A confession on privilege

On privilege (benefited)
a male
first born
college educated with an advance degree
home owner/debtor
possess a personal computer a cell phone, a land line, a DVD player
a '95 Miata M edition (purchased use)
have good credit rating and a choice of credit cards
line of credit for both business and real property
participate in retirement programs (ROTH, IRA, 403B, Simple)
work with a financial adviser and an accountant
traveled to at least 2o countries in Europe (Ireland, England, Belgium,Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Holland, Austria), Asia (Philippines, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore), North America (Canada, Mexico), North Africa (Morocco), Near East (Turkey), Pacific (Palau, Guam)
level of achievement and recognition in field of work
network of friends spanning 3 continents, over one dozen states in the USA (MA, WA, HI, WDC, FL, NY, OR, CO, LA, MN, VA, GA)
traveled to NYC, Paris, Munich, Florence, Madrid/Barcelona for art and artist (painters: Van Gogh, Renoir, Picasso, The Blue Rider Group, Velasquez, Raphael, Goya, Gaudi, Matisse, Rembrandt, Botticelli, Michelangelo)
developed an educated palette (wine, fine food)
listened to Maestro Leonard Bernstein conduct the Vienna Opera Symphony listened to a talk given by Noam Chomsky at MIT
a Regents Scholar as an undergrad and had less than 10K in student loans attended catholic high school, working to pay for tuition passable language skills in Tagalog, Spanish
parents have a college education
maternal grandparents college educated in Seville


in a (personal) context
of being an immigrant to the USA, unequivocally brown
known homosexual
an avowed socialist
parents who worked and retired as clerk and janitor
living in places I esteem as socially integrated
abide to precepts of reduce, reuse, and recycle


occupy multiple social identities, undeniably perceived and categorized by assumptions held by those within the milieu (personal view: arm chair scholar, activist, loved with abandon and wisdom, perceptive)


modeled and continually exemplified/practice developing virtues of generosity (goodwill), faith in basic goodness of humankind, dignity, truthfulness, courtesy, duty, kindness, social responsibility, perseverance, openness, fairness, loyalty, thrift, nuturance, altruism

Experienced near death and lost a friend to poisoning during a vacation
Lost 2 dear friends during the 2nd wave of the epidemic
4 years since fathers death, have a deeper understanding of who I am, my place in American society and a deeper abiding love of my brother, mother, sole blood nephew

What should my penance be
Feel guilty and experience internal conflict
Momentary joy filled daily life
Free of desire and longing
Free of illusions from what is possible and see what is at hand

Embrace personal frailty: anger, disappointments, want, limitations in the intellectual and creative realm, listlessness. A buddhist precept on suffering, acknowledging these traits as among the challenges in personal evolution.

Self knowing is parcel to intelligence. There is also responsibility shouldered by being more than adequate.

(c) danielt, 2008

Race and Gender in American Presidential Politics

Readers, friends and colleagues. Shared in this article is the lack of discussion of privilege among the two leading Democratic candidates. Hazard to say, American dogma supports the silence on issues of inequity experience by women, or those who are not members of the dominant culture. It will be curious to see, whether the aspirations of these two candidates as potential "unifier's" or bridge makers across gender, class, religious, ideological rifts in national and global society will speak out on their role as a leader of one of the most powerful countries in the world.

This article can be found on the web at
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080310/ramdas

---

Leveraging the Power of Race and Gender

by KAVITA NANDINI RAMDAS

[posted online on February 21, 2008]

As the contest for a Democratic presidential nominee enters its final stages, the feminist dilemma has become palpable and painful. My inbox has been filled with passionate and provocative pieces from Katha Pollitt, Frances Kissling, Caroline Kennedy and Feminists for Peace and Barack Obama, all explaining why they are not supporting Hillary Clinton. Equally strong commentary in support of Clinton, and dismissing Obama, has arrived from Gloria Steinem, Robin Morgan, Ellie Smeal and Ellen Malcolm. All decry the misogyny evident in media coverage of the candidates and grapple--with varying degrees of success--with race and gender conflict. Clinton fans mention in passing that Hillary has been an international voice for women's rights.

As a feminist whose daily work focuses on the challenges facing women outside the United States--particularly those living in poverty, in war zones and under extreme patriarchal control--I think these conversations have a surreal quality. They are surreal because they are so perfectly American in their insularity. What is alarmingly absent from our conversations and arguments, even as they allude to race and gender, is any sense of how our decisions affect the well-being of people across the planet--not least the status of women, 51 percent of us, who are being treated with appalling brutality around the globe.

There is something profoundly wrong when a conversation about qualifications to be President of the most powerful nation in the world ignores the reality facing most of that world's inhabitants. While American pundits debate whether Clinton is being targeted unfairly, for example, thousands of women and children in Gaza are being collectively punished as Israel, a neighboring state and former occupying power, withholds food, fuel and electricity. Yet who is talking about that? In the face of such a travesty of human rights and international law, not one of the presidential candidates, regardless of race or gender, has the gumption to speak out and say this is wrong. Not one has said that he or she will not tolerate such behavior by any ally of the United States.

We live in a world where women are facing an epidemic of rape in conflicts from Nepal to Chiapas to the Democratic Republic of Congo, yet neither Clinton nor Obama has seen fit to mention it. Recent reports of the widespread murder of educated women in Iraq by religious extremists are adding new horror to an already horrifying situation but are going almost unreported. Women and children today form the bulk of the world's refugees and make up the majority of the world's poor. Despite doing more than two-thirds of the world's labor, women own only 1 percent of the world's assets. Yet not one presidential candidate has chosen to highlight the profound threat that gender inequality is posing to the development, economic stability and future peace of our world.

At times like these, the practical politics of US elections are staggeringly oppressive. We are told by the experts that Americans do not care about, or vote on the basis of, what happens in the rest of the world. We hear claims that presidential candidates cannot raise these issues during the race: we just have to trust that they will do better once they are in office.

That is not good enough. I want to hear from the woman running for President why being a woman and a mother matters to her and how it will inform her leadership. I want her to stand up for the millions of women who are not heard here or around the world. I want her to chart her course as the wisest, most humane President this country has ever seen, not to show us how much more macho she can be as our next Commander in Chief.

Women in the developing world are not reassured when they see Madeleine Albright standing next to Hillary Clinton. They have not forgotten that this former Secretary of State, when questioned about the death of more than 500,000 children as a result of sanctions against Iraq, responded that the price had been worth it. Most would prefer a President tough enough to say that Iraqi children matter to her as much as American children and that she would use the awesome power of the presidency to ensure the safety and well-being of all the world's children. Hillary Clinton would not be alone if she chose to own her power as a skilled and qualified politician and as a woman.

There is a rising number of fiercely feminine and feminist leaders around the globe--people like Michelle Bachelet of Chile, who is unafraid to be an agnostic single mother in a deeply Catholic country, and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, whose first act as president was passing legislation against sexual violence. Hillary has a unique chance to stand alongside them. For her to dance so gingerly around the question of gender in international affairs is to miss an extraordinary opportunity to use gender as a platform for healing the deep wounds left by the previous presidency.

But my high expectations are not limited to Hillary. I have equally high goals for the man who says he will unite us. Obama has his own powerful but underutilized tool: race. What prevents him, for example, from drawing analogies between the plight facing women--many of whom live in subjugation simply by virtue of their gender--and the experience of slavery? And why stop there? By owning the question of race on an international stage, Obama would have an amazing opportunity to reach out to people worldwide--who are in more need of hope than most Americans could imagine. Regardless of whether there are votes in it, this is of profound relevance to all of us in this country.

Yet Obama is also missing this chance. What is happening when a truly multiracial candidate, whose first name means "blessing" in Hebrew and Arabic and whose middle name is Hussein, feels he must spend his moral capital proving his Christian credentials? What I want is for Obama to stand with my husband, a man born and raised in Pakistan, who now is asked to step aside for a random search each time we board an airplane. He needs to tell us that he knows only too well that if he were not a US senator but an ordinary man with a foreign name going on vacation with his family, this could happen to him. I'd like to hear from him that when he looks at the United States or the world, what he sees are not Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Jews or atheists but simply human beings desperate to be treated with dignity and respect.

Like Clinton, Obama, too, can find inspiration and solidarity with a new generation of global leaders emerging from the shackles of their minority status. For the first time in Latin American history, for example, indigenous leaders are holding power as the heads of state in Venezuela and Bolivia. Obama has an unparalleled opportunity to speak to them from an empathetic perspective. And as September 11 showed us, our foreign policy is only a short step from our domestic concerns.

