To Read: Legacy of Secrecy

Mark, Lamar, Joe Friendly

Thanks to daughter Kat reminding me of my tentative evening plans, I made a mad dash down to McNally Jackson Books at 52 Prince Street in NYC to hear author Lamar Waldron discuss his book Legacy of Secrecy: The Long Shadow of the JFK Assassination and now have some 771 more pages to read, not including photos, documents, notes and index. (Add that to the pile! :-) I have heard Lamar speak several times on Thom Hartmann's radio show so I knew that despite his protestations to the contrary the man can talk, oh can he talk. His subject dealt with the Mafia's assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy: obviously very riveting. He made his points and the book provides the documentation. When will history openly acknowledge it? Time will tell. 

I also want to thank author and NYU professor Mark Crispin Miller [featured at various times in this blog and on my bookshelf] for playing a part in getting Lamar to speak. Despite the stormy NYC weather, there was a decent turnout and I had some interesting conversations with folks, both pre and post talk. Guy Ventresca was kind enough to take a picture of me and Lamar [and I had never heard that Ike had his own cover-up of a snafu in a pre-D-Day dry run -- hmmmm]. More pix of the book talk on Flickr -- my Christmas pix may get there yet, non Facebook friends! (And I wonder just how much of the book Thom wrote to justify his "with Thom Hartmann" cover credit.)

Peace hugs,

Kate Anne

Kate Anne and Lamar

Vote and Pray

I've been posting the quick takes on Quick TAKES and Tasty Tidbits, facing life on Facebook, working for corporate America, focusing on peace and migrating to my new computer. Life is busy and good. And today is hopeful. Following my friend Michele Maglione's lead, I documented my vote for Barack Obama on Row E, the Working Family Party's line. (This is important as it shows a progressive vote. Read David Sirota's The Uprising on this.)



I went into Gustavino's yesterday to make calls for the Obama-Biden Campaign for Change. Then I rushed home and made calls for True Majority's special election action project. I spoke with Mary Gervargis of Studio City who had not received her absentee ballot and was bereft. She's hispanic and they are for 2-1 for Obama. What happened? Her cousin in Valencia didn't get hers either. So after calling an election protection line last night and learning she could vote provisionally if she got to the polls, I made some more calls this morning to the California Democratic Party who promised to be in touch to help. Let's hope so! I tried. The more votes for Obama-Biden the better chance for them to have the positive progressive impact our world needs so desperately.

Now I'm off to Gustavino's to see if there is anything more they want me to do. Hey, it's just a short walk and a bus ride and another short walk. I'm taking my copy of Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now to read on the way. (The last time I had it with me on the subway, the person next to me tapped me and showed me HER copy. We were both reading the same chapter!! We had a lovely chat) I remember my great grandmother's epitaph -- "She hath done what she could" -- and I go forth to do whatever else I can. Please, God. Breathe. Trust. Believe. Hope. Act. Thank you. Amen.

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

Hartmann: Cracking the Code at Demos

Thanks to Gail Harper's prodding that doggie duty should allow a little time for fun, I joined a packed roomful of people at Demos on Fifth Avenue in NYC to hear Thom Hartmann speak about his latest book, Cracking the Code. He was great and inspiring, as always. And I got to see and be seen by Air America Radio's Mark Green who recognized me and gave me a kiss afterwards. (That said, he's still trying to place me, I bet :-)

I spent the last hour searching for what Thom called the best Madison quotation and found PART of it as well as a bunch of other great Madison quotations. The part is:

"No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare."

But check this out from the Crosby Report. Was Madison psychic? One thing for sure, George Dubya Bush would NOT be happy with James Madison. Indeed, he'd send a Homeland Security Team after Jimmy as Dubya probably thinks Dolly Madison is a cupcake and is clueless that James Madison is a dead president.

Kate Anne & Thom Hartmann

Yes, I took pictures but I haven't downloaded them. [Update: see them.] Best, yet, however, my new friend Avery Harris (synchronicity!) was kind enough to volunteer to take a picture of me with Thom and I was astute enough to return the favor. Thom endured it all and his latest visit to NYC not only earned Gail and me a friend but gave me the opportunity to connect with two great young gents behind us, John from Bergen Co., NJ and Ezekial from Newark, NJ: Neat guys with great spirit. (Wish I would have gotten their info, but maybe they'll find me again through this blog.) Yes, there is hope for this country and this world. Now to read my autographed copy of Cracking the Code in full sight in the subway and on buses and spread its message. Watch my Flickr.com (see links) for the pix and...

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne