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Another Scorpio (49)

Πύργος - Ηλεία, 21.06.2010
08:44
Where I've Been
» Another Scorpio

I've been writing in a journal all of the things I'm thinking and caring about that I don't want on the Internet. It isn't that I'm afraid of flak - I just don't need it.

But this is something that I've been trying to post to Facebook for days and for some reason they feel the content is abusive - now that's abusive!

Here's what I've been trying to post:

[3.bp.blogspot.com]

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 27.01.2010
16:11
The Real Lesson from Massachusetts
» Another Scorpio

So, President Obama lost his 60th seat in the Senate -- well, I think it might have been a good thing. He got a heads' up. Bill Clinton never got that heads' up when he was entering the second year of his first term before the 1994 Republican take over. Sure there was pandering by the Republicans (remember the Contract with [or on] America.

But we Democrats are afraid that the President will continue to listen to those that got him in this fix, rather than those who got him into the White House.

We'll see...

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 07.01.2010
11:06
Musing on Palestine
» Another Scorpio

I was just watching Witness on Al Jazeera English (we have a satellite dish and I find English-language news preferable to Greek TV since my Greek is so execrable). This week's story was about the old Jerusalem airport which has been turned into a giant check point since the 1967 war. It was told from the point of view of (among others) a woman whose family, prior to the 1967 war, had the only house overlooking the airport. She has a Jerusalem ID and her sister, who lives in Ramallah only five minutes a way, has a West Bank ID so the one from Jerusalem must visit the other because her sister must get one of the few permits allowed at specific times (in this case, Orthodox Easter - I could tell because of the egg boiling and boiled egg fight which is the same here in this mostly Orthodox country).

But what caught my eye were the old pictures from the 1950s and 1960s of the passengers and air staff - not a hijab or khimar (Muslim headscarf) in sight. It seems to me that we (the West) have never considered our actions against Muslims as part of the reason many have retreated into their religion, some more than others.

So, it seems that we have been sowing the seeds of terrorism and our own destruction for some time. This is not a new phenomenon. And it seems that each time we meddle, we make it just a little worse.

We armed the mujahideen in Afghanistan to fight the Soviets - that didn't turn out so well. We disbanded the army in Iraq only to try to recreate that army after our action caused the sectarian violence that has racked that country. I was reading about how the US occupied Japan after WWII. The US sent in 350,000 military personnel, kept the Japanese army and the police (just disarmed them) and ensured that the Japanese populace had enough food. That was a model that worked. Could have been used in Iraq and feeding the population in Afghanistan would have helped as well.

This was followed by a story of Viva Palestina finally making its way into Gaza and delivering the aid to the people. Many ambulances, wheel chairs, food - a drop in the bucket to be sure, but at least someone is starting to recognize the bucket is empty and needs filling.

If the EU and the US would stop aiding Israel in its policy of collective punishment, a lot would be gained. It is hard to understand what is gained by preaching free and open elections and then punishing those who vote "the wrong way." How do you convince people without a history of electoral democracy that this is the way to go and then punish them when they do what you said? Makes no sense.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 01.01.2010
22:03
Coincidence or Conspiracy?
» Another Scorpio

Is there any doubt, was there ever any doubt among thinking Americans, that the Bush Administration's Department of Justice (DOJ) was so thoroughly politicized that basic American laws were broken in the questioning of the Blackwater Five? I heard a former attorney in the Bush DOJ say that perhaps the State Department officials hadn't heard of the Miranda warnings and were unaware that you couldn't promise immunity and then use those statements - coerced, no less - against these accused.

I really thought that was a stretch; I don't remember reading any intimations that the Blackwater Five were waterboarded!

I'm writing now about the release and dismissal of all charges against the five Blackwater employees who killed more than a dozen Iraqi civilians in September 2007. How did it come to be that the State Department (?!!) was the organization that interrogated these men? Why wasn't this done by the FBI or another federal law enforcement agency? Since when did the State Department add criminal jurisprudence to their mandate?

This is the same Justice Department that was so lax with the rules in the case of former Senator Ted Stevens that his charges were also dropped. Unfortunately, getting rid of these folks hasn't yet occurred in the Obama DOJ - and we're going to pay for it.

But the dropped charges only happened for Republicans or Republican donors. And the Obama Justice Department doesn't see any wrongdoing in the political lynching of former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman? I sure do.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 28.12.2009
21:53
TSA, Unions, and the Republicans
» Another Scorpio

I always knew Republicans (the current variety) were some of the biggest hypocrites in history; but to see them beating on Obama because of the Nigerian terrorist is the worst.

So, Senator Jim DeMint spent a lot of time this weekend railing about TSA. What he neglected to tell his audience is that he has a hold on the nomination of the new director of TSA because the rank and file may want to unionize.

Then there are the 100 Republican lawmakers who voted against funding TSA this year!

Give me a break! I thought Ronald Reagan taught Republicans what to do with uppity unionized federal workers - fire them all! It worked for the Air Traffic Controllers and the airlines kept flying so it could probably work for TSA.

Given the economy and the jobs situation in the US, you wouldn't have to wait long or look far for new employees!

We live most of the year in Greece and when we return to the US, we have to not only provide the airline (Air France) with our passport numbers, but also where we're going in the States - and we're US citizens. I can't believe it is easier for non citizens, even if they have visas.

And what's up with not being suspicious of this guy - he buys a one-way (!!) ticket in cash, has no carry-on luggage and is traveling for two weeks!

I don't think there's a enough communication going on.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 15.12.2009
13:38
2010 Elections - Will You Vote?
» Another Scorpio

I've been reading how disappointed that Democrats are becoming with the Democratically-controlled Congress. So disappointed that fully 53% of them are saying they are less likely to vote for Democrats in the 2010 election!

The poll also shows that 81% of Democrats want Lieberman kicked out of the caucus. Frankly, keeping him in the caucus was one of the stupidest things that the Obama administration championed from the beginning. Not only did Lieberman work for McCain's election and trash Democrats - but he has never supported the Obama agenda.

So, how is the Administration going to change things? Time is running out especially since Lieberman is now in control of what goes in and what stays out of the health care reform bill. The only sure thing in the bill at this point is that people are going to be forced to buy insurance from the same people who have refused to cover them at affordable rates now.

We know the party partisans are going to insist that people not talk down the Administration, the Congress, or the bills that are (or mostly are not) being brought out for passage. I think people will smile sweetly and mouth all sorts of platitudes, but in the end - we'll know how many Democrats stayed home on November 2, 2010.

Now, I've always been proud of my voting record (which I think is close to perfect) since I was first able to vote in the California primary that saw Bobby Kennedy win the election and later lose his life. My personal philosophy is that people are dying for the right to vote all over the world and I have that privilege and right and often I've voted while thinking of them.

But, if I sit out this election (my Congressman has been serving in the House of Representatives since 1988 and is quite likely to continue to easily win elections, with or without my vote) nothing much will change. Neither of my Senators are up for election (and both are extremely capable and I respect them wholeheartedly) so, I could keep my record by voting for local issues and just bypass Congress.

Will I? Only time, and what kind of health care bill is signed by President Obama, will tell.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 29.06.2009
18:05
Empathy and White Men
» Another Scorpio

The Supreme Court today ruled in favor of the white mail firefighters in Connecticut. Their rationale seems to imply that white men have a "right" to promotion.

