The World is a Business, Mr. Beale… August 31, 2007

“The world is a business, Mr. Beale.”

If the world is a business, why should we be mad? Why should we care about the wellbeing of the world? Of the country? Of the people, the job, the neighbor, the friend, the individual, the self? Why should we care?

The world runs on fuel and it flows as steadily as the stream in the mountain. It is the nature of things. All you need to do is drink from it and relax. Do as you have done for centuries and you will remain free. Follow the laid out path and you will be safe.

A woman stops and clutches her cell phone. Her face is not visible, only the fast opening and closing of her phone. She seems to have forgotten where she is. She stands in the middle of the sidewalk and the world is non-existent. Cars rush by, children walking home from school skip by her. She continues to open and close the phone and her face, which is now visible, is as if frozen in the lines of this tense moment. She stares and looks as though she will have a panic attack. I watch her and I have to smile. The world is a business indeed.

Where have we gone? Where are we going? How have we gotten here? Why do we no longer get mad? Why are we so damned afraid to be really really mad! Why do we care more about the calls we are missing than the fault lines of our souls. We ARE becoming robots.

We have been robots for longer than you can imagine. You are not reinventing the wheel. Stop worrying, my dear. Stop thinking that you need to change the world. You are just a speck of dust in the universal machine.

I see reality.

You know NOT what reality is. You do not WANT to know what reality is.

Young kids move into the building. It is the first time they are alone, without parents. They will go to school and their parents will pay their rent. They will live in this building as though it was a frat house. They take all the trash and cardboard from their move and toss it around the garbage bin in the back of the building. They don’t break down the boxes and place them in the recycling bin. They don’t see that the garbage bin is filled to the max. They don’t see! They don’t look! They don’t give a damn!

That’s right! Because someone taught them not to care about this. Someone showed them that someone else will take care of their mess. You are truly hilarious! You have GOT to wake up and join the blind. Close your eyes. Do not care…what’s it to you? Give yourself a little break!

No! I can’t! But I also do not know how to be mad. I do not know how to act it out. I do not know how to scream and yell or even calmly yet firmly tell these punks that they should take fucking responsibility for their surroundings. I am afraid of being laughed at, ignored and made fun of. I fear that my anger will just make me shake inside and I will not know how to utter one word that makes sense. I get too emotional and passionate. So I choose to shut up. Or write a note.

So write your little note and leave them be. If that makes you happy. It’s embarrassing, you know, to go halfway. Better go all the way or not at all. But we know you are too weak for that. These punks may learn one day. Maybe one of them will fall madly in love with a person who does cut the boxes and places them neatly in the blue bin…and they will do it too because they only have eyes for their love. So, in the meantime, should YOU be their teacher? You are not their mother or father. You are not their guardian angel. Do what all others do. Take good care of YOUR garbage, your loves, your garden and don’t give a half-assed shit about anyone else. Cultivate your own garden and let the rest rot. THAT, my friend, is reality.

Arundhati Roy – Come September Speech August 30, 2007

As September nears, I find this speech given by Indian writer and activist Arundhati Roy. This is the first time I hear of her (once again, proof that there is so much out there, so many amazing people out there to discover…”tout ce que je sais, c’est que je ne sais rien”).

She not only talks about September 11th, 2001, but also other September events that have affected the world. Her speech is long (about 45 minutes), but filled with pretty much everything you can imagine. WOW! I am impressed. I have to go back and research her more. Here is the google video of that speech:

Then she is interviewed by Howard Zinn:

Here is a transcript of both her speech and the interview: Transcript

The other day I printed out the transcript and started to read it in its entirety. It is long. It is filled with a lot of commentaries on world events, countries’ such as her own (India) and the US’ governments. She also talks at length about the problem in the Middle East, specifically Israel-Palestine. In this particular instance I am not sure that I agree with her biased views against Israel.

I choose not to get into this topic. It is too complicated and unless I read more books, have more discussions, do some serious and thorough research I can not give a definitive opinion. Thank God I am not the one who needs to solve this problem. It is not a simple situation, even though I feel many people choose to simplify its complexity. There are two peoples in that land that need to co-exist. Their leaders MUST come to a solution, a compromise and thus their people must too. Having as a “reason for being” the destruction of Israel, its “wiping out of the map” is simply wrong. Not finding a solution for the Palestinians to live a normal life is also wrong. There MUST be a path to a peaceful and compromised solution. Period.

