DEAR SISTERS AND BROTHERS

I bought a lotto ticket today and like so many others am hoping that I win the jackpot….. I quickly went into a day dream thinking of paying off my bills and then onto how I could use this money to help others..

While I buy my tickets and dream I do not get as carried away as some folks I see spending lots of money on many many tickets..

Who knows perhaps I will win this week ..and then you will know a rich Chicano

NOW FOR MY VIEW OF THE NEWS

a.      Georgia

b.      Losing our rights

c.       Who is lying about the cross

d.      Distributing Obama shirts

e.       Green chilis

f.        Voter registration

g.      Mother nature

GEORGIA

            On my mind and ooh so far away

I am always surprised about how our government reacts to different situations. I wondered how we were able to load planes and land them so quickly to deliver goods to the country of Georgia. …???? It was rather quick don’t you think??

I mean how long did it take them to deliver services and help to our own citzens when Katrina hit our gulf coast cities… and how long did it take us to send aid to the DARFUR…. ?/

Another thing that was strange was John McCain talking on the phone more than once with the President of Georgia…oops I forgot one of McCain’s staff was a key lobbyist for the country of Georgia…and some of staff for McCain flew to Georgia…(most interesting) McCain’s harsh statements towards Russia are not productive and get in the way of peace negotiations…   further more I believe that it is wrong for a candidate for president to be talking to leaders of a country involved in a major conflict such as that between Russia and Georgia…. That is Bush’s and Condi’s  job… not McCains.

Had Obama done what McCain did he would have been criticized by almost everyone.

Oh… by the way while I don’t diminish the deaths or destruction of this skirmish …I believe that our governments response was much quicker than in other disasters…

LOSING OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES

It is upsetting to know how much freedom we have lost during the years under the presidency of Bush. This has damaged our way of life for years to come as well as our standing in the world.. The new president must begin unraveling this web of decit.

This is a serious threat to our democracy and all its institutions.

Is John McCain a big fan of Alexander Solzhenitsyn? Article taken from internet

Upon the author’s death, John McCain said “He was a writer with unusual gifts, utterly devoted to his art, brilliant and exacting, producing work that would stun not just literary worlds but the entire Cold War political world” http://www.nysun.com/opinion/solzhenitsy…

He was such a big fan that he probably read this:

“Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the Russian author who spent many years in the gulag of Siberia, bears witness to the power of the cross. After long suffering in the work camp of Siberia, he fell into despair. Like other prisoners, he had worked in the fields day after day, in rain and sun, during summer and winter. His days were filled with backbreaking labor and slow starvation. On a particular day, the hopelessness of his situation became too much. He saw no reason to continue living, to continue fighting the system. He thought that the rest of his life was meaningless since he would most likely die in this Siberian prison. His life made no difference in the world. So he gave up.

Laying his shovel on the ground, he slowly walked to a crude work-site bench and sat down. He knew that at any moment a guard would order him to stand up, and when he failed to respond, the guard would beat him to death, probably with his own shovel. He had seen it happen to many other prisoners.

As he waited, head down, he felt a presence. Slowly, he lifted his eyes and saw a skinny, old prisoner squat down next to him. The man said nothing. Instead, he drew a stick through the ground at Solzhenitsyn’s feet, tracing the sign of the Cross. The man then got back up and returned to his work.

As Solzhenitsyn stared at the sign of the Cross, his entire perspective changed. He knew that he was only one man against the all-powerful Soviet empire. Yet in that moment, he knew that there was something greater than the evil that he saw in the prison, something greater than the Soviet Union. He knew that the hope of all mankind was represented in that simple Cross. And through the power of the Cross, anything was possible.

Solzhenitsyn slowly got up, picked up his shovel, and went back to work. Nothing outward had changed, but inside, he received hope.”

Recently McCain has begun using a story that someone  made the sign of the cross when he was in prison in Viet Nam… can it be that this is happening to so many individuals. I DON’T THINK SO .. so either John McCain is lying or Solzhenitsyn is lying… what do you think????? Just so you know until a few years ago has McCain began using his new  story… it wasn’t in his book about his imprisonment and not in his speechs for 30 years and now all of a sudden her remembers his Solzhenitsyn moment… let me know what you think of this issue…

DISTRIBUTING OBAMA SHIRTS         

I have a great offer for those who would like Obama shirts. I can get you 25 or more at the price of $5 each.. plus bumper stickers at .50 cents each… the bumper stickers and shirts can come with YES WE CAN in Spanish or in Creole.. Let me know and I will get them and send them off to you …and yes you can pay by Credit Card.  As you know I will forward your orders to Jack Lieberman who operates www.Progressiverags.com.

GREEN CHILI

            Smuggling chilis out of New Mexico after the wonderful wedding in Santa Fe

I got Carolyn who left New Mexico on a later flight to take a gunny sack full of New Mexico green chilis. She carried it on the plane and no one made her open it  .. and when she changed planes in Dallas many knew the smell coming from the gunny sack and offered their opinions of how to roast the chilis and then peel them and freeze them.

Finally these fresh GREEN CHILIS arrived and Jenny Butler, Carolyn an I roasted and toasted these chilis … after this process is done you arrange so that they can steam in a closed container… the moisture makes them easy to peel..Once you peel them then you use the meat for your chili dishes.

So today I went to Costco to buy some pork and then Jenny and I peeled some green chilis and then I proceeded to make a large pot of GREEN CHILI…I use my own recipe and play around with spices. I have to be careful and not make it to hot… otherwise only me and my daughter Aviva can eat it…

So now I have four larger Tupperware containers full of my green chili dish …not to mention that I have a number of baggies of frozen green chilies unpeeled in the freezer in the late 60’s I would have had baggies filled with something quite different … but that’s another story for another day…

VOTER REGISTRATION IS UP IN FLORIDA

            And in many other states..

