I noticed two things that came out of our new White House. Both hold the secrets of the universe.  Both I think are steps in the right direction for arguably the most powerful man in the world.

The first is this photo.

Holy smokes!  Our president is sitting alongside a pirate, negotiating. It’s so simple. So weird. They staged the photo for a correspondents dinner. He was making a joke about negotiating with pirates. Brilliant. Playful.  Turns out that it’s Obama’s speech writer dressed as the pirate. I like that he just had that lying around somewhere.

Geeks.

The second is this video.

Now this shows the white house press secretary Robert Gibbs pretty upset about some phones going off during his press conference. While I am surprised at the rudeness of professional reporters leaving on their phones during a televised anything, I think that the way he handles this, with play is actually pretty cool.

Our government is, for the first time in my lifetime behaving like real people do, in business, with families, with friends. It is an exciting time.

My belief is that we will not win any friends in the world by trying to intimidate them. We will never get out of our financial mess by making people afraid. We will never solve all of our worlds problems by being serious and stern.

We must play to find the answer.

Right now, I am nearing the end of The Amber Spyglass, by Philip Pullman.  It’s part of  His Dark Materials a great series, about epic wars between Authority and those who would Rebel. There are angels and demons, antimatter and dimensional portals. The war is really one between wisdom and stupidity.  The Authority wants to keep us cowed and foolish, docile to the whims of those in charge. The wise want to keep us wise, to sow wisdom and greatness, but often must work in secret among the throng. It was just a little paragraph, where the author mentioned that. It was just this little thing. But I have been feeling it. All my life it has seemed that way. That the forces of control just wanted us dumb and following while those who stand for true freedom always want us to think things through.  This is the true war of heaven.  It is both here and there, metaphorical and true. 

Well, energetically I feel there has been a shift (talking real world not fantasy novels here, not that there is that much difference.). Things are changing really fast. It seems as if suddenly, people everywhere are waking up from this crazy dream. It seems that wisdom is emerging everywhere, not just among my friends. 

I am seeing our country in failure. I see people very close to me losing jobs, or working too hard to barely get by. I see people’s saving and retirement evaporating.  I see companies that were once thought bombproof (the entertainment industry) failing all over. in my own life, I am chasing money from deadbeat production companies, and waiting for checks to come in. It’s kind of a scary time. 

And everywhere, wisdom is awakening. It seems to me like it was Obama’s election that had us as a people turn the corner, like he was the rock that diverted the river. But the truth is, it was each and every one of us, single little pebbles of wisdom, well place that diverted the whole thing. It is us. 

I am reminded of how incredible the people in my life are. I keep getting introduced to more and more extraordinary people and the circles of greatness keep expanding.  I had the great privilege this weekend to head down to San Diego and spend some time with Rebecca Sunshine, Yona, and Kyle. Such hospitality and power, everywhere. I think that any time I feel concerned about the future of the world, I need to remind myself of the power of this community. No matter what happens, boom or bust, we are going to be okay. 

We have to remember to carry our wealth with us. We must keep perspective. If we are broke, it probably will not kill us. If our credit hits a bump, it will not ruin our lives. If we lose this job, that is not the end of our career. In the face of adversity, we must remember that we are capable human beings at the very height of our cultural advancement (and in some cases, well ahead of the curve).  We live where it is warm, and we have support.  It’s all going to be okay. 

I keep saying that for my readers as much as for myself. As we come into this Thanksgiving time, I am thankful for this coming Age of Wisdom and Abundance. Can you feel it? 

Proof: 

Solar LA

Electric SF

Beat Speedtraps 

Bush Snubbed

Obama Addresses 

Our 1st Nerd

So, I have been remiss for a little bit in my blogging. I’ve had this  sinus infection thing brewing, and it’s killed my impulse to write. Apologies. 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jll5baCAaQU]

So like many of you, last night I was so moved.  Finally, we have a leader to be excited about. It’s like this bad dream we are all waking from, of evil and oppression running the show.  The America we all woke into today was one where America finally can stand for something. It’s the kind of America we all saw when we were children, full of hope and play and possibility. It is nothing less than a transformational, peaceful, coup. Democrats have the senate and the house. Obama wants to heal divides and usher in a new era. This could be the end of racism. Really. This could mean health care for all. This could mean a breakthrough in public policy on a level of the New Deal or the Space Program. (imagine manned colonization of space on a massive scale, a repeal of prohibition, true relief for all homelessness, health care for all, an Internet connectivity breakthrough, a government that can be with an information singularity…) 

