From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Mon Nov 22 00:00:07 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2004 00:00:07 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] Iraqi Insurgents Loot Thousands of Police Uniforms Message-ID: <20041122080007.34459.qmail@web13605.mail.yahoo.com> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/11/19/uuniforms.xml&sSheet=/portal/2004/11/19/ixportaltop.ht The Telegraph (London) "We are in a various, precarious security environment." Insurgents Loot Police Uniforms (Filed: 19/11/2004) Insurgents have acquired thousands of police uniforms after officers deserted their posts when rebels attacked stations in Mosul. About 3,200 of the Iraqi town's 4,000 police officers dropped their weapons and ran off, intimidated into submission by groups of armed insurgents during a 48-hour period, it has emerged. American-led troops will now potentially face rebels wearing police uniforms making it extremely difficult to distinguish them from policemen. At least seven police stations were overrun and looted of their weapons, radios, uniforms and vehicles, before being set ablaze or, in at least one case, destroyed by dynamite. Lt Col Michael Gibler, commander of the 3-21 Infantry Battalion, based in Mosul, said: "We are in a various, precarious security environment." US troops found headless and dismembered bodies near one police station, while the group led by Jordanian al -Qa'eda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi made an unconfirmed claim that it beheaded two national guard officers in public in Mosul yesterday. The police chief on duty when the mass desertion occurred on Nov. 10-11 has been fired and a new chief drafted in. He is now carrying out an audit of the remaining 800 or so police to assess who is really loyal and who is a potential deserter. The police force was set up by US authorities last year and promoted as a symbol of the new Iraq. The police were supposed to be the backbone of Iraq's new security forces, reinforced by the national guard and the army. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? The all-new My Yahoo! ? Get yours free! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Mon Nov 22 00:28:09 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2004 00:28:09 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] ELP has some bad news Message-ID: <20041122082809.70541.qmail@web13621.mail.yahoo.com> It is with deep regret that ELP (Earth Liberation Prisoners) has to announce that William "Billy" Cottrell has testified against others at his trial. Earlier this week, William "Billy" Cottrell testified that he had been present at the scene of an Earth Liberation Front action. He admitted to painting ELF slogans and to causing criminal damage. However he then went onto say that he did not start any fires and named two people, Tyler Johnson and Michie Oe, who he claims were responsible for the fires. It should be noted that, as has been proven time and time again, you can not trust the word of a police informant, as they will happily name innocent people to get themselves off the hook and no charges have ever been bought against Tyler or Michie, although the FBI have now named them as "fugitive co-conspirators". A full report on Cottrell's trial will appear in the next issue of "Spirit of Freedom (January 2005)" and ELP will be putting out a joint statement with the former "Free Billy Support Network" in the next few days, after Cottrell has been sentenced. (The "Free Billy Support Network" has been dissolved because of Cottrell's decision to blame others). However as of now Cottrell is regarded as a police informant and will receive no more support from ELP. ELP would like to apologise to all those who have supported Cottrell and we would remind everyone that although Cottrell has turned traitor there are many other good prisoners who need our support and we hope this will not put you off supporting them. For a full up-to-date list of eco-prisoners please e-mail ELP4321 at Hotmail.com http://www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk/ http://www.earthliberationfront.com http://security.resist.ca/ http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/state/10231981.htm?1c ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Discover all that?s new in My Yahoo! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Mon Nov 22 10:36:55 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2004 10:36:55 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] Election apology starts net feud Message-ID: <20041122183655.40332.qmail@web13608.mail.yahoo.com> Last Updated: Monday, 15 November, 2004, 13:16 GMT Election apology starts net feud A 20-year-old student website ignited the online debate An online war is under way between Americans who want to apologise for the US presidential election results, and those who are happy with the way it turned out. Sorryeverybody.com started the duel the day after the polls closed, with a picture of its creator holding up a "Sorry World" message. Since then the site has racked up more than 27 million hits as other people post pictures and view the growing gallery of images. But the site has also seen the creation of at least eight other websites set up by supporters of president George W Bush who believe there is nothing to apologise for. Polarised net There is no reason for us to apologize to the rest of the world because of our belief in Freedom and Democracy www.werenotsorry.com "It was mind-boggling the amount of emotion the website has triggered", said James Zetlen, the 20-year-old creator of the original sorryeverybody.com website. The student, who is currently studying neuroscience at the University of Southern California, said that since people rarely apologise on the internet, he thought it was high time to do so. "The world needs to understand that there are people in America who don't like what our government is doing," he said answering questions on the site about why he did it. "And from the mail we're receiving, there are people in the international community who appreciate this." But the success of sorryeverybody.com has prompted supporters of President Bush to respond with a number of anti-apology sites, such as werenotsorry.com. "There is no reason for us to apologize to the rest of the world because of our belief in Freedom and Democracy", read one message left on the site. Many people are expressing their support or disapproval in very strong terms. Record visits The internet was supposed to make communication between cultures, countries and peoples painless and easy... But it doesn't do this automatically; somebody has to reach out James Zetlen, sorryeverybody.com Due to its huge success, Mr Zetlen had to move his site to a private server, after his university complained that it was taking up 82% of its bandwidth. Now he is asking for donations and placing ads at the bottom of the pages in order to finance the site, which costs about $7,000 per month to operate. The sites collecting the messages have attracted huge numbers of visitors, both from within and outside the United States. Sorryeverybody.com includes reaction responses coming from Germany, France, Canada, Australia, Israel, Brazil, China and many other countries. "On behalf of my country I accept your apology; I know you tried hard", read a message from a German web user. Mr Zetlen said that his only intention was to promote a global debate on the US election results. "The internet was supposed to make communication between cultures, countries and peoples painless and easy. "It was supposed to build bridges. But it doesn't do this automatically; somebody has to reach out. Also, come on, it's kind of amusing." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4012621.stm Pls visit http://www.sorryeverybody.com/ and click on the picture to visit gallery ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Discover all that?s new in My Yahoo! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Mon Nov 22 20:58:02 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2004 20:58:02 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] 15,000 Uncounted U.S. Casualties in Iraq Message-ID: <20041123045802.25703.qmail@web13603.mail.yahoo.com> http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/11/19/60minutes/main656756.shtml Iraq: The Uncounted (CBS) Approximately 300,000 American men and women have served at one time or another in Iraq. Most will return to the United States more or less intact. But some come home the hard way - on a stretcher, bloody and broken. And, as Correspondent Bob Simon says, there are few bloodier or more broken than Chris Schneider. Schneider says he believed in the war in Iraq, and liked wearing the uniform. "[I was] proud to wear it. I loved wearing it," says Schneider, a Kansas boy straight off the recruitment poster. He went to college on a wrestling scholarship, started a family, and joined the Army Reserves. This past January, his unit was providing security for a supply convoy traveling through 100 miles of dangerous Iraqi desert. He was riding in a two-and-a-half ton cargo truck, armed to the teeth. "In my vehicle there was my driver, there was my 50-cal gunner who was in a turret on top," says Schneider. "And then there was myself and another individual in back. We both had M249 machine guns." Schneider saw another convoy coming in his direction - a line of HETS (heavy equipment transports), big rigs on steroids, hogging the road. The first HET just missed hitting his truck. The second one did not. "It threw me up over my vehicle, over the HET and about 50 feet into the field on the left," says Schneider. "When I landed, the next HET in line had locked up their brakes to keep from rear ending the one that we hit. And when he came to rest, the first set of tires on his trailer were parked on my pelvis. And the second set had my lower leg wedged in it to the axle. I've been told a rough estimate of approximately 120,000 to 140,000 pounds." Today, Schneider walks with a limp, on his artificial leg. But even though he was injured while on a mission in a war zone ? and even though he?ll receive the same benefits as a soldier who?d been shot - he is not included in the Pentagon?s casualty count. Their official tally shows only deaths and wounded in action. It doesn't include "non-combat" injured, those whose injuries were not the result of enemy fire. "It's a slap in the face. Although it was through no direct hostile action, I was on a mission that they?d given me in hostile territory. Hostile enough that we had to have a perimeter set up at the time of my accident to prevent from an ambush or an attack," says Schneider. "For those of us that were unfortunate enough to get injured. Whether it was hostile action or not, we're all paying the same price." --------------------------------- How many injured and ill soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines - like Chris Schneider - are left off the Pentagon?s casualty count? Would you believe 15,000? 60 Minutes asked the Department of Defense to grant us an interview. They declined. Instead, they sent a letter, which contains a figure not included in published casualty reports: "More than 15,000 troops with so-called 'non-battle' injuries and diseases have been evacuated from Iraq." Many of those evacuated are brought to Landstuhl in Germany. Most cases are not life-threatening. In fact, some are not serious at all. But only 20 percent return to their units in Iraq. Among the 80 percent who don?t return are GIs who suffered crushing bone fractures; scores of spinal injuries; heart problems by the hundreds; and a slew of psychiatric cases. None of these are included in the casualty count, leaving the true human cost of the war something of a mystery. "It's difficult to estimate what the total number is," says John Pike, director of a research group called GlobalSecurity.org. As a military analyst, Pike has spoken out against both Republican and Democratic administrations. He?s weighed all the available casualty data and has made an informed estimate that goes well beyond what the Pentagon has released. "You have to say that the total number of casualties due to wounds, injury, disease would have to be somewhere in the ballpark of over 20, maybe 30,000," says Pike. His calculation, striking as it is, is based on the military's own definition of casualty ? anyone "lost to the organization," in this case, for medical reasons. And Pike believes it?s no accident that the military reports a number far lower than his estimate. "The Pentagon, I think, is afraid that they're going to lose public support for this war, the way they lost public support for Vietnam back in the 1960s," says Pike. "And minimizing the apparent cost of the war, I think, is one way that they're hoping to sustain public support here at home." 60 Minutes asked the assistant secretary of Defense for Health Affairs about that claim - that casualties are being underreported, for political reasons. And we got a flat denial. In a letter, he told us, "We in the Department of Defense categorically reject the notion that we are underreporting casualties from Operation Iraqi Freedom." He pointed out that he?d already provided us with some figures - the 15,000 evacuations of non-combat injured and ill. Still, Pike says the military is trying to minimize the casualty count. It?s an effort Pike believes is misguided, because he says that even if Americans understood the full human cost of the war, public support would not weaken. "I think that all of the public opinion polling that we're seeing suggests that the public is prepared to sustain far higher casualties than politicians give them credit for," says Pike. "I think that it's basically that the politicians and the Pentagon, don't have confidence in the American people." --------------------------------- The Department of Defense did not include non-battle injuries in its casualty reports in other recent wars, either. But that?s of little comfort to Joel Gomez, who was riding in the back of a Bradley fighting vehicle, looking for insurgents, when disaster struck. "Unfortunately, the Bradley was too heavy for the road, a dirt road, and the ground gave way. And we wound up flipping down the mountain. And it landed upside-down in the Tigris River," says Gomez. His two buddies were killed. Gomez made it out, but he's now paralyzed. "[It's] a horrific change. I can't move my legs. I can't move my arms," says Gomez. "It just totally changes your life in a manner that you could never imagine." Even though Gomez tumbled into the Tigris while looking for insurgents, he is, by the Pentagon?s definition, ?non-combat injured.? "They blow it off and say it's just an accident," say Gomez. "I'm sure that somebody getting shot in the back would just be an accident. But that's how they see it." The Department of Defense says the injuries and illnesses suffered by Gomez and thousands of other troops should not be taken out of context. In their letter to 60 Minutes, they said: ?In order to understand rates of injuries and diseases, it is necessary to understand what the normal or usual rates of injuries and diseases might be in other situations.? What does this mean? That there are always going to be a certain number of accidents and injuries, war or no war ? though they offer no numbers for comparison. "Soldiers and Marines are gonna get sick. They're gonna get into accidents. But there's gonna be more disease, more accidents, more psychiatric stress in Iraq than if they were back here," says Pike, who adds that hundreds of troops in Iraq have been so paralyzed by stress that they've had to be medically evacuated ? though you won't see them reported in the casualty count. --------------------------------- Traditionally, that count has not included combat stress. It was long thought, in the military?s macho culture, that psychological trauma is best suffered in silence. Graham Alstrom has been back from Iraq for over a year, but he?s still haunted by what he saw ? and what he did to other people. "Some of them I shot. Some of them I blew up with grenades. Some of them were stabbed," says Alstrom. The memories of killing invaded his mind. Soon after he returned home, Alstrom?s life began to unravel. "The drinking started immediately. I stopped sleeping. And I started getting very angry. I didn't want to talk to my family anymore. I didn't want them to see me. I didn't want to see them. I felt like they were ashamed of me," says Alstrom. "I was partly ashamed of some of the things I had done. ?I couldn't separate the killing people and killing them in combat." He says he's frustrated that the military says his illness is not combat-related. "I know what I was like before I went to combat. I had a life beyond the Army," says Alstrom. "I talked to my family. I'd share feelings and emotions with people I cared about. I lived a very regular life." Alstrom won?t get a Purple Heart for his service in Iraq. It was only his mind that was wounded in battle. "It doesn't matter what the paperwork says. We know what happened over there. We know what we did over there," says Alstrom. "And no piece of paperwork saying that I'm not a casualty could ever take that away. For any of us." They?ve had so much taken away already, but both Alstrom and Schneider insist that what remains inside them is the heart of a good soldier. "I'm very supportive of why we're there. I'm very supportive of what we did while I was there," says Schneider. "I believe wholeheartedly that not only should we have gone, but that we've done the right thing." Now, he?d like the military to do the right thing, too. "Every one of us went over there with the knowledge that we could die," says Schneider. "And then they tell you - you're wounded - or your sacrifice doesn't deserve to be recognized, or we don?t deserve to be on their list ? it?s not right. It?s almost disgraceful." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Discover all that?s new in My Yahoo! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 00:05:10 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 00:05:10 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] Computerized Canned Hunts: Fact Or Sham? Message-ID: <20041123080510.36923.qmail@web13608.mail.yahoo.com> 11/22/04--Computerized Canned Hunts: Fact Or Sham? KINSHIP CIRCLE http://www.kinshipcircle.org SOURCE OF INFORMATION: AnimalVoicesNews at earthlink.net, Animal-Related News Judy Reed, AnimalVoicesNews *DISCLAIMER: The information in these letters is verified with the original source. I cannot assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information or for the consequences of its use. Nothing in this email is intended to encourage illegal action in whatever country you are reading it in. *Kinship Circle cannot guarantee the validity of email addresses. During a campaign, recipients may change or disable their email addresses. ================================================== POINT-AND-CLICK SLAUGHTER? ***LINKS TO ONLINE POLLS, DISCUSSIONS, COMMENTS FOLLOW SYNOPSIS*** Remember the Bonsai Kitten website? It featured photos of kittens crammed into glass jars or vases to contort their bodies into the contour of the container. The site was eventually exposed as the sick fantasy of someone skilled in Photoshop editing software. Demented, but a hoax. A possible new hoax--linked to the creator of the Bonsai Kitten site--is equally deranged [*See astute analysis from Merritt Clifton, toward end]. By now, many of you have received emails about John Underwood's http://www.Live-shot.com , a site that lets web surfers slaughter wild, confined animals with the click of their mouse. "The animals will either come passing by to feed or to water," Lockwood told San Antonio reporters in Web Surfers Will Soon Hunt Wild Game Online (11/19/04). The hunts purportedly allow shooters to maneuver a camera with pan, tilt, and zoom capabilities, along with a gun to fire at real targets in real time. A Washington DC article [11-18-04] says the southwest Texas rancher built a "platform for a rifle and camera that can be remotely aimed on his 330 acre ranch by anyone on the Internet anywhere in the world. [http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/nov2004/2004-11-18-09.asp#anchor2 ] "He already offers target practice with a .22 calibre rifle via the Internet but he wants to allow visitors to his site to shoot living deer, antelope and wild pigs. The only thing in his way is a slow Internet connection to his remote ranch. "Underwood says an attendant would retrieve the shot animals for the shooters, who could have the heads preserved by a taxidermist. They could also have the meat processed and shipped home, or donated." Last Thursday morning, (11/18/04) Today Show's Matt Lauer interviewed Underwood. Whether fact or fiction, Today Show's willingness to give this slimebag a forum to promote cyber canned hunts is shocking. When Underwood described his site as a charitable option for disabled hunters, Lauer agreed it would be regrettable if disabled killers could not hunt. The piece seemed to showcase this nifty option for sport hunters, with no input from humane advocates or a discussion of ethics. Who finds computerized canned hunts repulsive or worrisome (besides you)? 1.) Humane Society of the United States and Fund for Animals: [11/17/04, http://www.fund.org/library/documentViewer.asp?ID=1664&table=documents%0A ] According to news sources in Washington, both groups want the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to regulate hunting of non-native species and ban "Internet hunting" in the state. "In their joint letters, The HSUS and The Fund are urging the governor, legislators and officials within the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to impose a requirement that any person hunting animals in Texas must be physically on site when he or she shoots, and to take steps to ensure that the prohibition covers the many non-native species used in canned hunts." 2.) Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD): Texas Parks and Wildlife Department official Mike Berger told Washington DC reporters, "The current state statutes don't cover this sort of thing." However, TPWD has posted Remote Controlled Hunting Facts at its website [11-19-04]: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/involved/pubhear/comment/remotehunt/ *edited for length --[TPWD] is considering regulating remote controlled hunting, including the possibility of prohibiting or restricting this activity in the future... --The department is not promoting or encouraging this activity, which is being advertised or proposed in at least one instance by a private business as a commercial enterprise... --One concern of TPWD staff is that anyone who hunts any animal in Texas, whether native wildlife or exotic (non-native) species, is required to have a valid Texas hunting license. If people are hunting at computer screens in other states or even at remote locations within Texas, the situation poses a license enforcement problem. --The department is in the early stages of assessing this new technology... No formal, written regulatory proposal has been created. --A specific regulatory proposal will be drafted by TPWD staff for consideration by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, the board appointed by the governor to oversee the department. --The commission will consider a remote controlled hunting regulatory proposal at its next meeting on January 26, 2005 as part of the 2005-2006 hunting/fishing regulations. Following that meeting, public comment will be accepted on the Internet from March 1 until April 6. The commission will adopt the final regulations April 7. ================================================== BUT IS IT ALL A HOAX? ANIMAL PEOPLE editor Merritt Clifton says there is a pretty good chance The Today Show, "Ray Sasser of the Dallas Morning News, Jeff Franks of Reuters, Texas Parks & Wildlife, and the Humane Society of the U.S. and Fund for Animals all got suckered." In Clifton's letter to Matt Lauer [11-18-04], he claims the press has made no effort to validate other than "talk with one guy." Clifton points out that no reporter has confirmed whether Underwood is who he claims to be--or if he possesses the land, animals and technology to pull this off. "Hell, if he did," Clifton argues, "why is he working as a body shop estimator, instead of making six figures plus as a designer of advanced weapons systems?" Clifton's letter continues: To: Today at NBC.com From: Merritt Clifton Subject: Attn. Matt Lauer Dear Matt: ...The whole thing looks and smells to me remarkably like another of the many hoaxes perpetrated over the years by Joey Skaggs of Greenwich Village, including bogus reports amplified by many news media about an alleged brothel for dogs in New York City, and a Korean dog meat dealer buying dogs from U.S. pounds. Skaggs teaches classes in how to pull off media hoaxes, and has several active imitators, whose most infamous hoax is something called "Bonsai kittens." Skaggs also has a huge web site boasting about all the many dozens of times he has suckered mass media: http://www.joeyskaggs.com . Specific questions-- 1) Did you verify the name and identity of the purported developer of this hunt-by-computer project? I notice that he went from being "John Lockwood" in Sasser's report to being "John Underwood" in the Reuters report by Jeff Franks. There is no listed "John Lockwood" in San Antonio, and neither of the two John Underwoods has acknowledged involvement, so far. 2) Did you verify that this fellow actually has some land somewhere with some animals on it? There is neither a John Lockwood nor a John Underwood in Rocksprings. 3) Did you verify the web site? According to , the web address was still unassigned, as of yesterday afternoon. What you see when you "go" there may be some sort of mirror site, mounted from outside the U.S. The claims that you, Sasser, and Jeff Franks have amplified, and that HSUS and the Fund for Animals have fallen for, are postulating that "a body shop estimator for a car dealership" has developed a remote-control computerized weapons system more advanced than anything the U.S. has in Fallujah, capable of sending and receiving signals across half of Texas in time for someone to verify target, aim, and fire before the target moves. Think about this: if your computer signal travels at the speed of sound, 350 miles from the remote gun to the shooter, and back again to pull the trigger, how long does the target have to move? One minute. How far can a deer move in one minute? Half a mile or more. It would take extremely advanced fibre optics to make this even distantly possible. (Photographing wildlife by remote works because the camera continuously records a scene. All the photographer actually does is select which frame he/she wants to retrieve from the continuous log.) John Lockwood, if he really is who he says he is, is either pulling a hoax or pulling a scam. The closest thing to what he claims to have that exists in the U.S. military arsenal involves a "smart" cruise missile tailed by a guide plane flying at approximately the same speed, only seconds behind the missile flight path. Cost: a few billion bucks. Development time: 20-odd years. Check it out. Cheers, Merritt Clifton, Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE P.O. Box 960; Clinton, WA 98236 Telephone: 360-579-2505; Fax: 360-579-2575 E-mail: anmlpepl at whidbey.com http://www.animalpeoplenews.org [ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide, founded in 1992.] ================================================== ONLINE POLLS, DISCUSSIONS, COMMENTS Kinship Circle will track this bizarre situation and compile sample letters if verified. In the meantime, here are online ways to express your opposition to computerized canned hunts. COMPILED BY: AnimalVoicesNews at earthlink.net , Animal-Related News Judy Reed, AnimalVoicesNews Kinship Circle, info at kinshipcircle.org 1.) Let TODAY SHOW know you oppose Matt Lauer's one-sided interview with John Underwood. Why were no animal protection groups consulted? Why was there no discussion of the ethical dimension to point-and-click slaughter? Let them know it was shoddy reporting for a usually credible program. Not only did NBC give computerized canned hunts a legitimate forum, but it also neglected to verify if it is even true! email Matt Lauer: Today at NBC.com Today Show ATN: Matt Lauer and NBC News personnel 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 ph: 212-664-4249 2.) TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPT. online general survey, with section for comments: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/survey/ Texas Parks and Wildlife Department 4200 Smith School Road Austin, Texas 78744 le.mail at tpwd.state.tx.us 3.) POLL: Should it be legal for people to hunt and kill animals from their computer? http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/3932533/detail.html? treets=den&tid=2654340095813&tml=den_9am&tmi=den_9am_1_10000111192004&ts=H Source/Letters: TheDenverChannel.com Newsroom: densupport at ibsys.com 4.) ONLINE DISCUSSION: Is Hunting Animals From Your Home Computer Ethical? http://forums.ibsys.com/viewmessages.cfm?sitekey=den&Forum=79&Topic=11190 5.) RELATED LINKS: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us - General regulations and information. Call 1-800-792-1112 to purchase licenses or purchase online after April 1, 2004. National Rifle Association (NRA), http://www.nra.org - LIVE-SHOT is a business alliance member of the NRA. True-Life Taxidermy, http://www.true-lifetaxidermy.com ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Discover all that?s new in My Yahoo! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 01:48:41 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 01:48:41 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Please sign Message-ID: Subject: Petition, please don't delete! Please sign this letter to President Bush It is about time that the vast majority of people who DO believe in God get a request for their rights that have been trampled by their politically correct opponents... Please Sign Letter (at bottom) To President Bush.... and Forward... Please DO NOT let this petition stop and lose all these names. If you do not want to sign it, please forward it to everyone you know. Thank you!!! ONCE YOU HAVE CLICKED FORWARD GO TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE AND PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION TO PRESIDENT BUSH THEN SEND THIS ON UNTIL THERE ARE 1000 NAMES. THE 1000TH PERSON SEND IT ON TO THE E-MAIL BELOW: A HREF="mailto:President at WhiteHouse.gov">President at WhiteHouse.govPresident at WhiteHouse.gov> To add your name to the bottom, click on "forward." You will be able to add your name to the list and then forward it to your friends. Or, if you prefer, you can copy and paste, and then add your name to the bottom of the list. Dear President Bush: We, the people of America, are requesting that you lift the prohibitionof prayer in schools. As the pledge of our great country states, we are to be "one nation, under God." Please allow the prayers and petitions of our children in schools without the threat of punishment. Sincerely, The people of America Mark 10:13-14 "People were bringing little children to Jesus to have Him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, He was indignant. He said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." PETITION TO REINSTATE PRAYER IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS: 1. Frankie Dorsett 2. Marilyn Hampton 3. Tommy Hampton 4. Joy Walker 5. Barbara Singleton 6. Jason Singleton 7. Aileen Berry 8. David Berry 9. Marie Dorsett 10. Becky Louis >>11. David Louis >>12. Chris Louis >>13. Kevin Serpa >>14. Jaime Serpa >>15. Pat Dorsett >>16. Brinda Brumley >>17. Pam Hewlett >>18. Josie Campos >>19. Christina Standke >>20. Kimbe! rly Serpa >>21. Thomas Serpa >>22. Jerry Hudgins >>23. Yanetta Hudgins >>24. Bessie Hudgins >>25. Ellen Jewell >>26. Carol Haemker >>27. Stephen Haemker >>28. Don Alexander >>29. Joanne Alexander >>30. Scott Gallimore >>31. Lisa Gallimore >>32. Diane Whitlow >>33. Judy Work >>34. Susan O'Dell >>35. Randy O'Dell 11years old >>36. Pam Dodson >>37. Lee Anne King >>38. Kim Carpenter >>39. Candi Philpott >>40. Cindy Long >>41. Brenda Champion >>42. Bonnie Allen >>43. Jerry Hall >>44. Gayla Peed >>45. Vicki Trinidad >>46. Michael Abate >>47. Paul T. Abate Sr. >>48. Mark A. Abate >>49. Cynthia Abate >>50. Susan DeLeon >>51. Sammy DeLeon >>52. Lisa Vitek >>53. Christopher Vitek >>54. Susan Stowell >>55. Kenneth C. Yoder >>56. Carey L. Dunlap >>57. Gail Tondre >>58. Diane Dikes >>59. Patricia Nowlin >>60. James Nowlin >>61. Amanda Shelton >>62. Mary Levingston >>63. Ernest Levingston >>64. Jim Spencer >>65. Nikki Spencer >>66. Kimberly Rhod! en >>67. Greg Campbell >>68. Woody Peavy >>69. Cathy Cloyd >>70. Cathy Salagaj >>71. LaVerne Basey >>72. Bonnie Shows, Texas >>73. Mark Shows, Texas >>74. Kelly Ferrara >>75. Brannon Ferrara >>76. Kristen Ferrara >>77. Brittany Ferrara >>78. Barbara Ray >>79. Garry Ray >>80. Betty Ray >>81. Jessie Ray >>82. Rhonna Lymbery >>83. David Lymbery >>84. Rachelle Wigginton >>85. Scott Wigginton >>86. Emma Wigginton >>87. Christop! her Lymbery >>88. Renae Wagnon >>89. David Wagnon >>90. Samuel Wagnon >>91. Bradley Wagnon >>92. Amelia Wagnon >>93. James Wagnon >>94. Kevin Ferrara >>95. Shannon Ferrara >>96. Ang us Skelton >>97. Deborah Skelton >>98. Mary Skelton >>99. Chris Skelton >>100. Billie Jean Johnson >>101. Jeramy Johnson >>102. Jessica Johnson >>103. Larry Walker >>104. Mike Bazar >>105. Debby Lankford >>106. Robert Lankford >>107. Mason Alfred >>108. Wanda Alfred >>109. Gary Johnson ! (Texas) >>110. Jennifer Johnson(Texas >>111. Lisa Jones (Texas) >>112. Clinton Freeman (Texas) >>113. Louria Freeman (Texas) >>114. Linda McRee (Texas) >>115. Troy McRee (Texas) >>116. Joe McRee (Texas) >>117. Tony McRee (Texas) >>118. Joanna McRee (Texas) >>119. Ruby Gorney (Texas) >>120. David Gorney (Texas) >>121. Sherie Groney (Texas) >>122. Christi Gorney (Texas) >>123. Jerry Gorney (Texas) >>124. James Buckelew (Texas) >>125. Carol B! uckelew (Texas) >>126. James E. Buckelew (Texas) >>127. Lynne B. Ditto (Texas) >>128. Terry Bice (Texas) >>129. Mary Larson (Oklahoma) >>130. Dawn Oliphant (Texas) >>131. David Oliphant (Texas) >>132. Krysten Oliphant ( Texas) >>133. Lindsey Clapp (Texas) >>134. Do! rothy Thompson (Texas) >>135. Richard Thompson (Texas) >>136. Rose Rabata (Texas) >>137. Victor Rabata (Texas) >>138. Karen Sikes (Texas) >>139. Billie Love (Texas) >>140. Nellie Rhene McIntyre (Texas) >>141. Marilynn Lee (Texas) >>142. Mary Calvert (Texas) >>143. Joyce Gilbert >>144. Syble Yost >>145 Opal Cooper >>146. Francesca Jenneman >>147. Gabrielle Taylor (Texas) >>148. Fran Harmon (Texas) >>149. Suzanne Schlabs (Texas) >>150. Dale Garner (Texas) >>151. Tina Garner (Texas) >>152. Sandra N. Elliott (Midland, Texas) >>153. Leslie K. Shive (Lubbock, Texas) >>154. Rose Shive (Texas) >>155. June Crosby (Texas) >>156. Brenda Copeland (Willis, Texas) >> >>157. Wanda Drake (Conroe, Texas) >>158. Kathy Irwin (Conroe, Texas) >>159. Penny Kirby (Texas) >> >>160. Tommy &Peachie Walker, (Conroe, Tx) >>161. Evelyn Woodard, (Montgomery, Tx) >>162 Cindy Ocker, Texas >>163. Susan McKennon, Humble TX >>164. Joe Kirby (Texas) >> >>165. Kathi Ellis (Oklahoma) >>166. Margaret Lanning (Oklahoma) >>167. Irene Simmons (Oklahoma) >>168. Shirley Troxell (Oklahoma) >>169. Jerry Troxell (Oklahoma) >>170. Tony Troxell (Oklahoma) >>171. Wendy Troxell (Oklahoma) >>172. Regina Diamond (Oklahoma) >>173. Donna B. Smith (Oklahoma) >>174. James B Stoner (Oklahoma) >>175. Sheila Stoner (Oklahoma) >>176. Leslie O'Neal (Oklahoma) >>177. Bill W Stoner (Oklahoma) >>178. Joy Stoner (Oklahoma) >>179. Marie Stoner (Oklahoma) >>180. Barbara Newkirk (Oklahoma) >>181. Cloyce Newkirk (Oklahoma) >>182. Barbara Stoner (Oklahoma) >>183. Charles Stoner (Oklahoma) >>184. David R. Walker (! Oklahoma) >>185. Mary M. Walker (Oklahoma) >>186. Ed Walker (Oklahoma) >>187. Charlene Walker (Oklahoma) >>188. Johnny Johnston (Oklahoma) >>189. Pamela Johnson (Oklahoma) >>190. Michelle Williams (Kansas) >>191. Jay Williams (Kansas) >>192. Mike Glenn (Oklahoma) >>193. Leah Glenn (Oklahoma) >>194. Alicia Glenn (Oklahoma) >>195. Diane Glenn (Oklahoma) >>196. Clarica Wall (Okla! homa)d >>197. Linda Moody (Oklahoma) >>198. Tim Ginter (Oklahoma) >>199. Kim Ginter (Oklahoma) >>200. Tami Brody (Oklahoma) >>201. Robert Brody (Oklahoma) >>202. Maria Hoffman (Oklahoma) >>203. William Hoffman (Oklahoma) >>204. Mark Hoffman (Oklahoma) >>205. Staci Hoffman (Oklahoma) >>206. Anna Richards (Oklahoma) >>207. Brian A. Tromblay (Az) >>208. Linda Tromblay (Az) >>209. Gladys Olsen {AZ} >>210. Jennifer Regensberg {AZ} >>211. Joyce Danielson {AZ) >>212. SUSAN BEISNER,OH >>213. Glen Foutz,OH >>214. Kim Hampton,MO >>215. Melody Hampton,MO >>216. Ryan Hampton,MO >>217. Sara Sandoval,MO >>218. Judith Cartwrigh! t,OH >>219. Janice Fishbaugh >>220. Jewel James,OH >>221. Virginia Johnson,OH >>222. Wava Mitchell,OH >>223. Pat Swaney,FL >>224. Julie Bassitt,OH >>225. LuAnn Lause,OH >>226. Debbie Schultz,OH >>227. Dennis Schultz,OH >>228. Jeff Schultz,OH >>229. Rhonda Schultz,OH >>230. Peter Stolly,OH >>231. Paul Stolly, OH >>232. Tom Eley,OH >>233. Tony Jackson,OH >>234. Molli Jackson,OH >>235. Glen Wiseman,OH >>236. Dona Wiseman,OH >>237. Greg Rochte,OH >>238. Maryclaire Rochte,OH >>239. Rosanne Fenstermaker,OH >>240. David Fenstermaker,OH >>241. Dena Hayden >>242. Becky Raber >>243. Carl Ross, OH >>244. Betty J. Ross, OH >>245. L. Don Neumeister, OH >>246. Norma M. Neumeister, OH >>247. Barry S. Neumeister, OH >>248. Roxie Neumesiter, OH >>249. Terri Snyder, OH >>250. Robert Snyder, OH >>251. Merlyn Crisler, OH >>252. Nancy Crisler, OH >>253. Jon R. Garber >>254. Patricia Garber >>255. Mary Ann Kolenich >>256. Mary Bucceri, FL >>257. Joyce Eklund, TX >>258. Sherry Denton, TX >>259. Lance Graham, TX >>260. Christine Hinson, TX >>261. Paul E. Arrington, TX >>262. Candi Arrington, TX >>263. Paula R. Guthrie, TX >>264. Lori A. Mangus, TX >>265. Rob D. Mangus, TX >>266. Tammy Strait, TX >>267. David Strait, TX >>268. Joyce Stinson, TX >>269. Mary R. Brown, TX >>270. John P. Brown, TX >>271. Marleta R. Philley, TX >>272. Charlotte Roberts, TX >>273. Debbie King TX >>274. Kent King TX >>275. Tina Chenault TX >>276. Sonya Maxwell TX >>277. James King TX >>278. Nicky McCulloch TX >>279. Bryan McCulloch TX >>280. Ann Lowrie TX >>281. Shane Lowrie TX >>282. Tina Gilbert TX >>283. Bruce Gilbert TX >>284 Euell Allison TX >>285. Jenoise Allison TX >>286. Nancy Miles TX >>287. Jendy Smart TX >>288. Kim Lowrance TX >>289. Coda Riley TX >>290. PATSY K. GREEN IN TX >>291. Bobby Schuman TX >>292. Polly Schuman TX >>293. Mary Bal! lenger TX >>294. Billy Ballenger TX >>295. Christy Ballenger TX >>296. Louann Ballenger TX >>297. Gary D. Murphy, TX >>298. Vickie Lee, Ok >>299. Jackie Duncan, OK >>300. David Whitehead, TX >>301. Patty Whitehead, TX >>302. Mike Peterson >>303. Leda Petersen, CO >>304. Lois Allen, OK >>305. Merline Hathcoat, Ok >>306. Joan Marshall, FL >>307. Carolyn Hogue, FL >>308. David Hogue, FL >>309. John Dickinson, TX >>310. Betty Dickinson, TX >>311. Bob Burns, TX. >>312. Dale Gilliam, BEDFORD, TX >>313. Cindy Parker, Abilene, TX >>314. Bonnye Isenhower TX >>315. Bob Isenhower, TX >>316. Adam Isenhower, TX >>317. Duncan Isenhower, TX >>318. Carolyn Foust, TX >>319. Danny Foust, TX >>320. Patti Foust, OK >>321. Gene Foust, OK >>322. Cheri Dunn, OK >>323. Eric Dunn, OK >>324. Danny Lovelace, Gainesville, TX >>325. Jim Brewster, Ardmore, OK >>326. Jeanie Brewster, Ardmore, OK >>327. Mike Harris and Debbie Harris >>328. Marilyn A. Nance, OK >>329. Alisha L. Raney, OK >>330. Gina L. Black, Lone Grove, OK >>331. Mary Franz Ada, OK >>332. Dana Murray Broken Arrow, OK >>333. David & LouAnn Lively Durant, OK >>334. Greg & Kelly Boudreau Stillwater, OK >>335. Troy & Joy Hensarling, Edmond, OK >>336. Stevin and Esther Helin >>337. Ginnie & Bill Helin, WI >>338. Judy and Jim Fillback, WI >>339. Paula Julson, WI >>340 Rick & Pam Heaton, WI >>341. Trina Slack, WI >>342. Donn Speth, WI >>343. Michelle Speth, WI >>344. Annette Drury, WI >>345. Kathy Lenz, WI >>346. Peg Greenberg, WI >>347. Jolene Mudra, Rockford, IL >>348. Kim Erickson, Beloit, WI >>349. Cate VanLone Taylor - Green Valley AZ >>350. Henry Taylor- Green Valley, AZ >>351. Janet M. Weindorf - Green Valley AZ >>352. Don Weindorf -Green Valley, AZ >>353. Don O'Connor - FL >>354. Michelle O'Connor - FL >>355. Margaret Boyle, NC >>356. Kristina Boyle, NC - 12 years ol! d >>357. Melissa Boyle, NC - 9 years old >>358. Robert M. Sanders, Tampa, FL >>359. Brenda J. Sanders, Tampa, FL >>360. Benjamin M. Sanders, Tampa, FL >>361. Elizabeth R. Sanders, Tampa, FL! >>362. Gary W. McCall (Jax, FL) >>363. Connie R. McCall (Jax, FL) >>364. Betsy Straughn, Tallahassee, FL >>365. Scott Straughn, Tallahassee, FL >>366. Jayne L Free, Tallahassee, FL >>367 Tracy Michelle Sweeney, Tallahassee, FL >>368. Nelson I. Sw eeney III, Tallahassee, FL >>369. Judith A. Livingston, Tallahassee, FL >>370. Charles C. Livingston, Sr. , Tallahassee, FL >>371. Wesley "Pete" Doll, Tallahassee, FL >>372. Shirley Keesling, New Smyrna Beach, FL >>373. Deborah Griffin, Winston-Salem, NC >>374. Karen King, Nettleton, MS >>375. Judie Shelton, New Albany, MS >>376. Mary Jo Kent, Minot, ND >>377. Wanda Bergan Minot,ND >>378. Maureen Wanner, Hazen ND >>379. Lisa Engebretson, Hazen, ND >>380. Dawn Anderson, Walcott, ND >>381. Rick A! nderson, Walcott, ND >>382. Dora Meier, ND >>383. Damian Meier, ND >>384. Jayne Pochant, ND >>385. Clark Pochant, ND >>386. Jaime Berg, ND >>387. Heith Pochant, ND >>388. Gary Fuchs,ND >>389. Cay Guthmiller, ND >>390. Melinda Wills, ND >>391. Mark Wills, ND >>392. Joyce Els, ND >>393. Terri Walth SD >>394. Jan Jallo MN >>395. Kathy Johnson SD >>396. Judy Forquer IowaA >>397. Laurie McBet! h, IA >>398. Barbara Carmon, IA >>399. Claudia Coberley, IA >>400. Rita Mann, IA >>401. Don Duncan, IA >>402. Fred Kaufmann, IA >>403. Dorothy A. Briggs, Iowa >>404. >> >>405. John D. Briggs, Iowa >>406. Phyllis Bishop, IA >>407. Debbie Searcy, Iowa. Thanks for hearing our prayer. >>408. Sherri Coons, TX >>409. Jaye Bumgardner, NM >>410. Joe Pearcey >>411. Karmen Pearcey >>412. Jeremy Pearcey(Japan) >>413. Marsha Pitchford, Ga >>414. Anne Barber, GA >>415. Martha Grice, GA >>416. Mona Whatley, GA >>417. Sam Whatley III, GA >>418. Ted Seawell, NC >>419. Anne Seawell, NC >>420. Alan Seawell, NC >>421. Stephen Wyant, NC >>422. Ed Wyant, NC >>423. Debra Johnson, NC >>424. Rufus Johnson, NC >>425. >> >>426. >> >>427. Peggy P. Buchanan >>428. John F. Buchanan >>429. Ethel Braun >>430. Donald Braun >>431. Ronald Dunlap Hudson,Fl. >>432. Carol Dunlap Hudson,Fl. >>433. W.E Dunlap >>434. Mary Dunlap >>435. Jim Wood, FL >>436. Betty Wod, FL >>437. Danny Latham, SC >>438. Charlotte Latham, SC >>439. Cin! dy Lambreth, TN >>440. Bradley La mbreth, TN >>441. Clifton Lambreth,TN >>442. Daniel Lambreth,Tn >>443. Yvonne Capps,Va >>444. David Capps, Va >>445. Susan Lambreth,TN >>446. Charles F. Lambreth, TX >>447. Linda McAllister, NC >>448. Dawn Flood, NC >>449. Vincent N. Sherard.NC >>450. Shawn Brim, NC >>451. Cynthia Ennis, NC >>452. Lauretta Wilson >>453. Steve Collins, NC >>454. Gregory Bohmert -Oriental, NC >>455. Cecilia Bohmert, NC >>456. Jan Cannady, FL >>457. Roy Cannady, FL >>458. Bob Cannady, TX >>459. Sandra Cannady, TX >>460. BETH STATON, FL >>461. ROBERT STATON, FL >>462 LEE HAY, FL >>463. KELLI HAY, FL >>464. STACI MCLEOD, FL >>465. DELIA! CLANTON, FL >>466. William S. Collins, Fl >>467. Michelle Bass, Fl >>468. William K. Collins, Fl >>469. Daryl Bass, Fl >>470. Charles E. Hall >>471. Martha D. Hall >>472. Richard Diffenderfer >>473. Sue Diffenderfer >>474. James L. Hylman (Michigan) >>475. Carol J. Hylman (Michigan) >>476. Wilda Myers (PA) >>477. Sabrina Myer s >>478. Ruby J. Cline (GA) >>479. MITZI STOUTE (TX) >>480. Chrissi Ford (TX) >>481. Tina Ford (TX) >>482. Craig Ford (TX) >>483. Wyndell Ford (TX) >>484. Sandy Hendricks (TX) >>485. Jimmy Hendricks (TX) >>486. Pam Gacia (TX) >>487. Marianne Searcy (TX) >>488. Caroline Burgess (MI) >>489. Richard Burgess (MI) >>490. Cindy Burgess (MI) >>491. Laura Terry (MI) >>492. Cassi Filer (MI) >>493. Shirley Lahrman (Fl) >>494. Donald Lahrman (Fl) >>495. Bob Miles (IN) >>496. Donna Mae Miles (IN) >>497. Robert Kell Miles (IN) >>498. Tammy R. Miles (IN) >>499. Tyler Miles (IN) >>500. Tanner Miles (IN) >>501. James Ward (PA) >>502. Lori Ward (PA) >>503. Wendy Gehlbach (IN) >>504. Art Gehlbach (IN) >>505. Esther Hardy (IN) >>506. Chris Miller (IN) >>507. Richard Miller (IN) >>508. Kevin Barnett (IN) >>509. Lorri Barnett (IN >>510. Carla Cole (IN) >>511. David Cole (IN) >>512. Rebekah Cole (IN) >>513. Phillip Baker (IN) >>514. Brandi Baker (IN) >>515. K elsea B! aker (IN) >>516. Morgan Baker (IN) >>517. Austin Baker (IN) >>518. Wendi Allison >>519. Ayanna Griffith (IN) >>520. Cassandra Brown (IN) >>521. Diana Huck (IN) >>522. Sandra McLain (IN) >>523. William K. McAfee (IN) >>524. Donna Halverson (IA) >>525. Trish Crosser (IA) >>526. Heidi De Oliveira >>527. Ann Haines (MI) >>528. Kathleen Wisz (IL) >>529. ! Alberta Husch (CO) >>530. Tony & Ellen Serr (SD) >>531. Tammi Serr (SD) >>532. Bernita Christenson (CO) >>533. Phyllis Fisher (Pa) >>534. Carol Gowatski (Pa) >>535. Harvey Gowatski (Pa) >>536. Suzi Trimboli (Pa.) >>537. Mike Trimboli (Pa.) >>538. Kaylan Trimboli (Pa.) >>539. Candi Boykin (SC) >>540. Gladys Turner, PA >>541. Linda Olmstead (PA) >>542. Luann Way (PA) >>543. Vickie Rossey (PA) >>544. Jessica Rossey (PA) >>545. Jason Rossey (PA) >>546. John Rossey (PA) >>547. Shannon Rossey (PA) >>548. Jennifer Spangler (PA) >>549. Eric Spangler (PA) >>550. Deb Hogue (PA) >>551. Shirl ey Hlafcsak (PA) >>552 Linda Mercer (NC) >>553. Robin Gage (NY) >>554. Ladonna Willson (FL) >>555. Krystal Coates (FL) >>556. Brian Coates (FL) >>557. Aaron Coates (FL) >>558. Stephanie Doane (NY) >>559. Cody Doane (NY) >>560. Elaine Kotary (FL) >>561. Gary Morrison (NC) >>562. Becky Morrison (NC) >>563. Shirley Freeman >>564. Paul Freeman >>565. Jerry Freeman >>566. Debra Freeman >>567. Donna Ashe >>568. Peggy Ashe >>569. Kimberly Michael >>570. Loretta Horne >>571. Margret Ring >>572. Henry Banks >>573. Thelma Johnson (NC) >>574. Nolan Johnson (NC) >>575. Marian Smith (NC) >>576. Margaret Liborio (NC) >>577. Barbara Burdett (NC) >>578. Shirley McLeod (NC) >>579. Donna Ackerman (NC) >>580. Donna Baer (PA) >>581. Kelly Sauvage >>582. Rachel Kirchner >>583. Arlene Nordstrom >>584. Sara Palmer >>585. Tyler Palmer >>586. Jaime Robison, Fort Riley,KS >>587. Matt &Darlene Geyer, Fort Riley, KS >>588. Jonathan &Brittany Geyer, Ft. Rile y, KS >>589. Donna Wenell, FL >>590. Jessica Moore >>591. Robert Kerwin >>592. Beth Kerwin >>593. Mark Diehl >>594. Leanna Jacobson (IA) >>595 Tina Christiansen (IA) >>596. Deborah Fokos >>597. Cynthia Aguilar >>598. Irene Koep >>599. Deborah English >>600. Melinda Scratch >>601. Charlene Hanlon >>602. Susie Tapley >>603. Jeff Tapley >>604. Mallory Tapley >>605. Jeremy Tapley >>606. Helen J Gomillion >>607. Ollie L Gomillion >>608. Jo Ann Barberi >>609. Dan Barberi >>610. Tim Cahill >>611. Susan Clark >>612. Fredrick T. Pope (AL) >>613. Jeffrey O. Bridges Sr. >>614. Stefan M. Schmitt >>615. Joseph L.King >>616. Tom Hancock >>617. Richard L. Rothgeb, Sevierville, TN - 1/03/03 >>618. Diana Shumaker OH >>619. Nancy Sturgis >>620. Robert Muzzarelli NC >>621. Mary Muzzarelli NC >>622. Donna Porter FL >>623. Earl PORTER FL >>624. Jennie Richard >>625. Ron Richard >>626. Dan Siecker FL >>627. Cloudia Siecker FL >>628. Car lton Anderson, Lakeland Fla >>629. Carol Anderson, Lakeland, Fla >>630. Edwin Dana (FL) >>631. Mary Dana (FL) >>632. Bobby Kelly (FL) >>633. Shirley Kelly (FL) >>634. Ray Ragsdale >>635. Rose Ragsdale >>636. Ericka Ragsdale >>637. Victoria Vaughn >>638. Jeremiah Vaughn >>639. Brian Ragsdale >>640. Christy Ragsdal! e >>641. Jesse Hastings >>642. Blake Ragsdale >>643. Eal Ragsdale >>644. Kenneth Ragsdale >>645. Carolyn Ragsdale >>646. Neal Ragsdale >>647. Barnard Ragsdale >>648. Rick Ragsdale >>649. Andrea Ragsdale >>650. Ty Ragsdale >>651. Olin Ragsdale >>652. Olin Ragsdale >>653. barbara culberson >>654. troy culberson >>655. suzanne gatlin >>656. amanda edwards >>657 Sheila Berry >>658. Bart Berry >>659. Linda Wells >>660 Paul Wells >>661. Dean Shepherd >>662. Mary Shepherd >>663. Herb Williams, FL >>664. Mike Gleeson >>665. Libby Baity, Florida >>666. Melissa Laudani, FL >>667. Dot Ervin, FL >>668. Robin Griffith, TX. >>669. Donald Griffith, TX. >>670. Kelly Griffith, TX. >>671. Marshall Griffith, TX >>672. Dorothy Pourner TX >>673. Rebecca I. Holden >>674. Albert D. Holden >>675. James Hoosier (TX) >>676. Ali Hoosier (TX) >>677. Evelyn Hardee (LA) >>678. Ray Hardee (LA) >>679. Susan Catoire (LA) >>680. Becky Poarch (LA) >>681. MILVERN CARPENTER >>682. Kami Boudreaux >>683. Renee Boudreaux >>684. Anita Miller >>685. Jim Miller >>686. Victoria Miller >>687. Eunice Miller >>688. Edward Clark >>689. Susan Clark >>690. Nicholas Clark >>691. Patrick Clark >>692. Ed Clark >>693. Sarah Clark >>694. Beverly Parker (LA) >>695. Lynda Croswell (LA) >>696. Kathy Lenard (LA) >>697. Roosevelt Lenard (LA) >>698. Mel Brown(TX) >>699. Elizabeth Brown(TX) >>700. Tracy Vandiver (TX) >>701. Terry Vandiver (TX) >>702. Karen Baker >>703. Margie Parker >>704. Donda Dye >>705. Lesa Talley >>706. Russell and Billie Talley >>707. Ira and Claudine Reavis >>708. Louise Turner (TX) >>709. Charles Turner (TX) >>710. Sandra Tedford (TX) >>711. Maurice Turner (TX) >>712. Shirley Bowen (TX) >>713 Eleanor Bower (TX) >>714. Melody Smith (TX) >>715. Marsha Stearman (Corsicana, TX) >>716. Mike Stearman (Corsicana, TX) >>717. Brandi Stearman (Corsicana, TX) >>718. Justin Stearman (Corsicana,TX) >>719. Richard Stearman (Texas) >>720. Carol Stearman (Texas) >>721. Dorothy Deifenbaugh,NM >>722. Trudy Stramel, CA >>723. Phillip Stramel, CA >>724. Barbara Shriver, Long Beach, CA >>725. Catherine Miller, Columbus, OH >>726. Barbara Redding, Taylors, SC >>727. Gary Redding, Taylors, SC >>728. Joey Redding, Taylors, SC >>729. Florence Crumpler, Taylors, SC >>730. Michael Crumpler, Taylors, SC >>731. Sarah Isaac, Pacolet, SC >>732. Frank del Valle, Winston Salem, NC >>733. Joy Campbell, Crestview, FL >>734. James Tousignant, MI >>735. Cathy June, Detroit, MI >>736. Kenneth M. Cole, Columbus, GA >>737. Nan Taschner >>738. Cyndi Smith (Georgia) >>739. Vickie Nichols (TN) >>740. Hilda Norris (TN) >>741. David A. Jackson (TN) >>742. Steven Dalton (TN) >>743. Carrie Parvin (TN) >>744. Shirley W. Leonard (TN) >>745. William A. Fredrickson(GA) >>746. Shirley L. Fredrickson(GA) >>747. Lorimer Coons (Ga) >>748. Ma ry Coons (Ga) >>749. Jack Greer (Tn) >>750. Sandy Greer (Tn) >>751. Frances Raulerson, FL >>752. Sam Rauelrson, FL >>753. Chuck Duggan Ar >>754. Jesse W. Whitley >>755. Naomi W. Whitley >>756. James Echols Ar. >>757. Lynn Yancey - LR. AR >>758. Jim Yancey - LR. AR >>759. Juanita Criswell - LR. AR >>760. Russell Criswell - LR. AR >>761. Peter Yancey - LR. AR >>762. Mary Yancey - LR. AR >>763. Martin Yancey - LR. AR >>764. Ivon Jarvis - Redfield, AR >>765 Edward Jarvis - Redfield, AR >>766. Barbara Smitherman (Texas) >>767. Royce Robinson, Cameron, Texas >>768. Frances Pruitt, SPRINGTOWN,TEXAS, >>769. Fran Prock, SPRINGTOWN, TX >>770. Donna Ellis, Fort Worth Texas >>771. Murry King, Fort Worth Texas >>772. Dawana Osby, Fort Worth Texas >>773 Otha Isaiah, Liberty Texas >>774. Shana Daviss, Liberty Texas >>775. Clyde Chaney Jr., Liberty Texas >>776. Desirae Chaney, Liberty Texas >>777. Brandon Chaney, Liberty Texas >>778. Alonzo Bass, Fort Worth T exas >>779. Reginald Osby Jr, Fort Worth Texas >>780. Curtis Osby Jr. Fort Worth >>781. Theressa J. Fillmore, Ft Bragg NC >>782. John Matthews, MS >>783. Pastor Dale E. Moore, Jesup Ga. >>784. Robert L. Richardson, VA >>785. Denise H. Colley, Lubbock, TX >>786. Jill Tatum, Lubbock, TX >>787. Glynn Tatum, Lamesa, TX >>788. Lupe Delgado TX >>789. Ester Caballero Lubbock Texas >>790. Nelson Fox, Lubbock, TX >>791. Debbie Fox, Lubbock, TX >>792. Haffis Banire, Lubbock, TX >>793. Susan Cooper, Mount Vernon WA >>794. Marjorie Havist WA >>795 Elaine Stell, Bridgeton, NJ >>796. >> >>797. Jackie Matthews (TX) >>798. Sheila L. Davis, Midland, TX >>799. Harold Davis TX. >>800. Alexa Davis TX. >>801. Julie Davis TX. >>802. Weston Davis TX. >>803. Adam Davis TX. >>804. Ryan Davis TX. >>805. Brent Davis TX. >>806. Robin Davis TX. >>807. Dorothy Strickland, TX >>808. Mindy Bible, TX >>809. Tana Hawkins, TX >>810. Gary H. Martin, TX >>811. Dallas L. Smith, Jr. >>812. Brenda Wood, TX. >>813. Wendell Wood,TX. >>814. Connie Bagley, TX. >>815. Michael D. Bagley, TX. >>816. Nancy Ann Sutphen...Fort Worth, Texas >>817.Richardson, Robert L, Mr (Contractor) NERO] >>818. Dorothy Lorraine Carroll, IN >>819. Ryan D. Woods, IN >>820. Andrea D. Woods, IN. >>821. Jana M. Alderson, IN >>822 Randy L. Stamm, IN >>823. John L Edwards >>824. Ellen M Edwards >>825. Joan Gooley >>826. Jo Ann Pfaff >>827. Doris Avery >>828. Bob Sprague >>829. Connie Sprague >>830. Rocky D. Houser >>831. Deborah J. Houser >>832. Vickie A. Dederian, Redding, CA >>833. Patti Nickolson, Redding, CA. >>834. Tim Nickolson, Redding, CA. >>835. Doyle O'Steen, Sapulpa, Okla. >>836. Carla O'Steen, Sapulpa, Okla. >>837. Denise Norris, (Tx) >>838. Pamela Preston, TX >>839. Nita Cartwright TX >>840. Neil Farris TX >>841. Betty Farris TX >>842. Patricia Cross TX >>843. Catherine Benavidez >>844. Danielle Alberson, Frisco TX >>845. Jimmie Lane, Frisco, TX >>846.Ruth Jones, Frisco, TX >>847. Mike Mikula, Allen, TX >>848. Tom Smith, Heath, TX >>849. Victor m. Claudio, Plano, TX >>850. Maria L. Claudio, Plano, TX >>851. Chris Turner Tampa, FL >>852. Ellen Stanley, Valrico, FL >>853. Tom Stanley, Valrico, FL >>854. Melanie Graves, Riverview, FL >>855. Dean Graves, Riverview FL >>856. Kim Gore, Riverview, FL >>857. Larry Bauer, Lithia Fl >>858. Rhonda J. Bauer, Lithia Fl >>859. Karen Funk, Normal IL >>860. Lori Godfrey, Rockford IL >>861. Penny Ford, Rockford, IL >>862. Rebecca Ihne - IL >>863. Marion Breed, Jacksonville, Fl. >>864. Emma Riggs, Jacksonville, Fl. >>865. Bob Forbes, Jacksonville, Fl. >>866. Martha Forbes, Jacksonville, Fl. >>867. LOUIS MARKLE Jacksonville, Fl. >>868. Gerald A Frye, USAF Ret, Jacksonville, FL >>869. Theresa A Frye, DVA Ret, Jacksonville, FL >>870. Frank Webb Ret collinsville, VA >>871. Virginia R. Webb semi-retired Collinsville, VA >>872. Carole L. Webb Martinsville, VA >>873. Lucille Brotherton, DVA Ret., St. Augustine, Fl >>874.Cheryl Masters, RDH, BIS, St Augustine, FL >>875. Shirley Davis, Green Cove Springs,FL >>876. John E. Davis. Green Cove Springs, FL >>877. Wanda Freeland Ocean Springs, MS >>878. Thomas Freeland Ocean Springs, MS >>879 Kathryn Lutz Ocean Springs, MS >>880. Bob Lutz Ocean Springs, MS >>881. Cynthia Wolfe Ocean Springs, MS >>882. Janice Miller...Glendale, AZ >>883 Sue Covington, Billings, MT >>884. Richard Covington, Billings, MT >>885. Stephen Covington, Billings, Mt >>886. Cassandra Rose, NE >>887.Jeremy Rose, NE >>888.Makayla Rose, NE >>889. Hailey Rose,NE >>890. Kim Ward, MS >>891. Shirley Powers, MS >>892. CAROLYN PETERS, HUNTSVILLE, AL >>893. Diana Murphy, Fond du Lac, WI >>894.John Gaydosik >>895. John Hall Tarpon Springs Fl >>896. Linda Hall Tarpon Springs Fl >>897. Jerry Phillips Tarpon Springs Fl >>898. Sharon Phillips Tarpon Springs Fl >>899. MILTON BOWSHER >>900. JANET BOWSHER >>901. REKEKAH BOWSHER >>902. MARY LOU BOWSHER >>903. SAMANTHA BROWN >>904. JAMES BROWN >>905. SHEILA CRIST LAN. OH. >>906. TERI HUNT - PLEASANTVILLE, OH. >>907. CINDI MURRAY-T.C., MI. >>908. Elaine Renfrow Ak >>909. Lou Fischer >>910. June Kildow-Beatrice, NE. >>911. Rae Campbell - >>912. Ginger Mangold Ca. >>913. ANNIE MOULD >>914. Marjorie Cornelison >>915. Homer Cornelison >>916. Pat Tietjen >>917. Gordon Tietjen >>918. Pat Totzen OR. >>919. Joe Totzen OR. >>920. Carol Ulick (OR) >>921. Jerry Ulick (OR) >>922. Kelly James (OR) >>923. William Ashley (CA) >>924. Lorraine Ashley (CA) >>925. INGRID HUOTTE >>926. BILL HUOTTE >>927. Phillip I. Turner >>928. Charles B. Ginn >>929. Wendell Smith >>930. Elsie Hart (Brookhaven, MS) >>931.E.HEDGEPETH,JR. Monticello, MS >>932. M. C. Slaughter >>933. G. E. Slaughter >>934. Maxine Powell >>935 H.A. Powell >>936. Juia W. Sloane (TX) >>937. Nan Mosty (TX >>938. BERNIE LAMBERT. MIDLAND,TX >>939. OLGA LAMBERT MIDLAND,TX >>940 JOSE RAUL OLIVAREZ CORPUS CHRISTI, TX >>941. ANADELIA GONZALEZ OLIVAREZ. CORPUS CHRISTI, TX. >>942. Smitty Leonard, Corpus Christi, TX >>943. Jerry Spanier, Corpus Christi, TX >>944. Richard Hermann, Corpus Christi,TX. >>945. Donna Hermann, Corpus Christi,TX. >>946. Rene Garza, Corpus Christi, Tx. >>947. M. C. Reeves >>948. M.G.Ganem, Corpus Christi, Texas >>949. Gary Martel, Corpus Christi, TX >>950. Jack E. Merrill - Corpus Christi, TX >>951. RAMIRO PONCE JR. >>952. Benny P Iglesias III - Corpus Christi, TX >>953. Rosie Iglesias-Corpus Christi, TX >>954. Maria Gonzales >>955. Estela Caballero, TX >>956. Gayle Burrier, Kyle,TX >>957. Gay C. Dawson, New Braunfels, TX. >>958. Cindy Bucek Victoria,Tx >>959. Ann K. Saha (TEXAS) >>970. Donie Balusek (Texas) >>971. Margaret Dougherty (Texas) >>972. Dian Grafton (Iowa) >>973. Edward Michalik Texas >>974.Elaine Michalik Texas >>975 Jerry Spell Texas >>976 Patti Spell Texas >>977. Julie Kirby (Texas) >>978. Mike Kirby (Texas) >>979. Gayle Dawson (Texas) >>980. Dixie Coumbe >>981. Teresa Hallgren (New York) >>982. Michael Stewart (Georgia) >>983. Donna Dandy (Pa) >>984. Jason Grapes (West Virginia) 985. Betty J Sandy (Virginia) 986. Missie Jenkins 987. Mike Cundiff 988. Doug Bird (Houston, TX) 989. Marilyn Anderson (Houston, TX) 990. Teresa Smith (Gouldbusk,TX) 991. Kevin Koontz 992. David Brown, TX 993. Betty Davis, TX 994. Joe Killgore, TX 995. Charlene Killgore, TX 996. Joyce Riddle, AL 997. Nita Milliken, TN 998. Doris McGee, TN 999. Walter Marshall, Wy 1000 Robert Kness 1001 Carolyn Trochmann 1002 dean hickam (seattle, washington The list of names must be sent, do not try to shorten this!! Please do NOT let this petition stop and lose all these names. If you do not want to sign it, please forward it to everyone you know. _________________________________________________________________ --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.794 / Virus Database: 538 - Release Date: 11/10/04 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 02:55:43 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 02:55:43 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] The irresistible charm of global anarchism Message-ID: whats up people. this is marc, grad student at the umass-amherst labor center. thanks for posting that "are you a manarchist" piece, that's some stuff that needs to be said. i wanted to share something i found today and i thought was interesting: (from infoshop.org) The irresistible charm of global anarchism By Andrej Grubacic I assume that most of the readers are aware by now of what happened during the London Social Forum. It is not my intention here to talk about the European Social Forum. There are excellent analyses on the web. However, the whole forum fiasco needs to be addressed because of the future of this movement that we, perhaps too generously, sometimes call the "movement of movements". I was re-reading recently one of the classic books on the movements: Anti- systemic Movements (Arrigghi, Hopkins, Wallerstein). One of the central arguments of this wonderful book, written in the eighties, is that the movements after the "world revolution of 1968" and after the "collapse of the liberal consensus", dismissed the Old Left slogan - "conquer state power and then change the world". Authors made an optimistic mistake in their assessment that the time of Leninist madness is behind us. The Old Left is, I am afraid, a beast which dies slowly. After the "world- revolution of 1994", and after the "collapse of the neo-liberal consensus", we have an archaic socialist sect called the Socialist Workers Party organizing an event which is supposed to be one of most exciting manifestations of the new global movement - the Social Forum. The very same sect calls the police to arrest activists - in an attempt to criminalize part of the movement. Later on, after this outrageous precedent, this same sect accuses those who ended up in jail of racism! I don't want to waste the time of readers by writing about the SWP. Many have already done it. Nobody perhaps better then Peter Waterman ( http://voiceoftheturtle.org/show_article.php?aid=341). What I would like to do, however, is to say is that we should not wait for the traditional Leninist vanguardist left to disappear. We have to give this process a helping hand. By "Leninism" I mean the political project where the proletariat (or the popular masses) have to be energized under the aegis of a dedicated group of cadres organized as a party or party-state. This archaic nonsense goes by different names in the US: the ISO, the Spartacist League, the IAC, and so on and so forth. But it is important to acknowledge that these people are not just boring: they could be dangerous too. We should start a struggle against the traditional vanguardist ways of doing politics. A struggle , that is, for another political project which is the articulation of another political praxis. It is a struggle that we should globalize. Because horizontals are, indeed, everywhere. The old slogan of the traditional Marxist left - to conquer the state and then to change the world - is something that we have to push away. The responsibility of the revolutionary today is to make the 19th century idea of revolution unnecessary. The revolution is not going to come as some great apocalyptic event, as an insurrectionary act or moment, but as a very long process that has been going on for most of human history - full of strategies of flight and evasion as much as dramatic confrontations. The world cannot be changed through the state. It has to be made anew. In our context, this would imply the obligation to remember the old anarchist idea of "changing the world without taking power". To insist that another possible world springs from a movement that practices what it preaches. In the words of Massimo de Angelis, we should move from movement to society: "In other words, we want to move from movement to society not so much by persuading people to 'join' our movement, but through a language and a political practice that by tracing the connections between diverse practices attempts