The Secretary of State for Florida is reporting that more then 200,000 have registered as

Democrats, 100,000 plus as Rebulicans and another 100,000 plus as independents.  Now are they all going to vote in Novemeber and if so ..for whom  ??????

You should take a moment to check out the voter registration in your state and help to add to the roles.. it is important that we reach the stage where we have 75 % of the eligible voters actually voting. In past years it has been more like 25% of the eligible voters who actually cast a ballot.

And will the youth show up on this year’s election day.

We need to make this more of a democracy… get people registered and get them out to vote.

MOTHER NATURE

            HER OCEAN AND HER HEARTBEAT

Today we went to the South Beach and were lucky to find a parking space… once in the ocean and rolling with the waves with my snorkel and mask on I was amazed by the power and the beauty of the ocean. It seemed to me that this was the heart beat of our world.. Steady, sure and constant.

Today in respect of Mother Nature .. .i spent a few moments transplanting some chili and tomato plants to a larger pot… this is not the best time to be having these plants but I hope they survive into September. And from there they will all have a better chance.

Oh yes… talking about MOTHER NATURE  we got the winds and rain of Hurricane Fay as it made its way north turning into a tropical storm…

My best

leno

DEAR SISTERS AND BROTHERS

I arrived at the Albuquerque Airport and found that the woman giving me my rent a car had suffered WAGE THEFT at her previous place of employment.. And I hope to find some to take on her case.. This is a national epidemic.

I have come to Santa Fe New Mexico to perform the wedding ceremony for my Nephew Max Avila Friedenberg and his partner Rachel Jeannette Rivera. I am just happy to be here with his mother Tencha (my sister) and all her family and friends… this is most special just to be here.

Driving north along US 25 on my way to Santa Fe I was surprised to find another street named in honor of Cesar E. Chavez..made me think of this wonderful leader who taught us all so much …

While in New Mexico I plan to eat plenty of green chili. Just might gain another pound or two…

NOW FOR MY VIEW OF THE NEWS
a. 500 dead in Afghanistan
b. Paris Hilton
c. Death penalty shirt
d. Tell your story
e. New job
f. Gangs in Jamaica

500 DEAD IN AFGHANISTAN

The New York Times has reported that we have had 500 soldiers killed in Afghanistan. The Times published stories and the photos of the 500 and it makes one sad to see the faces of so many who have died.

Now add to that all those who have been seriously injured and continue to live in pain and with disabilities… and then add to that all the Afghan citizens who have been damaged by this war and you have a horrific situation which many of us do not fully understand.

PARIS HILTON AD

Paris did a most interesting spot in response to the McCain ad … Paris was funny, charming and on point… if you did not see it .. you might consider doing so.

UPDATE ON THE NO A LA PENA DE MUERTE SHIRT

Abe Bonowitz gave me the shirt a couple of years ago urging me and others to wear out shirts so that they would create conversations…and it works..

Tell Your Story

I am encouraging you all to tell your story and share with others your most interesting life . Let those around you know what funny, tragic or interesting things have happened in your life

Recently a friend Arwen shared with me an essay that she has developed on Love and all its possibilities. . When I read it I learned a lot about my friend and it made me revisit some things about my own life…

We can teach each other many lessons and in the process we will all be stronger…

If you want you can use this blog to begin sharing…

SISTER HELEN PREJEAN
Will be in Denver for the Democratic Convention

The NUN as we call her is not being considered for the VP position although she would be good … she instead will join other interfaith leaders at a wonderful gathering… and she is the only woman speaking.. Attached is the link to the upcoming event..
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/aug/08/interfaith-gathering-kick-democratic-convention/

NEW JOB FOR THIS CHICANO

I have left SOUTH FLORIDA INTERFAITH WORKER JUSTICE to work with INTERNATIONAL RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT. I will still be a volunteer with SFIWJ since I believe in the work that they do.

In my new job I work from home and manage a $2.6 million dollar project and am in the process of negotiating two large agreements with sub grantees. This is all administrative work. No speeches, no rallies, but I can organize my time to work on my next book and join in the events of others…

GANGS IN JAMAICA

I was invited to speak at a conference on Jamaica and its issues with gang cultures and violence. This conference had many police officials and others from Jamaica who came to learn from police and violence prevention projects in the Miami area…

I offered our experience from Homies Unidos at the conference and later found out that my photo ended up in the Miami Herald.. They should have had instead the pictures of the Jamaicans.

The deportation of youth and the proliferation of gangs in the Caribbean and Central America create many problems for the country trying to work with this situation. Most often the governments have responded with harsh and draconian laws which don’t work.

Instead we need to look for projects that help us diminish violence and provide creative opportunities for these youth .. .incarceration is a dead end.

HANDING OUT INFORMATION

Every where I travel I hand out information about my favorite issues. I brought shirts and bumpers stickers on Obama and on Immigrant Rights and glad that most of them will stay here and be of use to others..

I also give folks my opinions and share my stories and listen to theirs so I am always learning while I travel …and that is the beauty of listening and on occasion speaking.

New Mexico as you can imagine is beautiful …and I will be back on the 26-28 of September to speak in Las Vegas which is a small town north and east of Santa Fe. And there I will meet many more individuals..

My best
leno

DEAR SISTERS AND BROTHERS

Larry Kleinman of Oregon was reminding me today that they can vote by mail …This is good since you can turn out most of your voters ahead of time.

