MLK Story from Truthout

http://www.truthout.org/083009R?n

St. Louis is a really cool town

I dug it.

Tres chic cosmo-metropolitan goodness vibes; perfect weather, better company.

Land of Several Street Dances

Coming soon to a street near you in Bloomington, the third and final street dance of the summer! Scott Kellog has graciously restarted the grand Bloomington tradition of street dances, though they do not too closely resemble the street dances of the '80s and '90s
Probably because it isn't the '80s and '90s anymore. Eric Indiana, a.k.a. Eric White and now Eric Spears was the architect of fun, free punk rock in the streets of B-ton through the last couple decades of the 20th Century. Eric's interest was in the Scene, which no longer exists due to the fragmentation of said scene in the late '90s... due to a lot of things, including an increase in professionalism among many of the musicians, lots of new blood coming in that didn't feel beholden to the old guard, but probably also simply due to the fact that change happens, taste in music happens, people grow old, yadda yadda yadda.

So Scott's street dances have featured quite a different array of bands than you would have seen 20 years ago. There really has been only one punk rock band thus far, the ever-inspiring Coke Dares, but there has been a great response from the community (even during the dismal rain of the second dance) and a number of great performances.
Coyoba is a young band featured in the third, upcoming street dance and even if dub reggae isn't your thing, this krewe will move even the hardest of hearts. Seriously; they are that fuckin' good.
The bash will be in front of Max's Pizza, which is great for several reasons: you can buy the kids some bread sticks or pizza, you can buy yourself a beer, you can use the restrooms, and you can soak up some air conditioning should that become necessary. All in all, a grand return of a great Bloomington tradition, updated, and done extremely well.

The street dances have also been co-sponsored by the very cool B.E.A.D. (Bloomington Entertainment and Arts District) and the much beleaguered, stumbling on its last legs, lost and soon to be dead Bloomington Area Arts Council (BAAC). More on the imminent demise of the BAAC in future entries.
Date and time: October 2nd, 7th Street in front of Max's Pizza

Lineup:

Creatrix, Splinter, and Coyoba

In the wake of Ted's death...

I have avoided perusing the online comment sections of articles and whatnot as I don't really want to lose my mind over the idiocies of right-wing posters who think Chappaquiddick is the whole of his legacy. What is the point? The reactions from those folks are predictable and cruel and will only make me more angry.

So the only real issue is that on top of his nearly 5 decades of public service a lasting memorial- REAL health care reform which includes a public option- is created. Let the nattering nabobs of negativity stew in their mildewed oats.

Thanks, Teddy.

Where have all the motherfucking flowers gone?

Don't really care, just wanted to use that in a title.

How does Ted K.'s death affect the vote on healthcare?

Given that the Dems will have to go it alone, one less vote in the Senate is a real pain in the ass.

Kennedy, aware of his limited time or at least his inability to be part of the process, recently asked for an interim appointment in leiu of the special voting session currently required by Commonwealth of Massachusetts law.

In light of his death, it probably makes more sense to delay the health care vote and hold the election for senator. The time frame for electing a new senator has been stated as 5-6 months. Can the vote be delayed that long?

In any event the Birthers, Teabaggers and other miscreants opposed to health care reform will howl. Changing or circumventing the law to appoint a Dem senator will be seen as a foul, and probably in fact would be a foul. Delaying the health care vote will certainly be seen as a foul, but is justifiable in many ways.

However, if the 60th vote is not there, that only means the vote is not filibuster-proof. That just means it will be a harder victory, but victory is not unattainable. Our elected reps are going to have to earn their pay.

About that title

I have discovered over the years that I learn more on my own than in a class... or do I?

"It's pronounced..."

We've all heard that once or twice in our lives. I went through school up until college an avid reader and bullshitter. It didn't work in college. The specificity of topics and the quality of work demanded made half-assing it no longer an option.

So out into the real world I went after a few years of half-assed attempts at college.

Back part-time and then full -time years later, older than most students by 10 years and fairly motivated to succeed I walked away after 3.5 years with an undergraduate degree. A couple years later went back for most of a graduate degree.

Looking back now, my choices were not great. Not terrible, but not great. Not great in that I did not choose either an undergraduate degree (Geography) or a graduate degree (Criminal Justice) that led to an immediate career path, though I have worked in the criminal justice field for almost a decade now and anticipate continuing to do so for another decade.

Not terrible, in that my degrees have served me in my work to some extent or another since I have earned them/mostly earned them, and continue to do do, and my second college lives did teach me how to learn in a more focused and disciplined fashion.

Learning, as they say, is a lifelong activity. Ultimately, all learning is done within the individuals brain case... but it does help to have a good guide. Maybe the biggest benefit of structured education is ultimately emerging from that experience with the ability to be your own guide.

Here's to Autodidacticism.

R.I.P. Ted Kennedy

Well what can you say about this party animal? An incredible loss for the country, even though many people in the country are too stupid to realize it.

He served the people of Massachusetts and his country for half a century or so. Health care was one of his longstanding issues. Let's continue to fight for the public option.

Drudgery

Motherfuck me and the horse I rode in on I am tired today. I have 2.5 minutes before the rest of the day becomes a sprint to the temporary Nirvana of the waking life that comes when the whistle blows. What can anybody do with a $1000 car? No matter. Not like you can do without one. I was intensely jealous of some bicyclists I saw this morning but it's not like I can haul myy ass 9 miles to my kid's house, pack her up, get her to school and get to work on a bike. Well, maybe I could, and get to work sweating out the last three days work of food and booze. Fuck this health shit! -Sigh_ Poor me! Poor, poor me! Off to St. Louis this weekend with my loverly lady! Poor me! Over educated in the richest country in the world! Poor me! One more cup of coffee for the road and I'm ready to rock! Poor me!

Learning the Hard Way

To do list:



Get a new car. A VW of some kind, you sick fuck.

Build a Gypsy caravan.

March on Washington to demand a Public Option for health care reform.

Get certified as an EMT. Join the Red Cross.

Start a radio blog. Isn't that just an endless stream of verbal bullshit on the Internet? Sounds good.

Remind C___ I won't be there for my volunteer shift on Friday as I will be out of town. Call I____ or S___ about that outdoor gig.

Apply for income based repayment.

File taxes.

Change the order of the last two things.

Pick up prescription.

Drink more water.

Drink less beer.

Work on tiny house.