SHAKING GROUND

converging forces

     Fault lines and fissures are cracking social and political order with a force that will leave everything changed

     At ground zero are sexual politics, power, international order and reality.

the lunacy of one

    The US was booed, jeered and delegates walked out when trump's representative spoke to the World Climate Change Conference in Bonn.

      This administration was there to tout coal and nuclear energy. Defending fossil fuels earned the scorn of most of the 200 nations attending. The US is the only nation on the planet to exit the Paris Climate Agreement.

      Can anyone with common sense not see as ludicrous the nature of being the only nation not to understand the imperatives of climate change? It is ignominy, but inevitable when a man of such "intellect" occupies the White House.

the webs we weave

an orb spider taking care of business

 a characteristic of the orb spider is to rebuild the web each day...we watched this one over the course of a week

and it always had something on the line

men stuck in webs

the left must square their own sexual abuse excuses

      More men in power are falling in disgrace as the seismic force of #metoo revelations bring a scope of accountability to sexual assault and harassment. 

A TECH TITAN

      Steve Jurvetson is stepping down as partner of a powerful Silicon Valley VC firm. After allegations of harassment, Jurvetson exits Draper, Fisher and Jurvetson which he co founded in 1985. They have been a huge player 

in tech. Jurvetson is also leaving the boards of Tesla and Space X.

      The tech industry is ripe with a culture of sexual harassment and discrimination. The millionaire boys club culture is getting rocked.

THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE

     California Democrat Senate leader Kevin de Leon will hire an outside firm to investigate a growing list of allegations of a "culture of sexual harassment" in the legislative branch in the state capitol. 

     Traditionally the Senate Rules Committee investigates such allegations. This disrupts California Senate tradition and many read that as a signal of how serious will be the probe.

      De Leon's move has irritated some. He is an insurgent candidate seeking to replace veteran US Senator Diane Feinstein.

SLICK WILLIE FROM PHILANDER

      In fact he is from Arkansas but conscientious Democrats and liberals are actually agreeing with their Republican and conservative counterparts it is time to address Bill Clinton's sexual adventures. One cannot challenge the behavior of a Roy Moore and try to weasel away from Clinton's destructive behavior, even if Clinton's affairs were with consenting adults. 

      Clinton's personal shame and "bimbo eruptions" distracted his administration and many blame it for weakening the party. Al Gore may have had better luck if he didn't have the Clinton shame around his neck. Some will tell you Hillary Clinton may have been a more winning personality if her husband had not been such a sex dog.

     No Bill Clinton is not accused of molesting teens, but his accusers say he was a serial philanderer. Excusing Clinton's behavior may have enabled a culture of harassment where sex, power and manipulation mingled. 

THE MYSTERY OF DONNIE THE LOUT

    I wonder how this time of revelation and falls may affect the serial adulterer and self avowed sexual predator who snuck into the White House. trump had threatened to sue the women who accused him of sexual assault. I wonder if those accusations will come back to center stage. Should they?

the idiot and the bomb

    It is appropriate the Senate Foreign Relations Committee tackles the issue of a President's capacity to singularly initiate a nuclear strike. The question and the protocol is fraught with complexity and nuance, but the probe is certainly appropriate given who this president is. I would never have imagined I'd call the President an ignorant buffoon, but I never imagined this president. 

     These are strange times. 

     See you down the trail.

      

     

      

PRESIDENTIAL PIPE DREAM & THE SESSIONS

PRESIDENTIAL PIPE DREAM

     ANNOUNCER: And now to the Oval Office and the President of the United States.

       PRESIDENT OBAMA: " My fellow Americans, the election is over and it is time to get to work addressing the very serious challenges that face us as Americans.  So today I am issuing a special invitation which, if accepted, will help move this great nation forward, beyond our gridlock and stalemate.

       Today I am inviting former Presidents Jimmy Carter, George HW Bush, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton to chair a special working group at Camp David.  The former Presidents will preside over the deliberations and will jointly draft the final report.  