Could this be because (and I'm purposely including Thomas here!) they are all white men. After all, they couldn't find that women deserved equal pay for equal work.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 23.01.2009
08:55
Letter to My Senator
» Another Scorpio

Dear Senator:

Thank you so much for responding to my earlier letter about the situation in the Gaza strip.

However, missing from your letter was any discussion about the Palestinian people. Of course, Israel has a right to protect its people. What about the people of Palestine? Are they to be denied food, medicine, employment, freedom of movement, and now shelter forever?

What is Israel's responsibility to the people of Gaza and the West Bank? Israel is still occupying Gaza and has never "left" the West Bank. To say that Israel withdrew from Gaza ignores the fact that Israel controls all entry and exit into that narrow strip of land, smaller than Rhode Island, including air space.

It is time for members of Congress to be honest about what is going on. We have a new African American president; as he stated in his inauguration address his father wasn't allowed to eat in a restaurant in Washington, DC 60 years ago and now his son is the President.

It is time to stop allowing Israel to treat the Palestinians as less than people, even slaves were better treated because they were property and assets, and to insist that Israel begin to obey international law. After all, the US exports our military hardware, dollars and oil to that country. What do we the citizens get in return - Israeli actions that incite terrorism in the Middle East, Europe, and the United States.

Thank you,

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 03.01.2009
13:50
Republicans and Filibustering
» Another Scorpio

One of the things I haven't been able to figure out since the Democrats regained majority in the Senate, is why they don't make the Republicans filibuster.

One would think, with public approval of Congress at an all time low, that forcing the GOP to explain to the American public why they don't want to assist Americans, whether it be in domestic policy (environment, jobs, unemployment, health care) or foreign policy (Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, etc.) would go a long way towards educating Americans about what Republicans stand for and why they are dangerous.

Maybe someone can explain to me the political calculation that makes sense why this should be. I mean, everyone knows Republicans don't play fair - they don't know what that means. So there couldn't be a quid pro quo involved here. So what is it?

The Employer Free Choice Act is crucial to helping Americans regain the economic security many families have enjoyed over the past 60 years; especially families of color who worked either in the auto industry or for the government - federal, state, or local.

Make they explain why they're giving us the finger!

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 27.12.2008
15:24
Israel Strikes Gaza
» Another Scorpio

Well, that didn't take long - less than 24 hours and Israel has launched missle strikes on Gaza killing at least 155 people according to the BBC. Of course, there will be more to come, as Hamas promises to keep launching missiles at Israel, even though a rocket launched earlier this week fell short of its target and killed two young Palestinian girls in their home.

During the six-month cease-fire, Israel was supposed to open Gaza to the world, to bring in food, medicine, gasoline, all the things that one needs to live (not to survive, which is different). But instead, Israel kept the borders closed except for the number of days that could be counted on one's hands and fingers.

But will this stop?

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 26.12.2008
20:18
Opening Gaza
» Another Scorpio

Evidently, Israel has agreed to open Gaza to much needed food stuffs and energy supplies. But this opening will not last and will not be enough to lift the Gazans out of the dire straights they find themselves in today.

For some reason, the Israeli government feels that treating their Palestinian citizens, in much the same way the German government of the 1930s and 1940s treated their Jewish citizens will result in the Palestinian population welcoming their government with open arms. While Palestinians are not considered Israeli citizens by Israel, they live in the country, were born there, and their families have for many, lived their for hundreds of years.

For me this is extremely painful because growing up, I had the most tremendous respect for the Jewish people for standing up to and facing down the Nazi government, against all odds and without losing sight of the righteousness of their cause and their lives.

This was important to me because as an African American baby-boomer, this was fairly recent history and seemed to be a way to behave in the face of oppression and subjugation. But then, the year I turned 20, came the 1967 war and the start of the settlements.

I just read One Missing Word Sowed the Seeds of Catastrophe and could not believe that the lack of a word has changed the world.

Because after the start of the settlements I came to see the actions of the Israeli government to be much too similar to those of Germany in terms of collective punishment, stealing land (wasn't part of the rationale of the Germany government in invading Poland the need for land for their people?), and finally just being unfair.

I know this is simplistic, but there hasn't been anything since to make me rethink my early judgments.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 10.12.2008
02:05
The Riots in Greece
» Another Scorpio

I do understand some of the frustration and rage - I'm also enraged.

Enraged that when this country joined the euro zone they totally lied about the relative value of the drachma to the euro, pegging it at 340 drachmas to the euro. This caused immediate inflation from which the country has never recovered.

I'm also enraged that everyone seems to think that only they have rights and privileges. Seeing the kiosks burned because someone was burning banks angers me.

I'm enraged that the police are not allowed to do their jobs properly, even if they were so inclined. The fact that the Junta was forced out of power over 30 years ago means nothing if the country isn't willing to accept that change. The Junta is the reason why the police have to be invited onto college/university campuses. But if the police could arrest those who commit criminal acts and they would be punished by the judicial system, maybe change would occur.

But Greece is nothing if not egalitarian. The police are not punished, the politicians are not punished, nor or the ordinary citizens punished for committing crimes. We're just punished economically and through the lack of advancement.

How do you make change in such a small country that doesn't really want to change - people say they do, but then push back at every opportunity so that no one is brave enough to keep on.

Poor Greece.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 12.09.2008
08:45
Agia Theodora (St Theodora)
» Another Scorpio

It was a lovely party. We left at 4 in the afternoon and it took two and a half hours to drive there, very windy roads into the mountains. All along the way you can see the damage from the forest fires last year – really devastating. Some of the villages on the main highway are nearly deserted and many homes have burned. Part of the road is national highway so it is well paved and marked and then we drove through three small villages, where only one car can get by – always amazes me how we manage. On the other side of the last village the road widens again and is paved and easy to drive. Finally we get to the site and park. We walked about 1,000 meters and they have booths selling icons, toys, and lots of food. It is in the woods and is really lovely. It is a very small church. Only about four people at a time can fit into it and there is a lovely river that runs behind and underneath it.

The priests started conducting the mass and everyone was outside. There was an icon store on site, so that’s where I bought two English-language books telling the legend (one for a friend in the US who is Greek American and named Theodora [we were at the St Theodora]).

After the mass, and the priest’s sermon (Michael says he was yelling about the crowd for only coming on these great feast days and not going to church every Sunday and not taking their children to church with them – sounded very familiar) we had this wonderful bread and then you were allowed to enter the church and take pictures.

I had to go to the bathroom and we kept seeing signs but no one really knew where they were located. We walked down this lovely path along the river and came out into a clearing with a beautiful restaurant. I asked and they said yes and were quite nice (the bathroom was nice too – Greek public bathrooms are notoriously horrid; no seats and you never put the toilet paper into the toilet – there is always a small can nearby, even in houses including ours).

When we got back we walked into the church and our friends took our picture (we forgot our camera). Outside the church is a small box with paper and pencil and you write your name on paper and put it into the box and you receive blessings from the saint. Our friend Chris was helping several gypsies (there were loads of gypsies there with the young girls on dressed up and some with make-up, which we never see here in town, but all were scrupulously clean, another thing we never see in town here) by writing their names on the paper. Unfortunately gypsies don’t send their children to school, except those who live near large cities like and the Greeks don’t like sending their kids to school with the gypsies – again it sounded too familiar.

