those good paying jobs, and with them the loss of pensions, and health care. Obama's comments ring true to me. Along with his words about race, Obama speaks the truth as he sees it, as he experiences it, as an intelligent, well-spoken young politician, he is giving us not what we want to hear but rather what the reality is "on the ground."

Are you feeling bitter, well are ya?

Hell yes, I'm feeling bitter. I am bitter that my country is spending not only our current resources but also is bankrupting our children's and our grandchildren's future by continuing to fight in a country that posed no threat to us, that had no weapons of mass destruction, and that had no ties to Al-Qaeda (the terrorist group that actually attacked the twin towers and the pentagon on September 11, 2001). I am bitter that the current administration has catered to the wealthy at the expense of the middle and working class people in this country, granting tax cuts to the ultra-rich and corporations while average Americans are facing foreclosure and are having a hard time filling their gas tanks with the very commodity that is sold by corporations who are profiting by feeding at the government trough and gouging the nation's working people at the same time.

I am sorry to tell the media, but I do know the difference between an outright lie told for effect "I landed in Bosnia under sniper fire," and an assessment offered as insight into what is going on in America right now "It’s not surprising then that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations." The only change I would suggest that Mr. Obama make when he offers future assessments of the American psyche, is that he use the pronoun "we" rather than "they." It is more accurate and inclusive.

Here's a link to the full audio of Obama's speech, listen to it and decide for yourself whether you feel optimistic or bitter about the state of America right now. I know how I feel, and that is why I so desperately want a change in direction and leadership in this country. Viva Obama!

Read Catherine Crier's piece in HuffPo, Punished for the Truth, (April 12, 2008).

Free Tibet

In August of 1987, when I returned to Kathmandu after three and a half weeks in Tibet, I stopped by a small shop where I had met and enjoyed conversations with Tashi, an exiled young Tibetan man, who ran his own business where he sold handmade backpacks and duffel bags (all made out of brightly colored Nepali fabric). I wanted to know where I could get a Tibetan flag embroidered on my day pack as I still marvelled at the fact that the small pack had held all I needed during my time in Tibet, and I was still so high on the experience of actually visiting the magical kingdom and walking through the Potala in Lhasa (among many other amazing adventures) that I was eager to place a reminder of the journey on my pack. Tashi, whose English was impressive, understood my wish immediately and rather than refer me to another shop down the street, he insisted on taking my day pack and having the embroidery done for me. I assured him I would pay whatever the cost and left my pack with him, thinking it would take a few days to have the flag put on my pack. The next morning as I was passing Tashi's shop, he called to me and motioned me inside. He then displayed my well-worn pack with a large Tibetan flag embroidered across the top of it. I tried to pay him for the work, but he would accept no money. It was a gift he explained from the Tibetan people for the time and interest I had demonstrated by visiting their country. I hugged Tashi, smiled and bowed in the way I had learned in his homeland. I still have that old day pack, although the embroidery is now threadbare and the flag has lost most of its luster, but I will never forget the careful explanation of the meaning of the symbols on the Tibetan flag that Tashi provided when he gave me back my pack.

That trip has been on my mind lately as I read about reports of protests and ongoing oppression and abuse by the Chinese in Tibet. My experience in Tibet taught me that if a religion or belief can be judged by how it is manifested in those who believe or practice that faith (and really, how else can a belief-system be judged?) then the faith of Tibetan Buddhism is far and away the most peaceful, beautiful and blissful belief on the planet. Every Tibetan I met, without exception, was kind and welcoming, willing to share what little she/he had with me, ready to laugh or at least smile in appreciation of my feeble attempts to speak a phrase or two of their language. The course I had taken at the Kopan Monastery in Nepal before I headed to Tibet had given me a very rudimentary understanding of the practices of Tibetan Buddhism, but I was thankful for the crash course that allowed me to fall in line with other pilgrims on their way to the next monastery or temple, share their food (tsampa - barley flour mixed with tea or chang - a fermented barley beverage: very sour, but oddly thirst-quenching), and hang prayer flags along the way.

I remember sharing the disdain that the Tibetans felt for the Chinese and agreeing with their view that the Chinese had no place in the sovereign country of Tibet. I also remember the faces of the monks and nuns who had been disfigured by the brutal Chinese. The Chinese are definitely an occupying force and as such rule the country as the unwelcome bullies that they are. I chose to stay in Tibetan Guest Houses rather than the sterile concrete Chinese "hotels" in locked compounds that those who were on Chinese guided tours were forced to patronize.

My heart weeps for oppressed people all around the world, but I have a very soft spot in my soul for the Tibetan people who by no act of their own, rather by a fluke of geography, have come to be occupied by a tyrannical government that would sooner see them all dead or converted to good Chinese as it would negotiate with their leader (His High Holiness the Dalai Lama) over some measure of autonomy for a proud indigenous people who deserve to manage their own affairs and run their own sovereign country.

