George Weller

I picked up a book on tape at the Library called "First Into Nagasaki: The Censored Eyewitness Dispatches on Post Atomic Japan and It's Prisoners of War." The book is about the dispatches of George Weller, the first American who snuck into Nagasaki about a month after the U.S. had dropped the second atomic bomb there.

In these dispatches, he talks a lot about the illness that followed the bombing. As well as the radiation did not stay at lethal levels as long as was projected. Radiation effects the blood. The blood is thinned, as in it reduces blood quantities in red and white cells. It also in many cases kills platelets, which are the parts that give blood the ability to clot.

Geoge Weller, when asked about the bombing of Nagasaki, would also mention that it has to be taken in with bombings like that of Tokyo, where the U.S. killed over 100,000 people in a single evening.

War crime? Yes. The Japanese were willing to surrender a year prior with one condition, that the emperor remain emperor. The U.S. wanted unconditional surrender, yet, let the emperor remain emperor. What's up with that? Thousands, millions of lives could have been spared if the U.S. would have accepted the terms originally. Of course, they wouldn't have been able to drop their wonderful new little toys to terrorize the U.S.S.R., either.

As well, George Weller was the first to inform many prisoners of war that the war was over. Many did not know, and there were many slave labor camps ran by the Japanese military and their wealthy (like Prescott Bush benefitting directly from Auschwitz slave labor). These were mostly prisoners of war, but some were civilians.

We all know of the Bataan Death March, though could probably not name a single event that happened during that time or how it came about, let alone any that died or survived (I can't). Nor would most even be able to mention the fact that there were 99 American nurses in that battle of the Phillipines and it was the first time in modern military history that women nurses were in battlefield situations. ("We Band of Angels: The Untold Story of American Nurses Trapped on Bataan by the Japanese," by Elizabeth M. Norman). Censorship and American short term memory are wonderful tools for the wealthy to trick us into continuing the horrific behaviors of war for them to gain more wealth and glory for themselves. And I bet most of you never heard of "The Death Cruise" either. The one that George Weller got the story of from some of the prisoners is the only known well detailed story of one of the MANY Japanese Military death cruises. It reminds me of how the British military housed their Scots prisoners after Culloden, in prison cells for months where they were barely fed and forced to live in their own excrement and amongst their dead. Serious stomach turning stuff, if I had a weaker stomach, which I don't. But it is also history that doesn't even warrant a footnote in this nation, for some reason. As is pointed out by George Weller, this is the only well documented "Death Cruise." There are no documented cases of the "Death Cruises" for the comfort women, forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military.

And then, there is the "King of the Censors," (like Peter Brzika is "The King of the Cutthroats" from the Catholic ran death camp called Jasenovac in Croatia) the American military.

Seen here without his pipe, hat, and glasses, is good ole Dugout Doug, aka Douglas McCarthur. Doug earned the name "Dugout Doug" because he ABANDONED his men on Corregidor after the long hard battle of Bataan and the retreat to the Island of Corregidor. Doug managed to catch himself a boat to Australia to save his own ass, instead of attempting to get those men who fought to protect each other and his lousy worthless ass off the island as well. Dugout ABANDONED his men and his post.

Thus the Bataan Death March and the Death Cruises that followed. Cruises that took prisoners to Japan to be slave labor for the wealthy in horrifically unsafe conditions of the coal mines near Nagasaki. In the case of the Death Cruise recorded by George Weller of the survivors that made it to Japan and those that made it through the mines, torture, and slave labor, there were 1600+ prisoners who were carried out of the Phillipines, only about 450 made it to Japan, 267 came out alive. Most of those killed were killed by friendly fire. (The last surviving marine from Wake Island, was killed by a food drop of Spam, of all things). Even though Dugout had intelligence that their were many ships with POW's aboard them, they also carried military supplies and thus, many of the POW's were killed by "friendly fire." Little known fact of American History.

More importantly, however, the general that ABANDONED his men and his post to save his own glorious ass and create the lie of a mystique of himself being a great man, Dugout Doug, CENSORED the dispatches of George Weller. There could be many reasons for this. One is that Dugout didn't like anyone disobeying his post abandoning ass. Dugout was a pretty arrogant self-righteous bastard willing to sacrifice many Americans as well as enemy to make himself look good. George Weller did not OBEY his prince in order to get out information and truth that he believed needed to be carried to the people. George was a reporter, a real reporter, not these stupid asses you see that get the stories they are told to get in order to create careers for themselves without ever having to put those careers on the line to, say, get out some of the dirty truths that create this world.

Dugout also had a grasp of human thinking. People want to forget attrocities. When they do, Dugout and his likes can then raise themselves to glorious positions like "prince" on the expense of those that actually put themselves on the line. If all of America knew what happens to prisoners of war, they may not want to sign up for horrific military service because they don't want to torture nor be tortured. People may rethink war, and then folks like Dugout wouldn't be considered the great people they like to believe they are.

Did you know that Dugout Doug, Douglas McCarthur, also allied himself with the infamous Japanese military unit, Unit 731. This unit did medical experiments on POW's and other prisoners, mostly to see how much torture folks would take before they actually died. Dugout pardoned many of these folks so he could get the information of torture. Why? So we could have things like the H-blocks in Northern Ireland, Agu Ghraib in Iraq, Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, etc. I'm not saying Dugout Doug is the sole person responsible for this, I am saying he played a rather pivotal role in a societal norm that folks like to PRETEND doesn't happen. Civilization...wonderful stuff!

Knowing that Dugout and the U.S. military were censors, and pretty much ALL militaries are censors (not wanting to get truth to the people because the people just might do something about this crap), it is safe to say that the censors are heavily at work within the U.S. government, military, and in all war actions like those in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is safe to assume that tortures are going on far beyond the reports that we the people were not supposed to hear (thank you Seymour Hersch). That war crimes are happening far beyond what we hear about. That the wealthy, like the 200+ U.S. corporations that helped fund the Nazis during the war, are making billions off of the backs of the victims of the U.S. led genocides in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as our own folks. That you will remember those that like to call themselves heroes, like Tommy Franks, before you would remember names like Darrell Anderson who admitted his war crimes in Iraq to the public, even though he signed a document that makes him LEGALLY BOUND not to talk about these things to the public, FORCED upon him by the U.S. military. We the people are not getting the information that we need to make decisions about what our government is doing, and most of us are rather content with that.

The media doesn't even have to be cencorsed. They self-censor. They know what the government and the wealthy want out, they know how to propagandize in order to keep the people supporting the same deadly system.