to dissolve the distinctions between inside and outside the movement, i.e., actually moves 'from movement to society'. " The only mode of organization which would seem appropriate is the one suggested by anarchists and, somewhat more recently, by autonomist Marxists: translation or circulation of struggles. It means, simply, thinking about organization in its most basic sense: the elaboration of cooperation among people in the struggle; internal organization by any self-defined group of people in struggle. It is the elaboration of a politics of difference that minimizes antagonism. According to Immanuel Wallerstein, one of the authors of Anti-systemic Movements, the book I have mentioned above, we have now entered a period of "global anarchy". This is a period of "global anarchic transition" - from the existing world-system to a different one. The capitalist world-system is in decline. But the final outcome of this transitional chaos is totally uncertain. Another world which might be possible will be a consequence of how we act and how we struggle today. One of the more immediate problems we face is how to find an adequate answer to the failure of historical socialism. This answer is, in my view, completely different than the one advocated by professor Callinicos and his students. We should welcome the ideas coming from our movements, reflecting our organizational practices, our horizontality and our networks. This means that we have to look at the organizational forms that this movement gives to itself. The unfortunate idea of separation of the ends and means led to a divorce between the Leninist "vanguard" and the "another world". This is something that we have to refuse today - if we are to create a society based on mutual aid, direct democracy and dignity. We have to refuse the traditional distinction between revolution, reform and anarchism because the question of who controlls the state should not be the focus of our attention. Wallerstein is perhaps right in saying that for the the old movements there was "no alternative way" but to obtain the state power because they were operating within the ambit of the capitalist world-system which was basically stable. Today, when the capitalist world-system is in crisis, if we are not to renounce our dreams of a genuinely democratic and egalitarian world, we must go back to the anarchist idea of "changing the world without taking power". The answer to "global anarchy", in other words, is "global anarchism". Two complementary pieces to this one are: "The New Radicalism" http://www.alternet.org/story/19308/ and "Anarchism, Or The Revolutionary Movement Of The Twenty-first Century" http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=41&ItemID=4796 Also, folks can check out "Seven Essays from We Are Everywhere" which narco news published on their site: http://www.narconews.com/Issue34/article1083.html peace, marc -- "We are not in the least afraid of ruins. We are going to inherit the earth; there is not the slightest doubt about that. The bourgeoisie might blast and ruin its own world before it leaves the stage of history. We carry a new world here, in our hearts. That world is growing this minute." -Buenaventura Durruti -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 02:54:38 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 02:54:38 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] FW: Boycott the professional left!! Message-ID: Boycott the professional left!! Boycott the professional left!! Open Letter to the Professional Left The "hierarchy" of the professional left has decided that working class, working poor, homeless, and disabled people should not have a say in leadership or the decision-making process especially when it is related to money in the movement and what kind of activities are funded. I, for one, am not going to anymore of their marches, teach-ins, or any other events. I urge all real class-conscious activists who believe in class war to boycott all of their events and to stop donating money to these fake left groups. The hierarchy of these groups are the same people who would step over or ignore a homeless person on their way to an anti-war march. The war and other issues of oppression happening outside this country are very important, but they are not the only issue. Why don't these professional left groups ever worry about the oppressed poor and homeless in this country, or for that matter, right in their own hometown. Why? Because then that would require them to actually possibly do something and possibly come face to face with the poor and homeless. Marching, carrying a banner, and crying for the poor Iraqi boy is easy because you don't have to see him. The professional left has had plenty of opportunities over the years to do something real and relevant but instead they choose to live off the images of dead radicals and political prisoners from the 1960`s. Over the years many events have occured like the assassinations of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and the government's destruction of the militant underground units in the 1960`s. All of these events were tremendous setbacks for the most oppressed groups in society and yet the professional left has failed to provide any radical alternatives for the oppressed. The only thing the professional left seems to be good at doing these days are their "once-a-year-liberal-guilt-marches". The specific groups do not need to be named, they, and everyone else, know who they are. Let's just say that we need to be "United for Peace and Justice" on issues within the country as well as seeking an "A.N.S.W.E.R." to problems concerning the poor and homelss who are being oppressed and harassed by the government and law enforcement of this country every day. Every time class-conscious poor and homeless people attend and speakup at their meetings, they are ignored. The poor and homeless are given no media coverage or financial help whatsoever by any of these groups who are supposed to be concerned about the poor. Poor people will no longer be ignored and used as bargaining chips by the professional left. We must organize our own fundraising events. We need to help political prisoners without exploiting them for our own political advantage like the professional left likes to do. We will make sure that the poor and the oppressed are at the forefront and at the head of leadership. We do not need to be lead by professional leftist egomaniacs. Yours Truly; Richard Degen Class War Anarchist Poverty Pimp Busters Gregory C. Lewis, Certified Personal Trainer and Clinical Exercise Specialist(ACE). Certified Instructor; Kenzen Karate. 206-956-4043. How is YOUR nutrition? Find out now: http://147.208.9.133/Default.asp Take the Self-Protection Quiz (For Women): http://www.aware.org/quizzes/quizindex.shtml -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 02:57:11 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 02:57:11 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Reminder: Seattle LPSG Reorganization Meeting Message-ID: From: TACOMA LEONARD PELTIER SUPPORT GROUP P.O. BOX 5464 TACOMA, WA 98415-0464 Tacoma-lpsg at ojibwe.us bayou at blarg.net REMINDER SEATTLE LEONARD PELTIER SUPPORT GROUP REORGANIZATION MEETING Seattle LPSG Reorganization Meeting All Seattle Leonard Peltier Supporters Welcomed .Saturday, Nov. 27th, 2 pm to 4 pm Capitol Hill Branch of the Seattle Library At Harvard and Republican 12TH ANNUAL NORTHWEST REGIONAL INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH LEONARD PELTIER MARCH AND RALLY FOR JUSTICE SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2005. TACOMA, WA MARCH FOR JUSTICE: 12:00 NOON Portland Ave. Park (on Portland Ave. between E. 24th and E. Fairbanks Ave. Take Portland Ave. exit off I-5 and head east) RALLY FOR JUSTICE: 1:00 PM U.S. Federal Court House, 1717 Pacific Ave. Program (more to be added later) Harold Belmont: Elder, Native People?s Alliance With Friends and Allies Dorothy Ackerman: Lakota Elder, Portland, OR Aztec Dancers Matilaja: Yu?Pik/Yakama Pete Sanchez: Ktunaxa (Kutenai), Drummer Jim Page: Folk Singer/Activist Michael One Road: AIM, Portland, OR Jeanette Bushnell: Anishinaabe Kerwin Hemlock: Drummer Russell Redner: AIM. Juan Jose Bocanegra: Community organizer and long time Peltier supporter. Steve Hapy, Jr: Tacoma LPSG Arthur J. Miller: Tacoma LPSG NW AIM DRUM -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 02:59:11 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 02:59:11 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Re: Bush coming to Canada next week Message-ID: Hey Bella, Attached is the PDF file of an 8 1/2" X 11" poster if you want to download and do some distro.... Regards, TC >>> "Bella" > 11/22/2004 2:21:05 PM wrote:>>> **** PLEASE CIRCULATE TO THE MASSES (not just activists !) **** Rallies are being organizing all across Canada to coincide with George Bush's visit to Ottawa next week. Here's whats happening in Vancouver: There will be two rallies on November 30th: 12 noon Canada Place, March to U.S. Consulate (Pender & Thurlow) for 12.30 rally. 5 p.m. rally at Vancouver Art Gallery, Georgia & Howe Street. 2000 posters and 4000 leaflets are being printed and will be available as of tomorrow. There will be copies available for pick-up at People's Coop Bookstore, 1391 Commercial Dr. If you would like the pdf to make your own copies please let me know. **All are invited to an organizing meeting Wednesday, Nov.24, 5:30p.m. at the Maritime Labour Centre (111 Victoria Dr.), to help plan Vancouver's welcome to George Bush. If you cannot make the Wednesday meeting, but want to get involved in the organizing, or want more information, email > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: bush visit poster.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 328232 bytes Desc: not available URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 02:59:48 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 02:59:48 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Powell 'Pushed Out' By Bush Message-ID: rense.com Powell 'Pushed Out' By Bush For Seeking To Rein In Israel By Charles Laurence in New York and Philip Sherwell The Telegraph - UK 11-21-4 Colin Powell, the outgoing US secretary of state, was given his marching orders after telling President George W Bush that he wanted greater power to confront Israel over the stalled Middle East peace process. Although Mr Powell's departure was announced on November 15, his letter of resignation was dated November 11, the day he had a meeting with Mr Bush. According to White House officials, at the meeting Mr Powell was not asked to stay on and gave no hints that he would do so. Briefing reporters later, he referred to "fulsome discussions" - diplomatic code for disagreements. "The clincher came over the Mid-East peace process," said a recently-retired state department official. "Powell thought he could use the credit he had banked as the president's 'good cop' in foreign policy to rein in Ariel Sharon [Israel's prime minister] and get the peace process going. He was wrong." Bob Woodward, the veteran Washington reporter who was granted unprecedented access to the first Bush administration for his books Bush At War and Plan Of Attack, said last week that Mr Powell had been "dreaming" if he thought that he could stay on. Vice-president Dick Cheney and his fellow hardliner, John Bolton, an under-secretary of state to Mr Powell, are both understood to have lobbied Mr Bush to replace him. They wanted to make Iran's alleged nuclear bomb aspirations and support for Islamic terror groups the foreign policy priority for the new administration and believed that Mr Powell would back away from a confrontational approach. The two are frustrated that Britain, France and Germany are still seeking a diplomatic deal with Teheran rather than backing an immediate UN Security Council resolution condemning Iran and threatening sanctions. Mr Powell's final pitch to remain in office for at least another year was made during Tony Blair's visit to Washington nine days ago, The Telegraph has learned. Earlier indications had been that he intended to step down after enduring four years of clashes with the office of Mr Cheney and the Pentagon under Donald Rumsfeld. Friends of Mr Powell later briefed journalists that he had changed his mind because he saw the chance of progress on the peace process and wanted to see through the Iraqi elections. Mr Powell is to be replaced by Condoleezza Rice, the national security adviser and close confidante of Mr Bush. Mr Bolton's predicted promotion as her deputy is a further signal that the president wants to conduct foreign policy without the "moderating" influence and popular public face of Mr Powell. Prominent neo-conservatives in Washington make no secret of their desire for regime change in Teheran, although few believe that a full-scale military operation is a viable strategy. Instead, the emphasis is on establishing economic sanctions as a means to squeeze the ruling mullahs. There is also the option that the US may tacitly back Israeli air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The overhaul of the CIA under its new director, Porter Goss, a recent Bush appointee, is also intended to remove critics of America's foreign policy. ? Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2004. http://telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/11/21/ pow21.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/11/21/ixnewstop.html -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:00:22 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:00:22 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: dollar slumped Message-ID: Reuters - Latest Business News NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar slumped across the board, plunging to four-and-a-half-year lows against the yen on Friday, after Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said demand for U.S. assets could decline at some point given the size of the current account deficit. In remarks prepared for delivery to a European bankers conference in Frankfurt, Greenspan said: "It seems persuasive that, given the size of the U.S. current account deficit, a diminished appetite for adding to dollar balances must occur at some point." The U.S. current account deficit, a broad measure of the nation's global trade, is equivalent to roughly 6 percent of gross domestic product. To bridge that gap, the United States must attract an estimated $3 billion in capital daily, analysts say. Greenspan added that cutting the U.S. budget deficit, which has hit record levels in dollar terms, would be the most effective U.S. policy response to help rein in the record shortfall in the U.S. current account. The U.S. budget deficit for fiscal year 2004 ending Sept. 30 was $412 billion. "It seems remarkable that in prepared remarks he has come out with so many remarks about the U.S. current account deficit and implying that adjustment is needed. It is dollar bearish no question," said Greg Anderson, senior foreign exchange strategist with ABN Amro bank in Chicago. "It makes it clear that U.S. policy-makers do not want to stand in the way of market adjustment that leads to a lower dollar. This really lays it out," Anderson added. In morning New York trade, the euro traded up at $1.3044 (EUR=: Quote, Profile, Research) . "The U.S. dollar is selling off of this. The attention is focused on the U.S. twin deficits, right now. Again, there are fundamental and structural reasons for the dollar to weaken, and despite what they (the U.S government) say to talk it up, the market doesn't believe it," said Firas Askari, head of FX trading at BMO Nesbitt Burns in Toronto. The dollar fell to around 102.79 yen (JPY=: Quote, Profile, Research) according to Reuters data, the lowest level since April 2000. The U.S. currency's losses against the yen accelerated after Greenspan said in a question and answer session in Frankfurt that large currency interventions do not create protracted changes in exchange rates, although he conceded that they do have some effect. The dollar also dropped to new nearly nine year lows against the Swiss franc to around 1.1584 francs (CHF=: Quote, Profile, Research) . Sterling rose to $1.8578 (GBP=: Quote, Profile, Research) , while the Australian dollar climbed around 1 percent to US$0.7855 (AUD=: Quote, Profile, Research) . Jean Claude Trichet, the European Central Bank President, who was also in the Frankfurt conference said, structural reforms are a necessary condition for raising European growth. He added that the ECB's stability mandate is the focus of its monetary policy. Continued ... -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:00:53 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:00:53 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Pilot Voices Potential Message-ID: rense.com Pilot Voices Potential Cause For Florida Hurricanes 11-21-4 The unbridled use of wireless technology contributes to an unstable atmosphere and magnetosphere thereby generating weather anomalies. Nina says, "it is as if the earth is being tickled all over and is responding by twitching and convulsing, generating seismic activity and violent weather." (PRWEB) -- Human use of electromagnetism for power and communications has produced an abnormal electromagnetic environment unlike anything that has existed before. Commercial pilot, Nina Anderson says, "in my thirty-five years of flying I have never seen such a period of concentrated violent weather as we have had in the last decade." She theorizes that since all electromagnetic fields are force fields, carrying energy and capable of producing an action at a distance, it is a logical conclusion that the unbridled use of wireless technology contributes to an unstable atmosphere and magnetosphere thereby generating weather anomalies. Nina says, "it is as if the earth is being tickled all over and is responding by twitching and convulsing, generating seismic activity and violent weather." In her book, 2012 Airborne Prophesy, Nina takes us to the year 2011 where her theories are expounded upon in a fictional presentation. She projects that wireless technology compounds to create rogue frequencies where electromagnetic waves intersect. These new wavelengths contribute to the continued destruction of the ozone layer, increased electrical storms, instability of the earth's crust generating more earthquakes and volcanoes, and more weather extremes. Extrapolating from her research gleaned to write her novel, Nina fears that the magnetosphere (magnetic field generated from the spinning core of molten iron beneath the earth's surface and projected into the atmosphere) is being affected by "alien" pulses generated by mankind. Power line harmonic resonance (electrical transmission lines) has shown to cause fallout of charged particles from the radiation belts. These falling ions cause ice crystals, which precipitate rain clouds. In addition, current weather modification devices are targeting the atmosphere and ionosphere. From cloud-seeding experiments that began in the 1960s, to today's high altitude projects that aim high frequency broadcast antennas (IRIs) capable of heating the unstable ionosphere and redirecting jet streams, we have entered into a global experiment that could threaten the planet's existence. In 2012 Airborne Prophesy, these IRIs are capable of affecting the weather on demand as well as interrupting aircraft onboard computers and global communications. Ionospheric heaters acting powerfully with charged particles trapped there create a mirror force pushing the charged atmosphere upward and outward. This acts as a lens-focusing device capable of heating specific parts of the earth thereby affecting regional weather. In the 2012 Airborne Prophesy the IRI's actually become defense weapons whereby the density of air is altered at a specific GPS coordinate causing enemy aircraft to lose lift and fall from the sky. Because of their potential as star wars weapons, governments and special interest corporations via for control of these facilities, which manifest in quite a conspiracy tale that predicts a plausible future. Florida and Japan's 2004 hurricane season could be the tip of the iceberg. The planet's inhabitants have been stirring up the near cosmos since the 1940s. Atomic bomb tests were conducted in space in the late 1950s, the first ionospheric heater experiments were held in the 1970s, new inventions that emit electromagnetic pulses have proliferated since the 1980s (microwaves, cell towers, cell phones, GPS, computers, etc.) adding to the near saturated radio frequency realm generated through television and radio waves. Since 1958 the Defense Department has been studying ways to manipulate changes in the weather. In the United States, at least 29 states have licensed weather modification programs. Those experiments have shifted to using electromagnetic technology without regard for future consequences. Just like drugs that may interact negatively with other drugs and create new symptoms, electromagnetic energy may be causing the very reaction we did not expect - a negative reaction to the stability of the planetary weather. Nina Anderson warns, "the region of space surrounding planet Earth is no place for experiments and the unbridled use of wireless technology is irresponsible. Controversy already surrounds the telecommunications industry where human safety from cell towers and cell phones is an ongoing issue. Will we blunder into another technological marvel without researching the downside? If planet earth reacts negatively to this constant tickling, we may be facing another Noah's Ark era or worse." 2012 Airborne Prophesy, available online and at Bookstores or www.safegoodspub.com http://www.emediawire.com/ releases/2004/10/emw166350.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:01:21 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:01:21 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: US Slaughters People At Message-ID: rense.com US Slaughters People At Prayer In Baghdad Mosque By Dahr Jamail 11-19-4 BAGHDAD (IPS) - An eyewitness commentary to IPS through a U.S. raid on a Baghdad mosque Friday gives a vivid picture of what a 'successful raid' can be like. U.S. soldiers raided the Abu Hanifa mosque in Baghdad during Friday prayers, killing at least four and wounding up to 20 worshippers. At 12:30 pm local time, just after Imam Shaikh Muayid al-Adhami concluded his talk, about 50 U.S. soldiers with 20 Iraqi National Guardsmen (ING) entered the mosque, a witness reported. "Everyone was there for Friday prayers, when five Humvees and several trucks carrying INGs entered," Abu Talat told IPS on phone from within the mosque while the raid was in progress. "Everyone starting yelling 'Allahu Akbar' (God is the greatest) because they were frightened. Then the soldiers started shooting the people praying!" Talat said he was among a crowd of worshippers being held back at gunpoint by U.S. soldiers. Loud chanting of 'Allahu Akbar' could be heard in the background during his call. Women and children were sobbing, he said. "They have just shot and killed at least four of the people praying," he said in a panicked voice. "At least 10 other people are wounded now. We are on our bellies and in a very bad situation." Talat gave his account over short phone calls. He said he was witnessing a horrific scene. "We were here praying and now there are 50 here with their guns on us," he said. "They are holding our heads to the ground, and everyone is in chaos. This is the worst situation possible. They cannot see me talking to you. They are roughing up a blind man now." He evidently could talk no further then. The soldiers later released women and children along with men who were related to them. Abu Talat was released because a boy told him to pretend to be his father. Other witnesses gave similar accounts outside the mosque. "People were praying and the Americans invaded the mosque," Abdulla Ra'ad Aziz from the al-Adhamiya district of Baghdad told IPS. He had been released along with his wife and children. "Why are they killing people for praying?" He said that after the forces entered "they went to the back doors and we heard so many bullets of the guns -- it was a gun bigger than a Kalashnikov. There were wounded and dead, I saw them myself." Some of the people who had been at prayer were ordered by soldiers to carry the dead and wounded out of the mosque, he said. "One Iraqi National Guardsmen held his gun on people and yelled, 'I will kill you if you don't shut up'," said Rana Aziz, a mother who had been trapped in the mosque.. "So they made everyone lie down, then people got quiet, and they took the women and children out." She said someone asked the soldiers if they would be made hostages. A soldier used foul language and asked everyone to shut up, she said. Suddenly, she laughed amid her tears. "The Americans have learnt how to say shut up in Arabic, 'Inchev'." Soldiers denied Iraqi Red Crescent ambulances and medical teams access to the mosque. As doctors negotiated with U.S. soldiers outside, more gunfire was heard from inside. About 30 men were led out with hoods over their heads and their hands tied behind them. Soldiers loaded them into a military vehicle and took them away around 3.15 pm. A doctor with the Iraqi Red Crescent confirmed four dead and nine wounded worshippers. Pieces of brain were splattered on one of the walls inside the mosque while large blood stains covered carpets at several places. A U.S. military spokesperson in Baghdad did not respond to requests for information on the raid. http://www.dahrjamailiraq.com/hard_news /archives/hard_news/000125.php#more -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:01:43 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:01:43 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Propaganda Operations Message-ID: rense.com On Executions, Beheadings And Other Propaganda Operations By Larry Chin Online Journal Associate Editor 11-20-4 The pattern has been consistent and obvious. Every news report or scandal that has been detrimental to the Bush/Anglo-American war agenda has been followed, within hours, with shocking executions (real and staged) that are attributed to "terrorist insurgents," despite questionable circumstances, non-verifiable evidence and unreliable sources, such as "unnamed" intelligence and military officials. The parties responsible for these acts have not and likely will not be identified, thanks in large part to deliberate US/Pentagon blackouts of reporting from war zones, and disinformation-laden and Bush-controlled corporate media. What is clear, regardless of the identities of the perpetrators, is that the results have exclusively benefited the US/Bush administration war machine, while completely undermining the political and public relations objectives of anti-US/anti-occupation opposition movements and groups. The methods used in the kidnapping and murder of Margaret Hassan, Nick Berg and others neatly fit the profile of classic western intelligence and counterinsurgency operations. Margaret Hassan Reports of the genocidal mass murder, atrocities and war crimes now being committed by US forces in Fallujah (also see dispatches by Dahr Jamail from Iraq) have been "countered" by a video of the apparent execution of Margaret Hassan, a CARE relief official who was beloved and respected by Iraqis and non-Iraqis alike. This act, blamed on insurgents, has prompted outrage among Iraqis against rebel fighters. But was the Hassan killing part of a British intelligence operation? An account by a Jordanian journalist: "The British have tried to insure against any potential backlash from the general public and its own Labour MP's (in the event things go badly wrong) by instructing its agents on the ground inside Iraq to kidnap Margaret Hassan, the Care International charity worker. "The recent communiqu? from the Mujaahideen has exposed the British insurance policy and has denied any JTJ involvement in the kidnapping. The kidnapping will send the message to the British public that the Iraqi resistance is comprised of monsters and serial murderers-and there can be no response other than wiping them from the face of the earth-thereby prolonging the redeployment of the British troops in the region near Baghdad." Indeed, the kidnapping and execution of Hassan make no sense, except as an intelligence operation by US, British or US-allied operatives: "But why would the resistance kidnap somebody who has provided humanitarian assistance to the people of Iraq for 25 years? Is it possible the Iraqi resistance wants to deny the Iraqi people humanitarian assistance? Of course not. In America, the corporate media answers the above question every day-the Iraqi resistance is fanatical, murderous, nothing more than a loose confederation of terrorists, criminals, Islamic madmen, demented sadists who blow up car bombs in crowded market squares and kill women and children, their own neighbors. However, there is another possible explanation: the kidnapping of Margaret Hassan is part of a counterinsurgency operation devised to make the resistance look bad and thus turn world opinion against it." For over 20 years, Hassan herself was one of the most powerful voices on the humanitarian crisis in Iraq. And recently, she was a critic of the occupation. In a previous videotape, Hassan pleaded for the British to get out of Iraq. She was a public relations liability. Toretta and Pari Kidnappings In September 2004, two young Italian humanitarian aid workers, Simona Toretta and Simona Pari, were kidnapped under suspicious circumstances. This was blamed on insurgents and/or terrorists connected to Zarqawi. According to an investigation by the UK Guardian, Iraqi insurgents were not behind the kidnapping of the two Italian aid workers: "The Guardian said the kidnapping of Simona Torretta and Simona Pari has the mark of an undercover foreign operation in a bid to discredit the unabated Iraqi resistance against US occupation forces. "The mass-circulation newspaper adds more suspicion on foreign involvement in the operation as it was carried out only few meters from the heavily patrolled Green Zone with no interference from Iraqi police or US military. "The Guardian maintains that the weapons used in the operation were more sophisticated than those usually used by the Iraqi resistance as the kidnappers used AK-47s, shotguns and pistols with silencers and stun guns, while the Iraqi resistance fighters always use the rusty Kalashnikovs. "Most striking, according to the British daily, the kidnappers wore Iraqi National Guard uniforms and identified themselves as working for [Iraqi Prime Minister] Iyad Allawi." Nick Berg Execution In the spring of 2004, Nick Berg was "executed" by US or US-allied intelligence operatives to divert attention from the torture scandals at Abu Ghraib. There is also ample evidence that the videotaped execution of Nicholas Berg in the spring of 2004 was a complete fabrication, based on a detailed analysis by La Voz de Aztlan. Despite this, and other debunkings, the Berg beheading remains a lurid image that prompts "anti-terrorist" hatred. Daniel Pearl The killing of journalist Daniel Pearl was similarly twisted to benefit the "war on terrorism" propaganda, and to ignite fury against alleged al-Qaeda terrorists involved in the 9/11 attacks. Just as Margaret Hassan was a public relations problem that needed to be nipped in the bud, Pearl was a nuisance. He had been pursuing links between terrorism, terrorist groups and intelligence agencies, and was going after Pakistan's ISI (a virtual CIA branch), shortly before he was murdered. The mushrooming Post-9/11 Nightmare It is clear that most, if not all, of the conveniently-timed kidnappings and executions, false terror alerts, Osama Bin Laden videos, "al-Qaeda" arrests, constant Zarqawi drumbeat (also see here)-have been staged and exploited for Anglo-American war propaganda, timed in order to 1) distract from the truth of unilateral Anglo-American aggression, 2) turn world opinion against those resisting US-led war and occupation, and3) maintain the fear, shock and hate-based myth of "terrorism" and "the fanatical outside enemy." At the same time, what cannot be ignored is that violent outrage on the part of the victims of US-led aggression will spiral out of control-if it has not already. As US-led aggression has continued to escalate, it has driven its victims to increasingly desperate acts of resistance and self-preservation. By design. As Mike Ruppert writes in Crossing the Rubicon: "Even if there weren't [terrorists] before 9/11 (and there were), the US has gone out of its way to create animosity against this country that is in full flower all over the globe." From the "war on terrorism" to the bombing, invasion and occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq. From the massacre at Mazar-I-Sharif to the torture cells of Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib. Today in Iraq, American soldiers are killing with fanatical bloodlust--grotesquely demonstrated by the daily slaughter in Fallujah, the mosque murders, and the earlier incidents such as the "mercy killing" of innocent Iraqis unloading a garbage truck. In this nightmarish world of endless and expanding war, and continuous cycles of provocation and response, it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish the brutality of criminal aggressors from acts of resistance to this aggression. Just as Israel and Palestine have been locked into unending cycles of unpredictable and uncontrollable violence for decades, the entire world, lit by the 9/11 "war on terrorism" powder keg, is set for the same. This war, and the propaganda that fuels it, must be stopped. _____ Larry Chin is a freelance journalist and an Online Journal Associate Editor. The views expressed herein are the writers' own and do not necessarily reflect those of Online Journal. Email editor at onlinejournal.com Copyright ? 