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The Global Outrage of an Educated Man.......vol.61

 

Ladies and gentlemen, there will be absolutely no outrage from me this edition. That I can guarantee without a doubt. This volume will be full of sap and heartstring pulling romanticism. So if you are already threatened, turn away.

 

I have heard whisperings about the film that I will be praising for the past couple of weeks and had read a small snippet in the paper and that peaked my interest, and so, last weekend I went on line to watch the trailer and with just that, I knew that this was going to be something very special.  So, yesterday, before even seeing the film or hearing a full song from the film,  I went to my favorite bookstore, Barnes and Noble at Har Mar off of Snelling Avenue and doing my part as a fighter against the terrorists and not letting them win, made a consumer choice and purchased the soundtrack to a film I hadn't even seen yet, let alone listened too. And so, there I was sitting in my drifting spoiler 2005 Blue "M&M" Dodge Neon being tempted by being stuck in traffic and having the cd sitting there on the passenger seat next to me urging me to take a listen, but yet I resisted.  I wanted to make the first listen special.  So, yesterday, on a late Saturday afternoon while making my way through the congestion that is the Lyndale/Hennepin avenue exit off of 94east, and trying to make it to the Lagoon theater for the 4:55 showing of this film that I urge all of you to see and listen too and of which will hopefully gain more momentum as the summer procedes and more word of mouth spreads like lymes disease in a Minnesota campground, I was comforted by the fact that life does go on, be it alone or with someone.  Boys and girls, I saw a movie that captured my heart and soul with music and cinematography so simple and so captivating and beautiful that I can only say it was breathtaking.

 

 

The film is Once.

 

 

The film's music, the simplicity to the style and the truth and mirror to my own romantic escapades and experiences seemed to be shared with all of the world to see. It is a simple story of boy meets girl and boy loses girl and that is fine, for there is always another girl and always another boy. But the pain is sometimes too hard to bear, but the pain does and will go away. For there are no easy, nicely wrapped up and folded endings in real life, for life is subjective depending on the point of view and it is always open ended and never ending.  The film has no special effects, there is no violence and there is no sex. So, why would anyone want to watch it? Because it makes you want to, upon leaving the theater, wishing you had purchased the soundtrack and that you want to put the cd in and turn it up loud and the top down and drive as fast as you can to the one you love with tears in your eyes and a smile on your face. Ladies and gentlemen, love knows no bounds.  

 

I know some of you will be outraged that you read this at all, but I hope not.

 

 

May the all encompassing whatever it is bless you and your loved ones for all eternity.

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The Global Outrage of an Educated Man......vol.60

 

 

The Battle for 2008 Presidential Election is heating up folks, can you believe it? We still have some 16 months to go. You have to have alot of cash in order to get your point across don't you. Doesn't sound like "all men are created equal" does it? Then again, the name of the game in our Democracy is money. Without it, you are just another soundbite on the way to the big house. Poor Paris. Poor poor Paris.

 

"When you see handsome people or fine trees, pronounce the benediction: Praised be He who who created beautiful things." Tosefta: Berakot

 

Back to the road to the White House. Or should I say the parade of handouts and kickbacks and fundraisers to be the spokesman or spokeswoman for big business, aka: Big Oil.  The Democrats debate last Sunday night was pathetic. Obama got 16 minutes to get his views across and Senator Joe Biden from the great state of Delaware got 8. Does that sound fair? I'm not even going to mention how little allotted time the lesser known but more radically common sensical Mike Gravel who wants to do the right thing and legalize Marijuana, from Alaska got. I love his catch phrase too, "Follow the Money." Exactly, searching for Deep Throat amongst the money hungry rats prostituting themselves to the highest bidder mainstream Democrats. You know who you are, Hillary and Edwards and even Obama too. Those money hungry rats looked like they were fighting over pieces of cheese, all of which resulted in simple petty bickering. Obama, stick to the 3 minute Convention speeches....you're not ready for the White House just yet, it's obvious that you have problems when the questions aren't scripted. So, out of the field of 10, I would go with only 4, Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich, have you seen his wife? How did he do it? She's a model. And finally, Joe Biden and Bill Richardson. That's my stance so far on the Dems. Way to get us out of Iraq though. Makes me wonder, does anyone have any back bone anymore. Maybe soon to be Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore does?

 

"It is not wealth and power that enslave men but the clinging to wealth and power." Majjhima

                                                                                                                       Nikaya

 

Now onto the Republicans, where McCain looks like an angry old man who yells at you to get off his lawn when you were a kid. And he wants to push the button on the big one? No chance in hell old man.  Their main contention is Immigration and the push for a national ID card. I'll do them one better. Why not just chip the whole population? Because that's what they're asking for and just not saying it. They have to tip toe to the Fascist Totalitarianism people, or else the mindless American public might just wake up to the truth. Shhhhh, their sleeping. But, wake up!!! Remember Sept 11th, Sept 11th, Sept 11th, Sept 11th. Yeah, thanks for reminding us about that one. I almost forgot. Nice work Giuliani. I must say, Mitt Romney is going to be hard to beat and would make a handsome looking Mormon President. But wait, who's that waiting in the wings, Fred Thompson. The Ronald Reagan of our times as the media is calling him. He even sounds Presidential. Look out world. But my choice would be Ron Paul of Texas. Imagine, a Republican talking about the need to remove the option of Pre-emptive war from the table and mentioning that's not what Christianity is about. Way to go! It's not like you stand a chance in hell, but I like ya.

 

"Theology: that madness gone systematic which tries to crowd God's fullness into a formula and a system." Rabbi Joel Blau, "My Uncertain God" Menorah Journal, 1924.

 

So, here are the issues that will divide the nation for the next 16 months. Illegal Immigration, Abortion Rights, Universal Health Care and our Foreign Policy. For me, the immigration policy goes like this, if you wanna come here, fine, then pay taxes and get insurance and learn English.  It's not like you are going to take away a job that I'm applying for. As for the language, the language in America is English and always has been except for that time when we wiped out the native Americans, but what are you going to do, were sorry.  Now they have Casinos, that seems fair. It's simple, when you live in France, you have to speak French. Isn't that crazy! Abortion, I'm not a woman, but I think it needs to be on a case by case basis. Health care shouldn't depend on how much money you make. If we truly value human life as much as the Republicans say they do, why not have everyone covered? And finally Foreign Policy, talk for as long as you can and if you can't get anywhere then hit'em where it hurts, economically, and then if that doesn't do it, use some of the 400 billion dollar budget we spend on our Defense. Because, we have no money for Health Care and Education in this country.  And folks, we should do away with the income tax and only have a sales tax. The more you make, the more you buy and the more you buy the more you are taxed. Simple and fair. Oh, but then there would be no loopholes for the rich. Yeah, that ain't gonna work.

 

"No culture can live if it attempts to be exclusive." Mohandas Gandhi

 

 

May the all encompassing whatever it is continue to bless you in your life for all eternity.

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