And we the people? Most Americans, as pointed out by George Weller, see the U.S. as "There is the U.S., and everything outside our borders are seen as the others." Most Americans have a very limited sense of self and entitlement. Most U.S. citizens have a limited sense of history, and pretty much like it that way. We have many privileges here. Many things to distract us from what is really going on in the world. I mean...

Oh...Look at the time. I have to catch the Chess Boxing Match on ESPN...

Life is Gonna Get Interesting

Let's see:

Somali pirates have captured another tanker, making their collection 17 ships they are holding hostage.

Mumbai, as I'm sure you all know, has definitely made a severe dent in the global financial system.

The global financial system is failing, and please do not believe that it won't get worse and definitely do not believe it will be over in just a couple of years.

There has been a cyber attack on pentagon computers.

Life is going to get real interesting.

Another Genocide Cover-Up Day Under Our Belts

Another "Genocide Cover-Up Day" is under out belts.

Genocide is still occurring. One of our main topics was that the crime of genocide is seen under a narrow scope and many don't even know exactly what it is.

We also talked with Gilbert Towner and Judy Fry, a couple of Tututun elders. Along with Shusli, they brought a more local flavor to the crime of genocide and how it effects indigenous peoples today.

My favorite quote, and hopefully Shusli and others will comment here with theirs: "Ouch! That hurts! Now cut that out!" We can open the door to a discussion of genocide here, if you all would like.

Shusli, Jim Craven, Me, and Eli were at the mics. The engineer was Richard Ullom. The coffee maker was Devon. Kathleen Stephenson graciously opened the door for this program to take place. The callers were mighty awesome, along with one of the folks, Reverend Jim Dancing Trout, who was one of the original founders of this program.

Let's all do what we can to end the crime of genocide.

James Craven, Blackfoot Solicitor General, Economics Teacher, Head of the Business Department at Clark College.

Shusli Johnson. Tututun activist. She works tirelessly in struggles to regain her peoples landbase along the Rogue River, as well as Loves her amazing children.

Shusli's son. Talented young musician, former forest fire fighter, and all round amazing human being.

Louis Sowa. Current host of "Indian World."

Three members of the gang of four during the program and discussion.

Me.

Happy Birthday Ishmael Beah

Today is Ishmael Beah's birthday, author of "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier." This is a very sobering work about war. War at its coldest and meanest. It is a book that one and all should read, especially arm chair warriors that like to support war without ever having to participate in one. "Never support a war you are not willing to take up arms in and fight in yourself because you are asking others to do your killing for you." If you think war is a worthwhile action and you can bend your index finger, go sign up and do your own killing.

Ishmael now lives in the U.S. When interviewed him over a year ago, he was working on helping other former boy soldiers and trying to stop the use of children in the military.

Genocide Cover-Up Day

On Thursday (also known as Thanksgiving Day), Shusli, Jim Craven, and I will be hosting "Genocide Cover-Up Day" on KBOO, 90.7fm here in Portland. At www.kboo.fm on the internet.

This is an annual program started by Theresa Mitchell about 15 years ago to discuss the genocide of Indians as well as genocides that have and still do occurr all over the world. We will open the phone lines and discuss these issues with you. What does genocide look like? How do we stop this crime from happening anymore?

Why do we do it on Thanksgiving Day? Well, Thanksgiving did not start as an annual holiday in 1621 for the union of colonizers and colonized, it started in 1676 as a celebration of slaughtering Indians. Thus, Theresa started "Genocide Cover-Up Day," and Shusli, Jim, and I carry on that tradition annually in remembrance, in creating awareness, and in the desire to end this horrific crime once and for all.

Here is a good web page for debunking such myths as thanksgiving, as well as others. Also read this interesting essay on the history of Thanksgiving by Julia White.

Then, feast with your families, be thankful for all you have, be thankful for the fight in your heart (whcih comes in many forms), and struggle to change the world.

Automobile

I was listening to Randi Roades with my wife, Shusli, as we were driving down the road the other day. She was talking about how the big three automakers had done all they could to destroy ideas of cars getting great gas mileage. The government was in collusion giving tax breaks to folks who bought huge SUV's. The oil biz was in it because more oil gets used and thus more billionaires make more money. Now, with world views changing rapidly, folks no longer see it as sensible to buy a huge gas guzzling big three machine when they can't afford the gas to put in it, despite the tax breaks. Gas guzzlers were making oil billionaires and auto manufacturers billions in short term gains.

I remembered reading years ago how automakers always worked to crush fuel effecient cars and transportation systems for their own personal gain. There used to be a trolley system here in Portland. It was fuel effecient and helped a lot of folks. A corporation bought it up, ran it into the ground, etc., so tire manufacturers, bus and car manufacturers, and oil companies could make gazillions in short term gains. Sure the folks suffer lightly to greatly because of the decisions of these greed heads, but who cares! The millionaires and billionaires are just fine and dandy and have lots of wealth, health care, food to eat, many roofs over their heads, etc., and we all know that is what really counts. Your health care doesn't count. Whether or not you can provide food for your family is YOUR PROBLEM AND FAULT, not the problem and fault of the wealthy who have stolen everything from you and blame your sorry ass.

I don't know about you folks, but I've been playing the moves over and over in my head, and I don't see any gains to be made by the wealthy anymore. I don't see that if the big three pull their heads out and make fuel effecient cars that their would be anyone to buy them. I don't see what giving billions to billionaires to do with as they will is gonna keep the folks from starving to death in the streets and stay warm and clothed in the winter. Does anybody have any idea how they might be able to pull this off, because I just am not seeing it? Folks keep saying that things are gonna turn back around in a year or so but no one tells me how this is gonna happen. I don't see how it can. Does anyone?

Speaking of the Blood of Our Children...

The GM parts plant Jamestown Industries in Moraine, Ohio IS closing down on December 23.

Even IF the U.S. hands billions to the big 3 like they handed billions to billionaire bankers, Tony Murphy, pictured here, is still gonna lose his job 2 days before Christmas. Merry F***ing Christmas fromt he U.S. government.

The actions NOT taken by the U.S. government WILL CAUSE the suffering that will be felt by Tony, his CHILDREN, his GRANDCHILDREN, etc. Folks will die because of these actions. The U.S. government is willing to sacrifice men, women, and children in order to fill the coffers of the bank accounts of the wealthy. Soon, the only good paying jobs there will be will be protecting the wealthy from folks such as Tony and those the wealthy have made suffer, like the Somali's, Indians, Phillipinos, East Indians, Iraqis, Pakistanis, Afghanis, and even U.S. citizens. Why, I wonder, would the U.S. give billions to billionaire bankers and not the Auto Industry? Well, here is a possible reason in my perspective.

