Thursday Thirteen 43 - It's Not Me It's You

Once again, y'all are getting random 13 crap that catches my fancy. Cause I just do not have it in me to come up with an actual theme. Cause I suck like that, mmk?

1. First up. Watch this. It's weird. It's catchy. It grows on you like fungus. And it has cowbell!


Prozzac



2. I went to the hypnotist yesterday for help with the diet and exercise to deal with the diabetes. I'll actually blog about that tomorrow, but here is a random little tidbit of info for you. When you are done with hypnosis it actually feels like you have been asleep for hours. That whole puffy face, blinkie, I have been out of it for 12 hours feeling. Yesterday was the first session so it was fairly quick. 27 minutes on CD. But man oh man does it do the trick. I passed up chocolate cake today. With cheese cake filling! And it was not at all painful. Much like when I quit smoking it was like, "Cake. Eh."

3. WTF is in Paula Abdul's coke cup. And can I have some? And why is she dressed up like Alice In Wonderland's elder twin tonight?

4. David Cook better win this mother or I am gonna riot.



5. This summer is shaping up to be almost too good as far as music. Guess who was just announced? Billy Idol. Mom is thinking of taking Dad cause he LOVES Billy and Kidlet and I are so frickin there. It's a nice day, indeed!



6. Kidlet, lovely (grrr) child of mine is out on a school night. Where you might ask? Well her dad aka Intelman, has pre-early premiere passes for...Iron Man. SO FRICKIN JEALOUS!!



7. I do not much care for turkey. Thanksgiving once a year with left overs maybe once after that is usually plenty for me. Which makes the fact that I am currently addicted to Turkey burgers all the more bizarre. With no mayo on them. WTF?! If I were not me, I'd be thinking POD PERSON.

8. So apparently there is going to be a Jimi Hendrix sex tape released. I have heard that the clothes come off during his menage a trois...but the headband stays on. Bold As Love.

9. The Five Dollar Foot Long Subway song is horrifyingly catchy. Kidlet and I sing it. We are easily amused.

10. I am addicted to Origins Spring Fever perfume.

11. I am also addicted to POM Light Orange Blossom Tea. OMFG. I could swim in it. Sugar and aspartame and splenda free no less.

12. I am exploring other forms of sweetner other than Splenda. I currently use Stevia liquid for teas and coffee. The other I am trying in powdered form is
Xylitol.

13. WAZ is an American singer songwriter hailing from Cleveland. I dig his music. He was with Pete Yorn for a couple years and now his own tune are available on iTunes. I dig this one and Sweet Bye and Bye. Go check him out. Spend a buck, get a song, nuture real talent. Go!

WW - 51 Baby Just Sing About The Groove!

So it ain't wordless. I frickin LOVE this song :P

"Demented And Sad, But Social."

Trav has come up with a pretty slick little trivia meme. And I LOVES me some trivia. I think the reason I can't find my keys so often is the space to remember them in my brain is taken up by useless knowledge. Here are the rules:

1. Choose a category from one of these: Television, Stage & Screen, Nightly News, Publishing, Lives & Times, Music

2. Find 8 bits of trivia about your selected category

3. Be sure to let me know when...ok, if...you decide to play along so I can see what you come up with.

4. You may tag, or simply offer the meme for borrowing or stealing as you like.

I was tickled pink to get this one. In fact, you might say I was tickled
Pretty In Pink...cause mine is 8 Bit's O Trivia about John Hughes and his movies!


1. The original ending of Pretty In Pink depicted Duckie getting the girl. However, the test audiences said they would have preferred to see Blane win Andie's heart. Additionally, Molly Ringwald was sick during the filming of the ending and John Hughes wasn't satisfied with the editing. He was also concerned that audiences would take the original ending as a message that poor people and rich people don't belong together. - Proof positive that test audiences have their heads up their asses. I am pissed to this day she ended up with Rich Boy. Duckie Owns!

2. Pretty In Pink is Molly Ringwald's favorite of all of her movies. Molly had several to pick from. She was John's go to girl for several movies. Of the all of The Brat Packers Molly and Anthony Michael Hall were in the most Hughes movies. Twice with each other.