Now all of us still have time to register or re-register voters and where you don’t have mail in voting ask our folks to get an absentee ballot. That way the votes are in and we know how many have voted.

Our voter turn out will help Obama and anyone further down the ticket. There are US SENATE AND CONGRESSIONAL SEATS AS WELL AS STATE LEGISALATIVE SEATS AND GOVERNORSHIPS AT STAKE…we can build a solid foundation for change by getting people to vote and electing good candidates.

Plan to take sick or vacation days off on Election Day and work with your local coalitions to turn out voters. If you can take more days off it would even be more wonderful..

TAKE THE TIME TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

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NOW FOR MY VIEW OF THE NEWS

a.      silly and mean

b.      Obama a traitor

c.       tequila

d.      the polling

e.       dark knight

f.        no to the death penalty

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SILLY AND MEAN ADS

The recent ad by the McCain campaign is silly and mean spirited… he is putting Brittney Spears and Paris Hilton in an ad accusing Obama of being the most popular person in the world. First of all Ms. Spears has endorsed in the past George Bush and Paris is part of the country club scene that Cindy McCain is a part of.

Seems that Brittney is thinking of suing McCain for use of her image and the parents of Paris Hilton who are big donors to the McCain Campaign are upset about the use of a photo of her daughter… seems like JOHN might have to apologize to a few people …

McCain would wet his pants if he could get 200,000 to show up and cheer him.  Since he is a long time representative of Arizona he should ask his supporters to fill the biggest stadium in that state to show how much they love and believe in him.  I doubt that he could get much more than a couple thousand and then they would have to pay half of them. He is jealous of Barack. McCain is boring as a speaker, personality and can’t seem to remember what his previous position was in the past..

I look forward to their presidential campaign debates and look forward to watching Obama unravel McCain’s cheap suit of right wing armor… many hard line conservatives are ashamed of their candidate and his inability to deliver effectively his message nor remember what he voted on and why he voted the way he did. The base of the Republican Party is worried that McCain could drag down the rest of the ticket.

While on the democratic side Obama and his enthusiastic supporters should have long and wide coat tails which should help a lot of candidates. But this means that all have work their butts off… They might become the party with a victory but no bootees …

That means you too have to work hard in the weeks ahead…

work your nalgas/butt off..

Obama a Traitor

                        Thoughts by Ira Moss

McCain has in affect called Obama a traitor. Someone who would loose a war to win the presidency. And so it begins. Obama the traitor, not a true American, the other. This will be the theme throughout the campaign.  This is America and cheering Europeans can and will be held against him. GOP types are suggesting that Obama is an American Mussolini or worse. After all. anyone who can attract hundreds of thousands of cheering enthusiasts, must be a fascist demagogue, even if he’s simultaneously, the most “far left member of the US Senate.”
I have recently received an email that included an op-ed piece by Ken Blackwell, It asserted that Obama may be the “ant-christ” predicted in the Book of Revelations. As they say, desperate times call for desperate measures. They are very desperate and despite McCain’s alleged honor, there is no doubt that he’d rather loose his honor than the

Presidency.

TEQUILA

I happen to like Tequila and when I drink which is seldom I most often drink Tequila.. Do many of you join me in this addiction and do you have good recipes to share with me.   In my past youth I could drink more and did not worry about getting out of bed the next morning … a friend after watching me drink too much said I was drinking TO KILL YOU  ..very funny but not very interesting…(as they used to say in LAUGH IN)

THE POLLING

The media daily does internal analysis of each poll .. It is like watching a pre election colonoscopy daily and often they have gone up or down the wrong tunnel.

As I understand it the polls are done of most likely voters who have land line phones. This means that if you are a voter and have only a cell phone you will not be polled.. Thus I would think that perhaps 1/3 to ½ of potential voters are not being reached. Most youth and low income folks have given up on expensive and cumbersome land lines.

Plus these pundits say that these youth will not turn out to vote… but I believe that this will be a good surprise for many when the YOUTH do turn out to vote. And the majority will vote for Obama…

THE DARK KNIGHT

I went to this movie thinking that it would be about perhaps a black or brown man but instead it was the same old plot of mostly white on white.  Morgan Freeman was one good exception but looks like they killed his character. And then there was Officer Ruiz.

But for GOTHAM CITY an urban area there was not enough color.

At least batman could date a person of color … or we could find out that Batman’s grandfather could have been Native American, Asian, Latino or some thing ..

Hey how about some one in the movie being a person with disabilities or different abilities and having a good and positive role…

Wait .. before I get carried away … I enjoyed the movie a lot … great acting, directing, screen play, special effects and music … by the way I ate too much popcorn and enjoyed myself ..

Here are some issues that popped out at me regarding the movie

The acting was good and it brought up some interesting issues

1. torture and abuse of prisoners
2. police corruption
3. rendition… batman bringing the guy back to the usa from Japan
4. FISA…spying on folks phone calls

e.   revenge

Also they sacrifice the woman and save the male …

And love is painful even for super hero’s

I plan to see it again to check out carefully the special effects..

NO A LA PENA DE MUERTE

            NO TO THE PENALTY OF DEATH

I was at the post office mailing off more Obama shirts and bumpers sticker to PCUN in Oregon when the postal clerk at the counter said to me

I AGREE. .

WHAT …I asked

NO ONE SHOULD BE KILLED he responded

I gave him a puzzled look

And he in turn pointed to my shirt which said in Spanish

NO A LA PENA DE MUERTE …

Once I realized that my t shirt was the cause for this discussion, we began a most

Interesting and wonderful discussion about the death penalty for all who were in the post office to hear and hopefully understand

Today it is Saturday and I have on my red Obama shirt.