Anyway, we left at 9 and were home by 11:30 pm. September 11 is the real Saint’s Day, but there were so many people on September 10 trying to miss the crush on the September 11, I just can’t imagine what it must be like with thousands of people there. It was doable with just hundreds and they have parking for tour buses (we saw one as we were heading out of the last village.

There are some great pictures of Agia Theodora at Outdoors.Webshots.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 31.08.2008
23:31
Palin Pick
» Another Scorpio

Palin is many things. Smart is not one of them. I can't believe that smart people fall for this cynical crap.

Hillary Clinton lost the nomination for a number of reasons. Did you know that NONE of her staff had ever run a presidential campaign before? If this counts in Super Bowl competitions, why shouldn't it count in presidential campaigns? She blew off the caucus states, bad move since they get the largest percentage of delegates. And why, because the state parties want to reward their most loyal, active members. I don't like caucuses because they disenfranchise me because I'm usually not in the US on primary day and my voted ballot doesn't count. The Democratic Party, up til Obama's win in the primaries was the Clinton's Democratic Party. You would think they would know the rules. And did I mention that her great consultant, Mark Penn thought that Democrats were the same as Republicans -- winner take all elections? Give me a break.

Sarah Palin has abused her power in her home state - read the home state papers; they're all online. They have a different perspective of her than you're likely to get in the national media.

But for McCain to think that even rural, Southern women would vote for a woman with no experience to be the Vice President to a man who has overcome cancer four times and is 72 years old is beyond cynicism. Patronizing is what I'd call it.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 03.08.2008
22:20
Anything to Win
» Another Scorpio

I keep reading and watching TV (okay, YouTube) about why Hillary Clinton would be the best Vice President pick for Obama.

If he did pick her, who would have rightly earned the Anything to Win title? I think it would be Obama in a landslide!

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 30.06.2008
21:05
Obama and General Clark
» Another Scorpio

When Senator Clinton talked about Senator Obama being ready to be President, I thought it was just talk. But the way he has handled himself these past several days, I'm starting to wonder.

Wesley Clark was right. Being a Prisoner of War has nothing to do with being President of the United States or perhaps some of the people currently in Guantanamo, when they are finally released, can return to their home countries and run for the highest office. They will certainly be able to call themselves former Prisoners of War and given the new McCain rule, they should certainly have the credentials.

I only know what I've read about Senator's McCain's war record. I have no knowledge or judgment about it one way or another; but I do believe that General Wesley Clark was absolutely right in his statements that Senator McCain has not been in a leadership position so far.

But for Obama to do whatever he is asked to do by the Republicans while dissing the people who are actually going to vote for him (let me count the ways: 1) FISA retroactive immunity, 2) the death penalty, 3) the right to bear arms, and now 4) disavowing a 4-star general in favor of Bush III) is moving him more and more to the "have to vote" rather than "want to vote" status.

Good grief! He's starting to make the people who think they should support McCain seem to be smarter than one would have thought even if just on the basis of the logic of voting against your own self-interest.

What's next? Will he start cutting campaign commercials for Senator McCain?

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 23.06.2008
22:20
Zimbabwe
» Another Scorpio

I've been doing stuff other than blogging lately, but this site, This is Zimbabwe, has forced me to look at what is happening there.

I remember in the 1960s being so proud of Robert Mugabe and the other African freedom fighters. They were sort of role models for me as I struggled to find my place in the American civil rights movement.

The pictures shown on the site make you wonder where we are going as human beings. To be able to treat other people in such a shameless and hateful manner seems unreal.

How can it get worse?

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 02.06.2008
22:52
Hillary, Again
» Another Scorpio

I've been listening to and reading the words of all these women who agree with Senator Clinton: Hillary or nothing. And it all sounded sort of familiar to me and I realized that many of these women were involved in the Women's Movement in the 1970s.

I remember going to lots of meetings and trying to get women involved in the issues that affected women in general and women of color in particular. But the upshot of the meetings was always that first we'd work on the issues that the white women felt were important and when those issues had been resolved, we'd move on to the issues that mattered to the other women.

The fact that all of this took place in Oakland, California and most of the women in the group were women of color probably explains a lot about why the group soon disbanded. My other vivid memory of those women was being given a hard time about being the mother of a son. As if women determine the gender of babies.

Oh well. So, what does this have to do with Hillary. Seems to be the same thing happening again. Listening to and reading the words of some of her most fevered supporters I keep reliving the 1970s. Hillary and only Hillary. Doesn't matter that she's lost, doesn't matter that her sense of entitlement didn't save her...she deserves this nomination and the rest of us be damned.

It is up to the Obama supporters to reach out to the Clinton supporters. Not the other way around. I just heard Obama talk about Senator Clinton in the most gracious manner and yet Allida Black, co-founder of WomenCountPac, just said on Warren Olney's To the Point that Senator Obama had to be more gracious about Senator Clinton and stated that Senator Obama has not been kind to Senator Clinton lately.

Listening to Ms. Black go on an on about "counting all the votes," I wondered where she was in 2004 when the election was being stolen by the Republicans. I was in Seattle on the steps of the Federal Building with one of my best buds (meow!) demonstrating against the tyranny. There weren't a lot of people with us and it was pretty lonely. But I'm sure Ms. Black was in the streets along with former President Clinton and soon to be Senator Clinton.

I think she's getting Obama supporters like Rev.">[http] Michael Pfleger confused with the Senator himself. I watched the YouTube of Rev. Pfleger's remarks and thought they were on target. I also read the AP article Obama Campaign Used Party Rules to Foil Clinton and it too is on target.

Makes me think of Oakland and 1972.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 24.05.2008
17:07
Hillary Clinton and RFK
» Another Scorpio

It would be so easy to believe that Hillary simply mispoke. But she's been exhorting white working class voters (code for racist rednecks) to support her. And now, on the eve of the anniversary of the assignation of Robert Kennedy, she reminds us that RFK, like Obama, was on his way to winning the Democratic nomination when he was killed.

Good grief - what the hell was she thinking? I don't think she's putting a contract out on Obama, but I do think that she's gotten so far in to this denial that she will say anything, regardless of who it hurts, to further her cause.

Sorry and sorry it had to end this way. Will these comments also end her political career except for the US Senate? Only time will tell.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 29.04.2008
22:05
Health Care
» Another Scorpio

Listening to John McCain's health care plan you have to wonder What is He Thinking? He clearly has been receiving government sponsored health care his entire life. I know I read this somewhere, but can't remember at the moment.

But the reason I'm mentioning it now is thinking about my own issues with health care. Up until 2003, my employer paid for my health care. I had an individual managed care plan that, until I turned 55, cost about $425 a month. The month I turned 55, the coverage jumped to over $800. If my employer hadn't covered me, I would never have been able to maintain coverage.

Within nine months we moved to Greece and had to provide our own coverage. We found a great carrier that provided expatriate health care at the low premium rate of $450 a month for both of us, our doctors in Seattle were in the "network," but, as usual, my pre-existing conditions were not covered. Oh, yeah - we also signed on for a $1,000/year deductible (we pay the first $1,000).

As the years went by and we grew older, the premiums went up to $550 per month. Last year I turned 60 and Michael turned 65 and our premiums went up to $1,000 per month. We looked everywhere for a plan with lower premiums without success. When we renew our coverage this summer we expect our premiums to go up once again.

If McCain thinks a tax break would help, he's more out of touch than I imagined. As to his claim of competition and lower rates, he obviously hasn't had to deal Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO). HMOs were supposed to lower prices, instead they lowered coverage and added more bureaucracy to the chore of trying to stay healthy.

