Thought Archives – Page 33 of 41

ZNet Strikes Again

This is a little late, I received it last week, October 2nd. But it’s not one bit less relevant today, here in Canada and around the world, after yesterday. Thanks again to my ZNet monthly sustainer status I received a piece written by Howard Zinn titled From Empire To Democracy.

In it he outlines the various things, relating to American history of course, that he feels, and history has proven, will fix the current mess a bunch of needledick “neo-cons” created through reckless “incompetence and greed.”

I’m not too sure of any legal rights I have as a “sustainer,” or any permission I’ve been granted or denied in reproducing any commentator’s words here, or anywhere. So I’ll play it safe and post only some of what he wrote. But I urge everyone who is even half interested in where we’re headed to sign-up for ZNet.

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I Never Thought

So the past few days have been somewhat preoccupied with matters concerning pretty much everything but writing for this “blog”. In fact it would seem it does require a fair amount of concentration and a half an ability to finish a thought to carry on as I do. Who’d have thought? Not I…

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It Obviously Is

Yesterday a “high profile cabinet minister,” Conservative Agriculture Minister, Jerry Ritz, made light of the recent Maple LeafÂ ListeriosisÂ tainted meat scandal. In as much as he wished a Liberal MP from PEI death by a thousand cuts. “A thousand cold cuts.” OK it wasn’t phrased quite like that but you get the gist. But when what he said was leaked to the press, buddy, apparently, “scrambled” and hid in the Ottawa airport from reporters.Â

Then Transport Minister, also a Conservative, Lawrence Canon’s “personal assistant” said to a group of AlgonquinÂ constituentsÂ within the boundaries of his responsibility to expect Larry for a visit if “you behave and are sober.”

Not to pick on the Conservatives (though they more than deserve it), I realize problems delve much deeper than them, but is being anÂ inappropriateÂ needledick aÂ prerequisiteÂ before running for, or working in any sort of political office today? Shit!

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Just Read The Damn Book

Book Jacket NearingÂ the end of July I saw the movie The Diving Bell And The ButterflyÂ and subsequently wrote a piece entitledÂ Let Your Imagination Set You Free.Â Since then I’ve had an opportunity to read theÂ book, by the same name, which set this all adrift. Not to mention my interest in what he soÂ valiantlyÂ accomplished. The authoring of some memoirs.

I seem to recall hearing a few professionals, at aÂ rehabilitationÂ hospital I was admitted to in March of ’97, recommend my family read a book written by a bloke who suffered from an affliction painstakingly “similar” to mine. The “affliction” being, as I’ve mentioned previously, “Locked-in Syndrome.” And “the bloke” being, I assume,Â Jean-Dominique Bauby. As it turns out Bauby’s book was originally published the very same week I finally began my climb out of my body. Weird.

Anyway this is a quick read. One I suggest people read in “collaboration” with the movie. The nature of both medium’s provide an important context into each other. I guess having “lived it” provides me a perspective I felt the book didn’t provide. No cut on him. And seeing it on screen I was better able to grasp what he experienced.Â The movie allows a person to witness difficulties he faced, the most prevalent being writing. Whereas the book, just as relevantly, tells that same person what he thought and felt.

It’s really a great story. Take my word for it…

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