WHAT ARE YOU WEARING??

My best

Leno

www.progressiverags.com

this is where I buy my shirts … support this site and buy your shirts here

Dear Sisters and Brothers

For months John McCain demanded that Obama had to go to Iraq… McCain was relentless… so Obama finally went on his own schedule as part of a Senate Delegation.

No sooner had Obama gone and was getting lots of media coverage, McCain and his campaign began complaining about all the coverage that Barack was receiving. McCain had gone to the Middle East and Latin America and never generated much media… some say his trips were BORING …

But JM has no leg to stand on … he wanted Barack to go to Iraq.. he just didn’t know it would be so interesting to the media and us. Now he is chastising the media… and riding in a golf cart with former president George Bush.  Unless he gets naked and runs around

Arizona he will not generate much news… His campaign has to get livelier.

NOW MY VIEW OF THE NEWS

a.      got drugs

b.      made in the usa

c.       bud sold

d.      economy is good

e.       jalapenos

GOT DRUGS..????

It is amazing to know how many drugs we take on a daily basis, and most are legal.. .we are over medicated and no one seems to complain. And no one is monitoring… we got drugs for everything,,,

Years ago a doctor had a list of medicines and their properties and they prescribed what they thought was good for you. They gave you what they thought was best for you.

In the 60’s many of lived and survived the ear of free love, flowers and some drugs.

Now it is an open orgy with drugs  .. this time it is with the drug company representatives. They come into your doctor’s office and are treated most often better than the patients. They in turn give the staff gifts in particular the doctor.they .take the doctor for lunch or dinner, leave note pads with their logo and their medicine of the month. Many doctors are rewarded by the pharmaceutical companies for prescribing their drugs… not to mention they give them boxes of free samples.. I used to get a lot of those samples for poor peoples clinics that I supported in past years when I would visit my doctor.…

Now on the radio and television you have drugs being advertized directly to the public… you are pushed to buy everything,,, they ask you to get some thing for diabetes, erectile dysfunction, heart malfunction, or any other list of ailments. So once they convince us and our medical providers via the ads we are ready and willing to take a medicine even though we might not need it ….

We GOT DRUGS … but what we need is more ads about changing our diet and exercise habits … DRUGS.. We got them but they often only mask some health issue that needs some thing more than just another drug…

MADE IN THE USA

The other day I was at a store and they were advertizing a beautiful red t-shirt which said

MADE IN THE USA…. I liked the slogan believing perhaps we had a textile mill making shirts in this country… I walked up and checked the label and it said MADE IN NICARAGUA… perhaps it’s a colony of the USA..??

I think I was made in the USA, Mexico, Central America, South America, Europe and perhaps Africa… I just can’t remember all of the locations..

But tonight I am going to get a mirror and check my posterior and ensure I was not made in China.. .go to your nearest K Mart, Target or Wal-Mart and try to find products made in the USA… gets harder ever day … but the one thing we do make is lots of bombs and weapons…

Bud got bought for $52 billion dollars

In St. Louis CRABBY’s saloon only sells products of Anheuser-Bush ..Wonder what they will do now that the company was purchased by InBev of Belgium. And does not stock Stella Artois a beer made by InBev. What will they do now …what will they sell

… Many foreign companies are buying buildings and businesses right and left. Bush had made it possible for our dollar to be weak and not worth much. So others a buying a piece of the GRAND OLE USA ..    Seems that we were doing just that to them for so many years.. We invested in everything and made money but now others got the big bucks and they are buying up your jobs… HOW DOES IT FEEL???

BUSH SAYS THE ECONOMY IS STRONG AND VIBRANT

I am worried that our president might be using drugs or drinking again … no economic expert including THE FED agrees with him… if the economy is so strong why is he so willing to bail out mortgage companies. If you want to bail out some one then bail out the home owners who are on the verge of losing their homes…

And Mr. Bush should know that many companies, newspapers and GM are announcing more lay offs.. If the economy is so good where o where will these folks find their next job?

WHY TARGET MY CHILIS …?/

The latest report of the salmonella contamination has targeted Jalapeno Peppers.. Why must my favorite Chili be the target of this attack.. I continue to eat washed but raw jalapenos and I am not sick… please join me as part of the JALAPENO NATION and protest this SALMONELLA SLANDER.

My Jalapeno best

leno

Dear Friends

I just wanted you to know that I will be traveling next week to the Northwestern part of the USA.. YEP my old stomping grounds and I will get to see some of my old friends..

NOW FOR MY VIEW OF THE NEWS

a.      friendship gathering

b.      Iran asks for time line for troop withdrawal

c.       Jobs being lost

d.      Iran

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Here is the invite … FRIENDSHIP GATHERINGS

Come and bring your friends and your dreams

These are being held so I can see a lot of you my friends and associates.

And so that we can share…

PORTLAND

FRIDAY ..JULY 18^th, 6-8 pm

HOME OF KATHY BACHMAN

2817 N.E. Fremont

Portland, OR 97212

SEATTLE

SUNDAY..JULY 20^th, 5-7 pm

HOME OF IRA AND SUSAN MOSS

Senate Candidate Juan Martinez will give a campaign update

4038 41st S.
Seattle, WA 98118

Leno’s contact info

305-213-7366

leno@magdaleno.org

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GET YOUR TROOPS OUT OF OUR COUNTRY

Now if you remember the president said more than once that we would pull out our troops when we got that message from the IRAQ government…

WELL.. They now have asked for a TIME TABLE for troop with drawl. ..Yep that’s right

They want to know when we are leaving and will hold up several key treaty items until we tell them when we are leaving… Now they seem to be calling for the same thing that Obama wants. And McCain response to this news that the Iraqis were just being politicians.. Now that doesn’t make any sense… They just want us out …no more surges ..No more protection of private contractors,,, no more lies…

We need to join the chorus of voices calling for our troops to come home.

