What Use Are Indians Anyway?!

ADVERTISING AND CO-OPTATION!

Indians are not able to fight back quite like we used to. Of course, back in the day, we fought for our very survival before the genocidal U.S. and Pre-U.S. onslaughts out of Europe. Surviving this most horrific form of genocide which has founded this most genocidal nation, it makes it pretty easy for Indians to be taken advantage of without expense to those taking advantage of us...even our own.

I've talked about racist advertising in previous posts on this blog like; Umpqua Dairy products, Chetco Bank, Seneca products, Jeep Cherokee, Nike N7, etc., which just goes to show you that Indians can be easily exploited and taken advantage of without having to send any of that corporate money to the little red savages...WOO HOO! Profits from Red Nig...uh...haha...Native American logos; or do you prefer to be called Indians?

But wait, THERE'S MORE! Not only can you profit greatly from Native logos and names, you can also use them to promote less profitable motives, such as:

THE PEACE MOVEMENT!
Notice the legitimizing red color!

That's right, just attach a Red Nig...uh...haha... Just attach a Native American name or to your peace issue, and it adds a certain legitimacy not found by naming such things as...Whities for Peace. After crushing Indians militarily, with vigilantism, and many other forms of genocide, one can now CO-OPT them to add a legitimizing flavor to whatever issue you want to advertise.

White Feather House in Portland is a good example. Tom Hastings, founder of the White Feather House, alleges to have been a friend of Larry Cloud Morgan, also known as White Feather. Larry was a peace activist and in 1984 got arrested with a handful of others for damaging the lid to a missile silo. That said, and not fully knowing the relationship Tom Hastings had with Larry Cloud Morgan, Tom, to the best of my knowledge, took the name White Feather without asking the family of Larry Cloud Morgan if such a thing was OK. There are, of course, proper protocols to be followed when using a Native Americans name, or for that matter, ANYONES NAME no matter what race they are, but this was not followed. It adds legitimacy to said organization to carry an Indian's name. In co-opting Indian names or symbols, one doesn't have to follow the proper protocols if one chooses not to. This makes it "disrespectful." That means the use of the name was done without respect to Larry's family, let alone his people. Why not call it the Larry Cloud Morgan House? Not as catchy as his Red Nig...uh...haha Indian name.

But, that aside, I was reading TruthOut.Org and came across an article this morning by Kathy Kelly called "The Big Voice." The article is about Dan Pearson from Voices For Creative Non-Violence. They are hosting a walk called "Witness Against War" that is going from Chicago to St. Paul, Minnesota, where the Republican National Convention is being held. Currently they are walking through Ho-Chunk lands. The article nicely conveys a limited scope of the genocide, without using the word, of course.

Read the article, folks, because it seems to me that their is an "insinuation" that this walk is somewhat similar to the death marches forced upon the Ho-Chunks, and so many others ALL OVER THE WORLD! Now, THAT I may be reading too much into, I'll admit, however...

This article is about Dan Pearson and the "Witness Against War" walk that he has formed and is currently participating in and hosting. Good for him! War is a horrible thing. So is racism in all of its forms. Since this article is about Dan Pearson and this walk, one would think it would have a photo of Dan or the walkers. It instead has a picture of a "generic" Indian fella in his dancing regalia. The credit for the photo and the caption mention nothing as to whether the fella in the photo is even Ho-Chunk. But that's OK! It's just fine and dandy to co-opt Indians for whatever cause or product you have without their permission because EVERYBODY DOES IT! I mean, look at the "Spurs" restaurant chain in South Africa.

That is not the worst of this article. The Ho-Chunk name means, "people of the sacred language," or "people of the big voice." The most offensive line in its content to me is as follows:

"The United States is called a democracy. That means "People of the Big Voice.""

What democracy means to me is genocide, mass slaughter, everything for the few, human rights violations, and you get to vote from a handful of would be if not actual dictators to lead your nation. Often times the votes are rigged, and even if they are not, you have few choices.

Not only is it offensive but RACIST in my opinion that Kathy Kelly co-opts indigenous names and cultures to promote an alleged peace walk. However, like White Feather House, Umpqua Dairy products, Seneca products, Jeep Cherokee, Winnebago (Ho-Chunk) and Itasca RV's, etc., using Red Nig...uh...haha...Native American (or do you like to be called Indians?) names adds a little legitmizing flavor to ones issues like it does to ones highly profitable products, like the Nike N7.

So go out and get yourself some Red Nig...uh...haha...Native American products or issues! Why, it will almost make you feel like the genocide and illegal occupation of Native lands is justified...no matter what nation you're in.

Hey, you need something legitimized or a product logo you think mine or my wife Shusli's face or "Native Names" might make highly profitable or legitimized, send us an e-mail, maybe we could make a deal...

JUST KIDDING!

We are not that kind of human being. We don't sell out. In fact, we want it all back.

[My wife's, Shusli, was used without her permission. But that's OK. I mean, look at what race she is!]

Olympics Protests

The olympics will be starting, if they haven't already, I rarely pay attention to the olympics.

First, to me, the olympics have become one great big fat capitalist veture. They may already have been, but they definitely are now. Yeah, athletes, physical feats, challenges and triumphs...Now there are advertising opportunities, profits, endorsements, etc. The olympics is a profession, a business, and not what it originally was allegedly intended to be, a sporting event to bring folks together from many nations in peace and physical ability. At least that is what I heard they were originally set up for.

