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RNC Cops Brutally Suppress Press Freedom
You need to watch this video. Warning: it may make you cry (it did for me).
A personal friend of mine was arrested and treated with shocking inhumanity by the police officers breaking up a legal protest at the RNC. A member of the press (working with Amy Goodman of Democracy Now!) who posed no threat to anyone, she was shoved to the ground and attacked for having the temerity to bear witness to the harsh tactics being used against the protesters around her.
I've heard more stories of the lengths the forces up in MN have been going to crack down on American citizens (basically treating them as "enemy combatants" for exercising their Constitutionally-protected rights), but this is the most potent evidence I've seen of how far things have gone.
What kind of national security is this?
W
If you want to take action, another friend of mine has a list of things you can do:
If you could sign this letter to protest the arrest and charges against Nicole Salazar, violently arrested while doing her duty as Press at the RNC:
https://secure.freepress.net/site/Advocacy?id=281
Also sign this petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/1575604
You can watch the videos of her and Amy Goodman's arrests here on CPJ:
http://cpj.org/blog/2008/09/democracy-now-journalists-a...
To write a letter in support of dropping the charges:
http://www.democracynow.org/blog/2008/9/3/call_to_actio... You need to watch this video. Warning: it may make you cry (it did for me). ... more -
McCain/Palin Have No Heart
The vintage rock group Heart formally tells the McCain campaign to cease and desist from using their music in any way.
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RNC: McCain's Speech
Senator John McCain officially accepts the nomination for President of the United States at the Republican National Convention.
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U.S. Spies on Our Alies
From the man that brought us Watergate comes the latest government scandal. Apparently we've been spying on the new Iraqi government and some of the intelligence gained was more instrumental in the reduction of violence than the surge actually was. From the man that brought us Watergate comes the latest government scandal. Apparently we've been spying on the new Iraqi governm... more
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396 RNC arrests on Thursday
Antiwar March Ends In Tense Standoff, 396 Arrests
The final night of the convention led to confrontations between police and protesters. At least 396 people were arrested, an official said this morning.
Police arrested scores more people Thursday night after another series of tense showdowns with protesters on the final night of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.
Sweeping into the State Capitol grounds in riot gear, police used snowplows, horses and dump trucks to seal off downtown from antiwar demonstrators attempting a march to the Xcel Energy Center.
"They chose not to leave when told to do so and now everyone's paying the price," said one officer on the scene.
This morning, the Joint Information Center said 396 people were arrested during Thursday's demonstrations, and a total of 818 people were arrested during the four-day convention. The numbers are preliminary; an official count will be released later today, said a spokeswoman for the center, which has been providing information about arrests and security during the convention.
by Curt Brown, Terry Collins, Randy Furst and Heron Marquez Estrada Antiwar March Ends In Tense Standoff, 396 Arrests ... more -
'Code Pink' Flies Its Colors at Conventions
Two women clad in pink stole a moment of Sarah Palin's oratorical thunder Wednesday night.
As the GOP vice presidential candidate energized the crowd with a diatribe against the Democratic nominee alongside praise for running mate Sen. John McCain, Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans, co-founders of the theatrical Code Pink anti-war group for women, moved toward the stage.
But as they were on Palin's right side, officers lifted them up and pulled them away, escorting them outside one at a time. The women's exposed dress slips bore the message: "Palin is not a women's choice."
The two women were taken outside and held until the end of the speech. They were told they'd face arrest if they tried to re-enter the convention.
Two other group members, Elizabeth Hourican and Nancy Mancias, were able to interrupt John McCain's speech Thursday night before they were both removed from the convention.
These women join a roster of protesters in a city where more than 300 have been arrested while demonstrating during the Republican National Convention.
By Thursday morning, Code Pink's national media coordinator, Jean Stevens, was already publicizing Benjamin and Evans' attempt to upstage Palin.
Five Code Pink members have been arrested this week at the dozen or so events it has organized.
Evans said that policing in St. Paul has been more forceful than at the Democratic National Convention the previous week in Denver. There, she said, members were escorted by their elbows from a symposium while criticizing Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi for not using her power to end the war. But they were allowed to continue chanting with signs outside the building.
Here in St. Paul, Evans said, "They herd you with horses. It's really insane."
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The name Code Pink is a play on the Bush administration's color-coded stages of national security alerts. They say the "Code Pink" alert is a "feisty call to wage peace."
"The whole idea of Code Pink is to disarm," said co-founder Evans. But while some police officers smile at their singsong chants--"We are marching for a peaceful world," they sing repeatedly--Evans notes that some also go ahead and arrest members, who often stage protests without official permits and have engaged in acts of civil disobedience.
