Livejournal....ha...funny. I forgot all about it.... ah well.

Later

Read the subject ^

I am studying and it is wonderfully entertaining...

Seasons Greetings everyone

I look around me and I see people, going about their days, going to work, school, bars, restaurants, doing whatever people do everyday of their lives. Humans have an amazing capacity for delusion and denial. We can all go through this life and ignore the larger problems going on around us, rendition, threats of nuclear war, detainment without representation or even being informed what you are being held for, torture, rigged elections, disregard for the environment, fraud, theft...the list goes on and on and on.

Is the reality to hard for people to accept? I don't think so. I think as humans we also have an amazing capacity to take charge of our futures and come together under a common goal. The goal you may be thinking to yourself, whom ever you are, "is what exactly?" Simply to be heard as one voice on a day coming up very soon, October 5th 2006. And this voice will tell the world that Americans are not simply rich assholes who care about nothing that is going on around them.

We can show the world that we want accountability from our government! That we are capable of incredible acts of kindness and generosity not just murder on massive scales. Sacramento as the capital of the state with one of the best economies in the world can come together and SHOUT NO MORE!

We CAN make politicians listen, WE CAN DRIVE OUT THE BUSH REGIME! More importantly we must do this...because as important as all those things that I listed are, one thing is more tragic. The death of an idea, the idea of the UNITED States, the death of a living document that can continues to change and grow long after the founders who drafted and signed that incredible document have died. All of those things that are being done against the law, against our will are but the wounds that will slowly kill this great system of ours. It is coming.

When will the day come that corporations send out goons in police like uniforms and take people away, based not on anything about terrorism, but because they LOOK like one. What we are facing RIGHT NOW is the next Nazi-Regime, what this regime wants is a world of constant total war. They, Cheney, Bush, Rumsfeld and others of the administration have said they want total war; they want peace at the cost of killing anyone who is different! It's RACISM, it is FASCISM!

Join me at the capitol October 5th, and show the world that California is more than San Francisco or L.A.! That Sacramento is THE capitol of California!

LET’S BE HEARD!

Ryan Uselmann
Sacramento Chapter
World Can't Wait - www.worldcantwait.org

E-mail: sacramento@worldcantwait.org
Call: 916-863-9797

I haven't done anything with LJ in a long time... I'm not sure what to say...

I guess it won't be much.

Later

So I have been watching almost non-stop Farscape for the last two...or three days. Great show!

Hmm...I haven't updated in a while, what to say....My job hunt continues with little success and no hope from Randstad, looks like it was a wash. So now I turn to classifieds, lots of random ads for customer service, retail, warehouse jobs, and whatever else I might be qualified in. So far though I have had zero luck.

Not much else

Our Government is involved in a lot of despicable things nowadays, so its possible allergies were created by them to see how much we can take before we crack... Psychological torture, I know I shouldn't rub my eye, but it itches to damn much not to!!! Which makes it worse, allergy medicine is supposed to provide relief, but in some people, like me for example, the allergy medicine only helps with some symptoms and leaves others to disturb on a 24 hour basis. Coincidence? I don't think so; look at the close ties of large pharmaceuticals to corrupt politicians!

Ermm....anyway, I'm over my rant. I just wanted to find a way to bitch about two unrelated topics at once. :P Torture is an issue, though. Our government is conducting torture all over the world, but not just any kind of torture, psychological torture, also known as torture light.... A very deceptive name considering the extensive damage that it caused by it. Did you know the President has the right to declare ANYONE an enemy of the U.S. and hold them without trial, charges, or any kind of rights what so ever? On top of that you could be tortured and there would be no repercussions for those that did it. The effect of psychological torture is by far worse than any kind of physical torture; it destroys the mind, sometimes to a point where the person is left catatonic. They're lethargic and have to be fed through an NG (nasal gastric) tube. There are, or were, two such people at Gitmo, more commonly known as Guantanamo. It saddens me that this country, one that is supposed to be a leader in democracy and freedom, continually proves that we have never had such values as freedom.

How can we claim to be free when most people ignore what is going on around them, using the excuse of "What can I do about it?” The truth is there is a lot people can do to enact change in this country! Would it surprise anyone to know that there is currently a strong movement all across the country in cities and entire states to use a little known congressional rule 603, written by Jefferson, to impeach George Bush and Dick Cheney with the charges of intentionally misleading Congress and the American people about the threat from Iraq in order to justify an unnecessary war, conspiring to torture prisoners, holding American citizens without charges or trial and spying on American citizens.