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JOBS BEING CUT EVERY DAY

Every time I open my newspaper or listen to the news I again shocked to learn that even more jobs are being lost… these jobs will not be replaced and those unemployed will not find it easy to survive… it is a difficult time for everyone.

There is a down ward cycle of poverty, complicated by health and cost of living issues. We must push our elected officials to take actions to extend unemployment benefits and provide more health services.

There are no easy answers and there is no leadership in the White House.

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IRAN … IRAN

While the President and his right wing friend’s call for bombing Iran while their business friends continued selling products to Iran. During the Bush administration the exports to Iran have expanded ten fold.. Now that’s the way to pressure a government.. Pass UN resolutions but continue to sell them our products.

The biggest export was cigarettes and then other items such as bras and bull semen. We should have exported a few of our right wing radio talk show hosts. I would love to see a list of the companies making a profit off of sales to Iran…

I am going to export Jalapeno. Pinto Bean and Cilantro seeds to any country that wants them so that there will be some of the ingredients that will be need for my burritos. I want to have my diet available world wide.

My best

leno

DEAR SISTERS AND BROTHERS…

Today I want to recognize the artists in our community. I love the painters, poets, writers, dancers, singers… I love to watch others create and inspire us to dream… we need to support our artists and show our appreciation for their art and their presentations…

Each city should have a celebration of the arts with good local people gathering to share with us all their precious gifts…it might just be a gathering of good folks and doing what they do best…SHARING…

coming soon ..A leno reception in Portland and Seattle

a.      Portland July 18^th 6-8 pm

b.      Seattle July 20^th 5-7 pm

The details will be coming in the next mailing…

At these events come and share your dreams and work with others.

NOW FOR MY VIEW OF THE NEWS

a.      4^th of July 6, 2008

b.      Watermelon man

c.       DNA and Texas

d.      Olympic dreamer

DID YOU HAVE A HAPPY FOURTH OF July 5, 2008

It was difficult to find something to be happy about given the following

1. gas prices
2. the stupid wars and all those killed and injured on all sides
3. food prices
4. mortgage foreclosures
5. unemployment
6. sub prime auto loans
7. predatory lending
8. Guantanamo
9. the patriot act
10. spying on our phone calls
11. and you can add your items to this list

After all these depressing topics… I did find something to be happy about. And that is there are so many good activists are out there working to change our world. I was also happy for all those who love and support me… I celebrate all those who struggle around the world not matter what the political stripe of their government…

An interesting item for me that this 4^TH of July was that it was brought to us by COMMUNIST CHINA and slave labor. It’s ironic that these patriotic folks across our USA were setting off Fire Crackers made in China which still is a Communist Country. I emphasis this because of all the madness of the right wing talk hosts and politicians that make a big issue of the lapel flag pin..And then turn around and celebrate INDEPENDENCE DAY with Chinese Communist Fireworks.

And if some one wanted to do something to affect all of the USA ..You just need to put something in the fireworks and you would reach our entire country… worst is that most of these brilliant and colorful and very loud items are made by the hands of people who are paid almost nothing and do not have the freedom or liberty that the fireworks honor… I bet you that these fire workers imported to our county  are not inspected and just come in and sold to us the unsuspecting public.

Another thing… I was in Nicaragua during a war and others who have lived in war zones or fought in them will find the sounds of the fireworks frightening given that those sounds are the sounds of war and in a war people die and are damaged.

I welcome the Chinese of Mexican fire crackers as long as the workers are paid well and treated humanely. Other wise we might want to find some other way to recognize out 4^th of July.

Watermelon Rinds

            Just might change some peoples lives

There is a story in the news this past week that Watermelon just might give men the same results as Viagra. It is said that the Rind of these melons could have a positive affect on a person… Well I can tell you that many a watermelon has been sold since this news hit the streets.. Also I found out that you can purchase pickled watermelon rinds.. Or you can just put it in a juicer put some sweeteners and drink to you’re your hearts content. I don’t think this works on women … but who knows..

I was at a birthday lunch with some Nicaraguans and some of the women suggested their husbands go buy a bunch of melons..This was good for a wonderful laugh and long smiles.

I will be waiting for the results of YOUR field studies before investing heavily in Watermelon stocks. But just to be safe I will plant a couple of watermelon seeds in the ground and wait … with much expectation.

Texas man freed by DNA after 15 years in prison

By JEFF CARLTON, Associated Press Writer

A Texas man who spent more than 15 years in prison after being wrongly
convicted of kidnapping and robbery raised both arms skyward and
collapsed in his mother’s embrace Thursday after being told he was a
free man.

Patrick Waller’s sobs were the only sound at a crowded hearing attended
by four other inmates also exonerated by DNA testing.

“It’s all right, honey,” Patricia Cunningham told her son. “It’s over.
You’re out of here. You’re going home.”

Waller had been behind bars since 1992 for aggravated robbery and
aggravated kidnapping stemming from the abduction of a Dallas couple.
He was proved innocent by DNA testing late last year.

“I feel vindicated,” said Waller, 38. “I feel thankful. Most of all, I
feel blessed.”

His release had been all but certain since last week, when the Dallas
County prosecutor’s office announced that DNA evidence had cleared
Waller and matched the profile of another man.