When I lived in the US, I had a co-pay of $20 for each prescription and every year I was forced to go to my doctor and get my prescription for my thyroid condition renewed. Here in Greece, I pay less than 4 euros (about $5.66) for a two months' supply. I am never asked to renew this prescription (after all this is a maintenance program, not something that's going to make me happy!) so I save money by not having to go to the doctor as well.

One more reason to vote for a Democrat, but neither of the last two standing had as good a plan as John Edwards.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 23.04.2008
23:33
Lose this Meme
» Another Scorpio

I've decided that the phrase or meme I'm tired of most today, 23 April 2008, is that Obama can't win the White, blue-collar vote in November because he's not winning that segment of the population during the primaries. What a stupid meme.

If he's running against another Democrat, there's an opportunity for that other Democrat to win over more of those voters. But if he's the only Democrat, and White, blue-collar men and women of all ages decide to vote their interests instead of that of the media and others, Obama will win those voters too.

The primaries are different than the general election. That's why primaries are sometimes closed and the general is always open to everyone to vote for whom they please.

So, can we stop saying this?

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 14.04.2008
23:58
The Clinton Good Years
» Another Scorpio

First off, the Clinton years were good for my family. But then we're highly educated professionals. But if you weren't in either of those categories, it took a long time for you to see any of the benefits of Clinton's policies financially. And if you were Black as well as poor, you only saw those benefits for a short period of time before the 2000 recession.

But this is another piece of the racial puzzle that isn't acknowledged. If you aren't Black, you wouldn't know this, unless you are a wonk or especially interested in economics or racial politics.

It will be interesting to see how this primary stuff plays out. Thank God it can't go on much longer.

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00:36
Hillary and the Nomination
» Another Scorpio

Hillary Clinton winning the nomination based on the votes of the Super Delegates seems as wrong to me as allowing Florida and Michigan a do-over.

Hillary has run an incredibly stupid and obnoxious campaign. There seemed to be no Plan B if "inevitable" didn't work. And sure enough, "inevitable" didn't work. So she has resorted to using every means at her disposal to tarnish the Democratic Party in the guise of going after her opponent.

If, as she says, only she and John McCain have the expertise to govern the United States, what does that mean for the Party if she is not the nominee? And to pretend that Obama's calling middle American voters who have lost their jobs and do cling to guns and Jesus offensive, is offensive in its telling.

Unfortunately, people do vote as though maintaining guns, discriminating against gays and people of color, is far more important to their and their families' well being than economic advancement. If you don't believe this, then answer why the Republicans have put these issues on the ballot in many recent elections in an effort to turn out their "base?" Because it works.

Sure there are more artful ways to say this, but isn't John McCain "revered" by the press because he is a "truth-telling maverick?" In other words, the politically polite way to express himself is subsumed by his (and only his) ability to tell it like it is.

Obama may be unseasoned, but he has played by the rules. And using the Super Delegates to overturn the will of the people is also playing by the rules. But this is one Black woman who will not vote in the Presidential election should that happen.

I've thought I would be able to vote for the candidate, regardless of who "wins" the nomination. But how the nomination is won matters to me. There are some "contradictions" I'm not willing to accept.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 30.03.2008
21:11
Clinton, Obama & the Blogosphere
» Another Scorpio

I realized this evening that I'm deleting more blog entries than I'm reading. I'm so tired of the internecine wars being fought by supporters or thought to be supporters.

Astrologically their antipathy makes a lot of sense. Obama is a Leo (I will) and Clinton is a Scorpio (I desire). But Bill is also a Leo which probably seems like more of the same to Hillary.

I hope that people don't lose friendships over this stuff. I have issues with both candidates; neither are my choice for the nomination. But wishes and beggars seems to still be a reality.

Can't wait until September when I can read everyone again.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 08.03.2008
15:58
Samantha Power
» Another Scorpio

I just listened to Samantha Power on the BBC's The Interview (you can listen to it here). And I'm struck by her intelligence, her respect for Obama, and the fact that accepting (let alone requesting) her resignation was incredibly short-sighted. Power talked about things I had never heard about before, including her book about the death of Sergio de Mello in her book Chasing the Flame. I was aware of de Mello's death in the bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad, but I had not known that because of the horrible planning by the Bush Administration there was no way to rescue him from the rubble and he spent three and one-half hours dying.

She wrote a book in 2003 Bystanders to Genocide having been a journalist in the Balkans during the Serbian genocide against its Muslim citizens.

Hillary Clinton is a monster. I now believe that Hillary will knowingly destroy the Democratic Party if that is what she feels she needs to do to win the nomination. Hillary's new meme about a joint ticket is all words. She is willing to betray Black Americans in particular, and Obama's pantheon of supporters in general, by using the Super Delegates to lock in the nomination in her name, regardless of how many of the delegates she garners through the primary/caucus process.

Hillary has made it clear that she (and Bill and the Democratic Party aparatus) will pressure the Super Delegates to thwart the will of the people and will resort to any fiction needed in order to prevail. The fact that many youth, independent and Black Americans will not be happy and are likely to protest by staying home means nothing to her.

We all like to win, but it is hoped that we all recognize that sometimes what you win is more important than the win itself.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 07.03.2008
21:00
Greek Life
» Another Scorpio

After having the electricity go off for the past three days now - twice today (Friday), I have learned something about Greece that I hadn't considered before. The first time we lost power was at 10:30 in the morning for half an hour. The next time was at 5:00 pm for three hours.

The Public Power Corporation employees are striking (causing rolling blackouts all over the country) because of the government's desire to consolidate the pension plans. Like the social security lockbox, the pension funds here have been looted by the politicians (actually, the politicians loot everything they can here) and the employees are afraid that the extra funds they pay for pensions will go the way of all the other pensions once they are consolidated.

But here's the epiphany I had: Why does this country accept anarchist youth and thieving politicians? Because the adults, under the banner of their trade unions are just as anarchistic and they also steal from the public. Just because you worked for the Public Power Corporation you should get free electricity for life after you retire? Give me a break. And then, if you are lucky (or strike long enough, whichever comes first) you can get your job designated as hazardous and get to retire early and collect a larger pension.

And everyone expects to pay a bribe for the most mundane activity (we wanted a garbage can closer to our home and were expected to pay 50 euro for the priviledge; we refused and waited three years until one finally showed up) to being asked to pay a 400 euro bribe to get our car through customs (we brought it from the US and paid over 3,000 euro in taxes). One pays a bribe to doctors if they want to get medical treatment, even though they have insurance.

Because most civil employees are hired to provide votes for the party in power, they have no idea about how to actually do their job.

We were told we owed 16,000 euros in back taxes for our automobile. True, it is a Jeep; but it is 10 years old and we paid taxes on it when we first brought it into the country. Because my Greek American husband has Greek citizenship we did not have to pay taxes on the car for the next three years - but the entire staff of the local tax office owes their jobs to patronage.

We resolved the issue, after five months, by paying our Greek lawyer 500 euros to get a ruling from the Ministry of Economics saying what we had been saying all along. I don't regret paying my lawyer for his work on our behalf, but I do hate that the local tax office doesn't know what the hell they're doing.

