Philadelphia Folk Festival

Last year I wrote about attending my first Philadelphia Folk Festival in years. Last year I was incredibly huge and couldn't volunteer, but we'll be pulling our weight this year. It's 3 days (this year, August 17th to the 19th) of music and harmony (in every sense of the word) and I would say that it can be an almost religious experience. For 3 days a year on a farm in Schwenksville, everyone gets together (some camp, some don't) to enjoy amazing music (this year's theme is Through the Looking Glass!!!) by mostly independent artists. There are plenty of things for families to do together, and there are even children's music performers!

Last year a lot of people wrote me and said, 'Why didn't you tell us a month beforehand so that we could plan to go?" So, here's your warning. If you'd like to go and you don't want to camp, we're about a mile from the site. Bring your bike and you can ride up there (warning: there are hills in PA).

Extremely Relevant Movie

'Sicko', the documentary made by Michael Moore about the American health care system, premiered last night nationwide, and I hope the judge deciding my sister's disability case on Monday saw it this weekend. Our lawyer informed us that though she's had 4 open-heart surgeries for Tetralogy of Fallot (also known as Blue Baby Syndrome), a spinal surgery for bone spurs that cut into the nerves in her spinal column (and is in need of another), has a shunt in one of her arteries, and suffers from firbromyalgia and is constantly in horrible pain, the Federal Government will most likely deny her claim and force her to work, basically giving her a death sentence. Thanks America.

Thinking Green

I don't believe in supporting the movie industry. I think it has sold out in a variety of ways, and I'm not going to get into them now. I haven't gone to see it yet, but I feel I should support Evan Almighty for its work in creating a green set. Whatever your stance on Global Warming, it goes without saying that humans need to reduce their impact on the environment. I applaud Universal Studios, director Tom Shadyac, and The Conservation Fund for setting a new standard for making movies.

In the same general vein, Big Ideas for a Small Planet on the Sundance Channel has become one of my favorite series. It has given us a lot of great ideas for things we can do around the house and organizations we can get involved in to help reduce our carbon footprint.

And in totally off-the-wall environmental news, a lake in Chile has disappeared recently. It's probably not due to Global Warming, though a rise in the suspected earthquakes may be connected to climate change.

War is never good for the environment, but it's GREAT for overpopulation:
3,557 US Soldiers killed in Iraq
26,129 US Soldiers wounded in Iraq (at least we'll have a use for some of those plastics)

Sicko

Michael Moore's next film, Sicko, will be premiering at the Cannes film festival on June 29th. This film is being blocked by the Bush Administration because Moore visited Cuba with 10 first responders from 9/11 for a segment for the film. They were there to receive treatment that they could not get in the US due to the Bush Administration's denial that anything was wrong with the air around ground zero in the days directly following the demolition of the Twin Towers. Whatever your personal feelings about Michael Moore, it has to be acknowledged that there are very few reporters, journalists, and documentarians asking the questions he's asking. I hate that he is my only source of information when it comes to the answers to these questions. He has his own agenda, of course, but NO ONE ELSE IS ASKING. And before you say, "Well, he went to Cuba, and that's illegal," please remember that Oliver Stone got to go, as did Stephen Spielberg.

Our media is conspicuously absent from this administration. Controlled mass media is a symptom of a fascist nation. Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common. Here is the very least you can do to get the word out to as many poeple as possible that this Administration has to go.

UPDATE: At the screening of 'Sicko' several journalists and critics admitted to crying, and even Fox News gvae the film a good review.

The Imus Double Standard

I think Don Imus is an asshole. I don't like him, but I don't get to decide how people choose to entertain themselves. Imus was fired for making a racist and sexist comment, but no one has really mentioned all of the other people on the air whose comments have been just as bad or worse. Bill O'Reilly, for example, has referred to Mexicans as wetbacks and has NEVER apologized. Ann Coulter recently called John Edwards a faggot, but apparently that doesn't count because she had to go to rehab. Rosie O'Donnell has used a very offensive "Chinese" accent on The View. I haven't even mentioned all of the rap "artists" who use offensive language on their albums, but no one is stringing them up.

