Terry George.
I didn't know I had a realationship with this independant film director until I found myself repeatedly in his presence of several of the films I attended during the festival. Mr. George is very talented and although he touts this first directorship as flawed, I rarely found an occassion to agree with him.
Unlike the other films to this point there was stark violence to this film. There was no getting around it. It was paramont to the context of the film. In order to understand the 'life dynamics' of the characters presented here, the violence was necessary. The violence was also not compelling to the point of glamour either. All too often in today's society, violence is the goal of films and not a back drop to the story. In this film, Terry George was able to include violent scenes of the confllict in Northern Ireland without losing the definition of longed for peace among the Brits and Irish. The context of violence in this film would bring instantly the depth of understanding of the commitment of Bobby Sands and the IRA.
The plot takes place with primarily single mothers whom have sustained grief and hardship in their lives. The women are brave beyond the ability to impart here. The two that are friends are also in conflict. Their experiences had taken them to different 'civilized' places within the Irish society only brought together by chance of a common act of violence their sons now shared. The result is a significant statement of longevity of the Irish culture spanning centuries. Also, what it took to break that culture to the point of forgiveness of it's tormentors, the British, to find a way to hold onto heritage without holding on to the violence that would finally counter the British oppression.
I left this film with clairty, but, not ridicule of the IRA. The film was made in 1996. At that point there was a ceasefire among the Irish and the Brits. I can't help believe the film also served as a reminder as to what the Irish did not want to return to and hence pushing the peace forward. This film definately was about peace with a secondary plot line of friendship along several different character relationships. It's rather interesting to realize the people most often demonized by media can actually be heroes although never recognized as such. Nothing about the violence of the circumstances is admirable, but, it definately has it's justification. In Ireland, the reasons for that justification, during the Thatcher years, no longer existed in the same way it did only a decade before. The problem was breaking down the loyality to the past and the fear it would return. It was the Irish mother that finally was the hero and not a stateman or stateswoman.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
This Film is Not Yet Rated
Where do I start with this one? I guess best to start with my conclusion. That being the Motion Picture Association of America (Also known as MPAA) and the National Association of Theater Owners (They affectionately call themselves NATO. What a joke.) have become tyrannts to the industry of ENTERTAINMENT. Although I would like to see them disbanded for many reasons; the least of which is bigotry as there is not a minority among the raters except for the supervisor whom is oriental; that would be remiss. These two organizations have legitimate places in the American landscape, however, as a 'cartel' together they have become detrimental. I think Jack Valenti (click on) may have realized that in his recent retirement, although my real instinct is the opposite.
The film more than adequately reveals the pursuit to understand the 'above it all' definitions of what the MPAA sees as legitimate reasons to 'rate' a film. It also reveals a very protected rating organization. I don't know why. I looked for legitimate reasons as to why such secrecy to the raters was important rather than transparency, but, I didn't find it. All the 'raters' of the films we watch in our society are middle age, white folks, with primarily grown children. There is a rare exception to that. The grown children aspect, not the white folks or middle aged.
Back in the day, when I was not middle age, the rating system of the MPAA was based in the 'adultness' of the content of the film.
G - General Audiences - all ages admitted
M- Mature Audiences - parental guidance suggested - all ages admitted
R - Restricted - people under the age of 16 were not admitted without being accompanied by a parent or adult guardian. That age limit was later raised to 17 years old.
X - no one under the age of 17 admitted. End of discussion.
Now, clearly the word 'adult' dominates the rating system. It was intended as a guideline to protect children but more than that it allowed adults to decide what level of 'frank' content they wanted to view. I personally did not find the rating system offensive or an insult to my intelligence at that point. I can't say the same for the one today.
Today, the MPAA breaks down the 'artistic content' of a film into components of social mores'. It's "W"rong to do that. It's creating pablum out of artists hard work. It's insulting and offense to me as an ADULT. I much rather read 'reviews' these days than seek a BIG LETTER to decide the fate of my 'movie going dollar.'
The current rating system is dominated by 'child' focus.
G - General Audiences - all ages admitted
PG - Parental Guidence Suggested - some material may not be suitable for children
PG-13 - Some material may not be suitable for children under the age of 13
R - under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian - in the opinion of "The Ratings Borad" the film definately contains some adult content.
NC-17 - No one 17 or under admitted - This rating declares that the "Rating Board" believes this is a film that most parents will consider patently too adult for their youngsters under 17. No children will be admitted.
THE RATINGS BOARD are nothing more than 'bean counters.' How many times an offensive word is stated. To what extent pubic hair appears on film. Whether or not the film has a pervasive theme to it, in other words the bean counters didn't have enough beans to continue to rate the film so it is automatically a NR-17. Etc. Etc. Etc. NOTHING IS LEFT IN CONTEXT. NOTHING. The American Public is looking at ratings according to standards set arbitrarily by Middle Age White Folks with falling hormone levels. There is no respect for the artists of the film being rated. IT'S COMPLETE STUPIDITY !!!
I am quite confident this film will meet with a great challenge in distribution, but, everyone should see this to come to understand the pains these independant film producers, directors and actors are going through to have their talent relieved of the oppression of channeled interest to protect industry profits.
To get to 'the bottom line' here. There needs to be alternative ratings systems. As a matter of fact I don't understand how or why the MPAA has cornered the market on movie ratings. There is a system in Europe/Britain that I am not convinced is any better but it doesn't seem to meet with the complaints that the American system has come to find scrutiny by the artists. There needs to be an International Independant Filmmaker and Satarist Assocaition (They could be iconned as IIFSA.). They should have their own rating system that appears with films as well and along side of MPAA's ratings. The rating system of such an organization should be based in the 'content/context' of a film realizing the human mind at any age has a framework of understanding when violence/sexuality is detrimental needing a harsh rating and when it is vital to the story. I would appreciate that rating system equally if not more than any other. I also appreciate good reviews from newsprint that reflects my value system. I would not consider a conservative critic as important to my 'movie dollar spending habit.' I would however value a critic with well rounded understanding of the world, the way it presents itself in artistic depiction and whether or not a child accompanying me that afternoon might be confused or upset at what would appear on the screen in front of them.
We need change and plenty of it. People need to think and not become robots acting on a rating system that demeans their thought processes to whether Adam and Eve did the right thing by eating the apple in the Garden of Eden.
HELP !!!!!
The film more than adequately reveals the pursuit to understand the 'above it all' definitions of what the MPAA sees as legitimate reasons to 'rate' a film. It also reveals a very protected rating organization. I don't know why. I looked for legitimate reasons as to why such secrecy to the raters was important rather than transparency, but, I didn't find it. All the 'raters' of the films we watch in our society are middle age, white folks, with primarily grown children. There is a rare exception to that. The grown children aspect, not the white folks or middle aged.
Back in the day, when I was not middle age, the rating system of the MPAA was based in the 'adultness' of the content of the film.
G - General Audiences - all ages admitted
M- Mature Audiences - parental guidance suggested - all ages admitted
R - Restricted - people under the age of 16 were not admitted without being accompanied by a parent or adult guardian. That age limit was later raised to 17 years old.
X - no one under the age of 17 admitted. End of discussion.
Now, clearly the word 'adult' dominates the rating system. It was intended as a guideline to protect children but more than that it allowed adults to decide what level of 'frank' content they wanted to view. I personally did not find the rating system offensive or an insult to my intelligence at that point. I can't say the same for the one today.
Today, the MPAA breaks down the 'artistic content' of a film into components of social mores'. It's "W"rong to do that. It's creating pablum out of artists hard work. It's insulting and offense to me as an ADULT. I much rather read 'reviews' these days than seek a BIG LETTER to decide the fate of my 'movie going dollar.'
The current rating system is dominated by 'child' focus.
G - General Audiences - all ages admitted
PG - Parental Guidence Suggested - some material may not be suitable for children
PG-13 - Some material may not be suitable for children under the age of 13
R - under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian - in the opinion of "The Ratings Borad" the film definately contains some adult content.
NC-17 - No one 17 or under admitted - This rating declares that the "Rating Board" believes this is a film that most parents will consider patently too adult for their youngsters under 17. No children will be admitted.
THE RATINGS BOARD are nothing more than 'bean counters.' How many times an offensive word is stated. To what extent pubic hair appears on film. Whether or not the film has a pervasive theme to it, in other words the bean counters didn't have enough beans to continue to rate the film so it is automatically a NR-17. Etc. Etc. Etc. NOTHING IS LEFT IN CONTEXT. NOTHING. The American Public is looking at ratings according to standards set arbitrarily by Middle Age White Folks with falling hormone levels. There is no respect for the artists of the film being rated. IT'S COMPLETE STUPIDITY !!!
I am quite confident this film will meet with a great challenge in distribution, but, everyone should see this to come to understand the pains these independant film producers, directors and actors are going through to have their talent relieved of the oppression of channeled interest to protect industry profits.
To get to 'the bottom line' here. There needs to be alternative ratings systems. As a matter of fact I don't understand how or why the MPAA has cornered the market on movie ratings. There is a system in Europe/Britain that I am not convinced is any better but it doesn't seem to meet with the complaints that the American system has come to find scrutiny by the artists. There needs to be an International Independant Filmmaker and Satarist Assocaition (They could be iconned as IIFSA.). They should have their own rating system that appears with films as well and along side of MPAA's ratings. The rating system of such an organization should be based in the 'content/context' of a film realizing the human mind at any age has a framework of understanding when violence/sexuality is detrimental needing a harsh rating and when it is vital to the story. I would appreciate that rating system equally if not more than any other. I also appreciate good reviews from newsprint that reflects my value system. I would not consider a conservative critic as important to my 'movie dollar spending habit.' I would however value a critic with well rounded understanding of the world, the way it presents itself in artistic depiction and whether or not a child accompanying me that afternoon might be confused or upset at what would appear on the screen in front of them.
We need change and plenty of it. People need to think and not become robots acting on a rating system that demeans their thought processes to whether Adam and Eve did the right thing by eating the apple in the Garden of Eden.
HELP !!!!!
That concluded my second day in Traverse City
And I am going to take a break in my entries for today. It's a great deal of fun putting my views to this blog.
I ended my viewing around midnight and strolled back to my hotel near the festival on Front Street. I never once felt worried about my safety. Traverse City mostly pulls up the sidewalks around late evening. The police aren't really high profile but they are about and always noted sometime within every hour or two. I walked alone. The street was well lighted. Nearly empty. All the many varied store fronts were closed without bars or cages over the windows. The exception to closed for the day business was the occassional 'hole in the wall' eating joint or social club. Even in those areas all was quite. I enjoyed the experience, but, I realized to this point I hadn't found the best of cuisine of Traverse City and needed to make that a priority soon.
... later ...
I ended my viewing around midnight and strolled back to my hotel near the festival on Front Street. I never once felt worried about my safety. Traverse City mostly pulls up the sidewalks around late evening. The police aren't really high profile but they are about and always noted sometime within every hour or two. I walked alone. The street was well lighted. Nearly empty. All the many varied store fronts were closed without bars or cages over the windows. The exception to closed for the day business was the occassional 'hole in the wall' eating joint or social club. Even in those areas all was quite. I enjoyed the experience, but, I realized to this point I hadn't found the best of cuisine of Traverse City and needed to make that a priority soon.
... later ...
Sunday, August 06, 2006
The trip to and from the film festival
I left late Sunday night for northern Michigan. There were obligations to fulfill, unexpected as they were before I could in good conscience leave everything behind to be alone with myself on a trip of pure indulgence. I didn't need anyone to understand it. I didn't need anyone to approve of it. I didn't even want to explain it. I just wanted to be on the open road again traveling to a place that would take away from current reality and place me in an invigorating environment where compassion overpowered ideals and reality took center stage.
I expected nothing and hoped for everything. Fully prepared to be disappointed in any reality that might manifest, I did so with full expectation of 'routine' rather than 'surprise.' The entire trip was 'surprise' with absolutely no 'routine.' I'm still shaking my head about that reality.
I am a former truck driver. That's right 'the big rigs.' Eighteen wheels. Cummins 400 V-8. Thirteen gear Road Ranger. Never nicked a gear. Ever. I became an instructor eventually over about a years time. I had good students with successful careers and some fresh out of prison. Both genders. Women sometimes were seeking a move from prostitution to a legitimate job. Families of all kinds. The refrigerator unit was a Thunderbird. Yep. I ran independant. 48 states. On a rare occassion, Canada. My favorite destination Hunt's Point Market, New York City. Produce. All kinds. Never had a shipment go bad on me. Ever. Never lost money because the reefer unit froze over or the temperature wasn't right. Always attended to business on the road and no I never in my life was a prostitute although some would call me friend. I never spoke Spanish and I was always respected as 'the lady drive' with the 'cold truck' to load when temperatures on the docks in McAllen, Texas were over 100 degrees fahrenheit. With that background, it is easy to understand when I travel it's only natural to compare the current landscape to the past. I remember it well. I remember friends, acquaintances, economies and experiences.
It's been a few years since I was out of North Carolina on wheels. I have flown out to Iceland, Washington State, Juneau, Alaska vistied with family around the state, but, has been primarily content in Wilmington chasing down the mysteries of Human Induced Global Warming and getting to know Earth as my best friend. This trip was a real awakening. I didn't need any skills. I just needed my five senses and a sixth one that told me 'there was something dearly "W"rong.' I didn't set out to be politically motivated but that quickly changed and I'd like to synopsis it here.
North Carolina was somewhat predictable although the temperatures were unseasonably hot and dry with the tourism of the western part of the state near Winston-Salem heading to Pilot Mountain seeming sparse. As I approached Virginia there were a lot of orange barrels. That would prove true for most of the trip, primarily through the Red States. There were ten barrels lining the road where there should have been one and the monies spent on maintaining those barrels in pristine new condition must have been considerable because there was not one that I saw with a scratch on it, tipped or bent. All brand new, all the time. Odd, I thought.
The trip through Virginia was brief and primarily a construction zone. The other side of that was West Virginia. Construction? What happened to the barrels? Were there such incredible road construction from days gone by that West Virginia requried no new 'Interstate' highway construction at all. I mean I know the states contribute to the interstate system in their states but it also is maintained by federal dollars, after all the interstate highway system is a first line measure in Homeland Security. At times of 'National Emergency' the first vehicles to dominate the interstate highway system is the military. It was designed and built to move military along at incredibly rapid response times from sea to shining sea and from north to south. The commercial use by tractor trailers helps support the interstate system and is why there are special use taxes required to be paid by independants and companies alike. Fuel tax stamps. If a truck does not have one registered for it, it doesn't move over that state's roads.
So, back to West Virginia.
It was an expeditious trip through that Blue State. UNTIL. There was a rather upsetting accident involving a semi and car(s) on route 77, north bound, about mile marker 122. It stopped traffic. Not only that but the 'response' time to the accident by LARGE equipment to remove the badly damaged vehicles was slow in coming and then drastically under-manned to carry out the job in a fairly quick manner. As a matter of fact the traffic pattern took on it's own autonomy when crossing the median and taking the next exit south bound only to return back north and travel past the accident site to re-enter 77N about mile marker 133, just north of it.
I am sure there were deaths at the accident. I wonder if more occured than should have because the 'emergency' response was so slow in coming. I didn't want to know. I have enough 'stuff' to handle on a daily basis at home and this was really none of my business. As I traveled again toward Michigan a sad reality started to set in, realizing, for the first time ever that my country was in disarray. The "Homeland Security" we believed to be only flawed when it came to Katrina was far more unorganized and unprepared than I ever realized. At this point I didn't carry any conclusions regarding Red or Blue State so much as the alarming reality that 'response times' of these type of incidents should be well rehersed. Response times in an environment that dictated preparedness under Homeland Security was vastly inadequate. In West Virginia what was starting to settle in to my conscious was a new reality about the USA and it's division of power, authority that was placing some citizens at advantage and others without. What was starting to seep in to my consciousness jarred my intact memory and there was complete conflict with all kinds of priorities known to me.
I continued the trip.
West Virginia's geography was unchanged with striated rock and exposed coal veins. There was nothing about the scenery which changed so much as now the concern about safety was at the forefront of the trip. Of all things I remembered Senator Robert Byrd. I didn't need a road sign with a street with his name to feel as though there was something very "W"rong in West Virginia. The people were always great. There was a little side road of the interstate where one could fuel up and 'set a spell' to converse with the locals whom were locals a long time. Ask how the family was doing. The town. Basically, a bit of anthropology at every stop along the way. It was and is 'my way.' I like to talk to fellow Americans. I like to know what I am experiencing in life is what others are. I like stark reality. I like to understand what makes Americans think of themselves as one country and why we support the least of us through taxes and programs easily afforded by areas of the country more prosperous. More able to contribute. WHILE. Letting West Virginians be West Virginians preserving their heritage, traditions, cultures and love of the USA.
The road was still there. The fuel stop was still there. People were different but only to be replaced by differences in faces and not in presonalities easily engaged by someone with an unthreatening appearance and Lord knows an appearance that ususally looks as though I need rescuing. There weren't upswing stories. There wasn't new news. West Virginia in spite of it's prestigeous elder stateman was floundering.
I quickly came to the reality in Ohio that Homeland Security was by far the most incompetant agency the federal authority in DC had, but, then it was sincerely a toss up between that department, the Oval Office and the Map Room and well quite frankly I think it's plainly obvious where this diary is going. In my opinion the interstate highway system in the Red States has been a place where federal monies have been dumped to bolster the economy for the sake of an economic impression to return votes to Republicans. In that reality is a far starker one. That being the construction projects have been dealt for economic pockets of influence with absolutely no detail to the larger picture of Homeland Security and an effective and efficient interstate highway system.
There was still a couple of issues for me that cropped up in Ohio. There were the road patches that created a very smooth ride but left a lot and I do mean a lot to be desired in the way of attractiveness. These highway patches were from every direction, didn't blend at all with the current road texture and while the ride over them was smooth it was also distracting. The patches and the road needed to be topped with a macadam that was non-glaring. With the sun overhead now or perhaps even lowering slightly to the west the glare off the highway into my eyes made me grateful I had Transition lens. The roadway and concrete barriers had become surfaces that never absorbed light so much as reflected right back at one's wind shield. My safety margin was getting ever so smaller.
The last thought I have about Ohioans is, "How could they?" Didn't they like to see across the roadway. Was the concrete barriers so much better than grassy medians and seasonal flowers? Didn't the concrete barriers cause a greater opportunity for snow drifts IF winter still came to Ohio? Basically, What the heck were Ohioans thinking to allow this mess to be constructed in their state in the first place?
Then I realized. The car I was traveling in was the smallest and most fuel efficient on the road. As a matter of fact at that very point I was feeling a little clostrophoic because there was nothing but SUVs surrounding my Sentra. At the time of this revelation my little car was costing me about 8 to 9 cents per mile in gasoline. The one way trip to northern Michigan was almost 1100 miles and it cost me less than $100 in gasoline, nothing in oil, nothing in water or radiator fluid. As a matter of fact the little car which supplied ample amounts of cool air during the entire trip only asked to be filled up every 375 miles or so. The car did need air in the tires before starting out of Wilmington, North Carolina. So, to Ohioans whom never valued nature in the first place, the concrete barriers never even blocked their views. They sat well over any obstruction of vision by the concrete barriers in their SUV seats. So to Ohioans the concrete barriers were probably stopping oncoming traffic that was piloted by terrorists or some darn thing. Somehow the concrete barriers in Canton SEEMED to make the highway safer like the concrete barriers in Baghdad or at the White House or most other government structures these days. Funny, though, all those concete barriers around the country at government buildings except in Baghdad perhaps are now replaced by something far more attractive and far more stronger usually with a center post of metal and not just stone.
In addition. When traveling from large city to large city the traffic was mostly sparse, but, in the cities the traffic no matter the time of day was dense. People were spending monies on gasoline for these behemoth vehicles (A mighty animal described in Job 40:15-24 as an example of the power of God.) which rarely saw a speed over 35 mph and stood in traffic jams burning gasoline going nowhere while they never saw the countryside outside their own cities. They couldn't afford it. Their commute had become so expensive there were no monies left over for 'road trips.'
The worst of the Ohio trip was yet to come. I needed to transition from Ohio to Michigan. And guess what? Right at the interchange where "USA Highway/Michigan State Hwy. #23" turned north there was another huge construction project. It took three looped interchange detours to finally get on the prettiest highway of the trip. Michigan highway 23 was charming, natural with wide open spaces and no 'heat centers' that drove meso-tornadic storms flooding streets and endangering lives. There were miles after miles of open spaces both sides of the road with ample amounts of farmland. It set the mood for arriving at Traverse City and the screening of the most intricately fascinating films making this road trip more than worth the time. The entire adverture has been a treasure and nothing short of it.
end of this entry. I'll pick up again with the movies tomorrow as the festival ends today. I didn't anticipate the road trip to take this much time. I want to write about the films. They were incredible and I want to share the meaning they brought to life in general for me.
... until tomorrow....
I'll get back to the usual. Soon enough. It's still summer vacation you know. Time enough to dump the SUV and buy a hybrid or better yet an electric car.
I expected nothing and hoped for everything. Fully prepared to be disappointed in any reality that might manifest, I did so with full expectation of 'routine' rather than 'surprise.' The entire trip was 'surprise' with absolutely no 'routine.' I'm still shaking my head about that reality.
