If my friends really loved me they would do this to my house… ;-}
Chapel Hill News: ‘It was like a genie had come in’
The owner of Queen of Sheba returns from a holiday to find her friends had
transformed her restaurant with paint, tile and polish.
Month: November 2003
Democracy Needs a Medic!
Sorry there’s no time to clean this up:
>URGENT SUPPORT NEEDED FOR ACTIVISTS PROTESTING THE FTAA > >The A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition calls on all those who have >been involved in the anti-war movement to show their >support for those in Miami protesting at the FTAA >negotiations who are being brutalized and incarcerated in >a coordinated police state action designed to stifle >dissent in the United States. > >Police have attacked protestors with tear gas, pepper >spray, concussion grenades, stun guns and by shooting >activists with rubber bullets. Medics have not been >allowed in through the police lines to treat the injured. >Protestors have been grabbed, seemingly at random, and >taken off the street in snatch operations conducted by >police in unmarked vehicles. The police are also directly >targeting the legal support for the demonstrators, >including National Lawyers Guild Legal Observers. Many who >have been taken away have been beaten. > >Your urgent help is needed now. The National Lawyers Guild >and the Miami Activist Defense are asking that you contact >the Mayors, the City Attorney, Police Chief Timoney and >the media. Below is contact information -- please call or >email now and let them know their actions will not be >tolerated. The attack on the protestors gives lie to the >claim that the U.S. is fighting for democracy abroad -- >when people who participate in political dissent at home >are subject to brutal systematic police abuse and >government repression. > >The U.S. government in pursuit of corporate globalization >uses all methods in its arsenal - from invasion and >bombing to economic sanctions and IMF imposed austerity >plans. The FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas) is >merely another mechanism to extend the exploitative reach >of corporate domination over the people of the Americas. > >Show your solidarity with the people in the streets of >Miami. Miami >Activist Defense asks that the following be contacted: > >ALEX PENELAS >Mayor, Miami-Dade County >305-829-9336 home >305-375-5071 office > >MANUEL A. DIAZ >Mayor, City of Miami >305-250-5300 >305-375-5071 >mannydiaz@ci.miami.fl.us > >JOHN TIMONY >Chief of police >305-673-7925 >305-579-6565 > >ALEJANDRO VILARELLO >City Attorney >305-416-1800 >law@ci.miami.fl.us > >JOE ARRIOLA >City Manager >jarriola@ci.miami.fl.us > >JOHNNY WINTON >Miami City Commissioner >305-858-7344 home >305-250-5333 office > >KATY SORENSON >Miami Dade County Commissioner >305-375-5218 >305-378-6677 > >Local media has been grossly biased in their coverage. >While this is >somewhat to be expected the following are numbers that >people could call. >CBS4: 305-639-4551, 305-639-4601, 305-639-4426 >WPLG channel 10: 305-576-6397 >WSUN Fox: 954-524-0388 (Rosh Lowe)
And here’s a message from a friend in Arizona:
>http://www.wftv.com/news/2656327/detail.html An article from the >"mainstream" media that covered the police brutality that occurred yesterday >during the FTAA protests in Miami. If you want to more about the FTAA go >here http://www.stopftaa.org/. The article above is from a local news >channel in Miami. If you want to have real fun, take the little survey about >who's to blame for the violence that broke out during the protests. > >Here's the article in the Wash Post >http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64905-2003Nov20.html The New >York Times did cover it as well. You can't link to it unless you register >for an account. Both of these papers did not cover this on the front page. >This was "in other national news." > >If you go to each of the major news network's websites (ABC, NBC, CBS) not >ONE of them is even covering this story in ANY capacity. There is NOTHING >about it on the CNN website, nor are they covering it on TV. I'm not even >going to mention Fox News, what's the point? > >They talk about how "not as many protestors showed up as were expected." >What they don't talk about is how the police presence (over 2,500 cops were >on the street) stopped incoming buses to the area. An estimated 6,000 didn't >even make it there because they were stopped. > >Rubber bullets were used liberally. Many people were severely injured. They >used tear gas grenades, pepper spray bullets, pepper spray, and clubs. Over >70 people were listed as arrested but many more are "missing." The >protestors, BTW, were completely non-violent. All this occurred because the >cops were trying to stop smaller groups of protestors from linking up with >each other to march together in one large group. There was no violence on >the part of the protestors - even after they started in with the beatings.
