Occupy Missoula, Saturday, Nov 19, 2011

Representatives of the 99% expanded their encampment on the courthouse lawn, Saturday, with the arrival of a large military tent. Occupiers, and other members of the movement, worked together in a convivial tent-raising.

Guess what: There is no Them. There is no one but us humans on the planet, and all those lines dividing us are fictions, created by war-makers to help them sell product. 

Caveat: Plants and animals also share the planet with us and deserve more consideration than they usually get, since western culture conquered most indigenous peoples.

The original Diogenes was searching for an honest man. This Diogenes would be satisfied with a little truth, but hasn't found enough to satisfy. Does anybody out there believe the mainstream media news version of what's happening in the world? This is beyond right/left, conservative/liberal, Republican/Democrat. The same rich assholes, who lied us into war and wrecked our economy with their greed, own big portions of mainstream media. One must search for the truth through a wilderness of lies, ads, hype and bullshit to get real news.

Yes, it's obvious O'Reilly and other Fox News talking heads get paid big bucks to lie to the people. It should be added, however, that anyone who thinks CNN is any better is deluded.

There are some bright lights to remember. Since laughter is the best medicine, Jon Stewart, Bill Maher, the Colbert Report and others are doing important work in the media. Amy Goodman carries on, shining light in the dark places where most are afraid to go. Amy can be seen on Democracy Now! on Missoula's MCAT cable station, M-F, at 6am and repeated at 10am. The program can be heard on KBGA 89.9 FM, M-F, 11am to noon.

Wikileaks has to be mentioned. This organization gave us more information about how our government and military really operate than most U.S. citizens could handle. The financial arms of the military-industrial complex quickly moved to cut off their funding. Bank of America, my ass, Bank of Pure Unadulterated Greed is more like it.

See that story here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15434493

I want to talk about the Keystone XL Pipeline. The slick campaign to push this boondoggle through must be repudiated. First, the tar sand extraction process is causing the biggest ecological disaster in Canada's History. Second, the pipeline would run from Montana's Canadian border to Texas refineries and to the Texas ports, where they will ship it to international markets.

This project is NOT about creating jobs and securing energy independence. It's about health of citizens and mother earth taking a back seat to profits for oily Texas millionaires. If the pipeline goes through, more money will flow to the elite few, who already have too much.  

Obama says he personally will make the decision about the pipeline rather than leave it to the State Department, and will delay his decision 12-18 months. Some folks claim this as a good thing, since the State Department seemed ready to rubber stamp the deal. Obama has sold out to the rich and powerful so many times, after promising to be a president for the people, I don't trust him on this. Delaying the decision until after the election, will let him promise both sides of the issue a good result in return for their votes. One side will get hollow promises, and I suspect that's the people who oppose the pipeline. We must pressure him every way possible to say no this hideous scam.

OK, I have many subjects I could rant about, but I will stop there. There is going to be more of this type of thing on this blog. I hope so anyway, because I haven't blogged or flickr'd much lately. The movement and a woman have taken most of my attention and time. I do have some music photos taken and never even downloaded. Maybe, soon...

Olshittay visits Bob Wire @Union Club

Linden How, of MAM, turned the camera on the old kitchen poet, when he visited the Union Club to see Bob Wire.


"When Johnny showed up late to work and called his boss a fucking jerk, his boss could smell the whiskey on his breath."



Bob Wire is always a hoot, and the dance floor at the Union Club fills quickly with his fans. For more images from this night, check the flickr archive and click the slide show toggle.




All right already. Yes, I heard complaints there was nothing new on the blog. I have been a little out of it, after having my camera stop working again and then falling on the ice. I'm coming around. I'm learning to use the new loaner from a friend. All these images came from that camera. I have approximately 90 minutes of Zeppo video to look at. I've downgraded that project from a 30 minute television spot to a 3-5 minute Youtube video, when I get around to editing it. That will be quicker and easier, and when I have one I like, I should have enough material to make another.

I have a collection of my photography called "Summer Colors Cure Winter Blues" within a whisker of being ready to show and sell. It is a collection of summer things, butterflies, flowers, birds, bees and dragonflies, some of them very close up and personal. I'm also finally working seriously on an exhibition of my photography covering the zootown music scene. It will be a survey of 2008, starting with the PBR battle of the bands in the spring. I have some poster-sized test prints coming back from Fuji any day.

Amanda wants a cover for her next CD, and Wolf Redboy wants two shots for inside his CD. Things are looking up.

Disclaimer: It should be obvious, but let me state plainly that none of the Martin Luther King tribute, posted immediately before this, was original with me. The words were all the preacher's own, and I stole the photos from Time/Warner, the guys who bought Turner, turned CNN into People Magazine and sank Netscape, the dandiest little web browser ever made.

I miss Netscape. I've mentioned more than once here how much I hate Windows protocols and refuse to use Internet Explorer. Now, I am increasingly annoyed with Mozilla, the constant updates, the orphaned password banks created by the updates, and the increasing slowness as more gadgets are added. I wax nostalgic for some old school, elegeant and simple software. I don't want programs designed to do everything but wash the dishes.

Speaking of simplicity reminds me of the latest from Ching. The oracle says; "Manifest plainness; embrace simplicity. Modesty, patience, fairness and generosity are called for here. Blossoming and Ripening will follow."

That last line is a reminder the solstice has passed and spring is on the horizon. There will be planting soon and flowers leading to the harvest. This is also a metaphor of truthful seeds growing in our minds, and the ripening of relationships with fellow humans, animals and plants.