What better nation to host a hardcore capitalist venture like the olympics than a nation that has rapidly become one of the most powerful and hardcore capitalist powerhouses in the world, China.

Under capitalist civilized dictates, many people must suffer to maintain the levels of wealth disparity, and they will usually suffer violently. So, I am not a great lover of capitalist ventures, I just know they exist and the conditions of life are horrific for those who don't manage to be among the wealthy elite, among the protective services of the wealthy elite, or the middle class should a middle class exist in the capitalist nation. I am no fan of capitalism.

Now, there are massive protests against China (a capitalist nation) being the host of the most globally capitalist sporting events, the olympics. Why? For a couple of reasons, I've heard. Number one being the occupation of Tibet. You know, that allegedly once great and peaceful nation that was oppressive to women and owned slaves and wanted to use Nazi power to build a military to fight China. Also because of China's human rights abuses. Yes, China is an occuping nation, and yes, China does violate human rights, however...

To the said protesters: Once MOST of these protesters get their "I've Protested the 2008 olympics Hosted by China" badge, most will no longer make a peep about Chinese human rights violations and occupations. They will however polish their badges anytime some sort of personal glory might get them some sort of personal gain. Meanwhile, the occupation will continue and the human rights abuses will continue. But wait, said occupations and human rights abuses won't just be continuing at the hands of China, but also at the hands of the U.S., France, Spain, The Netherlands, Canada, etc., etc., etc. Will the passion and ferverent self-righteous behavior continue the fight against global occupations and human rights abuses...FUCK NO! Now that folks will have their Chinese protest badges, and when the olympics are over, there will be a deafening silence about not only Chinese occupations and human rights abuses, but those led by pretty much ALL capitalist style nation states.

OK, OK, OK...How many of you protesters have read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? ...one...two.......... OK, 2. As stated previously on this blog, belonging to and forming unions is a human right. Their are commercials on television about union busting firms and in at will employment, discussion of forming a union can get you fired. Any protests? OF COURSE NOT! For some reason, folks here in the U.S. don't understand that the U.S. is the greatest violator of human rights ever to have existed. They, however, believe most if not all of the propaganda set forth by the U.S. Massive protests? ...All I hear is silence... That's what I thought. Got your badge, that's all you need.

The United States is an occupied nation. The U.S. occupies my land, my wife's land, our childrens land, the lands of all indigenous folks within the borders of what is currently known as the U.S. Any protests? Any speaking out? ...silence... But China! You'll get your Chinese Olympics protest badge, and then you'll be silent about not only Chinese occupation and human rights violations, but about all other occupations and human rights violations. Again...FUCK YOU!

But wait! There's more!

Many folks blindly follow the Dalai Lama. Yet, the Dalai Lama was a Nazi supporter and was great freinds with Nazi war criminals. Plus, Tibet was oppressive to women and held slaves. Is that what the folks protesting the occupation of Tibet want Tibet to return to?

I first questioned the Dalai Lama's intentions when I heard he was on the CIA payroll at one time. I also remember him making a speech in Portland, Oregon stating how great the United States was. "The greatest nation on earth," is what I beleive he said. Odd! The greatest jailer, the greatest violator of human rights, the most genocidal nation ever to have existed...is stated to be the greatest nation on earth by a man who alleges peace.

Mind you, I am no supporter of nations who violate human rights. I live within the borders of one. However, I know the protests will become silent, or virtually silent again, when the olympics are over and the protesters have their Chinese olympics protest badges firmly in hand. They will no longer be caring about human rights violations in China, let alone their own nations, such as Frances genocidal actions in Rwanda. That is somehow different and acceptable to most of these said protesters. And when the olympics and protests are over, it will be business as usual for the violating nations and the protesters will be busy polishing their badges instead of continuing the fight for human rights.

I will not be watching the olympics, nor will I be participating in the protests. The olympics are a capitalist venture taking place in a capitalist nation. Captalism requires violence to maintain its status quo. The protesters will fall virtually silent after the olympics are over like they think their job is done.

Meanwhile, in Canada, the Canadian government is violating the human and indigenous rights of the Indians in Canada in order to host the winter olymics in Whistler, BC. Any protests? Nope! Silence, other than from the Indians struggling against this violation of indigenous and human rights violations by a nation that has and continues to violently suppress Indians within that nation. Hello! Anyone there?

As a foot note, from a website exposing the behavior of the Lama system prior to the occupation as well as the Nazi and other murderous allies of the Dalai Lama; this photo along with its explanation:

Photo on [left] is a Tibetan slave in leg-irons, under the "enlightened" rule of the Lama class before the Dalai Lama was forced out of power in Tibet. Under the Lama class, run away slaves could expect to have their eyes gouged out, and tongue cut out, and limbs amputated by the Lama class "enlightened", and "compassionate", and "peaceful" priests.

What kind of world is it you all want? This kind? Why not figure out the kind of world you want and FIGHT for that? Yeah, China violates human rights, but why are your voices virtually silent about the human rights violations of your own nations and other nations? Where is you passion for those struggles? Are they not as pretty or public as China's? In the words of Dr. Evil..."throw me a friggin' bone, here!" Throw me a bone. Give me a reason to believe you have a genuine desire for human rights worldwide. Give me a reason to believe I want to stand side by side with you in your struggle. Are your voices gonna be as passionate and powerful when Canada starts its ceremonies for the winter olympics as Canada continues its violation of human and indigenous rights in their occupation of indigenous land?

