Cysfilm

Drinking the Tigris: Relief!

What an astonishing moment in our history. From my perspective here in Iraq, while I love the message of hope and I believe in that whole heartedly, mostly I feel relief. Ethan Bronner wrote this in the NY Times from Palestine. It sums it up for me:

“But wonder is almost overwhelmed by relief. Mr. Obama’s election offers most non-Americans a sense that the imperial power capable of doing such good and such harm – a country that, they complain, preached justice but tortured its captives, launched a disastrous war in Iraq, turned its back on the environment and greedily dragged the world into economic chaos – saw the errors of its ways over the past eight years and shifted course.”

Bush League: New Shot from Malawi – Church

A shot from the Catholic Church service in Zolokere, Malawi where I shot Bush League.

Drinking the Tigris: The World is Watching

Just back from Malawi yesterday. A lot to report from there, but on the eve of the election, I want to share this instead:

From the Economist:

http://www.economist.com/vote2008/index.cfm

The whole world is holding its breath!!!

Bush League: Shooting THE END

I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time. I start the trip back to Malawi tomorrow. It’ll take five days to get from Baghdad to the village. I’ll have a full week to shoot the epilogue for Bush League then Jake and I will make our way to the south of the country.

I’m really excited to see everybody and really hoping there isn’t much bad news. Gama, the guy who took care of us in the village, died last autumn of HIV/AIDS. I’m a little worried about who else might be sick, or worse.

It’s been two years since I started shooting the film. I don’t know how much longer it will take, but I hope it doesn’t end too soon. I love that place and I’ve learned a great deal from its people.

Drinking the TIgris: New Shots from Baghdad

Some new shots from Baghdad.

This, for me, is the untold story of this war. All the labor; cleaning, cooking and washing is done by S. Asian laborers. Their pay is meager. The guys who clean at the Dining Facility work 12 hours per day seven days a week and make, in total, $350.00 per month. If Nike or Coca Cola made a fat profit off their backs the way KBR (Halliburton) does, people would be up in arms. But nobody knows about this, and it’s happening at every base in Iraq. In our Dining Facility there are NO Americans serving food. Maybe one now and then. The staff is well over 25 guys per shift and they serve thousands of meals per day. They clean the floors, take out the trash, pour the coffee, they work the registers at the PX, they do everything except fight.

The truth is, for many of these people it’s a great opportunity but what I wonder about are their labor rights and how many of them are indentured servants.

Drinking the Tigris: Sandstorm

taken Sept, 2008 at 3pm

the next morning

Sandstorms here aren’t like the ones in movies. The wind doesn’t pick the desert floor up to snap it out like a bull whip. It’s more like a surprise sneeze. A gust and a squint of the eyes. A diffused red wall rolls in like fog. Then the wait. How long it will take for the billions and trillions of tiny particles, finer than talcum, to find a gentle landing? Last year they only lasted a day. This year, because of the drought in Iraq, they last for days. It sticks to the TV. It fills nostrils and sinus cavities. It fills the windshield wipers. It fills the carpet, and turns the floor of the shower red. It lies across the bed waiting, suppressing its sly joy before it crawls up on your tired face and covers your skin. Finally, it creeps into your consciousness where it smoothers your patience and dries up your imagination. It’s in everything. It’s everywhere. It creeps and curls and corkscrews and connives its way into every crack and seam in life. It turns the world red.

A Day’s Pay for Obama!!! Day 3

Wow!

Hey everybody, the ONE DAYS PAY group raised $1075.00 during the last 48 hours! I think this is a real testament to how strongly people feel about the coming election. If you already made a contribution, I’d like to thank you again. If you haven’t, don’t forget, even a modest contributions of $5.00 really counts! In fact, it’s those small donations that have made the difference for Obama this year. If you’re strapped for cash, then of coarse, save your money for those things you need to get by. But don’t forget that you have lots of people around you who may be indifferent, disillusioned or disappointed with politics. Your words are worth just as much as your dollars. Let them know how you feel, let them know its important, talk about it and let’s make sure our less motivated friends and family get out to vote! For Obama!

All the best from Baghdad,

Cy Kuckenbaker

You can make a contribution here!:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/OneDaysPay

A Day’s Pay for Obama!!! Day 2

Hey Everybody!

We raised $525.00 in 24 hours! That’s great. For those who contributed thank you so much. For those who haven’t, remember even 5 dollars makes a big difference.

I had the opportunity today to talk with a high level State Dept official who just returned to Iraq from D.C. He had a meeting with Joe Biden, who he says is a great guy. More importantly, he says the buzz behind the scenes in DC is that everyone is scared to death the election is going to be REALLY tight and end in gridlock again. It’s going to be close. Get involved while you still can. If you’re broke, no worries. Get out and talk to your friends and family, get registered and VOTE. And, if you’ve got a five to spare, don’t be shy.

All the best from Baghdad,

Cy Kuckenbaker

contribute here:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/OneDaysPay

A Day’s Pay for Obama!!!

Hello everybody,

Cy here, and I’m really worried. Seven years of George Bush and 15 months in Iraq is more than enough to teach me that I, we, must get involved in our politics and that we really do need CHANGE.

I’ve decided to contribute all the pay I earn from today, Sept 11th, to Obama’s campaign and put my money where my mouth is. The Republicans have been using this day for seven years to keep us off balance and fearful. I want to reverse that and put my day, and my days pay behind something that I believe in. Please join me and make a contribution. Whether its one hours pay or a days pay. We have an extraordinary opportunity before us; lets do everything we can to make it happen! WE MUST WIN THIS ELECTION.

Please follow the link below or go to my.barackobama.com!

http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/OneDaysPay

All the best,

Cy Kuckenbaker

Drinking the Tigris: Old Glory II

I posted on this back in May, here’s the latest from JR’s Hughto’s notes:

Last week I had the LAPD’s Major Crimes Division: Anti-Terrorism Intelligence Section follow up with me about this. They stopped by and slipped a card under my door with a note saying “Please call [them] regarding an investigation.” After I called, I found out I was the target of the investigation. They wanted to see my negatives, and while they agreed that nothing I had done was illegal, they did insist on coming over to my place before work to speak with me.

So, two agents came by and interviewed me for half an hour. They looked around my place, and I showed them the contact sheet – a roll with 4 pictures of the refinery, the others of innocuous things like my girlfriend and koreatown graf. After running out of nice ways to find out who I was, the agent filling out the forms asked, simply, “So, are you a Muslim?” I laughed out of shock and discomfort, and replied, “No.”

They then stood, shook my hand, assured me again that I had done nothing illegal, and left. All told, they probably wasted a day and a half between the two of them on my case, when one well phrased google search could have led them here.