From The Days Of Black And White Television…

Speaking of school, we all said prayers and sang the national anthem, and staying in detention after school caught all sorts of negative attention.

That the economy had not gone so far into the toilet from corporate greed that only one parent had to work only 40 hours a wek to support a middle-class lifestyle wouldn’t have been a factor…

I could never bring myself to forward all the email jokes, cartoons and other Internet comedy that land in my inbox. But then I started posting the ones my dad sends me. Judging from my comments and emails, my dad has become one of my greatest blogging assets. So for your morning blog chuckle I present: From My Dad.

…We who are raised to shame
for the moist orchard between our thighs
must wish we were as certain of our beauty. p. 55

Available Light by Marge Piercy

Found in my electronic chapbook.

While I’m in the mountains of North Carolina, I’ve gone back to take a look at some of the websites dealing with Myanmar that you may not be familiar with. This morning I offer a story from the Shan Herald Agency For News on: Junta police border outpost attacked by Chinese villagers…

A police outpost stationed on the Sino-Burma border was said to have been attacked yesterday by Chinese villagers, according to local sources.

The incident followed action taken against them by members from the outpost on 27 June, at 8:00 (Burma Standard Time).

Sources have learned that 16 tolajis (farm tractors) carrying rice from the Burma territory were blocked by Military Affairs Security officials at the gate and did not return to the owners till midnight. The tractors were owned by the villagers in Chinese territory, said a source.

The outpost is located near Namwan Bridge between Kongkham village in China and Namwan village, Mangwiang village tract, Kachin State’s Mansi Township.

The tractors were said to have been kept until 24:00 though the owners came for negotiation, said a local resident. “The villagers therefore raided their outpost, destroyed things in the areas. One of their police trucks was damaged.”

During the raid, many police officials were also reported helping the villagers to destroy the truck, he said. “But the MAS officials fortunately decided not to shoot.”

What is your favorite website for information from Myanmar?

Roldo Bartimole writes:

It has always been rare for the Plain Dealer to criticize Sen. George Voinovich. However, a PD editorial recently did chastise him obliquely for clinging to the Republican refusal to extend unemployment benefits. The legislators went home on vacation. They left hanging some 2 million jobless people desperate for help.

The PD noted editorially that the House of Representatives had passed an acceptable bill.

The Senate refused. The usual filibuster block. The editorial said, “Instead, the Senate once again landed in an ideological bog, with enough Republicans – including Ohio’s George Voinovich – insisting on using unspent money from last year’s stimulus bill to pay for the unemployment benefits to prevent a final vote.

Hardly more than a slap at the wrist. Continue Reading »

Harvey Pekar, whose autobiographical comic book series “American Splendor” portrayed his unglamorous life with bone-dry honesty and wit, was found dead at home early Monday, authorities said. He was 70.

The cause of death was unclear, and an autopsy was planned, officials said. Pekar had prostate cancer, asthma, high blood pressure and depression, said Michael Cannon, a police captain in suburban Cleveland Heights.

Officers were called to Pekar’s home by his wife about 1 a.m., Cannon said. His body was found on the floor between a bed and dresser. He had gone to bed around 4:30 p.m. Sunday in good spirits, his wife told police.

From The Days Of Black And White Television…

Flunking gym was not an option, even for stupid kids! I guess PE must be much harder than gym.

Or all the high-fructose corn syrup has given them diabetes…

I could never bring myself to forward all the email jokes, cartoons and other Internet comedy that land in my inbox. But then I started posting the ones my dad sends me. Judging from my comments and emails, my dad has become one of my greatest blogging assets. So for your morning blog chuckle I present: From My Dad.

A whole loaf of bread. What did that mean to him?
The thing humans never give him? Therefore precious?
Or simply something entire, seamless, perfect for once. p. 40

Available Light by Marge Piercy

Found in my electronic chapbook.

While I’m in the mountains of North Carolina on my annual writer’s retreat at Wildacres, I’ve gone back to take a look at some of the websites dealing with Myanmar that you may not be familiar with. This morning I offer a story from the The Best Friend on: King Zero’s Message…

Ashin Issariya – aka King Zero – is one of the founders of The Best Friend. He is well-known for his political activities and played a major role in the 2007 Saffron revolution. He fled the country and has been in Mae Sot since 2008. Apart from these political activities, King Zero has also been very active in the social field.

King Zero got involved in social projects in 1999, when he started the first library at State Sasana University in Rangoon. “At the time, I started this library to help monks read books; that is why we started it at the university. It is not very common for monks to be involved in projects like founding a library. Later more monks joined us, because we gave them more information. At first they were afraid: the military regime knew about the library and our activities. In Burma, it is risky to be involved in projects like a language school and library. And it is difficult to run libraries because of that. Some monasteries were closed. Some monasteries wanted to open a library, but were afraid to do so.”