The next President needs the ability to demonstrate the inner courage and conviction that comes from owning his or her "otherness." As a woman and a mother, Hillary Clinton could bring insights and perspectives no other President in US history could have brought to the negotiating table of war and peace. As the stepson of an Indonesian Muslim and the son of a Kenyan and a white woman from Kansas, Barack Obama manifests what it means to be a global citizen. What is at stake in this election is not merely the historic first that would be accomplished if either a black man or a woman became the next US President. What is at stake is the fragile future of our shared world.

Vice President Rice

This article can be found on the web at http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080225/howl2
by Nicholas von Hoffman

Vice President Rice?
[posted online on February 13, 2008]

Who's John McCain's scariest running mate? Take your pick on the Nation Poll.

Democrats who think it's going to be a cakewalk into the White House next November had best remember one name: Condoleezza Rice.

John McCain is a formidable candidate in his own right, but if he has the political imagination to do it, he can cause the party of Jefferson and Jackson indescribable angst with Rice as his vice-presidential pick.

Besides being the greatest two-for in GOP history, Rice brings other huge pluses to the decorated Vietnam hero. Indeed, she may be enough to elect the venerable hero/naval aviator.

McCain's troubles with the religious wing of his party could well evaporate with the churchgoing Rice at his side. She solidifies that part of his base overnight.

With Rice on the ticket, the GOP would have somebody to get enthusiastic about. The Secretary of State is immensely popular with Republicans. For a party that up to now has been clueless about how to run against either a woman or a person of color, Condoleezza Rice is pure political gold.

Woe to any Democrat who thinks taking her on in a debate is a sure thing. The woman is tough, fast on her feet and able to give better than she gets. Anyone who has seen her in action testifying in front of a hostile House or Senate committee knows that she will be able to wipe up the floor with a plodding, ordinary pol of a Democratic vice-presidential candidate. Take Rice lightly at your peril.

In the ordinary course of things the ideal vice-presidential candidate is relied upon to carry his or her home state and keep out of trouble. With Condi the GOP gets a lot more. It gets a superstar to match the Democrats' superstars. If it comes to name recognition, glamour and magnetism for conservatives, Condi is dandy. Also, it is a plus for the GOP team that she is a snappy dresser.

Rice's presence on the ticket deprives the Democrats of the we-are-more-diverse-than-thou argument. It makes McCain--whose ethnically diverse family includes an adopted daughter from Bangladesh--an even more attractive candidate for a certain kind of independent voter.

Rice can rightly be attacked for serving Bush and backing an unpopular and disastrous war. But McCain, who is extremely pro-war himself, is not going to select a running mate who is wishy-washy on Iraq. Rice is also said to have done a poor job running the State Department, where morale is supposed to have dropped faster than a subprime mortgage. However, you can put the number of voters who give a rodent's behind about the care and feeding of cookie-pushing diplomats in a phone booth, if phone booths still existed.

With Rice on the ticket the Republicans are freed up to run a much stronger negative campaign against either Clinton or Obama because the Secretary of State provides them with cover against charges of sexism or racism. They would be able to go after Obama's membership in Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ. Its minister, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., with whom Obama is close, has won himself the militant tag from conservatives because of his association with Nation of Islam leader the Rev. Louis Farrakhan.

They can attack Hillary's experience claims as consisting of her being Bill's wife. They can challenge her boast that she is a strong, independent woman and paint her as a weak, hopelessly-in-love woman under the spell of a man subject not only to "bimbo eruptions" but also eruptions of smarmy deals with shady business figures.

Lastly, Rice is a notorious sports fan with excruciatingly detailed knowledge of much of its arcana. She's often said that her dream job is commissioner of the National Football League; however, in a pinch she would probably settle for Vice President of the United States.

Ahh the day after

Whew!!! now the first of many political election rushes has passed, it is post Super Tuesday. Who came out ahead will be debatable till the next sets of primaries and caucuses. North Americans, the USA and voting varieties, can stand proud in their interest and in exercising a basic right. Arguably one can say, more young people came out to vote, more African Americans, more Latinos, more bible belt conservatives -- spin it anyway it seems factual for the area from whence you speak.

In discussions, let us remain open to an exchange, shy away from polemics, cliche's and poorly reasoned statements that can only be fodder for increasing the perceived attack.

It is quite clear, where I stand politically and ethically. Earlier posts have indicated my leanings. I understand SF County came out strong for Senator Obama. Not surprising, one can say. This in the midst of a minor slight from the Mayor of the City by the Bay. It was claimed, the Senator did not allow for photo opportunities with the Mayor of a town long identified as a beacon of progressives and radicals. In this case an allusion to the Valentine Mass Wedding, ha can you imagine associating a more positive act than the original Valentine Day Massacre. Are we becoming more humane as a society? Or are we pushing an agenda for cultural separatism.

Bet many secretly wanted a rendering of post-coital regret or bliss. Well dream on, its good for your libido.

Caroline Kennedy's endorsement of Senator Obama

In the event you had not come across the NYTimes Op-ed, here it is for your reading. It is widely distributed that Senator Kennedy will be announcing his endorsement of fellow Senator Obama on Monday Jan 28. Remember Feb 5, is a big voting day for primaries across the nation.


January 27, 2008

Op-Ed Contributor
A President Like My Father
By CAROLINE KENNEDY

OVER the years, I’ve been deeply moved by the people who’ve told me they wished they could feel inspired and hopeful about America the way people did when my father was president. This sense is even more profound today. That is why I am supporting a presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries, Barack Obama.

My reasons are patriotic, political and personal, and the three are intertwined. All my life, people have told me that my father changed their lives, that they got involved in public service or politics because he asked them to. And the generation he inspired has passed that spirit on to its children. I meet young people who were born long after John F. Kennedy was president, yet who ask me how to live out his ideals.

Sometimes it takes a while to recognize that someone has a special ability to get us to believe in ourselves, to tie that belief to our highest ideals and imagine that together we can do great things. In those rare moments, when such a person comes along, we need to put aside our plans and reach for what we know is possible.

We have that kind of opportunity with Senator Obama. It isn’t that the other candidates are not experienced or knowledgeable. But this year, that may not be enough. We need a change in the leadership of this country — just as we did in 1960.

Most of us would prefer to base our voting decision on policy differences. However, the candidates’ goals are similar. They have all laid out detailed plans on everything from strengthening our middle class to investing in early childhood education. So qualities of leadership, character and judgment play a larger role than usual.

Senator Obama has demonstrated these qualities throughout his more than two decades of public service, not just in the United States Senate but in Illinois, where he helped turn around struggling communities, taught constitutional law and was an elected state official for eight years. And Senator Obama is showing the same qualities today. He has built a movement that is changing the face of politics in this country, and he has demonstrated a special gift for inspiring young people — known for a willingness to volunteer, but an aversion to politics — to become engaged in the political process.

I have spent the past five years working in the New York City public schools and have three teenage children of my own. There is a generation coming of age that is hopeful, hard-working, innovative and imaginative. But too many of them are also hopeless, defeated and disengaged. As parents, we have a responsibility to help our children to believe in themselves and in their power to shape their future. Senator Obama is inspiring my children, my parents’ grandchildren, with that sense of possibility.

Senator Obama is running a dignified and honest campaign. He has spoken eloquently about the role of faith in his life, and opened a window into his character in two compelling books. And when it comes to judgment, Barack Obama made the right call on the most important issue of our time by opposing the war in Iraq from the beginning.

I want a president who understands that his responsibility is to articulate a vision and encourage others to achieve it; who holds himself, and those around him, to the highest ethical standards; who appeals to the hopes of those who still believe in the American Dream, and those around the world who still believe in the American ideal; and who can lift our spirits, and make us believe again that our country needs every one of us to get involved.

I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them. But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president — not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans.

Caroline Kennedy is the author of “A Patriot’s Handbook: Songs, Poems, Stories and Speeches Celebrating the Land We Love.”

Senator Obama speaks with SF Chronical Editorial Board

Many of us are in the throes of decision making regarding the upcoming CA and other state primaries. Attached is link to a 52 minute dialogue with Senator Obama.

What is clear to me, he is forging a process more in line to participatory democracy that realizes big money, multinationals and the wealthy have vested interest in maintaining the status quo. He offers understandable and un-spun views on how to proceed on key issues that can be local, national, and international in scope.