3. The Breakfast Club is the inspiration for today's post title. It is one of many great lines from Judd Nelson. In fact, Nelson made up many of the terms used in the movie, including "Neo-Maxi Zoomdweebie." - Judd was not the original choice to play Criminal John Bender. Nic Cage, John Cusack, and even Emilio was in the running at times. Personally I think Judd nailed the role. He was perfect. And Zoomdweebie kicks ass. More than any other Hughes movie this one is my all time favorite. I remember seeing this one with my friends. Heck I even remember what I was wearing!

4. The movie opens with a quote from David Bowie's Changes on the album Hunky Dory.

And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're going through

5. At the beginning of The Breakfast Club there are some shots of the school building right before the kids show up for detention. Written on a wall is, "I don't like Mondays" which refers to a girl named Brenda Spencer. Brenda went over to an Elementary School across the street from her house and began to shoot anyone she saw there. She injured some students, and she killed the principal and custodian. When asked why she did it, she said, "I don't like Mondays". The incident also inspired the Boomtown Rats' hit "I Don't Like Mondays."

6. Sixteen Candles is yet another offering featuring Molly and Anthony Michael Hall. Both Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall were 16 years old upon release of Sixteen Candles. They originally did not get along. Hughes took them to a music store and they discovered they had similar musical taste and began to get along. So much so that by the time they filmed The Breakfast Club they were dating.

7. Brother and sister John and Joan Cusack co-star in Sixteen Candles. John is Bryce, one of Anthony Michael Hall's geeky friends. Joan is the geeky girl seen on the bus, and having trouble sipping water from a drinking fountain.

8. And for our last trivia question we have Ferris Buellers Day Off. What can be said about this movie that would do it justice? Hughes wrote the script in 6 days. Six freakin days!! There are inside jokes abounding in the movie. The school scenes were filmed in the same location as The Breakfast Club. And the movies cars all have license plates are Hughes movie abbreviations. Katie's = VCTN (National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)); Jeannie's = TBC (The Breakfast Club (1985)); Tom's = MMOM (Mr. Mom (1983)); Rooney's = 4FBDO (Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)). The exception is Cameron's Ferrari (seen when Ferris first pulls out of the garage), the license plate of which reads NRVOUS.

The Tide Is High But I'm Holding On

Kidlet and I saw Forgetting Sarah Marshall last night and it was hysterical. Russell Brand killed me. I actually liked it better than The 40 Year Old Virgin. I totally recommend it. You might think twice about taking the youngsters if you have issues with sex and nudity though cause you pretty much get to see all of Jason Segel. Mine's morally bankrupt so I said fuck it and took her. Her favorite movie is Rocky Horror and has been since she was 5. She's a lost moral cause :P

Mila Kunis was great, I loved her in That 70's Show and it was fun to see her in something else, especially where she can play smart. Paul Rudd had a small but STELLAR role as the hotel's stoner surf guy and he and Russell Brand pretty much stole the show. Kristen Bell was great as the morally challenged starfucker of the title role. And there is a musical within it that can not be described, it has to be seen. Gothic Neil Diamond. Oh yeah.

PLUS...the ending credits have "Nothing Compares To You" sung in Hawaiian by Don Ho's son. Really, what more do you need? I happily paid full price for this movie and would again in a heartbeat. It's an owner.

*grumbles*

At work today. Damn, how did I do this virtually every weekend for 5 years?! It sucks! We actually are getting a break in the weather here today and it sould be 70. I am happy about that. Of course it is supposed to go back to 20 degrees below average next week.

*Plants tongue firmly in cheek....no not that one, Matt* ...I love this state.

Got a shit ton of new medicines courtesy of going to the doctors. The diabetes is back which I am not surprised about. You can't blow up a third of your pancreas and get away with it for the rest of your life. I was acutally on insulin during my pregnancy but I got a good run after that. Age and weight was bound to get me at some point. On the plus side, I am a model patient when it comes to that. I had lovely sugars the entire time I was pregnant and the ADA diet is pretty easy to follow. And they didn't give me the meds that make you gain weight. WTF is up with medicines for Diabetes that MAKE you gain weight. They are the new ones of course with the lovely black box warnings. Gimme the old fashioned shit, kthx. I was guinea pig for Sony Games I would rather NOT be one for Big Pharma.