And while America was paying attnetion to Don Imus, few people noticed that Karl Rove and his staff deleted hundreds of emails over the course of several years.

3,302 US soldiers killed in Iraq
24,645 US Soldiers wounded in Iraq

300 - The Other Side?

The idea for this post is completely stolen from Dave Away From Home. He suggested that the movie could be seen as a triumph of reason and logic (Sparta) against Fundamentalism and the supernatural (Persia). It's an interesting point, especially if we add in that Leonidas was in the position of fighting the entire Persian army with a small force of 300 men because the priests in Sparta had been paid off to tell him that to go to war was against the will of the Gods. God, apparently, wasn't a huge fan of liberty. Both the Persians and the Greeks were slaves to their religion. The Greeks served old, outdated Oracles who were really just drug-induced playthings. The Persians served a man-god who believed he was immortal but was really only a man. Still, all involved believed that their god was the real god, the one who would allow them to triumph.

How is religion today any different? How is this war any different from that war? People blindly follow religious leaders without question, even when they build huge temples with a fast food place in the back and a Starbucks by the altar (didn't Jesus warn about that?). The Muslims follow their clerics into a war they could probably win due to sheer numbers, destroying everything and everyone they love in the process. The Christians follow their leader into a war they cannot win without reinforcements that will not come until the first wave has been slaughtered completely.

3,292 US soldiers killed in Iraq (the living ones have had their tours extended by 3 months)
24,645 US soldiers wounded in Iraq

300 - Entertainment or Propaganda?

My husband received movie tickets for his birthday and decided he wanted to see a movie that didn't come out until recently. We both have an interest in the ancient world, so I thought 300 might be interesting. What I found was a movie so mired in propaganda that the message was loud and clear. Support our troops, fight for freedom, or we all die! Here are just a few of the parallels I found:

Leonidas lead a small group of free troops against the vast minions of slaves serving Xerxes (who thought himself a god), just like the small number of troops we have in Iraq are fighting against untold numbers of insurgents faithful to Allah. The Greek troops have racial features closer to our own and the Persian troops looked, well, like Persians. The weapons of war were tried and true on the Greek side - the sword and spear (guns and knives), the phalanx (tanks), the shield (body armor) - while the Persian weapons were sneaky and strange - unusual animals (IED's), Immortals (suicide bombers), and fear. Finally, Spartan women are free to make their own decisions, as long as those decisions support the men in upholding and pursuing liberty, democracy, and freedom, unlike the Persian women who are slaves to their men and their god.

After leaving the theater I found myself asking a lot of questions. Why would Hollywood choose to tell this story now, especially when there were battles that were so much more spectacular? Is it because support for the Iraq war is beginning to fade? Since it was the Queen who ultimately convinced the Greeks to fight, and it is women who carry on social traditions, is Hollywood trying to convince women to be strong, to support our troops, or even to join the military? Who knows? Every war has propaganda. It seems this movie is part of ours.

3,280 US soldiers killed in Iraq
24,476 US soldiers wounded in Iraq

Disney - Gays Are OK

Though Disney has never actively discriminated against homosexual visitors, they have made their policy even more inclusive by changing the requirement that those participating in their Fairy Tale Wedding program have a legal marriage licence. Of course, this probably has more to do with revenue than common decency, but for a major US company to publicly admit that there is a large enough population of homosexuals for them to make a profit from could be the beginning of some actual social change. Most of this country revolves around money, after all, and once it becomes okay to exploit the gay population, it also becomes okay to BE homosexual. The military HAS actively discriminated and continues to do so.

3,268 US soldiers have died in Iraq
24,476 US soldiers have been wounded in the us

12,000 more National Guard soldiers (if they're in Iraq, who will guard the nation?) are being sent to Iraq in addition to the 21,000 "Troop Surge" that President Bush said would stabilize Iraq. Tell me again how this ISN'T just like Vietnam.

