race underpins

It's not culturally acceptable to name these motives explicitly but, just as the war on drugs is a war on race, as is making people without homes criminals, so is the outrage in support of Palestinians part of hating Jews – race, all of it, the other …

Occupy National Gathering

I am not going to Sacramento. The Occupy national gathering next month is in a familiar place. Attending would renew my interest in the movement I say I mourn for. I know the route, well, most of it and I can look up the directions where the signage isn't clear and twice or thrice I went way out of my way. I know the every-hour rest stops. I think I can drive that far. There's an Embassy Suites within walking distance of the meeting park. I have reward points. There is availability. I can visit with Jennifer and Catherine. Well, maybe I can't drive. I can take Amtrak. I can take the over-the-hill bus and Amtrak. I can wheel my suitcase. I can walk to the Santa Cruz stop and I can walk from the Sacramento stop. But it will be 100 in the daytime. I will need my cart for water and what not. I can FedEx my stuff and only take the cart on the bus and train. Meetings will be in the evenings. I will be in bed and miss out. Meetings will be loud and jostling. I will not be heard. Meetings will be recriminatory. I will be sad. There will be oppression. Maybe danger. Will there be vision? Will there be hope? I will punish myself for caring and organizing to go with the disappointment if there are not results and connections. The hardships outweigh the maybes. I am not going to Sacramento.

the residue from coercion

After force came fear, then sharp, now subtle. Fear of acting boldly, fear of sharing sadness, fear of thinking oddly. Who might have been, lost chances to dare and fail; who became, found self as advocacy example. Now, old, fear of insistent elder care. A residue of distrust.

$160

I have several times now seen on TV an AT&T phone plan ad, up to four family members, for $160 a month. Only $160 says the gentle female ad voice. Only. Taxes not mentioned. So likely only $175 a month. I thought 'only' was for offers that end in 99. Vendor tricks. People with so much income that they could take on that much overhead. Only a few thousand dollars a year. For phones.

In old age the upper beak of an eagle grows gradually longer and more crooked, such that the bird slowly dies of starvation.

Adapting to the sixth extinction

Humans are adapting to living in the midst of the sixth extinction by adapting our relationship to time. We have widened the geographic expansion lens to include building islands in the ocean and inhabiting space while we shorten the time focus. Not only has the value of seven generations back and forward slipped away, all other consequences are seen via short term. 10 years is the longest government plans for. Fast to market with a good-enough product, goods cheaper to replace than repair, … I'm sure you can add lots more examples. Please add them in the comments.

Choosing to die by not drinking or eating

In old age the upper beak of an eagle grows gradually longer and more crooked, such that the bird slowly dies of starvation.