French Accused of Participating in Genocide in Rwanda

The first I heard of this was when I finally watched "Hotel Rwanda" and watched the documentary of Paul Rusesebegina returning to Rwanda. He visited a site where the bones of many Tutsi's remained in some buildings. Folks there were tortured, murdered, and raped. He mentioned that their were French soldiers helping and participating in the raping and killing.

Now, the French are being accused of participating in the genocide. The French are not denying the participated, they are basically saying Rwanada has no authority to accuse them.

I remember reading somewhere (probably in "The Phoenix Program," by Douglas Valentine), and correct me if I'm wrong, that the Vietnamese had arrested a bunch of French soldiers in the '50's. I believe the U.S. helped get these folks free, and the French soldiers went on a killing and raping rampage. You see, that is what soldiers are trained to do. Take control through violence and terror, which includes killing and raping. The U.S. soldiers raped lots of Vietnamese women during their murderous rampage in that nation.

It is not uncommon for these types of crimes to be committed by empirical nations such as the U.S. and France.

So, here is an idea for Turkey: Why, instead of denying the genocide against Armenians, tell other nations, such as France and the U.S. that you'll admit your crime of genocide if the U.S. and France and all the other nations within the UN body admit their genocides and crimes against peace and humanity.

One more interesting point, folks are heavily protesting the Chinese Olympics, mostly because of the occupation of Tibet. Occupations are forceful and violent, yes, but one has to question what was there before. For example:

I found on James Craven's website interesting pictures of the Dalai Lama with Nazi war criminals. One doesn't hear much about Tibet prior to the occupation by China. I have often heard that they were very oppressive toward women. Does anyone out there have any more solid information.

I also find it ironic that the citizenry of one of the most genocidal nations ever to have existed on this earth think that it is some kind of good work to protest China since they are hosting the Olympics. There is, afterall, zero to no call out for justice for the genocide of indigenous folks in this nation. Afterall, all those citizens benefit greatly from the genocide and occupation of the indigenous citizenry in this nation. It is nice they want human rights honored by China, but what about right here at home, assholes!

What to Write About?

I've been sitting here thinking about things to write. There is so much to discuss.

Seymour Hersch stated in an interview that one of his sources stated that King Dick wanted to start some sort of action in the Strait of Hormuz by disguising Navy Seals as Iranian Navy men in PT boats and have some sort of shoot out so the U.S. could start a holocaust of Iranians like they have the Iraqi's so they can steal their oil. This sounds like "Operation Northwoods." You see, the U.S. government has and does come up with ideas like this on a regular basis. They want to look good while committing horrific crimes.

Back in the '60's, the U.S. was going to have American soldiers dress as Cubans and create terrorist acts up and down the eastern seaboard so the U.S. could then start a war of complete annhilation of the Cubans...you know, genocide. General Lemay wanted to slaughter every last Cuban on the island of Cuba. Funny, huh, unless you're Cuban. When Lemay was a colonel in WWII, he helped design the fire bombings of Japan that murdered hundreds of thousands of Japanese civilians and were not even necessary. But hey, nothing will get you another star in the U.S. military like slaughtering thousands upon thousands of civilians. One heckuva career can be made out of murdering. Robert and John Kennedy, according to the book, "Body of Secretes" by James Bamford, were even willing to have up to 25,000,000 Americans slaughtered so they could have thier little Cuban Holocaust. Playing with other peoples lives is what the U.S. government does. Gangs and thugs should become politicians and join the military. That is where the gang banging and thugging gets really specialized.

Or maybe I should talk more about the economy.

Some economists are stating one heckuva lot more banks are gonna collapse. Combine that with all of the other economic factors such as an exteremly high unemployment rate and high job losses, inflation, high gas prices, and I'd say we're in for a bumpy ride in the U.S. The economist I read on a Reuters article stated the current recession will last 18 months, but where are all the jobs gonna come from. All of our tax dollars are going to bail out bad bankers while our taxes are turning into something like failed mortgages. The good news is that the rich will still be rich and the poor are shit out of luck.

Or maybe I should just talk about life.

Life here in Coos Bay is pretty boring for Shusli and I. We have hooked up with some rather interesting and amazing folks, however. Collette's and the inspiration we have found in a group that has formed their and the work that they do, helps offer to folks here alternatives to the boring bland world that folks no longer find answers in.

Hey, here is an interesting piece of information Shusli and I heard yesterday. In 1983, the Grand Wizard of the KKK retired to Coos Bay because he said that it was the whitest city in America. Maybe he and Peter Brzica are neighbors?

I don't know, folks, I just feel like writing, but have no plan of attack.

At my work I am taking care of one of my heroes, that is an awesome thing.

I am going to learn to play chess once I get my tribal hush money. Not a lot of chess players around here, but I'm so rusty anyway. I need to build up my chops, as it were, then maybe I might be worthy to challenge some of those folks I've seen battling it out in Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland.

Oh, if anyone is interested, my tribe's powwow, the Siletz Powwow, is this weekend in Siletz, Oregon. Go to Newport, head east toward Toledo, about five miles down the road, take a left to the town of Siletz. Or, you could take the Kernville road entrance, about 24 miles of fun driving out of Lincoln City. The exit is just South of Lincoln City. Tell everyone I said hello as I will be at work. Eat a piece of frybread for me, too.

Knight to Queens Bishop Three

A dandelion seed parachutes gracefully
from white lace and stiffened brown cordage
upon the concrete bricks
of our backyard patio.