       I am today inviting past Presidential nominees Romney, McCain, Kerry and Gore, along with Harry Reid, Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi and Speaker John Boehner.  I am asking the group to assemble the day after Thanksgiving and stay at Camp David until they have finished their work.  

       I am asking this group of outstanding American leaders to draft a roadmap.  It is a roadmap to our future. I charge these great patriots to establish a structure for cooperation, a general strategy for a federal budget and a vision forward for America.

      While these leaders meet I am asking a consortium of academic, research and public opinion leaders to convene as resource group to propose bold and new ideas for our national leadership to consider in their deliberations. 

      So far the following resource people have accepted this 

challenge- Amory Lovin of the Rocky Mountain Institute, Elon Musk of Space X, Economist Paul Krugman, writers Charles Krauthammer, David Brooks and Tom Friedman,  John Lechleiter, CEO of Eli Lilly, the new Purdue University President Mitch Daniels and Bill Gates of the Gates Foundation.

      Invitation to others in medical and technological research fields have also been issued and I await their acceptance.

      I am asking these great Americans, under the leadership of our former Presidents, to gather, discuss, debate, argue, resolve and then draft a document that will help to guide this nation to a greater fulfillment of its potential and its destiny as a world leader in the 21st Century. I would ask these Americans to present to us, by the end of this calendar year, what we can call a road map to our future."

      Well, we can dream can't we?  Who else would you invite?

AUTUMN IN THE VINES

REEL NOTES

THE SESSIONS

     This unique film explores the deep reaches of intimacy with an honesty and clarity. It is fully entertaining while being charming, bold, heart warming and challenging.

     The Sessions moves you to the edge of uneasiness but pulls you back to a comfortable place. It has moments where you wonder if you are trespassing too deeply into human relationships and sexuality, but writer and director Ben Lewin uses this as a canvas to examine life, love and faith.

     Based on the life and writing of Mark Obrien, a Berkeley writer and poet who spent most of his life in an iron lung, the film is illuminating, but not for everyone.  Those who might be squeamish with dialogue about premature ejaculation, seeing a sexual surrogate work with a quadriplegic, or watching a priest wrestle with granting permission for out of marriage sex might want to avoid it. However it is a sensitive and enormously well done film.

     The acting is award worthy.  William Macy as the flabbergasted priest, John Hawkes as Mark O'brien and Moon Bloodgood as attendant Vera are all superb.  It is Helen Hunt as the sexual surrogate who deserves something more. 

     Acting must be a difficult challenge under perfect conditions.  But to be told your role requires full nudity would, in my world at least, make your day at the office more demanding.  Hunt, as Cheryl is full of grace, compassion and complexity.  A mother, wife and surrogate she helps a client discover his full manhood, but against her better intention, falls in love. How that is played, resolved and passed along is the heart tugging appeal of this film. 

    Hunt's portrayal of her own inner conflict, along with Macy's counseling and Hawke's exploration, failures and desire to live full, though frail adds to a very special film. It is a unique love story.

     See you down the trail. 

WHO ARE WE?

TO YOUR CORNERS

     The national political convention television shows have  done a good job of defining differences haven't they?

        Sense of the job to be done, fairness, inclusiveness, exclusivity, expectations of government, responsibility for self, for others, ability to tell the truth, diversity, vision, overcoming, gender rights, owning up to history, and more.

         America really has an opportunity to decide between vastly different attitudes about government and who we are, who we have been and what we might become.

         It is a contest and battle of will, sense of right and wrong and history.

         PS-the old reporter in me chuckled when Bill Clinton mentioned both Presidents Bush and his cooperation with them.  I think he gave George H. W. and George W. more airtime than either man got from their party in Tampa.

DAY FILE
PICTURES OF BLUE

    If you look carefully at the frame below you may spot a water spout from one of the passing humpback whales.

See you down the trail.