Goodbye, Mr. Miyagi. Thanks for the great distance learning lessons.
Nov 272005
Nov 242005
“My husband will not be silenced for he speaks the Truth, and it is coming for you.”
- letter to George Bush, Monica Benderman
- letter to George Bush, Monica Benderman
Photo: Lewis M. Levine, distributed by www.bendermandefense.org
“There are Men Too Gentle to Live Among Wolves”
by Kevin Benderman’s Brother
There are men too gentle to live among wolves
Who prey upon them with IBM eyes
And sell their hearts and guts for martinis at noon.
There are men too gentle for a savage world
Who dream instead of snow and children and Halloween
And wonder if the leaves will change their color soon.
There are men too gentle to live among wolves
Who anoint them for burial with greedy claws
And murder them for a merchant’s profit and gain.
There are men too gentle for a corporate world
Who dream instead of candied apples and ferris wheels
And pause to hear the distant whistle of a train.
There are men too gentle to live among wolves
Who devour them with eager appetite and search
For other men to prey upon and suck their childhood dry.
There are men too gentle for an accountant’s world
Who dream instead of Easter eggs and fragrant grass
And search for beauty in the mystery of the sky.
There are men too gentle to live among wolves
Who toss them like a lost and wounded dove.
Such gentle men are lonely in merchant’s world,
Unless they have a gentle one to love.
Kevin Benderman is currently serving 15 months for filing Conscientious Objector status with the US Army. He served with honor for 10 years and completed a tour of duty in Iraq. He refused to return, and is currently paying the price of following his heart and mind, not to mention the price of invoking his right to object to further service as a soldier in Iraq on moral grounds.
Dear Jay Toups,
This email confirms that you have paid Kevin Benderman Defense Committee $10.00 USD using PayPal.
Swine in Washington Expand Size of Trough
Congress helped itself to a $3,100 annual pay increase on Friday, and then postponed work on bills to curb spending on social programs and cut taxes to go on a two-week vacation. This brings the average ‘rank and file’ compensation for a Congressman or Senator to $165,200. And both parties endorsed the raise, almost unanimously.
Before leaving on vacation they also approved a measure to increase our national debt to $8 trillion. That’s “just” $27,000 for you, me, and every other taxpaying citizen of this miserable country.
Why did I say miserable instead of great? A great country’s leadership would balance its books a priori, not put the country’s entire future at risk by ignoring fiscal imperatives. This is sickening stuff, made even more dangerous because Republicans in particular have made no effort to rein in spending. Where will it end?
Senators and Congressman, and George W. Bush: If you’re going to continue to fuck with me and everyone else who pays taxes and actually makes a living by being productive at something, I’m going to scream ever more loudly. You don’t deserve a civil response or pleasant tone of voice. Judging by the results of your representation of our national interests, you all deserve to hang. Democrat or Republican, this is bad politics.
Have a nice vacation, you gilded assholes.
Nov 222005
It seems most people in the industrialized world have their hands full with their own lives. So full in fact that there’s no room left for civic discourse, or enough energy left at the end of the day for taking any kind of action. If this describes you, congratulations, you’re leading a really small life.
Do you ignore environmental problems and leave it to “professionals” to make all the tough decisions?
Do you recycle anything? Do you avoid making unneccessary trips in your car?
Do you speak up when someone else voices an opinion on an issue that you don’t agree with?
Do you think that lay people who speak up on environmental and political issues are different than you, as in they “don’t know their place?”
Do you have a passion (okay, guts) for making your points when there’s a need?
When it comes to spiritual guidance, do you leave it all in God’s hands or do you seek a fuller understanding beyond that provided in the Bible, Torah or the Koran?
Do you think those who are elected to serve in government have your best interests in mind when making policy or budget decisions?
Do you think pre-emptively invading another country to ‘establish democratic ideals’ is America’s duty or blatant petronomics?
Do you think invading another country to ensure cheap gasoline is justified because you are a slave to your car and can’t afford higher gas prices?
Do you think that people who ask too many questions are without shame, bothersome, or silly, or wasting their time?
When it comes to making a difference, not all ‘points of light’ burn at the same intensity.
Nov 172005
For people traveling in the Bitterroot, Highway 93 is both a blessing and a curse, depending on the day and the circumstances. This time of year it can be snowpacked and treacherous driving all the way from Sula to Missoula. And full of deer and elk, wild turkeys, skunks, bears, coyotes, and even owls, hawks and other raptors such as bald eagles. It can be deadly if your attention wanders just a second longer than it should. Be careful out there on the road.
Link to article.
I’ve worked for a number of technology firms. I’ve worked for the leaders of some of these companies, seen their leadership styles up close and personal, and I’ve had to do their bidding as a writer many times. There is no end to the brashness of today’s ‘maverick’ CEOs, as typified by the ‘rock star’ CEOs who made their fortunes in technology: Larry Ellison, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and a thousand more want-to-be icons, such as this obviously insecure guy from PeopleSoft named David Duffield.
Poor Mr. Duffield lost control of his company to Oracle, which recently acquired PeopleSoft. But as a result he became a billionaire and decided he needed a new house. Only problem was, his affluent neighbors objected to the plans for a 72,000 square foot home, with 2 swimming pools and a 20 car garage. This home would have been bigger than Bill Gates’ 55,000 sq. ft. home, and about the same size as the US White House!
I’ve worked for people like him. I may still. But I’ll never come to grips with the outsized egos and self-worship that many tech leaders seem to relish above all else.