That suspect identified his accomplice, and both men subsequently
confessed in front of a grand jury, prosecutors said. Neither man is in
prison, although one is on parole, and they won’t face criminal charges
because the statute of limitations has expired.

Waller is the 19th man in Dallas County since 2001 shown by DNA
evidence to be innocent of the crime for which he was convicted. That’s
more than any county in the nation, according to The Innocence Project
in New York, a legal center specializing in wrongful-conviction cases.

Four former inmates who collectively served nearly 100 years in prison
before being exonerated lined the back wall of the crowded courtroom.
The men freed by DNA testing in Dallas County have made a habit of
showing up in court for exoneration hearings, and on Thursday they
presented Waller with a prepaid cell phone as a gift.

Their exoneration stories helped Waller during his incarceration.

“All these guys I just met, I have all their clippings,” Waller said.
“It always gave me hope that one day it would be my turn.”

Waller said he plans to ask the other exonorees about the challenges of
rejoining society. He is also about 20 credit hours short of a degree.

John Stickels, an Innocence Project of Texas board member and a
professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, said he wants to
help Waller enroll at the suburban Dallas school.

Waller’s ordeal began in 1992 when two men kidnapped a couple and stole
several hundred dollars. The men also sexually assaulted the woman
after tying up the man, District Attorney Mike Ware said.

Another couple who drove up to the scene were also held at gunpoint. A
security guard arrived and scared off the men, who fled in separate
cars.

Three of the four people abducted picked Waller in a photo lineup. The
fourth later picked him out of a live lineup, Ware said.

Waller maintained his innocence and presented an alibi at trial but was
convicted and sentenced to life in prison. He also pleaded guilty to
two charges of aggravated kidnapping, fearing more life sentences if he
were convicted, said his lawyer, Gary Udashen.

In 2001, Waller requested post-conviction DNA testing under a new state
law. The DA’s office, then under different leadership, opposed the
request, and it was denied by a judge. A second attempt in 2005 was
also unsuccessful.

Bill Hill, who was the district attorney when Waller requested his DNA
tests, did not return a message from The Associated Press.

Waller’s 2007 request, which came after Craig Watkins had taken office
as the new district attorney, was granted. Watkins has started a
program in which law students, supervised by the Innocence Project of
Texas, review old cases in which inmates have requested DNA testing.

In Waller’s case, DNA testing was paid for by the Innocence Project of
Texas.

LATE TRAINING FOR THE OLYMPICS

            It’s never too late

I have been doing a bit more exercise in hopes of making the Beijing Olympics….I believe that they should have some events that have some pre qualifiers.. First how about age, weight, level of coordination, muscle mass and perhaps some other qualifiers… Why not give some of us average or below average athletes a chance to compete.  I think that I could be a TIN MEDAL of  PLASTIC MEDAL award winner for my weight and age for some swimming or chili eating events.

While I wait for the Olympic Committee to call I will watch the trials and root for the athletes and their families… and hope that some good third world countries to surprise us at the Olympics…

 A TIME TO SMILE AND PERHAPS TO LAUGH

I marvel at what a good smile and in particular a good laugh can do for us. Some times I have to laugh at myself and some of the silly things that happen. For example… the other evening I went to talk to an adult group of Catholics about non-violence.. I gave what I thought was an interesting and some what challenging talk about my own life.. I was surprised to see that I had their full attention during my talk … I got a warm applause at the end and way too many smiles.. As I walked out of the school room and into the wind and rain I felt a cool breeze chilling my lower extremities… WELL … I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW THAT MY ZIPPER WAS NOT CLOSED…

First I got a deep brown color rushing up my neck and flushed in the face.. I zipped up my pants and laughed …and my laughter was carried away with the wind and rain..I am sure that many in the group had a good laugh at my expense… and that is okay….

When I do public talks these days I try to get in some humorous ideas …and don’t depend on my zipper getting the laughs… we are often too serious and we need to laugh so that we can take a deep breath and go on with our lives… so tell a joke, a funny story or just tickle someone close to you …

SMILING AND LAUGHING IN MIAMI

Leno

 PROGRESSIVE RAGS.COM

Go to this web site to get good movement 

And some interesting Obama shirts 

Dear Sister and Brothers

I want to remind you that during this summer time when we have a moment to push our family and friends to register to vote and then to register them as an absentee voter.  That way they could vote prior to Election Day. And thus we are all free to go out and work in behalf OBAMA and others on Election Day.

We have many votes to register and turn out in the 50 states… now let us all do our part

NOW FOR MY VIEW OF THE NEWS

a.      to drill or not to drill

b.      mechanic goes to jail

c.       Zimbabwe

d.      Building walls

e.       Respect the laws

TO DRILL OR NOT TO DRILL

            Changing positions for the wrong reasons.

BUSH, McCain and others are calling for drilling offshore and in some very special places that would affect adversely our environment. It is a mistake and we must fight this.

The oil industry has government leases that they are not exploring and should work these leases or give them back.

Drilling and production of oil in these places would not have impact on our oil available for another 7-10 years. And it would not lower the price of gas more than 5 cents per gallon.

About this time in 2000 the price of a gallon of gas was about $1.46 and now it is over $4.20 a gallon ….higher in some places.  I believe that this growth of almost $3.00 per gallon during the Bush Administration is a result of their economic policies, speculators and their collusion with the oil industry.

The cost of many food products have gone up and all this is putting more pressure on the average family.

Bush and company have robbed our banks through their wars, given tax breaks to the richest amongst us and now want to rape our environment. And we have a multi billion dollar deficit which was created by the Bush administration.

