Dr. Omed: WHITE CROSSES, BLACK RIBBONS, AND CHALK

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 02:51:42 GMT

"RECOGNIZED AS INDISPENSABLE BY CIVILIZED PEOPLES"

RELEVANT PORTION OF ARTICLE 3 OF THE GENEVA CONVENTION:

In the case of armed conflict…each Party to the conflict shall be bound to apply, as a minimum, the following provisions:
(1) Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction founded on race, colour, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria. To this end the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with respect to the above-mentioned persons:
(a) violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture;
(b) taking of hostages;
(c) outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment;
(d) the passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court affording all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples.

This is the infamously unclear Article 3 cited by George W. Bush as "vague" and "subject to interpretation." You don't have to consult 50 years of case law and commentary by military lawyers. Almost every citizen who has not been hypnotized by Fox News or Talk Radio knows what cruel, humiliating, and degrading treatment is because we all have been humiliated, degraded, and treated cruelly at one time or another in some way or another, especially those of us who are non-rich, non-white, non-Christian, and non-conforming—You don't have to be an ex-POW to figure it out, though I imagine being locked in a concrete box for years at a time might clarify the issue for you.

Outrages against personal dignity abound in these United States after five long years of fear-mongering and war—What? You haven't have been taken aside at an airport security checkpoint and subjected to a strip search, and had the contents of your luggage tossed like a Caesar salad? Travel by air? You'll get your turn.

Never been profiled and pulled over by a traffic cop? Why, you must be as pretty as Ann Coulter or as studly as Karl Rove. Never been sexually harassed by a boss? Maybe you aren't as pretty as Ann or as studly as Karl.

Have you never been laid off, or outright fired, had your desk rifled and your personal things tossed in a box by the herpie (human resources person) and marched publicly from the building, all or in part because you did not participate with sufficient slavish enthusiasm in the workplace consensus reality, which very often has a religious or political dimension? If you are a true blue citizen living behind the Fox Curtain in Red America working as a corporate janissary to make a living and feed your family, it's likely you have, maybe more than once.

Never had your campaign signs stolen, your bumper sticker peeled off, your flyers ripped up or tossed in the dumpster, received anonymous threats through your mail slot, or otherwise had your right of free speech abrogated or suppressed? You must be a Republican. Or else you aren't trying hard enough.

We haven't even gotten to the really outrageous outrages against personal dignity. But sometimes it's the little things that really shake you. I was walking my beagle one night last week, and 3 policemen pulled up to say "Hi" one after another over the course of a few blocks. The reason, I suspect, is that I was wearing my digital camera on a lanyard around my neck, and carrying a small collaspible tripod, some neighbor or other saw the glint of metal, and called it in. That's how bad the fear has gotten. I had my camera and tripod because I wanted to take some pictures of some neon signs on the main avenue on the way home (which I did). When the last cop slowed to a stop beside me, I was beginning feel some personal outrage, and I said with some exasperation, "Is it illegal to walk my dog?" All he said was, "It's dark out here," and slowly pulled away.

Fear is what the man I am ashamed to call the President is selling. It is an outrage against the dignity of our nation. What has been called into question in this matter is not the character or motives of George W. Bush, it is our character as the people of this nation. Will we chose to live in and act out of fear? Then we have lost the war, no matter how many terrorists we torture and kill. Are we a civilized people, or not?

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 22:07:36 GMT

"We must also provide our military and intelligence professionals

the tools they need to keep our country safe."

George W. Bush

TOOL

TOOLS

NEW TOOLS

OLD TOOLS

PROFESSIONALS USING TOOLS

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 21:34:46 GMT

What’s happening in Washington now is that the establishment political class—and that includes the military, moderate Republican and Democratic members of Congress, the jabbering pundits and op-ed writers, and the bulk of the thinktank denizens—are coming to grips with the stark fact that the war in Iraq is over. And that the United States has lost. It’s beginning to sink in, but it won’t be confronted directly by the political class until after the November elections. After that, all hell is going to break loose. If the Democrats win back Congress, it will happen faster—but even if the Republicans hang on, the gusting winds on Iraq now buffeting the White House will gather strength to become a full-fledged, Category 5 hurricane.

Richard Dreyfuss, Iraq's Reality Sinks In, September 8, 2006

VIA James Wolcott and TomPaine.com

Wed, 19 Jul 2006 14:19:43 GMT

MADE IN AMERICA?

(6)

This is a case for the flag from a soldier's coffin, a soldier who died in the service of our country, most likely in a foreign land. As you can see, pilgrims and seekers, this case is made to fit the triangle into which the white gloved honor guard folds and presents Old Glory, in solemn ritual, to a grieving widow, father, or mother. This case also has space for display of the dead soldier's decorations, and a photo of the soldier in dress uniform, as represented here by images printed on slick paper. This case is sold by Micheal's, a chain box store that sells arts and crafts supplies nationwide. Is this case for an American soldier's funeral flag made in the United States of America, or in a foreign land? Let's look at the back.

This flag case is made in China.

Sun, 18 Jun 2006 03:11:15 GMT

THE NUMBER

2502

Current Time in Baghdad: 7:05:31 AM Sunday

Tue, 30 May 2006 13:34:16 GMT

Tue, 30 May 2006 03:16:40 GMT

LEST WE FORGET

A group that is well represented among our nation’s war dead are immigrants who, although not citizens, willingly fought and died for their adopted country.

For immigrants, often poor with few options, the armed forces historically has offered an avenue into the American mainstream.

Currently, more than 37,000 immigrants, referred to as green-card soldiers, serve in the U.S. military. About a third of them are from Mexico and other Latin American countries.

The immigrant soldiers who have died fighting for their country of choice have been awarded citizenship posthumously.

MARINE LANCE CPL. JOSE ANTONIO GUITERREZ was the first U. S. soldier killed in the Iraq; killed by friendly fire on the first day of the Iraqi invasion. José Gutiérrez was not a U. S. citizen. He was an illegal immigrant. (GUATEMALA)

PFC. JESUS FONSECA, 19, of Marietta, Georgia. Fonseca died in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near his position. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Casey, Korea. Died on January 17, 2005. (MEXICO)

SPC. KENDALL K. FREDERICK, 21, of Randallstown, Maryland, died near Tikrit, Iraq, on October 19, 2005, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during convoy operations. Frederick was assigned to the Army Reserve's 983rd Engineer Battalion, Monclova, Ohio. (TRINADAD)

MARINE CPL. JOSE ANGEL GARIBAY, 21, of Costa Mesa, California, killed on March 23, 2003, in a fire fight near An Nasiriya with Iraqis who had deceived the Americans by feigning surrender. (MEXICO)

MARINE GUNNERY SGT. JOSEPH MENUSA, 33, of Tracy, California. Killed in combat on March 27, 2003. He was assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California. (PHILLIPINES)

SGT. DIMITRI MUSCAT, 21, of Aurora, Colorado. Muscat died in Balad, Iraq, of non-combat related injuries sustained earlier that day in Samarra, Iraq. The incident is under investigation. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado. Died on February 24, 2006. (RUSSIA)

SGT. GUY SANGUINETTE, 23, killed when a roadside bomb detonated near his Humvee while he was on patrol in Baghdad on October 29, 2004, (JAMAICA)

SPC. JUSTIN B. ONWORDI, 28, of Chandler, Arizona, Killed in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near the vehicle he was traveling in while on patrol. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 12th Armored Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Died on August, 2004. (NIGERIA)

MARINE STAFF SGT. RIAYAN A TEJEDA, 26, of New York, N.Y.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed April 11 during combat operations against enemy forces in northeast Baghdad. (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC)

SPC. IRVING MEDINA, 22, of Middletown, N.Y.; assigned to 4th Battalion, 1st Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; killed November 14, 2003, while traveling in a convoy when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. (MEXICO)

IRVING MEDINA

Tue, 30 May 2006 01:46:44 GMT

FOUR CLICKS:

TODAY WE REMEMBER

WALK AT ARLINGTON

WE MOURN THE DEAD

THESE COLORS DON'T RUN

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 02:13:30 GMT

PINK GOES CODE PINK

WATCH AND LISTEN:

PINK SINGS DEAR MR. PRESIDENT

DR. OMED STOLE THIS LINK FROM LOVE DURING WARTIME

Tue, 25 Apr 2006 21:50:59 GMT

Tue, 18 Apr 2006 03:53:15 GMT

SCENIC TULSA: SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Annie Beagle and I drove downtown to deliver fat envelopes of tax forms to the main post office this evening. This little nocturnal pilgrimage is something of a tradition that many people observe in Tulsa. Tonight, just past the traffic policemen with their reflective vests and orange flashlights, there was a small group of protesters encamped on the streetcorner. I do believe they object to rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar's, considering what Caesar is doing with the denari in these latter days. What lovely heresy. I gave them a thumb's-up, snapped a couple of dpics, and called out that they would be appearing on Dr. Omed's blog tonight. Dr. Omed sometimes keeps his promises.

'Nuf said.

Fri, 14 Apr 2006 01:49:50 GMT

"I THINK I WON!"

Gahan Wilson has an answer.

Oklahoma's own Flaming Lips ask the question: "What will you do with all your power?"

THE FLAMING LIPS: THE YEAH YEAH YEAH SONG

Sat, 25 Mar 2006 16:48:25 GMT

A SIGN...

THROUGH A DIRTY WINDSHIELD

Dr. Omed was making his homeward commute one day last week, and spotted a black ribbon sticker on the back of the SUV in front of him. It wasn't one of those great honking tanks I dream of keying in the dead of night, but still, it was an SUV. The driver of the SSUV (Slightly Slimmer Utility Vehicle) may have attached a different meaning to the rear end of his or her car when he or she slapped the magnetic symbol on it than I did when I spray painted black ribbons on bridge abutments with a cardboard stencil, but... Some of my black ribbons survive around town; you just have to know where to look. Yellow is not this driver's color. Whatever the driver intends by it, it signifies a different meaning than that of the yellow ribbon, which I decode as: Support the troops=support the war=support Bush / No yellow ribbon=you're no patriot=you support the terrorists=traitor. It was a lot easier to smugly slap one of those yellow suckers on your bumper back when patriotism was a thousand or so US lives and a few hundred billion dollars cheaper, and Bush hadn't proclaimed victory at least once for every soldier killed.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 23:21:14 GMT

Go to Google.

Enter "ASSHOLE" as your search term.

Click the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button.

Do it NOW.

Spread the word.

Sun, 22 Jan 2006 18:32:34 GMT

TALK TO THE NUMBERS

US Casualties By Year

Year	US Deaths	US Wounded
2003	486	2409
2004	848	7989
2005	846	5939
2006	45	83
Total	2225	16420

Sat, 21 Jan 2006 05:09:54 GMT

WALK WITH ME AT ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS

On my daily walk yesterday, I explored Oaklawn, an old cemetery just across the expressway from the tall buildings downtown. I had it to myself, most of the people buried there have been dead a long time, I don't think they get too many visitors—local historians, maybe. There were many, many veterans of the Civil War, WWI, WWII, and some who served in Korea. Since this cemetery was opened sometime around 1900, all the Civil War vets buried here survived the war they fought as young men, and lived to tell about it as old men—if they wanted to talk about it. Some of the veterans of the subsequent wars represented here in stone and buried in this ground did die in their wars. As I wrote in my Roadside Attractions post, every generation or so old men think up a war to pour money into, and send young men (and now young women) to be used up in it. No one can explain why, because the whys are all used up, too.

The undeclared, illegal, and endless war, the Dubyad against the Jihad, rolls on. The fucks continue to fly through the rolling donuts. Men, women, children, and young (and not so young) soldiers continue to die so that the Vietnam era draft-dodging potty-mouthed hero-slandering torture-condoning Potentates of the Bush Regime and their media whores can continue their inside-the-beltway circle jerk, and wipe their KY-greased butts with the Constitution while they're at it. Meanwhile, Soldiers and innocents continue to die.

AMERICAN SOLDIERS DEAD IN IRAQ: 2222

Thu, 12 Jan 2006 22:38:56 GMT

SCENIC TULSA: GRAFFITI HOMAGE?

Somewhere in Tulsa, close to one of the few black ribbons I did that the Street Dept. hasn't painted over—yet—new stencil art has appeared. I have been told by someone who knows someone that these were inspired by and in homage to yours truly, the notorious Dr. Omed. If so, I am honored, particularly since my ribbons are crude in comparison to their work. I am given to understand they particularly liked my nuns, which, alas, are on a long if not permanent retreat.

Power to the people, baby, and Hail Mary ten times.

Wed, 28 Dec 2005 05:18:10 GMT

Dr. Omed has just begun to fight.

Sat, 03 Dec 2005 21:44:39 GMT

JOE DANTE'S INFERNO

VIA THE VILLAGE VOICE

TURIN, ITALY "This is a horror story because most of the characters are Republicans," director Joe Dante announced before the November 13 world premiere of his latest movie, Homecoming, at the Turin Film Festival. Republicans, as it happens, will be the ones who find Homecoming's agitprop premise scariest: In an election year, dead veterans of the current conflict crawl out of their graves and stagger single-mindedly to voting booths so they can eject the president who sent them to fight a war sold on "horseshit and elbow grease."

YOWSA!

Dante, the Roger Corman protégé who went on to direct Innerspace and both Gremlins movies, has been known to embed wayward subversions in Hollywood genre pieces (he also previously attempted an all-out political satire in the 1997 HBO movie The Second Civil War, just out on DVD). But Homecoming, very much a movie on a mission, casts aside metaphor—it derives its power from its disconcerting literalness. The zombies do not represent—but are—the unseen costs of this futile war. Implicit in the film's unapologetic bluntness is a sickened urgency, an insistence that this is no time for subtlety.

"If you're going to code the message, which is the way horror movies have always done it, that's fine, but it's not going to reach an audience like a movie that's overt, and this is not exactly subtle," says Dante. "Somebody has to start making this kind of movie, this kind of statement. But everybody's afraid—it's uncommercial, people are going to be upset. Good, let them be upset. Why aren't people upset? Every minute, somebody's dying in this war, and for nothing."

READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE. THAT'S AN ORDER.

Tue, 22 Nov 2005 13:11:45 GMT

VIA NPR:

A Toy Solider Protest Against Iraq War

Jason DeRose Day to Day, November 21, 2005 · A Chicago-area resident is protesting the Iraq War by leaving green plastic Army soldiers around town with anti-war messages on them. Sallie Gracht asks people to contact her when they find the soldiers, and then to leave them someplace else themselves.

Sally Gracht recieves my highest praise: I wish I'd thought of that. What a brilliant idea! Listen to the story.

Wed, 02 Nov 2005 13:33:35 GMT

*If

my long division skills are still intact, and given an estimated

126,000

Iraqis killed in the war (so far), that's approximately

dead Iraqis for each American soldier killed.

A great lot of people have died in this U.S. against THEM war-in-progress since 9-11, and American armed forces have been responsible for killing most of them, mainly with the Pentagon's celebrated weapons of mass precision. The Bush Administration is the main terrorist group in this war.

Homework assignment: Add up all the people killed in the "War on Terror" and divide it by the number (2,819) of people killed in the attacks on Septemper 11, 2001 (Source: 9/11 by the Numbers).

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 22:17:43 GMT

2027

U.S. MILITARY FATALITIES IN IRAQ

(CLICK HERE FOR STATS)

AGIT-PROP ANIMATION:

DID YOU EVER WONDER WHAT 2000 LOOKS LIKE?

Tue, 25 Oct 2005 22:48:12 GMT

2000

2,000 men and women, sons and daughters, some brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, cousins and nephews and neices, some teachers and coworkers and lovers and exes, some neighbors and roommates and former neighbors and former roommates, some students, some joggers, some Doom players, some movie buffs, some poets, some boxers, some pilots, some knitters, some painters, some cooks, some bakers, some chocolate lovers, some anchovy haters, some fishermen and women, some swimmers, some afraid of the water, some who were afraid of love and some who fed off of it, some who told stories and some who listened, some who drank single malt whiskey and some who drank beer, some who had never lived away from their parents until they joined the military and some who had left many years earlier, some who lived in cramped city apartments and some who lived in suburban palaces, some who read the paper and some who did not, some who wanted revenge, some who dreamed about wide open spaces and some who dreamed of friendship, some who held hands in public and some who shied away from affection, some who shook out of anger and some who held it inside, some who whispered in their sleep and some who screamed loudly, some who believed in God and some who didn't, some who had never been outside of the US until their plane landed in Shannon then Kuwait then Iraq and some who swam across rivers to get to the US, some who were hated and some who were loved deeply, some who smoked and some who chewed, some who carried their stories in their back pockets and some who sent them through email or phone calls or the internet, some who loved hip-hop and some who loved classic rock and some who loved 'alternative' and some who loved salsa and some who loved opera and some who loved polka, some who bit their nails, some who flossed, some who loved the summer heat and some who loved the autumn chill, some who took pictures and some whose pictures were taken, some who were afraid, some who smiled easily and some who had to force it once in a while, some who believed in the power of lovemaking and some who believed in the power of sex, some who had spaniels or siamese or koi or iguanas or boas or toads or tarantulas or turtles or hamsters or rabbits or canaries, some who were allergic to pets and some who were allergic to dustmites, some who were bastards and some who were bitches, some who were loyal and some who were backstabbers, some who were crazy with bravery, some who felt heavy with regret, some who did what they had to do, some who saved for tomorrow, some who bought their friends drinks even when they protested, some who knew how to install cabinets and software, some who had read the same books more than twice, some who could recite whole scenes from their favorite movies, some who could tell jokes, some who knew when it was time to leave, some who could dance, some who slept better during the day, some who thought heroically, some who believed in justice, some whose nights were riddled with nightmares, some who had only a few days left in Iraq and some who had just arrived, some who had voted, some who loved the color blue, some who loved gadgets, some who played guitar, some who sang beautifully and some who thought they sang beautifully, some who wrote thank you notes, some who had lost something dear to them, some who believed it was all good...

Kate Ingold, Broken Windows

Wed, 12 Oct 2005 02:53:34 GMT

ANOTHER CLEVER IDEA?

THE WINGNUT WOODEN NICKEL

I don't have the sawbucks to have wooden nickels made to this design. I bequeath it unto the blogosphere in the hope that someone with money to spare likes the idea enough to have them made. For those of you who can't decipher my pencil scratches side one has "SUFFER NO FOOLS" along the top rim; a winged hex nut surmounted by the motto "IT DOESN'T FLY;" below the nut "PLEASE RECYCLE;" and "CITIZENS FOR A SANE AMERICA" along the bottom rim. Side two has "IF YOU HAD (circle with five cents) ANOTHER/ FIVE CENTS/YOU COULD HAVE AN OPINION." To the left of the 5 cent center circle is a barred circle with Jesus fish "NO" above "FISH" below; to the right of the center circle is another barred circle with a "W" inside "NO" above "DUBYA." Along the bottom rim it reads: "BUY A CLUE INSTEAD." Hope y'all like it.

Mon, 10 Oct 2005 02:31:42 GMT

Originally posted on feral/SAFE HAVEN FOR BROKEN BLOGS Monday, September 26, 2005

HOME PSY-OPS PROJECT CODE NAME: MONKEY BOY

Go to Toys-R-Us or a similar box store at your local metastasizing suburban retail strip tumor (Tulsa's TrU is located at what we Midtowners refer to fondly as "71st and Hell," and buy one or several of a toy product known as "Barrel of Monkeys." Inside the blue plastic barrel you will a number of flat, red, monkeys (I know, we've already reached irony but we must be brave and forge onwards) with curving arms that form a sort of sideways S. Now go to the Office Depot or Staples a few box stores down the street, and buy peel and stick Velcro, peel and stick magnet strip, heavy duty double-sided foam tape, and a paint pen in your choice of color (I prefer silver, it contrasts nicely with the red plastic of the monkey. Attach your choice of Velcro or magnetic strip to the back of the monkey, using the foam tape betwixt the Velcro or magnet strip and your little simian, as it makes a better adhesive to the monkey. Then use your paint pen to scribe a neatly drawn "W" on the chest and your MONKEY BOY is complete. Carry a supply of Monkey Boys at all times. When you happen to be in a parking lot and see a great honking SUV with a yellow ribbon you casually slap on a Magnetic Monkey Boy next to the sticker as you walk by. The Velcro Monkey Boy will stick to the fabric of cubicle walls, if you happen to work in Cubicleville. I bet it might even adhere to tweed, if you back-slapped a Fundy and/or wingnut who favors tweed jackets.

A picture is worth 10,000 words (inflation, you know), but alas my dcam has died, my hard disk is in a coma, and I can't use my scanner since I'm using a Linux OS on a CD to access the internet. Otherwise I could have jpegs of the Monkey Boys I made and applied in situ, to go with the words. I also have completed two new Scissor Dances, one called "The Empty Suits Parade at the River of Souls" and the other titled "If Your Mother Was Here / How Many Pecks Can a Woodpecker Peck?" I've been doing scissor dance post cards, some with a New Orleans theme, as well. My Hoo has been Booed. I'll get 'em out there when I can.
I haven't spoken of it here, but I have resumed my Black Ribbon and Chalk activities. I pick a neighborhood; Annie Beagle and I go walkies at the sunset. I'm just a middle-aged bald guy walking his dog. But my shirt pocket is full of Black Ribbon leaflets and Monkey Boys, and my baggie shorts pocket is full of chalk. Annie is perfect camo; they see me but don't see me. I talk the talkie, I try to walk the walkie.

Note: Dr. Omed has regained full use of his hard disk and OS--Well, more or less. I can now post images:

MONKEY BOYS