The biggest problem in the way of billionaires robbing the poor to fill their bank accounts, is that the working class in the U.S. have RIGHTS! When employees have rights, that means millionaires and billionaires have to share their ill gotten gain with the folks that helped them make it. One of the strongest unions in the U.S. is the United Auto Workers, which will be CRUSHED by the collapse of the auto industry. What this will create is a class of worker willing to work for a pittance so the wealthy can have even more wealth than the billions just given to them of our tax dollars. The biggest expense to any corporation is the cost or production put out to the workers in payroll. Crush the workers and you can exploit them greatly. They will work for little to nothing as long as what they get can keep their families alive.

The best jobs, of course, will be protecting the wealthy from the folks at the bottom who REALIZE that such is the reason for their distress. Folks will organize and fight back. Thus, folks will be disarmed or outgunned by the folks who will be paid to protect the wealthy from those who want their piece of the pie.

I could be wrong, but this is a common pattern amongs the wealthy, as seen in the previous post about the Somali Pirates.

In my opinion, one useful thing to do would be to organize our communities. We need to fulfill our basic needs and then some, and we need to fight back and take back the ill gotten gain the billionaires have received at our expense. Time will tell, but the situation in the world is making it ripe for...

REVOLUTION AND CHANGE!

GO PIRATES!

No, not the Pittsburgh Pirates. I don't follow sports. I don't even know if it is baseball season, to be honest. I'm talking about...

THE SOMALI PIRATES!

As some of you, I'm sure, are aware, Somali's have taken hold of one of the largest ever hijacked vehicles ever, an oil tanker called the Sirius Star which is Saudi owned. They have recently, over the last two days, hijacked 3 more ships, and I'm hearing the number of ships they have hijacked and ransomed is somewhere over 60.

Check these pirates out in action in the photo here.

I haven't heard of these actions until recently, when Shusli mentioned the hijacking of the oil tanker a few days ago. So I started reading. In all the articles I have read, there has been no mention of why, other than ransoming. I just knew there had to be more. There just had to be because they weren't quoting any pirates or representatives thereof. Sounded somewhat like a cover up. Well...IT WAS.

Turns out that a few years prior to the civil war, many Euro and other corporations starting signing illegal pacts to dump their toxic waste off the coast of Somalia. These were amped up during the civil war, another FLAGRANT violation of international law by the Swiss and other Euro nations.

After the Tsunami in 2004, thousands of barrels of toxic waste dumped mostly by European companies ILLEGALLY off the coast of Somalia washed ashore and thousands of Somalis because sick from the toxic waste.

Euro's have ADMITTED to their illegal actions, yet still claim that the actions the Somali's are taking are not the way to go about things. Why is that? Would talking stop them? Would asking nicely, "HEY, EURO CORPORATE ASSHOLES, WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP KILLING OUR PEOPLE?" Would that have stopped them? No! In fact, not even the piracy thus far has seemed to stop these criminal actions by Euro's and other nations.

Now, there is a pattern to this. You see, the same shit happens in Indian Country here in the states. When Shusli and I were at the Indigenous Environmental Network Conference in Minnesota in 2006, we heard many a story from mostly people in the Southwest region of toxic wastes dumped on their nation by corporations signing pacts with corrupt tribal governments. So, what is the pattern here?

Wealthy folks not only create wealth by robbing the poor, they create it by cutting costs. When dumping waste, it is CHEAPER to do so on land that is unregulated and thus they corporations can get away with criminal behaviors that kill and harm people while filling their already vast bank accounts. The wealthy get wealthier, and the poor get sicker and die. A few people in the middle make a few bucks via corruption and can avoid the toxic areas because they can afford to move away from the toxic lands.

Same with Somalia. Wealthy corporations and the wealthy people that run them can pay as little as $2.50 a ton for their ILLEGAL dumping, where as if they did so legally in their own nations it would cost up to $1000.00 a ton. Thus, the wealthy make $9997.50 by dumping it illegally off of the coast of Somalia. Of course, there is all the illness, death, and enviornmental destruction that they cause...BUT WHO CARES! Somalia is a nation most folks know little about and here in the U.S., most folks consider a terrorist nation because of that crappy movie, "Blackhawk Down."

So, let me cheer on the Somali pirates...

GO PIRATES GO!

And may more pirates be created all over the world in order to protect the people from the wealthy that would gladly force us all to suffer so they can fill their bank accounts with our blood and the blood of our children.

Bash Back

"Bash Back" has proudly proclaimed their vandalism of a mormon church in Olympia, Washington and their declaration has appeared on Indy Media.

Because I am not allowed to post on Indy Media (for calling racist anti-Makah whaling vegans on their racism, if I remember the occurence correctly), I will articulate the comments I made on the Indy Media forum that were not posted because of my current status of not being allowed to post there.

The mormon church dumped a bunch of money into anti-gay marriage campaigns. They claim it is immoral. Let's take a look at the definition I found on an online dictionary before we move ahead:

of, pertaining to, or concerned with the principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong; ethical: moral attitudes.

That out of the way:

The mormon church and many other such organizations have put up a lot of money and a lot of voice into burning fear into the souls of their followers and others that somehow Gays and Lesbians getting married will somehow destroy their ways of life. They claim this is a moral issue.

The mormon church, one of many christian types of organizations, have repeatedly covered up large amounts of sexual abuse of children through their clergy and parisioners. Much of this abuse is male adults raping male children. Their are many cover-ups and court cases that are settled out of court. So, via complicity, it can be stated that mormons believe that gays and lesbians getting married is WRONG, but raping children (adult male on child male, adult female on child female, and all the rest of the combinations) is indeed, moral. Gays and Lesbians: WRONG! Raping children: RIGHT! If it was considered WRONG by the mormon church to rape children, they would actually do something to systematically stop this attrocity from happening within their organization. Covering it up is not stopping the crime!

Same with the catholics who also state that being Gay and Lesbian is wrong and therefore those folks shouldn't be allowed to marry. However, through the massive amounts of evidence and court cases (a big one here in Portland recently), many catholic priests are known to be pedophiles, including adult male raping child male. Since this IS KNOWN from bottom to top of the organization, including the Baby Brown Shirt Pope, Ratzinger, it MUST be assumed that the rape of children by clergy and parissioners within the catholic organization is RIGHT, while being Gay and Lesbian is WRONG! Wanna see a great documentary about this? "Deliver Us from Evil," is a great documentary which follows a catholic priest child molester. They talk with his victims and the heartless assholes that covered up his crime as well as the priest himself. Catholics must believe that raping children is RIGHT because they don't do anything to stop this systematic crime within their organization. Yet, they deem it a moral failure to be Gay and Lesbian and thus such folks should not be allowed to marry. Hmmm!

For those of you who don't know this, the vatican signed the Lateran Treaty with Italy in the early '30's and another treaty with the Nazi's of Germany a year later, brining the fascists to power in those nations. Those nations committed genocide against Jews, Sinti, Romani, Gays, Lesbians, and others. Therefore, it must be RIGHT, and thus MORAL, to commit genocide according to the ACTIONS of the catholic church and their genocidal head currently known as Ratzinger. Genocide: MORAL! Gay and Lesbian marriage: IMMORAL!

As you can see, there is a fundamental irony within these organizations as they pour money into anti-Gay and Lesbian measures while allowing child rape and genocide within their organizations.

The mother of a friend of mine was kidnapped from her people and forced into the mormon organization where she was thusly raped on a regular basis. Must have been moral to the mormons because they did nothing about this.

I've heard that many Latino's and Blacks voted against Gay and Lesbian marriage as well. A friend of mine authored the Blackfoot Constitution which stated within it that folks had a RIGHT to their sexuality, including Gays and Lesbians. This was initially argued against by the elders. He told them that to oppress other oppressed groups is to diminish ones own oppression.

Oppressed groups oppressing other oppressed groups does the work for "the man" so "the man" doesn't have to. While we are busy fighting amongst ourselves, "the man" just stole $950,000,000,000 from us. Oppressed people, you are pointing our aggrivation in the wrong direction in my opinion.

"Bash Back," I admire your work. However, I must admit that stupid people enjoy remaining stupid, so I don't know if the vandalism you performed did any actual changing of hearts, but maybe, JUST MAYBE, you got a few people to think. That would be good, especially amongst a population of folks who allow others to do their thinking for them.

Vegan Indy Media types: You all know my opinion of you already!

The Big Three

So America's big three automakers are on a huge downslide, and it looks like the U.S. government, who just GAVE AWAY $950,000,000,000 to bankers are not about to do a giveaway or even loans (as of yet) to the Big Three (Ford, GM, and Chrysler), which means up to 1.5 million jobs could be lost in the next year.

In gleaning this yahoo article about the crisis, I read this itty bitty quote I found rather interesting:

Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., told the leaders of GM, Chrysler and Ford that the industry was "seeking treatment for wounds that were largely self-inflicted."

Yet the exact same is true for the banking industry that got their $950,000,000,000 in our tax money (less money for infrastructure and social programs). They knew what they were doing could cause such a problem as the U.S. and thus, the world, is now facing. But they didn't and don't care about you at the bottom. Why should they? They're multi-millionaires and billionaires. You are just a bunch of poor tax paying scum they just robbed to fill their coffers. They'll be fine, and that is all they care about. They could care less if you lose your job and don't have enough, let alone anything, to eat. They'll be eating, and that is all that matters.

So, thus far, they don't really care if U.S. auto manufacturers go under. So that 1.5 million job loss will drain tax coffers which are not really there because all that money was given to multi-millionaires and billionaires. Will there be unemployment money? Will jobs be created (if there is unemployment money) before that money runs out for the individuals?

With all the massive amounts of layoffs happening, there won't be money flowing into the economy. Without us at the bottom having capital to spend, small businesses as well as medium and big businesses will go under. This, of course, means more unemployed folks, which, of course will only add to the financial crisis the world is in.

Having given so many billions to billionaires who are the ones who created this problem, will not solve the problem. THE BANKERS CREATED THIS PROBLEM, and are getting a bailout. It is unclear to me if the automakers created their own problems, no doubt in part, but if they are gonna give billions to bankers who have created this problem, saying that NOT giving billions to automakers because they created their own problems is a bunch of BS.

Chicago Heading for Massive Layoffs

Richard Daley, mayor of Chicago, has stated recently that many corporations that employ folks in his town are planning massive layoffs over the next few months. The city will also be making cuts. The corporations plan on laying off many more people over the next year.

"Each one tells me what they're laying off, and they're going to double that next year. We're talking huge numbers of permanent layoffs for people in the economy. It's going to have a huge effect on all businesses."

Combine that with articles of how cities are begging the government for some of that billions of dollars giveaway to billionaires to be used to help maintain city infrastructure, and I'd say that the U.S. is on a rather steep downward economic slide. Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Atlanta are some of the cities mentioned.

Add to this that smaller cities like Vallejo, California, are being forced to make cutbacks in police and firefighters because they no longer have the capital in their budget to pay them nor their pensions and we are looking at some serious financial breakdown here in the U.S.

Combine this with the big 3 U.S. automakers on the verge of collapse... Can you say: OUCH!

When you look at these things, even if you are relatively uneffected by the economic downturn (using the term "relatively" loosely), we are all witnessing the effects of the economic downturn and experiencing them as well.

In our walk around this little town, Shusli and I have talked with a few of the small businesses and they are all experiencing a downturn in business.

The economy depends on ordinary folks ability to spend money. If folks can no longer afford restaurants, restaurants go out of business, and then there is less capital in the system and more unemployment. Because of gas prices and less work, folks aren't buying cars, and the big 3 are going under which means more layoffs and more people unable to purchase things and more small businesses going under and more layoffs, etc.

Because the U.S. economy is based on credit, there is very little real assets backing the U.S. financial system. Money that was borrowed was backed with other forms of credit. This has created an economy that is based on what I've heard called "a mouse click." With the current $950,000,000,000 giveaway to bankers ("giveaway," because it is virtually unregulated) relatively little amounts of that money is making it into the hands of those that need it. Thus, the economy worsens while billionaires run off with our tax dollars. Tax dollars that could have been used for police, firfighters, infrastructure, creating real jobs, etc. The good news is the millionaires and billionaires who have created this mess we are in, will have plenty of money...our money...our tax dollars. They won't be worried about eating. But they also know that an economy like the one we are in and that IS going to get worse, will create a bunch of bitter pissed off hungry people. These people usually fight amongst themselves while the wealthy continue to eat and be happy on our tax dollars that our government GAVE them. But more people, even your average anti-intellectual person, is beginning to see what this government is actually doing. Thus, people will have reason to rise up.

