World Can't Wait - Speaking With Tony

I met Tony at the L.A. Times Festival of Books gathering. On one of the pathways there were tables of people and causes. Most were asking for donations, support or just a pause long enough to give the speech. Tony belongs to the Los Angeles chapter of World Can't Wait - Los Angeles. They are planning a huge grassroots meeting on October 5, 2005.




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He had some interesting materials at his table so I ambled on over and starting talking. I did record a lot more video but I have to work out a way to record people who are taller than me.

I have trouble keeping their whole head in the frame. So a lot of our conversation I felt was not usable. I'm gonna have to start bring a step ladder or something.

For more information about the group and the October 5, 2006 event visit http://www.worldcantwait.net

Righteous Kill - Jim Daher

I was working on my to-do list. I got the food, checked out Ross for new clothes, got money for my bus pass and snagged my computer video magazine. I was loaded with stuff. I needed to go home before I could see anything else to purchase. I turned the corner and there was Jim.

I heard this southern accent and saw that he was an author with a book for sale. He wasn't a celebrity or a sports jock. Just Jim by himself and a table of books.

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I think it is one of the hardest things a person can do is literally stand in a book store and try to convince people to buy your book. And the reality is that most authors have to get out and promote their work.

So this is a shout out to all the writers who actually do what they dreamed of doing and follow through. It is a long road. Sometimes you meet nut jobs but the stories you get to share are priceless. I pulled out old faithful and recorded the following.

Do what you can, where you can. This doesn't necessarily apply to laundry. There is no choice for me, got to get to it. It is not a dream. It is a growing nightmare.

For more information about Jim Daher visit http://www.jimdaher.com You can order his book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or from his web site.

Man, Myths and Some Toys

I've know this guy for a while. We grew up in the same city, we watched the same TV Sci-Fi, read the same comic books, grazed in the bookshops where they use to tear the covers off and you could buy a $4 magazine for fifty cents.

It was a place and time where it was important to know who the Red Skull was, where to find copies of the X-Men and Avengers and the importance of not taking "Pudge, Girl Blimp" too seriously.

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Okay, I might be wrong on that one - but he'd know who Vaughn Bode is. Anyway, The man has got stuff. Not money stuff but the stuff that matters. Yeah, yeah he's got a wife and kids has the acceptable number of friends, co-workers and fellow gym rats to talk to.

I'm talking the essential stuff. He's got Star Trek action figures, Babylon 5 Vorlons, Marvel toys. He has figures based on comics, movies, tv shows and a few things I don't know where in the world he came in contact with them. From the looks of the Clive Barker and Todd McFarlaine bounty, I'm not sure I want to know. They are just spooky. Detailed and spooky.

I feel a little responsible cuz I think I encouraged him to check out e-Bay. Now I'm surrounded by various incarnations of Reed Richards and the Incredible Hulk. So one day I whipped out old faithful and asked him the question, “Why does he do it?”

Poetry In Motion - Elena Karina Byrne

Living in Los Angeles requires a person to be accepting of the situations before them. Now this is true no matter where you live in the world. On this section of the planet, we take a little more time than folks on the East Coast to go with the flow.



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The immigrant issue has a lot of folks fractured. It is not a yes or no question. It is more of what do we do now question. On both sides. There is more to being an American than providing a living for your family. What else do you bring?

For some there is the respect for the spoken word. Or a pretty lady reading a poem after a long days work. What do we as so called Americans gain from new ideas, a command for recognition and respect? How will we change or will we put up a fuss?

Then there is history. The one that is being forgotten. The lessons that could help us go into the future if we would just look at the past and make peace with it.

But we live in the 21C. There are quiet spirit filled moments that happen every day in this land. They slip by because we are tired or in a hurry or hungry. We need peace. We need action. Some only want the next big thing. Some of us tune out in self defense.

On this train, in this moment take the time to share in English and Spanish our voices. The poet is Elena Karina Byrne who is reading a selection of poems.

Elena has a book on Amazon that you might want to check out:

Randy Wicker Reporting on Disinformation

I'm not the only vlogger who is trying to document the changes in our country and world. Randy Wicker is a man of many interests. He is interested in giving voice to a diverse population.

At the very least Randy gives me information I normally don't have easy access. This allows me to make up my own mind. That is the true spirit of democracy.

Is preventing conception murder? Randy has recorded a presentatation on how certain groups are trying to influence their beliefs on the pharmacy profession. If you have the time, check out his post where Marin Gillis, Ph.D explains about particular disinformation activites of the religious conservative right.

http://randywickerreporting.blogspot.com/2006/05/drug-laws-binding-pharmacists-part-2.html

Poetry In Motion-Ellyn Maybe Poem on Being An Artist

I first heard Ellyn Maybe when she was doing a poetry reading on KPFK-FM many years ago. Roy of Hollywood was having her do a reading of her work. I wish he could play more poetry but the pull of Sounds True and TUC radio are hard to let go.

Wednesday is conspiracy night. Can't listen. I'd be a paranoid wreck.

Somewhere in this pack rat heaven I have an old copy of a poetry magazine with Ellen's face caricatured on the cover. I had never seen her in person until the day of the poetry ride. You never know who you will encounter on the road of life.



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Any poem that makes reference to that bastion of the born cheapskates, broke folks, the fiscally challenged and the cash deprived, also known as the 99 Cent Only Store (the real one, not those tacky and misleading knockoffs) is jakes with me. The 99COS kept me alive when all I had was a pile of bills and one measly (but glad to have it) unemployment check.

Anybody remember that two pound tuna (?) sandwich spread in the silver bag? Lasted two weeks and then some. And if that is not an creative skill, I don't know what to tell you. But your probably thinking of the high toned stuff call art and the upper realm of being “an artist”.

To me it is not so much an artist life but living a creative authentic life. It can be tough with the day to day survival skills you have to master but blessings to the folks that not only figure it out but are willing to share with other. Thanks, Ellyn.

I had a hard time coming up with web citations for Ellyn. I keep digging through until I found her at http://www.ellynmaybe.com

Special shout out to Frostyland's Viggo page http://www.frostyland.com/Viggo/viggo.index.shtml cuz that is where I found the link to Ellyn's web site.

In parting, if you really want to upset the powers that be, buy a poetry book, chapbook, audio book or attend a spoken word performance.