Month: December 2014

AZ Lege 2015: the first one out of the gate is…

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By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

Well, you can tell the start of a new legislative session is nigh when legislators start “pre-filing” bills.

Generally speaking, such early bills are no more successful than bills that are filed once the session starts (for various reasons, most bill proposals don’t go anywhere).

However, they serve as good discussion fodder during the political equivalent of baseball’s “hot stove” season.

This year, the first legislator to have bills posted on the lege’s website is Representative, and soon-to-be State Senator, John Kavanagh (R-Fountain Hills).

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The Phoniness of Hope

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I’m generally not big on watching videos online. I’m more of a reader. But this Laura Flanders interview of Chris Hedges is an exception. Hedges is as powerful with the spoken word as he is with the written word, and this video is quite powerful. Hedges and Flanders pack a lot into 20 minutes, all … Read more

Walk around downtown on 1st Saturday Art Walks

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For several years now the Central Tucson Gallery Assn. (CTGA)  has sponsored art walks on the 1st Saturdays of each month, to encourage Tucsonans to visit art galleries and shop local.  Tonight several of these galleries are open from 6 (or 7) p.m. to 9 p.m.

Here’s the list of 17 art galleries included in CTGA: http://firstsaturdayartwalks.com/index.html.  Some are open tonight, others may not be, so check w/ the individual galleries.  Those I know are definitely open tonight:

Baker + Hasseldenz Design, 100 E. 6th St., with art by Norwegian photographer Ole Marius Jørgensen (7 to 10 p.m.)

Conrad Wilde Gallery, 101 W. 6th St. , with a group show by Jessica Drenk, Yechel Gagnon, Marvin Shaver, Victoria May, Pamela Paulsrud, Dave Zaslow

Contreras Gallery, 110 E. 6th St., with art by Tucsonan Ruben Urrea Moreno, “Snakes and Ladders” (see image below)

rubennewart

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Dragonfly Village inspires hope for homeless/low income

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dragonfly-logo

A way out of homelessness and poverty was the message today at the grand opening of the Dragonfly Village and Community Center, 10496 E. Tanque  Verde Road in Tucson, east of Houghton Rd.  Described as a “majestic setting, Dragonfly Village is 30 furnished rental apartments in its own gated communities, utilities are included with studio, 1, 3, and 4 bedrooms. Subsidies & housing vouchers are welcome.”

These 30 units are intended for homeless and low income individuals and families, with leases for transitional stays of 12 months, then 6 months, for no more than 24 months total.

The facility (still in construction) is located on 4.5 acres on the south side of Tanque Verde Road just east of the Agua Caliente Wash, in a lovely, spacious setting. The grand opening, attended by over 60 people was held today for board members, donors, community partners, neighbors, etc. with speakers emphasizing Amity Foundation’s commitment to helping people move from “hopelessness” to “hope” through programs such as these, with quality, affordable rental housing.  Founder Naya Arbiter explained why the dragonfly was chosen for the logo because it is an ancient helpful creature, tied to the Spirit World of the Zuni Indians.

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Congress abdicates its war powers duty, yet again

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“Tony: It’s no use, the man is a complete idiot.

Village Idiot: If only. Now my father, he was a complete idiot. I’m still a half-wit.”

– TV Mini-Series “The 10th Kingdom” (2000)

aquabuddhaThis is the only memorable line I ever remember from this TV show, but I am reminded of it every time I hear that village idiot Aqua Buddha, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), open his mouth to speak.

Aqua Buddha, like his “complete idiot” father Rand Paul, has burnished his credentials as a non-interventionist if not an isolationist in matters of foreign policy.

That was until Aqua Buddha convinced himself, with the cajoling of Beltway media villagers who share his devotion to Ayn Rand and Libertarianism, that he is somehow a credible candidate for president (actually he is just continuing his father’s business of shaking down the rubes for money every four years).

Now this non-interventionist/isolationist wants a declaration of war against ISIS, or ISIL, or IS, or whatever the hell the media is calling them today.

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