1998-2004 Online Journal All rights reserved. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. http://www.onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports /112004Chin/112004chin.html -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:03:50 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:03:50 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Israel Buys Another Key Message-ID: rense.com Israel Buys Another Key Piece Of Washington Israeli Influence-Peddling ...On Top Of All The Spying And Lobbying Mid-East Realities Middle East.org 11-21-4 Sharon's 'Dear personal friend' buys the Democrat's Brookings Instutution... Now he, Haim Saban, didn't quite literally buy it all. He just kicked in some super-big bucks and got himself a new Institute dealing with the Middle East in Washington with both his own name and that of Brookings on the door. And then to head it up, he installed the guy the Israelis had brought over to the U.S. in the 1980s to lead their then new Near East Institute think-tank - the same guy whose citizenship was rushed through when Bill Clinton got elected so he could become a top Middle East official working on behalf of the Israelis from inside the U.S. government. Yes we know, to those not in the know about such Washington affairs things like this sometimes sound more like fiction than reality. But we assure you...this is all very much part of the factual realities behind-the-scenes in Washington these days, no matter how much it is socially and politically incorrect to spill the beans so openly. This little feature story from the New York Times Magazine a few months ago is full of interesting facts about Haim Saban -- but lacks both the crucial Washington context and the overall Israeli conspiracy aspects. Yes, we used the word 'conspiracy' on purpose. For the Israelis and the many organizations that make up the extended Israeli-Jewish lobby headquartered in Washington very purposefully use a few crucial think-tanks and institutes to constantly manipulate and control the media. And in doing so they also considerably influence policies while at the same time positioning those in their pay for key government positions no matter whether it's Democrats or Republicans in charge. In the case of Haim Saban, Martin Indyk, and Brookings this little deal was done shortly after Bush defeated Gore four years ago now. Walla - The Saban Institute at The Brookings Institution headed by Indyk and of course fronting for the Israelis no matter how much they pretend otherwise. Back in 1983, after the bad press from the invasion of Lebanon, Israel's American Israel Public Affairs Committee, AIPAC, spun off a think-tank since known as the Near East Institute. It was to head up this Institute that Indyk was first brought to the U.S., an Australian citizen with extensive Israeli intelligence connections. During the Clinton years it was Martin Indyk and the infamous Dennis Ross, also formerly connected with AIPAC, who ran the 'Peace Process'. Cut to the chase...Clinton had had to pay off his big campaign debt to crucial Jewish advisers and money-men but putting these operatives in charge in both the National Security Council and the State Department. With Gore's unexpected defeat in 2000 Ross went back to head up AIPAC's Near East Institute as well as a new division in Israel's Jewish Agency working to push Jews worldwide to emigrate to the Jewish State. That's when Saban stepped in, and Brookings sold out, with Indyk put in charge of this largely Democratic Party think-tank's Middle East affairs. Now had John Kerry won the Presidency earlier this month he was heavily mortaged and deeply indebted to Haim Saban, one of the very top multi-million dollar campaign contributors and Democratic Party moneymen, as well as a close circle of Israeli-lobby connected Jewish Zionist advisers and financiers. Had that been the case both Indyk and Ross were already prepared to go back into key U.S. government policy-making positions. Now read the details about Haim Saban keeping all this crucial perspective and context in mind which the nation's 'newspaper of record' largely ommitted. http://www.middleeast.org Haim Saban, who turned cartoons into a multibillion-dollar fortune, has an office overlooking Los Angeles, but his world view centers on Israel - NYTimes. "To me he will always be a dear personal friend." - Ariel Sharon http://www.itszone.co.uk/zone0/viewtopic.php?t=23795 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:04:21 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:04:21 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Falluja women, children in mass grave Message-ID: http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/24EBE5BB-CA3F-462B-8279-546BC1D9B7 E6.htm Falluja women, children in mass grave Sunday 21 November 2004, 18:42 Makka Time, 15:42 GMT Many corpses remain unburied, Falluja residents say Residents of a village neighbouring Falluja have told Aljazeera that they helped bury the bodies of 73 women and children who were burnt to death by a US bombing attack. "We buried them here, but we could not identify them because they were charred by the use of napalm bombs used by the Americans," said one resident of Saqlawiya in footage aired on Aljazeera on Sunday. There have been no reports of the US military using napalm in Falluja and no independent verification of the claims. The resident told Aljazeera all the bodies were buried in a single grave. Late last week, US troops in Falluja called on some residents who had fled the fighting to return and help bury the dead. However, according to other residents who managed to flee the fighting after US forces entered the city, hundreds more bodies still lay in the streets and were being fed on by packs of wild dogs. Danger zone Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Falluja remained too dangerous to secure proper retrieval and burial of corpses. The ICRC and other relief groups are unable to enter the city "We could not enter Falluja city so far due to the security measures and the continuing battles," Muain Qasis, ICRC spokesman in Jordan, told Aljazeera. When asked about the security measures, Qasis said: "In order to carry out an independent and acceptable humanitarian action, we must have guarantees ensuring the safety of the humanitarian staff. "The humanitarian situation in Falluja city is very difficult. "The city is still suffering shortage of public services. There is no water or electricity. There is no way to offer medical treatment for the injured families still surrounded inside the city," he added. Detained civilians released In related news, the US military in Falluja announced that it had released 400 of the 1450 men it had detained in the war-ravaged city. "More than 400 detainees have since been released after being deemed non-combatants," the military said, adding that 100 more were due to be released on Sunday. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:05:12 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:05:12 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Why People Won't See Message-ID: rense.com Why People Won't See How Your Government Gets Away With Murder By John Kaminski skylax at comcast.net 11-21-4 I receive 200-500 e-mails per day. Needless to say I can't read them all, never mind answer them all. But many of them are like this one, and these I always try to answer these even though I really don't have THE ANSWER when people ask me, "What can I do to stop this madness?" "Hello, John. Thanks for the education. I am wondering, what is that makes most people "uneducable?" Fear? Denial? Upbringing? "I have a friend who had opened up a bit to the idea that 9/11 was pure theatre, but now is sliding back to "I don't want to talk about it ... after saying to me, 'What are you trying to prove that the government is wrong? Why should people care?' "I guess I must examine my own fears: the feeling I had when I first started e-mailing people - after learning just enough on 9/11 to be convinced it was an inside job. Maybe it's just the crowd mentality .... "So I am asking you, what do you think is the main reason why people are uneducable? "I'd appreciate your opinion. "Craig R." Craig, I think there is one overriding reason that prevents people from confronting the lies their government tells them, and it's the hardest one to realize. And by your phrasing, I can see you're already onto it. Sure, you can blame a lot of the American public's indifferent and uninvolved behavior on a deliberately retarded school system that prioritizes regimentation as far more important than enlightenment, or our bozo media industry that reduces everything to lowest common denominator pandering to our baser instincts. Or, you can suspect the mentally debilitating effects of fluoride, chemtrails, and food additives - not to mention the omnipresent radioactivity increasing in our atmosphere by the day, or the conscience-numbing aphasia of antidepressant drugs - as possible reasons for this detached malaise that causes many people to be completely disinterested in the vital processes that control and diminish their own lives. But really, you hit it on the head when you speculated that you must examine your own fears. I've said this before, and I'll never stop saying it. The real opportunity for growth and learning when studying the events of 9/11 is this. Once you realize that 9/11 was an inside job, conceived and carried out by members of the highest levels of the American government, a window opens in your mind that reveals the hypocritical and destructive nature of American behavior over time, and you begin to see that all these heroicized wars that have been conducted in the name of democracy and freedom were really something quite different. At this point, it becomes a matter of do you have genuine integrity or don't you? As we all know, the first requirement of true integrity is admitting your own faults. I think there is no question in anyone's mind at this moment that America has no integrity (hell, you just need to look at the Indian treaties to realize that). Certainly the mainstream American media has absolutely no integrity, in that it's obvious to everyone the real stories about the Iraq war, depleted uranium, public corruption, fixed elections, and on and on ad infinitum are never mentioned by the hateful robots you see reading the "news" on TV). But the larger question is: Do WE have integrity? I'm talking about you and me. Are we willing to look at the truth as we perceive it and try to identify and admit our own complicity in all these atrocities, as the American government runs around the world shooting innocent women and children in the head over reasons we KNOW are lies. I mean, we're supposed to be fighting terrorists, right, but we KNOW these terrorists are not Muslim malcontents, and that most likely they are CIA/Mossad-contracted mercenaries assigned to kill Iraqi aid workers, behead innocents and blow up churches and mosques in order to inflame the situation to kindle support from the braindead public, who then mindlessly cheer the genocidal tactics of George W. Bush and pretend not to notice that not only did America CREATE the terrorists and start the war with phony evidence, we now continue the war as viciously as we can, continually murdering innocents and turning our own troops into raging psychopaths. Why? Increased profits for the military contractors, of course, which means increased under-the-table payments for our elected officials. In a way, the easiest way to deal with that guilt is to pretend it's not really happening, which is what most Americans are doing right now. But in the conversation between you and me, Craig, we both know that WE are partly responsible - not matter how small or unwilling a part - for the American mass murder in Iraq, because we know we are American citizens and as such have a responsibility for controlling what our government does, at least if we are to believe and endorse the fact that America is a participatory democracy in which the people are ultimately responsible for what their government does. Of course on another level, we have absolutely no control over what our government does. The Congress and most elected officials throughout America are bought off by the financial powers-that-be, and they do what they want, ordinary people like you and me be damned. But again, if we have integrity, we can trace a small shard of responsibility back to ourselves, to some small event in our histories in which we did not stand for principle, but instead held back and let some innocuous hypocrisy pass us by unchallenged with the rationalization that "there's nothing we could have done about it" or "it didn't affect me that much." Although these events seemed unimportant at the time, these small defeats, multiplied by the American population total - some 300 million - have combined to produce the situation we face today - an endless war aimed at stimulating hatred and conflicts for the ubiquitous and ever-present purpose of increasing profits for the goons who make and sell the weapons. Why people try to hide in their own indifference is a very old question. So is why they are uneducable. But beyond the political ramifications of this widespread indifference are the spiritual dimensions, the conversations each of us has with ourselves, either lying on a pillow in the dark late at night or taking that first hard glance in the mirror before shaving in the morning. To a degree, you are right about the crowd mentality. Everybody wants to fit in. Our minds create and accept authority figures, and we try to live our lives according to these dictates we have accepted as legitimate to our own self-worth. But a deeper reason exists with regard to what we choose to believe. And let me preface this by admitting I've been saying this for a long time, and haven't found all that many who agree with my opinion. But that doesn't stop me from repeating it. I believe that religions are ultimately debilitating to the spirit, because they try to make us believe things that we know are not true, and in accepting the tenets of any religion, we leave ourselves open to a pattern of behavior that accepts things on faith, without examining them rationally. And this process habituates us to accepting lies as truth, as long as they emanate from an authority figure we have conditioned ourselves to respect. Once you are willing to accept something that deep in your psyche you know goes against what you perceive to be rational truth - e.g., Jesus died for our sins and rose again from the dead - THEN YOU CAN BE MADE TO BELIEVE ANYTHING, whether it is true or not, as long as it comes from an authority figure to whom you have given credibility in your mind. I believe this is a central component in the phenomenon of a majority of the American people believing the government's bogus story about 9/11, and in their willingness to accept the psychotic carnage in Iraq as being somehow relevant to their own well-being. Thus, according to the tenets of the psychological process known as transference (in which we take the feelings of trust and dependence that we feel as children toward our parents and transfer them as adults to a relationship with an imaginary sky god to maintain our inner feelings of security), we want to accept what George W. Bush tells us because we have embedded ourselves in American society, and our whole meaning becomes challenged and distorted when we lose that focus by realizing that probably everything that has come out of Dubya's mouth in his whole life has been a cynical and sarcastic rich boy's lie. Therefore, challenging his public statements can be disorienting to those who are not committed to their own integrity or trapped in the psychological prison of a fictitious belief system that can be proven false, should such believers suddenly develop the courage to confront the lies they are telling themselves. In some cases, confronting these lies can totally shatter a person's sense of self, which is why the majority choose not to do that. Unfortunately, not confronting these lies is very likely to shatter our world into little radioactive bits, a profoundly ugly process we see happening - and accelerating - as we speak. Thanks for writing, Craig. John Kaminski is an Internet essayist whose writings can been seen on hundreds of websites around the world. They have been collected into two anthologies, the latest of which is titled "The Perfect Enemy." For information go to http://www.johnkaminski.com/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:07:05 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:07:05 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: PHYSICIAN CONFIRMS THAT U.S. USED CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN FALLUJAHATTACK Message-ID: PHYSICIAN CONFIRMS THAT U.S. USED CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN FALLUJAH ATTACK Iraqi Physican Confirms US Chem Weapons Use In Fallujah By Omar al-Faris - JUS Jihad Unspun 11-18-4 Anger that is seething throughout Iraq and the world over the assault on Fallujah turned to rage yesterday as an Iraqi physician came forward to confirm reports of the use of banned chemical weapons in Fallujah. Speaking on the condition of anonymity to the Panorama radio station, the physician said he had just examined two dead bodies and confirmed that the victims died of banned chemical weapons. The physician found no evidence of bullet wounds, shrapnel, or any objects penetrating the bodies. It is worth noting that Mufkarat al-Islam was the first to alert readers to the use of chemical weapons by American occupying force on 11/11/2004. Since that time there have been several reports that US occupation troops has resorted to using chemical but none that could be independently verified. 34 Victims Of Banned Chemical Weapons Buried In Fallujah It is also interesting how concerned the American occupying forces were about burying the bodies that lay on the outskirts of the Jowlan neighborhood for burial in Al-Saqlawiah, with many mainstream reports that the occupiers where "cleaning up the dead. Now we have the answer. Local citizens who came to retrieve their lost ones were frisked to make sure that none of them brought cameras to document the crime using chemical weapons. American occupiers also insisted on accompanying those citizens from the moment of removing the bodies up until the final burial. 20 bodies including two women and a child were removed on Monday, 14 more on Tuesday. Mufkarat al-Islam correspondent confirmed that the dead bodies were swollen, yellow colored, and had no smell. A number of citizens requested permission to go inside Jowlan neighborhood to remove the dead but they were told (through an interpreter) that Americans cannot go with them because they do not control that area inside. A woman fleeing the war torn zone informed Mufkarat al-Islam,s correspondent that she witnessed Americans putting bodies in black plastic bags and dumping them in the river. Observers agree on one thing- Americans decided to use chemical weapons after they failed to defeat the Mujahideen in Fallujah both a cowardly and inhumane act. The Mujahideen inflicted heavy losses on the US forces in al-Fallujah prompting the Americans to employ chemical weapons for the first time since the fall of Baghdad. Reports have been received that US forces used chemical weapons in the al-Jawlan, ash-Shuhada,, and al-Jubayl neighborhoods and again last night in al-Jubayl neighborhood. Is this how intends to deal with the rest of the Sunni heartland? PHYSICIAN CONFIRMS THAT U.S. USED CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN FALLUJAH ATTACK -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:10:00 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:10:00 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Eminem Video - NEW ENDING Message-ID: Hey all. Everyone should check out the new version of Eminem's "Mosh" - it ends the way it should have the first time - with the protesters storming Congress. NICE! Here's the link: http://www.gnn.tv/videos/video.php?id=28 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:09:10 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:09:10 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Is Bush afraid of a Bob Dylan song? Message-ID: Is Bush afraid of a Bob Dylan song? By Alan Maass | November 19, 2004 | Page 2 THE SECRET Service showed up at Boulder High School in Colorado last week over concerns about a 40-year-old statement by Bob Dylan. The agency said it was investigating claims that George Bush's life was threatened at a rehearsal for a school talent show. The controversy started--where else?--on talk radio when the mother of a student claimed that her daughter had heard members of a band playing in the talent show say "George Bush, I hope you die, and I hope you die soon," and "I'll stand over your grave." Turns out that the band--which calls itself Coalition of the Willing--was playing a Bob Dylan song from the early 1960s called "Masters of War," a bitter protest against war and militarism. The final verse of the song--which is addressed generally to the politicians, generals and the arms makers who benefit from war--says: "And I hope that you die, and your death will come soon/I'll follow your casket in the pale afternoon/ I'll watch while you're lowered down to your death bed/And I'll stand over your grave 'til I'm sure that you're dead." Allysse Wojtanek-Watson, who sings with the band, told reporters: "We were just singing Bob Dylan's song...If you think it has to do with Bush, that's because you're drawing your own conclusions." Secret Service agents questioned the school's principal and a teacher who is the faculty adviser to a student group that organized an earlier anti-Bush protest--and then left with a copy of the Dylan lyrics to examine. Boulder High School had made the news a few days earlier when about 85 students occupied the school library overnight to protest Bush's election victory and speak out about their fears about the direction of the country. Students said they feared that Bush's reelection would lead to more wars overseas, worsening environmental conditions and a return of the draft. They asked to meet with state Democratic and Republican lawmakers to discuss these issues. Student Stephen Rostovsky told a reporter that he hoped the protest would "[let] people know that adolescents are there and saying, 'We're not going to take this. We want a voice, too. We want a place in this democracy .'" The protest had right-wingers fuming, both locally and nationally--especially about Jim Vacca, the faculty adviser to the group that staged the protest. Vacca told reporters that he was a member of the progressive Jewish organization Tikkun Community. "These kids are being used to promote an extreme leftist point of view on the taxpayers' dime," one right-winger ranted to a local radio station. Principal Ron Cabrera said he stands behind the students' right to make their voices heard. "I feel that the school and these students have been accused without being able to confront their accusers," Cabrera told a reporter, adding that no student or parent had talked to him about the allegations. "Why would someone do that?" http://www.socialistworker.org/2004-2/521/521_02_DylanSong.shtml -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:08:45 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:08:45 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: THE LYING GAME, REVISITED Message-ID: THE LYING GAME, REVISITED IRAN HAS NUKES - THEY REALLY REALLY DO!! By: Justin Raimondo Published in the November 22, 2004 issue of Ether Zone. We live in a recurring nightmare. That's the only conclusion one can draw from today's headlines, which, as we draw closer to a confrontation with Iran, bear an eerie resemblance to yesterday's breaking news. It seems like only yesterday that a Middle Eastern exile group - the Iraqi National Congress (INC) - was feeding the U.S. government "intelligence" that drew a fearsome portrait of Saddam Hussein's supposedly burgeoning nuclear arsenal. The Iraqi dictator was said to be plotting with Al Qaeda to knock off a few more American skyscrapers, and, at one point, George W. Bush even conjured visions of Iraqi drones flying over our airspace and raining death and destruction on American cities. While readers of Antiwar.com discovered early on it was all a lie, a good deal of the rest of the world was led down the primrose path and only stumbled over the truth after they had reached the very end. But is it the end - or is the path just branching out in another direction? The startling announcement by lame-duck Secretary of State Colin Powell that Iran - contrary to its public declarations, and the spirit if not the letter of Tehran's recent preliminary agreement with the EU to temporarily halt the uranium enrichment process - is working on a nuclear missile delivery system has Washington in a frenzy of speculation, and, yes, shock. The latter is over Powell's extraordinary willingness to reveal information that was reportedly unvetted, and from a single source, and repeat it as fact. The provenance of this bit of "intelligence" ought to evoke, in the careful reader, a sense of d?j? vu. Here is the Washington Post on the mysterious circumstances of its arrival on Powell's desk: "According to one official with access to the material, a 'walk-in' source approached U.S intelligence earlier this month with more than 1,000 pages purported to be Iranian drawings and technical documents, including a nuclear warhead design and modifications to enable Iranian ballistic missiles to deliver an atomic strike." This is reminiscent of nothing so much as the infamous Niger uranium forgeries, which, you'll remember, were accepted as fact by the Bush White House until they were exposed as fraudulent by International Atomic Energy Agency scientists, after a few hours with Google. I wonder if the U.S. government would be interested in what a "walk-in" has to say about the overwhelming lack of evidence that Iran is building or intends to build nuclear weapons - and how long it would take for 1000-plus pages of debunking to percolate up to the office of the secretary of state. In all likelihood, the debunker probably wouldn't get past the front door, let alone be lent credence by top officials. Porter Goss has put a memo out to all of our spooks deploring leaks and warning Company employees to stop haunting this administration with doubts about American policy in the Middle East, or anywhere else for that matter. In a manner of hours the memo was on the internet (hat tip to Laura Rozen): "We are a secret Agency. Of necessity, we must assiduously follow the law to honor the trust placed upon us. We have rules to govern our conduct of business and rules designed to facilitate our mission's success and to build public confidence. Since 9/11 everything has changed. The IC and its people have been relentlessly scrutinized and criticized. Intelligence related issues have become the fodder of partisan food fights and turf-power skirmishes. ... "... I also intend to clarify beyond doubt the rules of the road. We support the Administration and its policies in our work. As Agency employees we do not identify with, support, or champion opposition to the Administration or its policies. We provide the intelligence as we see it - and let the facts alone speak to the policymaker." [Emphasis in original] A word to the wise: just tell us what we want to hear. Under these circumstances, perhaps as part of the re-organization and "reform" of our intelligence capabilities, we ought to re-name the CIA. How about the Central Propaganda Agency? Or, better yet, the Ministry of Truth.... A three-pronged propaganda campaign is now underway to justify a preemptive military strike - either by the U.S., or Israel - against Iran's alleged nuclear weapons facilities. It just so happened that, on the very day Powell blurted out his accusation against Iran, a Paris-based Iranian exile group, the "National Council of Resistance," held a widely-publicized press conference stating that Iran is continuing to enrich uranium - and claiming that, sometime in the mid-1990s, Tehran acquired a bomb blueprint from Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan. As the Los Angeles Times points out, "many of the group's previous statements have been inaccurate, though it did reveal the existence of a secret Iranian nuclear facility in 2002." But what they don't tell you about the "National Council of Resistance," except for alluding to its dubious record of