Naomi Klein on C-SPAN

photographer unknown

The more I hear Naomi Klein, the more I respect her and learn from her. She put her finger right on something I've been struggling with. (She is the author of No Logo and The Shock Doctrine.)

Dear Readers -- have you noticed that I have said very little about the healthcare policy put forth by the Obama administration? I haven't. And Naomi Klein said something like this: "Obama's opponents are attacking the healthcare plan and Obama's supporters are in a quandry: they don't know whether to support it or not. They don't know if the public option is good enough. They don't like it that abortion won't be paid for ..." That's so true! I don't know whether to support it or not. I feel like I *should* support it ... because I hope it will be a stepping stone to a better healthcare plan. But, will it really?

If you want to hear Naomi Klein's interview on C-SPAN's Q&A, go here, oh curious one.

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Caturday! Not his best angle ...

Not his best angle ... but Willy Billy Button says Happy Caturday to all creatures, feline or not.


My youngest has taken to calling him "Gordo". Willy says: "It's true what they say about horizontal stripes -- they do accentuate your girth."

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"Americans": Not the Center of the Universe

Dharapak/AP

It is true that I, Ms. Manitoba, was born on the prairies of Manitoba. Canada. I am a naturalized citizen of the United States.

Some folks think Canadians are just like "Americans" -- we're not. Especially French Canadians -- Quebeçois, Manitobain, Ontarois etc. Look again. Look deeper. (And ... maybe ... dare I say it? Maybe, travel a bit.) For one thing, we put "Americans" in quotes because we remember that there are many Americans -- not just the ones that live in the United States. Canadians believe that they are Americans too -- North Americans. We don't imperialize the name.

And when we see President Obama bow to Emperor Akihito we don't get our undies in a bunch.

For example:

"Treasonous"; "Idiot-in-chief"; "Shocking display of fealty to a foreign potentate"; "How low will he go?"; "Undignified,"; "A first-year English teacher trying to impress with Karate Kid-level knowledge of Japanese custom," were among the harsh headlines and comments in the American press and the blogosphere on the president's bow.

[from an article in online version of The Nation]

"Americans" need to understand that they are no longer (never were) the center of the universe.

Please read this wonderful article -- "More Important Things to Worry About" -- from the online version of The Nation.

And, if you'd like to find out more about the really important stuff, listen to today's interview with Orville Schell on Terry Gross's Fresh Air radio program.

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Caturday!

from our friends at www.icanhascheezburger.com

Have a great Caturday, everyone!!!!!

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