For more on my trip to Tibet, please visit an older post: His High Holiness the Dalai Lama

Here are a few good links that provide more information on how you can support the people of Tibet:
International Campaign for Tibet
Tibet Online
Free Tibet

Reporters without Borders on Boycotting the Beijing Olympics 2008
10 Reasons to Boycott the Beijing Olympics

Intelligence vs. Smarts

Watching Chris "Fair Enough" Matthews interview Senator Barack Obama last night at West Chester University I was struck by how very intelligent Obama is. He radiates a thoughtfulness and articulates those thoughts with such seeming ease that I truly began to imagine an intelligent leader in the White House as opposed to the bumbling idiot that we have all suffered through for the last seven and a half years. What a joy it will be to send our president out in the world knowing that he can string together words in a coherent fashion and speak intelligently and eloquently to other world leaders without bracing for the inevitable faux pas, misspeak or bungled phrase.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that Senator Hillary Clinton isn't a smart woman. She is obviously smart in the ways of politics, yet there is a devious quality to her intelligence that leaves me less impressed and more skeptical of her motives. Why did she insist on saying over and over again that she landed in Bosnia under sniper fire when it was just a matter of time until the video surfaced that disproved her story and made her look foolish? Why does she surround herself with political operatives who have consistently given her bad advice? These questions worry me and they do factor into my decision as to whom I will select as the commander-in-chief.

This just confirms to me that the most important criterion for selecting the next president should be intelligence. Bill Clinton had it in spades and that was obvious. Barack Obama has a great and abundant, cool and collected mind and that is impressive, and I believe it should matter more than all the other criteria that we consider when choosing a leader who will face such daunting challenges, disasters, corruption and downright messes that will be the legacy of the current administration. More fuel for Barack's fire, I'm ready to be called an Obamaniac, I've made up my mind and I hope that the outcome is as I want it to be. Obama rocks :D

Watch Barack Obama on Hardball/MSNBC.

Obama Jokes About The Comedic Value Of Cable News (HuffPo, April 3, 2008)

Happy April Fools Day!

Today's True April Fool

Steph read this at the top of hour two today (April 1, 2008):

Well. well, well, Stephanie Miller and the Mooks,
You all have worked my last nerve, Momma with her incessant Hillary-hating, Jim who just won't stop imitating all the people I revere, and Christopher with his adolescent guffawing - I'm done, I tell you, fini, the end. I plan to cancel my StephCast, get back to work, no more live streaming, no more live blogging, no more guess the quotes, no more nada... and I'll be damned if I'll ever call Rebekah again - harumph!
APRIL FOOLS!!!
I love you all more than words can say - keep up the fabulous work :D
Cheers,
mfaye

Will Hillary Please Do the Math?

With none other than Senator Patrick Leahy calling for Hillary to drop out of the race for the good of the Democratic Party, we are all waiting on pins and needles to see what Hillary's next move will be. Will she continue her daily calls to the superdelegates (I personally know a superdelegate who is fielding 4 to 5 calls a day from the Clinton Camp, this is the same camp that couldn't bother to return calls a year ago when the same superdelegate was trying to get Hillary to appear at a national campaign event that addressed Native issues). I don't think that Hillary will get the vote of this particular superdelegate. Nor will she manage to sway enough other delegates (super and otherwise) to secure the nomination, so why won't she do the decent thing and hang it up and begin backing the inevitable Democratic nominee, Senator Barack Obama? The answer has become clearer and clearer as the race progresses - the Clintons have a win at any cost, by any means necessary, and a never-say-die attitude, that may very well result in a Republican victory in November. I wish Bill and Hillary would put their impressive heads together and face the music that has already begun to play ever more loudly and toss in the towel. The impact of staying in the race cannot be underestimated - all the while the not-so-liberal media has been focusing almost exclusively on the Obama/Clinton fight while ignoring McCain's series of faux pas, mispeaks, and scary policies.

I've already set my sights on Vancouver, British Columbia, should the Clintonistas succeed in making their point that Hillary should be the next president by ensuring that John McCain will be our next president.

More clues that it is time for Hillary Clinton to bow out graciously:

Cash-strapped Clinton fails to pay bills

Senator Chris Dodd: "It’s very difficult to imagine how anyone can believe that Barack Obama can’t be the nominee of the party." (Ben Smith's blog on Politico)

Latest Gallup Poll Shows Obama Over Clinton by 7%

Wall Street Journal (March 31, 2008), New Backing for Obama As Party Seeks Unity

Richardson Endorses Obama

Well it's about freakin' time, but after the week that Senator Barack Obama has had, with the lambasting on Faux News over the Reverend Wright flap - all the while ignoring or certainly downplaying the sheer insanity of the comments made by preachers/pastors who have endorsed John McCain (Hagee, Parsley, Rosemary and Thyme...), it comes as a true breath of fresh spring air to receive the endorsement of not only a one time opponent in this presidential race, but also undoubtedly one of the most qualified candidates to run for the office of the president. Welcome Governor Richardson to the Obama Camp. Your endorsement is truly appreciated and couldn't have come at a better time (unless of course, you'd endorsed Senator Obama before the Texas Primary/Caucus), but we'll take the endorsements as they come and thank you heartedly for it.

Here is Bill Richardson's reasoning behind his endorsement of Barack Obama in the Governor's own words:

During the last year, I have shared with you my vision and hopes for this nation as we look to repair the damage of the last seven years. And you have shared your support, your ideas and your encouragement to my campaign. We have been through a lot together and that is why I wanted to tell you that, after careful and thoughtful deliberation, I have made a decision to endorse Barack Obama for President.