Arundhita ends her conversation with Howard Zinn with these powerful words:
To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never , never, to forget.

Links:

Howard Zinn’s Website

A little lesson on Brazil August 28, 2007

Today I had a conversation with a woman who is trying to get her nephew in Brazil to come and study in the United States. He has great ambitions, but can not get into a University in Brazil. I have absolutely no idea how the system works there, but she says that there is ONE Federal/State University PER STATE = free University. The competition is huge and the percentage of students that does NOT get into University is even larger. She went on to explain to me that most of the poorer (or even middle class) students are competing with all the others who are wealthy, whose parents have been able to provide them with a better basic education, who have had tutors.

The decision is based on entrance exams. The number of students that are not accepted is astronomical, she says.  Private Universities are not affordable for the masses.

I asked her if they end up going to other countries in South America.

“It’s the same problem there”, except for Chile.

So those who have relatives in other countries try to get out of Brazil in order to get a proper education. Many Brazilians go to England because there is an arrangement between the governments which not only makes it easier for Brazilian students to study in England, but where they are also allowed to work part time. (International students in Language Programs are NOT allowed to work in the US ~ once they get into a credit program, they can study on campus only).

After our conversation, I told her I should probably not complain so much about the problems in this country (the US). She laughed and said that that is exactly what her husband says all the time (he is an American).

Yes, it is a question of perspective. Every country has its strengths and its weaknesses. Brazil obviously has its own share of problems. So does Canada, and Argentina and Nigeria and Germany and France and Australia and Mongolia…every country has beauty and music and amazing people. Every country has some laws that work, others that seem quite ridiculous.

I find myself, as I research and read more about certain truths in this country I have lived in for the past 20 years, that I can’t quite grasp the reality. I’ve said it before, but I so often feel like a child learning to walk. I don’t know if I will ever know how to run, or if I really want to. I have always been the type of person who looks at the beauty in people and things. These days, that plus side of mine seems to be at a loss. Every time I read an article or choose to watch a DVD or Youtube video about the uglier side of this government and society, I can’t help but look at the world with different eyes. It is as though I have lost my rose colored glasses.

The other day I got tired of this and felt like I needed to go for a walk with my camera and take pictures of beauty. I felt like I needed to go out and find the goodness that is in all of us. I needed to forget for a moment that there may really be some really bad bad men out there who completely control every move we make. I needed to forget the idea of a big brother for a moment. And I did. For a moment. Damn! But not for too long. I can’t stop thinking about the “other” side. I tend to obsess about things for as long as it captures my interest. It is as though I needed to solve the puzzle.

The problem here is that it is not a simple puzzle to solve. It is more like a downward spiral that I am way too naive and not intelligent enough to ever understand and grasp, let alone do something about. (it’s actually pretty funny that I think I could really ever understand what goes on behind the big curtain).

The other day I found a young Indian woman called Arundhati Roy on Google. She is a writer and activist. I am preparing a blog about her. She gave a speech called “Come September” and it practically blew my mind. I printed its transcript so I can slowly read it more than once. Now THERE is a passionate soul who speaks up and has the ability, the talent, the gift of the word.

Whenever I see or hear such a person I feel both inspired and intimidated. I guess I wish I had that gift too. But I don’t. And I need to accept that. So I gather the information and try to share it. I try to learn from it.

When the Brazilian woman left my office, we shook hands. I could tell that she felt the same way as I did at that moment. That we had taken the time to share some information with each other. That we both learned something.  That we we were humans with stories to tell.  That we would probably think about this conversation at a later moment, perhaps even write about it.

Governor Schwarzenegger: Sie sollten sich schämen! August 27, 2007

Translated: Gov. Schwarzenneger: Shame on you!

I just read a blog by Marty Kaplan on Huffington Post about the cutting of $55 million initiative that helps the mentally ill:

“Seven weeks into a deadlock between Schwarzenegger and Republican legislators, the governor won two GOP defections and finally got his budget passed by promising to veto $700 million from the state’s general fund. The cuts he announced last week did not include a $45 million tax break for purchasers of yachts, planes and RVs, but they did include a model program for getting mentally ill adults off the streets via job training, housing assistance, dental care and survival skills like grocery-buying.”

