Hope ...
Nobel Peace Prize ...
"Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss."
-- Pete Townshend
Showing posts with label obama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label obama. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Talk is cheap
Hope ...
Nobel Peace Prize ...
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Michael Franti and Spearhead's Obama song
Michael Franti and Spearhead released this video and song about Obama in December. It's worth revisiting one more time. At least.
You can also download the song for free at Spearhead Vibrations.
You can also download the song for free at Spearhead Vibrations.
Obama at Tattered Cover...3 years ago.
Podcast of Obama speaking at the Tattered Cover in '06 during his Audacity of Hope book tour.
Pretty incredible.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Writers in a rush
While the militiamen and enthusiasts of Montezuma County are stocking their arsenals by purchasing every available gun in the Four Corners, many of us writers are quietly wondering what will happen once President-elect Barack Obama takes the next logical step and bans the use of writing utensils in America. I think the saying goes something like "The pen is mightier than the sword." As soon as the President realizes that pens are more dangerous than conventional weapons, we’re going to see a police state where liberals remove the ink cartridges from perfectly good ballpoints in order to destroy them.When will America wake up and read the calligraphy on the wall?
Local writers, take a stand! Go to every stationary store across the Four Corners and purchase all the ordinary ink pens in stock. If you can afford it, buy the fancy fountain pens, gel tip gliders, graffiti markers, highlighters, mechanical pencils, regular wooden pencils (in all varieties of hardness), and laundry pens. Especially laundry pens.
A bullet only leaves an impression, but a good ink pen can make a point.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Amps, Gas, Grass or Algae; Nobody Rides for Free
Congratulations Durango Transit, for announcing that Main Avenue Trolley rides will be fare free in '09. While this covers only a small part of my little corner of self-chosen paradise, it's about time.
Let's not strain anything patting ourselves on the back just yet though, because we're running several decades behind the curve on this one. Many lost ideals ago, I was an operational cog in a couple of free transit systems, in other self-congratulatory paradises far, far away from home...
One system moved a large percentage of 4 million+ yearly visitors from one grand national park view to the next. The buses carried up to 100 people each and ran on propane. The talk was of banning all private cars from park roads in the near future. Then oil prices dropped. The last time I visited, smog from power plants and internal combustion engines clouded the views; and the roads were clogged with cars, SUVs, and tour buses. The free bus system belched diesel smoke, service was reduced to an inconvenience, and the buses ran half-empty.
The other - ah, paradise, at any price! I lived in a cheap trailer slum just outside of a ski town, and drove a free bus for a decent wage. I carried local paupers and self-anointed royals, on my appointed rounds through neighborhoods ranging in price from the low-shelters to the high-exorbitants. An abandoned rail-bed through the valley was on track to become a bike/ski commuter path. We were on the way to post-car craze enlightenment. But housing costs kept rising, chasing job-holding locals down-valley. A few years later, the bike path plan was shelved for lack of interest, the bus system carried mostly visitors, and the 'local' work-force commuted from up to 60 miles away. My 'decent wage' was pushing me down-valley with the rest, so I just kept going.
Now, here we are - fresh from a round of oil industry rapaciousness that pushed Durango-area transit use up 30-some percent over 2007. Our president-in-waiting promises to move us toward alternative energy, and Colorado governor Bill Ritter's statewide focus on renewable energy production seems to be bearing local fruit in last week's announcement of a plan to make oil from algae near Ignacio, and last spring's exploration of solar power farming near the same town. With all this and the promise of free buses to keep us warm, what could go wrong?
Yesterday, I filled my old Subaru up with good old, bad old unleaded gas, and the total on the pump didn't make me cringe. Don't get me wrong, I'm still living in a trailer just outside of town here in our paradise, can't afford $4 gas, and am not advocating the tough love of keeping energy costs at luxury levels. I am pointing out that cost-based conversions are notably temporary. Though there are plenty of reasons (a tanked economy, climate change, trade deficits, etc.) to replace fossil fuels with other means of warming, cooling and transporting our society, faith in change fades with falling prices at the pump. Unless pushed by a committed and vocal citizenry, no administration will be able to convert us to alternative, renewable, sustainable energy production and use.
Though my once high ideals are long tempered by broken promises and the pragmatism of survival, I've lived long enough to prove that change is always possible, so I've been exploring some options lately.