intelligence-gathering, is that it is a front for one of the all-time weirdest cults in existence, which embraces a bizarre combination of neo-Maoist Marxist-Leninism and neo-conservative foreign policy prescriptions. During the Iranian revolution that overthrew Shah Reza Pahlavi in 1979, the Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK), launched terrorist attacks on American targets, but soon fell out of favor with the Khomeni regime. In the war between Iraq and Iran, they sided with Saddam Hussein and were granted sanctuary on Iraqi soil, where they set up camps and conducted terrorist attacks on Iranian civilian and military targets. After the U.S. invasion, they were supposedly interned as a group at Camp Ashraf, their major base: after all, it was they, alongside the Ba'athist Republican Guards, who put down the Shi'ite and Kurd uprisings of 1991 that resulted in a prolonged slaughter and a Shi'ite exodus to Iran. Their present status, however, is in doubt, and there are reports that MEK cadre are running around loose. The cultish accoutrements of the MEK organization bear some resemblance to that of the Moonies, with a Mother-Father duopoly as the maximum leaders, and a slavishly obedient and tightly-regulated rank-and-file. In the case of the MEK, there is the added fillip of the Amazonian angle: the group's commitment to what can only be called macho feminism gives it a distinctive style: a good proportion of the MEK's fighters are women, as are half of the top commanders. The adoration of the Rajavis - "President Elect" Maryam Rajavi, and Military "Leader of the Resistance" Massoud Rajavi - is almost religious in tone, providing an odd counterpoint to the militant secularism and feminism that its Western supporters find so attractive. Speaking of the MEK's Western supporters, there was a "briefing" given on Capitol Hill the other day, in which Kenneth Pollack and David Albright lectured U.S. lawmakers on the alleged necessity of either proving or disproving the MEK's allegations by forcing Pakistan to allow the interrogation of the notorious A. Q. Khan, accused of running a lucrative black market in nukes and a key figure in the MEK's meta-fictional narrative detailing Iran's nuclear ambitions. This, by the way, is the same Kenneth Pollack whose book, the tendentiously-titled The Threatening Storm is credited with producing a bumper crop of pro-war liberals - the very same Pollack who assured us Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and that we had no choice but to go in before the storm broke. This ought to give a whole new meaning to the telling of Pollack jokes. Albright, physicist and former arms inspector, is described in the above-linked report as now heading up "a Washington-based anti-nuclear group." This "anti-nuclear group" is the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), which early on championed the lies of Iraqi "defectors" such as Dr. Khidhir Hamza - another "walk-in" - who presented U.S. intelligence agencies with phony evidence of Saddam's "secret" nuclear program. As Gordon Prather pointed out recently, this administration barreled ahead on the presumption that Iraqi WMD existed, in spite of the testimony of Gen. Hussein Kamel, Saddam's son-in-law, who maintained (correctly, as it turned out) that he had personally ordered all WMD destroyed: "Perversely, some analysts within the intelligence community chose to disbelieve Kamel and the U.N. inspectors. They chose to believe Khidir Hamza - the man Kamel had labeled a 'professional liar' - and other 'little birds' They began compiling a list of sites wherein Saddam was alleged to have hidden chem-bio weapons or to have begun reconstructing WMD production facilities." When UN inspectors visited those sites, before the invasion, and found no evidence of any such facilities, Hamza denounced them as "incompetent." We would have to invade Iraq, and then we would find the WMD - that, we were told by Hamza and his supporters, including the "anti-nuclear" ISIS, was the only way. Before we take Albright and Pollack as seriously as we would a third-rate comedy act, they ought to be reminded of their own record. Never mind Iranian nukes - where are the nukes and other WMD they solemnly promised we'd see in Iraq? In addition to Powell's outburst, and the MEK's fulminations, the third element in the hate campaign directed at Iran is that, although Tehran and the EU signed an agreement temporarily freezing the enrichment process, the Iranians stepped up the procedure over the weekend because the agreement doesn't take effect until the 22nd. There is, of course, no way to check such an accusation: the source given by media outlets from NPR to The Australian is merely that this is being whispered in certain "diplomatic circles." I would bet the farm on which circles, precisely, but let each reader draw his or her own conclusions on that score. Israel has long been demanding that the United States deal with an alleged military threat from Iran, which is supposed to be secretly subsidizing the Iraqi insurgency. On a trip to Israel before the invasion, U.S. arms official John Bolton is said to have promised Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (scroll down) that the U.S. would take on Syria and Iran right after Saddam was disposed of, and this scenario seems to be playing out rather quickly. Israel is the only threatened party if the Iranians get nukes, as the Washington Post report on the Powell leak brouhaha implied: "The information provided by the source, who was not previously known to U.S. intelligence, does not mention uranium or any other area of Iran's known nuclear program, according to the official with access to the material. It focuses instead on a warhead design and modifications to Iran's long-range Shahab-3 missile and a medium-range missile in its arsenal. The Shahab-3 has a range of 800 miles and is capable of hitting Israel." Once again, it's all about Israel. Those Shahab missiles aren't aimed at Brooklyn, or Des Moines, or even at U.S. troops in Iraq: their target is Tel Aviv, not Toledo. That is why we have to go through Act II of the Lying Game, a repeat performance - except, perhaps, on an even grander scale - of the same bold and brassy tactics that succeeded so well the last time around. Certainly the War Party, if it pulls off the Iranian "regime change" caper, will have to rise to new heights of brazen prevarication - their audacity and skill as liars will be sorely tested. So far, however, they're doing a bang-up job of it. I'm sure they'll rise to the occasion. In any case, I'm wondering how long it will be before we hear that this is a case of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" - and that, this time, they really really are telling the truth, and wouldn't it be tragic if we didn't listen in time.... The democratic "transformation" of the Middle East is a project undertaken on behalf of our favorite client state: the conflict in Iraq, and the one to come in Iran, are really all about making for a safer, securer Israel. Whether matters have quite turned out that way is a matter for debate, and another column, but what is unmistakable is that the region is less safe for everybody else. While Israel infiltrates Kurdistan and the Iranians extend their influence into southern Iraq, the redivision of the Middle East proceeds apace, with Syria and Lebanon, as well as Iran, next in the War Party's sights. With practically every Arab and Muslim state in the region under attack, and in danger of breaking apart, the real goal of U.S. policy in the region will have been achieved: this will leave Israel standing tall - or, at least, taller by comparison - amid the ruins. Then and only then will George W. Bush have the right to proclaim: "Mission accomplished." That, at least, is the view of the neocons, who are banking on the election results as a mandate for what they call "World War IV." The 1300-plus Americans killed in Iraq, and tens of thousands horribly wounded, are all human sacrifices on the altar of our holy and most sacred alliance, which subordinates American interests to Israeli ambitions in the Middle East. More will be slaughtered in Iran, if it comes to that. With 631,660 square miles, a population of some 69,000,000, and a long and storied history as the seat of multiple empires and ancient civilizations, it is going to require an awful lot more pacifying than we are failing to provide next door in Iraq. Before we go down that all too familiar road to war, let us pose the question urgently - what for? Who benefits? Who is crying the loudest for confrontation? And then give the War Party the answer they've earned: Never again! Or, as George W. Bush once put it: "Fool me once.." http://etherzone.com/2004/raim112204.shtml -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:09:34 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:09:34 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Destroying Iraq to Save It Message-ID: Published on Sunday, November 21, 2004 by the Los Angeles Times Destroying Iraq to Save It by Michael Kinsley Has there ever before been a war that so many people disapproved of but so few wanted to stop? Have the reasons for starting a war ever been so thoroughly discredited without turning into reasons for ending it? The Vietnam-era antiwar movement had an agenda: Bring the troops home. Or, in two words -- suitable for a picket sign or a T-shirt -- "Out now." What seems to be today's antiwar position -- it was a terrible mistake and it's a terrible mess, but we can't just walk away from it -- was actually the pro-war position during Vietnam. In fact, it was close to official government policy for more than half the length of that war. Today's antiwar cause doesn't even have a movement, to speak of, let alone an agenda. It consists of perhaps 47% of the citizenry -- the ones who voted for John Kerry -- who are in some kind of existential opposition to the war but don't know what they want to do about it. Meanwhile, U.S. soldiers die by the hundreds and Iraqis -- military and civilian -- by the thousands in a cause these people (and I'm one of them) believe to be a horrible mistake. Kerry spent months untangling the knots of his Iraq position while tangling new ones even faster. He pounded George W. Bush over the phantom weapons of mass destruction, and he mocked Bush's confusion of Osama bin Laden with Saddam Hussein. Kerry said, famously, that Bush's invasion of Iraq was "the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time." So was he in favor of ending it? No, his position was that he would try, but not promise, to bring the troops home in four years. Four years! U.S. involvement in World War II lasted 3 1/2. Bush had a good point when he wondered how, as commander in chief, Kerry could ask American soldiers to die for the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time. Of course, that problem does not vindicate Bush's belief that Iraq is the right war in the right etc. etc. etc. But Bush's apparently sincere belief does relieve him from needing to explain why he doesn't want the war to end now. Kerry's studiously confused position was not, or not just, a political stratagem. It was an accurate reflection of the views of his constituency. Most of them deplore the war, but only a tiny fraction favor an immediate pull-out. Anyone who opposes the war but isn't ready to demand peace needs an answer to the question, "Why on Earth not?" There are answers, possibly even adequate answers. But none of them shine with the kind of obvious truth that makes the question unnecessary, let alone uninteresting, which is how it is being treated. The answers fall in two categories, each associated with a secretary of State. The Henry Kissinger answer is, in a word, credibility. A superpower that announces a goal and gives up without achieving it will not be super for long. In the end, President Nixon and Kissinger added five years to the length of the Vietnam War, and we lost it anyway. Did that add to our superpower credibility? Well, maybe. In the Kissingerian world of High Strategy, a reputation for pigheaded stupidity can be almost as valuable as a reputation for wise persistence. What could be more credible than a reputation for staying the course no matter how disastrous it turns out to be? The Colin Powell answer goes by the nickname "Pottery Barn," referring to the alleged policy of that purveyor of yuppieware that "if you break it, you own it." In fact, Pottery Barn's breakage policy is much kinder and gentler than that. But it's certainly true that a well-brought-up foreign policy doesn't occupy a country, wreck it and move on like a rock band checking out of a hotel room. The question is whether at this point we're actually helping to tidy up, or only making a bigger mess. The lead Page 1 headline in Monday's Los Angeles Times was, "Iraqi City Lies in Ruins." That would be Fallouja, a city of 300,000 (metro area) that Americans had never heard of until we felt impelled to destroy it. And our reasons were neither trivial nor contemptible. They followed with confident logic from the premise that Hussein was an intolerable danger to the United States. If so, he had to be taken down. And if that destabilized the country, we had to occupy it for a while and calm it down. And you can't run a national occupation with rebels occupying a major city, so you have to besiege the city and kill a lot of people and leave the place "in ruins." An American general in Vietnam famously said, "We had to destroy the village to save it." This has become the definitive expression of the macabre futility of war. Last week, we destroyed an entire city in order to save it (progress!), but our capacity to find that sort of thing ironic seems to have become shriveled and harmless. Michael Kinsley has written regular columns for The New Republic, The Wall Street Journal and the Times of London. His writing also has appeared in The New Yorker, The Reader's Digest, Cond? Nast Traveler and Vanity Fair, among other publications. He earned a B.A. degree from Harvard College in 1972, attended Oxford University and graduated from Harvard Law School with a J.D. degree in 1977. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:10:37 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:10:37 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] 16,000 Protest SOA in Georgia Message-ID: Published on Monday, November 23, 2004 by the Associated Press 16,000 Protest U.S.-Run School of the Americas by Elliott Minor COLUMBUS, Georgia -- At least 20 people were arrested Sunday while protesting a U.S.-run military school for Latin Americans, some of whose graduates they claim later committed civil rights abuses including murder. Charges filed against the demonstrators range from trespassing to "wearing a mask," a violation of a rarely invoked 1951 law originally aimed at fighting the Ku Klux Klan. Those arrested were among about a record 16,000 people who demonstrated outside the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation at Fort Benning, calling for the school to be shut down. Organizers of the protest said concern about the war in Iraq and President Bush's re-election boosted attendance at this year's event. Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon addressed the group Saturday, and Martin Sheen, who plays the president in NBC's "West Wing" TV series, delivered a fiery speech Sunday. http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/1122-01.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:11:00 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:11:00 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Strikers Massacred in the Phillipines Message-ID: In this mailing: 1. Strikers Massacred in the Phillipines 2. Letter of solidarity 3. Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal: Ten reasons why the Arroyo regime is ripe for the ousting Subject: STRIKERS MASSACRED IN THE PHILIPPINES: BMP (initials for Solidarity of Filipino Workers, in Tagalog, one of the labor federations in the Philippines-KM) SOLIDARITY APPEAL STRIKERS MASSACRED IN THE PHILIPPINES Three days ago, on 16 November, fourteen people were killed by army and police in the Philippines. They were strikers at the Hacienda Luisita, in Tarlac. The strike is in defence of 327 workers fired by management in a clear-cut case of union busting. The union was defending the right of workers to collectively bargain for wage increases. The strike busting was carried out by the Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas, who through the strike breaking mechanism -- "assumption of jurisdiction" of the strike -- issued a "return to work order" thus setting the scene for the police and army to move in. Two of those killed were children, aged two and five, who died from suffocation as a result of the tear gas used. Some 35 people suffered gunshot wounds, 133 were arrested, hundreds more were wounded. Hacienda Luisita is owned by the family of former president Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino, who replaced the dictator Marcos during the 1986 Edsa uprising. The trade union movement in the Philippines has called for massive protests condemning the murders, demanding a full investigation of what happened. They are demanding justice for the workers, that hundreds of workers illegally dismissed be rehired, and that criminal charges against the strikers be dropped. They are also demanding the repeal of the 'assumption of jurisdiction' authority of the labor department, and resignation of the Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas. The protest actions have begun and will continue next week, with coordinated nation-wide actions, culminating in a major mobilisation on November 30. Please send your messages of solidarity to be read out at the protests and to be sent on to the Department of Labor and Employment. BMP International Desk bmp_philippines at yahoo.com It is with great sadness that I have read the news of the massacre of striking workers at the at the Hacienda Luisita. I condemn this murder of 14 people, two of them children, and injury to hundreds. Likewise I demand the immediate release of all who have been imprisoned. Today the U.S. government has troops in the Phillipines that are supposedly there fighting against "terrorists" on the side of the Phillipino government. Yet this action of repression by the police and Phillipino armed forces lays clear that the true terrorist in the Phillipines are the repressive forces of the government and the capitalist interests they protect. U.S. support for the current set of butchers in the Phillipines is only a continuation of their same policies of support for the Marcos dictatorship. The Worker's Democracy Party of the United States strongly condemns these murders, calls for the immediate release of all strikers, and demands that the U.S. government withdraw all troops from the Phillipines. Sincerely, Steven Argue For the Worker's Democracy Party I am also a representative on the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council and sit on Executive Board of the Service Employees International Union where I will be submitting resolutions of solidarity as well. Also read: Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal: Ten reasons why the Arroyo regime is ripe for the ousting: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Liberation_News/message/567 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:13:22 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:13:22 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Federal government ignores civil rights Message-ID: Decline found in civil rights charges By Curt Anderson, Associated Press | November 22, 2004 WASHINGTON -- Federal enforcement of civil rights laws has declined sharply since 1999 although the number of complaints received by the Justice Department has remained relatively constant, according a study released yesterday. Criminal charges alleging civil rights violations were brought last year against 84 defendants, down from 159 in 1999, according to Justice Department data analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. In addition, the study found that the number of times the FBI or other federal investigative agencies recommended prosecution in civil rights cases has fallen by more than a third, from more than 3,000 in 1999 to more than 1,900 last year. Federal court data also suggest that the government has sought fewer sanctions against civil rights violators. The study's coauthor, David Burnham of TRAC, said the results indicate that civil rights enforcement declined across the board during President Bush's first term in office. The Justice Department enforces a range of civil rights laws, from guaranteeing fair housing access to prosecuting hate crimes. ''Collectively, some violators of the civil rights laws are not being dealt with by the government," Burnham said. ''They've declined by a huge number of cases. This trend, we think, is significant." It is unlikely that the decline has occurred because there are fewer civil rights violations, the study suggests. The number of complaints about possible violations received by the Justice Department has remained level at about 12,000 annually for each of the past five years. http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2004/11/22/decline_found_in_civil_rights_charges/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:14:28 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:14:28 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Iraq: Child Malnutrition Doubles Message-ID: Children Pay Cost of Iraq's Chaos Malnutrition Nearly Double What It Was Before Invasion By Karl Vick Washington Post Foreign Service Sunday, November 21, 2004; Page A01 BAGHDAD -- Acute malnutrition among young children in Iraq has nearly doubled since the United States led an invasion of the country 20 months ago, according to surveys by the United Nations, aid agencies and the interim Iraqi government. After the rate of acute malnutrition among children younger than 5 steadily declined to 4 percent two years ago, it shot up to 7.7 percent this year, according to a study conducted by Iraq's Health Ministry in cooperation with Norway's Institute for Applied International Studies and the U.N. Development Program. The new figure translates to roughly 400,000 Iraqi children suffering from "wasting," a condition characterized by chronic diarrhea and dangerous deficiencies of protein. Suad Ahmed's 4-month-old granddaughter, Hiba, has chronic diarrhea, a common ailment among Iraqi children under 5. (Karl Vick -- The Washington Post) "These figures clearly indicate the downward trend," said Alexander Malyavin, a child health specialist with the UNICEF mission to Iraq. The surveys suggest the silent human cost being paid across a country convulsed by instability and mismanagement. While attacks by insurgents have grown more violent and more frequent, deteriorating basic services take lives that many Iraqis said they had expected to improve under American stewardship. Iraq's child malnutrition rate now roughly equals that of Burundi, a central African nation torn by more than a decade of war. It is far higher than rates in Uganda and Haiti. full: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A809-2004Nov20.html -- Marxism list: www.marxmail.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:14:02 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:14:02 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Boy Scouts Under Attack: Help Defend Them! Message-ID: ALERT: Remember when the radical leftists at the American Civil Liberties Union took their case against the Boy Scouts all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, to try to force them to accept homosexual scoutmasters? Remember watching as one by one, the ACLU got cities and companies to withdraw their support for the Boy Scouts because of their insistence on their members holding a belief in God? Once again, the Boy Scouts are under ATTACK by the ACLU -- and this time, it looks like the ACLU is going to WIN... unless WE do something to stop them! So, once again, RightMarch.com is taking the lead by taking out a NATIOWIDE full-page ad in support of the Boy Scouts, and rallying patriotic Americans across the country to DEMAND a reversal of the outrageous settlement with the ACLU. Can YOU help us to pay for this bold nationwide ad? https://secure.cartlight.com/merchant/rightmarch/?afid=rmemail Last week, the U.S. Department of Defense settled with the ACLU to *ban* military bases from sponsoring the Boy Scouts of America. But, as noted in a WorldNetDaily column by Hans Zeiger, a student at Hillsdale College and the president of the Scout Honor Coalition, "The American military cannot survive the challenges of the 21st century without the preparatory support of the Boy Scouts of America." Millions of our bravest heroes in uniform -- thousands who have given their lives in every war since World War I -- wore their first uniform as a Boy Scout. "A U.S. Marine now in Iraq, who also was my Scoutmaster when I was growing up, once told me that he became a Marine because he had first been a Scout," said Zeiger. Apparently seeking the annihilation of our nation's defensive capacity along with its moral character, the ACLU announced last week that U.S. military bases will no longer be able to sponsor Boy Scout troops. It seems that our nation's military leadership has broken wartime policy to settle with the terrorists in the ACLU. It is the Boy Scout Oath to which the ACLU responded by filing legal claims against the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Chicago Board of Education in 1999. "On my honor," goes the Oath, "I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country, and to obey the Scout Law, to help other people at all times, to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight." Wow. What a radically subversive oath. How has our country survived all these years with the Boy Scouts reciting something like that? Do you see how RIDICULOUS this lawsuit by the ACLU has been -- and how OUTRAGEOUS it is that the Defense Department agreed to their demands? We need to take out a FULL PAGE ad nationwide NOW, demanding that Defense *reverse* this terrible settlement, and urging Americans everywhere to stand up for the Boy Scouts. Can you help us pay for this NATIONWIDE ad? https://secure.cartlight.com/merchant/rightmarch/?afid=rmemail Following its new settlement with the ACLU, the Department of Defense will be sending word to American military bases worldwide that sponsorship of the Boy Scouts is strictly prohibited. Though Boy Scouts -- primarily the children of service members -- have long met on military bases in association with a base sponsor, the days of political correctness have brought that arrangement to an end. And this is the George W. Bush / Donald Rumsfeld Department of Defense that we're talking about! Like an array of private organizations that, of necessity, have dealings with our nation's armed forces, the Boy Scouts adhere to beliefs and practices that fall outside the sanction of public policy. No one on our nation's military bases is coerced into supporting the Boy Scouts. But we're willing to bet that members of our armed forces hold the Scouts in much higher esteem than they do the ACLU. TAKE ACTION: The Department of Defense cannot expect to win wars abroad if it is capitulating to the demands of political correctness at home. Our armed forces must be aligned with the standards of character that make America worth fighting for. We MUST take a stand for what is RIGHT -- so once again, RightMarch.com is stepping up to the plate and taking out a NATIONWIDE full-page ad to rally the support of patriotic Americans across this great country, and DEMAND that President Bush and Secretary Rumsfeld do EVERYTHING possible to reverse last week's settlement with the ACLU. With the generous support of our members, we've taken out a number of full-page ads across the nation in the past, in widely-circulated papers like USA Today and the Washington Times National Weekly Edition. And we're YOUR help, we're ready to do it again! We can't let this outrageous challenge to an American institution like the Boy Scouts go unanswered. Please help us TODAY with your best contribution toward our FULL PAGE nationwide ad. Click here to donate today: https://secure.cartlight.com/merchant/rightmarch/?afid=rmemail If you prefer to contribute by check, please make it out to: RightMarch.com 4850 Golden Pkwy., Suite B, #325 Dept. Code rmemail Buford, GA 30518-1712 Also, to send a FREE message of protest to President Bush and Sec. Rumsfeld over the Defense Department's capitulation to their outrageous lawsuit, click here: http://www.rightmarch.com/112204.htm NOTE: Yes, the Boy Scouts do insist on belief in God. Over the years since the Boy Scouts of America was founded, several hundred atheists have been told that they could not serve in positions of Scout leadership. Is this inconsistent with the principles by which our nation's military and government operate? Hans Zeiger notes that "just because military bases sponsor Scout troops doesn't make those troops an extension of government. Thousands of police and fire departments, cities and schools also sponsor Boy Scout troops. The Boy Scouts remain a private organization -- a partnership with government does not automatically render an organization public domain." It's also worth noting that our nation's military itself administers an Oath of Military Service to new members of the armed forces, that, like the Presidential, Congressional, and Supreme Court Oaths of Office, concludes with the words, "So help me God." In fact, all high-ranking government officers must swear an oath in accordance with Section 3331 of Title V of the U.S. Code that includes that little invocation to the Almighty. Expect the ACLU to come after THEM, too. These radicals MUST be stopped. Please help today. Thank you! https://secure.cartlight.com/merchant/rightmarch/?afid=rmemail Be sure to forward this Alert to EVERYONE you know who wants to help take a stand for what is RIGHT and support the Boy Scouts of America against their attacks by the ACLU. Thank you! ------------------------------------------------------------ You are receiving this communication because you requested to be e-mailed regarding issues and offers of interest to conservatives. You are currently subscribed as: deano700 at msn.com For removal of your subscription, send an email to your personalized unsubscribe address: leave-rightmarch-3733733G at sicm.lyris.net Help us spread the word with a donation to RightMarch.com! https://secure.cartlight.com/merchant/rightmarch/?afid=rmemail Was this message forwarded to you by a friend? You can sign up for our Action Alerts for FREE! Go here: http://www.RightMarch.com/ 4850 Golden Pkwy., Ste. B #325, Buford GA 30518-1712 ------------------------------------------------------------ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:15:34 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:15:34 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] New York Daily News Attacks Anti-Zionist Message-ID: On some level you have to appreciate this article. While the zionists leading the