"Sacramento has been the center of some notable impeachment activity in the last two weeks-though you wouldn't know it by reading the mainstream press."

"First came a resolution introduced on April 22 by state Assemblyman Paul Koretz, D-LA, asking California's Legislature to initiate impeachment of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. The legislation relies on a largely forgotten congressional rule giving statehouses power to start the impeachment ball rolling." -- Excerpt from the May 11th edition of the SN&R

We as the voting populous have to be involved, we have to stay informed! It's our responsibility to our futures and our children’s futures to remain informed, to vote, to stand up and say "No, I disagree" or "I agree." It doesn't matter what side you come down on, just use your right as a citizen to voice your opinion through voting and/or protest. Some of the greatest movements and biggest successes for change came from protesting.

It's a powerful tool and also one the Bush administration is trying hard to infringe on. Last Friday we went to a talk on Guantanamo with four notable speakers including Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! speaking. As we were leaving I was handed a flier from a UC Berkley student, as it turns out there was a rally that was cancelled a mere thirty minutes before its scheduled start. The thing is this rally was in support for a possible ballot measure for impeachment in Berkeley against George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. The Office of Student Life claimed that they did not have enough people to setup some sound equipment, but when Constitution Summer, the organization holding the rally, went to the office they found 3 students and 2 managers.

They were informed that an e-mail had been sent to an unspecified person regarding the cancellation of the rally. When Summer Constitution Co-Founder Abraham Kneisley asked to whom the e-mail was sent, OSL staff refused to answer. The OSL had previously confirmed the event verbally and had stated that a written confirmation would arrive late by US Postal Mail. When OSL staff called an unspecified manager to confer on the decision, Mr. Kneisley asked to speak with the manager, was refused, and so requested to speak with the ASUC President, a Dean, or Chancellor. These requests, too, were refused.

Upon arriving back on Sproul Plaza, Constitution Summer organizers were confronted by the UC Berkeley Police, who said that the event was no longer sanctioned and that a police report would have to be filed if any teach-in occurred. They headed the cancellation and proceeded to hold a demonstration in support of free speech rights.

"I find it profoundly ironic," said Mr. Kneisley, "that we should arbitrarily be denied the chance to speak freely about restrictions on basic American liberty on Law Day, whose 2006 theme, "Liberty Under Law: Separate Branches, Balanced Powers' highlights the importance of fundamental due process. It is doubly ironic that our event was to take place on Mario Savio Steps, the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement."

Incidents such as that are happening more frequently across the country. The Bush administration is using the power of the Federal Government to bully Universities and Colleges into submission. Anti-recruitment rallies and protestors have been met with threats of expulsion, have been manhandled by campus police, and generally had their rights infringed by school Administrations. That’s why it is so important for us to get involved, whether you agree with Bush or not you can't possibly agree with our right to free speech being systematically taken away. Do you know what they do with Anti-bush protestors and spectators when he goes anywhere? They put them behind large buses, keep them far, far away from the speech area and basically keep them as far out of sight as possible usually claiming a security risk.

Pretty soon it will be against the law to voice an opinion in public about anything! That's why I urge anyone who doesn't want to completely lose all their rights to a right-wing, neo-fascist Christian white supremacist who thinks he has been chosen by god, apparently giving him the right to cheat the voters of this country out of a fair election, to read, listen, watch independent media, go to talks, rallies, protests and just VOTE. Stay informed and make sure your vote matters, because if you don't do something who will?



Democracy Now! - Friday, May 12, 2006

http://www.democracynow.org/index.pl?issue=20060512

Headlines for May 12, 2006; Three Major Telecom Companies Help US Government Spy on Millions of Americans

The Yes Men Strike Again

Group Poses As Halliburton Reps At Catastrophic Loss Conference

Mothers Say No To War: Peace Activists Plan Mothers Day Protest Outside White House



Also check out

Air America Radio

http://www.airamericaradio.com/

Sacramento News and Review
http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Home

The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/

The Epoch Times
http://www.theepochtimes.com/change_edition.html

Link Crusader
Over 3000 Links to Anti-Bush Sites, Progressive Sites, U.S. Coup in Haiti, Gov. 'Gropenator',
Voting Machine Fraud, Weblogs, News, Activist Tools, Campus Activism, & Yahoo! Message Boards

http://www.linkcrusader.com

Guantanamo
http://www.guantanamo.com/

Ok, not really, but that would be so fucking kewl. This is going to be one of those times where I tell anyone who reads this to also read the following links, especially the one about Stephen Colbert ripping the President (aka. That idiot who calls himself "the decider") a new one while he was 10 FEET AWAY! AT THE WHITE HOUSE! YES!

