AHORA.. WHAT TO DO ON THE 4TH OF JULY …7-7-2008
DEAR SISTERS AND BROTHERS…
Today I want to recognize the artists in our community. I love the painters, poets, writers, dancers, singers… I love to watch others create and inspire us to dream… we need to support our artists and show our appreciation for their art and their presentations…
Each city should have a celebration of the arts with good local people gathering to share with us all their precious gifts…it might just be a gathering of good folks and doing what they do best…SHARING…
coming soon ..A leno reception in Portland and Seattle
a. Portland July 18th 6-8 pm
b. Seattle July 20th 5-7 pm
The details will be coming in the next mailing…
At these events come and share your dreams and work with others.
NOW FOR MY VIEW OF THE NEWS
a. 4th of July 6, 2008
b. Watermelon man
c. DNA and Texas
d. Olympic dreamer
DID YOU HAVE A HAPPY FOURTH OF July 5, 2008
It was difficult to find something to be happy about given the following
- gas prices
- the stupid wars and all those killed and injured on all sides
- food prices
- mortgage foreclosures
- unemployment
- sub prime auto loans
- predatory lending
- Guantanamo
- the patriot act
- spying on our phone calls
- and you can add your items to this list
After all these depressing topics… I did find something to be happy about. And that is there are so many good activists are out there working to change our world. I was also happy for all those who love and support me… I celebrate all those who struggle around the world not matter what the political stripe of their government…
An interesting item for me that this 4TH of July was that it was brought to us by COMMUNIST CHINA and slave labor. It’s ironic that these patriotic folks across our USA were setting off Fire Crackers made in China which still is a Communist Country. I emphasis this because of all the madness of the right wing talk hosts and politicians that make a big issue of the lapel flag pin..And then turn around and celebrate INDEPENDENCE DAY with Chinese Communist Fireworks.
And if some one wanted to do something to affect all of the USA ..You just need to put something in the fireworks and you would reach our entire country… worst is that most of these brilliant and colorful and very loud items are made by the hands of people who are paid almost nothing and do not have the freedom or liberty that the fireworks honor… I bet you that these fire workers imported to our county are not inspected and just come in and sold to us the unsuspecting public.
Another thing… I was in Nicaragua during a war and others who have lived in war zones or fought in them will find the sounds of the fireworks frightening given that those sounds are the sounds of war and in a war people die and are damaged.
I welcome the Chinese of Mexican fire crackers as long as the workers are paid well and treated humanely. Other wise we might want to find some other way to recognize out 4th of July.
Watermelon Rinds
Just might change some peoples lives
There is a story in the news this past week that Watermelon just might give men the same results as Viagra. It is said that the Rind of these melons could have a positive affect on a person… Well I can tell you that many a watermelon has been sold since this news hit the streets.. Also I found out that you can purchase pickled watermelon rinds.. Or you can just put it in a juicer put some sweeteners and drink to you’re your hearts content. I don’t think this works on women … but who knows..
I was at a birthday lunch with some Nicaraguans and some of the women suggested their husbands go buy a bunch of melons..This was good for a wonderful laugh and long smiles.
I will be waiting for the results of YOUR field studies before investing heavily in Watermelon stocks. But just to be safe I will plant a couple of watermelon seeds in the ground and wait … with much expectation.
Texas man freed by DNA after 15 years in prison
By JEFF CARLTON, Associated Press Writer
A Texas man who spent more than 15 years in prison after being wrongly
convicted of kidnapping and robbery raised both arms skyward and
collapsed in his mother’s embrace Thursday after being told he was a
free man.
Patrick Waller’s sobs were the only sound at a crowded hearing attended
by four other inmates also exonerated by DNA testing.
“It’s all right, honey,” Patricia Cunningham told her son. “It’s over.
You’re out of here. You’re going home.”
Waller had been behind bars since 1992 for aggravated robbery and
aggravated kidnapping stemming from the abduction of a Dallas couple.
He was proved innocent by DNA testing late last year.
“I feel vindicated,” said Waller, 38. “I feel thankful. Most of all, I
feel blessed.”
His release had been all but certain since last week, when the Dallas
County prosecutor’s office announced that DNA evidence had cleared
Waller and matched the profile of another man.