And now the dollar is worth $.48 and since all of our funds are dollar-based, it is getting a little tougher. But we're going to tough it out.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 12.02.2008
21:40
Democrats
» Another Scorpio

I'm just about ready to leave the Democratic Party and just say Fuck it! They refuse to maintain the rule of law, uphold the Constitution or represent their constituencies. I had already stopped giving money to the Party committees and only gave to candidates. And yes, I still support the candidates to whom I've given money. But I'm nearly done.

If the super delegates override the will of the voters as shown in the primaries and caucuses, the thin line keeping me on board will have snapped. FISA was such a no brainer, but no - Senator Reid couldn't even bring the right bill to the floor. How hard was that?

So, the President breaks the law and convinces corporations to help him and what does the Senate do? The Senate gives the corporations a "get out of jail free" card. And will the House be able to stand against this? Of course, not. This Congress was worst than the Republican Congresses that went before it. They made the promise that they would do things differently and haven't.

Nearly done.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 02.02.2008
15:00
Obama Still Just Misses the Boat
» Another Scorpio

I haven't been here for a while - busy with my other life and then mourning the loss of John Edwards to the campaign.

So, I'm going to have to choose between Obama and Clinton. What a mess! Neither of them gives a damn about the things that are most important to me, but Obama really likes rubbing my nose in it.

An example: his latest ad for his health care plan. As you can see, he not only misrepresents what has to happen if his plan is to become law, but then he brings back Harry and Louise.

Why? Does he now think that progressives have no where to go? Are we the new African American voters? You can't vote for Republicans because they don't want you to live, but Obama (and much of the Democratic Party leadership) doesn't want to respect you.

Holding my nose, closing my eyes - but I'll be damned if I'll bite my lips!

Ugh!

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 12.01.2008
19:54
Why Edwards and Not Obama
» Another Scorpio

Something I've noticed when I criticize Senator Obama's policy stands: I get attacked as a racist or someone who just doesn't get it. And then I read this afternoon a blogger describing being an Obama supporter as being a member of a new religion.

No, thank you! I don't want religion and politics to share the same space -- that's what separation of church and state to me.

But the main reason I'm supporting Edwards rather than Obama has strictly to do with policy issues. So, it turns out that insurance companies make their money by overcharging their customers, shortchanging those same customers in terms of underpaying claims, and then getting taxpayers to pick up some of the tab. And these are home and auto insurers! What the hell do you think the health care industry is doing?

So, tell me again, how is being nice going to change this dynamic? And these are the people you want to negotiate with for health care reform?

Maybe religion does explain it. Or maybe folks just drank the Kool-aid (which really wasn't Kool-aid in the case of Jim Jones' followers). They definitely want to believe.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 08.01.2008
17:47
Obama and the Chamber of Commerce
» Another Scorpio

In today's LA Times, the Chamber of Commerce vows to spend $60 million to defeat candidates who want to look out for the middle class.

But not to worry, Obama will sit down and talk with them. Although, according to the article in the The LA Times, it doesn't seem like talking is going to solve this problem.

"We plan to build a grass-roots business organization so strong that when it bites you in the butt, you bleed," chamber President Tom Donohue said. The warning from the nation's largest trade association came against a background of mounting popular concern over the condition of the economy. A weak record of job creation, the sub-prime mortgage crisis, declining home values and other problems have all helped make the economy a major campaign issue.

"I'm concerned about anti-corporate and populist rhetoric from candidates for the presidency, members of Congress and the media," he said. "It suggests to us that we have to demonstrate who it is in this society that creates jobs, wealth and benefits -- and who it is that eats them."

In advance of today's news conference, Donohue told The Times of his plans to be active in 140 congressional districts this year, as well as the presidential contest.

At the state level, Donohue said his organization would be active in nearly four dozen contests for attorney general and state supreme courts. Both state courts and attorneys general are involved in decisions affecting business, including consumer protection and a wide range of litigation."

So, tell me again how is Obama going to change this dynamic?

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 07.01.2008
09:10
Voter ID - a short rant
» Another Scorpio

In response to all of those who insist that everyone should have picture ID "after all, you need it to cash a check or use a credit card." If you are poor and/or elderly, you aren't using checks or credit cards. You're paying your bills in cash or by money order.

I'm living in a country where everything that is necessary in life (with exception for groceries at the large supermarket that caters to the foreign crowd; it has food from around the world, not just foods that Greeks traditionally eat), like plumbing repairs, most grocery shopping, gasoline for your car, home heating oil -- all are paid for in cash.

And in the five years I've lived here and in the 17 years since I first came for a visit - I have never seen anyone write a check. In fact, credit cards were mostly used by tourists only before Greece converted to the euro.

So, please stop talking like cash has been made obsolete. If you're poor, spending cash helps to keep you from getting poorer - you can't spend what you don't have and if more people only used cash (or money orders), America's credit card debt would be greatly reduced.

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08:56
Slavery and Today
» Another Scorpio

And I believe there is a great deal of truth to the analysis of Obama's magic comes from not being the descendant of slaves, but the son of an immigrant to the US. The descendant of slaves here in America could not be as genuinely utopian, hopeful, or optimistic as Obama. We've lived in the US since the end of the Civil War and the freeing of the slaves -- it really wasn't that long ago, only 133 years. (Living in Greece, you get a feel for the passing of time and 133 years means great grandparents, possibly great great grandparents...not millennia.)

I think it will take millennia before other African Americans can truly feel the hope and optimism that Obama speaks of everyday. Just because slaves were freed, doesn't mean that Blacks weren't still slaves. It took until June 19, 1867 before the slaves of Texas learned that legally they were no longer slaves. Heck, January 1, 2008 was the 200th anniversary of the end of the Atlantic slave trade, but there were no celebrations in the US (at least none that I read about on the Internet) and I haven't read about plans for future commemorations.

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08:38
Obama and To The Point - the Backstory
» Another Scorpio

So what compelled my friend Marian to write the letter below? An interview on Warren Olney's To the Point radio show on Friday (the link will lead you to the podcast).

Warren Olney was talking to a number of people, including a Democratic Party strategist and two professors: Dante Scala, a political science professor from the University of New Hampshire and Robert Dallek , a Boston University history professor.

In the Reporters' Notebook section (this starts at 42 minutes after the beginning of the show) Dallek called Obama an African American, where upon Warren Olney told him of the many emails he gets disputing that designation as he is not the descendent of slaves.

At that point, Dallek not only agreed but said this is why Obama gets such support. He is the son of an immigrant, which many Americans can relate to in their own lives where as being the descendent of slaves makes it much more difficult to connect to the American public.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 06.01.2008
22:10
Barack Obama and Ethnicity in the Democratic presidential campaign
» Another Scorpio

This was written by my friend, Marian Douglas-Ungaro. You can read more of her work here: Marian's Blog.

This is my message to Warren Olney, radio host, KCRW FM, concerning To the Point interview, Friday, 4 January 2008; with guests Dante Scala and Robert Dallek:

Dear Mr. Olney:

Greetings from Wash, DC. Thank you very much for raising the issue of Mr. Obama's ethnicity - and what he is not - in your interview with Dante Scala and Robert Dallek.

As a Black American woman I am offended by and appalled at the willingness of many to ignore and devalue Black American identity and ethnicity, in order to anoint Barack Obama president. Barely a week after the NON-observance of the 200th anniversary of the U.S.
abolition of the slave trade in 1808 (which did NOT stop the smuggling and human trafficking of Africans into slavery in the U.S./Americas), the course of this primary season takes on even more importance.

