1.18.2003
File under "Stranger than Fiction"http://www.guardian.co.uk/spacedocumentary/story/0,2763,877363,00.html
I really need to mention this: we have war(s) on the horizon, our Nations funding is yet again being cut by a tax cut favoring America's richest citizens... and our President is planning to spend money on a nuclear powered rocket? To Mars?
1/18/2003
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It seems that DC Indymedia offers no streaming audio themselves covering todays protest-
Are you getting your news from non-corporate news sources? It is getting really exciting, People of conscience of all walks of life; Churches ( UCC, Catholic and Methodist are just a few that I have had time to search out) a wide coalition of folks religious in the U.S are asking our President to follow international law concerning Iraq. 43 City Councils including Chicago as well as a wealth of Labor Unions. Veterans groups. Read "A Republican Dissent on Iraq" as copied from the Wall Street Journal. I am trusting the person who transcribed it; I have no way to search it out.
Regular people like you and me.
My hope is that this page and the links presented since its inception will let you see: We are not alone.
1/18/2003
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1.17.2003
This Martin Luther King speech says it all ( in about 7.50). Please hear it through if you can, don't let the Christian references deter you if you are not Christian. The human Truth rings out, rings through well beyond the religious framework he posits it in. A truly great man, his speeches belie the stereotyped cubbyhole he is put in for his Holiday. He spoke to the dignity of all humanity in the face of a political culture built on division, empowered by violence... Read or hear his speeches if you can. Food for the heart. Reinforcement for the soul.
The rest of the show is good, with Conyers on the Draft and Tom Tomarrow speaks for a bit at the end. Good stuff. Enjoy.
1/17/2003
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A student wrote an Editorial in the form of an open letter to Jesus, asking him to smite George Bush. Read about his visit from the Secret Service. But that is old news.
Mideast policy expert Phyllis Bennis talks about the empty shell casings found in Iraq.
Did you know Bush1 was booed at the American Music Awards? Not unless you read about it- the boos were inaudible to the home viewer. What's with that?
Speaking of Bush1 and boos there is another unsavory Iran Contra Affairs alum in the news. Otto Reich, from Reagan/ Bush Office of Public Diplomacy- you may remember him as the fellow that said, in an effort to ratchet up public fears and support for our terrorists, the Contras,that Nicaragua was getting Mig fighters- a lie, one of many. Speaking of "our" terrorists, Here is another bit of US history you may have missed. You have probably heard about the Total Information Awareness Program... The folks with the motto "Knowledge is Power" - "Big Brother" in common parlance.Please read the last link. It all sounds like science fiction, far fetched, not to be believed. Here is more about DARPA projects. Horribly surreal stuff.
Keep in mind that this site is a tool, to open ones horizons to what is going on in our world; some realities that we might rather not think about when thinking about what it is to be an American, what the actions of our Government state to the world about who we collectively are. Seeing a Government body that wants to develop drugged genetically manipulated soldiers that lack all humanity is just one part of a web, a system of belief. Our job, as I see it, is to communicate information like this, as well as to make connections with other information, the integration of which will give us a clearer view about where we are, enabling us to get a sense of where we are going.
For example, today I show you a link about simple booing possibly being edited for our at home consumption. Also
a respected Middle East policy expert speaking about the empty casings found in Iraq; in contrast to the official "let's go get 'em" news line. Then about yet another fellow with a bad track record, (a propagandist that lied about the status of Cuba's bioweapons, among other things...) being appointed back into our Goverment. Do those simple juxtapositions lead your mind to come awake to wonder ''what if...."? maybe cause you to question the evening news? Are you wondering which segment of the population will fill the ranks of hopped up gene spliced 'warriors'? Does it seem confusing that a terrorist that bombed a Cuban plane taking 73 innocent lives could actually be pardoned and allowed to return to our shores to live in Miami? I'm brain damaged and I tell you these small facts fill me with a cognitive dissonance, initially making me want to look away. I find it hard to wrap my mind around facts that don't fit my mental model. How can this be, this is America. But they are facts. And if it gets you talking to other folks, gets you looking things up- the tool works.