So my week has been all about the doctors and the pharmacy. Joy Joy. Kidlet is in a splint for the next 3 weeks. She did not pop the tendon but she mangled the joint pretty darn good.

Tonight, we are seeing a movie. Mostly likely Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but possibly Harold and Kumar. I admit it, I love Harold and Kumar. Sue me :P

TT 42 -If You Don't Have Mojo Nixon Then Your Store Could Use Some Fixin

You Are Punk Music

You've thought long and hard about what mainstream society has to offer... And you've pretty much decided that most normal things aren't for you. You're creative, expressive, and likely to do things yourself. You are a rebel and a fighter. You'll defend your point of view to anyone.

What Kind of Music Are You?

I should have named Kidlet Minnie Pearl!

Your Love Song Is

Wonderwall by Oasis "I'm sure you've heard it all before But you never really had a doubt I don't believe that anybody feels The way I do about you now" You know what you want - but does that person want you?

What Love Song Are You?

Ahh The Uni-Brau Brothers!

You Are Disturbingly Profound

You're contemplative, thoughtful, and very intense. Taking time to figure out the meaning of life is a priority for you. Because you're so introspective, you often react in ways that surprise people. No one can really understand how you are on the inside... and that disturbs them.

Are You Disturbingly Profound or Profoundly Disturbing?

Do You Want To Touch My Monkey?

You Are 24% Slacker

You have a few slacker tendencies, but overall you tend not to slack. You know how to relax when the time is right, but you aren't lazy!

Are You a Slacker?

But reality really does bite.

Your Goth Name is:

Cat Chaos

What's Your Goth Name?

Whoever wrote this wouldn't know Byron if he bit them on the ass :P

Your Penis Name Is...

Captain Kirk

Penis Name Generator

I KNEW I was getting someone else's email....

Your 2005 Song Is

"My automobile is a piece of crap My fashion sense is a little whack And my friends are just as screwy as me" Beverly Hills - Weezer You breezed through 2005 in your own funky style!

What Hit Song of 2005 Are You?

I love Rivers. Such a freak. Pork and Beans!

You Belong in San Diego

Laid back and friendly, you were meant to live most of your life on the beach. You usually think everything is "all good"... except when the weather dips under 60F. You stay classy - especially when you're in Tijuana!

Where Does Your Inner Californian Belong?

I could live in San Diego.

What Your Pizza Reveals

People may tell you that you have a small appetite... but you aren't under eating. You just aren't a pig. You aren't particularly picky about pizza. It's so good... how could you be? You fit in best in the Western part of the US. You like food that's traditional and well crafted. You aren't impressed with "gourmet" foods. You are generous, outgoing, and considerate with your choices. You are definitely unique and artistically inclined. You should consider traveling to Prague. The stereotype that best fits you is geek. You're the type most likely to order pizza to avoid leaving your computer.

What Does Your Pizza Say About You?

I HAVE ordered pizza to avoid leaving my computer!

Your Boobies' Names Are...

Blouse bunnies

Boobie Name Generator

Beats Thumper and Bambi!

Your Inner Retro Girl Is

1980s Goth Girl

What Retro Girl Are You?

The fact that the 80's are retro make me weep!

Your Taste in Music:

80's Alternative: Highest Influence 80's Pop: Highest Influence 80's Rock: Highest Influence 90's Alternative: Highest Influence 90's Pop: Highest Influence

How's Your Taste in Music?

LOL..they only HAD stuff from the 80's and 90's!

You Should Travel to India

You're a passionate, gusty traveler - and India's gritty urban centers won't scare you away. Maybe you'll take in the Taj Mahal, eat the best curry of your life, or attend a huge street festival.

What Asian Country Should You Visit?

And this one is dead on, I have always wanted to go to India.