Dandelions of yellow buttercups
and white cottonheads
dot our backyard
like stars in the night sky.
Bees of all sorts
feed on their desire to live.

A spindly green plant
has tiny green bean like seed pods
four petaled white flowers
call to its Love of life.

Tiny purple flowers
dot a green ground cover
and has graced a sandy space
between the bricks
numbered and defined
by weight and size.

A bush of yellow flowers
in the back corner of our yard
is made Love with by bees.

One strange plant
has grown about three feet high
and has sprouted beautiful yellow flowers.

The tall grasses
that have bent so beautifully
in the spring and summer breezes
now wear brown bunches
atop their stems like hair.
Each stem has spent its life
to continue life.

At the end of August
I will cut them all down with a weed whacker
gather the pieces of their broken bodies
and take them to a landfill
or composting station...
but the roots will remian
and their life will return.

When people enter the walls of my work,
a care facility,
it is for one of two reasons,
extended recovery or to die.
In the alzheimers unit
in which I work...it is only to die.

The job I have chosen to do
is to work with these folks.

My work is to offer dignity
and quality of life
to folks who will most likely
not live outside those walls ever again.

Each is a treasure
all of them still
have something to offer
most make me laugh
and we enjoy each others presence
like gifts from the creator
in which we are.

Although I can do the messiest of work
with complaint and joy,
although I can share with my wife,
these folks, and others,
The one I rarely share with
...is me...

Most folks I come into contact with
I see as worthy of Love, Life, and Joy
and I share with them mine
but I rarely share it with me
...but when I do,
it is always with guilt, self-humiliation,
feelings of worthlessness.

When I share with myself
it is mostly mochas and snacks
because mochas and snacks
are guilty pleasures soon gone
and don't constantly remind me
of my feelings of worthlessness...
self-hatred.

Sharing with Shusli
is a gift of Beauty and Love.
Sharing with myself...well...

My tribal hush money
will be here soon
and I will buy myself socks for one.
Socks that I will deny myslef
because even though most of my socks
have holes in the heel,
those holes don't bother me enough
for me to share new socks with myself.
But I will buy new socks
because I do Love myself.

I'll buy a book about chess
and a computer chess game,
maybe a hand held one even,
because as a kid,
I was pretty good at chess.
As an adult...well...

In prisons,
they play a lot of chess.

My work is in a prison of sorts
where folks are not allowed to leave
for different reasons
and no chess is played in that prison...
care facility...
end of life care,
dignity, humanity, sharing.

But maybe I've learned to Love myself
and am reluctant to admit it.
Denial is a powerful addiction and all.
My wife, Shusli, reminds me of the Beauty I am.

And as I relearn to play chess
wearing unholy socks,
at breat at work
between working with humans with alzheimers
slowly stepping through the gates
of the end of their lives,
or on the patio of our backyard
as our days of residence there
draw slowly to a close,
or maybe in a prison
of one sort or antoher,
or maybe with you,
I will occassionally think
of wise words from a book
I read early in life:

"There is a simple test to tell
whether your mission in life
is over or not;
If you're alive...it isn't."

A tiny dandelion seed parachuted
from white lace
upon the concrete blocks
of our backyard patio
and spun a little dance
like a ballerina.

Knight to queens bishop three.

Jake

Jake, for you long time readers, is our cat. He has come a long way since we first got him. The story is he was born ferrell and picked up by the human society. He was adopted and lived with a man in a care center for six years. To our understanding, he didn't leave that room.

Along comes Shusli after the man passed away, and she dragged little Jake out of the closet. We adopted him shortly after Yeti passed. He spent his days hiding, one time hiding for four days under the house. He Loved hiding in the closets.

Now look at this cat. He Loves the outdoors, especially hiding in that yellow bush and watching the birds. He even jumps up on top of the fences. What a good kitty.

Marcy's

To celebrate my passing of the state certification to now be a Certified Nurses Assistant, Shusli took me to our favorite local Mexican restaurant, Marcy's.

We tried it a few weeks ago to see what it was like and we were happy to find the quality of their meals above excellent. We had the #14 combination, an enchilada and a chili relleno, and yesterday was no different.

Their chili rellenos are amongst the best I have eaten, and Shusli says the same.

Not only is their food great, but they are very hospitable, friendly, and attentive. They definitely make sure that you not only have a great meal, but a great eating experience.

So, when passing through Coos Bay, stop by Marcy's, you will be happy you did. They are on the south heading one way of highway 101 in Coos Bay, just before Virginia Avenue, across the street from the co-op. If you drive past, you have indeed missed something very special.

A Blog of Great Disburbance

An alert reader of this blog from South Africa who knows my e-mail address, kbooindian@yahoo.com, informed me that when he visited my blog a notice came up stating:

"Some readers have complained about the content of this blog."

So, I would like to perform a survey.

If you find this blog disturbing, tell me why?:

Is it the discussion of the Nazi Pope and how he is doing nothing about the systematic and problematic issue of child rape happening within said organization?

Is it my desire to find the King of the Cut Throats, Peter Brzica, an employee of the death camp called Jasenovac in Croatia where he slit the throats of 1360 Muslim Serbs under the watchful eye of the Vatican Crime Organization? Peter came to the U.S. under an assumed name in 1958. That is as far as I got with that criminal.

Is it my desire to get some form of justice for IBM, whose Hollerith division during WWII leased machines to the Nazi's that not only that helped the trains run on time, but also helped in the rounding up of Jews, Sinti, Roma, Jehova's Witnesses, Gays, Lesbians, etc., for slavery and extermination?