If you’re in London
“There’s a policeman on my shoulder now… I’m on Sky News, we’re going out live NOW…”
*policeman mumbles*
“Oh, his attitude seems to have changed rapidly and we’re being left alone now”
“Republican Senators and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Night”
Because Republicans don’t seem to understand all them big werds like rights, jobs, and democracy here’s a bed time story (PDF) to put it in terms we can all understand.
One-man Senate Protest
Check out Democratic Senator Harry Reid of Nevada. He’s been holding the Senate floor since 1 pm today and counting!
“The [Republican] Senate leadership seems more worried about four people [judicial nominees] who are employed instead of the millions of unemployed,’ he said. ‘We should get busy on the budget and other issues that matter to the American people — jobs, prescription drugs, health care, education and the environment.”
Democrats with spines are an endangered species, we must preserve and protect them!
E-mail Senator reid to show your support.
Who wants to be a First Lady?
…or more likely, the wife of an also-ran. The website politicsNH.com is having a “Mrs. Kucinich Contest.” (Not to nitpick, but if he’s so progressive wouldn’t it be “Ms.”?) It’s pretty funny that they show the profile of the would-be contestants, and it includes their home state – and the number of electoral votes it carries.
“As a bachelor, I get a chance to fantasize about my first lady. And you know maybe Fox will want to sponsor it as a national contest or something. But in any event I would want definitely want someone who would not just be there by my side, but be a working partner because I think we’re in a day in age when partnerships are imperative to making anything happening in the world. And I certainly want a dynamic, out-spoken woman who was fearless in her desire for peace in the world and for universal single-payer health care and a full employment economy. If you are out there call me.”
– Democratic Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, 11/05/03
Actually, this is a great tactic to get his name out. It’s goofy, but he has nothing to lose.
And not that I should need to but the DRM asked me to clarify: I am NOT interested in the job.
Politicians playing doctor
![[Bushing signing PBA bill]](http://www.lotusmedia.org/blog/bushsignsPBA.jpg)
Presidential Forum
Watch Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, General Wesley Clark, Governor Howard Dean, Senator John Kerry, and Senator John Edwards answer prepared questions from Planne Parenthood. Woo!
VOTE TODAY!
For those in southern Orange County, here are my suggestions. If you want more than my opinion, visit OrangePolitics.org.
Bonds: Yes on all 5.
School Board: Elizabeth Carter, Gloria Faley. optional: George Griffin, Ed
Sechrest, or none (you get up to 4 votes)C.H. Town Council: Sally Greene, Bill Strom, Cam Hill. optional: none/Thatcher Freund/Andrea Rorhbacher (you get up to 4). Just please don’t vote for Dianne Bachman!
C.H. Mayor: You can write in “Pat Killian” if you’re feeling rebellious and
futile, otherwise you don’t have a choice.Carrboro Board of Aldermen: Mark Chilton, Joal Broun, Alex Zaffron
Carrboro Mayor: Mike Nelson (you have a bit of a choice, and I still recommend Mike)
My endorsements
Published today in the Chapel Hill News:
This year’s local elections offer voters some important choices in our community’s leadership. The towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro have made important progress in managing growth, supporting affordable housing, investing in our community and taking principled stands on issues of concern to our state and nation.
However, we have also made some mistakes. Chapel Hill has been sliding down a slippery slope from progressive role model to bland suburban enclave. Recently our Town Council has begun to legislate non-issues, such as fires in bars and red-light running. With the largest single development in the history of our town looming at Carolina North, can this possibly be best use of the council’s time?
Since we do not get a choice about our mayor this year, it is vitally important that we express our values by electing strong leaders for the Chapel Hill Town Council. Please join me in voting for Sally Greene, Bill Strom, and Cam Hill — three leaders with strength, vision and good ideas.
Also, I would ask my neighbors in Carrboro to vote for Mark Chilton and the two incumbent aldermen as well as Mayor Mike Nelson to continue Carrboro’s role as a progressive leader of communities in the South.
— Ruby Sinreich, Chapel Hill