Since the Posse Comitatus Act has been basically thrown out by King Dick and co-King George, they will use the military to protect the wealthy from those whom they just stole all of the money from...the U.S. poor non-elites, who, of course, far outnumber them. Most of the jobs that will be created in this economy will be jobs protecting these horrific criminals from their millions, if not BILLIONS of victims. Finding people who are loyal to such monsters will be harder and harder as more people will witness their families falling apart, their communities, their neighborhoods, their friends, etc. They'll be making money, but witnessing the effects the corporate elite have IMPOSED upon the populace. That should make for a relatively shaky foundation of protection for the folks that have created this mess that we are finding ourselves in.

The story of the "Lost Boys of the Sudan" has always intrigued me. All these young boys orphaned by war wandered the desert to find any help. They helped each other out (unlike "The Lord of the Flies"). Those who were good at finding food sought out food. Those who were good at finding shelter sought out shelter. Etc. We are going to need each other more than anything during this whole process. We are going to need to take care of each other. There will be a major culture shock as those who spent their lives believing and consuming will find there is no basis in such a system. We will have to restructure. We...here at what is "perceived" as the bottom. We will have to take care of each other and make a new world for ourselves.

Feh...We'll see what happens. I could be completely full of shit, for all I know.


P.S. One more thing. I just read that Iraq and the U.S. have signed an agreement to keep 150,000 U.S. troops in Iraq for the next three years. So, this war that has taken at least $3,000,000,000,000 out of the U.S. economy will continue in order to maintain the wealth of oil billionaires while Iraq yet suffers greatly and our friends and families will continue to suffer as well. But don't forget the good news: Millionaires and billionaires will still be doing mighty fine while you and your families learn the meaning of suffering because of them. How dare you not be born with a Silver Spoon in your mouth.

P.P.S. Let's not forget the war in Afghanistan, as well as the impending wars with Iran, Russia, and North Korea. Where is all that money gonna come from when many in the U.S. will be out of jobs and not paying taxes and all of our tax money has been handed over to billionaire bankers? More borrowing on more credit? Another mouse click?

Sellwood, Etc.

Old Bank of Sellwood building, 13th and Umatilla.

The tiles at the foot of the main door to the Bank of Sellwood building.

Leas (our friend and publisher) told me some of the history around the Sellwood area of Portland. I always thought the name came from some sort of wood sales that went on in the area. Turns out that the man who created this subdivision was one Dr. Sellwood. He created it for the working man so they could have access to inexpensive housing. This was around 1898, if I remember the year correctly.

Dr. Sellwood then had the above building built. The bottom floor was a bank (now "Justin & Burke," and antique store), the top floor Dr. Sellwood ran his practice out of.

Black Cat Tavern sign.

Black Cat Tavern.

The Black Cat Tavern we are told is haunted. I brought this up with Leas, and he agreed through gritted teeth. I'm not exactly sure what that means. Shusli and I plan on visiting the place sometime in the future. It, too, is on 13th, almost across the street from the Bank of Sellwood building.

Detail of sidewalk on 13th.

This is a view of our apartments from 9th. See the view that we have? AWESOME! Not a great photo, but you get the idea.

This is the end of Linn St., with our apartment complex off to the left. Notice the width of the street. Turns out that when the neighborhood was created, they made the streets wide so the horse drawn carts could deliver furniture to the new houses. Back then, reverse with a horse drawn cart was pretty difficult, so the streets were wide so they could turn around.

Shusli is petting the greeting cat at the entrance to our apartment complex.

There is a crystal shop on 13th. The above two photographs are a few pieces they sell there. We found out the person working there is our next door neighbor. Shusli invited her over for tea sometime. Business isn't so good, and no one is happy about the government bailout which is actually billions to billionaires.

This is a little piece at New Renaissance Bookstore on Northwest 23rd in Uptown Portland, near downtown.

Here's a little stainedglass piece I couldn't resist photographing in New Ren.

Drops on Leaves

Drops on Leaf

Everything Looks Different, Now

Everything looks different.

After 3mm of hell in the form of a kidney stone
that I bouted with 6 times in 6 months,
breaking the last digit of my middle finger
at work last week
by dropping my handtruck on it
seems like nothing.
I did the owie dance for four minutes,
but still,
it isn't a kidney stone.

After working as a Certified Nursing Assistant,
understanding the difficulties in getting the license,
understanding the difficulties of the job,
loving the hard work and the people,
hating the business,
always being ON with every moment
as one has to be when taking care of a group of dimentia patients,
I have a new understanding of my old job
that I used to complain about so heavily
and now offers so little in the form of challenges
that I understand it is GRAVY!
Add to that,
understanding my wife worked as a CNA
while putting herself through nursing school
and raising her daughter
as well as facing challenges life has to offer,
and my work is SUPER GRAVY!
Add yet to that
many nurses have had similar experiences
and I feel a brand new energy at my job
that gives me joy and enthusiasm
not felt in the previous round I had there.

Moving to Coos Bay gave me a new Love of Portland.
Coos Bay doesn't have much in the form of culture,
though I'm sure it has more than it did before 2000.
Coos Bay does have the most excellent Mexican restaurant
we have ever eaten at...Marcy's.
But...
In Portland, you can go out and listen to live music
on any given night.
In Portland, there is always something to do.
In Coos Bay, such is not the case.
The natural beauty of the ocean is wonderful,
but the lack of culture and anything to do
gives me a new understanding and appreciation of Portland.
Every morning that I head to work
I cross the Marquam Bridge
which gives you a great view of the city
and I Love seeing the city buildings
lit in their morning lights
as the rain falls upon the earth.

My Love for Shusli has grown in leaps and bounds
but that is more of a personal note
and details are shared with Shusli
and not you all here.

Taking up chess again
helps me to see patterns
that were difficult to see
even though I am usually pretty proud
of my ability to recognize patterns within things.
It teaches me to see life
and the world
differently
and how to make better decisions,
how to make more efficient moves,
how to think,
try not to move to fast,
try to think, first.

Although we haven't been in the best of health
since moving back,
and we have had to face a few unexpected challenges,
I'm tellin' ya,
life is much better than I understood it to be
before moving to Coos Bay.