Is it my calling on King Dick and co-King George's genocidal and criminal activities in Iraq, Somalia, Afghanistan, etc.?

Is it my calling King Dick and co-King George's horrific activities here at home, such as poor health care for U.S. citizens, the collapse of the economy, etc.?

Is it the picture of the Skunk Headed Bird?

Is it my discussion on Freedom of Speech? You see, here in the land of alleged freedom of speech, you are not supposed to talk about certain subjects like: Nazi Popes and useless apologies and criminal activities, alleged presidents and vice presidents and their criminal activities, journalists who tell the truth and some who get murdered, etc.

So, feel free to e-mail me if you find my material disturbing. I may publish what you say, but I will not publish your identity without your permission. Or, you can brave up and make your comments here. I'm willing to discuss such things. I'm willing to give references if you'd like.

Disturbing or not, I do my best to speak the truth. If I'm wrong, I will admit here, on this blog, on this public forum, and anywhere else for that matter.

That said, does anyone out there know where Peter Brzica is, or where his remains might be buried? Does anyone know if there was a Vatican connection to his coming to the U.S. in '58 under an assumed name. Peter was also a lawyer and a member of the Catholic inteligensia.

Secretary of State, Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, the future Pope Pius XII (center) signs the Vatican's Concordat with Nazi Germany's foreign minister Franz von Papen (seated left from Pacelli) at the Vatican, 20 July 1933.

Some of the work supported by the Vatican Crime Organization.

A disturbing photo indeed, but one of the tamer ones I can find on the internet. This is a toddler in Jasenovac death camp. What is that that Reverend Lovejoy's wife always said on the Simpsons...oh yeah..."Will somebody think of the children!" You can all see what the Vatican supported and Catholic ran death camp in Croatia thought of children. At least certain children.

You see, what disturbs me about this is their has been no justice for this crime, not really. The Vatican Crime Organization continues to thrive and create lots of resources for itself. Children are still being raped by their priests and this will continue long into the future. What disturbs me is that criminal organizations such as the Vatican, the U.S. government and its personell, other governments, etc., have and continue to commit such crimes. What about the child raping contractors the U.S. hired to interrogate folks at Abu Ghraib?

This is not a world that actually practices nor believes in laws or justice, just the perception of it when it comes to our kings and queens and members of their royal courts. Please, don't give me this democracy BS, the U.S. is NOT a democracy, never has been, and never will be.

These are just a few of the things that disturb me. Don't these things disturb you? Or is it the fact that folks like me, and there are a lot of us, speak to such issues as these that you would sooner forget because it might cut into the privilege you receive at the hands of this alleged civilization?

This inquiring mind wants to know. What about my blog disturbs you? Lets have a discussion. The lines are open and their are no callers thus far. What do you have to say?

Oh, and anyone from Google, is a common practice to tag blogs such as mine? What are you concerned about?: Truth? Justice? Disturbing the comfortable (as Peter Webster might say)?
Any comments Google folks, since it is your organization that has tagged my blog for your alert readers. Do you read my blog? Do you have any questions?

CNA

It is amazing what one has to go through to become a CNA. You have to take a 2 month course. In that two month course it requires one month in class study and one month of clinicals. Clinicals are where you take the skills you have learned in the classroom and demonstrate them on residents. In clinicals, your skills are scrutinized by your teacher. I was the worst in class and finally finished my skills check list on my last day of clinicals.

This particular facility will hire you immediately after the class they offer is over. This facility offers the class for free. The class itself can run up to $1000 I've heard. They offer it as a service to the community. Mighty nice of those folks.

I was hired by the center and since then, almost 2 months, I have been told that the residents really like me (which it is rare that they like male nurses aides), and all of the staff likes me from my fellow co-workers all the way to the administrator. But that doesn't help you pass a test. You see, to become a Certified Nurses Assistant, one has to pass a certification test required by the state before a qualified observer who is an RN...at least.

The state test requires that you pass a written exam and are tested on five skills. One of the skills is handwashing, four others are chosen from a list of about 40 skills you have to have knowledge of and can demonstrate you can do them PROPERLY. One person who recently took the test was failed in one skill because she didn't put on the bed brakes for a transfer. Although she passed the other skills, she is required to take the skills tests over. Last Friday was my scheduled test date.

Driving to the testing site, I was thinking I have to put up with a lot of bullshit for this job. My biggest issue is how my schedule has been messed with. Since I've been working at this place (less than two months) 5 times I have shown up on days I was scheduled previously for to find the schedule had been changed and I was no longer working on that day. It doesn't rub me well to find when I come in to work that my schedule had been changed. There are other issues I have with this JOB (not the work), but that has been the biggy. I have to put up with all of this, and all of this stress about TESTING, for a wage that is not all that higher than minimum at the moment. I was thinking all of this driving to the test, which doesn't bode well for taking a test.

...And, after the testing was over, I could not honestly tell anyone whether I passed or not.

Shusli and I have been making plans for many various possibilities for our future together. One of those possibilities has been what we would do should I not pass the test. Honestly, I felt like I failed. You see...