The profit for the oil industry has shown to be in the billions and they still can’t find a way to give the consumer a break in the price of gas. I think the oil industry could arrange so that gas could be at $2.00 with their help and they would still hold on to much of their profit.  Do they care about America or just want to empty the  bank accounts of the people of this country of ours?

MY MECHANIC GOES TO JAIL

I own a 2000 Dodge Caravan which has a belt that jumps off the pulleys about every two months. When this happens  I then have to call Israel my mechanic a recent Cuban Immigrant who is good and does the repairs right there in my yard. His accent is so strong that at times that even I have a problem understanding him.  But the work gets done and it is less expensive than a shop.

He had told me to call him last Sunday morning so that he could come and repair my van. When I did call there was no answer… Later his wife called and told me that he had been arrested for driving with out a license … His bond was a $1,000 and his wife wanted him out so that he could work. She was shocked when I offered $210 towards his bond. I just thought it was a natural thing to do. I would have offered more but it was all I had in my wallet. She told me that it is not normal for a customer to take the time and interest to help some one like Israel.

Well he finally came to my home and repaired my van..And I am happy to have my van back and we now have an even deeper relationship.

BUILDINGWALLS…BUILDING ANIMOSITY AND FEAR

            Building Berlin in Iraq

Inside of Iraq walls are going up between ethnic-religious communities. These have caused traffic jams and hampered business but it has given some neighborhoods safer streets. But this is a short term victory that will not hold.. These walls like those that had been in Berlin or like those separating Israelis and Palestinians do not make sense in the long run. Same goes for the Wall being built on the Mexican border.

During the Iraq war there has been a cleansing of neighborhoods now you have Shiite enclaves and Sunni enclaves. The Kurds have their own territory and the Christians are forgotten and still persecuted with in this political mess. This tragedy is evident also in the faces and lives of the over 4 million refugees that have had to leave the country.

Building of walls creates even more animosity and fear with in both groups. Over the years many communities had both groups living and working together and some even intermarrying. They had learned how to co-exist. More than I can say for many in the USA …

The cleansing of cities, the building of walls will keep the people divided and keep the country from coming to some road of reconciliation.  This does not bode well for the future. Yes we can reduce the killings but we should know that we are building a time bomb that will go off in the near future…and its far reaching effects will not be pretty.

ZIMBABWE

            Takes another step backwards..

Mugabe continues to rule this country with an iron fist and ridicules any attempts at democracy.. I had the opportunity to visit this country in 1988 with Amnesty International when I was the Media Director for the Human Rights Now world concert tour.

This is a beautiful country that housed many South African ANC activists as they fought to end the Apartheid system. Perhaps this is one reason why President Mbeki of South Africa is soft on Mugabe.

There will be a meeting of African Presidents this week and they should pressure Mugabe to step down… This is a dictator at best and should not be tolerated.

Mugabe was a liberator when he helped liberate Rhodesia as it was then called but since then has been on a road of no return …a road filled with murder, theft and oppression.

Please support all actions to instill democracy in Zimbabwe.

RESPECT YOUR COUNTRY’S LAWS AND CONSTITION

            BECOME A LAW BIDING CITIZEN

We were taught growing up that you should respect the laws of this country and to read, understand and respect the constitution. But what can we tell our children today when our own president and his operatives have broken every law of decency and violated the values of our constitution.

This administration has committed so many illegal and immoral  criminal, financial, and environmental acts against the people of this country that it is difficult to know where to begin in terms of an investigation. We will find out in the months to come just how crooked they were and how much they damaged our country. Those who wave the flag so much that they distract us with their religious fervor and talk about stopping terrorists.

It seems that we don’t need terrorists to destroy our economy, environment and rip apart our judicial and legal system… this administration has done more to destroy our country than any enemy from abroad.

I pray that we will find a way to correct the direction of this country and hope that new leadership will prosecute the appropriate guilty parties..you can do your part by helping to elect those who will make this change.

My best

leno

additional reading if you want on Zimbabwe

NOW FROM THE TELEGRAPH UK

the denunciation from Pan-African parliament monitors came after President Robert Mugabe said he was sure of “a sweeping victory” in Friday’s poll, held in defiance of international opinion and dismissed by much of the world as a sham.

Mr Mugabe is expected to make a public appearance later today to hail his triumph.

But the head of the Pan-African parliament observer mission said the result should not be allowed to stand.

“The current atmosphere prevailing in the country did not give rise to conditions for the holding of free and fair democratic elections. These elections were not free and fair,” said Marwick Khumalo.

DEAR SISTERS AND BROTHERS

The economic turmoil continues as the price of gas continues to escalate and more individuals are out of work. And our president continues to act and speak like a fool who doesn’t understand the mess he got us into and really doesn’t seem to care.

The signs of the economic downturn were there over four years ago and no action was taken by this administration. Instead they continue to preach about tax cuts for the super rich. And this presidents policies are what created this devastation of so many families.

And we must continue to remind our public of who caused this crisis.

NOW FOR MY VIEW OF THE NEWS

a.      listening and learning

b.      china’s pain

c.       obama wins

d.      my Dominican dentist

LISTENING AND LEARNING

                        By Ira Moss

I had the opportunity to listen to “The Audacity of Hope,” read by Barack Obama, while on the way to and from the Washington State High School Tennis Championships last weekend. I am fired up and ready to go! Part of what made it so interesting was how prescient Obama was, writing two years before the campaign began. No one who reads or listens to senator Obama could possibly mistake him for a disinterested elitist, a black nationalist, or naive and shallow. I strongly urge any of you who harbor doubts or resentments towards Obama to learn about him through his own words. Don’t allow him to be defined by the same fear mongering voices who have brought us to where we are today.

