arse poetica

The Sun is Still Sunny

Dave reminded me about the wonder and the glory that is Les Concerts a Emporter.

Screen capture from the Dean and Britta post. Mmm.

Throwing my Sun Salutation all up in ya face!

Hoo, I needed that.

Dirt Under My Nails » I’m so gonna downward-dog your ass!.

When it comes to yoga, honey, I’m one Ashtanga crazy beyatch throwing my Sun Salutation all up in ya face.

Don’t you come in here posin’ because up in this Y, we yoga tough. This ain’t your mamma’s yoga, this is extreme yoga.

Monkey pose … bam! Flying Crow pose … bam! That’s right. I’m not even spilling my latte. You scared now? You should be.

Uh oh … Upward Facing Dog … bam! That’s right. I’m doing the dog. Uh oh … did you hurt yourself? Why don’t you take a break and see how the big girls play.

Why don’t you sit there and watch me reach a state of perfect peace? Check it out … Bam! Peace! Right there. Just reached it. I reach inner peace faster than any of these chumps circular breathing in here. I got so much inner peace it’s shooting out my nose. But I’m not done yet … oh no. Lotus pose … bam! Headstand pose … bam!

Check it out ... Bam! Peace! Right there. Bwaha! I want to be a peace badass, too. Must do more yoga.

Sometimes I Cannot Believe What We Have Allowed to be Done in Our Name

For about 12 minutes db and I tried to watch "24." We like spy-type shows (too bad "24" isn't produced by the BBC; then I'd probably watch it), and it'd been recommended countless times by many folks, so we tuned in. Good lord, that is a load of tripe! Firstly, it's completely nonsensical, which can be OK in a mind-numbing teevee kind of way--but if that's all it is, it needs to be a lot funnier for me to stick w/ it.

"24" is not so funny--not intentionally anyway--it's superficial and posturing and underwritten and had, for the short time we watched it, this odd macho, right-wingish thing working, and I simply have no time for fictionalized versions of that when our current gubmint is replete with multiple redundant examples of disastrous macho posturing.

We cannot see the backs of these criminals fast enough. If there is any justice on earth, they will have to answer for their crimes. And I don't just mean the Bush madministration. Journalists, j'accuse!

How Hollywood Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the (Ticking) Bomb

I discovered that when I gave interviews to major media on this subject, any time I used the word “torture” with reference to these techniques, the interview passage would not be used. At one point I was informed by a cable news network that “we put this on international, because we can’t use that word on the domestic feed.” “That word” was torture. I was coached or told that the words “coercive interrogation technique” were fine, but “torture” was a red light. Why? The Administration objected vehemently to the use of this word. After all, President Bush has gone before the cameras and stated more than three dozen times “We do not torture.” By using the T-word, I was told, I was challenging the honesty of the president. You just couldn’t do that.                                                                                                              

In early 2005, I took a bit of time to go through one newspaper—The New York Times—to examine its use of the word “torture”. I found that the word “torture” was regularly used to described a neighbor who played his stereo too loud, or some similar minor nuisance. Also the word “torture” could be used routinely to describe techniques used by foreign powers which were hostile to the United States. But the style rule seemed very clear: it could not be used in reporting associated with anything the Bush Administration was doing.

So yeah, Scott Horton found that what used to be the tool of the enemy--that is, torture--is now the tool of Jack Bauer. This he finds troubling, as do I.

We should start with a frank question: has “24” been created with an overtly political agenda, namely, to create a more receptive public audience for the Bush Administration’s torture policies? I think the answer to that question is now very clear. The answer is “yes.” In “Whatever It Takes,” Jane Mayer has waded through the sheaf of contacts between the show’s producer, Joel Surnow, and Vice President Cheney and figures right around him. There is little ambiguity about this point, namely, if the torture system introduced after 9/11 can be traced back to a single person, it is Vice President Cheney. He pushed relentlessly for use of the tools of the “dark side,” and he ruthlessly took out everyone who stood in his way. He also worked feverishly to disguise or cloak his intimate involvement in the entire process. I take it as a given that Surnow is working to develop public attitudes which are more accepting of torture; to overturn centuries-old prejudices against torture. He is a torture-enabler.

Jeebus H.