At the test, I was told I had to take someone else's skills test because one person did not show up. This had the scent of my JOB, and set me off right away. The name on the skills test was crossed off and mine in its place. The observer handed me the written test with my name and ss# on it. We had 90 minutes to finish. At question 54 of 77, the observer informed me that I was doing the wrong test and had to do the absent persons test, requiring that I cross off her name and put my name and ss# on it and start over. She would allow me more time to finish should I require it. I SERIOUSLY felt like I was at my job. I still finished under the alotted time, but was unsure of passing. Some of the questions asked about things that we did not study and do not do. Some of them I answered as the best possible scenario.

My skills test was set up for 3:30, and I went home to nap and study. At 11am, the observer calls, interrupting my nap, and asked if I wanted to take my skills test now. Half awake, I foolishly answered yes. Heading down to the testing site, I am again thinking why am I doing all of this for making a wage barely above minimum, although a certification would raise that wage. Doubtful about my written test, groggy and without further cramming for my skills, there I am taking my skills test.

I felt I did close to adequate on all...but 1, and it only takes one..."perineal care," or, in layman's terms, "crotch washing." I was not offered enough towels and wash cloths required to do the job. I talked my way through it, though, and hoped that was enough, but upon leaving the testing site, I had more serious doubts than I did hopes.

But then again, a lot of folks have told me that I am "certifiable."

Oh yes! I got my results back a couple of hours ago, and yes, all those folks were correct, I am INDEED certifiable. I passed my written test with 88% and all of my skills tests. Now with this certification, many more doors are opened up to possibilities and plans Shusli and I have been discussing.

I am now a CERTIFIED NURSES ASSISTANT. I Love the work and hate the job. I'm told it is not a whole lot different in any of the nursing homes. I could gain more skills under this certification and get further certified to do things like work in hospitals, pass meds, give therapy to a limited extent, but we'll see. I could always go back to driving which pays more, less stress, but also less of the amazing treasure one finds working as a nursing assistant. So I have another skill I could use to find work and hopefully make the lives of others better when they find themselves in situations where they no longer have the independence they once enjoyed.

The future has been opened just a little bit more.

That's right folks! I am not only qualified, but STATE CERTIFIED to wash your ass should your life situation require that such a job be done.

"Witness" the Truth, Then Do Something With It...ANYTHING!

While playing with the Al Jazeera website, I came across a very interesting program they produce called "Witness." Why this show isn't on prime time in the United States...OK...I know why it isn't on prime time in the United States. As our friend Jessica says about Coos Bay, folks here are "beligerently anti-intellectual." In general, it seems that most U.S. citizens are "beligerently anti-intellectual." That is why FANTASTIC programs like Witness are not on the air on prime time on any major U.S. network.

One I recently watched and was hoping to post here from YouTube, but seem to be having some sort of problem from YouTube's end, is called "The House of Journalists."

Click here for part 1.

Click here for part 2.

137 journalists were killed last year. One of my favorites, Anna Politkovskaya, was killed in her apartment elevator by assassins who didn't like her work. She mostly wrote about the illegal and genocidal activities of the Russian government in Chechnya. She wrote a book called "A Dirty War," detailing the attrocities enacted in that nation by Russia and how Soviet soldiers were going AWOL. A fascinating read you all should read.

The House of Journalists is in Paris, France. It is for journalists who's lives are in danger especially from the nations they reported in. Journalists from Cuba, Africa, the Middle East, etc., are housed there and most are survivors of torture in their own nations. One journalist in Iraq was tortured because he wrote articles about Iraqi's sticking together instead of fighting amongst each other. As the Cuban journalist stated about the Cuban government he wrote so much about, they are afraid of the truth. They could torture him, but they could not change the truth.

The U.S. has arrested artists and destroyed the careers of many a truthful journalist. Some still shine through, like Seymour Hersch. But here in the U.S., the system is different. The citizenry in general are "beligerently anti-intellectual," and all the U.S. has to do is put on another reality TV show and the citizenry becomes satisfied with their ignorance.

I produced a radio program for KBOO called "Mitakuye Oyasin" for 12 years. For those 12 years, I did my best to bring forth the truth. I had help from folks like David Liberty, Jim Craven, Shusli Baseler-Johnson, Leigh Anne Kranz, and Warren Robinson to help. We had guests on the phone and in the studio like Vine Deloria, Jr., Ward Churchill, John Trudell, Klee Benally and the whole Blackfire band, Skip Mahawk, etc. We had guests live on the phone from occupations in Ontario enacted by the Mohawk nation. All those years and with a lot of help, we brought you truth and beauty. Truth...

I've been told by several people that they feared I would be killed for speaking the truth the way I did. Personally, the actuality of something like that happening here is pretty minute. Again, folks here are "beligerently anti-intellectual" and empire can always count on that. You could run them over with a bulldozer full of truth and they would still demand that bulldozers don't exist. The U.S. government is secure in their populace having little desire to know the truth about its activities. The corporate owned government also started our public education system which was headed by the elites in order to insure that the masses remained silent against the horrors they committed to their own citizenry, let alone world wide.

KBOO is having some hard times these days. KBOO is a good venue for truth and beauty. However, the listenership has dropped and so have the funds from the listeners. KBOO is listener supported. Read this article in the Skanner by Lisa Loving, "KBOO 90.7FM Community Radio at a Crossroads." KBOO is really working hard on regaining their listenership, and it is undoubtedly ruffling a lot of feathers. No matter the process, I hope the truth still keeps coming over the airwaves.