Picture Book, A Holiday In August - WW 50

More Kidlet pictures from our country drives

If You Should Go Skating On The Thin Ice Of Modern Life

Made my hotel reservations for Seattle right now. Just waiting for the other shoe to drop :P

Of course if it did it would drop on Kidlet's finger. Which she jammed in basketball today. So she was in pain from 10:30 to 3:30 when she missed the bus and called me. We just got home from Urgent Care and then dinner. Guess what? We get to go back and visit her ortho doc again! The xray did not show a fracture but there is tremendous soft tissue damage and they want to to a retake when the swelling goes down and be sure her joint is ok. It has this nasty red line of bleeding showing behind the joint and looks pretty gnarly. Not surprisingly she has a nasty headache. So tonight is hot bath and advil for her.

Watching Metallica's Some Kind of Monster. There is something so NOT Metal about watching Metallica AND Dave Mustaine talking about validating their feelings. They should rename it Some Kind of Midol. Sand in the pussy of the worlds greatest Metal band. Not cool.

BONES...love me some David Boreanaz.

Get Her Jacked Up On Some Cheap Champagne

Since I seem to be hugely lazy on weekends and always end up on YouTube I am once again inflicting my musical schizophrenia :P

First up, Scissor Sisters aka Elton John's Love Children - Take Your Mama Out.



Time for some Ranking Roger. One of the better of the 2 Tone Ska bands and one I went on a quest to find albums for, The English Beat - Save It For Later. I love this video and the nod to 60's Quarryman in the Casbah look.



Next up General Public - Tenderness. Probably the more talented of the two splinter groups that formed from the break up of The English Beat.



And not to play favorites, Fine Young Cannibals - She Drives Me Crazy. Loved the video on this one too.



Here is an obscure little band from the 80's. God Bless MTV, Randy and Don for broadening my musical horizons circa 1983 Haircut 100 - Love Plus One.



Since I appear to be trapped in 80's England guess we need to slap this one up. Dad will approve! Adam and the Ants - Stand and Deliver.



And finally some of the shiniest Euro Fag Dance Music out there. And that term is courtesy of my Amero Fag friends, so chill out PC police! I love every song I have up here today, but this one is hands down my favorite. Plus after watching the seriously fucking depressing documentary on Syd Barrett I could use me some sugar. Me loves ya Andy!

Erasure - Chains Of Love

You Put The Boom Boom Into My Heart

For the recorded the weather here STILL SUCKS ASS... and I am still cranky. BUT...on to the more fun things (which would not include Harley puking again, lord please let it be a garden variety vomit) such as getting my George Michael tickets and my Rush tickets.

How's that for a dichotomy? Rush and George Michael. I have multiple musical personality. Rush is the beginning of June and George is July 2nd in Seattle. So kidlet and I are going to go up on Amtrak the morning of the second. We are seeing George that night and then the next day we are spending at the Music Experience Hendrix exhibit and probably doing some sort of outrageous seafood dinner. The 4th we are going to chill out at Pikes and then watch the fireworks over Elliot Bay. Sat the 5th we will be heading back home.

Unless of course Harley decides to puke up a spleen again and we get to give a fortune to the Vet.

Ya know there was more I was going to write about but apparently early senility is setting in cause I totally spaced it. Acutally I blame TLC's Trading Spaces cause there is this fat asshat whiner who doesn't seem to get that part of the deal of trading spaces is, duh, YOU work. He thinks he's more talented as a designer (doesn't actually do that for a living mind you) than the professional on the show.

Plus he has that patchy pubic like facial hair from circa 1991 and he just annoys me :P

Work, LardAss, Work!

WTF Is Wrong With This Place

It's April 20th. It is snowing. I fucking loathe this state. That is all.

Drink Your Big Black Cow And Get Out Of Here -WW 49

ALL PICS BY THE AMAZING KIDLETBEAN. (happy now :P)

My favorite. View of flowers from a pioneer grave.



Mr. Moo did NOT like Sisters Of Mercy.




Now you know how Tippi Hedron felt in The Birds.



Bubbles at the beach!

I'll Fly Away

Attention my little musically obsessed friends and bloggers. I have come across a really nifty little site called Muxtape where you can create and post your very own mix tapes! They even create amazon links should you wish to buy the songs on people's tapes. Go forth and create a mixtape and I will create a sidebar with links to our "albums."

