How odd that my recent mutterings re. Dick Fosbury should find an echo in this poem by Milton Acorn.
When you’re caught in an eight-foot boat —seaworthy
though—
You’ve got to turn your back, for a man rows backwards
Taking direction from the sting of rain and spray.
How odd, when you think of it, that a man rows backwards!
It is always a pleasure to take a walk through Wood s Lot and find this kind of thing…
Air America Radio will launch today. Thanks to Penny Lane (sp?) for the link.
March 21, 2024
Dear Friends and Family,
For the first few days after I got home from Colombia last Thursday, my whole being-mind, body and spirit-was numb. When I realized that I really had had no time to process during my trip all that I experienced, I
understood why. So I read novels, played with my son and slept. Now, a week later, I am doing much better, although I think figuring out what to make of my experience and what it means for me will take months. What follows are some of the highlights of my trip and some initial reflections.
Jonathon,
In Berkeley we had a new kitchen crafted by masters. Nicholas and his partner had learned carpentry from Japanese temple builders. They were of the persuasion that first you find the right trees for the site. Timber for the north wall will be from trees that grew on the north slope — that sort of thing… it has more to do with practical matters like the grain of the wood than it has to do with any metaphysical nonsense like the Chinese art of feng shui.
The house was old and had settled on its foundation and no angles were right angles and no ceilings were planes parallel to the floors. So it was good that the carpenters who were rebuilding the kitchen were trained in the use of Japanese hand tools.
The green marble for the back splash and the island had been rescued from the old Crocker Bank building in San Francisco. Nicholas polished it by hand. The cabinets were maple and the counters were a green formica that matched the marble and had maple nosing. The trim was immaculately joined, and looking at the ceiling you wouldn’t know that one end of the room was fully three inches higher than the other end, the crown molding was so cunningly proportioned.
When at the end of the project, we looked around and could find no flaw, none, Nicholas took a power drill and put a hole in the counter near the sink. Then he trimmed a piece of hard maple to fit the hole and tapped it into place.
“Nothing should be perfect,” he said.
The Federal Elections Commission, a Bush puppet theater, is concerned that America Coming Together (ACT) wants to raise money to elect progressive candidates and throw Bush out. Here are some of the reasons they’re afraid:
The people of Alabama are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Over 15% of Alabamans are living in poverty. Almost 43% of Alabama’s children are poor.
The people of Alaska are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Almost 9% of Alaskans are living in poverty. Almost 31% of Alaska’s children are poor.
The people of California are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Almost 13% of Californians living in poverty. Almost 42% of California’s children are poor.
The people of Colorado are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Over 9% of Colorado residents are living in poverty. Almost 32% of Colorado’s children are poor.
The people of Connecticut are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Almost 8% of Connecticut’s citizens are living in poverty. Almost 28% of Connecticut’s children are poor.
The people of Delaware are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Almost 8% of Delaware’s citizens are living in poverty. Almost 28% of Delaware’s children are poor.
The people of Georgia are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Over 12% of Georgians are living in poverty. Almost 40% of Georgia’s children are poor.
The people of Hawaii are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Over 11% of Hawaiians are living in poverty. Over 35% of Hawaii’s children are poor.
The people of Idaho are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Over 11% of Idaho’s people are living in poverty. Over 40% of Idaho’s children are poor.
The people of Illinois are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Almost 12% of Illinois citizens are living in poverty. Almost 35% of Illinois’s children are poor.
The people of Indiana are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Almost 9% of Indianans are living in poverty. Almost 35% of Indiana’s children are poor.
The people of Kansas are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Over 10% of Kansans are living in poverty. Almost 33% of Kansas’s children are poor.
The people of Kentucky are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Over 13% of Kentucky citizens are living in poverty. Almost 41% of Kentucky’s children are poor.
The people of Louisiana are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Almost 17% Louisianans are living in poverty. Almost 50% of Louisiana’s children are poor.
The people of Maryland are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Over 7% of Marylanders are living in poverty. Over 22% of Maryland’s children are poor.
The people of Massachusetts are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Almost 10% of Massachusetts citizens are living in poverty. Almost 31% of Massachusetts’s children are poor.
The people of Mississippi are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Almost 19% of Mississippians are living in poverty. Almost 50% of Mississippi’s children are poor.
Montana’s people are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Over 13% of Montanans are living in poverty. Almost 44% of Montana’s children are poor.
The people of Nebraska are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Ten percent of Nebraskans are living in poverty. Almost 32% of Nebraska’s children are poor.
The people of New Jersey are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Eight percent of New Jersey residents are living in poverty. Over 25% of New Jersey’s children are poor.
The people of New York are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Over 14% of New Yorkers are living in poverty. Almost 40% of New York’s children are poor.
The people of North Carolina are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Over 13% of North Carolinians are living in poverty. Almost 42% of North Carolina’s children are poor.
The people of North Dakota are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Almost 13% of North Dakotans are living in poverty. Over 37% of North Dakota’s children are poor.
The people of Oklahoma are suffering under GOP fiscal policies. Over 14% of Oklahomans are living in poverty. 47% of Oklahoma’s children are poor.
…and the list goes on. I can see why Bush/Cheney/Rice/Rumsfeld would want to limit ACT’s voter registration drive.
… generally thought to be a good thing except when discussing feline behavior.
Jon Carroll says…
You want a real measure of the digital divide? According to the BBC, 80 percent of the people in the world have never heard a dial tone.
Okay fine. But where is Mark Morford, modeling an orange jump suit in Gtmo for his recent take on Gay Marriage maybe?