McCain is claiming to be the candidate of wisdom. However, it is wisdom of the most conventional kind. Exactly the same habits of mind that got us into this mess and are incapable of getting us out. This is a generational election. The choice will be between a candidate with a vision for the future and one who represents, in every way possible, a desperate clinging to the past. We will either move into the future willingly with leadership and direction, or we will be jerked forward, kicking and screaming. Regardless of who wins the election, the future is coming with speed and certainty. “Resistance”, as the Borg say, “is futile.”

CHINAS MOST INTERESTING AND PAINFUL PROTEST

Pictures of grieving Chinese mothers filled the photo in the NEW YORK TIMES.. In their arms they held the photo of their children who had been killed when their school fell on them. These schools for the poor were built substandard with shoddy materials.

While these schools for the poor easily fell killing all inside the schools for the rich did not fall.  Government officials were being taken to task by these mothers.

Here you had humble parents protesting and the military not knowing how to react. These honest and emotional painful protest open many doors to further protest and push back against an authoritarian government.

Many officials and contractors I am sure will be prosecuted in light of the death and destruction in the areas hit by the massive earthquake.

I am sure that there are more protests to come

Recent news show that China is back to its old school habits… It is censuring internet stories about the earthquake,  does not allow journalist or families into the hardest hit areas and is cracking down on the family demonstrations.

International pressure must be placed so that people can demonstrate and so that the disaster areas are open for investigations.

OBAMA WINS which means you won

All of you who worked so hard during the primary in behalf of Senator Obama got to see your candidate get the nomination  …Victories are always wonderful … but having been on the end of a number of losing campaigns I know how difficult it is to lose

Hillary has taken it very hard as have some of their supporters. And Bill has also taken this loss very hard. The Clintons had never lost a national election..In the process of this campaign they lost a lot a face because of some tactics of the campaign and missteps by both Hillary and Bill.

Prior to the Campaign they were the power house with in the Democratic Party.  They had secured the inside track on major donors, and party leaders across the country. They also had counted on the SUPER DELEGATES bailing them out at the last minute.

Many things went wrong with the Clinton Campaign but I do admire her hard work and tenacity. Now the real leadership challenge for Hillary is CAN SHE DELIVER HER VOTERS. If she can’t deliver than she will lose most of the  influence that she might have as a national leader.

Hillary should show us all that she can be a team player and if she campaigns hard for the party she will gain back all the love we have had for her for so many years.

Too much is at stake for us not to be united.

MY DOMINCAN DENTIST         

The other day I went to a new dentist to have a major tooth removed… it had broken off at a terrible diagonal slant and made it almost impossible to save.  The roots of my teeth go deep and are strong .

This petite female dentist had her work cut out for her… she had to wrestle with this tooth and give me more than the usual amount of Novocain. … It took hours to get it out

And then she had to stitch up the gums after all this digging  … during this process she was most reassuring …and afterwards she gave me her cell phone just in case I had complications.

I fear going to the dentist…

Later that night after taking antic biotics and my pain medicine …I got a call from my dentist. She wanted to know how I was doing and if I needed any thing … I have never had my dentist call me except to collect payment so this was a most pleasant call.

I must admit that my personal physician a Cuban by the name of  Felix Guzman hugs me when I go in the office and has been known to call me when I am taking serious medicine..

Is it me or just my good luck in doctors..??

My best

leno

DEAR SISTERS AND BROTHERS

It is very warm in Miami and the pool invites me in every afternoon to cool off and get my blood pressure down. Then all I have to do is watch Lou Dobbs on CNN and I get upset again that he can have a free hand to attack many decent individuals. And to think that CNN has him as their key host for the election results panels..

We need a good progressive television station that runs the news with good analysis 24 hours each day. Thank goodness for Keith Olberman on MSNBC. At least this is one program I can watch..

NOW FOR MY VIEW OF THE NEWS
a. attacks on immigrants in south Africa
b. burger king agrees
c. Hillary speaks and has to apologize
d. Tennis and all the jazz
e. Puerto Ricans vote
f. Obama speaks in south florida

THE HORRIFIC ATTACKS ON IMMIGRANTS IN SOUTH AFRICA
Just can’t believe it

In the past week we have seen widespread violence against immigrants who had fled to South Africa for some economic Sanity. Roving groups of men mostly young have attacked these helpless immigrants beating them, burning their humble dwellings and autos. Many lives have been lost and the South African government has done nothing to protect these workers.

Many African nations have raised their protests to the highest levels of government. And yet no protection for these workers.

These youth and others don’t remember their recent history. During the days of Apartheid many ANC members and others fled the brutal repressive government of the Boars.. African, European and other western countries allowed for many to have safe haven until the change of government. While there was some tension in some areas there were no whole sale attacks on these immigrants.

Immigrants are not the cause of economic conditions but a pawn in this PROFIT AT ANY MEANS chess game played by the SUPER RICH…

In the USA HOMELAND SECURTY has arrested over 900 in California, and have given prison sentences to hundreds for using false identifications to get employment.

Immigration is a world wide economic symptom that can no be cured by killing and beating, nor by harsh regulations, laws and imprisonment. We must find a solution that goes beyond borders, race and cultures..

This HUMAN RIGHTS situation is one of the gravest and I others are waiting for the premier human rights organizations to organize world wide campaigns

Burger King finds a way to recognize farm workers
Celebrations of the CIW …the Coalition of Immokalee Workers

This past Thursday night I got a phone call from the leadership of CIW they were in Washington DC and were telling me of the good ne