Mine can be found here: Starrlight's Sunday Morning Mix

My Friends Got A Boyfriend And She Hates That Dick

Kidlet and I are surfing YouTube. You poor fuckers get to deal with the fall out. Then we are gonna watch spoooky vampires in alaska 30 Days of Night. Hope it don't suck. No pun intended.




This Honkey's Gone To Heaven!



Hooray For Boobies!



Gotta Launder My Karma



Daft!



Mott!



And last but not least my favorite Furs song.

Right Hand On My Heart

New music! This is a band out of Athens Georgia call The Whigs.

Athens gets music right an awful lot of the time. Has a classic southern vibe to it. Really liking this one!

TT 41 - I Wanna Sleep With Common People

So this weeks TT has no theme. It's utterly and totally themeless and I ain't even gonna try to work a common thread. This is 13 totally random shat's to be exact. Starting with...

1. The Shat! The Shat Singing! Seriously...I bring you William Shatner singing Pulp's Common People. With Joe Jackson. And Ben Folds! WTF?!!!?



2. Rachel "Yum-No!" Rey and her fallen souffle boobie. This is for you Matty! And thanks to Perez for the commentary.



3. I LOVE this commercial. The Loaf and Tiffany?! Hell to the yes.



4.Bret Michael scares the living shit out of me. Found this write up on The Phoenix. Bret made the unsexy list. Allow me to quote

POISON PENIS
Oh, for the love of Christ, someone put this guy out of his misery. After two seasons of Rock of Love, the end (of Bret’s pecker) can’t be far off, given the parade of freakish plastic-surgery disasters and Hazmat porn stars who’ve lap-danced their way on set for a chance to tongue the toad and maybe land a croaky, personalized rendition of “Every Rose Has Its Thorn.” Once accustomed to sloppy seconds, Michaels is now just sloppy: lumpy and oily, headband wound tight to cloak oddly shaped ears and rat’s-nest hair extensions. He resembles Goldie Hawn on steroids, or maybe a swollen bear cub tangled up in a camper’s leftover potty bandana.

That made me laugh :P

5. Speaking of retread "star" penis, there is not enough money on the entire planet to get me to tongue Flavor Flav. Sorry Flav but apparently hygiene is a joke as well. Mercy.

6. I made pancakes and bacon tonight for dinner. It was the yum.

7. I adore Talladega Nights. Fucking adore it. I don't care what people say I love that movie. Shake and Bake! We just watched.

8. First off, I am Trekkie over a Ewok dweeb. But...and I know I am bad...I think I like TNG better. Don't hate me!

9. Before Sir Bob was saving Africa one Live event at a time, he was wearing bolo ties and singing this.



10. Hey Neutrogena. I know what ages our skin. It's age you fucking retards.

11. Kidlet is cute. A smartass, but cute. She does give good back rubs and makes a mean pot of coffee so she gets to live.

12. We have renamed our cat Gabriel "hole butt" because he is too ass backwards to be a butt hole.

13. And last but not least I bring you Achmed the Dead Terrorist. You heard it here first, bitches. Props to the Kidlet! Word Up YO! (seriously, watch this, I bet you pee yourselves laughing)



And finally an extra for you all. Tonight is Idol gives back. Great cause and donating is easy. Go here

Wordless Wednesday # 48- Truly, I Have No Words For This

Have they forgotten this?



Credit goes to the ex husband for sending this. I just don't know what the IOC was thinking. It's like deciding to host the 1976 Games in Cambodia!

I Wish I Was Like You, Easily Amused

What else should I be
All apologies
What else should I say
Everyone is gay
What else could I write
I don’t have the right
What else should I be
All apologies

In the sun
In the sun I feel as one
In the sun
In the sun
Married
Buried

I wish I was like you
Easily amused
Find my nest of salt
Everything is my fault
I’ll take all the blame
Aqua seafoam shame
Sunburn, freezeburn
Choking on the ashes of her enemy

All in all is all we are

1967-1994

You Can't Always Get What You Want

As most of my regular bloggy peeps (yes you are all fluffy sugary candy chickens that could survive a nuclear war. Except Sparky who is of course a Duck) I won tickets to Coachella. Two 3 Day passes to be specific. The suck part is that I can't make it. But I can sell them and go see Gorgeous George this summer. Heck I can see Georgie AND the B52's. So I can find the good part.