The truth is a dangerous thing to empire. There are many things they don't want you to know. Dig deep, folks. It really doesn't take much to find the truth. It is out there and easy to get your hands on. But the terrorist actions of empires worldwide keep us scared from seeking the truth. Empires don't want you to know the truth, because the truth is, empires will stop at nothing to acquire wealth for the few. We who are not members of those few far outnumber those few. Since they have done a great job of teaching us to FEAR the truth, most folks will rarely seek it out. The empire has many armed thugs to serve and protect the puproses of the elite.

So go out there, find the truth, and use it to crush empire as best you can and give the world back to the people instead of the ultra elite.

CHIRP!

This little guy makes a big noise. Throughout the whole day, and I do mean whole day, this little guy and his buds let out this loud chirp that sounds rather similar to the noise a smoke alarm makes when the battery is low, except much louder and more frequent and ALL DAY LONG!

Cute little bugger, though, huh!? Looks like he is wearing a skunk skin cap. I couldn't resist getting the little annoying guys photo this evening.

Anyone have any idea what these birds are called? Maybe "Loud Annoying Chirpers" or "Skunk Skin Skulls," or something like that.

Violence

Inspired by Shusli's blog, Death and Conscience, and her work around the murder of Andrew Hanlon, an Irish national, by a Silverton cop who is on paid administrative leave while he sits in jail for allegations of child molestation, the question of violence and what to do about it has come up within our community here in Coos Bay.

So, I open a discussion here:

How do we deal with violence?

Andrew Hanlon, Murdered June 30 by Silverton Cop

Officer Tony Gonzales, the cop who shot Andrew Hanlon to death for allegations of burglary.

Shusli, my Beautiful and Wonderful Wife

Tip Toe Through the Tulips: With Edit Added 7-24-08

I've been told a story that the Dutch economy was based on Tulip bulbs at one time (how true that is, I don't know). One day, a foreign sailor comes to port and he sees all these tulip bulbs in trays being sold for various prices depending on the variety. He thought they were onions. He grabbed one and ate it. Folks were not only shocked, but they also realized that their economy was based on tulip bulbs, and their economy collapsed. [Explanation: The Dutch lost "trust" in the basis of their economy, the Tulip. Without the peoples trust (example: in the U.S. we "trust" the dollar will purchase something, a common belief that it is actually worth something when it is only a piece of paper) in what their economic system was based on, there was an economic collapse.]

The U.S. economy is based on credit. This credit far exceeds any properties that one has to back said credit. Thus, the U.S. economy is based on debt, and most of the debt is without any form of backing. The debt that does have backing, such as real property, is losing value. The subprime loan forclosures are partly sucking the U.S. and world economies dry. With increasing unemployment, there are not as many buyers to purchase the properties that are forclosed upon or the properties are sold at a much lower value thus furthering the struggle the U.S. economy is in. The dollar, in a very real sense, is based mostly on NOTHING.

So, with banks like IndyMac experiencing what can only be called runs, and other banks struggling or on the verge of collapse, the falling value of the dollar (which is inflated in value anyway), make the values of banks and the dollar even less, but not what they are actually worth, which is far less as they are all mostly based on tulip bulbs...er...credit.

But such worthlessness can be maintained by illusion. Illusion meaning lies. Although the dollar has been HIGHLY inflated for years, its worthlessness is maintained by the belief in the lie that it is worth far more than it is. This lie is maintained by FORCE. The U.S. is the most terroristic nation and has the worlds largest nuclear arsenal and sincerely wants to use it. With a-holes in office like King Dick and co-King George, folks are more apt to kneel before U.S. brutality and accept that indeed, the dollar is worth its highly inflated price.

However, with rising gas and food prices, decreasing incomes, rising unemployment, increased bankruptcies, excessive health care bills, etc., the average good old American is left holding a whole lot of something, and that something is debt. Debt that folks are having increasingly hard times repaying because of high gas and food prices, lack of employment, etc.

I have this funny feeling that someone, somewhere, is doing some serious cooking with a tulip bulb.

Tiptoe Through the Tulips
by Tiny Tim

Tiptoe through the window
By the window, that is where I'll be
Come tiptoe through the tulips with me

Oh, tiptoe from the garden
By the garden of the willow tree
And tiptoe through the tulips with me

Knee deep in flowers we'll stray
We'll keep the showers away
And if I kiss you in the garden, in the moonlight
Will you pardon me?
And tiptoe through the tulips with me

Nazi Pope Makes Another USELESS Apology

I've been trying to avoid it folks, because I've talked so much about the Nazi Pope and his already USELESS apologies to child RAPE victims of clergy from past to present.

OK, let's start a new law. All convicted child rapists should be released if they simply make an apology. Does that sound good? Not that we don't have enough child rapists on the loose as it is, but let's make another law saying that any child rapist who gets caught should immediately be set free when the rapist makes a simple apology, sincere or not.

But here, we have the Nazi Pope, whose organization, the Vatican, has been well aware of the child rape happening in their organization and has done NOTHING about it for at least a century, maybe longer. Now they apologize and it is considered a good step in the right direction by most folks. Let's see, the Nazi Pope, whose aVtican Crime Organization lives off of wealth they stole from gazillions of other folks through the use of genocide (which inlcudes rape), makes an apology and everything seems to be OK. The Nazis came to power BECAUSE OF TREATIES SIGNED WITH THE VATICAN. The Vatican supported somewhat directly the most horrific death camp the fascists in Europe had going, Jasenovac. The Nazi Loving war criminal Vatican also helped many a Nazi escape justice...if the escapee had enough money to pay the Vatican for their protection. The Vatican most likely helped Peter Brzica come to the United States in 1958 under an assumed name, but that is only an allegation because the alleged representatives of God don't seem to let out a whole lot of documentation about their crimes with the Nazi's, especially, I'm sure, since a Nazi now heads the genocidal organization. No apologies for these and gazillions of other crimes the Vatican Crime Organization commits, but because they want some good publicity and to hush the horrors specifically enduced through RAPING CHILDREN, the Nazi Pope makes an apology and meets with four victims for 1 HOUR in Sydney Australia.