I am a former truck driver. That's right 'the big rigs.' Eighteen wheels. Cummins 400 V-8. Thirteen gear Road Ranger. Never nicked a gear. Ever. I became an instructor eventually over about a years time. I had good students with successful careers and some fresh out of prison. Both genders. Women sometimes were seeking a move from prostitution to a legitimate job. Families of all kinds. The refrigerator unit was a Thunderbird. Yep. I ran independant. 48 states. On a rare occassion, Canada. My favorite destination Hunt's Point Market, New York City. Produce. All kinds. Never had a shipment go bad on me. Ever. Never lost money because the reefer unit froze over or the temperature wasn't right. Always attended to business on the road and no I never in my life was a prostitute although some would call me friend. I never spoke Spanish and I was always respected as 'the lady drive' with the 'cold truck' to load when temperatures on the docks in McAllen, Texas were over 100 degrees fahrenheit. With that background, it is easy to understand when I travel it's only natural to compare the current landscape to the past. I remember it well. I remember friends, acquaintances, economies and experiences.
It's been a few years since I was out of North Carolina on wheels. I have flown out to Iceland, Washington State, Juneau, Alaska vistied with family around the state, but, has been primarily content in Wilmington chasing down the mysteries of Human Induced Global Warming and getting to know Earth as my best friend. This trip was a real awakening. I didn't need any skills. I just needed my five senses and a sixth one that told me 'there was something dearly "W"rong.' I didn't set out to be politically motivated but that quickly changed and I'd like to synopsis it here.
North Carolina was somewhat predictable although the temperatures were unseasonably hot and dry with the tourism of the western part of the state near Winston-Salem heading to Pilot Mountain seeming sparse. As I approached Virginia there were a lot of orange barrels. That would prove true for most of the trip, primarily through the Red States. There were ten barrels lining the road where there should have been one and the monies spent on maintaining those barrels in pristine new condition must have been considerable because there was not one that I saw with a scratch on it, tipped or bent. All brand new, all the time. Odd, I thought.
The trip through Virginia was brief and primarily a construction zone. The other side of that was West Virginia. Construction? What happened to the barrels? Were there such incredible road construction from days gone by that West Virginia requried no new 'Interstate' highway construction at all. I mean I know the states contribute to the interstate system in their states but it also is maintained by federal dollars, after all the interstate highway system is a first line measure in Homeland Security. At times of 'National Emergency' the first vehicles to dominate the interstate highway system is the military. It was designed and built to move military along at incredibly rapid response times from sea to shining sea and from north to south. The commercial use by tractor trailers helps support the interstate system and is why there are special use taxes required to be paid by independants and companies alike. Fuel tax stamps. If a truck does not have one registered for it, it doesn't move over that state's roads.
So, back to West Virginia.
It was an expeditious trip through that Blue State. UNTIL. There was a rather upsetting accident involving a semi and car(s) on route 77, north bound, about mile marker 122. It stopped traffic. Not only that but the 'response' time to the accident by LARGE equipment to remove the badly damaged vehicles was slow in coming and then drastically under-manned to carry out the job in a fairly quick manner. As a matter of fact the traffic pattern took on it's own autonomy when crossing the median and taking the next exit south bound only to return back north and travel past the accident site to re-enter 77N about mile marker 133, just north of it.
I am sure there were deaths at the accident. I wonder if more occured than should have because the 'emergency' response was so slow in coming. I didn't want to know. I have enough 'stuff' to handle on a daily basis at home and this was really none of my business. As I traveled again toward Michigan a sad reality started to set in, realizing, for the first time ever that my country was in disarray. The "Homeland Security" we believed to be only flawed when it came to Katrina was far more unorganized and unprepared than I ever realized. At this point I didn't carry any conclusions regarding Red or Blue State so much as the alarming reality that 'response times' of these type of incidents should be well rehersed. Response times in an environment that dictated preparedness under Homeland Security was vastly inadequate. In West Virginia what was starting to settle in to my conscious was a new reality about the USA and it's division of power, authority that was placing some citizens at advantage and others without. What was starting to seep in to my consciousness jarred my intact memory and there was complete conflict with all kinds of priorities known to me.
I continued the trip.
West Virginia's geography was unchanged with striated rock and exposed coal veins. There was nothing about the scenery which changed so much as now the concern about safety was at the forefront of the trip. Of all things I remembered Senator Robert Byrd. I didn't need a road sign with a street with his name to feel as though there was something very "W"rong in West Virginia. The people were always great. There was a little side road of the interstate where one could fuel up and 'set a spell' to converse with the locals whom were locals a long time. Ask how the family was doing. The town. Basically, a bit of anthropology at every stop along the way. It was and is 'my way.' I like to talk to fellow Americans. I like to know what I am experiencing in life is what others are. I like stark reality. I like to understand what makes Americans think of themselves as one country and why we support the least of us through taxes and programs easily afforded by areas of the country more prosperous. More able to contribute. WHILE. Letting West Virginians be West Virginians preserving their heritage, traditions, cultures and love of the USA.
The road was still there. The fuel stop was still there. People were different but only to be replaced by differences in faces and not in presonalities easily engaged by someone with an unthreatening appearance and Lord knows an appearance that ususally looks as though I need rescuing. There weren't upswing stories. There wasn't new news. West Virginia in spite of it's prestigeous elder stateman was floundering.
After West Virginia, there was Ohio. And to no surprise there was the return of the Orange Barrels. A sign of prosperity. Big government spending. Ohio. Approaching Canton there was the first of a large storm. It blew up out of nowhere. It was typical of what I had read and actually expected this type of 'downpour' storm but there was a surprise. Several actually.
The storm didn't just downpour, it had rotation. It was a meso-tornado with huge amounts of water pouring out of it's central and wide cone with a slow velocity that would not sustain tornadic winds BUT did have enough velocity to knock over trees (When you could find one.) I was astounded to realize this was a regular, nearly daily occurrence in Canton. Immediately as the rains began there were reports of local streets flooding and being closed immediately to traffic. At one point when the rain abated and it was safe enough to pull to the side of the road I inspected a ditch. The bottom of it was completely soggy. The top area where water had run off was barely wet. The rain came in such torrents it never soaked into the ground so much as just sought the path of least resistance filling any basin with water enough to saturate it and causing flooding to an artifically raised water table for the length of time the water was rising. Dangerous stuff.
The other surprises go back to the construction and the '?life style?' of Ohioans.
The highway construction in and around Canton, Ohio was and is extensive. It was completly ugly and making the interstate system there one of the most ugliest highways in the nation best to my knowledge except for I-10 through Texas. That has got to be the ugliest road I ever saw. But even I-10 in Texas didn't have concrete barriers for medians. Ohio did. All those nice grassy medians that served as a buffer to accidents coming in opposite directions were gone. Completely. It was at that point my memory recalled an act of Congress called the "Highway Beautification Act" that was passed under the Johnson administration. It was a way for Lady Bird to contribute to the country. It wasn't a bad idea. Vietnam, like Iraq, was a completely horrible idea, but, there is something to be said for a First Lady with an affection for horticulture.
The medians were not only gone but the use of the roadway didn't change. The grassy medians were replaced with so called 'emergency' lanes where traffic wasn't supposed to go but police could. In their cars. There was absolutely no indication a police helicopter could land in that area unless it could straddle the concrete median. The curious thing is this. What good does an extra lane that is primarily gravel going to do anyone if it's blocked by an emergency like the one in West Virginia that completely blocked the entire roadway going north. It was so extensive that the side lanes no one travels or pulls onto except for emergencies was blocked. Then there was the idea that the concrete barriers were not only ugly but dangerous. What if the access to the roadway where an emergency existed was blocked and the only way to the victims was from the other lane. Well, hell. That access was now blocked by a concrete barrier that would have to be blasted away in order to get to the victims. The safety margin for my road trip was getting smaller and smaller by the mile.
Then there is the whole military thing. What if the military needed to turn around. Where were they going to do that? At an exit ramp? Which exit ramp and would a young military driver know exactly the place to turn around rather than just crossing the grassy median? I doubt it.
I quickly came to the reality in Ohio that Homeland Security was by far the most incompetant agency the federal authority in DC had, but, then it was sincerely a toss up between that department, the Oval Office and the Map Room and well quite frankly I think it's plainly obvious where this diary is going. In my opinion the interstate highway system in the Red States has been a place where federal monies have been dumped to bolster the economy for the sake of an economic impression to return votes to Republicans. In that reality is a far starker one. That being the construction projects have been dealt for economic pockets of influence with absolutely no detail to the larger picture of Homeland Security and an effective and efficient interstate highway system.
There was still a couple of issues for me that cropped up in Ohio. There were the road patches that created a very smooth ride but left a lot and I do mean a lot to be desired in the way of attractiveness. These highway patches were from every direction, didn't blend at all with the current road texture and while the ride over them was smooth it was also distracting. The patches and the road needed to be topped with a macadam that was non-glaring. With the sun overhead now or perhaps even lowering slightly to the west the glare off the highway into my eyes made me grateful I had Transition lens. The roadway and concrete barriers had become surfaces that never absorbed light so much as reflected right back at one's wind shield. My safety margin was getting ever so smaller.
The last thought I have about Ohioans is, "How could they?" Didn't they like to see across the roadway. Was the concrete barriers so much better than grassy medians and seasonal flowers? Didn't the concrete barriers cause a greater opportunity for snow drifts IF winter still came to Ohio? Basically, What the heck were Ohioans thinking to allow this mess to be constructed in their state in the first place?
Then I realized. The car I was traveling in was the smallest and most fuel efficient on the road. As a matter of fact at that very point I was feeling a little clostrophoic because there was nothing but SUVs surrounding my Sentra. At the time of this revelation my little car was costing me about 8 to 9 cents per mile in gasoline. The one way trip to northern Michigan was almost 1100 miles and it cost me less than $100 in gasoline, nothing in oil, nothing in water or radiator fluid. As a matter of fact the little car which supplied ample amounts of cool air during the entire trip only asked to be filled up every 375 miles or so. The car did need air in the tires before starting out of Wilmington, North Carolina. So, to Ohioans whom never valued nature in the first place, the concrete barriers never even blocked their views. They sat well over any obstruction of vision by the concrete barriers in their SUV seats. So to Ohioans the concrete barriers were probably stopping oncoming traffic that was piloted by terrorists or some darn thing. Somehow the concrete barriers in Canton SEEMED to make the highway safer like the concrete barriers in Baghdad or at the White House or most other government structures these days. Funny, though, all those concete barriers around the country at government buildings except in Baghdad perhaps are now replaced by something far more attractive and far more stronger usually with a center post of metal and not just stone.