What is disarming about him, he comes across genuine, thoughtful, and someone who has a plan for reinvigorating American society.

Though you may have made a decision, I can only asks that you be open to hearing him out, and see how your views can expand or focus based on what he says.

Note it is 50 min long, make time to watch and hear.

http://www.brightcove.tv/title .jsp?title=1381682549

Confounding the Racial Calculus -- Maxim Thorne, Esq

Mr. Thorne, offers an astute observation on the shift in the political strategy of Hillary Clinton. One has to weigh his perspective and not to view it as another "conspiracy theorist" or hapless victim of identity politics.

Thorne is a Yale Law graduate and an advocate in the New York city area.

Confounding the Racial Calculus

Barack Obama has been confounding the racial calculus of millions of Americans for the last year- including (apparently) the Clintons . It’s difficult being black even in the liberal democratic world. What we have seen in the last couple of weeks is first the outward frustration of the Clinton campaign in trying to understand how they calculated so wrong- and more recently their heinous attempts to restore the racial status quo.

Barack Obama has not only proven that he is a singularly unique Black politician but that he has the awareness and vision and commitment to rise above the sometimes toxic muck of American race relations (particularly within the Democratic Party). The old calculus would have rendered Barack's presidential bid a folly. It has been near impossible for Black politicians to win statewide offices like Senator and Governor. Even today there are just one sitting Black senator (Obama) and one sitting Black governor (Deval Patrick of Massachusetts ).

Barack immediately started confounding conventional wisdom through fundraising. The Clintons could not imagine that a Black politician completely outside of the party machinery they had lorded over for more than a decade was able to amass a war chest to rival Hillary's. Not only had Barack gotten the support and dollars of legion of white Americans but also many upwardly-mobile people of color. These folks really don't exist in the Clintonian vision of the poor and desperate Black and Brown masses waiting for a white knight to lead them to the promised land (re – It took LBJ…).

And then came Iowa . Like he did in Illinois, Barack won Iowa by having a wider focus and broader vision that the Black candidates who had come before him. Barack spoke to the concerns of urban folks struggling with failing schools and lack of health care. He also spoke to the concerns of rural Americans who face the erosion of communities by big agricultural conglomerates and dwindling populations. He spoke to Americans in general and people responded. He has inspired in Democrats an ability to dream and hope- to believe that while the progressive agenda has been derailed it can once again be put back on track. The Clintons had believed that most Americans had been so cowed by the disasters of the Bush years that they would pine for- hope for- nothing more ambitious than the Clinton years. What she was offering was not the America of their dreams but of their memories. Barack offered something intrinsically better.

But the Clintons don't seem to believe this. From their actions over the last couple of weeks it seems that their remedy to Barack's potential to win this nomination is not to counter him with an even better vision but to revert to race politics. They want to remind Americans that he's black. The Clintons seem incensed that Iowans- and the other Democrats who have allowed Barack to erase Hillary's once overwhelming lead in national polls- didn't just vote on race. "BUT HE'S BLACK- CAN'T YOU SEE !" is what Hillary and Bill have been telegraphing for weeks now.

To a Democratic electorate that seems to have finally begun to move beyond base race concerns the Clintons- the paragons of progress- are dedicated to dragging the party back to the depths of poisonous racial history. And not a moment too soon. Across the country the Clintons are on a remembrance tour- reminding Hispanics of the historic rivalry with Blacks; reminding Southerners of their latent fear of the Black man; reminding white suburbanites in the North and Midwest of the imagery of Black drug-dealers and gangsters that inspired the white flight to suburbs.

And it may be that the simple message of 'BUT REMEMBER HE'S STILL BLACK' will resonate far and wide within Democratic ranks: both black and white. Hillary and Bill are most convincing in their 'civil rights commitments' when it comes to vague imagery (Bill as the 'first Black president'; Hillary as the white partner in an 'interracial marriage') but they get in trouble when specifics come in. Hillary endured an onslaught of criticism when she claimed last year in Selma to have had a life-changing moment when she heard Dr. King speak in 1963. Yet in 1964 she was a Goldwater Girl. Goldwater was no ordinary presidential candidate. In addition to fathering the modern conservative movement that now strangles the Republican Party he was a pioneer of what would become known as the Southern Strategy. Goldwater was at the vanguard of GOP radicals in the early 1960s who saw opportunity in the Democratic Party's embrace of civil rights under JFK and LBJ. Goldwater was one of the few Republican senators to join Southern Democrats in very public opposition to civil rights and equality. Goldwater ran a campaign in 1964 that was in direct opposition to everything Dr. King hoped for. It is shocking that Hillary Clinton- a political astute college entrant who would head the Young Republicans at Wellesley- would not realize that Goldwater's narrow exploitation of white fears of Black equality didn't real gel with the civil rights agenda.

What Hillary and Bill do know, however, is that while the national Democratic Party quickly embraced a progressive agenda from the 1960s on it has been much slower going among the grassroots. Republican presidential candidates from Goldwater onward have gained the support of legions of Southern Democrats by appealing to latent racism over the years. Barack Obama's potency in national polls and his support among white voters across the country may well mark a period of transition as those voters come to terms with their fears of the past and move on. But not if the Clintons have anything to do with it. Perhaps Bob Johnson said it best for the Clintons when he warned South Carolinians that Barack Obama is no Sidney Poitier. In other words he may look and act like the 'Good Negro' but it's just an act; he's really an inner-city drug fiend.

And if Latinos- a critical voting block in Nevada but also in Feb. 5 primaries in states like California and New York- were thinking of moving beyond racial suspicions and voting for Barack on the issues the Clinton folks were nice enough to print a poster in Nevada reminding Hispanics of their history of not supporting Black candidates. Hillary Clinton said it’s not to revive racial memories; it's to make a historic statement.

But just to cover her bases the Clinton folks have gone to court in Nevada to prevent caucusing at the casinos where thousands of Democratic union workers- heavily Latino and Black- are working on Saturday while the caucuses are being held. The Clintons thought it was a good idea when the plan has made last year but changed their minds when an expected endorsement from the powerful Culinary Workers union went to Barack Obama instead. (A federal court judge rejected a temporary injunction and the caucuses will be held in the casinos).

Iowa made a lot of Americans feel good about the direction of race relations in this country but those good vibes may have been premature. That the Clintons of all people would think it pragmatic- and acceptable- to use race in this way is telling about how far we truly need to go. A truce on the race issue seems to be holding but unfortunately some damage has been done.

I believe Barack Obama has the ability to overcome this damage. His victory will be a testament to the progress we have made as a nation and an inspiration to our children who can still believe they can grow up to be President.

Best wishes,

Maxim

Maxim Thorne, Esq.
maxim@maximthorne.com
cell 202-460-4966

a you tube video is also online search Maxim Thorne

A long and full weekend

Living in the Bay Area of California has to be the second greatest gift life can offer, the first is life itself, day to day. Saturday (Jan 21) a day predicted to be cloudy with a chance of rain ended up being sunny in Napa Valley.

One of many life's indulgence is a trek one and a half hour north to taste vino. Today sparkling wines called to me. In part my friend who drove and I both enjoy champagne. Mustard flowers were beginning to blossom by the road side, surrounding hills sent grass shoots made them hills appear less blond, a hawk perched itself on a signposts looking for its prey in the field.

A picnic basket with salad, apples, flour less chocolate cake prepared by Tom were our accompaniment to the Chandon tasting as we sat on the patio, listening to the oak leaves rustling with the wind, looking at Magritte styled clouds, while the sun bathe warmth on a winter day.

Living life as it is: tasting at Mumm Napa and discovering the value of magnum bottled wines --softening the fruit, the acidity, and the carbon dioxide combo after nearly 7 years in the bottle fermenting. How delightful. Sometimes life can not be better met than to toast it with new discovery.

Monday MLK Day was a day for quite reflection and setting out a plan for work life in the coming year. I did not underestimate the privilege of living in one of the most beautiful and wealthiest areas in the world. Part of the blessings we enjoy in the region, better than average brain trust, a knack for risk taking and higher than average wages to go with our sky high living standards. As to the day itself, I stand proud to be an affirmative action baby and by product of good ole California public education (at a time when the state was known nationally as having the best post secondary public institutions).

To digress, California is now perhaps recognize as being in the penitentiary business, let us accept your poor, hungry, and marginally employable. Allow us to corral them into correctional facilities, where we call the question, is correction a benevolent term.