The Cost of Entertainment

I'm posting this because I have the feeling that gas prices and movie prices are much the same - they differ depending on where you live in the country. Even if they don't both are way too high. The cost of both are due to intense greed, and in some cases, extreme stupidity. So, for two adults to go to the movies in the suburbs of Philadelphia the cost is:

Two Tickets: $18.00
Shared Large Popcorn: $7.00
Shared Medium Drink: $5.00 (Water - $4.00)
Candy: $2.50 - $3.50
Total Cost: $ 33.00

This is not even factoring in the cost of going out to dinner beforehand (or gas to get to the movie theater because none are within walking distance anymore), assuming you can afford it. How are college kids affording this? Of course, their tickets are only $7.50, but I remember being completely broke through most of college. Maybe this is why the kids are drinking so much. Select beers at many places on a Friday night cost no more than $3.00. If a family of four wants to go to the movies, they have to save for a month. This is ridiculous. There is no reason why entertainment needs to be so expensive.

3,254 US Soldiers killed in Iraq
24,314 US Soldiers wounded in Iraq

General Hospital Tackles Medical Marijuana

I've been glad to see General Hospital taking on more serious subjects. Since I've been watching (about 15+ years), their main topic has been HIV/AIDS, but recently a main character has been diagnosed wit lung cancer (even though she's NEVER smoked cigars or cigarettes) and she's been having a bit of trouble with all of the chemicals being put into her body. The chemo makes her incredibly sick, and in order to keep up appearances for her young daughters and to be able to function on a semi-normal level, she took to smoking marijuana (suggested to her by a friend). Though her ex-husband is using this as a ploy to take away her youngest daughter, the rest of the cast has been extremely supportive of this decision, telling her that cancer is a horrible disease, the treatment is as bad or worse, and anything she can do to make herself feel better is fine by them.

You can bet that medical marijuana is going to be an issue, however small, in the upcoming Presidential election, and if it isn't, the press and the politicians are just being negligent. Marijuana is not a completely harmless herb, but the adverse effects are well within the requirements specified by the FDA for anything Americans put into their bodies, and it's effects are far less than that of alcohol or smoking cigarettes.

Marijuana is especially helpful for pain in those with certain cancers, especially that of they eyes, and other painful conditions with limited treatment options such as Fibromyalgia (which my sister suffers from after 4 open-heart surgeries, 1 spinal surgery, 1 shunt, and several hearth catherizations, all due to being born with Tetrallogy of Fallot, better known as Blue Baby Syndrome), Multiple Sclerosis (which Montel Williams and my friend and mentor Annie suffers from), chronic back pain, and MANY other conditions.

Eleven states (AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ME, NV, OR, RI, VT and WA) allow medical marijuana for the treatment of various illnesses or side-effects associated with major illnesses, and many others are debating it. Whatever your opinion, please educate yourself on the benefits AND the risks, then form your own opinion. You owe it to those who are suffering daily and deeply.

Other Americans who are suffering daily and deeply include:
3,129 US Soldiers killed in Iraq
23,530 US Soldiers wounded in Iraq

Truth, Justice, and...

Superman Returns seems to have gone slightly political. Many people see Superman's slogan change as minor, but I think it represents a larger world view, one that cannot be ignored. It is difficult for Superman to fight for truth in a world where its definition is hazy. We watch news conferences filled with spin and "reality" shows that do absolutely nothing to mimic real life (mostly because that would be incredibly boring). When our soldiers are fighting a war for lies and no one is held accountable, there is no justice.

And what exactly is the American Way? It seems to have more to do with the work of Haliburton than with the work of Green Peace. It is consumerism (oil, and our disposable, planned obsolescence society), greed (Haliburton), superficiality (just watch Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, Extra, etc...), colossal errors in judgment (Bush), and abandonment (the poor, the education system, those in need of health care, Social Security, immigration...). We have run this nation so far into the ground that even Superman doesn't want to be associated with us. Even my father, generally the winner of "Staunch Republican of the Year", thinks we have a better shot at raising a family and doing well for ourselves in Europe or Canada.