In addition. When traveling from large city to large city the traffic was mostly sparse, but, in the cities the traffic no matter the time of day was dense. People were spending monies on gasoline for these behemoth vehicles (A mighty animal described in Job 40:15-24 as an example of the power of God.) which rarely saw a speed over 35 mph and stood in traffic jams burning gasoline going nowhere while they never saw the countryside outside their own cities. They couldn't afford it. Their commute had become so expensive there were no monies left over for 'road trips.'
The worst of the Ohio trip was yet to come. I needed to transition from Ohio to Michigan. And guess what? Right at the interchange where "USA Highway/Michigan State Hwy. #23" turned north there was another huge construction project. It took three looped interchange detours to finally get on the prettiest highway of the trip. Michigan highway 23 was charming, natural with wide open spaces and no 'heat centers' that drove meso-tornadic storms flooding streets and endangering lives. There were miles after miles of open spaces both sides of the road with ample amounts of farmland. It set the mood for arriving at Traverse City and the screening of the most intricately fascinating films making this road trip more than worth the time. The entire adverture has been a treasure and nothing short of it.
end of this entry. I'll pick up again with the movies tomorrow as the festival ends today. I didn't anticipate the road trip to take this much time. I want to write about the films. They were incredible and I want to share the meaning they brought to life in general for me.
... until tomorrow....
I'll get back to the usual. Soon enough. It's still summer vacation you know. Time enough to dump the SUV and buy a hybrid or better yet an electric car.
From "Friends" Soundtrack - I'll Be There for You by the Rembrandts
So, no one told you life was gonna be this way.
Your Job's a joke, you're broke, your love life's D.O.A.
It's like you're always stuck in second gear.
And it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year.
But -
I'll be there for you ... when the rain starts to fall.
I'll be there for you ... like I've been there before.
I'll be there for you ... cause you're there for me, too.
You're still in bed at ten and work began at eight.
You've burned your breakfast, so far everything is great.
Your mother warned you there'd be days like these.
But she didn't tell you when the world has brought you down to your knees.
That -
I'll be there for you ... when the rain starts to fall.
I'll be there for you ... like I've been there before.
I'll be there for you ... cause you're there for me, too.
Your Job's a joke, you're broke, your love life's D.O.A.
It's like you're always stuck in second gear.
And it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year.
But -
I'll be there for you ... when the rain starts to fall.
I'll be there for you ... like I've been there before.
I'll be there for you ... cause you're there for me, too.
You're still in bed at ten and work began at eight.
You've burned your breakfast, so far everything is great.
Your mother warned you there'd be days like these.
But she didn't tell you when the world has brought you down to your knees.
That -
I'll be there for you ... when the rain starts to fall.
I'll be there for you ... like I've been there before.
I'll be there for you ... cause you're there for me, too.
24 hours later, there is another 'heat budget' storm ...
August 6, 2006.
2330z.
... beginning off the West African coast very much in the same way Chris did. Once again the vortex over Mexico is igniting and all too familiar patterns of advanced stages of Human Induced Global Warming are coming back alive. The first mention of this pattern began on this blog on July 27th. So that would be eleven days ago when the 'pattern' first started and a reference was made to 1998.
end of entry
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Scuttlebutt on Some Major Floods
August 5, 2006.
0330z.
UNISYS Enhanced Infrared Satellite.
If one will kindly note the very LONG cloud mass that begins in Mexico with the center over the Yukatan and extends along the west coast of the North American continent ending at the Arctic Circle in Canada. It's an important dynamics and has been contributing to the instabilty of the climate in the Western USA causing flooding and rains.
This is an even earlier satellite of a so called dissipated Chris. It isn't. It reorganized to a certain extent over the islands. Both sides of the islands actually. My concern is that the 'heat budget' to Chris was dissipated INTO other areas of the heat budget of the vortex with a center over the Yukatan Peninsula. Mexico's Gulf Coast has been taking a beating because of what seems to me to be a resident vortex over the North American continent. Primarily centering it's energies (calories - heat calories) over the land mass we know as Mexico.
This was after the Hurricane Prediction Center stated 'Chris' had dissipated. It hadn't.
August 5, 2006.
0630z.
UNISYS Infrared GOES East Satellite.
Kindly compare the satellite below in relation to the amount of storms along the Gulf Coast and the East Coast of the USA. Also note the storms moving through Wilmington, NC. There is also the familiar storm in the Central Northern Midwest.
Now, when Chris entered the picture coming off Africa as Sol's radiant heat moved south toward the equator the 'vortex' over Mexico was not as unstable or as violently dynamic. The storms along the Gulf Coast were few and far between. With the exception of the Florida panhandle there was little to complain about. Even the upper Midwest was not in such bad shape. Most of the turbulence in the troposphere for the USA was all at sea. Also the 'resident' vortex in the Mid-Atlantic was still churning away.
Then, Chris decided; during 'nighttime' hours when no radiant wavelengths from Sol would 'stir the pot' so to speak; to 'calm down' and eventually 'go away' at least to the Hurricane Prediction Center. So where does a storm like that 'get' energy and why does it just 'stop?'
Hm.
I'll finish below with a satellite picture that manifested after a full day of sun, loaded with additional 'heat' calories and no place to put them..
When "Chris" stopped being a tropical storm, storms sprang up elsewhere.
August 5, 2006. 2330z.
UNISYS Enhanced Infrared Satellite.
I know I am going to be writing about something few will understand but unless 'I go there' then no will understand where 'I am coming from.'
Heat Budgets. I am completely convinced the universe is finite. I believe energy is as well and that includes the energy that dominates Earth's troposphere. It comes as benign sunlight on a completely different wave length than the 'heat' of which is necessary to keep Earth warm enough to live on.
The heat 'wave length' of Earth is infrared. That heat is generated after the Sol's (The Sun) light reaches Earth. If Earth did not convert Sol's light into a wavelength that brings heat than we would not have a planet hospitable to life.I am going to digress to an earlier satellite and yes I will do 'Saturday Night.'
CONTINUED FROM SATELLITE TIME OF 0630z.
Now, to realize, as Chris 'lost' it's impulsion if you will. As the night time hours stopped fueling a storm now over landmass where it would find a 'drag' on it's center; the center pressure started to rise and hence the velocity of the 'tropical storm' then to become 'tropical depression' caused a transfer of energy enough 'back' to the troposphere. That transfer of energy/heat back to the troposphere along with another day of full sun enhanced the remaining dynamics including the vortex from Mexico to the Arctic Circle.
When a storm like 'Chris' starts, it is because the solar radiation transformed by Earth and TRAPPED under a thick blanket of carbon dioxide has no place to go but to find relief in a delivery system that will transfer calories to the oceans. That is what any of these major storm do.
When Chris lost it's 'central pressure' it wasn't finished with it's business. That was evident because the 'cloud mass' as it appeared on the satelites remained in a formation. More diffuse now, but, still not completely gone from being able to recognize it.
On this satellite view, one might note also the extreme increase in the storms all along the vortex. As a matter of fact the "Mexican Vortex" has increased it's reach and ability to distribute heat all the way into the Gulf of Mexico. Now, when one looks at the vortex over Mexico, it's center is still over the Yukatan but has additional reaches to the Arctic Circle. The one it exhibited before over Canada, but, now there is one that reaches to the Greenland Ice.
Also to be noted is the 'Chris System' that still remains over the Islands, including Cuba. (Off topic - Fairwell Fidel.) It is this 'cloud mass' over the islands that causes me pause to believe 'Chris' is completely dissipated. As a matter of fact if one looks at all the satellite pictures above 'Chris' can be noted just south of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. As a matter of fact the 'storm' that was Chris, in my opinion, has straddled both sides of the Island, with one dynamic reaching a conclusion just west of Jamaica and the other remaining very stormy just north of Salina, Cuba and west of Loggerhead Point, Andros Island.
To me 'Chris' is still very much alive. It's dissipation is not complete and the storm now brewing at the Tropic of Cancer and west of the Bahamas is not very far from where Katrina first became a Tropical Depression with 30 knot winds. To me 'Chris' is a system that sends heat either into the ocean as a storm with an 'eye/central pressure' or as storm that will dump huge amounts of heat on terra firma and a storm that will cause people a great deal of distress wtih flooding and dangerous weather conditions.
end of entry
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Journal Entry - Updated 8/4/06
August 1, 2006. 12:16 pm
I have learned that travel to Traverse City, Michigan can be a very interesting 'road trip.' I left Sunday night at 11:23 pm due to circumstances that arose for obligations to fulfill when I was supposed to leave Friday or Saturday morning the lastest. What was to be a casual ride to the countryside turned into a 26 hour drive with a total of 4 hours sleep during that time. It went well. The fact I covered with in the speed limits of all states 1200 miles in 26 hours with napping, isn't the focus of this entry. It really was not a strain for someone whom did long haul trucking as a woman for a profession. It was all rather refreshing.
I was able to keep up with the news regarding the world with any trouble on the radio. I wasn't interested in toting around a laptop this trip and surpisingly enough there is an internet cafe' with a proprietor that understands how to make money. This is the capacity I make this entry. It's pleasant, I can sip on any custom make beverage and still put together an entry to my blog. I have tried on this capacity to enter a message on the New York Times message boards but this computer system doesn't recognize all the 'flash players' and animation glitz that accompanies many site on the net.
The trip was interesting in that every state had it's own character within this economy and it remarkably reflects either indulgence of 'red money' or denial to it. I'll get into it later as I have a film to view within the next hour and don't want to miss it.
Israel
Cease-Fire Diplomacy in Lebanon
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/01/opinion/01tue1.html
This is the editorial I first wanted to comment on. Everyone is ignoring a far greater set of circumstances brewing. I have to wonder if the White House is waiting for the 'pot to boil over' into a much larger and unresolvable quagmire. I hasten to alert Israel to a greater danger to fall into and it should concentrate on it's borders and the security of those borders by disarming Hezbollah. The UN resolution only allows same with the return of sovereign authority to Lebanon, rid of Syria.
Lebanon is attempting to 'up the ante' so to speak. It has lost a soldier. The soldier from what I understand was in a car without any indication as to the official capacity he carried with him. Lebanon needs to find a way to bring cooperation between it's military and that of the IDF and IAF. For the end purpose of peace and stability the methods of these two countries should be identical and completely cooperative.
My concern is the 'tone' the Lebanon leadership is taking. They are not identifying, as the world has done in the UN Security Council Resolution, Hezbollah as a terrorist network and entity to be removed from the infrastructure of Lebanon. Instead, much of the 'Anti-Israel' rhetoric of the Lebanese authority is that Hezbollah is an entity within Lebanon it recognizes REGARDLESS of it's 'anarchic' authority, 'anarchic' military capacity and attacks on a sovereign nation with the assitance of sophisticated devices supplied by Iran. By recognizing Hezbollah as an authority separate from itself, Lebanon is disssolving it's sovereignty and setting itself up much ridicule and scrutiny in these circumstances.