This is incredible! I probably shouldn’t be surprised, but I do wonder how long people will stand by and accept this kind of criminal act. Nothing wrong with being pro-business. There are a LOT of good things in this country. I couldn’t believe how easy it was for me to get a small business license…I can just imagine all the red tape I’d have to go through if I tried to do this in Germany.

But for God’s sake…when are people going to wake up and realize that there is a catastrophic problem on the streets of our cities, in our jails…the priority is NOT in education, health care, crime prevention (and if education was a higher priority you’d probably not have so many people spiraling into mental illness and crime). Instead, billions and billions of tax dollars go to a war that is illegal. Now THERE is a priority!

Gosh. Every time I get upset and actually write about this, I stop and think: you are an idiot! This is so not new so why do you get all uptight about it? what can YOU do about it. The problem is so deep and it will NEVER change. So just go back to your little life and hope to God that you never ever have to deal with this. And I probably won’t. And if I ever do, I’m on the next plane to Mom and Dad. Yeah, that simple.

Doesn’t everyone have that to fall back on? HA! and herein lies the problem. Wouldn’t it be great if we were all lucky enough to grow up in a family where everyone took care of each other? Where in times of crisis, you’ve got a place to go?

In a grander scale, isn’t a country supposed to be like your family? You give and you take. you help each other out. When you’re doing well (top 1% for instance) you are required to help those who are not doing that well. No, you don’t just hand them dollar bills. You support moneys going into PROGRAMS that assist these down and out people get themselves back on their feet. You INSIST on getting schools fixed, especially those in bad neighborhoods. You do what you can to help stop the cycle of dysfunction. You help get little kids excited about going and STAYING in school. You take care of your teachers. You take responsibility for your role in society.

A leader of a city, state, country is supposed to be responsible in finding a balance that helps EVERYONE. It is not an easy task, but who signs up for that role unless you understand that the task is difficult. You are paid enough for it, aren’t you? But it’s not about the money, is it? As Bush kept saying again and again and again: “It’ not easy work. It’s difficult work.” — That is right! it is not SUPPOSED to be easy to do the right thing. Obviously some of us have very different definitions of what the “the right thing” is. And obviously, Schwarzenegger doesn’t think that giving money to help take care of the mentally ill is the right thing to do. Well, we know what former actor-turned-president is HIS hero!

I’m pissed off about this. I’m an optimistic person. But I am also a realist. And this step is only a drop in the big lake of life. Shame on you, Mr. Governor.

Links:
Marty Kaplan’s Blog

Los Angeles Times Article

Intro to Abstract Art August 26, 2007

Confession: I never quite understood abstract art. I’ve never really tried either. Whenever I walk through the halls of a museum and look at what I am guessing is abstract art, I think I’m ignorant. I KNOW there is something I don’t see.

I seem simple-minded. Ok, there is some stuff I find interesting…Jackson Pollock for instance. But when I see a super large painting that is all red, I can’t believe it made it on the walls of a great museum. Like I wrote just a few lines ago, I never really tried to understand it. Why have I never asked an artist to explain it to me? Why have I not used my love of research to look it up on the net? Laziness? No. Non-interest. I like the old-fashioned, easy to recognize paintings. Paintings that relate to nature, feelings, memories… And even though this is what I seem to prefer, I have this uncomfortable nagging feeling in the belly of my soul that I should TRY to understand the rest of what art offers, that it has a language I don’t understand but that I should try to. That if I try, it will probably open my eyes to a whole new world.

So I signed up for an art class at City College. It is a basic design class. I love art and creativity. I have never taken a “proper” art class though. I have taken short classes for jewelry making, workshops for collage, learning new little methods of doing interesting things with paper… but never a real art class. I like the instructor. She is fun, serious and knowledgeable. She has taught for many years.