The Verve...Love and Rockets...Roger Waters.....sniff sniff.....

Ok done bitching.

It appears Kidlet found her camera uploader doo hickey and has her pictures on her photobucket account. Which means I can use them for Wordless this week! We spent the weekend at the beach and had a true bird lovefest. You shall see. Hitchcock would LOVE it. I also have a few pix from the PUSA show and the Flogging Molly meet and great.

I am soo sleepy tonight! Not sure why cause I got decent sleepy. I think the weather roller coaster is taking it's toll. It was super cold at the beach. It is, shocker, gonna rain here all week and it is still not much over 50. For April that is cold =(

Another bright spot of the week was having the prestigious COW award given to me this weekend by the one, the only Matt Man. Matty, that entrepreneurial boy is branching out to the online matchmaker world. I, being a showboater, felt the need to send in my personal ad. Matt liked it (and the fact I was nuts enough to send it in the first place) enough to give me this!



*Princess Wave*

MLK - They Could Not Take Your Pride

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King. Most people don't realize that Martin was branching out at the time of his death to dealing with an issue he considered key for equality for all people; poverty.


"The curse of poverty has no justification in our age. It is socially as cruel and blind as the practice of cannibalism at the dawn of civilization, when men ate each other because they had not yet learned to take food from the soil or to consume the abundant animal life around them. The time has come for us to civilize ourselves by the total, direct and immediate abolition of poverty."

Martin Luther King, Jr., Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?, 1967.


While I am sure Martin would be thrilled to see not only a black man, but a woman as a serious contender for the Presidency, I can't help but think how disappointed he would be at the state of poverty in this world. Particularly in Africa.

So today, I am asking you all to do something more than just get chills listening to his words as they will surely be replayed over and over on the news channels. Today, try BEING his words.

Further on down I have posted the call script and instruction for you to contact your House and Senate reps and ask them to vote for the Jubilee Act.

The Jubilee Act striving to overturn debts wracked up by corrupt governments. How fair is it to make current governments, and the people of these countries pay back debts that were wracked up by dictators and given by first world nations with dubious intent. The money was not used for the people, it was used for a select few. The principal of odious debt is that there are certain types of debt that are morally unjust. It is in fact a legal principal. Here is an excerpt from JubileeUsa.


"Odious debt is an established legal principle. Legally, debt is to be considered odious if the government used the money for personal purposes or to oppress the people. Moreover, in cases where borrowed money was used in ways contrary to the people’s interest, with the knowledge of the creditors, the creditors may be said to have committed a hostile act against the people. Creditors cannot legitimately expect repayment of such debts.

The United States set the first precedent of odious debt when it seized control of Cuba from Spain. Spain insisted that Cuba repay the loans made to them by Spain. The U.S. repudiated (refused to pay) that debt, arguing that the debt was imposed on Cuba by force of arms and served Spain’s interest rather than Cuba’s, and that the debt therefore ought not be repaid. This precedent was upheld by international law in Great Britain v. Costa Rica (1923) when money was put to use for illegitimate purposes with full knowledge of the lending institution; the resulting debt was annulled."

Here are further facts that detail what Debt Cancellation is really about, morally and monetarily. Please read and then further down you will find a call script and step by step easy to follow instructions (complete with phone numbers) for contacting your Senators and House Reps. Please call them today and ask that they support The Jubilee Act.

Why Drop The Debt?


"Must we starve our children to pay our debts?"
Julius Nyerere, former President of Tanzania

In the world's most impoverished nations, the majority of the populations do not have access to clean water, adequate housing or basic health care. These countries are paying debt service to wealthy nations and institutions at the expense of providing these basic services to their citizens. The United Nations Development Program estimated in 2003 that 30,000 children die each day due to preventable diseases. Debt service payments take resources that impoverished countries could use to cure preventable diseases. Debt cancellation frees up resources to reverse this devastating reality.

They Are Already Paid
These nations have already paid back their debts time and again. The debt crisis set in when interest rates skyrocketed and compound interest made repayment impossible.