From the start the group has used their gender and the color scheme to mock and create satirical events.
"Can we get all the Miss Americas lined up please?"
***Read More*** Two women clad in pink stole a moment of Sarah Palin's oratorical thunder Wednesday night. ... more -
Palin won't talk to media during campaign
No Questions, Please. We'll Tell You What You Need To Know.
According to Nicole Wallace of the McCain campaign, the American people don't care whether Sarah Palin can answer specific questions about foreign and domestic policy. According to Wallace -- in an appearance I did with her this morning on Joe Scarborough's show -- the American people will learn all they need to know (and all they deserve to know) from Palin's scripted speeches and choreographed appearances on the campaign trail and in campaign ads.
They are betting that Americans are too Stupid, Ignorant, and Lazy to ask why. No Questions, Please. We'll Tell You What You Need To Know. ... more -
The Real John McCain Vietnam Story
Don't believe the hype..John McCain was a war criminal not a war hero
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Iraq vet protests mccain at RNC
Adam Charles Kokesh was a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and a veteran of the Iraq War.
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GOP punch lines offend community organizers
By Cathy McKitrick
The Salt Lake Tribune
On-stage remarks made by leaders at this week's Republican National Convention - aimed at discrediting the resume of Barack Obama - offended a much broader group of people who tend to be very vocal. Namely, community organizers. "It was a put-down," said Jeanetta Williams, president of the NAACP's Salt Lake branch. "Unfortunate," said Tony Yapias, director of Proyecto Latino de Utah. Elitist and out of touch, said Tim Funk, housing project director for the nonprofit Crossroads Urban Center in Salt Lake City. By Cathy McKitrick The Salt Lake Tribune ... more -
The Man Enquirer Says Allegedly Had Affair With Palin Suddenly Tries To Get Divorc...
Some may find the timing of this interesting and suggestive. The case had been stagnant for months - till the Enquirer story broke. View the dates of motions and records. Some may find the timing of this interesting and suggestive. The case had been stagnant for months - till the Enquirer story broke. Vi... more
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Robert Redford hopes coal movie inspires citizen groups
Robert Redford was so struck by a story of Texas mayors, ranchers and other citizens who stood up against plans for a batch of new coal-fired power plants that he narrated a film about it.
The actor and founder of the Sundance Film Festival is lending his voice to a 34-minute documentary called "Fighting Goliath: Texas Coal Wars." The film is being shown in seven cities in Utah and Nevada next week.
Redford's hoping the story inspires others to face off against the "mythology" of nonrenewable resources and consider renewable energy alternatives.
"It makes no sense going in a direction that represents yesterday," Redford said in an interview with The Associated Press this week.
The story centers on a fight that started in 2006 over 19 proposed coal-fired power plants in central and east Texas. The plans galvanized a diverse group of citizens who might otherwise have divergent political viewpoints: ranchers, environmentalists, business leaders, legislators, lawyers and more than a dozen local mayors.
Redford, who has been involved with environmental causes for decades, said he was inspired by the group's unifying interests around clean air and a healthy environment. The coalition opposing the plans grew to include 36 cities, counties and school districts.
"To me, that was a sign of changing times," said Redford, who spends about six months a year in Utah.
Eventually, the company that proposed 11 of the new plants agreed to build only three.
The film, produced by The Redford Center at the Sundance Preserve and Austin, Texas-based Alpheus Media, has already been shown in Texas. Supporters are bringing it to Utah and Nevada where several new coal-fired plants are being proposed.
"It's very relevant to what's going on not only in Utah but the rest of the country," said Tim Wagner, director of the Utah Smart Energy Campaign. "We want people to understand when they see this film that they can get involved, they too can make a difference."
Redford said he sees what happened in Texas as an indication that a tipping point has been reached in how the public perceives coal-fired plants.
"That's breaking apart now because the reality is seeping through like grass coming through the sidewalk," he said.
The screenings next week will be followed by panel discussions about pollution, global warming, renewable energy in the West, ways to minimize energy use and "economic opportunities of the clean energy economy."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Robert Redford is an environmental icon whose work has brought great change in understanding and in perceiving the problems we face regarding it. Lending his voice to this movie will hopefully inspire other citizen groups to do what politicians will not: stand up to dirty big coal. That is where we will see the most change... right out here, bringing it there. Robert Redford was so struck by a story of Texas mayors, ranchers and other citizens who stood up against plans for a batch of new coa... more -
How will you and your state cast ballots in November?