What can one do to mark the day of continued struggle for equality, just society, and democracy? Take a breath, be reminded of the accomplishments of immigrants of color like many peers and mentors, accept -- not complacently, struggle continues. For those of us in the educated middle class, or the white collar itinerant class -- less we be placated by our seeming material wealth, we seek each other and support one another bring others up as we climb.

A day in the country, breath taking topography in the winter light, shaded by the coming full moon, one can breath for a moment and move forward to take the next small step if awakened the next day.

What a difference days can make

Many days since last post and as many significant events at work, personal, and political took place. At times, one has to take pause to appreciate the moment that has come and gone.

Jan 3, celebrated my birthday by going to work and then to yoga. At work, an atypical day it turned out to be, terminating a staff and a client moving into a higher level of care transported out of the facility handcuffed and escorted by 3 adults plus one sheriff.

A challenging combination to one's psyche and paused to grasp it all with equanimity. Found it hard not to be irritated by actions of others: namely transporting a client, though not clinically indicated, handcuffed, surrounded by 3 escorts, and passed through kitchen, client common room, through the hallway pass the medical exam rooms and staff office, was troublesome. I was thrown off by the seeming insensitivity and lack of respect by these personnel for the other clients, facility staff and the profession. A lengthy conversation with the Supervising nurse of the team who behaved in this way was necessary, framing an intervention to consider the milieu, potential client backlash in perceiving how mental health professionals treat young people needing medical/psychiatric support, and alternative exit paths to minimize the potential adverse impact of this “professional” behavior on people.

Yoga, with teacher Tony Eason http://www.ynottony.com/ was a salve for the day’s course of events. Tony announced at the end of class my birthday and to offer a greeting, someone commented to all, "that's hardcore." I took his comments to mean, yoga class as a way of celebrating. To those in hearing distance, they are aware of how much effort it took for me to incorporate additional days of yoga into weekly routine in the past five years. An act of affirmation and appreciation to be able to attend a class, to enjoy the benefits of yoga.

Meals with friends and family alike: performance of Delesi at Yoshi's, grazing at Mecca and Tangerine on a Friday evening. Sat evening dinner with mom and bro at our favorite place. Old style calamari with noodles, Chianti and sumptuous flat bread were on our minds. Sunday a return trip, after many years, to Tofu on Sanchez for the most fresh sashimi (mouth watering, deeply satisfying) I've had since the days when an old friend seasonally brought back tuna for home made maguro. WOW.

Tuesday's Iowa caucus brought to the fore the "electability" factor of Obama as a potential Democratic nominee. What was striking in so many levels where the increased interest of the populace in participating. Of note: the analysis of who broke for which candidate, namely the under 30 sect, independents and women--underpinned by the fact the state is over 90% Caucasian.

New Hampshire primaries as it portrayed is the rebalanced of primary contenders: Clinton and McCain where given the nod. After the parsing of who voted for whom, what is true for both elections were the high numbers of participants. Will this be sustainable post Super Tuesday?

The first day of '08 and the closing of '07

A day of editors.
Tom and I after brunch, nap and shower, attended a party in the mish at Peter's (photographer/editor for the Chron). The New Year's Day open house was peopled with SF Front Runners and at least 6 editors. Front Runners SF loaded on carbs and protein after completing their annual across the Golden Gate Bridge run.

Independent editors and a book publisher, behind the scenes and the true ghost writers of our times. Are they scribes, or transcribers? Current and past projects, intersections of friendships and work made for stimulating and intriguing conversations to have the pleasure of listening. What is it that editors share among themselves? The state of writing or public speaking in today’s media injected dioramas. It appears most of what passes for writing is generally poor.

A night of literati.
NYE 07 marked by the blogger with conversations in a Duboce Triangle Edwardian, peopled by: a Harvard librarian and editor, whose current project is a bibliography of Gore Vidal's work, a former non-profit Executive from LA, a copy writer/editor friends and partners. Topics ranged from Social Work practice in the UK, the Kennedy-Bouvier-Vidal connection, current lot of Democratic Presidential aspirants, and China -the not so new imperialists.

Conversation flowed easily, punctuated by Champagne, sparkling wine, cava, vegetarian bean soup with dumplings, a roasted beat salad over arugula and the fire works viewed from the flat's porch.

Sunday Nite at Jellies.
A cold and damp evening on the waterfront. Club filled with transplanted Caribbean and Central American people dancing to a live Salsa band and dj. Salsa dancing is maybe an alternative to the tropical heat and accompanying sweat that one can not experience readily in the cool and temperate days of Bay Area life. Discernible are the styles of Cubans, Mexicans (cumbia style), Puerto Ricans iterations of the salsa beat and dance.

A Bday gathering for Rona F. I longed for an evening in Havana, dancing with friends and new friends to sonorous beats.

Saturday evening in a SOMA warehouse.
A rainy evening centered on stone soup. The hosts live in a warehouse on a busy SOMA street, a space with production office for video, music, and film projects. The house filled with Art work, many noteworthy paintings, various club decor objects, and very lively plants. The back garden had tropical air leading me to believe, I had escaped the city, only hundred yards away. A Jacuzzi, patio deck, and a bar in a lush setting.

The evening’s entertainment included a reading from Ms. Cora Values, accompanied by Sister Dana Inequity and his banjo. Host and cook du jour provided home made pulled pork, 2 pots of stone soup one vegetarian and the other not. Life an imitation of art, or is living artfully a facsimile of life as a stage. Perhaps links and pix to be attached.

A shout out to my fellow CAPS

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): French author and statesman AndrÈ Malraux observed that Jesus Christ was the only anarchist who ever really succeeded. It's no coincidence that Christ was a Capricorn, I might add, since the evolved members of your tribe have many of the qualities necessary to thrive in situations where there are no formal rules or laws. If you would like to move more in the direction of being the highly evolved Capricorn you were born to be -- and I think 2008 will be a very favorable time to do just that -- you should cultivate the qualities of a successful anarchist. In other words, be self-motivated, disciplined, and respectful of the needs of other people. Do the right thing without having to be coerced to do the right thing. Foster in yourself a reverence for freedom and a knack for making constructive use of your freedom.


Caps in the house:
Inaki, Rona F, Steff S, Robynn B, your's truly, Angelamia B, Donal G.

Living Life As It Is

Is under construction. Content will be uploaded shortly. I appreciate your patience and support.

Hoping pictures, narratives and comments will make for more interesting and engaging read.

Cheers

KUDOS to SF MOMA

2 powerful shows in 2007.

Anselm Kiefer: Heaven and Earth
Olafur Eliasson: Take your time

Made me proud to be a member.

Both were engaging, added to the post modern expression/articulation of planetary life elements, and distinguishing the truly creative vs the commercially successful.

Man Crushes

IF you do not laugh and pause to think about this.... This is funnneeeee and there is an ounce if not a pound of cure in it.......
Go to the original article, to increase the hits number of this.

Cheers and happy friday. Geeezz, Im glad to live in the SF Bay Area.


Summer sizzles for Man Crushes -- and there's nothing wrong with that
Peter Hartlaub Pop Culture
Friday, June 8, 2007

Justin Timberlake and I should be together.

Certainly not in a physical sense, or any other way that would jeopardize my marriage. This isn't about switching sides, experimentation or a fetish for guys who used to be in boy bands.

I just really want to hang out with him. Like, forever.
We're talking, of course, about a Man Crush -- the completely non-sexual feelings that develop when one heterosexual male finds another dude to be so cool that Guy No. 1 wants to spend as much time as possible with Guy No. 2. Aristotle had a Man Crush on Plato. Richie Cunningham had a Man Crush on the Fonz. And for the entire month of April and part of May, everyone in the Bay Area with a Y chromosome had a Man Crush on Golden State Warriors star Baron Davis.

The Man Crush has always been a delicate subject among straight men, with a very complicated rule set. It's considered OK to spontaneously proclaim your love for an NFL quarterback when he just scored a touchdown. It's not cool to point out that Bob from human resources always looks nice in that blue sweater. It's socially acceptable to have a poster of a shirtless and sweaty James Hetfield from Metallica on your wall, but never a half-naked or even fully clothed picture of Orlando Bloom.

But we're at a crucial point in Man Crush history, where a perfect storm of events could make it possible for even the most insecure guy to proclaim his undying like for his fellow man.