We are blessed to have two great American leaders and great Democrats running for President. My affection and admiration for Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton will never waver. It is time, however, for Democrats to stop fighting amongst ourselves and to prepare for the tough fight we will face against John McCain in the fall. The 1990's were a decade of peace and prosperity because of the competent and enlightened leadership of the Clinton administration, but it is now time for a new generation of leadership to lead America forward.

Barack Obama will be a historic and a great President, who can bring us the change we so desperately need by bringing us together as a nation here at home and with our allies abroad.

Earlier this week, Senator Barack Obama gave an historic speech. that addressed the issue of race with the eloquence, sincerity, and optimism we have come to expect of him. He inspired us by reminding us of the awesome potential residing in our own responsibility. He asked us to rise above our racially divided past, and to seize the opportunity to carry forward the work of many patriots of all races, who struggled and died to bring us together.

As a Hispanic, I was particularly touched by his words. I have been troubled by the demonization of immigrants--specifically Hispanics-- by too many in this country. Hate crimes against Hispanics are rising as a direct result and now, in tough economic times, people look for scapegoats and I fear that people will continue to exploit our racial differences--and place blame on others not like them . We all know the real culprit -- the disastrous economic policies of the Bush Administration!

Senator Obama has started a discussion in this country long overdue and rejects the politics of pitting race against race. He understands clearly that only by bringing people together, only by bridging our differences can we all succeed together as Americans.

His words are those of a courageous, thoughtful and inspiring leader, who understands that a house divided against itself cannot stand. And, after nearly eight years of George W. Bush, we desperately need such a leader.

To reverse the disastrous policies of the last seven years, rebuild our economy, address the housing and mortgage crisis, bring our troops home from Iraq and restore America's international standing, we need a President who can bring us together as a nation so we can confront our urgent challenges at home and abroad.

During the past year, I got to know Senator Obama as we campaigned against each other for the Presidency, and I felt a kinship with him because we both grew up between words, in a sense, living both abroad and here in America. In part because of these experiences, Barack and I share a deep sense of our nation's special responsibilities in the world.

So, once again, thank you for all you have done for me and my campaign. I wanted to make sure you understood my reasons for my endorsement of Senator Obama. I know that you, no matter what your choice, will do so with the best interests of this nation, in your heart.

Sincerely,
Bill Richardson

Another Step Closer to Tyranny

"It's quite clear that the Bush administration officials who were around in the 1970s are settling old scores now. Here they are even preventing oversight within the executive branch. They have closed the books on the post-Watergate era."
Tim Sparapani, senior legislative counsel to the American Civil Liberties Union



Last week Bush signed another Executive Order that brought our country another step closer to tyranny: Executive Order: President's Intelligence Advisory Board and Intelligence Oversight Board

Last week with a stroke of a pen, George W. Bush struck down a long-standing safeguard in our Democracy. The Intelligence Oversight Board was created in 1976 by President Gerald Ford, and was essentially eviscerated on February 29, 2008 by Bush. The Board was created by President Ford to ferret out illegal spying activities and to provide much-needed oversight for intelligence agencies. But now the Executive Order issued by Bush has gutted this important oversight board.

"An organization like this gives some level of comfort that there is an independent review capability. Changes like this appear to water down an organization that contributes to the public's confidence."
Elizabeth Rindskopf Parker, former general counsel at both the CIA and the National Security Agency who is now the dean of the University of the Pacific law school, remarking that it is unwise for the Bush administration to undermine the Intelligence Oversight Board at the same time that the administration is pushing for fewer restrictions on its intelligence powers.

"What the Bush administration has systematically done is to try to limit both internal oversight - things like the Intelligence Oversight Board - and effective external oversight by the Congress. It's profoundly disappointing if you understand American history, and it's profoundly harmful to the United States."
Frederick A. O. Schwarz Jr., former chief counsel to the Senate committee that undertook the 1975-76 investigation into intelligence abuses, commenting that by rolling back the post-Watergate reforms, the Bush administration had made intelligence abuses more likely to occur.

The Madness that is March

Welcome to My Favorite Month of the Year - March, the month of upsets and bracket busters, victories and defeats, cinderella teams and one champion. It is simply the month in which the NCAA holds its College Basketball Tournaments. Both men and women of the hardwood vie for a place in basketball history.Being reared in Indiana - home of the Indiana Hoosiers and the film "Hoosiers" - basketball is the winter religion that raised me. Never mind that every Sunday morning we would all get dressed up and go to Friends Meeting as a family, the real time to pray or center down as Friends say was every Friday night before the Pike High School Red Devils took on a notorious rival like the Carmel Greyhounds.

Once upon a time in the state of Indiana, before some meddling busybodies decided to divide the state’s schools into Divisions (A, AA, AAA and even 4A), it was possible for a small, rural school like Hickory in the famed movie “Hoosiers” to win THE State Tournament – there was only one State Tournament and only one champion. And although the NCAA does recognize Division II along with Division I schools, only Division I schools play in THE March Madness tournament. The tournament does by its very nature reflect schools of all sizes, from all conferences, and from every corner of the country. All the teams compete in one single-elimination tournament every March to determine THE National Collegiate Basketball Champion.The field of 65 teams is culled from a combination of the 31 conference champions and 34 at-large bids – true to form, again this year, the Selection Committee favored major conferences (ACC, SEC, Big Ten, and PAC-10) over the smaller, mid-major schools, a perennial complaint.