Israel could fall into a set of 'traps' that would lead to retaliation against it if Lebanon starts to insist it's military start to take up arms along side of Hezbollah. If that happens there is a far deeper possibility of a war that escalates uncontrolably.
I'll make more entries tomorrow morning when I will have more times on my hands. At least at this moment I have time on my hands. The other issue is that Lebanon is trying to demonize Israel over Sheba Farms and the lack cooperation of giving maps to Lebanon of the mines fields as if the authority upto now ever intended to anything about them. Israel's sovereign property regarding maps is irrelivant to these circumstances. If Lebanon disarms and there is border security, Israel can destroy all of the illegal munitions now in Lebanon owned by Hezbollah compliments of Iram while removing any and all mines when the borders no longer pose a threat to the Israeli people.
Later.
August 2, 2003 (8 Av 5766)
There is a lot to recap regarding the 'road trip' as well as the experience of the films here at The Traverse City Film Festival.
The 'road trip' analysis is rather gruelling and I am sure the 'return trip' will be as enlightning. To that end I'll postpone that aspect of the travesty of a government at the Federal Level of the government.
I have been watching my prediction of the first high category storm of the season as well. "Chris" manifested as predicted as it reached the Lesser Antilles to a Tropical Storm. Chris will become the first real menace of the Gulf Coast. Florida might be affected by it but as far as I am concerned the entire Gulf Coast needs to pay attention as well. Preparedness of Chris needs to begin now and should be well underway as I hope it is without really reading the usual newspaper articles I do frequently.
The 'evacuation routes' out of the Gulf Coast region should be well established by now and there needs to be public service annoucements on a regular basis including news broadcasts of the weather that PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW their evacuation routes.
In the past, it has been the practice of government to level annoucing evacuation to the very last minute so people won't get 'ticked off' at false alarms and hence believe the government does nothing but 'cry wolf.' That 'myth' of incompetent government in announcing false alarms and causing inconvenience to people and business has to become an antique of the past. Chris will prove to be as powerful a storm as Katrina and Rita as soon as it hits the very, very, very warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It was a very short period of time when Katrina went from a Cat 1 over southern Florida to a roaring Cat 5 over the Gulf of Mexico. EARLY, evacuation when even the 'first' storm path is known will save lives. EARLY, preparedness, by boarding up windows and the like will help protect those structures IF they can be protected outside of flood zones. I don't see people hunkering down with plenty of water, bread and milk to ride out these storms. They are hugely unpredictable. The prediction of the devastation is NOT reliable and trustworthy anymore. In reality, even though this is shaping up to be a more 'traditional' season; there is still huge vortices dominating the outcomes of these monster storms and providing 'skiddish' paths of destruction. One might recall "Charlie" two years ago as to the 'predicted' landfall and the actual landfall.
From here on, citizens GET OUT OF THE WAY, including the evacuation of elderly in retirement homes, nursing homes and extended care facilities of any kind.
I'll pick up more about the my experience on this trip and how I feel the country has changed for an adverse outcome to it's society as soon as I have time, but, it will probably be after I return home when 'experiencing' the events are notes and not currently an investment of time.
All I know is that Lady Bird Johnson is rolling over in her grave with the reversal of her "Beautify America Campaign."
http://www.shoppbs.org/sm-pbs-lady-bird-vhs--pi-1404216.html
Highway Beautification Act
In announcing an America the Beautiful initiative in January 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson (D) said:
I want to make sure that the America we see from these major highways is a beautiful America.
The cornerstone of the initiative would be the Highway Beautification Act of 1965, which called for control of outdoor advertising, including removal of certain types of signs, along the Nation's growing Interstate System and the existing Federal-aid primary system. It also required certain junkyards along Interstate or primary highways to be removed or screened and encouraged scenic enhancement and roadside development.
With his wife Lady Bird Johnson leading the effort to secure passage of the Highway Beautification Act of 1965, President Johnson made passage of the Act a priority. But it would not be easy. The Senate passed a version of the legislation on September 16, but the key action would be in the House. As debate began on October 7, the usual pressure to pass this important but controversial legislation was intensified because Members of Congress and their wives had been invited to a Salute to Congress event at the State Department auditorium and a White House reception. Buses arrived at 7 pm to take the Members and their wives to the State Department. The bus drivers, and especially the wives, would have a long wait.
A PROVISION FROM THAT ACT.
(1) To promote the safety, convenience, and enjoyment of public travel and the free flow of interstate commerce and to protect the public investment in the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, hereinafter called the Interstate System, it is in the public interest to encourage and assist the States to control the use of and to improve areas adjacent to such system by controlling the erection and maintenance of outdoor advertising signs, displays, and devices adjacent to that system.
As a result of Lady Bird's love of flowers and horticulture, ornamental or not (Home Gardening) the 'legislative act' that primarily dealt with 'bill boards' resulted in most if not all states bring the beauty of nature to it's highway systems, especially the federal highways. The Interstate Highways were reconstructed to allow center medians that separated directions of traffic, lining them with scrubs, trees that would stop traffic accidents when crossover occurred and on either side of the highways were either natural beauty or flowers planted for 'affect' including wildflowers.
In most of the Red States I traveled through that has all been destroyed due to big money expenditures of construction to bolster a failing economy. I haven't seen the vast return of the billboards but the "Highway Beautification Act" needs to be reveiwed and expended to return 'the spirit' of President Johnson and Lady Bird to a scenic America.
Today, if the military ever needed the Interstate Highways for an emergency in Homeland Secruity they would be crippled by the vast expanse of construction projects and overwhelming changes to these highways. It's completely horrible to travel these roads and I do believe the lack of pleasing asthetics in driving has made drives worse in their abilities to deal with traffic and stress.
I have learned that travel to Traverse City, Michigan can be a very interesting 'road trip.' I left Sunday night at 11:23 pm due to circumstances that arose for obligations to fulfill when I was supposed to leave Friday or Saturday morning the lastest. What was to be a casual ride to the countryside turned into a 26 hour drive with a total of 4 hours sleep during that time. It went well. The fact I covered with in the speed limits of all states 1200 miles in 26 hours with napping, isn't the focus of this entry. It really was not a strain for someone whom did long haul trucking as a woman for a profession. It was all rather refreshing.
I was able to keep up with the news regarding the world with any trouble on the radio. I wasn't interested in toting around a laptop this trip and surpisingly enough there is an internet cafe' with a proprietor that understands how to make money. This is the capacity I make this entry. It's pleasant, I can sip on any custom make beverage and still put together an entry to my blog. I have tried on this capacity to enter a message on the New York Times message boards but this computer system doesn't recognize all the 'flash players' and animation glitz that accompanies many site on the net.
The trip was interesting in that every state had it's own character within this economy and it remarkably reflects either indulgence of 'red money' or denial to it. I'll get into it later as I have a film to view within the next hour and don't want to miss it.
Israel
Cease-Fire Diplomacy in Lebanon
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/01/opinion/01tue1.html
This is the editorial I first wanted to comment on. Everyone is ignoring a far greater set of circumstances brewing. I have to wonder if the White House is waiting for the 'pot to boil over' into a much larger and unresolvable quagmire. I hasten to alert Israel to a greater danger to fall into and it should concentrate on it's borders and the security of those borders by disarming Hezbollah. The UN resolution only allows same with the return of sovereign authority to Lebanon, rid of Syria.
Lebanon is attempting to 'up the ante' so to speak. It has lost a soldier. The soldier from what I understand was in a car without any indication as to the official capacity he carried with him. Lebanon needs to find a way to bring cooperation between it's military and that of the IDF and IAF. For the end purpose of peace and stability the methods of these two countries should be identical and completely cooperative.
My concern is the 'tone' the Lebanon leadership is taking. They are not identifying, as the world has done in the UN Security Council Resolution, Hezbollah as a terrorist network and entity to be removed from the infrastructure of Lebanon. Instead, much of the 'Anti-Israel' rhetoric of the Lebanese authority is that Hezbollah is an entity within Lebanon it recognizes REGARDLESS of it's 'anarchic' authority, 'anarchic' military capacity and attacks on a sovereign nation with the assitance of sophisticated devices supplied by Iran. By recognizing Hezbollah as an authority separate from itself, Lebanon is disssolving it's sovereignty and setting itself up much ridicule and scrutiny in these circumstances.
Israel could fall into a set of 'traps' that would lead to retaliation against it if Lebanon starts to insist it's military start to take up arms along side of Hezbollah. If that happens there is a far deeper possibility of a war that escalates uncontrolably.
I'll make more entries tomorrow morning when I will have more times on my hands. At least at this moment I have time on my hands. The other issue is that Lebanon is trying to demonize Israel over Sheba Farms and the lack cooperation of giving maps to Lebanon of the mines fields as if the authority upto now ever intended to anything about them. Israel's sovereign property regarding maps is irrelivant to these circumstances. If Lebanon disarms and there is border security, Israel can destroy all of the illegal munitions now in Lebanon owned by Hezbollah compliments of Iram while removing any and all mines when the borders no longer pose a threat to the Israeli people.
Later.
August 2, 2003 (8 Av 5766)
There is a lot to recap regarding the 'road trip' as well as the experience of the films here at The Traverse City Film Festival.
The 'road trip' analysis is rather gruelling and I am sure the 'return trip' will be as enlightning. To that end I'll postpone that aspect of the travesty of a government at the Federal Level of the government.
I have been watching my prediction of the first high category storm of the season as well. "Chris" manifested as predicted as it reached the Lesser Antilles to a Tropical Storm. Chris will become the first real menace of the Gulf Coast. Florida might be affected by it but as far as I am concerned the entire Gulf Coast needs to pay attention as well. Preparedness of Chris needs to begin now and should be well underway as I hope it is without really reading the usual newspaper articles I do frequently.
The 'evacuation routes' out of the Gulf Coast region should be well established by now and there needs to be public service annoucements on a regular basis including news broadcasts of the weather that PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW their evacuation routes.
In the past, it has been the practice of government to level annoucing evacuation to the very last minute so people won't get 'ticked off' at false alarms and hence believe the government does nothing but 'cry wolf.' That 'myth' of incompetent government in announcing false alarms and causing inconvenience to people and business has to become an antique of the past. Chris will prove to be as powerful a storm as Katrina and Rita as soon as it hits the very, very, very warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It was a very short period of time when Katrina went from a Cat 1 over southern Florida to a roaring Cat 5 over the Gulf of Mexico. EARLY, evacuation when even the 'first' storm path is known will save lives. EARLY, preparedness, by boarding up windows and the like will help protect those structures IF they can be protected outside of flood zones. I don't see people hunkering down with plenty of water, bread and milk to ride out these storms. They are hugely unpredictable. The prediction of the devastation is NOT reliable and trustworthy anymore. In reality, even though this is shaping up to be a more 'traditional' season; there is still huge vortices dominating the outcomes of these monster storms and providing 'skiddish' paths of destruction. One might recall "Charlie" two years ago as to the 'predicted' landfall and the actual landfall.