A new "Ocean's Eleven" sequel arrives in theaters this week, co-starring the holy MC trinity of George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon. Those three actors working together -- and that Don Cheadle ain't bad looking either -- have inspired more guy-on-guy crushes since members of the band Led Zeppelin were in their Misty Mountain Hopping prime.

"Ocean's Thirteen," the cinematic Man Crush event of the summer, will be followed by king metrosexual David Beckham's U.S. soccer debut in August, Timberlake's "FutureSex/LoveShow" HP Pavilion tour stop in September and then a potential San Francisco mayoral race repeat of Gavin Newsom versus Matt Gonzalez. It may be 72 degrees in the Sunset District without a cloud in the sky as you read this, but make no mistake: It's definitely raining men.
So why do so many guys fight it?

Every human being on the planet is born with the ability to figure out who he or she would find attractive if his or her sexual preference suddenly reversed polarity. Ask any straight woman what female celebrity she would want to date if she were a man: Chances are good she already has a list in her head, if not written down on a Post-it in her wallet. (Chances are even better that Eva Longoria is in the top three. Chicks dig Longoria.)

But ask a man to name a few guys whom he'd like to spend more time with, and depending on how close you are to a Red State, you might get a rude response. Unfortunately, we live in a time when a healthy Man Crush is still taboo, forcing millions of guys to insist that they're watching professional wrestling for the interesting storylines.

There's no Man Crush Hall of Fame or Man Crush Historical Museum, but there probably should be.

In fact, the Man Crush dates back to the Paleolithic era, where cave drawings show a prehistoric guy felling a wooly mammoth with a single spear, and then another caveman following him around for the next two weeks, offering to pull fleas out of his beard and help haul stuff down to the tar pit. Mark Antony became the second-most-powerful man in Rome based on his ability to elicit crushes from his troops (at least that's how it went in the HBO series), and U.S. President Thomas Jefferson (hot!) was elected mostly on the wealthy landowner Man Crush vote.

In recent years, Hollywood has created an entire genre of Man Crush cinema, even though no studio executive has the guts to call it by its name. From "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and "Cool Hand Luke" to "Road House" and "Swingers," men have spent hundreds of millions of box-office dollars to spend two hours hanging out with Paul Newman, Patrick Swayze and Vince Vaughn. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has made a living profiting off the crushes he attracted in three different entertainment media: football, wrestling and action movies.

Even if you've been in denial for a decade or three, it's easy to determine your Man Crush. Here are five common categories to get you started:
Fictional Characters: Almost every guy you'll meet between the ages of 25 and 40 has experienced a Man Crush on a character played by Harrison Ford. Ninety-eight percent of the time it's Han Solo or Indiana Jones, although there's a smaller group -- kind of like the Green Party -- that will insist they have a Man Crush on his Richard Kimble character from "The Fugitive."
Sports Figures: After 49ers quarterback Steve Young made that 1988 touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings, where he broke something like 137 tackles before stumbling into the end zone, who among us didn't want to spend an entire weekend watching "Die Hard" movies and eating nachos with the guy?

Local Specimens: San Francisco's notoriously skewed eligible man-to-woman ratio may be a bummer if you're single and female, but it's great news for the regional Man Crush statistics. From San Francisco Symphony Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas to Giants pitcher Barry Zito, almost every public figure is dreamy. Bay Area politicians are also hotter than average, with Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums -- an elder Man Crush -- recently joining the ranks.
George Clooney: There's a reason why this one-time "The Facts of Life" co-star continues to make more than $10 million per picture, even though half of his movies are almost unwatchably bad: He's equally appealing to men and women -- and may be the only guy making more than $100,000 per year who still drinks Budweiser.

That Guy at Work Who Always Wears Nice Shirts: There's a guy in every workplace who is kind of intimidating because his shirts always fit really well, and he can pull off things like a yellow cashmere sweater with a dark blue blazer, jeans and light brown soft leather loafers. Get over yourself. You should definitely ask this guy to take you shopping.

Guys With Falsetto Voices Who Used to Date Britney Spears When She Was Still Hot: If you had told me five years ago that I would develop a Man Crush on Justin Timberlake, I would have spit out my Zima. But you have to admit, from the "Dick in a Box" video short on "Saturday Night Live" to the singer's unfailing ability to shack up with really attractive women, he's become pretty awesome. Maybe not Daniel Craig-in-"Casino Royale" hot, but appealing nonetheless. I buy all of his albums, give them to my wife as gifts, and then listen to them myself in private. And some day, I hope that JT and I can spend a weekend bass fishing and rebuilding a carburetor together, without the rest of the world feeling the need to judge.

Should you meet your crush, there's no need to do anything special, other than the normal stammering and awkward pauses that result when conversing with someone you really admire. (The "Saturday Night Live" Chris Farley interview of Paul McCartney is a good example.) If you're doing the job right, the recipient of your crush might be a little creeped out.

But rest assured that you're doing nothing wrong. If God didn't want us to have crushes on other men, why did he make Derek Jeter so freaking cool?
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/06/08/POP.TMP

This article appeared on page E - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Lee, Woolsey and Waters Introduce Bill to Bring Troops Home from Iraq

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Lee, Woolsey and Waters Introduce Bill to Bring Troops Home from Iraq
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from the Oakland Tribune, January 18, 2007,
Area Dems Move to Cut Troop Surge Plan
By Josh Richman

The war in Iraq became a war of dueling legislation Wednesday on Capitol Hill, as two Bay Area lawmakers introduced a bill to choke off the war's funding even while Republicans introduced one to ensure that can't happen.

Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairs Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, and Lynn Woolsey, D-Petaluma, were joined by Out Of Iraq Caucus chairwoman Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, to unveil their Bring the Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Restoration Act, meant as an alternative to President Bush's plan to send 21,000 more troops.

Their bill — which has 13 other original co-sponsors — would repeal the president's authorization to use force in Iraq and fully fund a six-month withdrawal of troops and military contractors, cutting off money after that.

It also would prohibit permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq, provide economic and political aid to the Iraqi government, fully fund the VA health care system, bar U.S. access to Iraqi oil production at least until the Iraqi government sets clear rules for foreign ownership and participation, and create a bipartisan joint committee to probe whether the United States was led into this war under false pretenses.

"The president said that critics of escalation have a responsibility to offer an alternative, and that is what we are here to do today," Lee said at a news conference. "We come here not out of a sense of obligation to the president, but out of a sense of obligation to the millions of Americans who went to the polls in November to register their rejection of the failed policy in Iraq, and to call for an end the occupation of that country and to bring our brave men and women home." The 33-page bill "does what the administration has refused to do — namely, recognize the situation on the ground for what it is, an occupation and a civil war," Lee added.

"The president insists on appealing to patriotic sentiments and fear with talk about victory and defeat in Iraq, but the truth is that you cannot win an occupation, no more than the U.S. can win an Iraqi civil war. The longer we stay there, the worse it gets."

Meanwhile, Republicans rallied around a three-page bill introduced Wednesday by Rep. Sam Johnson, R-Texas, to ensure Congress doesn't restrict or cut off funding for U.S. troops in Iraq or Afghanistan.

House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, issued a news release saying Johnson's bill "deserves the support of all my colleagues, Republicans and Democrats alike. I would urge all members to support our troops and oppose any effort to cut off or restrict funding for American troops in harm's way, whether in Iraq, Afghanistan, or elsewhere in the global war on terror.

"Our challenge in Iraq is a difficult one, but Republicans and Democrats must work together to help stabilize the country's democracy and bring our troops home," Boehner added. "Congress should take an open, honest and deliberative look at the president's plan. If Democrat leaders disagree with the president's proposal, it is their responsibility to put forward a plan of their own for ensuring regional stability and denying terrorists a safe haven in Iraq." Boehner is among 15 original co-sponsors of Johnson's bill.

- "The American people went to the polls in November and called on our government to end the occupation and bring our troops home, not to escalate a losing strategy." - Congresswoman Barbara Lee -


Continue to support Barbara Lee's Work in Congress with Your Contribution Today! - http://www.leeforcongress.org

Presidential Aspirants --- From The Other Side of the Pond: (The Guardian Unlimited Coverage)

Obama takes first step in White House bid
Staff and agencies
Tuesday January 16, 2007
Guardian Unlimited

The Democratic senator Barack Obama today confirmed he was taking the first formal step towards a presidential campaign that could make him the first black American to occupy the White House.