Anyway, yeah, I think its worth a read or a watch... :)

Real News:

Daughter of Sami Al-Arian Says Family "Devastated" by Father's Continued Imprisonment, Blasts Media Coverage

The case of Palestinian professor and activist Sami Al-Arian took another turn this week when a federal judge in Florida sentenced him to another year and a half in prison. We speak with his daughter, Laila Al-Arian, his attorney, Linda Moreno and journalist John Sugg who has been closely following the case. [includes rush transcript]


Sami Al-Arian Co-Defendant Sameeh Hammoudeh Remains in Jail Four Months After Being Acquitted of All Charges


We look the case of one of Sami Al-Arian's co-defendants, Sameeh Hammoudeh. Despite being acquitted in December of all the terrorism charges against him, he remains behind bars. Hammoudeh speaks to us from jail in Florida and we go to Ramallah to speak with his daughter, Weeam, who is waiting for him to be released and deported. [includes rush transcript]


Stephen Colbert's Blistering Performance Mocking Bush and the Press Goes Ignored by the Media

Stephen Colbert, the host of the Comedy Central fake news program "The Colbert Report" repeatedly mocked President Bush and the press for its failings in a blistering routine at the White House Correspondents Association annual dinner Saturday night. We play his comments. [includes rush transcript]

Headlines for May 3, 2006

Armenian Passenger Jet Crashes Near Russia, Killing 113
An Armenian passenger plane has crashed off Russia’s Black Sea coast, killing all 113 people on board. Armenian airline officials say they suspect the crash was due to bad weather.

Republicans Drop Gas Rebate, Tax Proposals
On Capitol Hill, Republicans have dropped a proposal to provide consumers with $100 dollar rebates to offset rising gas costs. The idea was floated last week amidst a growing public outcry over record fuel prices. The abandonment of the rebate plan comes just one day after Republicans said they would also drop a tax proposal opposed by the oil industry and other business leaders. Republican House Speaker Denis Hastert said Republicans would focus their efforts on opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. Hastert made the announcement after meeting with ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson. Speaking in Washington, New York Senator Chuck Schumer criticized the Republicans’ ties to the oil industry: "The last person in the world you want to make oil policy in America is George Bush. Because George Bush believes in his bones that what is good for Exxon Mobil is good for America that's how he was raised, that's how he was brought up, he can't do anything against. And that's why the policies that he and his Republican leadership have come up with are sort of a joke."

15 Killed in Fallujah Suicide Bombing
In Iraq, 15 people were killed and 30 wounded earlier today when a suicide bomber attacked a recruitment line outside a Fallujah police station. Meanwhile, police in Baghdad said they’ve found the bodies of at least 14 men who had been tied up and shot dead. According to Reuters, Baghdad’s main morgue received at least 65 bodies on Monday and Tuesday.

Iraqi Ambulance Worker Killed By US Security Contractors
Meanwhile, an unidentified Iraqi ambulance worker was killed Tuesday when he was shot by a group of American security contractors. The worker’s colleague, Abu Ali, described the attack: "We were driving here to deliver a case (to the hospital) when a bomb went off close to a passing convoy of Americans. They (the Americans) opened fire on him, shooting him in his heart. Their sniper shot him twice and one of them in his heart. What is his crime? We are ambulance drivers who help people during attacks. What have we done wrong?"

German Engineers Freed in Iraq
In other Iraq news, two German engineers were freed Tuesday after nearly 16 weeks in captivity. The men were abducted in late January from an oil refinery north of Baghdad.

Berlusconi Abandons Bid To Stay in Power
In Italy, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has abandoned his bid to cling to power following his loss in last month’s national elections. Berlusconi submitted his resignation Tuesday. Romano Prodi, leader of the winning centre-left coalition, is expected to be named Prime Minister in the coming weeks.