From here on, citizens GET OUT OF THE WAY, including the evacuation of elderly in retirement homes, nursing homes and extended care facilities of any kind.
I'll pick up more about the my experience on this trip and how I feel the country has changed for an adverse outcome to it's society as soon as I have time, but, it will probably be after I return home when 'experiencing' the events are notes and not currently an investment of time.
All I know is that Lady Bird Johnson is rolling over in her grave with the reversal of her "Beautify America Campaign."
http://www.shoppbs.org/sm-pbs-lady-bird-vhs--pi-1404216.html
Highway Beautification Act
In announcing an America the Beautiful initiative in January 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson (D) said:
I want to make sure that the America we see from these major highways is a beautiful America.
The cornerstone of the initiative would be the Highway Beautification Act of 1965, which called for control of outdoor advertising, including removal of certain types of signs, along the Nation's growing Interstate System and the existing Federal-aid primary system. It also required certain junkyards along Interstate or primary highways to be removed or screened and encouraged scenic enhancement and roadside development.
With his wife Lady Bird Johnson leading the effort to secure passage of the Highway Beautification Act of 1965, President Johnson made passage of the Act a priority. But it would not be easy. The Senate passed a version of the legislation on September 16, but the key action would be in the House. As debate began on October 7, the usual pressure to pass this important but controversial legislation was intensified because Members of Congress and their wives had been invited to a Salute to Congress event at the State Department auditorium and a White House reception. Buses arrived at 7 pm to take the Members and their wives to the State Department. The bus drivers, and especially the wives, would have a long wait.
A PROVISION FROM THAT ACT.
(1) To promote the safety, convenience, and enjoyment of public travel and the free flow of interstate commerce and to protect the public investment in the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, hereinafter called the Interstate System, it is in the public interest to encourage and assist the States to control the use of and to improve areas adjacent to such system by controlling the erection and maintenance of outdoor advertising signs, displays, and devices adjacent to that system.
As a result of Lady Bird's love of flowers and horticulture, ornamental or not (Home Gardening) the 'legislative act' that primarily dealt with 'bill boards' resulted in most if not all states bring the beauty of nature to it's highway systems, especially the federal highways. The Interstate Highways were reconstructed to allow center medians that separated directions of traffic, lining them with scrubs, trees that would stop traffic accidents when crossover occurred and on either side of the highways were either natural beauty or flowers planted for 'affect' including wildflowers.
In most of the Red States I traveled through that has all been destroyed due to big money expenditures of construction to bolster a failing economy. I haven't seen the vast return of the billboards but the "Highway Beautification Act" needs to be reveiwed and expended to return 'the spirit' of President Johnson and Lady Bird to a scenic America.
Today, if the military ever needed the Interstate Highways for an emergency in Homeland Secruity they would be crippled by the vast expanse of construction projects and overwhelming changes to these highways. It's completely horrible to travel these roads and I do believe the lack of pleasing asthetics in driving has made drives worse in their abilities to deal with traffic and stress.
August 3, 2006
The Traverse City Film Festival is having a hugely successful second year. The films are incredibly poignant. I ordered tickets on line long before I realized how many of the films I wanted to view were directed by Terry George. That chilled me to the bones when I realized how 'in sync' this film festival and I were in the way of values. I'll make a complete review/analysis of all the films I attended. They all were incredibly done by independant film makers. There needs to be an Association of Independant Film Makers and Satirists. I firmly believe that along with the idea the American Public needs alternative movie rating systems. In addition, to listing the ONE rating system available through the motion picture industry in the USA, there should be listed along side of it, The European Rating System, BBFC. But. There needs to be a third alternative as well developed by independant film makers whereby their artistic content is respected rather than plowed under so the public cannot decide for themselves. American consumers needs choices. They demand them. Having a UNILATERAL ratings system for all films just isn't "The American Way."
August 4, 2006. Home again.
It looks as though "Chris" has diminished in capacity over the islands. It is possible it could completely dissipate, but, I sincerely doubt it.
I have seen it before in this climate that the storms hit land and 'distribute' their energy around small islands while still maintaining a central pressure to later become a more centralized storm. I recall the storm from last year, Ophelia (click on), that behaved very peculiarly and then managed to become a hurricane on several different occassions. For a while there it appeared as though the storm would completely dissipate as the 'formation' of a 'central' storm became so diffuse looking.
This is not ego here, but, pure and simple concern for prudent observation to save human lives. I strongly believe "Chris" will reorganize over open water, possibly the Carribean, which is currently very hot. The storm track could be similar to "Wilma" but taking a more 'gulf' approach to landfall. I find the 'glibness' of the US Weather Service in it's lack of vigilance and willingness to allow people to believe they are safe, an outrage when in fact this storm has yet to become completely benign. It is not. At all. Not yet. These storms are too volatile to ignore with a willingness to allow people to drop their guard. The USA government is AGAIN putting 'buzz' and 'economic tourism' before safety.
The Traverse City Film Festival is a wonderful occassion to watch 'good movies.' This is the second year for the festival. It spawned from the fact Traverse City, Michigan is so far away from a large city that they usually wait for the DVDs to come out which can be a six month time. Michael stated, his first suggestion to his friends was to find a garage wall to project the movies and invite the neighborhood. Well, that was one idea, but, Mike's friends were especially interested in having a 'festival' of film and not just a movie theater in the rough. So, hence, the beginnings last year of The Traverse City Film Festival.
It has grown in leaps and bounds and now presents some of the most profoundly moving films of our time. I won't get into the films right now. I plan to do 'Saturday Night' on the films I EXPERIENCED at the festival. The Festival itself is in the best kept secret of the USA. Traverse City is a charming town with a populous of about 75,000. It is completely self-contained with it's own 'Burn Unit' as the next hospital is about 60 miles away by helicopter flight. The Traverse City Hospital has it's own helicopter as well.
The town is nestled on a bay of Lake Michigan. The weather is occassionally turbulent with 'lake effect storms' which cancelled the Outdoor Venue and showing of Jurassic Park. The local newspaper, The Traverse Record Eagle, which sold out everyday, called it "Jurassic Dark."
Jurassic Dark
Storm drenches crowd gathered for movie
http://www.record-eagle.com/2006/aug/02ff-jurassic.htm
The Open Air Venue has been up and operating ever since that one set back, which is to be expected. The Open Air Theater had a much larger screen this year. Most of the people whom watched movies there loved it.
As with the open air theater, the entire festival has been upgraded. Michael Moore sponsored upgrades at The State Theater (click on) with a much larger viewing screen. Actually, the largest that could be accomodated. There was new lighting installed as well. Overall, the venues are moving to complete restoration for year round use with the help of the festival but also through diligent citizens whom have obtained 'circas' on most of these charming old world style theaters.
Speaking of year round, Traverse City, Michigan is a year round resort city. Skiing in the winter, lakes for sailing and boating in the summer, mostly mild temperatures all year round. In conversing with several of the residents in town whom also volunteer for the success of their movie festival I found out over the last three years the winter climate has become rather mild. Last year as a matter of fact they were worried they would not have snow for Christmas. To a more senior member of that town, that was a first. But, the snow arrived in time for the Christian celebration of Christmas.
And get this.
I stayed on a Tall Ship on my last night in this wonderful town. The owner of this 'lake based' Bed and Breakfast was on board that morning. We engaged in a conversation about the film festival and the films. It was completely obvious he liked politics. As he walked me from the dock to my car he asked if I thought Traverse City was a 'Blue City.' Of course my reply was yes. Michigan has a Democratic governor, it tends to be a 'Blue State' and considering the Traverse City Film Festival was such an enjoyable event for me I thought for sure it was a "Blue City." He kindly stated, although he considered himself a 'Moderate Liberal' (His words not mine.) he was only represented by a Democrat at the Governor's mansion and in fact all the House both federal and state representatives were Republican. As a matter of fact Traverse City has a Republican Mayor. I was surprised, but, then recalled at one time it was difficult to tell the difference between moderate anything. Moderate Democrats looked and sounded, for the most part, like Moderate Republicans. The difference today was that Moderate Republicans have disappeared from the face of politics in the USA. I made that observation to my engaging friend and he agreeded without a second thought.
The experience of attending these films was none that I've had before. The theaters were primarily full with scattered empty seats on an occassion. The audience was mixed in ages and gender. There were no children and as a matter of fact there was a mom that turned in her tickets to the box office for a chance someone else might use them, because she had a conflict with childcare. I wished at that moment there was some kind of child care center connected to the festival, but, perhaps there was not that much of a need.
In the venues, I found myself stamped out of a mold that nearly everyone else was. We laughed at the same moments. Cried at the same moments. Valued the same aspects of the film. It was a very rich experience in a wide range of emotions and thoughts. Sharing after the venues and moving onto the next I found there was little difference in the words I shared with perfect strangers and as the days wore on there was virtually no need for words so much as looks, smiles, wiping of tears, and sighs. We all were experiencing profound values we all shared together. It was one of the richest times of theater I've had. I plan to return next year, but, this time for the entire festival and a couple days before and after. There is also great golfing as well.
Traverse City has a 'little town' attitude with the glitz and glitter of any larger city. I'll tell you how sweet these people are. I have a bit of a 'need' for help back home. I was put in touch with Oleson's Grocery, at the top of the hill before you left town. It was the only place that had moneygram capacity. Not only were they helpful, but, they made sure before we sent the moneygram that there was a place of convenience at the other end for the recipient. No one had to be that nice. They didn't know I was attending the festival or that I was a paying guest at a very nice hotel near the festival. They did it because they wanted to do it and make their lives more full and mine that much easier.
Traverse City Film Festival was more than good movies to me. It was validating every aspect of whom I was reflected in an entire town. It was flat out wonderful. I can't wait next year.
MICHAEL MOORE. HERO !!!
Sunday, July 30, 2006
The Middle East Kurds. Their toubling reality. (The Click On is the PKK site)
There are some very troubling images to the PKK Link. I many ways they are not unlike the rest of the terrorist groups in the Middle East that are outside the rhelm of a sovereign government. They have a populous leader, they are well organized and they are well armed. The last image of that introduction of people walking across the picture are people carrying fairly good size bombs.
Before the Bush White House creates another 'no win' scenario, it is best to realize while Turkey is a soverign nation and no one seeks to change that there is a built in inflexibility to the Turkey government and culture that REQUIRES, Kurds to assimilate into their society to be a part of it. That won''t work, obviously, because of the decades of resistance, uprisings and killings. One might note the 'clashes' between Turkey and Cyprus are also long lived for the same inflexible reasons.