Mr Obama, an Illinois senator, announced plans to file a presidential exploratory committee on his website. He said he would announce more about his intentions in his hometown, Chicago, next month.

"I didn't expect to find myself in this position a year ago," he said in a webcast. "I've been struck by how hungry we all are for a different kind of politics. So I spent some time thinking about how I could best advance the cause of change and progress we so desperately need."

Mr Obama said the decisions made by the Bush administration over the past six years, and the problems that had been ignored, had put the US "in a precarious place".

"Many of you have shared with me your stories about skyrocketing healthcare bills, the pensions you've lost and your struggles to pay for college for your kids," he said.

"Our continued dependence on oil has put our security and our very planet at risk. And we're still mired in a tragic and costly war that should have never been waged."

Despite the "magnitude of our problems", what concerned Mr Obama most was the "smallness of our politics", he added. "America's faced big problems before," he said. "But today, our leaders in Washington seem incapable of working together in a practical, commonsense way.

"Politics has become so bitter and partisan, so gummed up by money and influence, that we can't tackle the big problems that demand solutions. And that's what we have to change first."

Mr Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961 to the son of a Kenyan who had herded goats with his father, a domestic servant to Kenya's colonial rulers, as a child.

Barack Obama Snr left Kenya on an academic scholarship and met and married Ann Dunham, born in the mid-western state of Kansas, while they were students at the university of Hawaii.

At public engagements in recent months, Mr Obama has been met by often ecstatic crowds who have urged him to announce an exploratory committee - an organisation established to help determine whether a potential candidate should run for an elected office.

Last month, John DiStaso - a political columnist on the Union Leader, New Hampshire's largest newspaper - who has been covering the primaries since 1980, said he was astonished by such excitement so early in the electoral cycle.

Mr Obama's new book, the Audacity of Hope, has been number two in the bestseller lists of both the New York Times and Amazon.

His announcement increases the likelihood of him competing against Hillary Clinton to become the Democractic candidate in next year's presidential election, with the New York senator expected to reveal her intentions in the near future.





Rivals start to drop out as rising star Obama takes first steps in race for presidency

· Frontrunner Clinton faces strong challenge
· Candidate says he is surprised by rapid rise
Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington
Wednesday January 17, 2007
The Guardian

Senator Barack Obama, the rising young star of the Democratic party, took his first step into the 2008 presidential contest yesterday, raising the temperature in an already heated race.

Mr Obama's video address on his campaign website was merely a dress rehearsal: the announcement of an exploratory committee to raise funds and build a campaign team. He is to make an official announcement of his candidacy in his home town of Chicago on February 10.

But the sheer possibility of an African-American president, and Mr Obama's electrifying effect on Democratic voters, assured yesterday's announcement widespread attention.

Mr Obama, 45, and a senator for only two years, was candid about his rapid rise. Vaulted to the national stage by his keynote address to the Democratic party convention in 2004, in recent weeks Mr Obama has been elevated to the ranks of superstardom, thrilling audiences in New Hampshire and on a visit to Kenya in a celebrity that seems to have taken even him by surprise. "I certainly didn't expect to find myself in this position a year ago," he admitted yesterday.

In his video address, Mr Obama casts himself as someone untainted by the rough and tumble of politics in Washington, or by the culture wars that have obsessed the baby boomer generation. "It's not the magnitude of our problems that concerns me the most. It's the smallness of our politics."

Instead, he says he offers an escape from the dirty world of politics, and the prospect of reform.

"Politics has become so bitter and partisan, so gummed up by money and influence, that we can't tackle the big problems that demand solutions," he says. "And that's what we have to change first. We have to change our politics, and come together around our common interests and concerns as Americans."

The sunny optimism that overlay the video was not tempered by policy specifics.

As the 2008 race gets off to an unusually early start, Mr Obama's move presents the greatest threat to Hillary Clinton, who was crowned an early frontrunner by virtue of her fundraising prowess and the reflected glory of Bill Clinton.

However, Ms Clinton is seen as a polarising figure and her ambiguity on Iraq - she voted for the use of force in 2002 - could come back to haunt her now that the country has turned against the war.

As George Bush's popularity plummeted, Ms Clinton has since said she would not have voted for the war if she had known how it would turn out.


Mr Obama, in contrast, did not operate under the burdens of being an elected senator in 2002. He opposed the invasion, and spoke at anti-war demonstrations in the run-up to the invasion. In recent days, however, he has refused to say whether he would try to block funds for a troop increase as some fellow senators now demand. Yesterday he touched only briefly on the war saying: "We're still mired in a tragic and costly war that should have never been waged."

The other strong contender in the Democratic field is a former senator from North Carolina, John Edwards, battle-tested after the 2004 elections when he served as a running mate to John Kerry, and newly minted as a strong opponent of the war.

Other Democratic contenders are at risk of being outshone by the sheer force of Mr Obama's charisma, or the name recognition of Mr Edwards and Ms Clinton. The eclipsed contenders include Tom Vilsack, a former governor of Iowa from a hardscrabble background, Chris Dodd, a Senator from Connecticut, and Dennis Kucinich, a leftwing congressman from Ohio.

Even in this crowded field, other veteran Democrats are considering their options for 2008, including Senator John Kerry, the contender in 2004, and Senator Joe Biden, the powerful chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee.

However, other potential contenders were discouraged by Mr Obama's celebrity. Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana withdrew from the race, citing the difficulties of putting his message across in a field dominated by celebrities. Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin also took himself out of the running.

For Democrats, Mr Obama represents the possibility of change, a hope he has nurtured since the Democratic convention. It is also embodied in Mr Obama's personal story. The son of a Kenyan father and a white woman from Kansas, Obama was the first African-American editor of the Harvard Law Review. After a few years as a community organiser in the South Side of Chicago, he was elected to the Illinois state senate in 1996.

Mr Obama might still be there but for a lucky break in the 2004 Senate race when the original Republican opponent was forced to drop out because of a divorce scandal. Along the way, Mr Obama wrote two bestselling autobiographical books, winning a Grammy award for the audio version of one of them.

Presidential hopefuls
Democrats

Hillary Clinton: Seen as a potential candidate since first elected senator for New York in 2000. A fundraising powerhouse, but ambiguous about the Iraq war, which could hurt her. May make a declaration this week.

Barack Obama: Junior senator from Illinois and a rising star since his electrifying speech to the 2004 party convention. His lack of experience is made up for by his appeal to audiences from New Hampshire to Kenya, where his father hails from. Opposed Iraq war.

John Edwards: Veteran of the campaign trail as John Kerry's 2004 running mate. He has staked out ground on the left, with an anti-poverty platform. Opposed Iraq war.

Republicans

John McCain: Former navy pilot and senator from Arizona owes his military credentials to the years spent in the "Hanoi Hilton" after being shot down in Vietnam. Backs George Bush on the troop surge.

Mitt Romney: A Mormon and son of a former Michigan governor, Romney rose to prominence for organising the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. As a Republican governor of liberal Massachusetts, he approved a ban on assault weapons and made no move to restrict abortion rights.

Sam Brownback: Kansas senator expected to make a formal announcement on Saturday, and will run on the issues that move the Republican base. Opposes abortion and stem cell research, and what he calls the "homosexual agenda", and supports creationism in state schools

Rudy Giuliani: Former New York city mayor's interest became clear this month after a strategy document was leaked. Moderate image may hurt him among primary voters.

Let the spin begin -- Obama, Clinton, Edwards

From Blogger: Side note, a day into Obama (exploratory committee), less than a month into Edwards announcements --the media "frenzy" is our of the gate. The next questions, speculations of a Clinton announcement (since she has already established her exploratory committee) and the Gore factor (Kerry, erstwhile, maybe fading).
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Race and Gender Make Democrats' Field Historic
By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 17, 2007; A01

Democrats moved a step closer yesterday to what shapes up as one of the most historic and compelling contests ever for their party's presidential nomination, a study in contrasting styles and candidacies in which race and gender play central roles in the competition.

At center stage stand Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, who set up his presidential exploratory committee yesterday, and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, who is set to make clear her intentions soon. Never has a party begun a nomination contest with its two most celebrated candidates a woman and an African American.

The 2008 nomination contest that will play out over the coming year is far more than a two-person race. Former senator John Edwards of North Carolina has already established himself as a genuine contender for the nomination, and the rest of the prospective Democratic field is among the strongest in years.