This year, as a result of a lot of changes in voting machines around the country, numerous voting districts across many states will be using new voting equipment that has either never been used in an election or has never been used in a national election involving millions of voters.
When new systems are used, problems often arise either with the equipment itself or with election officials and voters who are unfamiliar with it.
To see what equipment you and your state will be using in November and to familiarize yourself with it before the election, VerifiedVoting.org, an election integrity group that led the movement to get voter-verified paper audit trails added to touch-screen voting machines, has produced a comprehensive interactive map identifying the voting systems being used in election districts across the country. As far as I know, this is the most up-to-date list of voting equipment that exists.
The map offers several options for viewing. You can look at systems at a statewide macro level or click on a state to get a micro view of the various systems being used in each county or voting district, including the accessible equipment being offered for disabled voters. At the district level, you'll also find information about the maker of the voting machines and contact information for the election office.
The voting machine landscape has changed a lot since the 2000 presidential election when punch-card voting systems and dangling chads spawned a heated national debate and Supreme Court battle.
As a result of the 2000 debacle, the Help America Vote Act was passed in 2002 allocating federal funds to replace antiquated punch-card and lever machines with newer election technologies. Election officials quickly spent millions of dollars to buy paperless touch-screen voting machines -- also known as Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) machines -- that were touted by their makers as faster, more accurate and easier to use than punch-card machines.
But in 2003, technical reports began surfacing about serious security issues with the machines as well as reports about breakdowns and other problems. Public opinion has forced some voting districts to back away from the equipment since then. In some cases entire states -- such as California and Florida -- have outlawed DRE machines for use by anyone other than disabled voters and have recently replaced their touch-screen systems with new optical-scan machines.
In the last two years, 131 counties across 9 states -- California, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia -- have abandoned their DRE machines in favor of paper ballot voting systems, according to statistics collected by VerifiedVoting.
While some states like Nevada and Utah have added paper trails to their DRE machines, the District of Columbia and six states -- Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey and South Carolina -- still use DRE's without paper trails statewide. A handful of other states use mixed systems -- paperless DREs in some districts and paper-based voting systems in other districts. This year, as a result of a lot of changes in voting machines around the country, numerous voting districts across many states will be... more -
Do we really want a torture victim for president?
Much has been made about John McCain's military record, his war service, his captivity, and the torture he received at the hands of the North Vietnamese. The subjects are often held up as evidence of John McCain's fitness and qualifications to lead America. It is widely assumed, often quite loudly, that these experiences in our leader provide all sorts of benefits to we, the people. It is widely regarded as bordering on heresy to suggest that his experience as a POW is anything but positive. I don't think America is well-served by avoiding tough questions, though.
Victims of torture suffer from a wide range of mental impairments, some of which do not manifest themselves for decades after the torture. Stressful situations can sometimes cause an otherwise normally functioning torture victim to experience an acute mental episode that renders them incapable of making rational decisions. Given there are few jobs more stressful than President of the USA is and given the magnitude of the president's decision-making authority, I find this combination disturbing.
Coupled with this risk is a huge risk multiplier; the secrecy and deception of the Republican party. Consider what we now know about how the Republicans lied to us about Ronald Reagan’s health throughout his entire presidency. They lied to us about the severity of his wounds when he was shot. They lied to us about his mental capacity while he was recovering from his wounds. They lied to us about his mental state while he was nodding off in cabinet meetings. They lied to us repeatedly and they lied to us often.
So where does that leave us? A crisis occurs and the stress leaves John McCain drooling on himself in the corner? Perhaps. Does Sarah Palin activate the 25th Amendment and assume power as required by the Constitution? My guess is that it would result in a power struggle in the executive branch. On the one hand would be the ambitious young Ms. Palin with the chance to become the first woman president of America. On the other hand would be McCain's camp. They know that if they follow the Constitution, John McCain's presidency will be over. Who's going to allow him to resume control of the presidency after having suffered a mental breakdown? Will they find a way to prop up Mr. McCain and wipe the drool off him long enough for a photo or two, the way they did with Reagan? And then run the government themselves, illegally, as if nothing were wrong? Or will there be a power struggle that takes week or months to resolve. Will the Republican Party fall back on their favorite tool: Governance by Lawsuit?
Who knows? But it sure seems like it would be an awful mess. It would also be a great time for the Terrorists/Russians/North Koreans/Iranians/etc. to attack us.