Amping up the ailing auto industry was discussed on radio program Science Friday this week, and here are some avenues for further exploration:
Whether vehicles have electric, internal combustion, or hybrid engines, energy has to go into the tanks and batteries. Whether it's pond scum algae, solar or wind generated electricity, gas from grass (corn and sugarcane), or the same old fossil technologies we've loved and hated for several lifetimes - should be up to us, not to the rising and falling fortunes of energy corporations and politicians. If you want more information on sustainable energy and economics, check out a Green Festival near you:
If you still have a few bucks to spend, a Green Festival is coming to Denver next year; but why wait? With the economic wounds of fuel price gouging still bleeding, and more corporate bail-outs blowing in the wind, it's time to press the loan officers known as Congress, Colorado's Legislature, Governor Bill Ritter, and the incoming Obama administration to require corporate business plans that deliver sustainable energy production and use to the masses, rather than continuing to transport massive wealth to self-proclaimed oil royalty at home and abroad. It's long past time to press the political brain-trusts of La Plata and San Juan (N. M.) counties to institute a transit system up and down the Animas River valley, to connect the economic zone that stretches from Purgatory to Farmington. We elect them to represent our interests. Now times are hard again, and it's time they get to work.
Let's not strain anything patting ourselves on the back just yet though, because we're running several decades behind the curve on this one. Many lost ideals ago, I was an operational cog in a couple of free transit systems, in other self-congratulatory paradises far, far away from home...
One system moved a large percentage of 4 million+ yearly visitors from one grand national park view to the next. The buses carried up to 100 people each and ran on propane. The talk was of banning all private cars from park roads in the near future. Then oil prices dropped. The last time I visited, smog from power plants and internal combustion engines clouded the views; and the roads were clogged with cars, SUVs, and tour buses. The free bus system belched diesel smoke, service was reduced to an inconvenience, and the buses ran half-empty.
The other - ah, paradise, at any price! I lived in a cheap trailer slum just outside of a ski town, and drove a free bus for a decent wage. I carried local paupers and self-anointed royals, on my appointed rounds through neighborhoods ranging in price from the low-shelters to the high-exorbitants. An abandoned rail-bed through the valley was on track to become a bike/ski commuter path. We were on the way to post-car craze enlightenment. But housing costs kept rising, chasing job-holding locals down-valley. A few years later, the bike path plan was shelved for lack of interest, the bus system carried mostly visitors, and the 'local' work-force commuted from up to 60 miles away. My 'decent wage' was pushing me down-valley with the rest, so I just kept going.
Now, here we are - fresh from a round of oil industry rapaciousness that pushed Durango-area transit use up 30-some percent over 2007. Our president-in-waiting promises to move us toward alternative energy, and Colorado governor Bill Ritter's statewide focus on renewable energy production seems to be bearing local fruit in last week's announcement of a plan to make oil from algae near Ignacio, and last spring's exploration of solar power farming near the same town. With all this and the promise of free buses to keep us warm, what could go wrong?
Yesterday, I filled my old Subaru up with good old, bad old unleaded gas, and the total on the pump didn't make me cringe. Don't get me wrong, I'm still living in a trailer just outside of town here in our paradise, can't afford $4 gas, and am not advocating the tough love of keeping energy costs at luxury levels. I am pointing out that cost-based conversions are notably temporary. Though there are plenty of reasons (a tanked economy, climate change, trade deficits, etc.) to replace fossil fuels with other means of warming, cooling and transporting our society, faith in change fades with falling prices at the pump. Unless pushed by a committed and vocal citizenry, no administration will be able to convert us to alternative, renewable, sustainable energy production and use.
Though my once high ideals are long tempered by broken promises and the pragmatism of survival, I've lived long enough to prove that change is always possible, so I've been exploring some options lately.
Amping up the ailing auto industry was discussed on radio program Science Friday this week, and here are some avenues for further exploration:
- Plug In America promotes nationwide development of all-electric vehicles. One currently in production goes over 200 miles per 4-hour charge on recyclable batteries. Though the current sports-car model is way, way out of my price range, the Tesla Motors rep revealed that his company has applied for a bit of the guaranteed loans being promised by our government, to jump-start production of a sedan at half the price.