2,543 US soldiers killed in Iraq
18,874 US soldiers wounded in Iraq
Accurate count of Iraqis killed: Unavailable

HUMOR

I know this won't be well recieved, but I thought it was funny. NOTE: This is about Fundamentalist (Evengelical/Born-Again/Charismatic) Christians. It's meant to be a JOKE, but it has some good points.

You know you're a fundamentalist Christian when...

10 - You vigorously deny the existence of thousands of gods claimed by other religions, but feel outraged when someone denies the existence of yours.

9 - You feel insulted and "dehumanized" when scientists say that people evolved from other life forms, but you have no problem with the Biblical claim that we were created from dirt.

8 - You laugh at polytheists, but you have no problem believing in a Triune God.

7 - Your face turns purple when you hear of the "atrocities" attributed to Allah, but you don't even flinch when hearing about how God/Jehovah slaughtered all the babies of Egypt in "Exodus" and ordered the elimination of entire ethnic groups in "Joshua" including women, children, and trees!

6 - You laugh at Hindu beliefs that deify humans, and Greek claims about gods sleeping with women, but you have no problem believing that the Holy Spirit impregnated Mary, who then gave birth to a man-god who got killed, came back to life and then ascended into the sky.

5 - You are willing to spend your life looking for little loopholes in the scientifically established age of Earth (few billion years), but you find nothing wrong with believing dates recorded by Bronze Age tribesmen sitting in their tents and guessing that Earth is a few generations old.

4 - You believe that the entire population of this planet with the exception of those who share your beliefs -- though excluding those in all rival sects - will spend Eternity in an infinite Hell of Suffering. And yet consider your religion the most "tolerant" and "loving."

3 - While modern science, history, geology, biology, and physics have failed to convince you otherwise, some idiot rolling around on the floor speaking in "tongues" may be all the evidence you need to "prove" Christianity.

2 - You define 0.01% as a "high success rate" when it comes to answered prayers. You consider that to be evidence that prayer works. And you think that the remaining 99.99% FAILURE was simply the will of God.

1 - You actually know a lot less than many atheists and agnostics do about the Bible, Christianity, and church history - but still call yourself a Christian.

Steal This Movie (or Book)

I highly recommend this movie/book to anyone who's feeling a little political at the moment. It's actually called "Steal This Movie/Book" because the author wanted his story to get out, but didn't want people to have o pay to read or watch it. It is about Abbie Hoffman, leader of the Yippie movement (flower children who have grown thorns), starring Janine Garofalo. I have found that when I'm feeling directionless, watching movies about political movements and the people who started them always light a fire under my butt. Iron Jawed Angles starring Selma Hayek is about the Women's Suffrage movement, and is also an excellent movie. If you're feeling especially subversive, Grass starring Woody Harrelson is informative and interesting, and Reefer Madness, The Musical starring Christian Campbell is great comedic relief. Today I will be making Chocolate Silk Tofu Pie (excellent, despite the tofu, recipes available compliments of my husband, the Chef), and watching a few movies. There's an Amazing Race marathon on the gameshow network, and we're watching it to see if we can pick up any pointers. See, Anonymous, I DO know how to relax!

Weeds

After three episodes of the new Showtime series, Weeds, I finally decided to post about it. Bringing an issue like Marijuana use to the forefront is just the beginning. The show suggests that it is difficult for a middle-class person living in the suburbs of America to cope if tragedy strikes. The death of a husband, or a wife, has put hundreds of families in similar situations since the war began, and one wonders what their spouses have to do to make ends meet. Selling marijuana to the lawyers, accountants, and business owners of a community is certainly one way to go, especially if you want to maintain the lifestyle to which you have become accustomed. And another question arises: If no one believes that marijuana should be legalized and fewer people are doing it that we think, how are suburban moms and dads making a living off of growing and selling it? What benefits, if any, do you see from the legalization of marijuana, mushrooms, or peyote? What would be he societal changes involved? Given the looming meth crisis, and the fact that marijuana has been used to treat meth addicts, does marijuana really seem so bad?