Is this pure speculation? Sure it is. But it's not idle speculation out of thin air. John McCain is a victim of torture. Years of it. Some torture victims do manifest acute symptoms decades after the torture. Stress can cause acute mental episodes in torture victims. The presidency of the US is a stressful position. And Republicans do lie about their health when it is politically expedient for them to do so. And if we believe the Republicans, the Terrorists/Russians/North Koreans/Iranians/etc. are waiting for just such a crisis in leadership to take us down hard.
I don’t think we can afford to take the chance. Our National Security demands that we prevent John McCain and the Republicans from exposing us to these risks. Much has been made about John McCain's military record, his war service, his captivity, and the torture he received at the hands ... more -
Lockdown in St. Paul and What You Can Do
photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/theuptake/2831834042/
This is a nice wrap up to the RNC Protests. ~ Lo
by Adam Turl
September 5, 2008
SocialistWorker.org
Adam Turl describes the police-state tactics used to squelch dissent in Minneapolis and St. Paul during the Republican National Convention.
THERE WAS a criminal conspiracy engulfing Minnesota’s Twin Cities during the Republican National Convention (RNC)–but it didn’t involve masked anarchists, as mainstream media outlets warned.
The real conspiracy was a plot by 30 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to repress dissent and protests under the rubric of “national security” and the “war on terror.”
The repression caught in its wake antiwar protesters, environmentalists, pacifists, anarchists, socialists and reporters–in short, anyone who might show (or report on) signs of dissent against a government waging two barbaric wars while it can’t even provide health care to its own people.
[...]
What You Can Do
There are numerous efforts to support the victims of police-state tactics used in St. Paul.
Organizers in St. Paul have issued a national call asking activists to protest the jailing of more than 300 people arrested during demonstrations. Call St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman (651-266-8510); the head of Ramsey County Jail, Capt. Ryan O’Neil (651-266-9350 ext. 1); Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher (651-266-9333); and County Chief Judge Gearin (651-266-8266) and demand immediate medical attention, full legal rights and the dismissal of all charges for arrestees.
The Coldsnap Legal Collective is asking for donations to help cover legal costs. You can donate via Pay Pal at the Coldsnap Legal Collective Web site.
[...]
Read the rest at the above link
see also:
http://current.com/items/89272094_anti_war_marchers_try... photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/theuptake/2831834042/ This is a nice wrap up to the RNC Protests. ~ Lo by Adam Turl ... more -
Palin: Iraq war 'a task that is from God'
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin told ministry students at her former church that the United States sent troops to fight in the Iraq war on a "task that is from God."
In an address last June, the Republican vice presidential candidate also urged ministry students to pray for a plan to build a $30 billion natural gas pipeline in the state, calling it "God's will."
Palin asked the students to pray for the troops in Iraq, and noted that her eldest son, Track, was expected to be deployed there.
"Our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God," she said. "That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that plan is God's plan."
A video of the speech was posted at the Wasilla Assembly of God's Web site before finding its way on to other sites on the Internet.
Palin told graduating students of the church's School of Ministry, "What I need to do is strike a deal with you guys." As they preached the love of Jesus throughout Alaska, she said, she'd work to implement God's will from the governor's office, including creating jobs by building a pipeline to bring North Slope natural gas to North American markets.
"God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that," she said.
"I can do my job there in developing our natural resources and doing things like getting the roads paved and making sure our troopers have their cop cars and their uniforms and their guns, and making sure our public schools are funded," she added. "But really all of that stuff doesn't do any good if the people of Alaska's heart isn't right with God."
Palin attended the evangelical church from the time she was a teenager until 2002, the church said in a statement posted on its Web site. She has continued to attend special conferences and meetings there. Religious conservatives have welcomed her selection as John McCain's running mate.
The Assemblies of God, which claims nearly 3 million members, is one of the biggest Pentecostal groups in the U.S. Unlike most other Christians—including most evangelicals—Pentecostals believe in "baptism in the Holy Spirit." That can manifest itself through speaking in tongues, modern-day prophesy and faith healing. The Assemblies of God teaches that spirit baptism must be accompanied by speaking in tongues. Still, some churchgoers never have the experience.
Rob Boston, a spokesman for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, lamented Palin's comments.
"I miss the days when pastors delivered sermons and politicians delivered political speeches," he said. "The United States is increasingly diverse religiously. The job of a president is to unify all those different people and bring them together around policy goals, not to act as a kind of national pastor and bring people to God."