witch-hunt on campus are trying to hide their political attacks behind absurd claims of "academic freedom," the Daily News is much more up front about their political motivations. They don't like "Arab propaganda," aka anyone critical of either Zionism or U.S. imperialism. Just to clear up a few factual mistakes in the article: *Anti-zionism isn't anti-semitism. Not at all. *It's not "many" or even "some" students and professors attacking the MEALAC Department here. It's a tiny number of hard-core zionists continuing a battle that they've been waging for years now against critics of Israel at Columbia. The one professor cited to back up the claims of these well-funded and well-organized right-wingers, Dan Miron, is a heavy proponent of Zionist ideology. *The swastikas that were carved into the bathroom at Butler Library had nothing to do with the David Project movie. In fact the swastikas (there were two of them, not "6 or 7") were found before the movie was shown on campus. I work at the Library and was there when they were found. Not only that but the furor around the campaign against MEALAC has overshadowed this ACTUAL incident of anti-semitism, which has been largely ignored by Zionist groups on campus. Also, no one called anyone else "Zionist fascist scum" after the movie showing. Not that I would especially object to that characterization for some of these people, but it never happened. *Zionist voices aren't marginalized at Columbia. Zionist groups are far and away the best funded groups on campus and receive the most administration support. Hillel, which at Columbia is an explicitly Zionist organization not a Jewish cultural group, has it's own $3 million building on 115th st. peace-Jonah, Columbia University http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/254925p-218295c.html "Hate 101 Climate of hate rocks Columbia University By DOUGLAS FEIDEN DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Many students say Columbia Prof. Hamid Dabashi, a department chairman, has bullied and threatened them for defending Israel. Students Ariel Beery (speaking) and Noah Liben (r.) at press conference after showing of the film 'Columbia Unbecoming.' It's a capital of "thuggery" - a "ghastly state of racism and apartheid" - and it "must be dismantled." A voice from America's crackpot fringe? Actually, Dabashi is a tenured professor and department chairman at Columbia University. And his views have resonated and been echoed in other areas of the university. Columbia is at risk of becoming a poison Ivy, some critics claim, and tensions are high. In classrooms, teach-ins, interviews and published works, dozens of academics are said to be promoting an I-hate-Israel agenda, embracing the ugliest of Arab propaganda, and teaching that Zionism is the root of all evil in the Mideast. In three weeks of interviews, numerous students told the Daily News they face harassment, threats and ridicule merely for defending the right of Israel to survive. And the university itself is holding investigations into the alleged intimidation. Dabashi has achieved academic stardom: professor of Iranian studies; chairman of the Middle East and Asian languages and cultures department; past head of a panel that administers Columbia's core curriculum. The 53-year-old, Iranian-born scholar has said CNN should be held accountable for "war crimes" for one-sided coverage of Sept. 11, 2001. He doubts the existence of Al Qaeda and questions the role of Osama Bin Laden in the attacks. Dabashi did not return calls. In September in the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram, he wrote, "What they call Israel is no mere military state. A subsumed militarism, a systemic mendacity with an ingrained violence constitutional to the very fusion of its fabric, has penetrated the deepest corners of what these people have to call their soul." After the showing of a student-made documentary about faculty bias and bullying that targets Jewish students, six or seven swastikas were found carved in a Butler Library bathroom last month. Then after a screening of the film, "Columbia Unbecoming," produced by the David Project, a pro-Israel group in Boston, one student denounced another as a "Zionist fascist scum," witnesses said. On Oct. 27, Columbia announced it would probe alleged intimidation and improve procedures for students to file grievances. "Is the climate hostile to free expression?" asked Alan Brinkley, the university provost. "I don't believe it is, but we're investigating to find out." But one student on College Walk described the campus as a "republic of fear." Another branded the Middle East and Asian languages and cultures department the "department of dishonesty." A third described how she was once "humiliated in front of an entire class." Deena Shanker, a Mideast and Asian studies major, remains an admirer of the department. But she says she will never forget the day she asked Joseph Massad, a professor of modern Arab politics, if Israel gives warnings before bombing certain buildings so residents could flee. "Instead of answering my question, Massad exploded," she said. "He told me if I was going to 'deny the atrocities' committed against the Palestinians, I could get out of his class." "Professorial power is being abused," said Ariel Beery, a senior who is student president in the School of General Studies, but stresses he's speaking only for himself. "Students are being bullied because of their identities, ideologies, religions and national origins," Beery said. Added Noah Liben, another senior, "Debate is being stifled. Students are being silenced in their own classrooms." Said Brinkley: If a professor taught the "Earth was flat or there was no Holocaust," Columbia might intervene in the classroom. "But we don't tell faculty they can't express strong, or even offensive opinions." Yet even some faculty members say they fear social ostracism and career consequences if they're viewed as too pro-Israel, and that many have been cowed or shamed into silence. One apparently unafraid is Dan Miron, a professor of Hebrew literature and holder of a prestigious endowed chair. He said scores of Jewish students - about one a week - have trooped into his office to complain about bias in the classroom. "Students tell me they've been browbeaten, humiliated and treated disrespectfully for daring to challenge the idea that Israel has no right to exist as a Jewish nation," he said. "They say they've been told Israeli soldiers routinely rape Palestinian women and commit other atrocities, and that Zionism is racism and the root of all evil." One yardstick of the anti-Israel sentiment among professors, critics say, is the 106 faculty signatures on a petition last year that called for Columbia to sell its holdings in all firms that conduct business with Israel's military. Noting that the divestment campaign compared Israel to South Africa during the apartheid era, Columbia President Lee Bollinger termed it "grotesque and offensive." That didn't stop 12 Mideast and Asian studies professors - almost half the department - and 21 anthropology teachers from signing on, a review of the petition shows. To identify the Columbia faculty with the most strongly anti-Israel views, The News spoke to numerous teachers and students, including some who took their courses; reviewed interviews and published works, and examined Web sites that report their public speeches and statements, including the online archives of the Columbia Spectator, the student newspaper. Their views could be dismissed as academic fodder if they weren't so incendiary. Columbia's firebrands In the world of Hamid Dabashi, supporters of Israel are "warmongers" and "Gestapo apparatchiks." The Jewish homeland is "nothing more than a military base for the rising predatory empire of the United States." Nicholas De Genova, who teaches anthropology and Latino studies. The Chronicle of Higher Education calls him "the most hated professor in America." At an anti-war teach-in last year, he said he wished for a "million Mogadishus," referring to the slaughter of U.S. troops in Somalia in 1993. "U.S. patriotism is inseparable from imperial warfare and white supremacy," he added. De Genova has also said, "The heritage of the victims of the Holocaust belongs to the Palestinian people. ... Israel has no claim to the heritage of the Holocaust." De Genova didn't return calls. Bruce Robbins, a professor of English and comparative literature. In a speech backing divestment, he said, "The Israeli government has no right to the sufferings of the Holocaust." Elaborating, Robbins told The News he believes Israel has a right to exist, but he thinks the country has "betrayed the memory of the Holocaust." Joseph Massad, who is a tenure-track professor of Arab politics. Students and faculty interviewed by The News consistently claimed that the Jordanian-born Palestinian is the most controversial, and vitriolic, professor on campus. "How many Palestinians have you killed?" he allegedly asked one student, Tomy Schoenfeld, an Israeli military veteran, and then refused to answer his questions. To Massad, CNN star Wolf Blitzer is "Ze'ev Blitzer," which is the byline Blitzer used in the 1980s, when he wrote for Hebrew papers but hasn't used since. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon can be likened to Nazi Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels, he once declared. "The Jews are not a nation," he said in one speech. "The Jewish state is a racist state that does not have a right to exist." Massad didn't return several calls. On his Web site, he says he's a victim of a "witch hunt" by "pro-Israel groups" and their "propaganda machine." George Saliba, a professor of Arabic and Islamic science. His classroom rants against the West are legendary, students have claimed. One student says his "Islam & Western Science" class could be called "Why the West is Evil." Another writes that his "Intro to Islamic Civilization" often serves as a forum to "rail against evil America." A recent graduate, Lindsay Shrier, said Saliba told her, "You have no claim to the land of Israel ... no voice in this debate. You have green eyes, you're not a true Semite. I have brown eyes, I'm a true Semite." Saliba did not return calls. Rashid Khalidi, who is the Edward Said professor of Arab studies. He's the academic heir to the late Said, a professor who famously threw a stone from Lebanon at an Israeli guard booth. Columbia initially refused to say how the chair was funded. But The United Arab Emirates, which denies the Holocaust on state TV channels, is reported to have provided $200,000. When Palestinians in a Ramallah police station lynched two Israeli reservists in 2000 - throwing one body out a window and proudly displaying bloodstained hands - the professor attacked the media, not the killers. He complained about "inflammatory headlines" in a Chicago Sun-Times story and called the paper's then-owner, Conrad Black, who also owned the Jerusalem Post, "the most extreme Zionist in public life." Reached at Columbia, Khalidi declined to comment on specifics. "As somebody who has a body of work, written six books and won many awards, the only fair thing to do is look at the entire body of work, not take quotes out of context," he said. Lila Abu-Lughod, a professor of anthropology, romanticizes Birzeit University in the West Bank as a "liberal arts college dedicated to teaching and research in the same spirit as U.S. colleges." But it is well-established that Birzeit also is the campus where Hamas openly recruits suicide bombers, stone-throwers and gunmen. As in her published works, Abu-Lughod gave a carefully nuanced response when reached Friday by The News: "The CIA has historically recruited at Columbia, but that's not the mission of Columbia. The mission of Birzeit is to educate students, and they're working under very difficult circumstances to do that." Originally published on November 21, 2004" -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:16:08 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:16:08 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Save the Earth from capitalism Message-ID: Save the Earth from capitalism Nothing illustrates the totally archaic, short-sighted and venal character of capitalism more than the phenomenon of global warming and the capitalist governments' paralysis over doing anything about it. A new study produced by scientists of eight Northern countries, including the United States, has confirmed that the polar ice caps are melting at an alarming rate. They will continue to do so for the rest of this century. There will be far-reaching consequences for the entire globe. The burning of fossil fuels is the cause. Having begun, this process is likely to accelerate as bigger areas of open ocean near the poles absorb more sunlight. Temperatures over water are expected to increase by an average of up to 13 degrees. Even an increase of one to two degrees has already produced drastic changes. Extreme climate change disrupts the patterns of life for animals, plants and people all over the globe. Moreover, scientists predict the melting ice will raise sea levels by as much as three feet. This could wipe out many low-lying islands and densely populated areas like the Bangladesh delta. And what is the energy industry's only reaction so far? It has hailed the part of the report that says that, as the ice melts, more areas of the Arctic will be opened up for oil and gas drilling! Over thousands of years, people in all parts of the world learned to provide for themselves in ways that were in harmony with nature. They found out that one crop would deplete the land while crop rotation enriched it. They moved their animals from place to place to keep from overgrazing the land. Societies that failed to find sustainable ways to produce food imploded. Capitalism brought enormous scientific and technological development--but all driven by the profit motive. It has integrated human economic activity all over the globe and vastly raised productivity through an international division of labor--but increasingly at the expense of the vast majority. A small class of billionaires not only controls production but also the political structures that decide on war, peace and how to spend the public treasury. The Kyoto Protocols of 1997 were a modest international effort to restrain the emission of greenhouse gases. The United States, which spews out 25 percent of the world's total, never signed the accords or even formally considered them in Congress. The Republicans openly attack them. And, in the recent election campaign, the Democratic platform made no mention of them. Kyoto has been viciously attacked by such industry mouthpieces as The Energy Advocate, which has denied global warming. What the world needs is economic planning, so adequate resources can be concentrated on developing alternate energy sources and eliminating the wasteful burning of fossil fuels by improving mass transit, housing and city design. It will never happen under capitalism. And time is growing short. The very future of this planet calls out for the multinational working class to take power, expropriate the capitalists and build a planned socialist society. Reprinted from the Nov. 18, 2004, issue of Workers World newspaper -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:16:51 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:16:51 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Rebels Keep Up Attacks in Central and North Iraq Message-ID: I believe there is good news in Iraq so where is it? Come on repubs... you're in charge now... ============== Rebels Keep Up Attacks in Central and North Iraq By EDWARD WONG Published: November 21, 2004 FROM AGHDAD, Iraq, Nov. 20 - Violence surged through central and northern Iraq on Saturday as a tenacious insurgency led by Sunni Arabs kept up relentless assaults in several major cities, including Baghdad, Ramadi and Falluja, which the Americans devastated during an intense weeklong offensive aimed at routing the insurgency. In the capital, insurgents armed with Kalashnikov rifles and rocket-propelled grenades tried storming a police station at dawn in the northwestern neighborhood of Amariya, where American and Iraqi soldiers had engaged in a mosque shootout on Friday. The attack on the police station left three Iraqi policemen dead and two others wounded, said Col. Adnan Abdul-Rahman, an Interior Ministry spokesman. Hours later, a car bomb exploded in downtown Baghdad, at the eastern end of the bridge over the Tigris River leading to the Green Zone, the fortified compound housing the American Embassy and the headquarters of the interim Iraqi government. The bomb was aimed at a convoy of vehicles from a Western security contractor. At least one Iraqi was killed and another wounded, witnesses said. Four employees of the Public Works Ministry were gunned down from a passing car, and three Iraqi national guardsmen died in explosions in western Baghdad during gun battles with insurgents, Iraqi officials said. An ambush on an American military convoy in central Baghdad ended with the death of one soldier, the military said. Nine others were wounded in what appeared to be a highly coordinated attack, with insurgents using explosives, automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades. Fighting raged in the rubble of Falluja. Two marines were killed and four wounded in an ambush on Friday in which an insurgent deceived the Americans by waving a white flag, military officials said Saturday. The weeklong offensive, which began Nov. 8, smashed a haven for the insurgents, but guerrillas still roam the devastated streets, sniping at American troops and deterring military engineers brought in to try to rebuild the city. American commanders in Falluja say they are seeing an increasing number of guerrillas using white flags to pose as unarmed civilians. In a bit of positive news, a Polish woman abducted in October by insurgents announced her release to reporters in Warsaw in a brief news conference with the Polish prime minister, Marek Belka, broadcast by the BBC and CNN. The woman, Teresa Borcz-Kalifa, 54, said her captors had treated her well. She is married to an Iraqi and had lived in Iraq for 30 years. Her captors made at least two videos that were shown on Al Jazeera, the Arab satellite television network, demanding the withdrawal of Polish troops. The unrelenting wave of assaults in the Sunni-dominated parts of the country indicate that the attack on Falluja could have inflamed Sunni resentment against the American presence. American and Iraqi officials have found it impossible in the 19 months since the invasion to persuade hostile Sunni Arabs to lay down their arms and engage in the emerging political system. The Sunni Arabs, who make up a fifth of the population here, ruled the region known as modern Iraq for centuries, until the American invasion toppled Saddam Hussein. Mr. Hussein, himself a Sunni, heightened ethnic and religious differences by installing Sunnis in the most senior positions and persecuting Shiite Arabs and Kurds. Now, with a power and security vacuum throughout Iraq, those tensions are reviving and threatening to unravel the very social fabric of the country. Sunni-dominated cities exploded during and immediately after the Falluja offensive. In April, when the Marines tried to take control of Falluja, thousands of unruly Shiites rose up also, led by the firebrand cleric Moktada al-Sadr. During the more recent invasion, Mr. Sadr condemned the Americans' use of force but did not call on his militia to fight. These days, even radical Shiites appear ready to use legitimate politics to ensure that Shiites seize majority rule of the country. Homepage (as of NOV-01-2002): http://www.SeattleActivist.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:17:30 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:17:30 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Seven killed in bus shooting in Ramadi Message-ID: Again repeat after me: the insurgency is broken. To those with good news about Iraq and Afghanistan feel free to post.... ============= Seven killed in bus shooting in Ramadi November 21, 2004 - 9:43PM FROM: http://www.smh.com.au/news/After-Saddam/Seven-killed-in-bus-shooting-in-Ramadi/2004/11/21/1100972258102.html Seven people have been killed when a bus they were travelling in through the Iraqi city of Ramadi came under fire, police and witnesses said. Ramadi police chief Brigadier Jasim al-Dulaimi said US troops on Saturday opened fire on the bus, which was riddled with bullets, as it passed the governorate building in the central Hay al-Andalous area. The US military had no immediate comment. Reuters Television footage showed the bus peppered with bullet holes. Some of the windows were shattered and others spattered with blood. Flies buzzed around corpses in the vehicle, as men carried away bodies and loaded them into cars. Ramadi, 110 kilometres west of Baghdad, is one of the main strongholds of Sunni Muslim insurgents fighting US-led troops and the interim Iraqi government. Earlier this month, the US military launched a fierce assault on nearby Fallujah to try to wipe out guerillas in the city. US forces have also sealed off some areas of Ramadi. Meanwhile, saboteurs set ablaze another well in Iraq's northern oilfields overnight, bringing to six the number firefighters are trying to extinguish in the region, security guards said on Sunday. "Saboteurs exploded a bomb, setting oil well number 20 on fire," said Lieutenant Colonel Hammudi Ali, of the security force operating for the state-owned North Oil Company. The well is located in the Al-Khabbaza field, west of the city of Kirkuk, where five other wells were already ablaze following previous attacks. "The firefighters are still trying to put out the fires, but so far they haven't managed to extinguish a single one," Lieutenant Colonel Ali said. Guards thwarted a second sabotage attempt overnight, killing one assailant and wounding another, at a well further west, said Colonel Nawzad Ahmed, also from the oilfields protection force. In an audio message posted on the internet a week ago, a man claiming to be Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi, Iraq's most wanted man, urged insurgents to attack oil facilities around the country in their battle against the US military presence. A joint operation by Iraqi police and National Guards in Baghdad and central Babil province will be launched this week against insurgents operating in a belt of cities south of the capital, police said on Sunday. "We and the Baghdad police, with the participation of the National Guards will purge the regions of Haswa, Latifiya, and Mahmoudiya," said police Captain Hadi Hatif. "We will work on two fronts to carry out this mission." The three towns, which are 30 to 50 kilometres south of the capital, have been a major area of insurgent activity. US and Iraqi forces have come under repeated attacks by car bombs, rockets, and small arms fire in the area. The region has become known as a "triangle of death" for many Shiite Muslims, Westerners and members of the Iraqi security services, many of whom have become the victims of Sunni Muslim insurgents and criminal gangs. Captain Hatif said the operation would also concentrate on more rural and remote regions surrounding the towns. He also said that Hillah police managed to capture four leaders of terror groups operating in the area, though he declined to give details Homepage (as of NOV-01-2002): http://www.SeattleActivist.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:18:42 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:18:42 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Rules of Engagement - Iraq Message-ID: Rules of Engagement A white flag can be a ruse, a corpse can be a booby trap and a wounded enemy can be a living bomb-or simply a wounded enemy. The fog of war is thicker than ever. Frederic Lafargue / Gamma for Newsweek A tank rolls past bodies in Fallujah, where insurgents have sometimes used corpses as booby traps By Rod Nordland and Babak Dehghanpisheh FROM: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6542346/site/newsweek/ Nov. 29 issue - The once flawless green dome of Fallujah's al Hadhra Mosque is riddled with bullet scars. Neighboring buildings have become scorched, crumbling stumps. About 150 local civilians, mostly haggard-looking men, took shelter there last week, having no safer place to stay in the ruined city. A young man joined the group, unnoticed by U.S. troops guarding the area. One of his hands was swathed in bloody bandages; he kept it hidden inside his checkered shirt as he whispered excitedly to a friend, loudly enough to be overheard by an Iraqi reporter in the crowd: "Five of us were martyred this afternoon." Everyone could see he was an insurgent-but no one told the Americans. The men at the mosque saw nothing to celebrate in the Americans' retaking of the city from terrorist leader Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi and his insurgent allies, who had ruled the city for the past seven months. "The resistance didn't destroy houses," said shopkeeper Mohammed Ouda, 36. "They didn't harm people." That claim-absurd but evidently sincere-only underscores the impossibility of America's task. The truth is that Zarqawi and his partners in jihad have been responsible for many hundreds of civilian deaths in Iraq, including a horrific series of mosque bombings in Shiite areas, the August 2003 bombing of the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad and the videotaped beheadings of at least half a dozen Western hostages. One of many grisly discoveries made by U.S. forces in Fallujah last week was the mutilated corpse of a middle-aged woman tentatively identified as Margaret Hassan, 59, the longtime chief of Iraqi operations for the international relief group CARE. She was kidnapped in Baghdad on Oct. 19, and her captors subsequently issued three videotapes of her begging for her life and being abused by her captors. Last week the Arabic TV channel Al-Jazeera said it had received a tape of her apparently being put to death. The station said it would not air the footage for reasons of taste. Most-Popular Articles Terror Watch: Was London the Real Target? Jamie Lee Curtis on the Meaning of Christmas-> Stone: Going Home to Fix Our Parent's Computers Dickey: Why U.S. Troops Are Stuck in Iraq Starr: Kid Quarterbacks Are NFL's Best Arab broadcasters did air endless reruns of a different on-camera shooting. An embedded TV crew in Fallujah filmed the storming of a mosque by a squad of Marines on Nov. 13. Inside the mosque a Marine is heard shouting, "He's f---ing faking he's dead!" A prisoner, apparently wounded and disarmed, is lying on the floor. Another Marine agrees: "Yeah, he's breathing." "He's faking he's f---ing dead!" the first Marine repeats. An unnamed Marine raises his rifle and fires. "He's dead now," someone says. The shooter reportedly had been wounded in the face the day before, and a friend was killed by a bomb planted on an insurgent's corpse. The military is investigating the incident. That hasn't stopped many Arab viewers from passing quick judgment on the shooting, which they regard as only the latest case in a long history of U.S. abuses against Muslims. NEWSWEEK RADIO | 11/21/04 IRAQ: WAR WITHOUT RULES Guests: Rod Nordland, NEWSWEEK Baghdad Bureau Chief, from Syria and Donald Abenheim, Defense expert and Visiting Fellow, the Hoover Institution Listen to the audio Listen to the complete show For the insurgents, Iraq has become a war without rules, and yet the militants also score big propaganda victories every time Americans break their own codes of warfare. In the battle for Fallujah the insurgents feigned surrender, waving white flags to approach within killing range of U.S. Marines and Iraqi government forces. They positioned their fighters in mosques, medical centers and civilian neighborhoods. They booby-trapped their fallen comrades' corpses and shot at crews trying to collect the Muslim dead. Practically every taboo has been discarded. Women, children and international relief groups have become deliberate targets. Ambulances are used to smuggle weapons. Torture of hostages has become a public spectacle, with videos passed out like press kits to TV stations, and posted on the Internet when the Arabic channels balk at showing such atrocities. CHRISTOPHER DICKEY | SHADOWLAND Why U.S. Troops Are Stuck in Iraq The insurgents may not win many hearts and minds, but that's not the point. Their fighting force is based on a shamelessly cynical alliance between Qaeda-inspired religious fanatics and the remnants of Saddam Hussein's gang of enforcers. The jihadis have nothing but contempt for Iraq's Shiite majority, and their newfound Baathist friends share that attitude. Their allied forces are waging an extreme form of asymmetric warfare-the weak struggling against the mighty. Sympathizers insist the insurgents have no choice but to break the rules against the Americans' overwhelming firepower. The fighters' ideology, as far as they have one, derives from a doomsday vision known among Islamic experts as the Takfiri philosophy. Adherents consider themselves empowered to decide who is a good Muslim and to exterminate everyone else (the kafirs) in the name of creating a pure Islamic state. The jihadis' grand strategy is to provoke a war between Islam and the West, as Al Qaeda's leaders have openly boasted. But the more immediate goal is to provoke overreactions like the killing at the mosque. To win, in short, they simply have to keep operating. Unconventional-warfare experts have a saying: when an army fights insurgents, it's like playing chess against an opponent who's playing poker. The Americans may have checkmated the resistance in Fallujah-but the incident at the mosque left the insurgents holding a full house. The Americans desperately need Iraqi hearts and minds, but their efforts often seem futile. Since the war began, U.S. troops have tried to keep the number of civilian casualties as low as possible. The leading British medical journal, The Lancet, recently published a study that used interviews and extrapolations to estimate the total figure at 100,000 or more, mostly from aerial bombardment. Other statisticians have since dismissed the study's conclusions as unreliable and speculative. An activist group calling itself Iraq Body Count (iraqbodycount.org) has assembled a carefully documented tally of confirmed war deaths. According to the group's research, the killings of between 14,000 and 17,000 civilians have been reported since the conflict's start. Fewer than 4,000 of those deaths have taken place since the official end of major combat in May 2003. But that's still a lot of innocent dead-far more than were killed, say, on September 11-and many Iraqis accuse the Americans of reckless disregard for civilian lives. A conspiracy-obsessed form of logic has taken over, and every bit of information is evidence of something sinister on the part of the foreign occupiers. Some Iraqis even accuse the Americans of having a "hidden hand" in the CARE director's death. Baghdad schoolteacher Mona Kareem, 47, suspects that the Americans orchestrated the murder as a way of both discrediting the insurgents and keeping the Iraqi people dependent on U.S. assistance. "Killing [Hassan] results in harming the reputation of the resistance and Iraqis in general," Kareem argues. "[It] makes all humanitarian organizations think twice before coming into the country, not to mention investment companies." The bottom line: "Less services and more unemployed people, and an open field for the Americans and Iraqi government to do whatever they want." Such a line of reasoning might leave Americans scratching their heads, but it seems utterly sensible to many Iraqis. U.S. forces have no choice but to shrug off the craziness and soldier on. In a place like Fallujah, that's not always easy. The main battle was at an end last week, but the sounds of sniper fire and explosions continued to echo across the ruined neighborhoods throughout the day. Stray dogs feasted on the dead in the streets. A local cleric organized a team of volunteers to gather corpses for burial, but they quit after the first day. Too many of the bodies had been booby-trapped. In some ways, holding on to the city is a tougher order than taking it was. "You don't know what to expect," says Lance Cpl. Scott Green, 21, from Mashpee, Mass. "Anyone can pop up with a weapon." An insurgent group's standard objective is to cause ordinary people to lose faith in the authorities through insecurity and fear. Somehow the Americans need to bring normal life back to Fallujah. That's a long way from happening. ? 