But initially, the electricity will be generated by the Clinton and Obama candidacies. The news media will find the story line irresistible, and Democrats around the country are eagerly anticipating the competition. "Senator Obama's got the magic, but Hillary Clinton's got the muscle," said Jamal Simmons, a Democratic strategist who is neutral in the nomination campaign. "This is going to be a titanic fight between energy and charisma on one hand and money and organization on the other."

There are many ways to describe the differences in the two candidacies. Obama will cast the contest as the future vs. the past. Clinton can counter with experience vs. inexperience. Obama opposed the Iraq war from the beginning; Clinton long supported it but has become more critical over time. Clinton begins as the candidate of the party establishment, while Obama will attempt to mount a challenge that draws new voters into the process.

Each will have to overcome perceived liabilities. Many Democrats fear Clinton cannot win a general election because of the baggage she carries from the administration of her husband, former president Bill Clinton. Others see her as so cautious and careful that she cannot convey the warmth and authenticity many voters want in a president.

Obama's readiness to serve as president at a time of such uncertainty and danger in the world will clearly be questioned as he moves into active campaigning. Nor has he faced the competition and scrutiny of a presidential race. Making the transition from political phenomenon to serious aspirant for the presidency could prove to be a significant challenge.

"I think he very much recognizes that if this is just about hoisting the icon, it's an empty exercise and one probably doomed to failure," said David Axelrod, Obama's chief strategist. "But if it is a movement for real political change at the grass roots, it can be very powerful."

Neither will have the luxury of missteps. Unlike other candidates, they will have their every move and every mistake magnified by the media lens that will follow them at every step.

The coming campaign will provide ample opportunity for Democratic voters to decide what they want in their nominee, and in Clinton and Obama they will have strikingly different models to choose from.

"An Obama campaign would bank on an idea that voters are looking for inspirational and motivational leadership, that rises above the traditional political calculations," said Democratic pollster Geoffrey Garin, who is neutral in the race. "The Clinton campaign is hoping that voters put a premium on experience and a long record of fighting the good fight and making a difference."

A few years ago, an Obama-style candidacy would have been seen as implausible, given the fact that the 45-year-old politician has been in the Senate for just two years. Today, with an apparent yearning among the electorate for a break from the divisive politics of the past decade, his freshness may be seen as an asset.

For all the potential history-in-the-making of their candidacies, neither Clinton nor Obama enters the campaign primarily because of race or gender. Obama is the son of a Kenyan father and white American mother, but his candidacy is not comparable to that of Jesse L. Jackson in 1984, when the civil rights leader first sought the presidency. Jackson's candidacy was largely about breaking racial barriers. Although Obama's could become that, his appeal appears not fundamentally based on his race.

Clinton has risen to the top of the Democratic field not principally because she is a woman but because she is part of a power couple that has dominated the party since the early 1990s, as well as by virtue of her long experience as a party activist, first lady and now senator.

Still, there is no way to underestimate the significance of race and gender in the coming campaign. "They certainly have not practiced identity politics, but it is a huge part of who they are when they go out and present themselves as presidential candidates," said Democratic strategist Anita Dunn.

The election of Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) as the nation's first female House speaker underscored to many Democrats the potential power of Clinton's candidacy, and Clinton strategists agree. "I think a serious female candidate for president will generate an awful lot of excitement and enthusiasm, especially among younger voters and among women," Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson said in an e-mail message.

Party strategists say it would be a mistake to cast the Democratic contest as a two-person race, even though Clinton and Obama occupy a significant amount of space and both may be able to raise more money than others in the field.

Obama and Clinton advisers already see Edwards as a formidable candidate, in part because of his strong support in Iowa, whose caucuses will kick off the nominating calendar. The rest of the prospective field includes two of the most senior senators in the party and two governors with notable attributes. Waiting on the sidelines is former vice president Al Gore.

"There is such a compulsion on the part of the political community and political media community to create a steel cage match between Clinton and Obama you can almost see the fight posters," Axelrod said. "That's not the way he views it."

Still, there is no doubting the amount of space Obama and Clinton occupy as the campaign begins -- or the significance if either ends up as the Democratic nominee in 2008.

Obama Running (?) for Pres in 08

From the Blogger: Here is an announcement worthy of tracking through the coming year. A probable presidential aspirant in the footsteps of other Democrats from Illinois (Adlai Stevenson ' 52, 56; Paul Simon '88, Carol Mosely Braun '04). A fate to be ruminated on, or at least to cogitate over.

*******************************************************************


New York Times

January 16, 2007
Obama Takes First Step Toward Running in ‘08
By JEFF ZELENY

WASHINGTON – Senator Barack Obama took his first step into the Democratic presidential race today by opening an exploratory committee to raise money and begin building a campaign designed “to change our politics.” He said he would make a formal declaration Feb. 10 in Illinois.

“Running for the presidency is a profound decision – a decision no one should make on the basis of media hype or personal ambition alone,” Mr. Obama said in a video address e-mailed to his supporters. “So before I committed myself and my family to this race, I wanted to be sure that this was right for us and, more importantly, right for the country.”

Mr. Obama disclosed his decision on his Web site and was not planning to make other statements today. Instead, he was making a series of telephone calls to key Democratic leaders in Iowa, New Hampshire and other states with early contests on the party’s 2008 nominating calendar.

Mr. Obama, 45, was elected to the Senate two years ago. He becomes the fifth Democrat to enter the race, joining Senators Joseph R. Biden of Delaware and Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut as well as former Senator John Edwards of North Carolina and Tom Vilsack, who stepped down this month as governor of Iowa.

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York is expected to join the Democratic field soon and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said he would make his decision known by the end of the month. Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts also is weighing another run.

By now, the rapid trajectory of Mr. Obama is a well-established tale, rising from law professor to state senator to U.S. senator in less than a decade. He is the only African-American serving in the U.S. Senate and could be the only black presidential candidate this year.

But the next phase of his political development presents an even more intriguing storyline – as well as inviting closer scrutiny – as he discovers whether it is a blessing or curse to embark on a presidential race carrying the expectations of a country that is searching for something new and different.

In his video statement today, Mr. Obama presented himself as a fresh face – and voice – for Democrats. The message was crafted in blue-sky optimism, but did not delve into specific details for the challenges facing all candidates in the 2008 presidential campaign. Aides said the announcement speech next month would outline more specifics.

“For the next several weeks,” Mr. Obama said in the video, “I am going to talk with people from around the country, listening and learning more about the challenges we face as a nation, the opportunities that lie before us, and the role that a presidential campaign might play in bringing our country together.”

Even before Mr. Obama opened an exploratory committee, his flirtations at a presidential bid changed the contours of the 2008 campaign. Senators Evan Bayh of Indiana and Russell Feingold of Wisconsin were among those to fold their cards, fearful that what had been seen as a wide-open fight for the nomination suddenly seemed like nothing of the kind.

But for all of his anointment as a beacon of hope for Democrats, it remains an open question whether he can turn a boomlet into a movement. Privately, even longtime friends wonder if he can meet such lofty expectations, which have elevated him beyond a politician’s normal realm, thanks to his celebrity, ambition and biography.

Mr. Obama intends to open his presidential campaign headquarters in Chicago, which also would provide a key fund-raising base. As he made his decision, he convened a series of private meetings with longtime advisers and friends, ensuring that he had their support before entering the toughest political race of his life.

After one of the meetings, Abner Mikva, a White House chief counsel in the Clinton administration and a longtime friend of Mr. Obama’s, was asked to assess the senator’s biggest challenge in a presidential race. He didn’t hesitate.

“First off, there is Hillary Rodham Clinton. And that’s not going to be easy to handle,” Mr. Mikva said in an interview last month. “He says he’s not going to run against her, which is fine, but if they are the two front-runners, it’s going to be awfully hard not to. He needs to work on managing Hillary’s head start without antagonizing her supporters and shore up the notion that this is something more than just hype.”

In the field of prospective Democratic hopefuls, Mr. Obama stands apart from Mrs. Clinton and some candidates because of his unwavering opposition to the Iraq war. But he has declined to say whether he supports the current liberal position of blocking funding for sending more troops to Iraq.

And in his statement today, he did not dwell on Iraq, saying only: “We’re still mired in a tragic and costly war that should have never been waged.”