The section of the church's Web site where videos of past sermons were posted was shut down Wednesday, and a message was posted saying that the site "was never intended to handle the traffic it has received in the last few days." Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin told ministry students at her former church that the United States sent troops to fight in the Iraq war on a &... more -
McCain and the Independent vote
Matt Welch, editor of the libertarian magazine Reason.com, says McCain is more interventionist than Bush. Part 2
Matt Welch is a journalist, blogger, pundit and a libertarian. Since 2008, he has been the editor-in-chief at the monthly libertarian journal, Reason. Recently (from 2006 to 2007), he was an editorial page editor for the Los Angeles Times. He has written a portrayal of Republican presidential candidate John McCain, from a libertarian perspective. In McCain: The Myth of a Maverick, Welch argues that a McCain presidency would advance a statist agenda.
See Part 1 at: http://current.com/items/89269364_palin_a_bold_move_or_... Matt Welch, editor of the libertarian magazine Reason.com, says McCain is more interventionist than Bush. Part 2 ... more -
Microbes in dirt provide electricity for African villagers
Providing electricity to people in countries where either the grid is not reliable, or nonexistent and unlikely ever to be built, can make a huge difference in people’s quality of life in very practical ways. We’ve written before about companies such as D.Light Design which have solar-powered replacements for kerosene lanterns , and efforts to bring small-scale solar panels to off-grid villages in Laos. Hand cranked cell phone chargers, radios and flashlights are other proven options that have received attention.
Microbial Fuel Cells Provide Enough Power for Small Devices
One option which is being investigated in a pilot project by Cambridge, Massachusetts company Lebônê Solutions is using microbial fuel cells to provide electricity to villagers in Tanzania. While the power produced by microbial fuel cells isn’t great, it does provide enough electricity for the small DC powered devices that the villagers want to run, Lebônê co-founder Hugo Van Vuuren told Technology Review. Compared to other renewable energy options such as solar panels or small-scale wind turbines they are also less expensive to produce and easier to set up.
A What Type of Fuel Cell?
Lebônê gives us a very basic rundown on how microbial fuel cells work:
These inexpensive fuel cells run on animal and plant waste and naturally occurring soil microbes, and are framed around a flexible substrate (wood, steel, etc) that can vary by geographic availability. This is truly electricity right out of the ground. These fuel cells are used to charge a battery or cheap supercapacitor, which in turn will be used to power a high-efficiency efficient LED or PLED lamp.
And Technology Review gives us a bit more detail:
To make the fuel cell, the team put graphite cloth--the anode--in the bottom of a bucket along with chicken wire--the cathode--and microbe-laden waste, either mud, cow manure, or residue from coffee crops. A layer of sand acts as an ion barrier while salt water helps the protons travel more easily. The team adds a power management board (the only device that the villagers will most likely have to import, says [Lebônê co-founder Aviva] Presser) to regulate the power and send it to a battery. Such a fuel cell can run a cheap, efficient light-emitting diode (LED) for four to five hours per evening. "We're hoping the entire system will be around $10 when we're ready," says Presser.
Namibia Next Up For Fuel Cell Trial
After Tanzania, Lebônê’s second trial, funded by a $200,000 grant from the World Bank, will be an 18-month pilot project in Namibia where the the firm will couple their fuel cell design with the the next generation of LEDs. Providing electricity to people in countries where either the grid is not reliable, or nonexistent and unlikely ever to be built, can ... more -
Jon Stewart calls out Republican Hypocrisy
He knows how to make a dirty game like politics kinda funny.
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Dead Prez Rap at The RNC
Underground hip-hop duo, Dead Prez shows up at the RNC to support a cause, not a candidate. Protesting war and poverty, they sit down with the Daily Fix to discuss issues on social justice. Underground hip-hop duo, Dead Prez shows up at the RNC to support a cause, not a candidate. Protesting war and poverty, they sit down ... more
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Britons doubt olympics will be a success
In a survey of 2,000 Brits taken just after the Beijing Olympics, it was revealed that only 11% believe that the 2012 London Olympics will be a success.
Though nearly half now feel more excited about hosting the Games since team GB's performance this summer, 21% think that the Olympics will be good for Britain's international reputation, up from 15% before the Games.
60% also said that the performance of the UK team this year has not made them feel more confident about the Government. In a survey of 2,000 Brits taken just after the Beijing Olympics, it was revealed that only 11% believe that the 2012 London Olympics ... more -
Sarah Palin is the new Barak Obama
At least, that's what Republicans are telling us.
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Palin Church believes in converting Gays.jubal added this
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McCain:Slick talking on oilBuddyP added this
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The Republican Hater's BallSDLN added this
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McCain counts on character to clinch itBuddyP added this
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