There are many people who live in Coos Bay
that Love that little town.
Good for them.
Living in Coos Bay taught us a Love for Portland.
Good for us!
So I thank you, Coos Bay,
for showing us an appreciation of the city of Portland
That we Love and where we belong.

Life is good! Life is really really good!
From this position,
we should be able to take a good stance,
move forward,
think,
take the time we need,
and do that all important thing...
help one another.

Coffee

While Shusli, Eli, and I were out having a nice cup of coffee last night when Eli felt inspired to take a photo of his drink. I like it.

This Was My Point

The point I am trying to make with my previous post ("Fuck You Very Much the FCC") was simply this. The word "Fuck" did not blow this little girl to pieces, a BOMB did.

The bomb that blew this child to bits was made by the U.S. wealthy. It was delivered by the U.S. government to terrorize a nation into giving up their wealth to the U.S. wealthy. The message is: "If you don't give up your wealth we'll blow your children to bits." This is REAL terrorism. The wealthy make great profits from their bombs and their use.

The wealthy own the U.S. government. The U.S. government tells its citizens that it is protecting children by creating a ban on certain words called "profane" or "vulgar." (The profane and vulgar words usually deal with natural bodily funcitons and procreation.) The reality is, however, that the banning of these words will help in their mission to crush free speech, a right allegedly handed to the citizens of this nation under its constitution. A majority of the citizenry are behind this because they BELIEVE that certain words are more harmful to children than bombs created by the wealthy. The U.S. sense of "profanity" is highly distorted.

What the wealthy are doing through their corporate owned FCC (Federal Communications Commisssion) is not protecting children from certain words, it is crushing free speech. Free speech in this nation does not come from the wealthy owned media, it comes from the media owned by the people. The media owned by the people has a propensity for telling the truth. The corporate owned media has a propensity to enertain and tell you the truth isn't as important as entertainment (watch corporate owned news).

The truth is, the wealthy gain their wealth by building such things as bombs and blowing children and others nations to bits. They do this to terrorize other nations into giving up their wealth. The wealthy call this "free trade." International Law calls it, amongst many other things, "genocide."

The wealthy do NOT want this information out. Many of the "beligerently anti-intellecutal" folks do not want this infomation out because it challenges the lies they believe and hold so dear ("the values of the founding fathers"). Since community radio and TV stations spit out things like the truth, and these airwaves have the potential to build wealth for the wealthy, they must be crushed. Since $200,000 fines mean nothing to the wealthy, they know that just one fine that large can destroy a community station and thus silence a huge portion of the non-corporate owned truth. The anti-intellectual non-wealthy will declare victory because their children would thus be protected from a few words, vast knowledge, and truth, but not from; no health care, being raped by priests or others, living on or near toxic sites, etc.

The case before the U.S. Supreme Court will help destroy stations like KBOO and others. At the FCC training required to be on the airwaves of KBOO we were told that under the current rules, all their has to be is an allegation from a listener. Then it is up to the station to prove it's innocense (guilty before proven innocent). If they cannot, they then face the massive fine. One such fine could bring KBOO to its knees, two will close it. Then, a station like Fox, can come in and buy up the airwave and pump in their coporate owned liars like Rush Limbaugh and make more wealth to put into their vast bank accounts.

Well, at least the children will be safe.

FUCK YOU VERY MUCH THE FCC!

[a quote from Eric Idle's "The FCC Song"]

The Supreme Court has started hearing oral arguments in a case brought up by the FCC against Fox for Cher making fleeting expletives during a live program. A decision in favor would make it so anyone using "vulgar language" on the airwaves, and quite possibly any form of entertainment via extension (to be argued in future court cases), would create it so fines of $200,000 or more would stand against folks found guilty by the FCC of airing "vulgar language." To capitalist networks like Fox, this is a drop in the bucket. To community stations like KBOO, it would mean closure.

Of course, a decision in favor of the FCC would be a violation of the constitution, but that isn't anything unusual. The U.S. Government has been violating its own constitution since day one, especially when it gets in the way of capital. So, crack open another one for yet another violation of the U.S. constitution here in the alleged "Land of Freedom."

Supposedly this is over concern for children. Uhhh, yeah.

The most controversial words deal with human sexuality and excremental functions...you know...things that are natural for the human body. Having seen enough pussy, cock, shit, piss, and vomit as a CNA, I would have to say it really isn't that big of a deal as it is natural. Fucking, shitting, pissing, masturbating, making Love, pooping, peeing, etc., are all natural functions of the human form and have happened throughout time, as far as I know. George Bush shits, pisses, and at least in the past, has fucked. Sadly, look at the kids he's created. They, to the best of my understand, shit, piss, and fuck as well as drink and party heavily, just like their daddy did at that age.

Oddly, when there aren't any adults around, kids on any given school yard could be found cussing and saying shit to one another. They also say things like..."Fuck You!" when they are angry with one another. But, somehow, the FCC and folks like Supreme Court Justice John Roberts think that these words will somehow damage our children. HEY JOHN! WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN?

If you haven't noticed, this is not really a case that concerns the protection of children, it is a case to crush free speech. You see, in community stations like KBOO, free speech is often relagated to things not practiced in the major medias, mostly...telling the truth.

Example: Truth is, over 200 U.S. corporations funded both sides of the war during WWII, including Brown Brothers banking who had as an executive, Prescott Bush. Prescott Bush, W's grandaddy, was found guilty of selling Nazi War Bonds in 1942, while the war was taking place. There is also documentation that he directly benefitted from slave labor at Auschwitz. If the U.S. government FORCED these folks to stop funding both sides, a helluva lot more people would have survived. Instead, millionaires made millions off of both sides.

Turth is, shit like this still happens. And with community radio stations exposing such horrific behaviors on behalf of one of the most genocidal and human rights violating nations ever (the U.S.), would mean that you all might eventually rise up against the wealthy and make them stop their behaviors. That, of course, would mean the wealthy would have less wealth, so what they do is pay people to keep you all under control using violence or the fear of it.

A wealthy man visited Smedley Butler ("War is a Racket") once. He had $30,000,000. He told Smedley he would spend half of that to protect the other half. In other words, he would hire folks to use violence and the fear of violence in order to make sure his wealth was protected. [read: "The Plot to Seize the White House" by Jules Archer]. This is a common practice to this day.

So you see, this case really has nothing to do with protecting children and everything to do with protecting wealth.
Does a nation that truly cares about children do this? This was done by the U.S. to an Iraqi child because her nation refused to hand over its wealth to the already wealthy who own the U.S. government. Do you really think this nation gives a rats ass about children? Fetuses, yes, children, no.