In our last class I had my very first lesson on understanding abstract art. We took a very large piece of paper, covered the table with it and did random “markings” on it with black tempera using found objects. Then we were told to “frame” parts of what we had made. They could be different sizes, shapes. We should just let our eye and instinct decide what felt right for us. We then cut these out, pasted them on black or grey paper and finally pinned our 3 favorites on the large walls of the classroom. Then we all went around and she asked us to look for specific things. She took some of them and turned them upside down, asking us if they looked different to us. She asked us to identify some that were “moving” versus “still”, “wet” vs. “dry”, “aggressive” vs. “soft”…

She began the task of opening my eyes. There are many students in the class that have taken art classes before. There are some who have art degrees (back to basics, I guess) and a few who have taken very few art classes if any. It is an eclectic group. I was secretly happy that she was exposing and explaining what I had always been lazy to research. Something about abstract art. A good start for me.

Then I got home and showed my husband my 5 “pieces”. One of them was this one:

I was pretty happy with that. But when I held it up, I “accidentally” held it upside down and my husband immediately liked the fact that it looked like a face. Heh? What face, I asked? Then I looked at it:

Absolutely! Wow! Now it has become my favorite. Coincidence? I don’t know. Is it ok that it takes away its abstractness and replaces it with something recognizable that feels more comforting in the belly of my soul? Not sure. But now it is pinned on MY wall as my first work of art! HA!

Aaron Russo Dies of Cancer in Germany August 25, 2007

February 14th, 1943 – August 24th, 2007

Wow! I was just recently introduced to his work and his video “America: Freedom to Fascism” and started getting interested in what he had to say. I was looking forward to seeing what else he would come out with. What other documentaries he’d make.

Well, this will no longer be. What a loss.

He was only 64 years old.

There’s not yet too much on the internet about his death (he was, after all, a pretty big film producer), which I find to be strange. But maybe I need to give it a few days. Not sure. This guy was a serious truth seeker and now he is silenced. Hopefully his videos and messages will still be passed around the world.

Click on my “Aaron Russo” category for more information on him.

Glück im Unglück August 24, 2007

“Glück im Unglück” is a very common German expression which literally translates to: Luck in unluck…being lucky in an unlucky situation. I use that expression a lot. That’s what happened to me two days ago.

I was driving to work on a one way street. I guess I wasn’t really all there mentally, not paying attention. no, I wasn’t on the phone, I wasn’t reaching over to get a cd, I wasn’t putting on make-up. I guess my thoughts were far away (oh, I know where they were but I can’t share this right now). So I get to a street where I have to turn left. I am in the middle lane. I forget that I am in the middle lane and start turning left. Duh! a total DUH moment! Sure enough, there was a car in the left lane. I hear a screeching noise. I brake. I think: is this something I am involved in? My heart is beating like a tin drum. Shit! WTF did I just do?

Ok, so when I realize that I had a blank moment, look over to the serious looks on the couple’s faces in the other car and understand that I am at total fault here, all I can think about is “insurance”, “hassle”, “raised rate”…oh and then the pissed off face of my husband. Wouldn’t blame him. But first, let me focus on this moment (and I swear you, I am PRESENT as can be at that moment!).

I get out of the car and see the scratches and small dent on the door of my black car. Before even saying a word I glance over to their car and see just a minor scratch on the corner of their bumper. So I get out of the car and immediately confess my guilt. I don’t know, why should I pretend that I was not at fault. It’s so obvious and I have always been the first to say that if I truly believe it.

They don’t look too happy. A young couple, perhaps Philipino. She is in her scrubs, probably a nurse or a doctor. I go over to her and say: ” I am SO sorry. I have no idea what the hell I was thinking”. We exchange a few words and then she says: “listen, I am late for work. We can exchange insurance information or we can just move on and forget about it. If you’re ok with that, I am too”. (are you kidding? I am thinking to myself that I have just hit the jackpot). “of course!” I say. “if you’re ok with it, I am totally ok with it!”. We exchange a few more words that are something like that:

“are you ok”

“I’m just a bit shaken up, but I’m fine. Are YOU ok?”

“yeah, I’m fine. No, but really, are YOU ok?”

I swear! this goes on for about half a minute (which I find to be long!)…and ready? we end up hugging and saying goodbye. I know. This is SO goofy, but so perfect! I swear she had tears in her eyes, and knowing me, I must’ve too.

I get back in my car and drive on.

Here’s what I think.

