The Haze Filter

Bernie Mac ::

I'm saddened! From CNN:

The comedian suffered from sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease that produces tiny lumps of cells in the body's organs, but had said the condition went into remission in 2005. He recently was hospitalized and treated for pneumonia, which his publicist said was not related to the disease.

Recently, Mac's brand of comedy caught him flack when he was heckled during a surprise appearance at a July fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate and fellow Chicagoan Barack Obama.

Catblogging Late Once Again!

And, just so she will not be too jealous, here is a photograph of Sable:

Elizabeth Edwards Speaks! ::

Our family has been through a lot. Some caused by nature, some caused by human weakness, and some – most recently – caused by the desire for sensationalism and profit without any regard for the human consequences. None of these has been easy. But we have stood with one another through them all. Although John believes he should stand alone and take the consequences of his action now, when the door closes behind him, he has his family waiting for him.

Her Daily Kos diary is here

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The Old White-Haired Dude Speaks ::

A tip o' the hat to Talking Points Memo:

Let's keep hammering this home!

Paris Punks The "Old White Haired Dude" ::

I know everyone has seen this, but I can't resist:

I have to say that Paris Hilton just jumped over the rainbow in my estimation compared to where she was before although, I must say, I really had no opinion of her before other than that I felt she was a young person, albeit a rich young person, making the mistakes of youth while being hounded by the press.

Now I await the response from Rhianna!

Also, let me be clear that I am an old white haired dude, but so far I don't have many wrinkles (at least not visible ones)!

In the Obama administration I am beginning to feel that Paris Hilton would be wonderful as the official press secretary. Certainly more honest that that Perino babe!

Reading "The Shock Doctrine" ::

I picked up Naomi Klein's book a couple of weeks ago, but I only slowly got into reading it and now I am completely fascinated by the way she has presented just how the world markets have been manipulated by contrived chaos from South America, to the old Soviet Union, and on to our country's invasion and occupation of Iraq. I read John Perkins' "Confessions Of An Economic Hit-Man" a couple of years ago and was astounded at the revelations of our nation's involvement in the manipulation of other countries economic and political systems, but Klein goes into much more depth than Perkins' book ever did.

I am about halfway through The Shock Doctrine right now, but I already understand much better how the invasion and occupation of Iraq fits into the political and economic experiment that Iraq has become!

The Shock Doctrine can be had for $9.60 in paperback right now from Amazon and I urge everyone to read it and think about what is happening in the good old USA right now. I can come to no other conclusion than that our leaders are subjecting us to our own version of "Shock Therapy" and we, as a nation, are clueless about what is happening to us!

CNN Obviously Unscientific Poll ::

But interesting none the less:

Everyone should be made aware that oil is a fungible resource. Countries where the citizens enjoy much lower prices do so because the government heavily subsidizes the motorist!

fun·gi·ble (esp. of goods) being of such nature or kind as to be freely exchangeable or replaceable, in whole or in part, for another of like nature or kind. [Origin: 1755–65; < ML fungibilis, equiv. to L fung(ī) to perform the office of + -ibilis -ible]

Alexander Solzhenitsyn Dies ::

I heard this report just a short time ago on NPR that Solzhenitsyn had passed away in his 89th year.

The Nobel laureate and former dissident died of heart failure at 11:45 pm (1945 GMT), the writer's son said, according to the agency.

Solzhenitsyn won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1970 after writing harrowing works about the Soviet Union's system of labour camps. He was expelled from the Soviet Union in 1974, thereby becoming Cold War icon.

He wrote about life in the Gulag with harrowing detail in his most celebrated works: "One Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovich", "The First Circle" and "The Gulag Archipelago".

I certainly hope that the experiences and works of Solzhenitsyn are never forgotten!