I have been insulted by some and condescended to others for raising this matter, yet some whites and others as well as more than a few Black Americans fully understand the fallacy of what's going on. But few of them are as willling as I am to speak about this publicly. This needs to be discussed intelligently.

Finally, if he is the Democratic candidate I shall not vote for Barack Obama. It would be an unacceptable compromise and yet another renunciation of my people, our authentic history, and the truth about our country.

Thanks very much.

Marian Douglas-Ungaro,
Washington, DC and Rome, Italia

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 01.01.2008
17:27
Obama, Obama
» Another Scorpio

I was going to let the Obama dig at Edwards for being a trial lawyer, instead of working to help people (what the hell does he think trial lawyers do, for God's sake - Obama himself is a lawyer) but this latest dig at both Gore and Kerry is beyond the pale.

Is he trying to make it difficult for Democrats to support him while he's pandering for Republican votes?

But the worst thing about criticizing Obama is how his supporters act. Just like those who can't stand to hear anything negative about Israel.

An interesting phenomenon, eh? What shall they name it? You'll probably be accused of being racist like being accused of being anti-Semitic or an Israeli hater.

I found this to be the case on the Democrats Abroad listserv as well. Folks had better get over this silliness. Constructive criticism is a good thing. Unfortunately, I'm not finding Obama's criticism of Edwards, Gore or Kerry the least bit constructive in that no one has learned to change the past but Obama could certainly change how he describes his disagreements and differences with others.

So far, I'm not really sure what he is trying to accomplish, but I am starting to wonder how much I will work for him or find the money to support him if he is the Democratic Party nominee.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 29.12.2007
23:26
Talking to Politicians Who Will Never Hear Me - 2
» Another Scorpio

Nancy Pelosi

Take a tip from your friend Harry Reid and find a Congressional representative in the DC area to accept that damn bill from the White House and stop this pocket veto nonsense. Bush has made it clear that he doesn't believe that he has to uphold the Constitution of the United States. If the House does not accept the bill from the White House, Bush believes he can then declare Congress in recess and make recess appointments for Hans von Spakovsky to the Federal Elections Commission and Steven Bradbury to head the Office of Legal Counsel.

I've talked about von Spakovsky earlier and I'm not so sure that not having the FEC in action during a Presidential Election year is all that terrible. First, the FEC's decisions are not made in a timely (to me) fashion and since it will be 3-2 Republicans, just like the Federal Communications Commission, it might be less able to create mischief.

But Bradbury is a serious piece of work. He clerked for Clarence Thomas, says that the Supreme Courts ruling about military tribunals was incorrectly decided, thinks the Geneva Conventions language is vague and subject to uncertain and unpredictable application (it seems pretty clear to me and I'm not even a lawyer). He also advocated on behalf of the act which suspended habeas corpus, and wrote opinions justifying torture.

The only thing keeping Bush from appointing him was the Senate's staying in session. But now, if the House cannot accept the omnibus Defense Bill (with the $70 million without strings), Bush and his legal minnions will declare that Congress is at recess and that he can make these and other appointments.

Really, you must stop trying to please the Republicans. There is no pleasing them. They will only be happy when there is a complete and total dictatorship in the US with no chance of any opposition.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 22.12.2007
09:10
Obama and Lieberman
» Another Scorpio

UPDATE: So, I get a comment saying that Obama really didn't say that he'd like Arnold (I can't spell his last name and am too tired at 12:20 am on the day after Christmas to look it up) to be a member of his cabinet, although he did praise Chuck Hagel and Richard Lugar; fellow Senators although they are both Republicans.

Then I learn that Obama is is picking a fight with John Edwards about 527s and Unions. Say what? Without unions we wouldn't have the 8 hour work week, paid vacations, sick leave, etc. Without unions most of us wouldn't have grown up in middle class families. Unions and PACs are not the same thing and why would Obama keep giving Republicans ideas about how to Swift Boat other Democrats?

I won't comment on Krugman's discussion of the Harry and Louise redux ad because I couldn't find it on YouTube, which doesn't mean much - but I figure if it is being shown in Iowa I should be able to find it. But the crux of Krugman's argument is that if anyone has to buy health insurance, every should have to buy it - like auto insurance. Although, having health insurance does not mean that you will receive medical care. Will Obama be willing to mandate that insurance companies actually cover the people who pay their premiums month after month?

Obama says he'd pick Arnold, Lugar, and Hagel for his cabinet. What? He doesn't know any good Democrats?

This action is making me think more and more about the ways in which Obama is too much like Lieberman.

Both like to beat on Democrats with Republican talking points. Both see good across the aisle before they deign to mention the good in their own party. I mean, hell, Lieberman endorsed McCain because "no Democrat asked him!" Wonder why!

I had always thought Obama just wasn't ready yet. Felt a few more years in the Senate would help him articulate his positions beyond hope and optimism. I know I'm a cynic; maybe I'm just leaping ahead to the curmudgeon years.

I admit to supporting Edwards -- he's the only one I trust to protect my interests and the interests of most of Americans. Hillary shows something, but it isn't passion (I need to know what my candidate is passionate about) and Obama is just too nice! The world isn't a nice place. But I digress.

So, will Barak Obama be the next Democratic Senator to lose his primary election bid in his home state? If he keeps endorsing Republicans, he just might.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 20.12.2007
10:01
What to do About Israel and Palestine
» Another Scorpio

A friend of mine in Helada asked me what I would do about the problems in Israel and Palestine. Here's my response:

Israel exists - no one should have to affirm their right to exist. We Americans didn't ask the Native Americans to affirm our right to their country. We took it, signed a few treaties (most of which we have continuously ignored) and all have moved on. To ask the Palestinians to affirm Israel existence really means to say that the Israelis were correct to take their country and that they fully agree with those actions. Even we Americans were quite that bold!

But Israel must return to the 1967 borders. Israel must affirm the right to return and I truly believe that if this is done, Israel's security issues will be far fewer than they are now.

But it is hard to give up power, especially that power which is maintained through force so I don't see this happening anytime soon.

But this would be my solution.

---

Of course, I wrote that before waking up this morning to see that Israel plans to build a 10,000 home new development in East Jerusalem. Boy, they really know how to negotiate a peace treaty, eh?

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 14.12.2007
12:58
Modern Day Disenfranchisement - Part 3
» Another Scorpio

In Part 1, I talked about how the Supreme Court is going to look at Indiana's voter ID requirements. Now comes word that the Bush Justice Department is taking this disenfranchisement activity another step closer to banning all minority, poor, and Democratic leaning voters from the polls:

"A new legal strategy that allows states to pass repressive election laws in the name of fighting voter fraud -- even if there is scant evidence such fraud exists or threatens election outcomes -- is emerging before the 2008 election, and the Department of Justice's Voting Section appears to be its biggest champion.
In legal briefs filed at the Supreme Court before a January hearing over the constitutionality of Indiana's 2005 voter I.D. law, the Department of Justice and other defenders of the ID law are making several new arguments that, if accepted by the court, would allow states to create barriers to voting without showing these laws address real problems."
In other words, just the thought that there might be possible future fraud, means the states can take pre-emptive action (think Iraq) against its citizens and disenfranchise them.
Again, read the entire link,

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09:46
Modern Day Disenfranchisement - Part 2
» Another Scorpio

Here's another example of voter disenfranchisement:

New Jersey's state Republican Party also claimed that 4,397 people had voted twice in 2000, and another 6,572 voted both in New Jersey and in one of five other states. But a systematic review by the Brennan Justice Center at New York University Law School found most of the matches ignored different middle names, dates of birth, or other discrepancies. All told, the center found that eight of the 3.6 million New Jersey voters in 2004 intentionally cast invalid votes - a "fraud rate" of four ten-thousandths of one percent.