It’s Sunday (Palm Sunday to be specific), and I’m home watching basketball. I am not in front of Inhofe's office, protesting another year of this god awful war. I feel a little bit bad that I didn’t make it to the protest rally, but I’ve had a productive, if relaxing, day here at the house. God, I wish that Bush and Cheney would be impeached. That would be better than winning either pool I’m in. It would be the perfect cap to March Madness.

Follow along with the Indiana Hoosiers, here.

It's Still the War(s), Stupid!

We are coming up on the five year anniversary of the occupation of Iraq, a country we now know beyond a shadow of a doubt had nothing to do with Al Qaeda, had no weapons of mass destruction, and was not seeking yellow cake uranium from Africa. Back when this illegal and immoral war was started a member of the Bush administration, Lawrence Lindsey, speculated that the conflict would cost 100 billion to 200 billion dollars and was ridiculed and subsequently fired for saying such a thing. We now are looking at a tab of close to a trillion dollars spent so far with a projected total bill for this war and the war in Afghanistan coming in at over three trillion dollars by the time it is all said and done. In the process of spending this obscene amount of money, we have lost nearly 4000 American troops, have ruined the lives of thousands more whose war wounds will never heal, who will never be able to regain the lives they once lead. Not to mention the Iraqis who have died, been displaced, wounded, and are living as refugees in conditions far worse than their pre-invasion situations. This entire fiasco rests heavily on the shoulders of Bush and Cheney who were the masterminds, organizers and cheerleaders for this debacle. Bush insisted on surging when we should have begun to pull out, Cheney sent in Halliburton and KBR to do the things that even desensitized soldiers would not do. They both together are responsible for the worst foreign policy disaster in which the United States has ever been involved. We still have not captured Osama Bin Laden, the situation in Pakistan is a mess, and Afghanistan is breeding more Taliban fighters than were there when we first invaded that country. All in all, nice job, Bush. We are more hated around the world, there is less respect for American foreign policy, our allies (?) are abandoning the fight against terrorism in which we are supposedly engaged. Thanks loads, George.

This is all to say that we must end the wars if we want to begin to heal our international reputation, and we must make diplomacy our goal rather than aggressive attacks on other countries. Ending our involvement in wars/occupations abroad will have the added benefit of allowing us the funds to address some of our most egregious needs here at home. The mortgage and now growing credit crises are no doubt the result of deregulation and privatization of which the Bush administration is so fond. Paul Krugman, an economist, explained the impact of laissez-faire capitalism much better than I ever could in a recent NYTimes column (Betting the Bank).

War with Iraq - Costs, Consequences and Alternatives, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. A December 2002 report, published under the auspices of the Academy’s Committee on International Security Studies (CISS), finds that the political, military, and economic consequences of war with Iraq could be extremely costly to the United States. William D. Nordhaus (Yale University) estimates the economic costs of war with Iraq in scenarios that are both favorable and unfavorable to the United States. Steven E. Miller (Harvard University) considers a number of potentially disastrous military and strategic outcomes of war for the United States that have received scant public attention. Carl Kaysen (MIT), John D. Steinbruner (University of Maryland),and Martin B. Malin (American Academy) examine the broader national security strategy behind the move toward a preventive war against Iraq.

Blood for Oil (a great web site that has all kinds of graphics that you can download that will piss off the current administration!)

Check out Deja Vu All Over Again - an analysis of the scary news that the resignation of Admiral Fallon portends as far as an imminent attack on Iran, an excellent post that can be found over on the FourFreedoms blog.

A Crude Case For War? (Washington Post, March 16, 2008)

On Being Yourself

I guess last Tuesday the voters of Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island woke up, poked their little pea heads out of the ground and saw their shadows, so that means we will have six more weeks of Hillary Clinton ;(

Hillary Clinton just won't go away. I am not really astounded that she would risk the very end she claims so badly to want (a Democratic victory in November) just to realize a very personal and increasingly selfish dream.

"I yam what I yam." said Popeye.

A few days ago I read an article in the NYTimes that revealed another memoir writer as a fraud. "In 'Love and Consequences,' a critically acclaimed memoir published last week, Margaret B. Jones wrote about her life as a half-white, half-Native American girl growing up in South-Central Los Angeles as a foster child among gang-bangers, running drugs for the Bloods. The problem is that none of it is true." It turns out that Margaret B. Jones (real name Margaret Seltzer) is not half Native, did not grow up on the mean streets of South-Central Los Angeles and was not a foster child raised by an African American woman known as "Big Mom." Rather Margaret was a white girl who grew up privileged in Sherman Oaks, California, reared by her biological family and attended a private Episcopal Day School from which she graduated in the early 1990s.

Ms. Seltzer it turns out follows in a long line of other infamous writers who decided that faux truth would sell better than real fiction and penned memoirs that were more imaginary than factual. Among the most well-known are James Frey author of "A Million Little Pieces" who was publicly humiliated on Oprah's show, less well-known, but more egregious is the author Nasdijj, who fabricated out of whole cloth a miserable, abusive boyhood in migrant farm camps. Nasdijj (later revealed to be a white man named Timothy Patrick Barrus) portrayed himself as a half-Navajo who went on to adopt a son who suffered from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, in a subsequent memoir Mr. Barrus told how he adopted a boy with AIDS, how he and his adopted son lived on the edge, and how he tried to keep his son from experiencing pain by injecting him with heroin. It was all lies, complete and utter falsehoods, stories that may have sold as passable fiction had the authors had any ethics or honesty, but instead were passed off as life stories, real experiences, which no doubt loaned them some compelling credibility and increased their audiences.