Walking around in the world, today, it is clear that something has changed. 82% of people voted, I am hearing. That is extraordinary. EXTRAORDINARY!  In my memory, voter turnout has been something in the realm of 10-15%. The number of people who didn’t vote was higher than the number who voted for the winner by a huge margin. A huge margin! And our man, Obama won by a vast margin of that 82%. This is historic, for once the majority of people are behind the leadership. And in the fashion of all great leaders, Obama does not say follow me, do as I say. He says, “we must do this together!” to which we al reply a with a resounding “Yes we can!” I am inspired to play! Who knows what’s next?! Obama also stated his inclusion of those on the republican side of the aisle and in the country. He promises to listen, especially to those who diagree with him.  When has a leader said that and meant it? 

Inspired. Just writing this stuff gives me chills. 

In some ways, this is the someday we have all been waiting for. Could it be? Has someday arrived?  

Perhaps we are the ones we were always waiting for, the shining knights who would come and save us from tyranny. What I like about Obama is that he doesn’t say that government will fix our woes. He tells us that we will have to, and that it won’t be easy. I’m glad it won’t be easy. The time for being ordinary has passed us by. We cannot sit idly by anymore. We must be ever-vigilant for our freedom and our rights. We have to take a stand. This is it.  The time is now for us to be extraordinary. Today is the day. 

The future is ours. All there is now is for us to take it. Welcome to our America.

Dennis Kucinich yesterday began the impeachment proceedings against President Bush.  Wow. This is a big deal.

Thirty-five articles were presented by Rep. Dennis Kucinich to the House of Representatives late Monday evening, airing live on C-SPAN.

“The House is not in order,” said Kucinich to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), upon which Pelosi pounded her gavel.

“Resolved,” Kucinich then began, “that President George W. Bush be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors, and that the following articles of impeachment be exhibited to the United States Senate. …

“In his conduct while President of the United States, George W. Bush, in violation of his constitutional oath to faithfully execute the office of president of the United States, and to the best of his ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, has committed the following abuses of power…”

The first article Kucinich presented, and many that followed, regarded the war in Iraq: “Article 1 – Creating a secret propaganda campaign to manufacture a false case for war against Iraq.”

Now this excites me.  Bring the Golden Age.

via boingboing.net

Today I was meeting with some friends about the next party we want to throw. We are looking for the next big thing, asking ourselves what the future of the LA party scene will look like. Nobody knows what it will be. We keep thinking about it and coming up with no sure answers. Then Zak hit it.

“Everyone is ready for the next thing to happen. The world has been so fucked up lately, and it is clearly going to end. But until it does, they are all holding their breath until it changes.”

That’s it.  We’re exhausted and want the next age to start now.

I can only speak for myself here, but I have seen the world getting darker and more horrible at every turn for the entirety of my adult life.  This is happening every day, wars on drugs, terror and nations, political corruption, people around the world hating Americans, out of control police power, a fear mongering shill media, environmental catastrophe just on the horizon, and on, and on.

This is simultaneous with my immediate community growing at this exponential rate.  Every day, the amazing people in my world expand in number and quality.  We grow in leaps and bounds. Every time I leave my home, the people I interact with are brighter and brighter.  People have hope, they dream ready for a new world and a quantum leap forward. They are causing these leaps forward in their own lives.  It’s inspiring really. I see this emerging culture that I get to be a part of, and on a personal level we are winning!

I had this thought the other day, it was a fleeting one, but I chose to hold onto it.  Why can’t we enter a New Golden Age (or a Second Renaissance)?  Obama getting the nomination has me all psyched about what is possible. Imagine a world where we work things out in world with some integrity! I can see this whole possible reality full of scientific breakthrough, political honor, artistic exploration, ruthless acts of love and peace, freedom for everyone, environmental healing and a new economic system that could generate abundance for all. What will be our generation’s moon landing?  Is it possible that we will move out of what history will call the second dark ages? Can our age transform the failures of the past into a beautiful  future of light?

I say it’s so crazy, it just might work.

After I started picturing this new world, I found this in my RSS feed. Man, that Cory Doctorow is reading my parallel universe generator.

http://www.fugue.com/pics/goodnews.html

via boingboing at http://www.boingboing.net/2008/06/08/google-news-from-a-b.html

So here is my request: Read this front page, and imagine it coming to pass. Visualize a possible reality where these stories could become true and real. Share your audacious ideas of what amazing things can alter the world to your benign will. See it. It’s coming.

We are the ones we have been waiting for.