Do read the entire article -- it is breathtaking!

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 25.11.2007
19:29
Modern Day Disenfranchisement - Part 1
» Another Scorpio

Funny how the battleground states for picture ID in order to vote are mostly in the south. I'm sure it is just an accident of geography. While poll taxes were outlawed as part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Federal District Judge W. Allen Pepper in Mississippi says that party affiliation and voter identification rules must be implemented in time for the 2009 elections.

Robin Carnahan, Secretary of State for Missouri is currently challenging a law requiring voter identification in the courts. She is joined by Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, Vermont Secretary of State Deborah Markowitz, former Georgia Secretary of State Cathy Cox and former Maryland Secretary of State John T. Willis.

We all know Hans von Spakovsky's role in Georgia and Arizona. Now he is being nominated for a permanent position on the Federal Elections Commission. The Georgia law was especially egregious in that the ID cards could only be purchased for $20 from the Department of Motor Vehicles offices. Arizona in 2004 passed Proposition 200 which had stringent voter identification rules attached.

Finally, there is a report on the impact of these laws upon Latin, Black and Asian voters. The report was written by three professors in Washington, California, and New Mexico. It is relatively short, but well worth the time.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 23.11.2007
21:28
Incompetence is the Excuse
» Another Scorpio

I think the Bush administration is having us on. First it was passports. Remember, now you have to have a passport to return to the United States from the Caribbean, Mexico, and Canada. But most Americans didn't have passports. So did the State Department do the easy thing and ask the airlines how many people fly back into the States from those destinations? Of course not. As my mother would say, "Too much like right."

Now it is Homeland Security's turn. First, you raise the fees nearly 66% and give everyone six months notice of the change in price. Then, like State, you don't hire enough staff to handle the expected rush.

But this little bit of "incompetence" has the whiff of preventing minorities from participating in the next Presidential election. Due to the unrelenting demonization of immigrants by the likes of Lou Dobbs and Rep Tom Tancredo, most of these new citizens-to-be are expected to vote for a Democrat (as if there weren't enough other reasons to throw those Republican rascals out!). But now a process that used to take months is expected to take years. While Immigration officials say that politics is not part of the calculation, who can believe them? After all, we've seen what happened to the Justice Department.

I bet every part of government has been corrupted by this administration. I was never a fan of Bush. In fact, it took the 2004 election for me to be able to call him the President. But even cynical me had no idea it would be this bad.

But incompetence? No, this crowd has very competently ruined America. Starting with the government, through the economy, and even our reputation in the world. And it only took eight years! This was very well thought out and handled just right. Katrina was a lapse in that someone forgot to pull the curtain and the world could see back stage.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 21.11.2007
17:00
Voting by Mail
» Another Scorpio

I used to love going to the polls to vote. But then the poll workers in my precinct got older and I had to show them where my name was located on the rolls. That was okay. But when I started voting for candidates based on something like gender, I knew I had to change.

So I began voting by mail. It made my life easier because I could have all of the voting information, whether partisan (sent by the candidates or their supporters) or non partisan (the Voters Pamphlet at my side.

Now I'm an overseas voter and so I must vote by mail. And after reading about all of the problems with voting machines, I'm glad that I have a piece of paper which can be tracked and verified.

However, I can't believe that the same failed voting machine companies (they just seem to change their names) are involved with the absentee counting. I don't trust Diebold, ES&S, or any of the other companies.

If you think I'm paranoid, ask the Secretaries of State in California (a Democrat) or Colorado (a Republican). They have the same concerns and issues.

I don't believe there was fraud in the 2004 election. But I do think that expecting to track hundreds of thousands of ballots with no mishaps is naive. I don't know of any agency or organization that can do so.

We need to work together to reinstill trust in our elections and accusing hard working staff of deliberate fraud isn't the way to go.

---

I published an unedited version of this on the Seattle Post Intelligencer's web site earlier today. After some thinking about the subject I made some edits.

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08:25
Greek Justice
» Another Scorpio
The headline on last Thursday's Kathimerini read Furlough Rules More Stringent. I had seen these headlines before and didn't bother to read the latest outrage until this morning.

Greek criminal justice is probably the area of the greatest culture shock for me.
- People can pay a heftier fine in lieu of actually serving their prison sentence.
- Soccer hooligans have these vicious fights that leave people injured (sometimes severely), but they have their sentences suspended. This has recently been reformed so that they have to actually serve some time.
- Police and prison guards are not allowed to shoot people unless their lives are endangered (this is one rule I'd like to take back to the US).
- The bribery and corruption of judges and prosecutors seems to just go on and on. The latest set of trials has lasted nearly two years, it seems.
- Because of the actions of The Colonels, also known as the Greek Junta (the military dictatorship that ran Greece from 1967 to 1974) and their brutal suppression of a student demonstration at the Polytechnic University on November 17, 1973 - Greek universities are sanctuaries and the police have to be invited to enter. Well that means that they are never invited to enter and young Greek anarchists take full advantage of this fact.
Prisoners are routinely let out of prison on furlough and are expected to return to their cells at the end of their vacation (furlough). Most do, but many don't. Some of those furloughed have been convicted of violent crimes, like murder.

This particular prisoner was "a repeat child rapist on the run since 1999. He was serving a 25 year sentence for sexually abusing a minor in 1994 when he disappeared on leave. He had been previously sentenced to another two years for a similar crime in 1989..."

All I can say is WTF?

The article goes on to say that they're going to clamp down on vacations (furloughs) for repeat offenders. But what about violent crimes in general? I understand compassion - hell, I'm an admitted "bleeding heart liberal," but this is nonsensical. If better prisions are needed or the prisons are overcrowded and this furlough serves as a stress release, there must be a better way.

I'm waiting for the day when I'll read that the whole furlough concept has been reformed so that repeat and violent and/or sexual predators have lost their right to a vacation from their prison sentence. I'm sure the victims of these people are also waiting.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 18.11.2007
13:31
Colorado and Women
» Another Scorpio

The Colorado">[www.nytimes.com] Supreme Court has just decided that voters can give legal rights to fertilized eggs.

The measure, just one paragraph long, would ask voters whether inalienable rights, due process rights and equality of justice rights as defined in the state Constitution should be extended to “any human being from the moment of fertilization.”

I don't know for sure, but I'm betting this is a male dominated court. Why? Menstruation is the most common "killer" of fertilized eggs. So, will women in Colorado be forced to stop menses? I understand that controlling women's bodies makes people feel they are able to control women.

I experience this here in Greece in another way. The bathrooms are strictly 14th century. Seriously. Most public restrooms have toilet brushes so one can clean up after themselves, but if there is a seat included, it is unusual. Some toilets, especially those in the schools are tiled foot place holders and one has to squat to do one's business. I've been told it was healthier when girls only wore skirts -- but girls don't wear skirts all the time anymore. Really old women still do.

Because this manner of behavior has gone on for so long, even Greek women think this is the way it should be. I remember using the toilet in a relative's home and there was no seat. Suddenly, several years later, there was. When asked why, I was told the old seat was broken and it was too expensive to buy a seat. But the kids had designer jeans and cell phones.