2004 Newsweek, Inc. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:18:08 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:18:08 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Nine bodies of Iraqi soldiers found in Mosul Message-ID: Repeat after me. The insurgency is broken... ================ Nine bodies of Iraqi soldiers found in Mosul FROM: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-11/21/content_2243025.htm BAGHDAD, Nov. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- Nine bodies of Iraqi soldiers were found Saturday morning in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, the US military said. "Soldiers from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division discovered on Saturday in central Mosul the bodies of nine Iraqi regular army soldiers," the US military said. The bodies, each of them with a gunshot in the back of the head, were found a mile west of the Tigris River, after the US military was tipped off by an Iraqi National Guardsman. The bodies have been retrieved by Iraqi National Guardsmen covered by US war planes and carried to the city morgue, the military said, adding the victims appeared to have been on their way back to barracks when they were executed. Violence has flared up in Mosul, the third largest Iraqi city some 400 km north of Baghdad, since insurgents overran several police stations earlier this month. However, the city authorities claimed that order and calmness have been restored after Iraqi National Guardsmen reinforcement was dispatched. Strife in Mosul erupted after US-Iraqi forces wrapped up a full-scale military assault on another flashpoint city of Fallujah, which also touched off widespread violence across the Sunni Muslim heartland in the country. Homepage (as of NOV-01-2002): http://www.SeattleActivist.org To unsubscribe, send an email to: SeattleActivist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:42:02 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:42:02 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Returning soldiers wade into new battle: jobs Message-ID: Article Published: Monday, October 25, 2004 Returning soldiers wade into new battle: jobs By Alicia Caldwell Denver Post Staff Writer Post / Andy Cross FROM: http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~53~2490036,00.html U.S. Marine reservist Lt. Col. Steve Duarte lost his job at Agilent Technologies within months of his returning home from an eight-month tour of duty in Iraq and Kuwait. "I think this case is a lot bigger than me," Duarte said. When John Lowrie's phone rings these days, misery frequently is at the other end of the line. Lowrie, a Denver lawyer who volunteers to help returning soldiers get back their civilian jobs, said he has noticed an uptick in calls from the state's National Guard and Reserve members. They've been downsized, outsourced, or even replaced. "It's really a rotten deal," said George Aucoin Jr., a lawyer who represents a Marine Corps reservist who lost his job at the Denver Tech Center. It's a problem that has gained attention nationwide. Complaints filed with the U.S. Department of Labor for fiscal 2004 are up 11 percent over the prior fiscal year. U.S. attorneys across the country are now getting involved. Advertisement While formal complaints in Colorado are on track to slightly decrease, those on the front lines of this issue say they are hearing about more disputes. And labor lawyers are predicting more conflicts as the 169,394 Guard and Reserve members currently deployed come home to companies that have suffered through tough economic times. Last month, the Department of Justice announced that its civil-rights lawyers would take responsibility for enforcing 1994 labor laws that protect the jobs of those who have served, and go after employers who violate the law. "All of this is designed to make the system work better and to ensure that these men and women get back their jobs when they return," said Frederico Juarbe Jr., assistant secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment and Training. In Colorado, that push already has begun. U.S. Attorney John Suthers filed two lawsuits two years ago - and settled them earlier this year - for two men who contended their service cost them their jobs. A third case was settled without filing a lawsuit. "It's very important for those reservists to count on that employment when they return," Suthers said. In one of the cases, an El Paso County Sheriff's Office sergeant was demoted and transferred to the detentions bureau after he returned early from his deployment with the Army National Guard, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court. Timothy J. Smith said he was investigated, harassed and lost his position as an instructor at the police academy because of his service. The Sheriff's Office eventually settled the suit for $25,000. Lt. Clif Northam, spokesman for the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, said the settlement included a denial of any wrongdoing. He said it was an "equitable conclusion" for the department and Smith, who has been redeployed to Iraq. The Uniformed Service Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, or USERRA, signed by then-President Clinton in 1994, offers soldiers a wide range of employment protections. Among the rights, returning members of the Guard and Reserve get special protection against firing, except for cause. Lowrie, who is a volunteer ombudsman in Colorado through a U.S. Department of Defense program, said he tries to get employers to comply with the law and fix wrongs on an informal basis. He informs soldiers about their rights - and the limits to those rights - and companies about their obligations. "A lot of time you face reluctance on the part of companies," Lowrie said. Lowrie said that if he doesn't succeed, complaints about private employers go to the U.S. Department of Labor, which handled 1,454 last year. Officials there say that while their complaints are rising, so too are the number of those who have served. And if the complaints aren't resolved there, they go to the Justice Department, which investigates and decides whether to file a civil lawsuit on behalf of the soldier. The law and its implications are gaining prominence as the country increasingly has relied on Guard and Reserve members to fight the country's wars. The situation is made more difficult - both for employers and employees - by repeated tours of duty. The current deployment of Guard and Reserve members to Iraq and other places is the largest such mobilization since World War II. When Lt. Col. Steve Duarte, a personnel specialist at Agilent Technologies, came back from an eight-month tour of duty in Iraq and Kuwait last year, he expected things would go as they had when he returned from a previous tour: He'd pick up where he left off at his $88,000-a-year human relations job at the Denver Tech Center. Within four months of being back at his job, the Marine Corps reservist was told he was being "workforce managed." "That's just a euphemism for a layoff," said Duarte, of Centennial, who has sued his former employer under USERRA. Agilent's lawyer, Thomas Hazard, said that Duarte's departure had nothing to do with his service, but that Agilent was going through budget reductions and every one was evaluated. Hazard said Duarte's skills ranked low compared to those of his peers, and he was let go. "His Reserve status has nothing to do with his termination," Hazard said. As his lawsuit wends its way through federal court, Duarte, 51, has sent out more than 100 r?sum?s. He is struggling to put a son through college, and said he is willing to take a significant pay cut to find a job. "There is an expectation that the laws and the government is going to help you transition back into the world you left," he said. "I think this case is a lot bigger than me." -------------------------- More online: Click on "USERRA information" at the U.S. Department of Labor website. www.dol.gov/vets Source: U.S. Department of Labor -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:43:23 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:43:23 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Remembrance and action for veterans - re-employment Message-ID: THURSDAY'S EDITORIAL By T&D STAFF Remembrance and action for veterans THE ISSUE: Veterans Day OUR OPINION: ABA president makes key point about undeserved legal worries FROM: http://www.timesanddemocrat.com/articles/2004/11/10/opinion/doc4192ee8e19a52747071142.txt The United States this week launched a major military offensive in Fallujah to gain an important strategic stronghold in the war in Iraq. With time and good fortune, the men and women who are serving in this effort will return home, joining the growing cadre of service members whose bravery and sacrifices we honor on Veterans Day. The nation today acknowledges the debt we owe to the men and women of our military, and celebrates their service and unflagging commitment to our country. Sadly, while they are the front-line defenders of our country in the global war on terror and frequently serve as the face of democracy in faraway lands, they find their legal rights have been diminished as a result of their military service. Chief among their legal worries is employment. A recent survey done by the Reserve Officers Association of readers of its newsletter found that 53 percent of respondents were "very concerned" about their or a member of their family's employment, including eligibility for promotion or reemployment by their current employer. Fifty-one percent said they are not confident their jobs are secure while they are fulfilling service duties away from home. These difficulties often times are omnipresent in the thoughts of active-duty soldiers, competing for their attention while they are fulfilling potentially deadly service-related responsibilities. Today, amid the tolling of bells and other ceremonies, we should stop to ask ourselves whether we are doing all we can to repay their commitment. It is in this spirit that the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Legal Assistance to Military Personnel appointed a working group with to assess the legal safeguards provided to the thousands of reservists, National Guard and other service members who make up the nation's military, and to recommend new or expanded legal protections where they are needed. The report of the working group identifies a number of critical areas where reform is needed, including family support, child custody, housing, tax laws, tuition benefits, and voting and employment rights. The working group found that service members too often encounter undue inequities and challenges to their and their families' well-being, and that many of the problems stem from the frequent relocation that military service demands, as well as from the prolonged periods of absence that duty in the Reserve and Guard requires. These issues can become especially acute when related to employment and job security. Although the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act was enacted in 1994, after the large-scale mobilizations brought about by the Gulf War, and has been effective in helping to protect the jobs of service members, the report found many reservists are still at potential disadvantage for promotion or reemployment opportunities. This is especially the case for those in civil service, who miss out on civil service testing necessary for promotion, ultimately affecting their chances to improve the financial security of their families for several years, and for those whose earnings are significantly augmented by performance bonuses but who are effectively penalized by their absences while on active duty. Still others, despite legal safeguards, return from the war to find they no longer have a job at home. The shape and face of our country's military have undergone tremendous change in the past several years, as have the challenges and threats those in the military must meet. It is incumbent on the legal and business communities, government and lawmakers, to work together to improve the legal safeguards for those who serve. Our service members protect the freedom and security Americans hold dear. Our nation's laws should do no less in protecting their and their families' rights and peace of mind. Homepage (as of NOV-01-2002): http://www.SeattleActivist.org To unsubscribe, send an email to: SeattleActivist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:44:27 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:44:27 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Remembrance and action for veterans - re-employment Message-ID: THURSDAY'S EDITORIAL By T&D STAFF Remembrance and action for veterans THE ISSUE: Veterans Day OUR OPINION: ABA president makes key point about undeserved legal worries FROM: http://www.timesanddemocrat.com/articles/2004/11/10/opinion/doc4192ee8e19a52747071142.txt The United States this week launched a major military offensive in Fallujah to gain an important strategic stronghold in the war in Iraq. With time and good fortune, the men and women who are serving in this effort will return home, joining the growing cadre of service members whose bravery and sacrifices we honor on Veterans Day. The nation today acknowledges the debt we owe to the men and women of our military, and celebrates their service and unflagging commitment to our country. Sadly, while they are the front-line defenders of our country in the global war on terror and frequently serve as the face of democracy in faraway lands, they find their legal rights have been diminished as a result of their military service. Chief among their legal worries is employment. A recent survey done by the Reserve Officers Association of readers of its newsletter found that 53 percent of respondents were "very concerned" about their or a member of their family's employment, including eligibility for promotion or reemployment by their current employer. Fifty-one percent said they are not confident their jobs are secure while they are fulfilling service duties away from home. These difficulties often times are omnipresent in the thoughts of active-duty soldiers, competing for their attention while they are fulfilling potentially deadly service-related responsibilities. Today, amid the tolling of bells and other ceremonies, we should stop to ask ourselves whether we are doing all we can to repay their commitment. It is in this spirit that the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Legal Assistance to Military Personnel appointed a working group with to assess the legal safeguards provided to the thousands of reservists, National Guard and other service members who make up the nation's military, and to recommend new or expanded legal protections where they are needed. The report of the working group identifies a number of critical areas where reform is needed, including family support, child custody, housing, tax laws, tuition benefits, and voting and employment rights. The working group found that service members too often encounter undue inequities and challenges to their and their families' well-being, and that many of the problems stem from the frequent relocation that military service demands, as well as from the prolonged periods of absence that duty in the Reserve and Guard requires. These issues can become especially acute when related to employment and job security. Although the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act was enacted in 1994, after the large-scale mobilizations brought about by the Gulf War, and has been effective in helping to protect the jobs of service members, the report found many reservists are still at potential disadvantage for promotion or reemployment opportunities. This is especially the case for those in civil service, who miss out on civil service testing necessary for promotion, ultimately affecting their chances to improve the financial security of their families for several years, and for those whose earnings are significantly augmented by performance bonuses but who are effectively penalized by their absences while on active duty. Still others, despite legal safeguards, return from the war to find they no longer have a job at home. The shape and face of our country's military have undergone tremendous change in the past several years, as have the challenges and threats those in the military must meet. It is incumbent on the legal and business communities, government and lawmakers, to work together to improve the legal safeguards for those who serve. Our service members protect the freedom and security Americans hold dear. Our nation's laws should do no less in protecting their and their families' rights and peace of mind. Homepage (as of NOV-01-2002): http://www.SeattleActivist.org To unsubscribe, send an email to: SeattleActivist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:45:38 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:45:38 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] S.D. Guard member says firm violated federal law by not giving old job back Message-ID: Iraq veteran suing company S.D. Guard member says firm violated federal law by not giving old job back >From staff and wire reports FROM: http://www.charlotte.com/mld/aberdeennews/news/8593320.htm A National Guard soldier recently home from Iraq is suing Sykes Enterprises, saying the company's Bismarck, N.D., branch violated a federal law that guarantees returning soldiers will get their jobs back. Prior to his deployment, Pfc. Ron Vander Wal, 23, a member of the South Dakota Guard's 200th Engineer Company, worked as a telephone customer service technician with Sykes, a company that provides computer tech support for consumers. He is originally from Pollock, but now resides in Bismarck. "It was a good homecoming but this has been rather disappointing," Vander Wal said about his problems with Sykes. "I'm the only member of the unit as far as I know who didn't have a job to come back to. It was pretty disappointing to have to start job hunting again." The 200th Engineer Company, based in Mobridge, Pierre, Chamberlain and Lemmon, was deployed to Iraq in January 2003 and returned to South Dakota in late March of this year. Vander Wal spent his time in Iraq helping to build a bridge, providing security at that span and guarding the 200th's base camp and prisoners of war. He's been with the South Dakota Guard for five years and is a member of the 200th's Mobridge detachment. Vander Wal said that after he returned from Iraq, a personnel officer at Sykes' Bismarck branch told him no positions were available for him, and that other returning veterans were ''in the same boat.'' After Vander Wal filed his lawsuit, Sykes sent him a letter stating that he should report back to work Tuesday, which he did. He said that his supervisors and fellow workers at Sykes treated him "fine" and he doesn't expect future problems as long as he does his job. But Vander Wal's still following through with his lawsuit because he believes the company has denied other returning veterans their jobs. Vander Wal wants Sykes to rehire all returning veterans at their former or equal positions. He also wants Sykes to start a scholarship fund for veterans. The company, based in Tampa, Fla., has until May 18 to file a response. Sykes spokeswoman Andrea Burnett said the company had no comment on the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Bismarck. The lawsuit specifically names Cassie Thompson, a personnel official for Sykes in Bismarck. It alleges she was part of a scheme to deny returning veterans re-employment at their rates of pay and benefits, in a move to cut costs. An attorney for the North Dakota office of Employer Support of Guard and Reserve, Gary Helgeson, said employers are required to rehire a soldier at the position they left, or ''one of like status, pay and benefits if positions like that exist in the company.'' Vander Wal's attorney, John Gosbee of Mandan, N.D., said his client was told Sykes' laid off workers on the account on which Vander Wal was working. He said Vander Wal was told there were no open positions on any other accounts, but Sykes advertised for similar customer-support jobs last month. Vander Wal said he's mystified by Sykes not hiring back veterans. "I don't understand what could be their reason," he said. "It's not like it's a high-paying job by any means." Homepage (as of NOV-01-2002): http://www.SeattleActivist.org To unsubscribe, send an email to: SeattleActivist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:48:54 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:48:54 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] No way to treat our soldiers Message-ID: No way to treat our soldiers Article Published: Thursday, November 18, 2004 By Peter G. Chronis FROM: http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~153~2541518,00.html More than any time since World War II, the U.S. armed forces are relying on National Guard and Reserve troops to carry out their mission, a result of the demands of deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq. Yet there's troubling evidence that some employers aren't doing right by reservists when they return. Most activated Reserve and Guard members take a serious pay cut to serve their country - they shouldn't be pushed out of their civilian jobs, too. (To their credit, some private-sector and government employers have made up the difference between military and civilian pay and kept up the troops' benefits in their absence.) Sadly, Marine Lt. Col. Steve Duarte, about whose ongoing fight with his former employer, Agilent Technologies Inc., I wrote about in June, isn't alone. Duarte was "workforce-managed" on Nov. 10, 2003 (the 228th birthday of the Marine Corps, no less), shortly after returning from an overseas deployment to Iraq. After 19 years of dedicated service, Agilent suddenly decided Duarte's skills aren't as good as those of his peers and terminated - er, "workforce-managed" - the compensation specialist. The 1994 Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act was passed because many troops called up for Desert Storm in 1990 and '91 found their civilian jobs had vanished. The U.S. switched to an all-volunteer military in 1973, and under the "total force" concept, the Guard and reserve augment active-duty forces in wartime. Since the Sept. 11 attacks, 442,415 reservists have been called up to fight in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to Mike Biddle, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C. Of those, 270,274 have been demobilized. The current deployments have been much longer than Desert Storm, and some reservists have been activated more than once since Sept. 11. During the 2004 fiscal year, complaints under the law totaled 1,454, up 11 percent from 1,315 cases in fiscal 2003, which in turn was up 10 percent from 1,195 in fiscal 2002, Biddle said. Before Sept. commanding officer refers the case to the Department of Labor, which investigates and then tries to resolve cases with merit. Another avenue is an ombudsman organization, Employers in Support of the Guard and Reserve, which uses volunteer lawyers to iron out disputes. If nothing works, Labor can send the case to the Justice Department for possible litigation. As a last resort, Justice can file a federal lawsuit against the employer. So far, three Colorado cases have been referred to the U.S. Attorney's office here, Dorschner said. Two were settled after suits were filed in federal court, and a third was settled without filing suit. (Duarte hired private attorney George Aucoin of New Orleans to file his suit.) "I feel pretty strongly \[about USERRA\] and I think that most Americans feel strongly that the law that protects reservists' jobs is a good one and should be enforced," said U.S. Attorney John Suthers. Employers usually "take the issue quite seriously" once they hear from the U.S. attorney, he said. Duarte, 51, told me that he's sent out a bunch of r?sum?s but still hasn't landed a new job. "There are a lot of 'hopefuls' - people who sound very positive - but nothing that'll put money in my pocket." Settlement talks failed, he said, and the case is set for trial in March, and he's determined to see it through. "It's the principle of the thing," Duarte said. Ultimately, a court may decide who's right but, as a former Marine reservist, my sympathies are with Duarte. Citizen-soldiers deserve our gratitude - not a kick in the pants. But if the numbers are any indication, I'm afraid he's going to have company. Peter G. Chronis is a member of The Denver Post's editorial board. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:49:37 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:49:37 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Autonomous Cascadia, I was unclear. Message-ID: Hello all, Trin here. Sorry about the delay in getting back to the secession post from last week. Ok well, what I should've said then was that there's a growing movement for secession from the USA in the Cascadian bioregion. There are groups popping up all over the Columbia watershed which are based solidly on the notion of breaking off ties with the USA government, and they're getting plenty organized too. Presently I work with a local group which seeks to build community along revolutionary principles of unity and action, much if not all of our current work is committed to the goal of Cascadian autonomy. We're right now trying to broaden and deepen the autonomy movement by the use of various kinds of outreach and by inviting community involvement in the pooling of local resources and decisions of how their needs are met. We seek to establish cooperative relationships with other autonomous communities throughought the bioregion. These relationships would be centered around facillitating the groove of what we're on about, the whole cooperation thing. It's rough, I know, but it's the best I can do now at this hour. I can say more later. For more on this, see: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Cascadian_Bioregionalism/ and... http://subvertical.org Yers in budness, Trin -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:48:00 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:48:00 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Send a letter of thanks to veterans Message-ID: Send a letter of thanks to veterans Thursday, November 11, 2004 FROM: http://www2.townonline.com/needham/opinion/view.bg?articleid=122493 In November, veterans are remembered. A way the community can say thanks is to support all veterans who are serving their country. One way is to send them a letter of thanks to let them know, we as a community, appreciate their efforts in securing peace through the world. The veterans office would like to have a letter-writing program. Envelopes with the names of veterans who are now serving their country will be distributed to Needham locations, including stores and businesses, so that the people in town can pick them up and write a letter of thanks. The veterans office is asking the citizens of Needham to send to the names and addresses of any husband, wife, son, daughter, nephew, niece, friend or loved one who is now serving the country so the names can be put on the envelopes. People would then be able to pick up a named envelope and write a letter. The envelope then could be returned to where it was picked up or at the Town Hall, and the veterans office will see to it that the letters are mailed to the veteran. Those serving do not have to come from Needham. Send the names to Veterans Agent John Logan, 1471 Highland Ave., Needham, MA 02492 or Lt. Tom Leary, 99 School St., Needham, MA 02492 on or before Nov. 18. Names can also be e-mailed to jlogan at town.needham.ma.us Needham Times submission deadlines The Needham Times welcomes press releases, calendar listings and other submissions for inclusion in the newspaper. However, due to the nature of the business, deadlines must be observed. In general, the earlier an item is received, the better the chance that it will be printed at the appropriate time. The following specific deadlines apply: Press releases and calendar entries must be received in our Needham office by 5 p.m. on Thursday to have the best chance for publication in the following week's edition. Obituaries are due by Monday at 4 p.m. for that week's publication. Letters to the editor are due by Monday at 5 p.m. for that week's edition. Wedding, engagement and birth announcements are published as space becomes available, and can sometimes take several weeks to appear from the time they are submitted. The same applies to items for the Neighbors or Professionals listings. Items can be mailed to the Needham Times, 254 Second Avenue, Needham, MA 02494; faxed to 781-433-8202; or e-mailed to needham at cnc.com. Obituaries submitted via fax should be sent to 781-433-7836. Origami group to meet Paperfolders in New England will meet Saturday, Nov. 13, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., in the Parish Hall of First Parish in Needham, Unitarian Universalist, 23 Dedham Ave., to enjoy the art of origami. Everyone is welcome, and instruction is provided, with elementary instruction from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. For more information, call John Smith at 781-444-1276 or e-mail saltsmith at rcn com. Glaucoma clinic on Nov. 20 A free glaucoma clinic takes place Saturday, Nov. 20, from 9 to 11 a.m., at the Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Needham, in the Medical Day Care Suite on the first floor. For an appointment, call the Needham Health Department at 781-455-7523. Teen band program seeks class space Plugged In, the charitable non-profit teen band program in Needham, is looking for a new location at which to hold its classes. Due to the popularity of Plugged In, enrollment has been growing and the program