This moment was perfect. I needed it. Lately I have been somehow getting myself all upset about the way the world is becoming. There is a situation at work which completely makes me question the “system” (sorry, can’t get into the details). I see too many situations around me where people just don’t seem to give a shit. People in my building don’t care about recycling. People don’t take responsibility. People are not as fast at helping their fellow human out as they perhaps used to be? I ask that question because I know it depends on many many factors. People seem to jump faster at defending themselves, being offensive, not listening, having an”it’s all about me” attitude…

Here’s something that really gets me going. You know when there is a tragedy? Every time that happens, the people analyzing it, the onlookers, the politicians, the news anchors always say the same thing. They are always amazed and so surprised at how people, in moments of crisis, always go all out to help each other. There are always stories of “heroes”. That’s all good. But for God’s sake: this IS the way it is!! This is human nature. Deep down, deep deep down, people want to help each other out. In moments of crisis, the think layer of negativity and protectiveness disappears.

It’s in our day to day routine that we put on this layer of protectiveness and don’t smile at each other on the train, don’t help each other out, don’t say “I’m sorry. I was wrong”, don’t seem to really care. It is when tragedy or a crisis occurs that we suddenly realize how much alike we all are and how much we really need each other. When tragedy strikes, I always think about this and feel like it’s just a nudge, a reminder to humans not to be jerks in their everyday interaction with each other. That person you are flipping off today might just be the same person who will save your life tomorrow.

So that is why this simple story, this simple event that happened to me two days ago is worth writing about. This girl and I instinctively chose not be on the defensive. Who knows what triggered it. Sure, perhaps if she had had a huge scratch or dent on her car, she would have reacted differently. And I would have exchanged insurance info and gone on. But I actually think that even that would have gone fine. The hug at the end said this to me: yeah. We are humans. And yes, this kind of stuff happens. But we are not going to be fools and make a huge deal about. Maybe the fact that she works in a hospital gives her a good dose of perspective.

That’s it.

Does it really matter? August 16, 2007

Why does all this matter? DOES it really matter? I’ve been reading up on things a bit more lately. Maybe I just have more time on my hands and that is the direction my brain wants to go these days. I know I will never be a great thinker, a passionate and committed fighter for the rights of people. I will always have my little toe in the huge pool of water that is the world of politics, social rights, justice. It interests me to a certain extent. Unfortunately I also get distracted by other interests and then I forget about it. I feel weird about that sometimes. Even guilty. But then, at other times, I think that I am a fool to think that this is something I can really ever grasp, let alone do something about.

The other day I was talking with Catherine about the fact that I cannot retain information very well. I HATE that about me! I know there are lots of people like that out there (Catherine being one of them), but somehow it doesn’t make me feel better. I can read a book, an article, listen to someone speak and I will be fascinated, I will understand it all AT THAT MOMENT. I swear, if you then turned to me and asked me to repeat what I heard / read / saw, I would probably turn to you, give you that “I can’t believe you are asking me to do this” look and not be able to. I don’t know! But I know that it was good. I know it was important. I know how it made me feel inside and I know that I found it compelling. But I can’t tell you exactly why.

I will never be a debater. I will never be able to back up my feelings and thoughts about something with facts. I can talk for days about people, psychology, philosophy, even politics…but I can’t back it up with facts, cause I just can’t remember them, or I only remember parts of them.

You know those people who can. I hate and admire them. I hate them because I am so damn jealous of the fact that they have that ability to retain facts and detailed information. Or maybe it’s not jealousy. It’s complete and utmost envy and admiration. I watch them like my niece watches a person do tricks right in front of her. I can’t compete, I can’t argue, I can’t make my points. But I know the information is out there to back me up. I just have to “get back to you” on that one.

Lately, what I have been doing is writing things down in a notebook that sits on my desk. Whenever I read a few lines from an article that I find really strong, I copy it. If I am watching an interview or a film and there are some lines, a point being made that I need to remember, I write it down. Yes, I sit there pressing pause, play, backup, pause, write, play, backup…until I’ve got it. I figure I might want to reread it one day, or post it on my blog. In my conversation with Catherine, she said that maybe what we should do is just write down the important facts that would back up a point we want to make and read them over and over again until we remember them. Hey, that’s what I had to do in high school when I had to learn all these French 16th Century poems by heart. I never managed to, because I always gave up.