Turkey is viewed by most of the West as a democracy. While the government is elected and the government is conducted in a way conducsive to a democratic system; it is note worthy to realize there are cultural mores' that exceed the laws of government. It is those Turkish cultural dictates that has begun to set PKK apart from the central government. Much of the treatment of women is no different than that of the Taliban.
Which brings me to my next point. What are we doing in the Middle East with troops? We are complicating the circumstances of these people rather than relieving them. Changing cultural mores' cannot be done at the end of a gun. Guns are to eliminate people along with their cultures, so what kind of reason does Turkey and the EU think they are going to give when ONLY the Kurdish culture is held in ridicule. Their reason 'to war' is to kill more Kurds.
Before I get too far afield from my focus here, let me put this straight. There is no killing all those Kurds. PKK resulted primarily because Kurds don't have a homeland. They do however have a Homeland Region. THAT region as noted in the map below nad is huge. It spans many countries. Primarily the borders of countries of which the biggest 'chunck' is Turkey.
PKK was established no different than any other extremist groups such as Hezbollah or Hamas, through solicitous authority undermining the government in favor or food, water, a daily living and acceptance in numbers of others that were/are alike. They were all Kurds. The difference here is that Hezbollah is literally a parasite within Islam, within Lebanon, within Syria. Hamas is also this illegitmate entity within Palestine. They reject the directives of responsible government and rely on hate.
Hezbollah, Hamas, Lebanon and Palestine have no ethnic differences. In the case of Turkey and the Kurds there are huge ethnic and cultural differences and while Turkey would like to demand relief from the circumstances with the Kurds, relying on 'border incursion' issues to bolster it's argument, it is very, very different. Not completely unique to the region except Turkey is willing, unlike other nations, to impose it's standard of describing whom Turks are and are not hence eliminating in a form of genocide, the Kurds and their culture. It is not difficult to realize a genocide could be carried out if enough countries are saying PKK is completely a terrorist organization and needs to be annihilated. Different from Hezbollah, the Kurds do not have a government to fall back on as the Lebanese do.
To put it plainly, as an ethnic Kurd it is impossible to live in Turkey when one does not fit the description. The laws of Turkey aren't democratic so much as autocratic and some as the laws governing relationships between men and women are ancient treating women as chattel.
Iraq warns Turkey against any military incursions (click on)
ATHENS, July 6 (Reuters) - Iraq warned neighbouring Turkey on Thursday to refrain from any military incursions into its northern border region to fight Kurdish guerrillas based there.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari, on a visit to Athens, noted no Turkish incursions had taken place so far.
"But if this does happen in the future, then our position will be different," he said after meeting Greek counterpart Dora Bakoyanni. "Iraq will demand its borders are not violated and that no country is involved in its domestic matters."
Ankara has kept around 1,500 special forces in northern Iraq since the 1990s to prevent infiltration into southeast Turkey by PKK Kurdish guerrillas.
Earlier this year, Ankara reinforced its southeast border region with 40,000 troops, adding to 220,000 already there.
Turkey has long urged U.S. and Iraqi troops in northern Iraq to crack down on the Kurdish rebels who use their mountain hideouts as a springboard to attack forces across the border.
Ankara blames the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) for the deaths of at least 30,000 people since the group launched an armed campaign for a separate Kurdish homeland in southeast Turkey in 1984.
"All countries know that sovereignty must be respected and there should be no intervention in domestic issues," Zebari said. "There is no doubt the developments in Iraq are very critical for the whole region.
Having a Kurdistan is not a luxury of generosity for the world, it is a necessity for the people of that ethnic-region. The contention over this issue is far greater than just Turkey. If military stands are taken to eradicate the Kurdish militants from Turkey other countries such as Iraq and Iran will enter the frey beginning a much longer and bloodier confrontation. In my opinion, the region of Kurdistan is so massive and necessary to that region of the world it is negligent of the United Nations to allow this to continue.
Not to reward violence, but, basically the Kurds have done nothing wrong except to live on their native soil. Oil rich soil as well. Much of the oil fields of northern Iraq are tended to by the Kurds of that country. An oil rich land in the wrong hands in a protracted war could easily lend itself to terrorist network wealth and ferocity. Placing lands aside to create a sovereign Kurdistan will go a long way to providing a vehicle for a justified peace. It will stop violence or at least lend itself to defining exactly what violence is against these people. Borders will protect all parties involved and decrease the chance of major clashes between The West and Islam in Turkey.
Before the Bush White House creates another 'no win' scenario, it is best to realize while Turkey is a soverign nation and no one seeks to change that there is a built in inflexibility to the Turkey government and culture that REQUIRES, Kurds to assimilate into their society to be a part of it. That won''t work, obviously, because of the decades of resistance, uprisings and killings. One might note the 'clashes' between Turkey and Cyprus are also long lived for the same inflexible reasons.
Turkey is viewed by most of the West as a democracy. While the government is elected and the government is conducted in a way conducsive to a democratic system; it is note worthy to realize there are cultural mores' that exceed the laws of government. It is those Turkish cultural dictates that has begun to set PKK apart from the central government. Much of the treatment of women is no different than that of the Taliban.
Which brings me to my next point. What are we doing in the Middle East with troops? We are complicating the circumstances of these people rather than relieving them. Changing cultural mores' cannot be done at the end of a gun. Guns are to eliminate people along with their cultures, so what kind of reason does Turkey and the EU think they are going to give when ONLY the Kurdish culture is held in ridicule. Their reason 'to war' is to kill more Kurds.
Before I get too far afield from my focus here, let me put this straight. There is no killing all those Kurds. PKK resulted primarily because Kurds don't have a homeland. They do however have a Homeland Region. THAT region as noted in the map below nad is huge. It spans many countries. Primarily the borders of countries of which the biggest 'chunck' is Turkey.
PKK was established no different than any other extremist groups such as Hezbollah or Hamas, through solicitous authority undermining the government in favor or food, water, a daily living and acceptance in numbers of others that were/are alike. They were all Kurds. The difference here is that Hezbollah is literally a parasite within Islam, within Lebanon, within Syria. Hamas is also this illegitmate entity within Palestine. They reject the directives of responsible government and rely on hate.
Hezbollah, Hamas, Lebanon and Palestine have no ethnic differences. In the case of Turkey and the Kurds there are huge ethnic and cultural differences and while Turkey would like to demand relief from the circumstances with the Kurds, relying on 'border incursion' issues to bolster it's argument, it is very, very different. Not completely unique to the region except Turkey is willing, unlike other nations, to impose it's standard of describing whom Turks are and are not hence eliminating in a form of genocide, the Kurds and their culture. It is not difficult to realize a genocide could be carried out if enough countries are saying PKK is completely a terrorist organization and needs to be annihilated. Different from Hezbollah, the Kurds do not have a government to fall back on as the Lebanese do.
To put it plainly, as an ethnic Kurd it is impossible to live in Turkey when one does not fit the description. The laws of Turkey aren't democratic so much as autocratic and some as the laws governing relationships between men and women are ancient treating women as chattel.
Iraq warns Turkey against any military incursions (click on)
ATHENS, July 6 (Reuters) - Iraq warned neighbouring Turkey on Thursday to refrain from any military incursions into its northern border region to fight Kurdish guerrillas based there.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari, on a visit to Athens, noted no Turkish incursions had taken place so far.
"But if this does happen in the future, then our position will be different," he said after meeting Greek counterpart Dora Bakoyanni. "Iraq will demand its borders are not violated and that no country is involved in its domestic matters."
Ankara has kept around 1,500 special forces in northern Iraq since the 1990s to prevent infiltration into southeast Turkey by PKK Kurdish guerrillas.
Earlier this year, Ankara reinforced its southeast border region with 40,000 troops, adding to 220,000 already there.
Turkey has long urged U.S. and Iraqi troops in northern Iraq to crack down on the Kurdish rebels who use their mountain hideouts as a springboard to attack forces across the border.
Ankara blames the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) for the deaths of at least 30,000 people since the group launched an armed campaign for a separate Kurdish homeland in southeast Turkey in 1984.
"All countries know that sovereignty must be respected and there should be no intervention in domestic issues," Zebari said. "There is no doubt the developments in Iraq are very critical for the whole region.
Having a Kurdistan is not a luxury of generosity for the world, it is a necessity for the people of that ethnic-region. The contention over this issue is far greater than just Turkey. If military stands are taken to eradicate the Kurdish militants from Turkey other countries such as Iraq and Iran will enter the frey beginning a much longer and bloodier confrontation. In my opinion, the region of Kurdistan is so massive and necessary to that region of the world it is negligent of the United Nations to allow this to continue.
Not to reward violence, but, basically the Kurds have done nothing wrong except to live on their native soil. Oil rich soil as well. Much of the oil fields of northern Iraq are tended to by the Kurds of that country. An oil rich land in the wrong hands in a protracted war could easily lend itself to terrorist network wealth and ferocity. Placing lands aside to create a sovereign Kurdistan will go a long way to providing a vehicle for a justified peace. It will stop violence or at least lend itself to defining exactly what violence is against these people. Borders will protect all parties involved and decrease the chance of major clashes between The West and Islam in Turkey.
If the idea is to eliminate PKK, that opens the entire area to war and the use of innocent Kurds as human shields to terrorists. Genocide is easily realized when widespread war would create refugees in a region where there is little land to offer refugee status. By creating Kurdistan the world has done the justice this ethnic peoples deserve while also defining the 'extent' of which they are allowed to define themselves in The Middle East. The Kurds need a homeland with a government carved out of Kurds known to be benevolent to the world and it's generosity towards them. PKK is not an entity to apply government trusts.
Only then will countries like Turkey find a footing for a venue of a UN Resolution to limit the Kurdish population that dominates the southeast corner of that country. This is not a pipe dream although some would say so when realizing the oil involved in such a settlement, however, oil is quickly becoming out of fashion and the wealth Turkey sees today may very well be worthless in the near future.
Currently, to remove PKK from the area is haphazard and cannot be defined in a sane way. It is obviously a movement mired in radical Islamic fundamentalism and has an 'economic' design no different than Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, al Qaeda and the rest of the mess throughout the Arab nations and the world including Indonesia. Only when a Kurdistan is created and an eocnomy that can thrive will the 'warlord' status of the popular leader of PKK be realized as a terrorist to the people of that land.
To be brief, to create Kurdistan with a sovereign authority, will provide a new beginning for the Kurds with the insight of what has gone wrong with other existing terrorist networks that have undermined sovereign authority as in Lebanon and Syria. The same can even be said in Iran although the leader of the country is not the President so much as the Ayatollah is and that is a theocracy, which would also be avoidable when Kurdistan consitution can clearly separate church and state with prohibitions to allow the rise of such influence over the authority of government.