Whether vehicles have electric, internal combustion, or hybrid engines, energy has to go into the tanks and batteries. Whether it's pond scum algae, solar or wind generated electricity, gas from grass (corn and sugarcane), or the same old fossil technologies we've loved and hated for several lifetimes - should be up to us, not to the rising and falling fortunes of energy corporations and politicians. If you want more information on sustainable energy and economics, check out a Green Festival near you:
If you still have a few bucks to spend, a Green Festival is coming to Denver next year; but why wait? With the economic wounds of fuel price gouging still bleeding, and more corporate bail-outs blowing in the wind, it's time to press the loan officers known as Congress, Colorado's Legislature, Governor Bill Ritter, and the incoming Obama administration to require corporate business plans that deliver sustainable energy production and use to the masses, rather than continuing to transport massive wealth to self-proclaimed oil royalty at home and abroad. It's long past time to press the political brain-trusts of La Plata and San Juan (N. M.) counties to institute a transit system up and down the Animas River valley, to connect the economic zone that stretches from Purgatory to Farmington. We elect them to represent our interests. Now times are hard again, and it's time they get to work.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
An American moment in my home county...
Having made my choices several weeks ago, I had a little free time last Tuesday. I took a drive, with no portfolio, a full tank of gas, a few opinions about what I'd find, and an agenda summed up by one word. Curiosity.
I've lived in places where my neighbors feared to vote or didn't care to vote, and sometimes I've shared both emotions. At the end of our media-fueled year of election hype (National Public Radio actually started a countdown. "365 days until the vote," said one anchor last November.), I wanted to see if my neighbors were excited, enraged or even engaged. Here is what I found:
North of town, cars were parked out on the highway at the Trimble fire station. No visible lines, but the north part of La Plata county showed up for this one. Campaign signage in the area split about 60% - 40% Obama, and a little more evenly balanced for our local candidates.
Downtown Durango felt Demo blue, and "I Voted''stickers adorned passersby. Democratic campaign workers worked the residential streets. I didn't see any evidence of a similar 'get out our vote' effort from Republicans. A couple of businesses were giving away beer or coffee for having voted, a practice I later learned is illegal in our state. Unswayed by appeals or incentives, I hit the road again.
Campaign signs supporting Democrats had been knocked down south of town, but they were back in place. The Sunnyside precinct was quiet, and signage swung pro-McCain. Toward Ignacio, more McCain along the way, then a quiet and almost sign-free home-town of our Southern Ute neighbors. Back toward Bayfield, and a definite mix of opinions in the town center. No crowds, but signs of high interest adorned the streets near the precicnt. North to Vallecito and on the home stretch I passed signs that pointed to the national and local polling results published the next day.
Here it is, gleaned from my observations and our local newspapers:
Overall, my county came out. Between early, mail-in, and precinct totals, almost 3/4 of us voted. We liked change a little better than some, a little less than some, of the rest of the country. However, local politicians largely stood on their own popularity. We're not a county of straight ticket voters.
Early voters accounted for approximately 60% of Colorado's vote. Locally and state-wide, people who wanted to vote could vote, without the hours-long lines that plagued some states on election day.
Though some didn't appreciate the repeated visits from campaign workers (you know who you are, and as a very private person myself, I don't disagree), 'get out the vote' efforts work, and are here to stay. I suggest a window sign stating that your vote has been cast, and commitment from campaigns to honor such signs. Locally, it just might work.
Reportedly, some campaign signs were defaced, and others knocked down, but I saw none of this in my travels. Mostly, we leave our neighbor's opinions standing, and stay pretty civil as we prepare to live next to each other no matter which way political winds blow us.
Speaking of which, now that we've had a chance to vote, and then enjoy a few free (or bought-and-paid-for) beverages, I encourage sharing your vision with the incoming Obama administration. They asked for it, and now they deserve to hear from all of us. If all this just gets you started, you can join a conversation about the American Dream at Bill Moyer's Journal, or head down to your favorite local hang-out and talk to your neighbors, over a cold or hot something.
If you're just about sick of it all - have another beverage, pat yourself on the back, and rejoin the conversation whenever you're ready. It's less than 4 years until we get to do this again, but I'm leaving the counting to someone else.
