John Edwards

John Edwards Dropping out Without Backing Down

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: I Won't Back Down

A Song for Kucinich

The democracy of the internet seems alive and well on YouTube these days. Historian Howard Zinn, when speaking about art and war, called art "the equalizer" because it can bring to the fore certain truths that may be shunned by those in power. That said, please allow me to present Dakota & the Black River Bandit singing for Dennis Kucinich.

Dakota & the Black River Bandit

Song for Dennis Kucinich 2008

Mike Gravel

Candidate Mike Gravel



Maggie on Mike Gravel...

“Gravel was in the Alaska House of Reps in the mid-60's, then became a US Senator from Alaska, 1969 - 1981. He was instrumental in making the Pentagon Papers public in the 1960's. Afterward, he published "The Senator Gravel Edition, The Pentagon Papers (Beacon Press, 1971), with added commentaries by Howard Zinn and Noam Chomsky. Also, he is, arguably, the person responsible for stopping the draft in 1971.”

Thanks Maggie!

More Candidates

Thanks to readers I have 2 more candidates. I could not add to my other poll because votes have already been cast. I have included Dennis Kucinich even though he has officially dropped out because I could not have a new poll with only 1 candidate and Kucinich remains the dream candidate of many idealists.

Bobby

BOBBY
ON DVD @ SAN JUAN PUBLIC LIBRARY

Sometimes art shows us perspectives on our past that relate to how we go about creating our future. On the DVD shelf at Friday Harbor's public library I found the Movie, Bobby, a star studded telling of the day Robert Kennedy was shot. It was same day he won the presidential primary in California. Besides its impressive cast it features actual footage of RFK and Walter Cronkite. The story line may seem like a mass of disjointed subplots but it is well worth seeing even just to watch Demi Moore as an alcoholic prima dona in a touching scene with her hairdresser Sharon Stone or see Harry Belefonte play chess with Anthony Hopkins. It has a good sixties inspired soundtrack including Aretha Franklin and it ends with an inspiring speech by Bobby Kennedy. Just the thing to get you ready for the caucus.

Caucusing on San Juan Island

San Juan County Democratic Caucus

I’ve served as a San Juan County precinct committee person twice. In 1988, it was easy. We met at the school and went into classrooms with our neighbors (all 8 of them). I read the directions and we chewed it over then unanimously decided on Jesse Jackson.

2004 was a different story. This time I went to planning meetings for months in preparation. Caucus day the school was a madhouse. My neighborhood classroom was packed. I had a special assistant just to do the math. We had 1 Sharpton supporter, 1 Edwards’s supporter, the rest split between Kerry, Dean and Kucinich. Our Edwards supporter was nearly in tears because without 15% there was no chance to be represented by a delegate and she was not willing to swing to another candidate. I was nearly convinced to swing to Edwards myself if we could have rallied the 15%. This is the fun part where each group tries to convince others to join them. The Kerry people were adamant that he was the electable candidate. The Sharpton supporter swung to the Kucinich crowd and eventually so did I. I think our lonely stalwart Edwards supporter may have taken up the mantle of precinct committee person for Friday Harbor 2. If she has she may finally get her chance!

CAUCUS '08
Washington State's Democratic Precinct Caucuses will be held on
Saturday, February 9th, 2008 beginning at 1:00 pm.

link to: San Juan County Democrats

Washington State Caucus ~ Feb 9

Gu Xiong ~ February 2

ART AS A VOICE

Featuring Chinese Canadian Artist Gu Xiong's
"IN-BETWEENNESS"

Photo: "Enjoy Depend On Yourself" ~ Gu Xiong

San Juan Community Theatre
Saturday February 2, 2008
2:30 to 3:00 ~ Tea and Coffee with the artist
3:00 to 4:30 ~ Lecture to be followed by Q & A

Photo: Gu Xiong, Diane Farris Gallery

"In my recent work I am addressing the question of cultural identity and, in the process, a new synthesis is emerging in my own individual practice of painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, video, photography, digital imagery, text, performance art and installation works." ~ Gu Xiong

The documentary film, The Yellow Pear: The Story of Gu Xiong was broadcast on the History Channel in March of 2001 and can be pre-viewed at the San Juan Public Library and Friday Harbor High School. Diane Farris Gallery tells us about the film; "Filmmaker Audrey Mehler offers a rich and moving tapestry of artwork, interviews and archival footage in this provocative film about the human cost of exile and the determination of an artist to tell his truth."

link to: Gu Xiong's Biography, Diane Farris Gallery
link to: Gu Xiong's Artist's Statement, Diane Farris Gallery
link to: The Yellow Pear, Diane Farris Gallery

This event is sponsored by
Visual Arts Museum of the San Juans
The lecture is free. Donations are welcome.

Remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ~

Photo: Courtesy of National Archives & Records Administration.

"I am convinced that love is the most durable power in the world. It is not an expression of impractical idealism, but of practical realism. Far from being the pious injunction of a Utopian dreamer, love is an absolute necessity for the survival of our civilization. To return hate for hate does nothing but intensify the existence of evil in the universe. Someone must have sense enough and religion enough to cut off the chain of hate and evil, and this can only be done through love. "

~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1957

Bird Watching at Ten Four Farm

Great Blue Heron Eats Frog For Breakfast at Ten Four Farm

The past two days have been great for bird watching at Ten Four Farm. I've counted more than twenty Trumpeter Swans on the Lake and this morning watched the resident Great Blue Heron eat a good sized frog for breakfast.

The Pig War Islands & Bill Holm

Yet another treasure recently sent to me from my grandfather's library is his autographed copy of David Richardson's Pig War Islands. I've seen this book around forever. It was published in 1971 by Orcas Publishing Company in Eastsound. To my surprise though, upon receiving this edition I noticed for the first time that the book jacket painting is by Bill Holm. Holm is known for his expertise in Native Northwest Coastal Art. My own art history professor at WSU studied under Holm at the University of Washington and any artist, native and non-native alike, struggling to master Northwest Coast styles will be familiar with his definitive work Northwest Coast Indian Art, An Analysis of Form first published in 1965.

Link to: Bill Holm: In Life and Art, a Native Son, Seattle Times Magazine
Link to: Bill Holm Center for the Study of Northwest Coast Art University of Washington's Burke Museum

Dinner Theatre at the Mullis Center

THE MULLIS COMMUNITY CENTER

presents Devorah
In concert on Saturday, January 26. Doors open at 7:00,
Dinner by Farhad Ghatan will be served at 7:30, show starts at 8:00.

Devorah will be accompanied by two musicians.
"She really connects with the audience, and she has fun doing her show. The variety of songs will please everyone. From Broadway show tunes to folk songs to original music, there is something for everyone."

This is a fund-raiser for the Mullis Center. Tickets are $50 each and include show and dinner. Call Vikki at 378-2677 or stop by the Mullis Center to pick up your tickets NOW.

Bird Sightings at Ten Four Farm

FANFARE ~ JAMES A. MERGER

Yesterday I saw three Trumpeter Swans circle low in an upward spiral from the lake and then fly off over head. This afternoon when the sun came out, just as I opened the door to go out onto the porch, I saw a Great Blue Heron stretched out tall in an elegant curving line, golden in the afternoon sun and not more than 30 feet from me. I froze. Then I watched the magnificent being lift off reshaping the calligraphy of its body into a prehistoric profile.

Meger's "Fanfare" print size 33" x 18 1/2" of three Trumpeter Swans in flight over a large wetland has been published to benefit the swans by supporting The Trumpeter Swan Society. The Trumpeter Swan Society (TTSS) is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to assuring the vitality and welfare of wild Trumpeter Swan populations.

link to: The Trumpeter Swan Society

A Day at the Lake

Ten Four Farm ~ Lake and Pond

Here is the view from Jeannie's Dining Room. I haven't seen any swans yet. My trusty companion is a Jack Russel terrier named Stella.

Once I got the hang of the television remote control I became absorbed by the Iowa Caucus. Having served as Precinct Committee Person a few times for our own Washington State caucus here on San Juan Island I encourage you all to participate. Last time my neighborhood sent delegates for John Kerry and Dennis Kucinich to the state convention. Our caucus will be held on February 9th 2008.

Link to: Register to Vote!

Notes From Ten Four Farm

TEN FOUR FARM

Four and Ten of Ten Four Farm
photo credit: Jean Turner and Steve Schram

For the next 20 some days I will be bringing my blog updates in from Ten Four Farm where I will be holding down the fort for friends who are visiting Hawaii. The Farm is named Ten Four after these two handsome specimens on Jean & Steve's Christmas Card. The house looks toward a lake that was created by the original owners who called it Paradise Farm and Lake. The lake has also been called Woods Lake after former owners. The Farm and Lake are private property off Wold Road.

Before the lake was created it was a wetland and remains natural habitat to birds including migrating Trumpeter Swans and Great Blue Heron. I'm taking my camera and also my watercolors. I'm sure I will also have to experiment channel surfing that TV with all those many stations. As a non-TV owner this holds a certain fascination. I'll try not to turn into a total couch spud but this time of year some potato like behavior is bound to take hold. I know, I need to get back to my Island History where last I described the unlucky casualty of the Pig War, Mr. Giffin's Berkshire Boar. I promise you a dispatch soon regarding the demise of that famous hog.