So, my initial question was: does it really matter? Does it matter that I can’t tell you exactly why the pancake theory (about the way the World Trade Center buildings collapsed) makes no sense to me? Someone can. There are scientists and theorists that have told us why it’s not possible and I agree with them. I’ve watched the videos and I have read a book about it. I just can’t tell you exactly what they say. I can only ask you to watch the video or read the article.

But the question is something else too. Does it really matter that the Government may have been behind 9/11 (for instance)? Does it really matter that the Bush Administration is taking away our rights? Does the Patriot Act really matter? Does it matter that there may be bigger, more secretive plans going on that are not good for us? Does the RFID Chip matter? Does the North American Union plan matter? Does it matter that big bankers of the world might be ruling us and our governments?

I feel that before being able to answer that question, we should find out if it is true and if it is really dangerous to us and the average person of this country and world. And that is where it stops for most people. Most people don’t care. Most people don’t take the time to do the research, to find out the truths. They are too busy, they are too distracted by work, family, friends, consumerism…the distractions are convenient to the powers. When WILL people care. Do I even care? Yes, to a certain extent, I do. I don’t have that many distractions. Not by chance, but by choice. So I take the time and I read, I listen, I watch.

Then I ask the question: Does it really matter if I know this? Will my knowledge change anything?

At this point, all I can do is share the little bit I know with those who wish to listen and read. That is why I have a blog. That is why I post videos and quotes, and articles and thoughts. That is, for now, all the contribution I can do to share the information. Here, I CAN back it up with facts. Just go back to previous blog entries and watch some of the films. Watch Aaron Russo’s documentary film, for instance and make your own judgment. You might disagree. And if you do, take the time to really think about why you disagree and let us know.

…now, I am tired…

I know, to some of you I sound naïve. I know. I somehow, even though I am 41 and have strong ideas about the world and what I see around me, seem to act like I don’t know much. I guess my motto is “tout ce que je sais, c’est que je ne sais rien” (all I know is that I know nothing). That seems to work for me. It allows me to always be the learner, the observer, to see things with fresh new eyes, over and over again. I fear having to take responsibility for my beliefs because I fear not being able to say exactly why ( and I think people deserve to hear reasons why one feels a certain way about something). My curiosity has always lead me in the direction of research, learning, listening, watching and finally sharing. I am not the teacher. I am the observer and I still have many questions. The only good thing I think is that I really truly try to answer them.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“Divide and conquer” is the motto – and as long as people see themselves as separate from everything else, they lend themselves to being completely enslaved. The men behind the curtain know this, and they also know that if people ever realized the truth of their relationship to nature and the truth of their personal power, the entire manufactured Zeitgeist they prey upon will collapse like a house of cards.
From the documentary film “Zeitgeist”

“We are grateful to the Washington Post, the New York Times, Times Magazine and other great publications whose directors have attended our meetings and respected their promises of discretion for almost 40 years. It would have been impossible for us to develop our plan for the world if we had been subjected to the lights of publicity during those years. But, the world is more sophisticated and prepared to march towards a world government, the supranational sovereignty of an intellectual elite and world bankers is surely preferable to the national auto-determination practiced in past centuries.”
David Rockefeller ~ Council on Foreign Relations ~ Bilderberg Meeting – June 1991 – Baden, Germany

Ratatouille…c’est super! August 13, 2007

Yesterday, we went to see Ratatouile. LOVED LOVED LOVED it!

Boy, there are some talented people out there. It is nice to see that some people know what they are good at, pursue it and get hired for such genius projects as this one…We went to the matinee performance. Including us, there were maybe 5 other people there (what do you expect on a Sunday morning?), 3 of which were tiny little children who, it seems, finally got tired and either fell asleep or mom decided it was time to leave. It is a long film and maybe not for really really little ones.

I thought the film was really funny (love every scene where Remy’s brother Emil appears), the animation was amazing (they left no details out) and of course seeing Paris, the Eiffel Tower, la Seine, the Vespa (oh wait, that’s Italian…yeah but ze french ride them too) was a plus. There were also lots of really touching scenes. I won’t give it away, but think of me when “he” takes the first bite of Ratatouille…well, it doesn’t take much to get me all emotional and nostalgic, and that scene of course brought out my super duper German tissues.

I read a review that praised the film but only had one criticism. The fact that there were no “real” French accents. That’s true, but being acute to that, it really didn’t bother me. Oh, and Linguini looks like my 15 year old nephew (except he is blond) which was sort of adorable.