I've lived in places where my neighbors feared to vote or didn't care to vote, and sometimes I've shared both emotions. At the end of our media-fueled year of election hype (National Public Radio actually started a countdown. "365 days until the vote," said one anchor last November.), I wanted to see if my neighbors were excited, enraged or even engaged. Here is what I found:
North of town, cars were parked out on the highway at the Trimble fire station. No visible lines, but the north part of La Plata county showed up for this one. Campaign signage in the area split about 60% - 40% Obama, and a little more evenly balanced for our local candidates.
Downtown Durango felt Demo blue, and "I Voted''stickers adorned passersby. Democratic campaign workers worked the residential streets. I didn't see any evidence of a similar 'get out our vote' effort from Republicans. A couple of businesses were giving away beer or coffee for having voted, a practice I later learned is illegal in our state. Unswayed by appeals or incentives, I hit the road again.
Campaign signs supporting Democrats had been knocked down south of town, but they were back in place. The Sunnyside precinct was quiet, and signage swung pro-McCain. Toward Ignacio, more McCain along the way, then a quiet and almost sign-free home-town of our Southern Ute neighbors. Back toward Bayfield, and a definite mix of opinions in the town center. No crowds, but signs of high interest adorned the streets near the precicnt. North to Vallecito and on the home stretch I passed signs that pointed to the national and local polling results published the next day.
Here it is, gleaned from my observations and our local newspapers:
Overall, my county came out. Between early, mail-in, and precinct totals, almost 3/4 of us voted. We liked change a little better than some, a little less than some, of the rest of the country. However, local politicians largely stood on their own popularity. We're not a county of straight ticket voters.
Early voters accounted for approximately 60% of Colorado's vote. Locally and state-wide, people who wanted to vote could vote, without the hours-long lines that plagued some states on election day.
Though some didn't appreciate the repeated visits from campaign workers (you know who you are, and as a very private person myself, I don't disagree), 'get out the vote' efforts work, and are here to stay. I suggest a window sign stating that your vote has been cast, and commitment from campaigns to honor such signs. Locally, it just might work.
Reportedly, some campaign signs were defaced, and others knocked down, but I saw none of this in my travels. Mostly, we leave our neighbor's opinions standing, and stay pretty civil as we prepare to live next to each other no matter which way political winds blow us.
Speaking of which, now that we've had a chance to vote, and then enjoy a few free (or bought-and-paid-for) beverages, I encourage sharing your vision with the incoming Obama administration. They asked for it, and now they deserve to hear from all of us. If all this just gets you started, you can join a conversation about the American Dream at Bill Moyer's Journal, or head down to your favorite local hang-out and talk to your neighbors, over a cold or hot something.
If you're just about sick of it all - have another beverage, pat yourself on the back, and rejoin the conversation whenever you're ready. It's less than 4 years until we get to do this again, but I'm leaving the counting to someone else.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Obama rally breaks out at McCain speech
McCain and his supporters had the floor -- or the field, anyway -- at Durango High School's football stadium on Friday night. But Obama
supporters were happy taking the 
street and parking lot to hold their own rally.Hundreds of Obama supporters lined North Main Avenue, carrying signs and wearing Obama t-shirts distributed by Democratic Party staff and volunteers. Centered around the traffic light in front of the school, they chanted and sang to the honks, cheers, and curses from passing traffic.
Police and Secret Service (one Durango police officer warned a couple on cruiser bicycles that if they rode on the sidewalk in front of the school, they'd be tackled by the Secret Service) stood in clusters around the area watching the action, forming a line only when the crowd moved toward the entrance where McCain's motorcade arrived.
Meanwhile, in the DHS parking lot, a cluster of Obama supporters yelled slogans and hooted toward the line snaking slowly into the stadium.
The event didn't likely change the course of the election; still, all in all, it was an interesting and unusual -- and exciting -- occurrence for Durango. And it was a great thing for the students and kids to see -- the town getting passionate, which ever side the rallying is for, and playing a part in national politics.
There were no arrests at either rally, reports the Durango Herald, although there was some jeering directed from each camp to the other. One 14-year-old girl in an Obama t-shirt reported being told by some McCain supporters that she might be swayed if she listened, while others chastised her for being there at all.
And then there was one group that asked her, "Why do you think they call it the 'White' House?"
Welcome to national politics.
See article, more photos, and video at the Durango Herald.
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