Without honest appraisal and criticism America cannot live up to its promise. I love this country, its physical beauty as well as the wonderful people that make up its multivaried citizenry; the one thing I've learned in my travels is that we all want a better world for our kids, fresh air and water and food and a chance to do something rewarding. In a word "We Care". Happily we are the majority. And we are the bearers of a huge responsibility. Many hands make work light. Let's dance with it.
1/17/2003
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1.16.2003
Please take a look at this article from The Nation which explains that North Korea wouldn't be doing this 'saber rattling' if the US would agree not to launch a pre- emptive attack, and sign a nonaggression treaty with them.
I have had an interest in how Bush1 and our avowed "Born Again" current President could be comfortable currying the favor of Reverend Sun Myung Moon, a fellow who claims he is the Second Coming. The Messiah. The return of Jesus. I don't remember the second coming including a Missus : ) ( find out here why Jesus wasn't married, according to Mr Moon. ). In the interest of fairplay here is the Unification Church's web presence.
This is a link from CounterPunch magazine, although Moon claims to be the next coming of the "Prince of Peace" from the New Testament he sure is associated with some pretty non-peaceful folks. One might even say Fascist. Read of his complicity in subverting our Democracy in the Iran and Contra Affairs. Have you wondered why you've never heard any of this, as I have ? "Why is TV News ignoring the Relationship between the Moon and the Bush Family?". The article is longish but a 'must read'
Below is a reward for being curious and engaged about our political reality (you did read all the links, didn't you?).
The history of writing revealed: click here
1/16/2003
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1.15.2003
HOLD ALL BETS ! http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/meast/10/03/iraq.bush.duel/
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The White House scorned an Iraqi leader's suggestion that President Bush and Saddam Hussein could resolve their differences in a duel, calling it an "irresponsible statement" that did not justify a "serious response."
"I just want to point out that in the past when Iraq had disputes, it invaded its neighbors," White House press secretary Ari Fleischer told reporters.
"There were no duels; there were no invasions. There was use of weapons of mass destruction and [the] military. And that's how Iraq settles its disputes."
Fleischer was responding to comments made Thursday by Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan in an interview with Abu Dhabi television that was also broadcast by CNN.
The Iraqi leader argued that instead of going to war with Iraq, Bush should participate in a personal duel with Saddam.
"Bush wants to attack the whole Iraq, the army and the infrastructure," Ramadan said. "If such a call is genuine, then let the American president and a selected group with him face a selected group of us and we choose a neutral land and let [U.N. Secretary-General] Kofi Annan be a supervisor and both groups should use the same weapon."
"A president against a president and vice president against a vice president, and a duel takes place, if they are serious," the Iraqi vice president said. "And in this way we are saving the American and Iraqi people."
October 3, 2002
1/15/2003
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It seems to me for a war to occur one needs two active antagonists. What is being pushed concerning Iraq seems more like an armed conflict.
This link is a really extensive (6 part) source of information on our military use of Depleted Uranium, its effects on combatants and civilians. For a U.S military perspective go here. U.S Civilian sources, such as Z magazine tell of DU products being contaminated with even more lethal transuranics. (please read down to bottom of the page) while asking if DU weapons are legal under International Law.
Armed conflict is often a chance for weapons makers to advertise thier goods. The future seems to hold Microwave weapons being utilized in any upcoming Iraq conflict This article, well, scares me. Blinding lasers and skin cooking microwaves... this quote is pretty revealing: " High-power microwave weapons use broad beams of microwave radiation, similar to radar beams, in short bursts to affect their targets. At low settings, HPM could, theoretically, be used as a non-lethal dispersion weapon intended to break-up mobs and groups of enemy soldiers by heating the water in living cells to create an uncomfortable sensation. No research data exists on the long-term effects of exposure, but it is generally believed to be harmless, in the long-term."