To the assholes that allege to care for children and support cases like the FCC vs. Fox and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, is this caring for children? Well, I'm sure she never heard the words fuck, shit, or piss, so she is really much better off being mutilated or murdered by the bombs you all profit off of.

How about the 50,000,000 children without health care in the U.S.? Well, there again, they ain't fetuses so who gives a fuck! Besides, if their parents were truly holy, they'd have money and be able to afford the privilege of health care. Besides, all kids are created by fucking, and fucking is evil, and therefore by extension, so are children. All children shit and piss, and therefore are evil. Fetuses for the most part, don't shit, piss, or get fucked by the local priest.

How about all the children leaving in contaminated sites such as those created by Monsanto?

How about the child slave labor trade?

How about the children getting raped by priests? Getting raped by friends or relatives in their own homes? We don't want them to hear the word "fuck," but the U.S. government sure doesn't give a shit if they get fucked by priests, relatives, or friends. Otherwise the U.S. government would do something about that. (Sorry, the funding for that program went into the $950,000,000,000 giveaway to the excessively wealthy and elite.)

You see, the U.S. government doesn't give a fuck about children. They give a fuck about free speech and the possibilities it has of exposing thier criminal behaviors. Community radio and TV stations often air such untold things as the truth and therefore may get in the way of the wealthy creating more wealth for themselves at the expense of everyone else, INCLUDING CHILDREN! ESPECIALLY CHILDREN!

So...

FUCK YOU FCC, SUPREME COURT, AND FOX! EAT MY SHIT MOTHER FUCKERS!

Open Letter to Sarah Palin

Dear Sarah,

I had a feeling the party to which you are a member would stab you in the back, and will most likely continue to do so. I had the feeling about a month ago. You see, you are not a part of them. They needed you to fulfill a purpose, mostly, to help them lose the election while still making it look like a good fight. You fulfilled your role, and were most likely oblivious to the desired outcomes and your role in them. That is how the "boys in DC" work. At least they are not taking you up in a helpicopter and pushing you out over some remote area of Alaska where your body would never be found.

Currently, it is your lack of intelligence they are smearing you with. Since you are not a member of the elite, like say, Hillary Clinton, you are not a welcome member. Thus, no doubt, throughout the rest of your career, the Republican Party will slam and slander you. A lack of intelligence is curable, however, through doing things like...reading. I would suggest Howard Zinn ("A People's History of the United States," "A Power Governments Cannot Suppress"), maybe some Emma Goldman, "A Long Way Gone" by Ishmael Beah.

I'd like to say I feel pity for you, but I don't. Had you been more educated and knew Africa is a continent and not a country, you probably would have known what these guys had in store for you.

I would also suggest you take up the game of chess. It will help you strategize and think, you will need it if you want to save any semblance of your career.

Will you take my suggestions? I doubt it. The U.S. is filled with folks who are "beligerently anti-intellectual." I take you to be one of those types, considering the expose YOUR party has done to you.

Were you really willing to go to war with Russia? What the FUCK were you thinking? I'll leave you with a quote of a buddy of mine: "Never support a war you are not willing to take up arms in and fight yourself because you are asking others to do your killing for you." Of course, you are also asking them to do the dying, getting mutilated, getting metally damaged, getting poisoned by your weapons, etc., not to mention what you are doing to the people and the land you would be going to war with.

Why are Folks so Terrified of Gays and Lesbians?

My friend, Jim Craven, is the Blackfoot Solicitor General. When he authored their constitution using Blackfoot principles back in 1999, he put in the document that sexuality was a right. In other words, you can be gay or lesbian or transgender or whatever and still be accepted as a tribal member.

In a phone conference with the elders who were to pass the document, their only objection to all 75 or so articles was that. Before they could make objections, Jim said something like this:

We are an oppressed people and we would be oppressing other oppressed people should this not be passed as a right. To oppress other peoples when one is from an oppressed people is to justify the unjust oppression of our own.

So, I was saddened but not surprised to hear that 3 states have passed gay and lesbian marriage bans. They claim this on a position of religious moral authority. Their religion, Christianity, states something like being gay is an abomination. Oddly, this book has been edited from the orignial so many times, one has to wonder what the original said. Did Jesus, who seemed to hang out with whores and a rather vast amount of men, condemn gayness? Did he say that being gay was wrong? Didn't he say something like Love one another? I guess not. I guess Jesus was really into oppressing oppressed peoples.

Christianity, of course, is promoting for the most part this genocidal war in Iraq. Christianity is based in the United States on the genocide of the indigenous. Did Jesus say "KILL ALL THE RED NIGGERS AND STEAL THEIR LAND!" Or was it that Love one another thing. By the rather vast global mass slaughter the world has faced at the hands of those who say Christ is their leader, I would have to say...YES! Jesus did indeed support raping of children in boarding schools, killing women and children to strike terror into the hearts of men, supports torture, Loves raping women, Loves forcing women to have babies they can't support, Loves killing killing killing because...that is what many Christians do in his name.

Gays and Lesbians and Other Genders? Jesus hates them. He Loves killing and raping and oppressing women, though!
I do not understand why folks are so afraid of gays and lesbians etc., marrying. I walk down the street and if I see a gay or lesbian person walking toward me, I feel no fear.

When I see a white male Christian coming toward me, I know they would think I was an abomination and try to change or harm me in the name of Christ.

What the heck is a gay person gonna do to me? "Eugene! You have to do something about that shirt! Haven't you ever heard of an iron? How's your wife gonna want your body if you dress like a rotten avacado?"

Man, I am gonna have nightmares about gay folks trying to dress me nice for Shusli now. Or am I gonna have nightmares of good Christian men getting away with raping Indian children in boarding schools.

Can you make the call?

The Friends We Made

Jerry and Jessica of Colette's

Den (Nice Shirt)

Matt and James

We made some good friends while we were in Coos Bay. These folks are all pretty awesome.

Jerry and Jessica of Colette's helped make our 8 month stay tolerable.

Den, a wise wise woman who wears some really nice shirts.

Matt and James were always a joy to be around.

When you folks are in town, drop by and say hello.

CNA

I've wanted to write about what it was like being a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) for a while. I wrote about what it was like to get there, but not so much about what it was like being there.