There...all better, don't you think? I mean we have NO reason to believe that this Vatican Crime Organization will ever rape children ever again, right?

Let's see, what comes with this apology. The Vatican Crime Organization keeps its wealth. The bad publicity dies down. Victim/survivors receive no compensation or if they do they'll have to sign a document saying they won't discuss anything with the public nor litigate the crimes committed against them by the Vatican Crime Organization. And POOF! Look at that, would ya! The Vatican Crime Organization gets away with raping thousands upon thousands of children TO THIS DAY AND INTO THE FUTURE and the publicity settles and they keep their wealth and never see a day in court or a noose.

Oh yeah! Nice apology Nazi Pope! I'd tell you to kiss my ass, but considering the organization you represent, you probably wouldn't stop there. I'm sure you would apologize after you were done, though.

Nazi Pope, if you and your Vatican Crime Organization are truly reprentatives of God, I hope when I die I'm shot straight to HELL because if I have to spend eternity with child rapists, genocidal folks, theives, and murderers, etc., that your criminal organization supports or does itself directly, then I'd rather spend eternity in hell than sing praise to a heartless genocidal child rapist Loving god that you represent. FUCK YOU!

I guess the apology wasn't all that useless. I mean, the Nazi Pope and the Vatican Crime Organization gets away with raping thousands upon thousands upon thousands of children from past to present and ON INTO THE FUTURE! They VCO will never have to face a day in court. The VCO gets to keep all their ill gotten gain. The VCO receives good publicity for raping children through a simple apology. Business as usual continues without so much of that nasty publicity. The victims/survivors die off as new ones are created but the system will only have to point to one simple apology, and all crimes are forgiven like Jesus himself came down and raped children right along with those priests and made it a new commandment.

Oh, and don't forget, folks, James Fagan, Democratic Senator from Massachusettes says he would not only protect child rapist clients, but he would destroy the lives of children even more to defend his clients. He would make children commit suicide to protect child rapists. FUCK YOU FAGAN! ROT IN HEAVEN WITH THAT NAZI POPE!

What Good Am I?

What the hell can I do?
I haven't done a whole lot
of anything,
really.
People are dying senselessly
at the hands of others
directly and indirectly
and I sat on my ass
behind a microphone for 12 years
once a week
then every other week
as Indian time
disappeared from the airwaves
then I disappeared from the airwaves
my jaws a flappin'
and more people dyin' senselessly
at the hands of others
directly and indirectly.
What the hell good am I
as my skin stretches in a willow hoop
across the ribs of a lampshade
my scrotum stretches as a man pulls tobacco
from my former ballsack
and what the hell good am I?

The old lady
pushes her walker slowly
until she stands in front of me
hunched over from years of life,
silent from years of talking.
She communicates by pointing her
index finger, now,
and now she points at my belly
as she requests my attention.
"What do you need?" I ask
She reaches forward,
pokes my belly,
then pokes again,
and then again
until I laugh.
Then she starts pinching my belly
and I laugh harder.
I lean down and she leans up
until our eyes meet.
"Are you trying to tickle me?"
She nods joyfully
with a smile on her face.

My favorite thing to do
to relax
after work
is to wrastle my wife to the sofa
and rub her feet.

...I usually don't have to wrastle her...
OK, I don't have to wrastle her at all.
But when we wrastle...
there are no losers.

I Come Here to Work, I Don't Come Here to Die

On Tuesday, July 15, George Mann and Harry (whose last name I forget) played this old union song that Harry wrote around 1980. This is a rather famous song in the labor movement.

This is the first video I recroded and put on YouTube. I apologize for the quality.

Recently at my workplace, the word "union" has been spoken. That kind of talk can get you fired from a job here in the land of alleged freedom. As part of working for this company, I also had to sign a thing stating I wouldn't do anything about trying to join a union. This, of course, is a violation of "human rights," but since when do Americans read and learn about such things as what "human rights" really are.

Also, on one of the residents televisions about a month ago, I heard a television commercial for a company that specializes in union busting or stopping unions from forming within the corporations you may work for. A company specifically designed to violate "human rights" being advertised on American television and nobody says anything.

Were it not for unions, we'd all be working 12-16 hours a day 7 days a week with no vacations, wages just high enough for us to live in a cardboard box and to buy enough food to keep us alive for the next work day, no health care (not like there is much health care today), no weekends, no sick leave (including unpaid), no 40 hour work week, no overtime, etc. All of these things were brought to you by unions and corporations are working hard to take away all of these things AND MORE from you, the common worker (as it were). But that's OK, because this is the land of freedom where "human rights" are of the utmost importance and highly respected.

So the next time you have paid holidays, paid overtime, paid time off, health care (even shitty health care), 40 hour work weeks, etc., thank the unions because the corporations and the U.S. government in which they own wouldn't "give" you those things, you aren't members of the wealthy elite. Besides, as founding father James Madison would say if he were still alive, "you aren't anything but beasts here to do the work for the man."