So, maybe the goal is to train women to stop menses and become pregnant every month...who knows, after several centuries we may think this is how it should be.

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10:36
When Words Mean More than Actions
» Another Scorpio

One of the things that my mother stressed over and over again was that actions speak louder than words. I think she was really hoping that this was so, because it seems to me that if you have enough power, no one bothers you if your actions don't match your words at all.

Take the conflict between Israeli and Palestinian governments and their peoples.

Israel is waiting for Hamas to say that they recognize Israel's right to exist and will observe all of the agreements that have been made by their predecessors. But Israel never says that it recognizes Palestine's right to exist.

Israel says that it will cease building settlements, but it never happens. And there seems to be no consequences for saying one thing and doing another.

Roger Cohen gives a wonderful example of what I'm talking about today:
Eyes to the future, I refuse to allow the latest fighting in Gaza between Hamas and Abbas’s Fatah to make me despondent, even when Mahmoud Zahar, a Hamas leader, tells me in a phone call that: “Without unification of the West Bank and Gaza, Abbas cannot represent the Palestinian side at Annapolis.”
Zahar, a doctor, predicts the get-together in Annapolis, Md., will be “a unique example of failure.” He counters my inquiries about a Hamas recognition of Israel with three questions:
“First, what is the border of Israel? And what happens to Jerusalem? And what happens to Palestinian refugees in the camps?”
Of course, those questions are never considered to be as important as " Hamas recognizing Israel." But Arafat recognized Israel and even agreed to the Oslo Peace Accords. And we all know how that ended. There is plenty of blame to go around, for sure. But Israeli transgressions don't seem to count in the overall scheme of the world.

I'm a huge fan of Juan Cole and his new group blog, Informed Comment Global Affairs. Here's one example of why.

Ehud Olmert stated on Monday that "It is impossible to repeat that the 2002 Road Map is a strategic asset for Israel and at the same time to ignore our obligations. Let us admit to ourselves: We committed not to built new settlements - we won't build new settlements. We promised not to expropriate land - we won't expropriate. We promised to raze illegal outposts - so certainly, we will raze them." How much credence should we put in these three promises and what is the declaration’s significance?

Bismarck is reputed to have warned against believing promises made on eve of elections, wars, and weddings. It is probably a good idea to add to this list promises made on the eve of peace conferences. A new round is to start in Annapolis next week.

Then there is Cynthia Fitzgerald's story. She's alleging fraud against her former Texas health care purchasing company. While we hear so much about Medicare fraud and how we need to get rid of it, she's actually trying to do something about it. She says she was offered bribes and her company disregarded its own ethical rules about contracts and bidding. She spents weeks

Being one of those people who thinks that if you bring wrong out into the open you'll be vindicated, she complained to her supervisors. She was marginalized, and of course, fired.

I'm sure her mother told her, as my mother told me: "All you have is your integrity as a human being. Once you lose that, you have nothing else." This too seems to be related to the power dynamic.

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Πύργος - Ηλεία, 17.11.2007
23:08
My Passion
» Another Scorpio

I originally posted this on my page at Black Women in Europe as a way to describe who I am to the sisters. But I also thought it might be good to have posted here as well. Of course, it is a little different because I get to tinker with my own writing whenever I want.

My passion is politics.

I believe that all relationships are political and everything else is environmental. This mentality leads me to try to live my life according to the Golden Rule. The fact that I'm also a Scorpio lends itself to this way of thinking. I'll try to explain.

The sentence that describes Scorpio is "I want or I desire." (Each sun sign has its own sentence, ask me and I'll tell you yours.) If you add your Rising and Moon signs, you should have a short paragraph that truly describes you. My rising sign is Cancer and my moon is in Pisces. Makes me a triple water sign -- very emotional. But here's my full sentence: I want what I feel and i feel what I believe and I believe what I want. What this means to me is that I'll work as hard as I need to work to achieve my desire because I not only believe that my desire is right for me, but that it is a correct desire -- sort of like my thing with the Golden Rule. I try to live my life according to the Golden Rule. Since I know exactly how I want to be treated, it is much easier than you'd think.

So back to politics. The first time I voted was in 1968 for Bobby Kennedy in the California primary. I've never missed a vote since, because my mother said I had to vote as long as there were people in this world dying for the right to vote. I've worked on political campaigns, made campaign contributions and been part of administrations.

But I decided that the most important thing for African Americans is to be able to register to vote and that voter registration should be non partisan (the parties can fight for your vote, but getting on the voter rolls should have no barriers). Working here in Greece with the Overseas Vote Foundation, I'm making sure that those Americans who are currently active duty military or the dependent of an active duty military person or just a citizen living outside the US, can use the internet to register to vote and request an absentee ballot.

Our program [www.overseasvotefoundation.org)] has received the support of the Secretaries of State (usually the top election officials at the state level) and the Pew Charitable Trusts and we're ready for 2008 and beyond. But we've done such a fantastic job of making it easier for overseas voters that we're going to start making it easier for stateside voters as well.

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04:38
Talking to Politicians Who Will Never Hear Me
» Another Scorpio

John Edwards
So, I was listening to the news roundup on the Diane Rehms Show on WAMU and heard that Hillary Clinton went after John Edwards - who I am supporting - because he has changed his views about some issues since he was in the Senate. So to Senator Edwards: Just tell Mrs. Clinton that you've spent the last four years talking to real people in real places and have learned thing about their lives that it isn't possible to learn when you're in Washington, DC and in the Senate.

Democrats in Congress
Don't fold on this war spending bill. Everyone knows that at this point, George Bush needs you more than you need him. You've just passed a HUGE defense bill so there is plenty of money to pay for the war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Call Defense Secretary Gates' bluff - he says he'll lay off civilian workers. Fine - if he lays off civilian workers, you can't be faulted for not funding the troops.

Hillary Clinton
The reason this woman is not supporting you is because I don't know what you care about. You can give very impassioned speeches, but I've learned that actions speak louder than words. Anyone can talk a good game, but playing it with heart and honesty is another thing all together.

I expect to have these conversations a lot over time.

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03:03
Still Priviledged
» Another Scorpio

I hadn't realized how sheltered and priviledged I am still. I knew about my priviledge in the States. After all, how many Black women get to retire at 55 and move to Europe?

But because we live on the Pelopponese, as opposed to Athens with the rest of the expatriate Americans, I hadn't realized that visa-less immigrants fight against all the odds to get to this part of Greece as well.

Then I read a story in today's Athens News. That's where I learned that Katakalo, that sleepy little port town that disgorges thousands of cruise ship passengers and loads them on to buses headed for Olympia, is also a stop on the visa-less immigrants tour of the world.

I am calling them "visa-less" because I don't believe that "illegal" correctly describes their plight and they may carry passports and other documentation from their originating countries, but they don't have a visa for Greece or anywhere else in Europe.

I know that part of this shelter and isolation is because I haven't had to learn the language and being basically lazy, I haven't. I don't need to work at a job where I would be communicating daily with other people. While Mr. Scorpio's family doesn't speak Greek, they also love me enough to be patient and make out what I'm trying to say. I can communicate enough to know I won't starve, get lost or not get the correct change.

Learning the language might be a goal for the next year. But for now, I'll just try to keep my eyes open and see what's going on.

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