As any publisher knows, a real-life gruesome tale beats a fictitious tale of life's travails any day of the week. We like stories about underdogs who have overcome great odds, stories of those who have been dealt a lousy hand, but played it well, and done right not just by their own measure, but who have helped others, if only by example. That is perhaps why these writers get published, but also why they are ultimately exposed as the frauds they are. Their stories are too rich in detail, too gruesome, too difficult to believe that anyone could have survived such horrors and lived to tell about it.

What these fraudulent writers do is marginalize and make suspect every story that is true, every word that is penned by a true survivor. They mock lives that are lived in spite of incredible odds against them, and they make us question every claim made in every memoir that we read.

Is Depression Good for You?

[To the loyal readers of this blog,
Please excuse me for reproducing an article in its entirety and calling it a post, but it is all I can do today. I not only didn't make it to Columbus, Ohio to meet Stephanie and work on the Obama campaign, but I have spent another weekend basically house bound, in and out of bed, and still battling depression. I guess I couldn't even follow through on my own cure - the trip to Ohio. I apologize and will try to shake off this downtrodden feeling and write a real post sometime soon. Again, I am sorry =(.]

Is Depression Good for You?
By Tom Geoghegan
BBC News Magazine

Pills aren't the answer to helping many people recover from depression, says a report out this week. But there's growing evidence that gloominess could be a positive experience.

What depressed the cavemen? It may strike us as a particularly modern malaise for a time-poor, fast-paced society but a new reappraisal of depression suggests it has always been around.
A leading psychiatrist says that depression is not a human defect at all, but a defence mechanism that in its mild and moderate forms can force a healthy reassessment of personal circumstances.

Dr Paul Keedwell, an expert on mood disorders at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, argues all people are vulnerable to depression in the face of stress to varying degrees, and always have been.

The fact it has survived so long - and not been eradicated by evolution - indicates it has helped the human race become stronger.

FAMOUS DEPRESSIVES

Robbie Williams, Sir Elton John, Winston Churchill and Stephen Fry
Writers Tennessee Williams, Sylvia Plath, Evelyn Waugh and Ernest Hemingway
Artists Paul Gauguin, Vincent Van Gogh, Edgar Degas, William Blake
Performers Caroline Ahern, Ewan McGregor, Morrissey

"There are benefits and that's why it has persisted. It's a tough message to hear while you are in depression but I think that there's a life afterwards," he says.

"I have received e-mails from ex-sufferers saying in retrospect it probably did help them because they changed direction, a new career for example, and as a result they're more content day-to-day than before the depression."

One woman left an abusive relationship and moved on, he says, and might not have done if depression had not provided the necessary introspection.

Similarly, unrealistic expectations are revised when depression sparks a more humble reassessment of strengths and weaknesses.

In Britain one in four men and one in five women are estimated to suffer depression during their lifetime, and one in 20 suffers it at any one time.

Creativity

Dame Kelly Holmes has spoken in the past about how the depression she suffered in 2003 made her a stronger person, a year before her double-gold performance at the Olympics. Alastair Campbell has said it was the making of him.

But there are other qualities depression generates, not just resilience, says Dr Keedwell, author of How Sadness Survived.

"Psychological unease can generate creative work and the rebirth after depression brings a new love affair with life."

Aristotle believed depression to be of great value because of the insights it could bring. There is also an increased empathy in people who have or have had depression, he says, because they become more attuned to other people's suffering.

"Don't beat yourself up about being depressed, in most cases it will run its course."
Dr Paul Keedwell

Depression can be traced all the way back to the Stone Age, say Dr Keedwell, when close-knit communities of about 50 people would have identified it quickly. The rest of the group would have rallied round and changes followed, such as a new role for the individual.

Some remote communities are more aware of it. The Banda tribe in Uganda calls it "illness of thought" and those affected are allowed time out from the group, a concession not extended to many with the condition in the UK.

The high and rising incidence in the UK and US - compared to countries like Brazil and Mexico - could be due to the breakdown of family bonds and the fragmentation of society. And compared to past decades, there are increased expectations of success.

SEVERE DEPRESSION

Dr Keedwell says his theory does not cover severe depression, which is an illness accompanied by a catatonic lack of energy, cannot be worked through and requires the intervention of a GP

Anti-depressants, which were reported this week to have little clinical benefit for many patients, have a part to play, says Dr Keedwell, especially in severe depression. But an individual must address the social or emotional cause either on his own, with a loved one or with a professional.

"Don't beat yourself up about being depressed, in most cases it will run its course provided you take yourself out of the situation that caused it.

"I know that's an easy and glib thing to say, because I'm not a single mum living 12 floors up in a high-rise block. Sometimes it's not easy to escape but that's the fault of society, not the fault of depression."

GWB, not GDP

Politicians have recognised this and happiness is a word that has recently entered the political debate on both sides, with David Cameron saying that improving society's sense of well-being is one of the central political challenges of the times - GWB (general well-being) and not GDP (gross domestic product).

A happiness agenda is a laudable aim but one that is meaningless, says Phillip Hodson, a fellow of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, because happiness is not something you can buy in Tesco.

"Everybody's life is full of occasional misery and we are going to suffer. All life ends in grief, unless you are lucky and you and your loved ones all die simultaneously in some plane crash.

"So I applaud the government for trying but I think the happiness agenda can be simplistic. You can't legislate for happiness."

He agrees with Dr Keedwell that depression, however horrible, does imbue people with a useful resource.

"You would never ask for it or want it this way. But people who work through it, with a professional or with friends and family, for those people who have an awful journey, they are better travellers."

But identifying the cause and addressing it is easier said than done, says Stuart Summerfield, 68, from Chesterfield, who has suffered from depression throughout his adult life. Although he believes he has a genetic predisposition to it, he blames its severity on his possessive mother.

She never acknowledged his illness and made it difficult for him to seek help, but her death in 1999 relieved him of caring duties and sparked a recovery. He is now involved in running a self-help group.

Superman

"I don't think that knowing the cause is always the route out. Changing circumstances is a major part of it but it's not always something you can change. Sometimes the big problem is admitting what the situation is."

He concedes it has helped him in some ways because he has a new appreciation of life.

"They say adversity makes you stronger, so I should be Superman by now."

But it is an "awful journey" and not a price worth paying for longer-term gain.

COMMENTS
A selection of your comments appears below.

Depression is bad, really bad. I suffered relationship and career breakdown 12 months ago with no one around me to help. I lost 20 kgs in 2007, it was a completely wasted year for me. But once everything went away, I realised I'm much healthier and stronger now. Maybe the main point of the article is valid, some of us do come stronger in the other side. The whole thing made me reassess my life, and career opportunities. I can see things in a different light now. I'm much happier and 10 times more determined to make the most of my life without stressing myself. Maybe I have the Kelly Holmes effect (resilience).
AC, UK

I have suffered with severe depression for around 10 years (I am in my early 20s now) and can honestly say that despite having some horrible dark moments that almost killed me, it has had a positive affect on my life. I had therapy, counselling and medication, which in combination helped me. I am now an occupational therapist, working in mental health. I have the chance to help people out of their own darkness and empower people to be as independent as possible. For me this is an amazing, positive outcome after years, and sometimes even now, of suffering from depression. I found this article refreshing, and it relates to my own beliefs; things happen for a reason.
Anon, Sussex

I have lived with depression on and off for many years and now see it as a positive experience. I'm more attuned to my stress levels and have learned effective coping methods to deal with difficult situations. I'm more appreciative of the kindness of others and more empathetic to their needs and moods. My experiences with depression have made me less judgemental and I now lead a more balanced life. From working a forty hour week and owning my own home, I now choose to live in a small rented apartment, not drive a car and have a far less "affluent" lifestyle, which allows me to work part time and use my "free" time for volunteering and family & friends. Depression isn't something I'd recommend but it can certainly be a path to better living habits and a higher quality of life appreciation, as long as the correct therapy is used. A combination of medication and talking therapy worked for me.
Val, Birmingham

I suffered with depression for years without even realising, until I met my fiance who made me realise I have a problem and seek help. I agree that the big problem is admitting what the situation is; once I admitted to myself I had a problem I was able to confront it and I am now a new person with so much more confidence...thanks to my fiance!
Hannah , South London

I suffered a breakdown after the death of my father two years ago. I had thought that this was my first experience of depression but looking back with the knowledge I have now I believe that I've had episodes throughout my life. I'm now really well and put my recovery down to rest, medication, diet and a wonderful support network. My GP once said that people often emerge from 'the dark place' that is depression with a great deal of emotional knowledge and empathy. She was right! Having a breakdown has changed my life for the better. I now look at the world with new eyes, I've become a much more compassionate and patient person and feel so much the better for it. Depression truly can help you clarify what is important. If you haven't already read it I suggest Richard Carlson's 'Don't sweat the small stuff'. True wisdom in a world where affluenza is making many ill and overshadowing what is truly important for a happy and contented life.
Clare, Chester

As someone who has suffered from depression for many years and have only just recently tried to seek any form of help for it I find it really difficult to see "the other side" at the moment, I cannot see how there will be a positive to come from going through this. Assuming I make it through this, I cant imagine being able to look back on these years and think "oh, I'm glad I went through that because now I can/am...." etc..
Rob, Bristol, UK

To Rob from Bristol, you may not see the other side at the present, but believe me, it will get better. It's never easy when you're going through the "dark times", please hang in there as things will improve. I fell into a deep depression two years ago when the love of my life died. I thought my life was meaningless and I was convinced I would die too. More importantly, I wanted to die. I thought at my age (44) how could I start again? I lost my home and now can't afford a place of my own but I've learnt life is much more than our material possessions and with help I'm now learning to take each day at a time. Chin up Rob, it will get better.
Flora , London

I suffered depression during a very difficult period of my life. My friends and family supported me and I have been able to recover. I really agree that you need to take yourself out of the situation that caused it before you can move on. I have done exactly that and my life has improved ennormously. Depression is a human reaction to help us get our lives back on track. It is hard to believe that things will get better when you depressed but they do - time is the most important healer.
Clare Prior, Southsea

When you stop hitting your hand with a hammer it feels good. This doesn't mean that hitting your hand with a hammer it good for you.
Kris, London

My depression was hormonal when I was a teenager and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. I just had to wait until my hormones settled down.
Jan Peddie, Prenton, Wirral

Against Happiness
In Praise of Melancholy
Eric G. Wilson

NPR covers Mr. Wilson and his new book (Against Happiness)

Support the Mental Health Parity Bill (HR 1424)

The Unflappable Barack Obama

I've more than hinted that the whiff of desperation that is curling like smoke from the Clinton camp is a stench that most of us would rather avoid, but the stank is getting worse the closer we get to the edge of the cliff to which the Democratic National Committee is leading us. As we near the decisive primaries of Ohio and Texas, Jonathan Alter has called for Hillary Clinton to step down after the most recent debate, but before the March 4th primaries. It would be a class act from a campaign that has been parading anything but class for the last few weeks, particularly the last few days, but I don't think that Hillary or Bill Clinton will let go of this dream so readily.