That suspect identified his accomplice, and both men subsequently
confessed in front of a grand jury, prosecutors said. Neither man is in
prison, although one is on parole, and they won’t face criminal charges
because the statute of limitations has expired.
Waller is the 19th man in Dallas County since 2001 shown by DNA
evidence to be innocent of the crime for which he was convicted. That’s
more than any county in the nation, according to The Innocence Project
in New York, a legal center specializing in wrongful-conviction cases.
Four former inmates who collectively served nearly 100 years in prison
before being exonerated lined the back wall of the crowded courtroom.
The men freed by DNA testing in Dallas County have made a habit of
showing up in court for exoneration hearings, and on Thursday they
presented Waller with a prepaid cell phone as a gift.
Their exoneration stories helped Waller during his incarceration.
“All these guys I just met, I have all their clippings,” Waller said.
“It always gave me hope that one day it would be my turn.”
Waller said he plans to ask the other exonorees about the challenges of
rejoining society. He is also about 20 credit hours short of a degree.
John Stickels, an Innocence Project of Texas board member and a
professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, said he wants to
help Waller enroll at the suburban Dallas school.
Waller’s ordeal began in 1992 when two men kidnapped a couple and stole
several hundred dollars. The men also sexually assaulted the woman
after tying up the man, District Attorney Mike Ware said.
Another couple who drove up to the scene were also held at gunpoint. A
security guard arrived and scared off the men, who fled in separate
cars.
Three of the four people abducted picked Waller in a photo lineup. The
fourth later picked him out of a live lineup, Ware said.
Waller maintained his innocence and presented an alibi at trial but was
convicted and sentenced to life in prison. He also pleaded guilty to
two charges of aggravated kidnapping, fearing more life sentences if he
were convicted, said his lawyer, Gary Udashen.
In 2001, Waller requested post-conviction DNA testing under a new state
law. The DA’s office, then under different leadership, opposed the
request, and it was denied by a judge. A second attempt in 2005 was
also unsuccessful.
Bill Hill, who was the district attorney when Waller requested his DNA
tests, did not return a message from The Associated Press.
Waller’s 2007 request, which came after Craig Watkins had taken office
as the new district attorney, was granted. Watkins has started a
program in which law students, supervised by the Innocence Project of
Texas, review old cases in which inmates have requested DNA testing.
In Waller’s case, DNA testing was paid for by the Innocence Project of
Texas.
LATE TRAINING FOR THE OLYMPICS
It’s never too late
I have been doing a bit more exercise in hopes of making the Beijing Olympics….I believe that they should have some events that have some pre qualifiers.. First how about age, weight, level of coordination, muscle mass and perhaps some other qualifiers… Why not give some of us average or below average athletes a chance to compete. I think that I could be a TIN MEDAL of PLASTIC MEDAL award winner for my weight and age for some swimming or chili eating events.
While I wait for the Olympic Committee to call I will watch the trials and root for the athletes and their families… and hope that some good third world countries to surprise us at the Olympics…
A TIME TO SMILE AND PERHAPS TO LAUGH
I marvel at what a good smile and in particular a good laugh can do for us. Some times I have to laugh at myself and some of the silly things that happen. For example… the other evening I went to talk to an adult group of Catholics about non-violence.. I gave what I thought was an interesting and some what challenging talk about my own life.. I was surprised to see that I had their full attention during my talk … I got a warm applause at the end and way too many smiles.. As I walked out of the school room and into the wind and rain I felt a cool breeze chilling my lower extremities… WELL … I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW THAT MY ZIPPER WAS NOT CLOSED…
First I got a deep brown color rushing up my neck and flushed in the face.. I zipped up my pants and laughed …and my laughter was carried away with the wind and rain..I am sure that many in the group had a good laugh at my expense… and that is okay….
When I do public talks these days I try to get in some humorous ideas …and don’t depend on my zipper getting the laughs… we are often too serious and we need to laugh so that we can take a deep breath and go on with our lives… so tell a joke, a funny story or just tickle someone close to you …
SMILING AND LAUGHING IN MIAMI
Leno
PROGRESSIVE RAGS.COM
Go to this web site to get good movement
And some interesting Obama shirts
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