FACT: From 1970-2002, Africa received some $540 billion in loans and paid back $550 billion in principal and interest. Yet Africa remains today with a debt stock of $295 billion.

Strings Attached
The conditions that come with new loans and debt relief hurt the poor. Debt relief under the current program keeps essential human services, like primary health and education and access to safe water, out of reach of the impoverished majority.

FACT: Debt relief is conditioned on requirements that countries limit government spending, private basic services, and/or change trade and investment rules.

Don't Owe

Much of the debt is a result of "bad faith" lending including:
-The practice of pushing loans on developing nations because banks had too much money and had to lend it
-Knowingly lending to corrupt governments for political purposes
-Lending with conditions ensuring profits return to the creditors

Some debt also resulted from stolen wealth or loans that served the purposes of the elite and not the people. Other debt resulted from irresponsible projects that failed to serve a greater purpose or caused harm to the people or the environment.

This is why debt campaigns from around the world say, "Don't Owe, Won't Pay!"


The Bible Tells Us So
Texts in both the Hebrew Scriptures and throughout the New Testament call for debt cancellation and the righting of relationships every seven years with a super Jubilee every 50th year.

The practice of debt cancellation can also be found in history among early Pagan kings. The Qu'ran also challenges debt by harshly criticizing usury.


"Proclaim liberty throughout the lands
and to all the inhabitants thereof,
it shall be a jubilee for you."
Leviticus 25:10

Debt Cancellation is Adding by Subtracting
Debt cancellation allows countries to access their own resources for poverty eradication. Savings from debt service can now be allocated for health care, education, fighting HIV/AIDS and more.

FACT: Experts estimate it would take an annual commitment of $18 billion a year to reverse the AIDS crisis in Africa that claims 7,000 lives a day. Sub-Saharan Africa pays almost $13 billion in debt service to the wealthy nations and institutions every year. Just do the math.

Debt Sucks
Debt sucks the natural resources out of a country, forcing countries to become dependent on international creditors for more aid and new loans.

"Debt is tearing down schools, clinics and hospitals and the effects are no less devastating than war."
Dr. Adabayo Adedeji, African Center for Development Strategy

Debt is a New Kind of Slavery
International debt slavery means that countries are caught in a debt trap that they can't escape. The debt trap is composed of economic conditions that take away a country’s sovereignty and freedom. When countries are enslaved by debt they can't improve the lives of their citizens nor gain control over their own futures.

"Every child in Africa is born with a financial burden which a lifetime's work cannot repay. The debt is a new form of slavery as vicious as the slave trade."
All Africa Council of Churches

Debt Relief Lessens Dependence on Foreign Aid
Currently, our foreign aid frees up money for countries to pay back their debts to other wealthy nations and international banks. Debt cancellation would help ensure that new funds can be used effectively for poverty eradication, ultimately lessening countries’ dependence on aid.

FACT: Africa pays more in debt service than it receives in aid, new loans and assistance.

Debt Cancellation Gets Results
The small amount of debt cancellation given so far has achieved startling results, including more than doubling school enrollment in Uganda, vaccinating five hundred thousand children in Mozambique and adding three more years of schooling for Honduran children. But much more must be done!

FACT: After debt relief and the elimination of school fees, 1.5 million children returned to school in Tanzania almost overnight.

You Have the Power
Ordinary Americans, working with partners around the world, can generate the political will needed to achieve full debt cancellation. The United States has the most influence of any nation over creditors and international banks. Our Congress could leverage full debt cancellation for impoverished countries. However, they won’t act unless they think you care.

FACT: The progress Jubilee USA has made so far toward debt cancellation could never have happened without the concern and action of people like you. You have the power to make freedom from debt a reality. Join us today!

The time to act is now: House vote expected in early April 2008!
CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE & SENATORS!Urge Your Rep to vote "YES" on the Jubilee Act (HR2634)

HOUSE CALL-IN: HR2634
1. Find out who your Representative is by entering your zip code at www.house.gov (upper left corner).

2. Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121.

3. Ask to be connected to your Representative's office. The receptionist will answer. Introduce yourself as (your name) a constituent from (city, state).