“When I was in Burma, I opened thirteen libraries. It was very difficult to set up libraries under the military junta. People want to read, they really needed books. I decided to open up libraries everywhere. The regime made it difficult for me. I never gave up, though, and still continue to open new libraries. At the moment, we have two libraries in Thailand: one in Mae Sot and one in Chaing Mai. We also teach languages and offer computer classes. My plan is to open up a new library in NoPo refugee camp . I am now collecting and buying books to do that. Our school – 42km – currently has 400 students and needs a library too.”

“The goal of these projects is that we want to educate the people. Many Burmese people inside are lacking information, they don’t have the opportunity to read books, there are no libraries. They do not know anything about their country’s situation. They believe in Kamma as a predestination: we are in this situation in this life and we cannot change it.”

What is your favorite website for information from Myanmar?

From The Days Of Black And White Television…

We all took gym, not PE, and risked permanent injury with a pair of high top Ked’s (only worn in gym) instead of having cross-training athletic shoes with air cushion soles and built in light reflectors. I can’t recall any injuries but they must have happened because they tell us how much safer we are now.

Of course, your family doctor would make a house call to wrap your sprained ankle.

I could never bring myself to forward all the email jokes, cartoons and other Internet comedy that land in my inbox. But then I started posting the ones my dad sends me. Judging from my comments and emails, my dad has become one of my greatest blogging assets. So for your morning blog chuckle I present: From My Dad.

The stones draw me from the center of my body.
I rub against them the way the sheep do, tufts
of wool strewn at their base like offerings.
They make me want to fuck slowly and for hours.
The tors are wrinkled rock expressive and fierce.
From any of them you can watch the sky change the land. p. 39

Available Light by Marge Piercy

Found in my electronic chapbook.

While I’m in the mountains of North Carolina, I’ve gone back to take a look at some of the websites dealing with Myanmar that you may not be familiar with. This morning I offer a story from the Karen Human Rights Group on: DKBA burns village and forces residents to relocate in Pa’an District…

On May 29th 2010, residents of Gk’Law Lu village, Dta Greh Township, Pa’an District, were forcibly relocated by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army after returning and rebuilding homes in a village burnt and relocated by the group during October 2008. Two days later, villagers in the area report that DKBA soldiers again burnt the rebuilt homes and laid landmines in the village.

In an attempt to consolidate its control of Dta Greh Township, the DKBA has sought to push villagers into areas where control is more easily maintained, such as lowland areas and villages near DKBA camps. Because Gk’Law Lu village is located in an upland area where the Karen National Liberation Army remains active, DKBA soldiers first forcibly relocated the village during October 2008. On October 7th 2008, 20 DKBA soldiers from Brigade #999 under commander Mu Naw Dweh burnt Gk’Law Lu village and ordered the small hamlet’s seven households to relocate. Villagers were not given advance notice of the forced relocation, and were reportedly told by DKBA soldiers, “Villagers [living in Gk’Law Lu village] are disobedient for trying to live in the mountains.”

What is your favorite website for information from Myanmar?

Roldo Bartimole writes:

I’ve been away for a while and not motivated for a while longer. It’s a “What Does It Matter” state of mind.

Mayor Frank Jackson is still peddling his LEDs 10-year deal. This time with a competitive bid (giggle). Everyone with even some cursory reading knows it’s the kind of deal you don’t’ sign for 10 years. Too much change coming too fast. Too much advancement to be expected to make long-distance decisions. Only fools and deal-makers take the road Jackson urges. Seems only Councilman Brian Cummins is showing some real conscientiousness as his colleague generally slough off their legal duties. How do we reward this guy?

I read in the International Herald Tribune while away and I think it said enough for any reasonable person to give great pause on Jackson’s desires Continue Reading »

Roldo Bartimole writes:

Now didn’t we deserve what the King gave us? I mean business is business. When will we ever learn? LeBron James is a product. The product goes to the highest bidder by the “free” marketplace.

We (our community) have spent the last 25 years of time, money, resources and energy to try to make ourselves feel good by buying special experiences via sports. We’ve got kicked in the ass over and over again.

We made the gambles with regressive taxes. We’ve allowed the rich to get richer and to get the ride free. Made the ordinary guy pay.

LeBron simply rode the same gravy train.

Dick Jacobs and George and Gordon Gund walked away with piles – and I mean piles of money – tens of millions of dollars each. Dan Gilbert and Larry Dolan – when their time comes to sell – will do okay, too. The franchises are worth more today than when they bought at inflated prices. (Though the Cavs’ worth might have deflated some last night.)

Don’t cry for Gilbert. Continue Reading »

From The Days Of Black And White Television…

The term cell phone would have conjured up a phone in a jail cell, and a pager was the school PA system.

What’s a pager?

I could never bring myself to forward all the email jokes, cartoons and other Internet comedy that land in my inbox. But then I started posting the ones my dad sends me. Judging from my comments and emails, my dad has become one of my greatest blogging assets. So for your morning blog chuckle I present: From My Dad.

If we do not honor wisdom, we are doomed
to stupidity, pea brains in our dinosaur tails
ready to run ten miles around and around
a gerbil in a cage, or a blinded
workhorse turning some owner’s mill. p. 29

Available Light by Marge Piercy

Found in my electronic chapbook.