It is wrong at this point in time for any Western nation to take up arms against PKK. There needs to first be relief to the Kurds, their culture and their insured ethnic future by providing a land they can find a sovereign authority without whimsical reprisal by a sovereign authority, such as Turkey, that accommodates them. Currently, the Kurds are allowed to exist without guarantees to exist and that is just hideous in the year 2006. Given the instability of the region and the inability for Iraq to secure internal peace it is obvious what the problem is and the resolve is not simple.
However, there is a resolve and where countries like Turkey see sovereign right to it's borders by engaging in killing they might better see a land that is no use to them and freely allow the Ethnic Kurds to annex it in creation of their homeland under a United Nations Charter.
Respectfully submitted.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Composition to follow
I could spend forever providing a 'history' of the Kurds, their culture, their right to exist exactly where they are, but, it's much easier to read about it and explore 'the truth' on your own.
I'll be back.
I'll be back.
Complimentary 'look see' from Amazon (click on)
A book about the people from ground level.
"The real attraction of Road through Kurdistan lies in its warm humanity. Hamilton is utterly free of colonial superciliousness, despite the odd reference to the childlike simplicity of the natives. Learning of the Kurdish love for flowers, he sets about building a Kurdish garden of his own, bartering local species for eucalyptus seedlings brought up from Baghdad. He insists that his roadside camp conform to local traditions of hospitality. And, in the depths of winter, he hunts side by side with neighbouring tribesmen." Nicholas Birch, The Times Literary Supplement
The Literary Supplement (click on)
Snakes and robbers
A Review by Nicholas Birch
In the days before the fall of Saddam Hussein, visitors wishing to side-step the Turkish blockade on Iraqi Kurdistan had two options: enter via Syria, or via Iran. The first, a dash across the Tigris just upstream of an Iraqi tank regiment, made better copy. But the second was far grander, along a road that snakes a hundred miles through the parallel ridges of the Zagros mountains and plunges down two deep ravines before finally emerging on the Mesopotomian plain at Arbil.
Built between 1928 and 1932 as part of a British plan to speed access to Tehran, the road was the work of hundreds of Kurdish, Arab, Iranian and Christian labourers, almost all unskilled, led by the New Zealand engineer A. M. Hamilton. His book, republished as part of the fine Tauris Parke Paperbacks series, tells of the years they spent together.
There is plenty of action: touchy robber chiefs quick on the draw, murders to solve, a black snake that glides into the hut one night to avenge -- so Hamilton's guards say -- his killing of its mate. Above all, there is the long struggle to blast a path through the precipitous Rowanduz gorge "What a land was this in which to attempt to build roads", Hamilton exclaims when he first sees the Rowanduz river far below, tributaries rushing in at crazy angles. And when, two years later, the final bridge is laid in place, "from the depths of the canyon there arose the exultant roar of men's voices that reached almost to the mountain tops".
The real attraction of Road through Kurdistan lies in its warm humanity. Hamilton is utterly free of colonial superciliousness, despite the odd reference to the childlike simplicity of the natives. Learning of the Kurdish love for flowers, he sets about building a Kurdish garden of his own, bartering local species for eucalyptus seedlings brought up from Baghdad. He insists that his roadside camp conform to local traditions of hospitality. And, in the depths of winter, he hunts side by side with neighbouring tribesmen.
"As the shafts of light strike upwards and silhouette the peaks in an azure setting, cold, fatigue and the hunt are forgotten, and like three primitive savages we gaze spell-bound, lost in the beauty of it all . . . "Wallah!" say the Kurdish lads, and their single word is full of meaning."
Nicholas Birch is a freelance journalist based in Turkey.
Muslim human rights violations can frequently include women. Girls. This is not an exclusively Kurdish problem. (click on)
There are some very strick religious precepts to marriage in the Kurdish culture. At times, no different than in Pakistan or Turkey, deadly.
'Honour killings' increasing in Britain as women stand up for their rights (click on)
By Karyn Miller and Tom Harper
(Filed: 16/07/2006)
The number of "honour killings" in Britain is rising, campaigners have said.
Their warning came after the brother and cousin of Samaira Nazir, 25, were sentenced to life imprisonment for her barbaric murder.
Miss Nazir, a recruitment consultant from Southall, west London, was murdered in April last year. She was strangled with a silk scarf, stabbed 18 times and had her throat cut. She had argued with her Pakistani family after rejecting an arranged marriage and falling in love with an Afghan asylum seeker. Her two nieces, aged two and four, were made to watch the murder, and were found spattered with her blood.
In Turkey, 'Honor Killing' Follows Families to Cities Women Are Victims Of Village Tradition (click on)
By Molly Moore
Washington Post
Foreign Service
Wednesday, August 8, 2001; Page A01
ISTANBUL -- By Sait Kina's way of thinking, his 13-year-old daughter brought nothing but dishonor to his family: She talked to boys on the street, she ran away from home, she was the subject of neighborhood gossip.
Two months ago, when she tried to run away yet again, Kina grabbed a kitchen knife and an ax and stabbed and beat the girl until she lay dead in the blood-smeared bathroom of the family's Istanbul apartment.
He then commanded one of his daughters-in-law to clean up the mess. When his two sons came home from work 14 hours later, he ordered them to dispose of the 5-foot-3 corpse, which had been wrapped in a carpet and a blanket. The girl's head had been so mutilated, police said, it was held together by a knotted cloth.
"I fulfilled my duty," Kina told police after he was arrested, according to investigators' reports presented in the court case against the father and his two sons. "We killed her for going out with boys."
Girl killed over love song (click on)
By ALEX PEAKEA YOUNG Asian woman was murdered for bringing disgrace on her family — after they heard a love song had been dedicated to her on a radio station, cops said yesterday.
The so-called honour killing was probed by West Yorkshire Police — but they met a wall of silence in the girl’s Pakistani community.
A conference in London was told yesterday the girl, in her late teens or early 20s, was taken abroad and probably murdered in Pakistan.
The conference on honour killings heard 117 deaths and disappearances of Asian women are being re-investigated.
Heshu Yones, 16, from Acton, West London, was stabbed 11 times by her dad before he slit her throat.
Her Kurdish Muslim father, jailed for life for murder in 2002, said he had to kill her because she formed a relationship with a Lebanese Christian.
'Honour killings' increasing in Britain as women stand up for their rights (click on)
By Karyn Miller and Tom Harper
(Filed: 16/07/2006)
The number of "honour killings" in Britain is rising, campaigners have said.
Their warning came after the brother and cousin of Samaira Nazir, 25, were sentenced to life imprisonment for her barbaric murder.
Miss Nazir, a recruitment consultant from Southall, west London, was murdered in April last year. She was strangled with a silk scarf, stabbed 18 times and had her throat cut. She had argued with her Pakistani family after rejecting an arranged marriage and falling in love with an Afghan asylum seeker. Her two nieces, aged two and four, were made to watch the murder, and were found spattered with her blood.
In Turkey, 'Honor Killing' Follows Families to Cities Women Are Victims Of Village Tradition (click on)
By Molly Moore
Washington Post
Foreign Service
Wednesday, August 8, 2001; Page A01
ISTANBUL -- By Sait Kina's way of thinking, his 13-year-old daughter brought nothing but dishonor to his family: She talked to boys on the street, she ran away from home, she was the subject of neighborhood gossip.
Two months ago, when she tried to run away yet again, Kina grabbed a kitchen knife and an ax and stabbed and beat the girl until she lay dead in the blood-smeared bathroom of the family's Istanbul apartment.
He then commanded one of his daughters-in-law to clean up the mess. When his two sons came home from work 14 hours later, he ordered them to dispose of the 5-foot-3 corpse, which had been wrapped in a carpet and a blanket. The girl's head had been so mutilated, police said, it was held together by a knotted cloth.
"I fulfilled my duty," Kina told police after he was arrested, according to investigators' reports presented in the court case against the father and his two sons. "We killed her for going out with boys."
Girl killed over love song (click on)
By ALEX PEAKEA YOUNG Asian woman was murdered for bringing disgrace on her family — after they heard a love song had been dedicated to her on a radio station, cops said yesterday.
The so-called honour killing was probed by West Yorkshire Police — but they met a wall of silence in the girl’s Pakistani community.
A conference in London was told yesterday the girl, in her late teens or early 20s, was taken abroad and probably murdered in Pakistan.
The conference on honour killings heard 117 deaths and disappearances of Asian women are being re-investigated.
Heshu Yones, 16, from Acton, West London, was stabbed 11 times by her dad before he slit her throat.
Her Kurdish Muslim father, jailed for life for murder in 2002, said he had to kill her because she formed a relationship with a Lebanese Christian.
"David and Layla" (click on)
In New York, it's love at first sight when hip TV producer David first lays eyes on voluptuous Layla - a mysterious, sensual dancer. Layla turns out to be a Kurdish Muslim refugee. Advised by his ironic French cameraman, David's attempts to woo Layla eventually succeed. But his family is dead against it, as is hers! Layla is faced with deportation. She must choose: Muslim Dr. Ahmad or Jewish David? Meanwhile, David's TV show playfully explores the correlation between sex, spice, joie de vivre, and politics! Will David and Layla follow their hearts to blast through centuries of religious animosity and war?
"Layla" by Bob Dylan (No. Tonight is not about Israel. Exactly.)
What'll you do when you get lonely
And nobody's waiting by your side?
You've been running and hiding much too long.
You know it's just your foolish pride.
Layla, you've got me on my knees.
Layla, I'm begging, darling please.
Layla, darling won't you ease my worried mind.
I tried to give you consolation
When your old man had let you down.
Like a fool, I fell in love with you,
Turned my whole world upside down.
Let's make the best of the situation
Before I finally go insane.
Please don't say we'll never find a way
And tell me all my love's in vain.
Let's make the best of the situation
Before I finally go insane.
Please don't say we'll never find a way
And tell me all my love's in vain.
Let's make the best of the situation
Before I finally go insane.
Please don't say we'll never find a way
And tell me all my love's in vain.
And nobody's waiting by your side?
You've been running and hiding much too long.
You know it's just your foolish pride.
Layla, you've got me on my knees.
Layla, I'm begging, darling please.
Layla, darling won't you ease my worried mind.
I tried to give you consolation
When your old man had let you down.
Like a fool, I fell in love with you,
Turned my whole world upside down.
Let's make the best of the situation
Before I finally go insane.
Please don't say we'll never find a way
And tell me all my love's in vain.
Let's make the best of the situation
Before I finally go insane.
Please don't say we'll never find a way
And tell me all my love's in vain.
Let's make the best of the situation
Before I finally go insane.
Please don't say we'll never find a way
And tell me all my love's in vain.
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