So if you haven’t seen this film, go! I’m not much of a movie goer anymore (got Netflix, love the comfort of my couch when watching a movie, get annoyed at people talking and making noises while I want to enjoy a film — especially sniffling — oh yeah, that’s my neurotic side! ), but I am glad I went to see it on the big screen.

I am off today and am thinking about going to see “Sicko”.

Aaron Russo, Ron Paul, the problems of the Federal Reserve… August 10, 2007

In the past week I have been watching more videos on google video and youtube.

It started when I went to a screening of a film called “9/11 Mysteries” at the public library in Chinatown. There were very few people there, but the information I received after the screening was pretty powerful. I have taken an almost full year break from my obsession with the 9/11 questions. There are people out there though who are tirelessly trying to get the word out. Still. They will not give up until the government begins to give answers. Clear answers. The person who presented the screening was this really young man (he could’ve not been older than 24) filled with information and knowledge. A low-key kid called Aaron. He handed out sheets with information as well as dvds. I received a few copies of “Loose Change 2nd Edition” as well as a few copies of a documentary film I had never heard of called “America: Freedom to Fascism”. Whoa, I thought, when I saw the title. I watched it the next morning (I love to get up at the crack of dawn, make coffee, plop myself on our very uncomfortable couch — we have GOT to get a new one!! — and watch a movie or documentary that challenges my morning brain, which is always rearing to go…yes, I am a morning person!)

“America: Freedom to Fascism” is a documentary film made by producer Aaron Russo (Trading Places, the Rose…). In this documentary, he takes on the Federal Reserve and the IRS. Here is a description from the website:

Russo’s first and most cogent point is simple: Americans are not required to pay a federal income tax. That’s a bold statement to make, as few people believe that such a fraud could be perpetrated for so long. My father, himself an accountant, insists that the income tax is a very real thing. Russo takes that same belief to IRS employees and simply asks them to cite where it says an unapportioned income tax is required of us all. Guess what? They can’t. In a telling segment Sheldon Cohen, former commissioner of the IRS, goes so far as to reject Supreme Court rulings and the Constitution as benchmarks over what is legal with regards to taxation. Russo also interviews members of the tax honesty movement as well as disenfranchised IRS agents who agree that no law on the books conjures up a requirement to send the government part of one’s hard-earned paycheck. Russo then showcases court cases where those accused of tax evasion have won precisely because the prosecution cannot provide evidence of a legal federal income tax law.

He gets to the point. He gives a very clear picture and educates us on a reality most of us are not aware of. After watching the film, I searched google video for more information and found this compelling interview made by Regina Meredith from Conscious Media Network. In this Interview, Russo not only speaks specifically about the topics addressed in his documentary film, he also gives a bigger picture of a bigger problem in this country and this world. Here is a quote from that interview:

The New World Order: all the banks work together. They control the governments and they control the laws of the world and we’re going to have to be forced to listen to these laws…and the laws are about controlling us, not giving us freedom…and unless we get back to our idea of individual rights and individual freedoms and allow to express yourself in the way you want, we’re gonna lose this game. Unless people get active and say “I’m gonna shut down the federal reserve system”, “I’m gonna shut down the powers that be, we’re doomed otherwise.”

(see the full inverview below — and if you want a copy DVD of the documentary film, let me know)

So then I got to hear about Republican Congressman called Ron Paul. He is a physician and interestingly, he is beginning to create a huge buzz in, ready? the progressive, liberal population. Bill Maher says he is currently his favorite candidate. Yes, he is trying to run for president. This guys is pretty interesting. He seems to be saying things that nobody is daring to say.

…20 minutes or so later…

I just spent another 20 minutes (or more) trying to find a video to put up here and it is amazing how many there are about him! He is another one who is being revolutionized on the Internet. Here is something he responds to Carlson Tucker:

“There is nothing radical about it (abolishing the IRS). To me the radical idea is overspending, overborrowing and then resorting to printing money when you run out of it and then you wonder why you have financial problems — or borrowing ot from the Chinese to finance our military operation. I mean, most Americans are waking up to this”

I finally had to choose one…

Ron Paul: Stop Dreaming

Interview with Aaron Russo: