On this day in 1902 Georges Melies’ A Trip to the Moon, generally considered the first Science Fiction film, was released. This video has English narration using a translation of the original French script, sound editing and effects by Matthew Hawes. Read more

Over at her always fascinating blog Smilin’ Buddha Cabaret, Marnie Louise Froberg reflects at some length on the recent Glenn Beck rally, the nature of privilege, racism and the related. A small sample: The Glenn Beck thing. He seems to be a real put upon dude. Not only is he a POC, poor, living in a 3rd world country, female, of a minority faith, homeless, non-English speaking,  having a history of oppression, dealt with colonialism, physically challenged, mentally challenged,  living in an impoverished area of the country, lacking access to education, speaking with an... Read more

As Ellen said I woke up dazed and confused and didn’t have a whiskey bottle in my hand… Read more

For the ninth or tenth year running Jan & I are driving up to the Berkshires to stay with some old friends and take in a couple of shows at Tanglewood. This evening Poulenc and a little Holst… Tomorrow Brahms and some Dvorak… Jan knows what this all means. I like the music, but really I go for the company, the grounds and neighborhood, and for the picnic… Read more

By some calculations the Master of the Good Name was born on this day in 1698… Read more

On this day in 1920 American Women finally, finally won the right to vote. There is still much to do, no doubt. But, a day never to be forgotten… Read more

My Dharma sibling David Weinstein, who leads the Oakland Zendo, an affiliate sangha of the Pacific Zen Institute was in Hawa’ii at the Palolo Zendo for the various events celebrating the life of our grand teacher Robert Aitken. In a report back to the community David wrote how: “A young woman shared that not long ago her email address was hijacked and a message was sent out to everybody in her address book. According to the message, she was in... Read more

I notice how on this day in 1967 Abbie Hoffman together with other hippie/yippie activists managed to disrupt trading at the New York Stock Exchange through the simple expedient of standing in the viewing gallery and throwing dollar bills on to the trading floor. Pandemonium ensued as traders abandoned their activities to scramble after the bills… Sets me to thinking about various things. I have no brief against business. It appears to be a natural consequence of our human evolution.... Read more

Let me start with an unequivocal assertion. The Zen dharma gave me my life. I owe this way everything. And, no doubt, it deserves all the rough handling it has gotten in recent years. (Say, for instance, here, here and here…) There are numerous issues, ranging from its fundamental assertions about the identity of form and emptiness (I think of no better start on that than the Zensite), the nature of the practices shikantaza and koan introspection, ethical practices, none... Read more

One third of registered Republicans appear to believe or suspect that Barack Obama is a Muslim. A recent poll suggests one in five Americans do… It is hard to not see this as some deep seated bigotry. At least in a country with profound ambivalences about Islam. And race… It is a cancer in the body politic. To be honest, I’m not Keith Olbermann’s biggest fan. But, I think in this clip he shows the mindset spot on… http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640 Visit... Read more