Hillary Clinton has tried mocking Obama, tried playing the sarcastic card to his calm demeanor, tried that annoying shrieking cackle of a laugh, tried staring him down during a debate, tried taking notes while he schools her on technique, tried looking away when he hits another homerun. She has tried just about every mood, every look, every stance, every attitude, every glare, toward this one very cool guy (Barack Obama), but he remains unflappable, undeterred, on point, cool, calm and collected. He is one cool dude - Barack Obama is not easily shaken, not easily perplexed, not easily stirred up, not easily vexed. He is one cool dude... he is calm and cool - one very cool dude, quite unflappable, not easily upset, not easily shaken, not easily stirred, not easily bothered or perturbed, or angry or crazed, or made to feel awkward or unsure of himself.

During Tuesday night's debate, he was gracious - even complimenting Hillary on her rather feeble attempt to mock Barack on the stump with her "clouds are parting and celestial beings are coming down" speech. He was in supreme control of his faculties, he gave her credit when he could. Barack even allowed Hillary to chose a word for him - "reject" over "renounce" concerning the Louis Farrakhan flap. He mastered the debate, he delivered decisive phrases and sentences without flinching. He was smooth and cool, a cool dude, a very cool dude. He is unflappable - carry on, Barack Obama, carry on!!! Carry on, Obama, carry on...

Chronicle of Higher Education article (February 27, 2008): Professor Says Obama Campaign Treated His Students 'Like Pros'; Clinton's 'Couldn't Be Bothered'

Maureen Dowd, NYTimes, February 27, 2008, Begrudging His Bedazzling

EXXON - "It's Past Time to Pay Up!"

It was a dark night (March 24, 1989) in the Gulf of Alaska when the Exxon Valdez ran aground and spilled over eleven million gallons of crude oil into the pristine waters of Prince William Sound. The oil spill devastated marine life, wildlife, fish, birds and all of the people who relied on the riches of this beautiful ecosystem for their livelihood. Here we are, almost 20 years later, and Exxon (a corporation whose net profits topped 40 billion dollars in 2007) still has not yet made good on the payment of a judgment that was rendered against them over fourteen years ago by a federal court judge and jury. Why the delay? In a word, GREED.

The following account is from the Alaska Daily News (08/04/98):

Apparently, delay pays. The fishermen, Alaska Natives and others who are still waiting to be paid a $5 billion judgment [subsequently reduced by a court decision to 2.5 billion dollars] in the massive Exxon lawsuit, are earning, by court order, interest at $9.40 a second. That's $564 a minute, $33,840 an hour, $812,160 a day or $296 million a year. Many of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs have what they call the ''Exxon clock'' on their office computers. It displays what looks like an old-fashioned gas pump meter that runs nonstop showing the dollars adding up.

While those numbers are impressive, consider this: Exxon is earning $90,000 an hour, about $2 million a day or nearly $800 million a year, on the same $5 billion as long as the case drags on and the money stays in its coffers.

As it stands now, if the appeals linger a couple more years, Exxon will have earned enough in interest alone to pay the $5 billion plus the accrued interest. And the case could linger at least that much longer. When the jury verdict was returned four years ago, Exxon vowed to fight the decision all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Right now it's before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.

The difference between what $5 billion earns for the plaintiffs and for the company itself is the catch.

Though the verdict was returned in the fall of 1994, the interest clock didn't start ticking for the plaintiffs until two years later when federal court Judge Russel Holland completed the task of examining post-trial motions and entered an order upholding the jury's verdict. Exxon then filed an appeal interest started accruing for the plaintiffs. And the interest accumulates at the government-set rate of 5.9 percent a year.

But until it actually has to pay the money, Exxon has been able to invest its billions in expansion and a bull market on Wall Street. Exxon is posting 14 percent to 17 percent earnings, its annual reports show.

The discrepancy has left the plaintiffs' attorneys frustrated. ''It's in their interest to screw over the fishermen,'' said Brian O'Neill, a Minneapolis attorney who represented the 30,000 fishermen, Natives, business owners and others who were awarded the judgment for damage done by the 11 million gallons of oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez oil tanker in 1989.

''Every year they are able to stretch the appeal out, they make a billion dollars out of it,'' said Gerry Nolting, another Minneapolis attorney who represents the plaintiffs. ''It is unfortunate that we have a system set up that readily encourages Exxon to engage in every frivolous appeal in the world.''

Exxon didn't want to talk dollars.

''We're not going to get into a discussion of who is earning what on what,'' said company spokesman Ed Burwell. ''That is not the point.''