For me, it was the most amazing and difficult job I have ever had. Also, for all the stress one goes under in this position, CNA's should start out at $15 an hour. Instead, most places hiring a fresh CNA will pay slightly over minimum wage and give you a raise once you are state certified. You usually won't make much more than that unless you hop on the bonus program. Bonuses are given to CNA's who take on extra shifts, usually around $75. Basically, you are required to overwork yourself if you want to make decent money as a CNA. I often heard stories of folks who worked over 20 days in a row often 16 hours each day. You make bank...yet you have no life nor energy to live life other than at work.

Shusli was a CNA for many years, and quite good at it. She even worked part time as a CNA when putting herself through nursing school and raising her daughter. This...is not an uncommon story from folks within the nursing profession. Nurses are awesome people. Some more so than others, but there is something within nurses that just keeps most of them pushing and going. Shusli is awesome. It is amazing she was/is capable of doing such a thing.

For me, like I said, CNA work was amazing. Having that license guarantees you a job. But there were some aspects of the work I hated. One was the pay, as mentioned earlier. Another is the business takes advantage of the fact that most folks in the health care industry are there because they care. Thus, folks are often talked into working lots of shifts, taking lots of shit, showing up to work to find they've been taken off of the schedule, not getting raises, etc. But, at least to an extent, CNA's Love many of the folks they are helping, and thus, the business end takes advantage of that. Most CNA's quit early in their careers. Few, honestly, stick it out.

What I Loved most about the job was the folks I worked with and the folks I helped. I got to take care of a Wounded Knee II vet. That was awesome. I got to help folks and actually see what my help was doing. I learned to Love these folks. It was fun and interesting. I had no problem cleaning up incontinent folks and doing my best to offer them dignity in their current situations. It was hard and often frustrating. Try chasing a fellow with dimentia around for half an hour with a urinal so he won't pee on the floor. Try not getting hit when someone with dimentia gets angry at you. Try to remain patient when a person with dimentia screams all through your shift. All in all, it is hard and requires a vast amount of patience. Often, you are rewarded with gems of joy in the work you do for these folks. A laugh, a joke... They are still amazing folks. They still have something to offer. It would be better if the staff was more regular and more of them.

I miss the folks I helped. I enjoyed their company and Loved them all. I miss the folks I worked with. But really, I make almost $5 more an hour driving and delivering produce than I did cleaning up after people's incontinence, making sure they were safe, listening to screaming all day, working with folks resisting care, etc. There is something wrong with that.

I must say, though, my new/old job is very gravy. There are few challenges. There is little hyper vigilence (other than heavy traffic). There is almost no stress.

I'm not sure where I'll go from here. Maybe I'll try to get back into school. Maybe I'll work here for a couple of years and then see. I don't know. No need to rush a decision at the moment.

Other than that...

BLESS ALL CNA'S AND NURSES!

Daily Show Election Coverage

Larry and Wyatt take over the Daily Show. Watch this, it is hilarious.

We Have A Chance...

Many thanks to the handsome young man, Eli (photo above), for the wonderful meal he bought Shusli and I, and also getting us into one of the local election events, this one at the Downtown Greek Deli here in the great city of Portland, Oregon. The even was sponsored by Tom Dwyer.

We have your back, Obama...

"And a nice back it is," Shusli says.

The mass celebration in Pioneer Courthouse Square last night.

The Lions of Batucada cheered the folks on.

Eli got Shusli and I into the election event sponsored by Tom Dwyer at the Downtown Greek Deli where he works security.

The hopes were high but it was intense up until 8pm. With Barack Obama as president, we have a chance. We've been offered a narrow ledge for a hand and foot hold. We shall see what happens.

Having a rather different understanding of the U.S. government, I never offer blind faith in ANYTHING that comes from it. The U.S. government is corporate owned, and corporations profit heavily from the sufferings they force upon the masses. Although Barack is president, and the dems have taken congress, they are still corporate owned and must serve their corporate owners above all others.

Listening to Barack's speech, with the exception of the founding father's ideals, it sounded a whole lot like what many of us folks have been saying. This job isn't going to be easy. The work doesn't stop with the election. We have to help each other. [The founding fathers, of course, were of the wealthy, by the wealthy, for the wealthy (as this nation still is, being corporate owned and all). The founding fathers also hated and excluded women, Red Nig...Indians, Nig...SLAVES, White Tr...poor white folks, and so many other forms of "beasts" as founding father James Madison referred to anyone who wasn't a white male member of the elite.]

After the event, Shusli and I went for a walk as we waited for Eli to get off of work. We heard drumming which Shusli immediately recognized as the Lions of Batacuda. We ran to Pioneer Courthouse Square where there was a celebration going on. We danced and laughed because we are all feeling that the world has a chance. The gathering bled into the streets of GLORIOUS DOWNTOWN PORTLAND, OREGON, and we eventually left in order to find Eli. As we were walking away, small crowds of folks were still running to join in on the celebration.

So...What are the lame ducks gonna do? King Dick and co-King George have brought home a lot of troops and have tossed out the Posse Comitatus Act. What interesting terrors can they force down the throats of U.S. citizens in the short duration of the 8 years of terror they forced on the U.S. and the WORLD already?

In other news, our little daughter, Felicia (seen above with Shusli), has been proving to be quite the handful since we have returned to the Great City of Portland, Oregon. Since I am often offered the opportunity to be the bad guy so her mother can be the savior and hero, I am again taking this role absolutely seriously as the "kid face" has done some SERIOUSLY EGREGIOUS SHIT, as of late.

I certainly would love the chance to spoil the kid, as the non-primary parents of children they Love are often purported to do, but there is no way I can outdo her mother in any way shape or form, so I am taking my role as ASSHOLE DAD very serious. Last night, after receiving a phone call for help from her mom, and then another a little later saying all was OK, Shusli and I still paid them a little surprise visit at about 11:30pm. I informed Felicia at that point that I will do exactly what I told her I would do and that she would indeed hate me, but I don't care. She will grow up to make good decisions for herself and be a good human being. No, I may never get the chance to spoil her like a non-primary parent often has the opportunity of doing, since I am often called upon to be ASSHOLE DAD, but I will make sure she grows up well, safe, and happy...whether or not I am hated for the rest of her and her mothers lives.

Felicia called me last night as Shusli and I were about to fall asleep to tell me she Loved me. She called me from the cell phone her mother informed us earlier in the day that she had taken away from her as part of her discipline for the piss poor decisions she had made the evening before. I told her I Loved her back and asked her what she was doing up so late on a school night.

Just call me...ASSHOLE DAD!