Mexico Decriminalizes Minor Drug Possession Over US Objections
In Mexico, President Vicente Fox is expected to sign into law a measure that decriminalizes the possession of small amounts of drugs, including marijuana, cocaine and heroin. The measure was approved by the Mexican Senate Friday over the strong objection of US officials.

Lt. Gen. Sanchez Told Troops To “Go To Outer Limits” With Detainees
Back in the United States, the release of thousands of de-classified military documents is raising new questions about the role of senior army commanders in the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal. According to the ACLU, the documents show Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the former top U.S. military commander in Iraq, urged his troops to "go to the outer limits" to extract information from prisoners. Previously released documents have linked Sanchez to the use of army dogs during interrogations.

Bush Administration Criticized Over Child Food Marketing, Obesity
The Bush administration is coming under criticism from consumer and health advocates over a new Federal Trade Commission and Health and Human Services report that advocates say is too lax on food marketing and childhood obesity. Gary Ruskin, executive director of Commercial Alert, said: “The [junk food] industry will be thrilled that the government recommends no federal restrictions on junk food marketing to children, despite the continued worsening of the childhood obesity epidemic… The report shows, once again, that the Bush administration cares more about the profits of the food industry than the health of our children.”

Beverage Companies To End Soda Sales In Public Schools
Meanwhile, the foundation run by former President Bill Clinton has announced a deal with this country’s major beverage companies to end the sale of soft drinks in US public schools. Under the agreement, companies including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Cadbury Schweppes have agreed to sell only low or non-fattening drinks to elementary and middle schools. Diet sodas will be sold only in high schools. An estimated 35 million students will be affected by the deal.

Brandeis University Removes Palestinian Youth Art Exhibit
And finally, in Boston, a free speech controversy has erupted at Brandeis University over the removal of an exhibition featuring the paintings of Palestinian youths. The exhibit’s 17 paintings depicted the young artists’ perspectives on life under Israeli military occupation. But just four days into a two-week run, the exhibit was removed by Brandeis officials after several complaints from students. A university spokesperson said the school would consider re-mounting the paintings if they were to appear alongside paintings showing an Israeli perspective. The exhibition was curated by an Israeli Jewish student who said she wanted to showcase a Palestinian perspective on campus. The student, Lior Halperin, said: ''This was an opportunity to bring to Brandeis the Palestinian voice that is not spoken or heard through an Israeli or an American Jew, but directly delivered from Palestinians. Obviously that was just too much for Brandeis."

As you might be able to tell from the title, this entry will be about kittens. Specifically the kittens we found in my back yard. This story does have a slight sad note to it, so I apologize if it makes anyone sad. Anyway, yesterday morning mi madre woke me up and informed there were kittens in the back yard and also that our dogs had found them. There were 4 kittens found, but unfortunately one of them was dead, we're not sure if maybe the dogs stepped on it or what... However the other three were relatively ok, they couldn't be more than 5 days old as it looked like they had just opened their eyes.

I almost immediately called Megan and Omar, two animal saints if there ever were. So I call him up leave a message, he gets back to me very quickly, I give him a sit-rep and he tells me they will be down there in a bit to drop off formula and that they will take them later that night after there math class. See what I mean?! Saints! Anyway, they swing by and Megan feeds them a little out of a bottle and I pay attention to how she does it. Feeding kittens can be hard!

So they take off soon after and I'm left alone all day with tiny kittens to feed about every 2 hours. Surprisingly I did ok, I mastered the feeding technique and watched over them as they were sleeping. Three kittens together in a box always = big ball of cuteness. My mother gave them unofficial names: Tiger, Cougar 1 and Cougar 2 respectively....OI!

I have pictures of these cute kittens, but I need to find my data cable so I can upload them. However I also wanted to inform anyone reading that Megan and Omars other cats had two litters and those kittens are about ready to be given away to good homes. :) So if anyone is interested let either Drea or I know and we will get you in touch with them. I guarantee the kittens are healthy and very cute, they always do fairly well under their care.

Oh! Also the two cats who had the others kittens are still nursing I guess, so the new kittens will have a new madre or two. :)

P.S. I don't know the procedure for LJ, but anyone who wants to add me as a friend can feel free to do so. I can't find a friend invite or anything, so....