John Daum, a Los Angeles attorney who represents Exxon in the case, said the point is the oil company doesn't control the timing of the appeal, the court does.

''We think the basic verdict is unjust, and we don't think we have to pay it,'' he said. ''We have a due process right to get the court of appeals to correct the errors of the jury and the trial court.''

The good news for the plaintiffs who are still alive is that Samuel Alito has recused himself, as he holds Exxon stock, so a split (4 - 4) decision upholds the judgment. But for too many of the Native fishermen and other Alaskan residents this money will come too late. Over 6000 of the original plaintiffs have died waiting for compensation from a corporation that made over 40 billion dollars last year. Shame on Exxon/Mobile and all those who support this greedy oil market (including the president, vice-president and all the other officials who are complicit in this highly polluting industry that does not apparently have a conscience at all, let alone any sense of responsibility for the horrible devastation that their company has visited on the Alaskan coastline.) The case will be heard by the Supreme Court on Wednesday, February 27, 2008.

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council

Legacy of the Exxon Valdez oil spill (Alaska Daily News)

The Encyclopedia of Earth - Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

Emmylou Harris Sings "Pancho and Lefty"

Livin on the road my friend, is gonna keep you free and clean
Now you wear your skin like iron
Your breath as hard as kerosene
You weren't your momma's only boy, but her favorite one it seems
She began to cry when you said goodbye
And sank into your dreams

Pancho was a bandit boy, his horse was fast as polished steel
He wore his gun outside his pants
For all the honest world to feel
Pancho met his match you know on the deserts down in Mexico
Nobody heard his dyin words, ah but that's the way it goes

All the Federales say, they could've had him any day
They only let him slip away, out of kindness I suppose

Lefty he can't sing the blues all night long like he used to
The dust that Pancho bit down south ended up in Lefty's mouth
The day they laid poor Pancho low, Lefty split for Ohio
Where he got the bread to go, there ain't nobody knows

All the Federales say, they could've had him any day
They only let him slip away out of kindness I suppose

The boys tell how old Pancho fell, and Lefty's livin in cheap hotels
The desert's quiet, Cleveland's cold
And so the story ends we're told
Pancho needs your prayers it's true, but save a few for Lefty too
He only did what he had to do, and now he's growing old

All the Federales say, they could've had him any day
They only let him go so long, out of kindness I suppose

A few gray Federales say, they could've had him any day
They only let him go so long, out of kindness I suppose

Written by Townes Van Zandt (1972)

Some Random Sunday Morning Thoughts...

"There is something so human about struggling to hold on..."
Jessica Lange, CBS Sunday Morning, February 24, 2008

From Kelvin Sampson losing his job as Head Coach of the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team, to the Michelle Obama non-story, to John "Methuselah" McCain's very real problem with ethics and lobbyists (whether they be blond and female is beside the point), throughout this muddled news cycle I have been fighting the big scary monster known as major depression. I think I turned a corner on Friday evening as I talked to a friend who lives in California and mentioned that I was thinking about heading to Columbus, Ohio to work on Obama's campaign and to see Stephanie Miller who will be appearing on Saturday evening at a the Makoy Center in Hilliard, Ohio. She encouraged me to go ahead and make the plans, and as I had some frequent flyer miles that I had to use or lose, I booked a flight from Tulsa, OK to Columbus, OH. I fly out Saturday morning and back the next day - I don't have any idea how useful I may or may not be to the Obama campaign in one afternoon, but I will be there, showing my support, making phone calls, and cheering on Momma - who is unabashedly for Obama (AKA Stephanie Miller, for those of you who are new to this blog).

Just the day before yesterday, I would have characterized this trip as something I wanted to do before I die, something that would have been a real possibility just a few days ago, but I have climbed out of that deep, dark hole and even though there isn't much sunlight outside here in Tulsa this weekend, there is a fresh light inside me. I will go on, I will not give in to the bleak feeling of despair that overtakes me from time to time. I got through this difficult time with the generous help of a fantastic counselor at TU and the equally excellent help of a young psychiatrist at OU/Tulsa. I owe them many, many thanks and if it isn't too grandiose to say, I owe them my life, and it was their caring concern over the last three weeks that got me through this rough time. It was not just professional help that got me through the last few weeks, it was also the help and concern of a few good friends, including my on-air and online friends (namely the crew of the Stephanie Miller Show and the amazing group at FourFreedomsBlog), and the thoughtful listening and advice from a few wonderful co-workers.

I will certainly be blogging about the trip on this site, and I'll keep you posted on how it all shakes out - thanks for hanging in there with me. Sometimes I feel like I am living my life online, and I wonder about the wisdom of putting so much of my self out there for all to see, but it's something I've been doing for over a year now, and I guess I feel like in some way it keeps me honest. It certainly makes me reflect on my own thoughts and opinions and invites others to share their thoughts and comments with me, and I truly appreciate the dialog. So please keep on visiting this site, and please let me know your thoughts on what you read here. Good, bad or indifferent - I'll take it all in and respond in kind. And I promise you I will always be an open, honest voice of a middle-age single progressive/liberal woman from Tulsa, OK, and I won't pull any punches - hope you don't either.

Frank Rich's column, The Audacity of Hopelessness (NYTimes, February 24, 2008)

and in the spirt of fairness, balance and just plain humor, I also give you -

SNL: Bitch is the New Black! Go Hillary! (Tina Fey on Hillary for President)