Paula Deen Wishlist

Paula Deen Wishlist

Paula Deen wishes she could learn to just shut the hell up. 

So it turns out that Paula Deen is being sued for saying and doing some pretty outrageously racist stuff. 

Deen has built a large food empire serving up tasty soul food and extra rich southern treats to an international audience for a couple of decades. She has restaurants, television shows, books and a catalog of merchandise. Last year she had to eat some crow as it came out that she can't eat most of what she prepares because she is diabetic. 

She is being sued by an ex-employee on charges of creating a hostile work environment and embracing racist policies. One part of the litigation claims that she made the crazy statement paraphrased to a wish that to get an adequate staff for her brother's wedding, she pined back to the days of Shirley Temple when black people knew their place and "all tap-danced together."

So far, she has been humiliated (possibly justifiably) on national TV, and lost several sweet sponsorships and corporate relationships representing millions of dollars in revenue, all before a court decision has been made. Remember that it is not just her. Hundreds of her employees are put in jeopardy as well. 

I think it is every buyer's right to not give her a nickel if they object to her products, services, or character. I have never knowingly spent anything on anything she represents. Nothing racial. I just don't like her. Her food kicks ass, sometimes, though. 

I just object to our collective knee-jerk response to allegations based on sound-bites and innuendo. As a culture we should recoil and call into question public dramas like Deen's right now, as well as NSA whistleblower Snowden and the alleged murdering Patriot tight end Hernandez. There probably aren't twenty people near each case that know enough to make an informed decision, and for sure the far flung media audience that we all get 100% of our information from is not among them. 

We don't know shit and we talk as if we were Paula Deen's house manager while she delegated us to "coloreds only" washrooms and threats of flogging and wood shed time. What makes me crazy is the parroting time and time again, by reporters and third party observers of "facts" of the case and statements treated as first person evidence which are more like fifteenth person rumor. 

I know people will talk. It wasn't invented with Twitter. I don't want to squelch anyone's chance to weigh in on a bit of salacious public gossip. What makes my head spin is the total absence of any sense of awareness that most of what is covered as news is just repeated rumors and bullshit. Also, the imbedded total lack of faith that our systems can and will deal with these situations. 

The constant, melting ice-cap degradation of our substructure by this rampant talk and actions will have its effects. All bad. Eager eyes and ears will drive publishers and producers to fill column inches, click-throughs and ad revenue dollars. None of it serves justice or even expediency. This woman, Deen, deserves her day in court, even if she is as stupid and racist as it now sounds. 


Paula Deen Wishlist

Non-Change

Non-Change

"Our attachment to non-change is what causes our suffering."

Gael Chiarella
Yoga Meditation Collection

Random notes:

"...or pain that your body has held. Notice places of discomfort or pain that your emotions have held. Nothing is too large. Nothing is too small."

As we come into conscious relationship with pain, we see a divided path. One says: 'Let me eliminate you, and move as far away as I can."

And the other, says 'What are you sharing with me?' 'What do you have to say?'

For pain is always a suggestion for change. And the change itself may be painful. Our attachment to non-change is what causes our suffering.

In yoga we see a vision of two birds sitting on a golden limb. One is the observer. The other the observed. The observer sits in perfect peace. The other runs back and forth attached to this and that.

We know open ourselves to an acknowledgement of the observer part of each and every psyche. Of each and every thought. And as you bring your awareness...

Well it goes on and on from there. This is a small part of a meditation track I just heard and wanted to share.

Namaste


Oh by the way, she sells this stuff. You can get it from the library, too.

http://www.soundstrue.com/shop/Meditation-and-Guided-Practices/browse/2


Non-Change

Eduardo Galeano

Eduardo Galeano


Eduardo Galeano had me glued to the sofa during his Book TV reading last week on CSPAN. His struggles with English are amusing and clarifying. He speaks clearly of love, war and comedy while illuminating the lunacy in politics. Have a look. Here is the link.

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/Childrenoft


Eduardo Galeano

Is Jerry Brown putting State behind economy?

Is Jerry Brown putting State behind economy?

Environmentalists are disappointed with Brown's budget emphasis.

Cap and Trade, AB 32, fracking, et al...

http://www.mercurynews.com/california-budget/ci_23309303/enviromentalists-question-whether-gov-jerry-browns-actions-match

http://www.scpr.org/blogs/environment/2013/05/15/13668/gov-brown-wants-to-grab-500-million-in-cap-and-tra/






Is Jerry Brown putting State behind economy?

Corman keeps control, shares films on YouTube

Corman keeps control, shares films on YouTube

http://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2013/06/17/32275/on-the-lot-man-of-steel-talent-agency-fight-and-mo/

Roger Corman discovered Francis Ford Coppola, James Cameron, and kept Little Shop of Horrors alive.

Now, he is pumping new life into YouTube.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57588842-93/horrors-b-movie-king-roger-corman-brings-films-to-youtube/


http://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2013/06/17/32275/on-the-lot-man-of-steel-talent-agency-fight-and-mo/


Corman keeps control, shares films on YouTube

Snowden, et al / "The Government Unchained Itself From The Constitution after 9/11"

Snowden, et al / "The Government Unchained Itself From The Constitution after 9/11"

http://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/politics/2013/06/16/2426807/

I don't know enough to take a stand.

But under the theory that if ten people tell you you're drunk, you probably are, I think that FOX probably doesn't have a corner on truth in labeling Snowden as a traitor.

What we need is more accounting logic. And that is what I do not see.

In accountancy, two efforts would be made. Fix the current problem. Second, set up a system under the theory of ongoing concern that allows for this happening again and builds a method for containment, management, recordkeeping, and transparency for reporting.

It is the last that I concern this page with.

Because the major element of transparency is authenticity and faith. Today millions of us see apparent transparency represented through government spokespeople, but we have no faith that they are representing our interests and they seem false and inauthentic.

We have to rebuild faith in our government and our systems. This is not an election issue, though they can and should play a role. We have to be able to have at least moderate faith that our systems can handle normal loads.

With more accountants, plumbers and electricians, we should be able to set up our government less around emotion and more about sharing and handling the normal loads put upon it, and some allowance for surprises.

Whadaya think?

DD

http://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/politics/2013/06/16/2426807/

Snowden, et al / "The Government Unchained Itself From The Constitution after 9/11"