CAPRICORNS 06/07 Birthdays FELICIDADES

This is a shout out to my fellow caps.... Our birthdays are close to the holidays, often times we get the 2fer treatment. HAPPY BIRTHDAY my peeps. Horoscopes by Jeraldine Saunders through Tribune Media Services


Inaki
DECEMBER 27 IS YOUR BIRTHDAY: Your New Year's resolution may bring you some abundant good luck in the next two months. Take advantage of kindnesses and offers that knock on your door late in January or early in February. Whatever improvements or benefits that begin then are likely to become permanent. June is the best time to make smart business decisions and to put them into action. Romance takes a turn for the better in July, making that a splendid month to take a vacation or a second honeymoon.

Rona & Stef

DECEMBER 30 IS YOUR BIRTHDAY: The ``look of love'' might be in your eyes as this New Year unfolds. If you are single it could be time for an important commitment; if you are married the time might be ripe for a second honeymoon. January is a fabulous time for you to reach your career aspirations as well as satiate your romantic desires. March may bring ample opportunities to improve your life on numerous levels, so be fearless and take advantage of all offers or advice that comes your way. The rest of the year looks marvelous, and you are likely to receive the answer to a prayer in August.

Robyn
JANUARY 2 IS YOUR BIRTHDAY: You can expect to receive extra doses of good luck in the heavens during the coming year. You may have your head in the clouds and might not be very realistic for the next several months but your guardian angel will either send you wise advice or steer a lucrative opportunity your direction during late February or March. You are at your best in June and your popularity could skyrocket, making that a great time for a new romance, to ask for a permanent commitment or to pursue the job of your dreams. Put your most important plans into motion in November when obstacles will disappear and your business savvy gets high marks.

Moi --
JANUARY 3 IS YOUR BIRTHDAY: You path ahead may be filled with bliss if you remain realistic and keep your feet planted firmly on the ground. A romantic encounter could seem too good to be true in February, so let time pass and be sure you can trust your feelings. In the middle of May, those who are not good for you will have a tough time getting close -- so use that as a measuring stick to gauge how important a new person or idea should be. Mr. or Ms. Right will be more likely to knock on your door in August, but if you are already in a committed relationship this is a good time to interview for a new job or make an important change.

Sal
JANUARY 4 IS YOUR BIRTHDAY: The allure of the fresh and exciting can bring you in contact with unusual people and progressive ideas between now and the end of February. Effective leadership skills can win you favors and assistance in May. Anything of major importance that you start in May should be blessed by good luck and favorable results. Focus on creating firm goals because in October and November your popularity will soar and you can apply for a new job, change careers, or maybe find the soul mate you have been searching for all your life.

Angelamia
JANUARY 6 IS YOUR BIRTHDAY: Those born on this day may have paid their dues and learned their lessons well, but now need to patiently wait for the best time to launch key plans. Wishful thinking and an unwillingness to face facts can cause setbacks or errors of judgment in March and April. Reassess your plans or put strategies into motion during June when you will receive the most help and assistance from others. Take a break from routines by setting off on an exotic vacation or trying a belly dancing class in August. Opportunities that drop in your lap in October may prove valuable and beneficial in more ways than one.

Donal
JANUARY 8 IS YOUR BIRTHDAY: In January and February your energy levels are high, so much can be accomplished on the physical plane. It might be a good time to join a health spa or get the bicycle out of storage. Maintain a low profile in June when your instincts and business sense are somewhat off-center. April, July and October are the best months to put important plans or projects into motion. In these months, a lucky break might provide a chance to improve a key area of your life. The people you meet during this period will have your best interests at heart -- or at least will give you excellent guidance.

As the dollar's fall continues, the US must decide between growth or curbing inflation

US trade deficit widens

Forget shopping, this could turn into a crash

As the dollar's fall continues, the US must decide between growth or curbing inflation Larry Elliott, economics editor

Monday December 4, 2006
Guardian

The last time the pound was at this level against the dollar was in the uneasy days of 1992 between John Major's April election victory and the cataclysm of Black Wednesday, when the markets realised that Britain's economic policy was based on smoke and mirrors.

With the economy deep in recession and unemployment heading to 3 million (again), Britain badly needed deep cuts in interest rates to stimulate growth. Yet the foundation stone for the government's anti-inflation policy was membership of the Exchange Rate Mechanism, which required rates to be kept high to defend the pound's value.

Policy was pulled in two directions at once but the government's credibility was at stake, so it talked tough and hoped the financial markets did not spot that it was acting weak. But the markets latched on immediately, sensing that Major and his chancellor, Norman Lamont, would not follow through on their blood-curdling public statements to do whatever it took to maintain the pound's ERM parity because that would have killed off any hopes of economic recovery. Once the markets woke up to the fact that the Tories were paper tigers, Black Wednesday was inevitable.

It's hard not to feel a sense of deja vu now, with the Federal Reserve facing a milder version of the dilemma that troubled the Treasury and the Bank of England 14 years ago. There are real differences between Britain then and the US now: the dollar is floating, rather than fixed; it is underpinned by its status as a global reserve currency; and the US economy has not been mired in recession for two years.

Even so, Ben Bernanke, the Fed's chairman, knows his credibility is on the line. Inflation is high enough to make the central bank nervous and that ought to mean the 18th rise in interest rates since the trough of 1%, taking them to 5.5%. But the deflating housing bubble is now affecting the rest of the economy. Friday's manufacturing snapshot was a lot weaker than Wall Street expected, with an index of below 50 suggesting that industry's output is falling.

Dean Baker, of the Centre for Economic Policy and Research in Washington, is predicting a recession in the next year, with the economy contracting by 0.7% and more than a million added to the dole queues. Most analysts are not that gloomy - at least not yet - but most expect this year's slowdown to persist through 2007 and to prompt the Fed to ease policy in the first half of next year.

So Bernanke's warning last week on the need for vigilance against inflation fell on deaf ears. The dollar fell because the markets do not believe the Fed will make good on its threat. Bernanke is wary of cutting rates for fear of looking soft on inflation; he is wary about raising rates for fear of weakening the economy. So, for now, he'll do nothing and hope that something comes up to get him out of the bind he's in. That doesn't always work: ask Major or Lamont.

Rebalancing

One lesson from the ERM experience is that a weaker dollar is not necessarily a bad thing. In the context of the US trade deficit, it is to be welcomed that the dollar is likely to get a lot cheaper. Sterling's devaluation in 1992 and four points off interest rates coupled with a tighter fiscal policy helped rebalance the UK economy, boosting production at the expense of consumption. A similar rebalancing is long overdue in the US.

Indeed, it is unclear why a $2 pound is being greeted with such enthusiasm on this side of the Atlantic. It makes a Christmas shopping spree in New York far cheaper but the British economy's problem is not that we shop too little but too much. Sterling's trade-weighted index hit a six and a half year high on Friday and the UK trade deficit is at about 5% of GDP. Economic fundamentals suggest the pound must go lower, just as it is obvious the dollar had to fall.

Bernanke's problem, however, is that there is the world of difference between a gentle but steady decline in the dollar and a pell-mell crash. A controlled depreciation would ease strains caused by global imbalances - US trade deficits, Asian trade surpluses - and insulate the US economy a little from the impact of a severe housing market downturn. A crash in the dollar would lead to turmoil on the world's markets, an increase in long-term US interest rates and a vastly increased risk of a hard landing.

One difficulty in analysing how the markets will react is that nobody is sure why the dollar has suddenly fallen out of favour. Some commentators say the trigger was the hint from China that it favoured diversifying reserves so they were less weighted towards dollars. But Beijing has said this regularly over the past three years but carried on buying US assets and thus propping up the dollar. There seems no logical reason why Asian central banks should start dumping greenbacks; not only would they be selling their US assets at a loss, it would make their exports more costly.

Carry trades

A greater risk is that private investors change their behaviour. Hedge funds could determine what happens next. One issue is the growth in carry trades, which is when money is borrowed in a country with low interest rates (such as Japan) and invested in a country with high rates (the US, say). This is lucrative for investors and supports the dollar but risky and attractive to speculators only if the currency in the country with high rates remains strong. If it doesn't, gains from the differential in rates are wiped out by the depreciating currency.

All in all, the prognosis is not good for the dollar. The economy is weak, policymakers seem paralysed and speculators look ready to stampede for the exit. Doing nothing is sometimes the least bad option; it is hard to see that it will be this time. There is a risk that the Fed will get badly behind the curve, and that every bit of gloomy economic news triggers more selling of dollars. Bernanke needs to start preparing the markets for rate cuts or he could be facing a real panic.

Guardian Unlimited © Guardian News and Media Limited 2006