These weapons could be used "at home" to qwell legal dissent.
Do you rember the non-violent Seattle WTO protest?
It is a long link but reminds me that nonviolent protest is all that is effective in approaching policy, and offers hope; that truly shows we are a healthy and honest alternative to money and greed driven corporate violence... Power, writ large. Our humanity is our difference, and strength.
People putting thier lives on the line for Peace
1/15/2003
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1.14.2003
I'd like to start with a photo-essay . I'll return to the whole depleted uranium issue at another time, just take a moment to be with this, I feel it is quite well done.
Here is a piece from "The Smoking Gun", on conservative 'Dixiecrats' the folks who seem to control both political parties about now. Even with good ol' boy Trent gone the GOP still has it's share of members who believe the South should have won. And the views of Lotts replacement Frist? well, you tell me what you think.
Frist's link goes well with this Bush reference, (Personal disclaimer- I see nothing wrong with hunting, cruelty is another matter; go to a feedlot where beef is raised) birds of a feather and all. This link concerns Spike Bowman, FBI agent. Don't recognize the name? Please, give the link a look. This also deals with 9/11 , a bunch of reading but its thought provoking character warrants giving it a go.
File this under " Why I'd rather smoke pot than drive a SUV".
Thank you for the encouragement. Enjoy!
1/14/2003
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1.13.2003
http://www.nationinstitute.org/tomdispatch/index.mhtml?pid=233 I'm not sure why our Government would like to keep us in the dark about which corporations helped the Iraqi's in thier quest to develop 'weapons of mass destruction' as they are called now. Look at the date on this article from Truthout
"There's an old saying in Tennessee—I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee—that says, fool me once, shame on—shame on you. Fool me—you can't get fooled again."
U.S. President George W. Bush, Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002
I doubt that Mr Bush is a moron. Misguided corporate greedhead ... Have you read "Fortunate Son" By Jim Hatfield? It is a really well documented, well written book that portrays him as anything but stupid. Could Bush be a sociopath? Yeah, I know it sounds a bit over the top, but give it a read if you have the time. It covers Mark Crispin Miller's book " Bushes Dyslexicon" as well and offerers a chilling insight.
Here's where you need to go to listen to what is happening this Martin Luther King weekend in DC, events around the Peace Rally. We listened to NPR as well as DC Indy Media during Bushes Inauguration, I lost all faith in NPR. Indy Media spoke of all the anti-Bush folks gathered at Liberty Plaza and you know he drill, each president gets out there and walks for a bit - well BUSH DIDN'T. He got out a few blocks away. NPR never mentioned this discrepency with tradition or its reason. So yeah, NPR is good for Prarie Home Companion and This American Life but otherwise- Corporate News
Daily Audio News sources: Amy Goodman's "Democracy Now!" is great, as are "Pacifica's Peacewatch" and "Free Speech Radio News." Along with my favorite weekly internet radio news show "Counterspin" All at WebActive. Now that's easy , all in one place. Give 'em an ear.
A final quote from Aldous Huxley taken out of an article from FAIR.
"There is, of course, no reason why the new totalitarianisms should resemble the old," Huxley foresaw. He observed that "in an age of advanced technology, inefficiency is the sin against the Holy Ghost. A really efficient totalitarian state would be one in which the all-powerful executive of political bosses and their army of managers control a population of slaves who do not have to be coerced, because they love their servitude. To make them love it is the task assigned, in present-day totalitarian states, to ministries of propaganda, newspaper editors and schoolteachers. But their methods are still crude and unscientific." Written in 1946 (the FAIR link goes to it, they produce the show "Counterspin"- check thier homepage out too. )
1/13/2003
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http://dc.indymedia.org/
1/13/2003
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