4. I am calling today to urge Representative________ to vote yes on the Jubilee Act (HR2634), which will be considered on the House floor in early April. This bill would expand eligibility for debt cancellation to 67 impoverished countries. Without debt cancellation these 67 countries will not be able to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). (If you’d like, add an additional sentence about why this issue is important to you). Do you know how Representative _________ plans to vote on the Jubilee Act?

5. Be sure to thank the receptionist when you are finished.

6. Email Policy Fellow Danielle Pals at Jubilee with the results of your call at danielle@jubileeusa.org. This will enable us to register your Representative’s support/opposition and follow up with the office if necessary.


SENATE CALL-IN: S2166
1. Find out who your Senator is by selecting your state from the drop down menu at www.senate.gov (upper right corner).

2. Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121.

3. Ask to be connected to your Senator's office. The receptionist will answer. Introduce yourself as (your name), a constituent from (city, state).

4. I am calling today to urge Senator________ to co-sponsor the Jubilee Act, S2166. This bill would expand eligibility for debt cancellation to 67 impoverished countries. I urge Senator __________ to co-sponsor this important legislation. Without debt cancellation these 67 countries will not be able to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). (You can stop there, or add an additional sentence about why this issue is important to you).

5. Be sure to thank the receptionist when you are finished.

6. Email Policy Fellow Danielle Pals at danielle(at)jubileeusa.org with the results of your call. You can reach Danielle. This will enable us to register your Senator’s support/opposition and follow up with the office if necessary.

Thank you for making the call against debt. Your call really does make a difference! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Jubilee’s Advocacy Fellow Danielle Pals at danielle(at)jubileeusa.org or 202-783-0215.

TT # 40 - Two Lost Souls Swimming In A Fish Bowl

I have done these twice before and they have been some of my favorite Thursday Thirteens. It's no secret to people who know me, music is my life. I am pretty sure that without constant tunes, I'd lose my tiny baby mind. So enjoy the following 13 quotes from some of my favorite musicians. And yes, I own music from each and every one of these.

1. "I wasn't always this introverted." - Syd Barret, original Pink Floyd member. Side note today's post title is from the song Wish You Were Here. My favorite song and an ode to Syd after his mental breakdown. Syd recently passed away. Shine on you crazy diamond.

2. "If you love God, burn a church." - Jello Biafra, lead singer Dead Kennedys. Patron saint of Cali punk who regularly holiday's in Cambodia.

3. "I drink because I'm thirsty." - Shane MacGowan, singer, poet, drunkard, Irishman and heart and soul of The Pogues.

4. "I don't like nostalgia unless it's mine." - Lou Reed, still walking on the wild side.

5. "If you die you're completely happy and your soul somewhere lives on. I'm not afraid of dying. Total peace after death, becoming someone else is the best hope I've got." - Kurt Cobain, sacrificial lamb.

6. "I believe that music is connected by human passions and curiosities rather than by marketing strategies." - Elvis Costello, pioneer punk still rockin his red shoes.

7. "I've written so many songs about Englishmen, I've had to go elsewhere." - Ray Davies, overlooked genius and well respected man of The Kinks.

8. "With The Simpsons you can go back to work with a keen heart." - Joe Strummer, frickin genious and Clash City Rocker.

9. "Everybody loves you when you're six foot in the ground." - John Lennon. Nothing else needed.

10. "It's an art to live with pain... mix the light into gray." - Eddie Vedder, lead singer Pearl Jam, champion of gray.

11. "Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine." - Elvis Aaron Presley, The King and Race Car Driver.

12. "Your anger is a gift." - Zack de la Rocha, still raging.

13. "Music really becomes the soundtrack to the major events to your life." - Sheryl Crow, songbird.

Wordless Wednesday #47- Come With Me I'll Show You Where The Dogwood Blooms

Shh...don't tell, I am kind wording this week on my Wordless. This is a meme I have seen floating around the web, most recently over at Cajunvegan's and I have been playing around with it. Basically you choose a 6 word life motto and include a visual. This one is no brainer. I'd also like to quote the Dali Lama who said, "Choose to be optimistic, it feels better"