is outgrowing its current location. If anyone is interested in renting a location to Plugged In, or knows of anyone who might be, call Sandra Rizkallah at 781-956-4281, or e-mail srizkallah at comcast.net. For more information about Plugged In, visit www.pluggedinband.org. Plugged In is a program for kids who want to start a rock band. Each group of about five students chooses a name for the band and what songs they are going to play. They also write and perform original music. Through the creative and nurturing environment provided by the Plugged In program, students are encouraged to take risks in both musical performance and songwriting, which results in artistic growth and increased self-confidence. At the end of each session, the Plugged In teen bands perform in a live benefit concert. As the music industry is dominated by business, money, success and fame, Plugged In hopes to infuse their students' experience of music with some social consciousness. At the beginning of each session, students are asked if there are organizations or causes that are important to them which they would like to support with their music. Based on their ideas, the final concert becomes a benefit event to raise money for one of these causes/organizations. The June 2004 Plugged In benefit concert raised $1,000 for the I Love Music Foundation, started by Walter McCarty of the Boston Celtics to promote music opportunities, resources and education for Boston youth, and Bring Back the Music, a program providing weekly instrumental instruction to fourth and fifth grade students at Boston Public Schools. Walter McCarty attended the concert, as well as football star, Doug Flutie, who performed with his band. Senior Bowlers meet Mondays Needham Senior Bowlers bowl Mondays, at 10 a.m., at the Needham Bowlaway on Chestnut Street. All seniors are welcome. For information, call Louise at 781-444-8590. Avery to hold craft fair Avery Crossings will sponsor a Holiday Craft Fair Dec. 4, and it's looking for vendors interested in setting up their own tables. For more information, call Barb at 781-444-6655. NHS Class of 1984 collecting donations It's the 20-year reunion for NHS Class of 1984. The class is collecting donations in memory of the 1984 NHS graduates who have died - Michael Beckman, Susan Blair, Craig Dawson, Jamie McKeown and Doug Pinta. Proceeds from business sponsors will be given directly to these scholarship and memorial funds. The scholarships include The Dana Farber Institute, YMCA Special Needs Programs, Needham High School Graduation Scholarships and the University of Vermont Memorial Gift Program. The Class of 1984 is asking businesses in the community to sponsor this event by making a donation. There are three levels of sponsorship although any level of donation will be appreciated: Gold - $250 business sponsor; Silver - $100 business sponsor; or Bronze - $50 business sponsor. Make checks payable to NHS Class of 1984 and mail to: NHS Class of 1984, c/o Kim Barr Rutherford, 28 Lincoln St., Dedham, MA 02026. For more information, call Kim at 781-461-1361. Public schools conducting child search In accordance with federal and state regulations, the Needham Public Schools provides special education programs designed to meet the needs of children attending not only public schools but also those attending private school at private expense and whose parents reside in Needham. Needham provides all children with an opportunity to participate in the public school programs using a continuous and systematic effort to identify children in need of special education services. The Needham schools will arrange for screening and evaluation of those students ages 16 through 21 who have not graduated from high school and who are not now attending school; or children ages 3 through 21 who are unable to progress effectively in a regular education program due to a suspected disability consisting of a developmental delay or an intellectual, sensory, neurological, emotional, communication, physical, specific learning, or health impairment or combination thereof. All programs and services are offered without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation and disability. Call Valerie Flynn or Phyllis Uhl at 781-455-0400, ext. 233 for more information. Volunteers needed at Charles River Arc Charles River Arc is looking for volunteers to help in its day programs, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., assisting individuals with arts and crafts, music activities, reading, community trips, etc. Consider volunteering, even for a few hours. Call Doreen Cummings at 781-972-1018 if interested. NHS Class of 1984 reunion Needham High School Class of 1984's 20th high school reunion takes place Saturday, Nov. 27, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Natick. The reunion will feature music and dancing, a buffet dinner, a raffle and an '80s trivia contest. Tickets are $50 per person in advance, or $75 at the door. Mail checks payable to NHS Class of 1984 to Jodi Baker Shair, P.O. Box 202, Needham Heights, MA 02494. For more information, call Jen Gordon Silverio at 508-845-3148 or e-mail jsilverio at townisp.com. Domestic violence group meets monthly The Needham Domestic Violence Action Committee is beginning its eighth year raising awareness in the Needham community. It is a community-based interagency and interdisciplinary team formed to provide community education and outreach, including schools and the workplace, with information, resources and referral services. The group meets once a month. Residents interested in joining this committee can call 781-455-7523. JCC announces new program Senior Health at Beth Israel Deaconess of Needham will sponsor a monthly series called Healthy Aging for the Leventhal-Sidman Jewish Community Center's Senior Adult Program. Talks will take place Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to noon, on the second Wednesday of the month, October through June. Topics include: Dec. 8 - "Coping with Loss" with Sharon Bober, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; and Jan. 12 - "Living with Osteoarthritis" with Suzanne Salamon, associate director of clinical geriatrics, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. For more information about this educational series, call Emily at 617-558-6443. Temple Tots music class Calling all infants, toddlers, and pre-schoolers to gather at Temple Aliyah for "Music and More with Margie," a fun-filled hour of Jewish and secular song and dance. Margie Brodsky, well-known music educator and pianist, leads the little ones (who are accompanied by a parent or other adult) in new songs and old favorites. Each session will conclude with snacks. This is an opportunity to connect with other new parents and have a first visit with Temple Aliyah. The first session of this popular class will run each Tuesday in October from 10 to 11 a.m. Anyone interested should call 781-444-8522. DAR to sponsor essay contest The Colonel William McIntosh Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, sponsors an American History essay contest each fall for grade-five students in the Needham Public Schools, St. Joseph's Elementary School and home-schoolers. This year's topic is "Along the Trail with Lewis & Clark and the Corps of Discovery, May 1804-September 1806." The student may take on the role of Sacagawea, her husband, Toussiant Charbonneau, their son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, York (Clark's manservant), Seaman the dog or any other member of the Corps of Discovery other than Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. The essay should describe what would have seen and experienced while on the expedition. The judges will select several finalists and a town winner. The town winner is automatically entered in the Massachusetts state contest. State winners compete at the division level, then at the national level. The chapter is proud that for three years in a row, it has sponsored a town winner who has gone on to win the state contest. Three years ago, the town winner was from the Eliot School; for the past two years, the town winner has been from the Mitchell School. Flyers announcing the contest, with complete rules and the due date (usually in early December) will be distributed to the public elementary schools and St. Joseph's School by the end of September. Winners will read their essays at an awards ceremony in February at the Needham Historical Society. For more information or to receive a flyer, call history contest chairwoman Carol Boulris at 781-444-4028. First Parish launches new speaker series The Meetinghouse of the First Parish in Needham was built in 1836. The congregation was organized along with the founding of the town in 1711. It's a long New England tradition for the Meetinghouse to be used for public discussions on timely topics. This fall, First Parish has launched a speaker series it has named "The Needham Lyceum: A Forum on Public Affairs, Spirituality, Culture, and Science." It brings to contemporary life the wide-ranging Lyceum programs that nearly every New England town had in the 19th century. And it brings important speakers and programs to the community. The Needham Lyceum is open and free to the public. It takes place nearly every Sunday morning at 9:15 a.m., from September to May, except holiday weekends, in the historic First Parish Meetinghouse at 23 Dedham Ave., just across from the Town Common. Childcare is available. Programs are videotaped for later community access cablecast. Most Lyceum programs include dialogue with the public. The Rev. John Buehrens, minister of First Parish, acts as the host and moderator of the Lyceum. Professor David Little, Professor of Religion, Ethnicity, and Conflict at Harvard Divinity School, was the guest on Sept. 12. He discussed the sources of so-called Islamic fundamentalism (or revivalism), the United States response to Sept. 11, 2001, and the effects of the Iraq War. "Church State Separation: The Erosion of Good Boundaries" was the theme on Sept. 19, addressed by Dr. Ellery Schempp. As a high school student of 16, Schempp protested the custom of morning Bible readings in his school by reading from the Koran. His protest led to a case that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, banning the schools from imposing religious devotions on students while allowing voluntary religious exercises. Denise Taft Davidoff, national president of the Interfaith Alliance Foundation, spoke on Sept. 26 on a related theme: what religious organizations should and should not be doing in relation to public issues and elections. Human rights activist and singer-songwriter Holly Near was the guest on Oct. 3, speaking and singing about the spiritual qualities that sustain a longterm commitment to social justice. Needham Cable TV will initially carry the Needham Lyceum programs Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. and Thursdays at 1 p.m. Videotapes of the programs are available to other area groups that would like to sponsor them for local community access programming. For more information, e-mail The Rev. John Buehrens, minister, First Parish in Needham, Unitarian Universalist at jbuehrens at comcast.net or call him at 781-444-0823. Luncheon program for seniors planned at Carter A series of luncheons geared especially for seniors 60 and older is the centerpiece of a ministry program at Carter Memorial United Methodist Church. For the last several years this ministry program has been hosting four to five senior luncheons a year, and seen an increase in attendance, participation and enthusiasm from people throughout the church itself, and into the community. Upcoming luncheons include a seasonal celebration titled "Silver Bells" Thursday, Dec. 2, featuring a sampling of traditional foods and entertainment popular during the yuletide. A Communion Service will be hosted at 11:30 a.m., with the luncheon beginning at noon. The individual luncheons have their own theme whereby menu, flavors and the program are all tied into one another and complement the particular season or holiday within which it is hosted. At the present time anywhere between 40 to 60 people attend on a regular basis. This has allowed the luncheon to develop into a time of fellowship and support, and an opportunity to share common concerns and reflections on the experience of being a senior in today's world. Each luncheon offers a chance to participate in a short communion service, which is optional according to individual need. Related entertainment is also provided that fits in with the basic theme of menu and season. This can range anywhere from a Celtic celebration at St. Patrick's Day complete with a bagpiper to a Christmas concert compliments of the Retired Men's Glee Club. Programs are provided at no charge. No reservations are necessary. For more information, call the church office at 781-444-2460. New job listings at Youth Commission The Needham Youth Commission has received several new job postings for various opportunities. Looking for an after school or weekend job? Interested in babysitting a couple of afternoons a week to help out working parents? Certified lifeguard looking for weekend work? Come into the commission's office in the basement of Town Hall, 1471 Highland Ave., any Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., to check out job opportunities for teens. If Tuesdays are not convenient, call the office to set up an appointment. The employment program is opened to youth 12 years of age and older. Visit the Web site at www.town.needham.ma.us/Youth/YouthCommissionEmployment Program.htm for more information including a Parental Permission Form and information sheet that has to be filled out at registration. Call Carol at 781-455-7518, ext. 267 for more information or to set up an appointment to look through the Job Posting Book. Brown co-sponsors bill to create Guard and Reserve relief fund State Sen. Scott Brown has announced that in continuing his commitment to the commonwealth's citizen soldiers, he will co-sponsor a bill to create the Massachusetts Family Relief Fund. The fund aims to provide assistance to the families of Massachusetts National Guard members and reservists facing financial strain during a member's active duty service. "As a member of the Massachusetts National Guard, I see firsthand the hardship for the families of those called up to active duty," said Brown. "I co-sponsored this bill to lend my support for these hardworking men and women, and their families." According to the pending legislation, the fund would be financed by a voluntary checkoff box on the state income tax form, similar to the option for campaign matching funds on the federal form. The Friends of the Massachusetts National Guard and Reserve Families, an established nonprofit organization, would administer the fund. According to bill's chief sponsor, Sen. Pamela Resor, there will be no cost to the commonwealth associated with the fund. The fund would provide for assistance with items such as rent, utility bills and day care for the families of those called up to active duty. These everyday costs can become a problem for Guard and Reserve families because active duty often pays less - sometimes considerably less - than a member's civilian job. While some employers offer to make up the difference between a military and civilian paycheck, many do not. This sudden drop in income can have a devastating financial affect on Guard and Reserve families. "The fund will provide citizens with an opportunity to help those in need while providing Guard and Reserve families with a safety net," said Brown. "In this time of increased pressure on our military's families, this is a great opportunity for all of us to help out. When it becomes available, I encourage everyone to check off the box and donate to the fund." Highland Jazz opens season with Paul Broadnax Quintet Jazz lovers young and old will find something to savor in the 22nd season of Highland Jazz. The four-concert lineup will include music ranging from composers Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington to the Birth of the Cool. The series also will celebrate Boston's Musician of the Year and feature the trumpet of one of jazz's ascending stars. All concerts begin at 8 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church, 1132 Highland Ave., Needham. Detroit-born jazz man Greg Hopkins and his nine-piece orchestra take the stage Saturday, Nov. 20, for "Rebirth of the Cool," a concert recreating the melodic sound shaped by the seminal Miles Davis-Gil Evans collaboration and popularized by musicians such as Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker. Hopkins has amassed an impressive list of music credentials, including trumpet soloist and arranger/composer for the Buddy Rich Band and appearances with artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and the Supremes. Seldom without his horn, Hopkins has even played when stuck in traffic on his way to Berklee College of Music, where he has taught for 30 years. Highland Jazz welcomes the Ron Gill Quintet Saturday, March 12, for "Duke and Strays." Gill, Boston's pre-eminent male jazz vocalist, performs the works of composers Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn in a concert celebrating the music of two jazz masters. He will be joined by pianist Manny Williams, guitarist John Stein, bassist Keala Kaumeheiwa and drummer Reid Jorgensen. Trumpeter Jason Palmer, a finalist in the 2003 Carmine Caruso International Jazz Solo Trumpet Competition, will perform in Highland Jazz's series finale, "Horn of Plenty," Saturday, April 16. One of the genre's most exciting young performers, Palmer jams regularly at famed Wally's Cafe in the South End and has performed at venues including the Newport Jazz Festival, Tanglewood Jazz Festival and jazz festivals in Paris and Coulommiers, France. At Highland Jazz, Palmer will play alongside saxophonist Eric Plume, pianist David Bryant, bassist Peter Slavov and percussionist Warren Wolf. Subscriptions to the 2004-2005 Highland Jazz season are $52 per person. Individual concert tickets are $16 for adults and $10 for students. To order by mail, send payment and self-addressed stamped envelope to Highland Jazz, P.O. Box 610037, Newton, MA 02461. Series and individual tickets also can be purchased online via the Highland Jazz Web site, www.highlandjazz.org. The box office opens at 7 p.m. on concert nights. Call 781-237-1917 for information. Sunday hours resume at public library Sunday hours have resumed at the Needham Public Library. The library will be open from 1 to 5 p.m., Sundays through May 22. At the beginning of the summer, the library moved from its Highland Avenue location to the High Rock School at 77 Ferndale Road. All library services, with the exception of Community Room rental, are available at the library's temporary location. All the adult and children's audiovisual collections (DVDs, CDs, books on tape and CD, videos) were moved to the High Rock School and are available for borrowing. All new books and young adult books are also available, along with 75 percent of the remainder of the adult and children's book collections. The books that have been placed in storage are available on a delayed basis. Depending on how busy the library is, the delay may be only five minutes. Parking is available in a small parking lot off Ferndale Road or in a secondary parking lot by the playing field. The main entrance is handicapped accessible; there are stairs at the secondary entrance. The book return box is located by the main entrance, and it is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Service, hours and the phone numbers are the same as before. Relay for Life volunteer needed The American Cancer Society is looking to fill a volunteer position as the chairperson of the 2005 Relay For Life event in Needham. Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society's signature activity. It is an event that offers communities an opportunity to participate in the fight against cancer. The volunteer would serve as a volunteer leader for those taking part in the event and must have the ability to donate time and talent to advance the fight against cancer. Because Relay For Life is a community gathering rather than an athletic event, anyone and everyone can participate. Teams from the Needham community share a common purpose supporting the American Cancer Society's mission of eliminating cancer. For more information, call Mary Davis at 508-652-4333 or e-mail mary.davis at cancer.org. Women's Club Power Cards available The Needham Women's Club Power Cards for 2004-2005 are now available. They can be purchased for $5 from club members or at the following locations: Taylor's, Roche Bros., Sudbury Farm, Peacock Feather, All Season Cleaners, The Grey Goose, Perennial Designs, Learning Express and the Park and Recreation Department in Town Hall. The Power Card states the specific offer of each 15 participating Needham businesses. The card must be presented at the time of purchase. The new card can be used repeatedly until Sept. 30, 2005. The Needham Women's Club appreciates the support of the following businesses that are on the Power Card: Motophoto, Vicki Lee Boyajian, All Season Cleaners, Dunkin' Donuts, Perennial Designs, Scorby's Camera, Sherwin Williams, Taylor's, Needham Bowlaway, Peacock Feather, Prelude Gift Expressions, The Grey Goose, Owen's Poultry Farm, All About Nails and Midas Auto Service Experts. The proceeds from this fund-raiser will be used for various endeavors of the Needham Women's Club such as scholarships, town beautification projects and helping the Community Council. Beth Shalom Temple Tots Housed at Temple Beth Shalom in Needham is a program of creative Jewish learning designed to enrich the lives of preschool children and their families. The program is offered monthly on Sunday mornings September through June for hour-long sessions. Through music, storytelling and crafts, children explore special Jewish holidays, themes and traditions. For information, call 781-444-0077. League of Women Voters launches Web site The League of Women Voters launches its new Web site to aide individuals looking for information on how to contact local elected officials, and what the LWV does and why. Check out the new LWVN Web site at www.lwv-needham.org. The new site provides comprehensive information related to voter registration; a calendar of upcoming elections and meetings; information about the League's grassroots organization and why someone should join; and links to several voter-related sites to encourage and educate young voters. Recognizing that a healthy democracy depends on the active participation of its citizens, the LWVN urges all residents to vote. For further information about the LWVN and how to become a member, visit the new Web site, or call either Susan Abbott, 781-444-8275, or Bobbi Demers, 781-444-4086, LWVN membership coordinators. Library construction grant received The Trustees of the Needham Free Public Library have announced that the town of Needham has received the first installment payment for the library construction grant which was awarded to the town by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. The installment, in the amount of $913,050.90, represents 30 percent of the total grant of $3,043,503 that the town will receive. Postcomers' Club starts season The Postcomers' Club of Needham kicked off its 2004-2005 season recently with a champagne reception at the home of Maxine Thwing. This is an annual event for club members when the program and activities for the year are announced. The Postcomers' Club is a philanthropic organization that combines social activities with a commitment to benefit the community. Each year, since 1974, the club has donated a scholarship to a graduating Needham High School senior. Membership is open to all Needham women. For more information, call Inza Dippert at 781-449-3374. Youth Center begins 19th year The Needham Youth Center looks forward to beginning its 19th year of providing a safe, supervised environment for middle school youth. The Youth Center is open most Fridays, from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Admission is $6 per event, which typically take place at the Pollard Middle School. The Youth Center is run by a paid staff with experience in working with young teens. Director Peter Sylvester and all the staff are returning this year. A volunteer board, made up of parents and representatives from the community, plans the activities with input from students. Activities include dances, sports nights, carnivals and game/movie nights. All middle school-age children from Needham are welcome to attend. All youth attending the program must have a permission slip signed by a parent/guardian. These are available at the door. In addition, students must present their school identification card. Certain nights are grade-specific, and only students in that grade level will be admitted. In response to parent feedback, the grade 6 open house will take place in January to allow the students more time to transition to middle school. September schedule: Sept. 17, Seventh Grade-Only Dance; and Sept. 24, Eighth Grade-Only Dance. All events in September take place at the Pollard Middle School. Call Erna Place at 449-3464 for more information. Learn about property tax reduction program Needham residents over age 60 can work to have part of their tax bills reduced as part of the ongoing "Senior Corps" program, under which residents work for various town departments doing various jobs, earning $6.99 per hour up to 100 hours. The funds are then applied against the residents' real estate tax bill. According to program guidelines, residents with assets not exceeding $20,000 per year (individual) or $40,000 per year (joint) are eligible to enroll. Interested residents can call the Personnel Department at Town Hall at 781-455-7530. Residents can also access the application online and get more details at www.town.needham.ma.us/personnel. Reduce, re-use, recycle The Needham Recycling and Transfer Station on Central Avenue has one of the most extensive and aggressive recycling programs in the commonwealth. This is attributed to the diligent efforts of the residents of this community. The amount of material that is diverted from the solid waste stream is 40 percent annually, not including yard waste. The present disposal cost for trash, including transportation, is approximately $100.64 per ton. However the disposal cost for recycling cardboard, paper and commingle, including transportation, is $00.00 per ton. It is evidently clear, the more we recycle, the more we save. Conversely, the more we throw (dispose of trash), the more we owe. In fiscal 2003, the Recycling & Transfer Station recycled 5,290 tons, (paper, cardboard, commingle, metal, etc.) 3,991 tons of yard waste which is processed for resale as screened compost and screened loam, and 8,148 tons of Public Works Waste (material generated from infrastructure repair and maintenance projects such as asphalt, concrete, soil, gravel and other fill materials which are processed for reuse and resale) saving the town well over $100,000 in avoided disposal and transportation cost. This year, the town of Needham's recycling vendor, North Shore Recycled Fibers, will be paying the town $10 per ton, for every ton of paper and cardboard collected at the RTS. During these times of budgetary shortfalls, the town is looking at all areas to reduce cost. One area in which residents can contribute and make a difference is to maximize recycling efforts. Sixty percent of most household trash is paper. Although many recycle on a regular basis, some may be able to put forth a little more effort in reducing trash disposal cost. Simple rule of thumb: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, then, if all else fails, dispose. For information, call the RTS at 781-455-7568, Tuesday through Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., or visit the RTS on the Web at www.town.needham.ma.us/dpw/dpwrtshomepage.htm. Sen. Brown announces internship opportunities State Sen. Scott Brown is accepting applications for internship opportunities in his State House office. Interns will gain experience in areas including legislative research, constituent services and communications. Intern tasks will vary but may include attending legislative briefings on issues affecting the district, researching pending legislation, drafting correspondence and monitoring news. College juniors and seniors from Brown's district are preferred, but anyone who is interested is encouraged to apply. Flexible scheduling is available. Forward resumes to Brown's office at the State House, Room 520, Boston, MA 02133 or contact Greg Casey at 617-722-1555 or e-mail gcasey at senate.state.ma.us. Pottery classes offered Fall pottery classes for children, teens and adults are offered at the Potters School, 31 Thorpe Road, Needham. Registration is open for courses starting mid-September. Individualized instruction in wheel throwing, hand-building and glazing techniques are offered. Classes meet daily. Fees vary according to the course. For more information, call 781-449-7687. Newcomers Club membership drive It is time for members to renew their membership in Newcomers Club. Membership runs from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31. Newcomers is also seeking new members. For information about becoming a member, call Lynn Yogel at 781-444-1053. Police officers attend seminar on eyewitness identification procedures Mistaken eyewitness identification is the leading cause of wrongful convictions, and local police are joining Norfolk District Attorney Bill Keating's first-in-the-state initiative to keep such mistakes from happening in Norfolk County. Five Needham police officers were among more than 80 members of regional law enforcement at District Attorney Keating's seminar on implementing new eyewitness identification procedures shown to decrease the kind of false identifications that have sent innocent men to prison in Massachusetts and across the country. "The people of Needham should be pleased with their police department's participation in this initiative," District Attorney Keating said. Needham's attendees were Tom Leary, Phil Droney, Paul Droney, Joe O'Brien and Kathy Mullins. District Attorney Keating is asking all Norfolk County police departments to present suspects, or pictures of suspects, to witnesses one at a time - rather than simultaneous presentations which studies have shown can lead to a "best guess" responses. He is also asking that, whenever possible, departments use blind presentations. That is when the officer presenting suspects does not know which photo, or individual in a lineup, is under suspicion; this precludes the communication of even subliminal cues. "These new procedures will save police the wasted effort of chasing false leads, build stronger cases for prosecutors and keep victims from making unwitting mistakes," Keating said. "Perhaps most importantly, with these new procedures the chances of an innocent person being accused drops precipitously." NHS Class of 1984 holds reunion The Needham High School Class of 1984 20th high school reunion takes place Saturday, Nov. 27, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Natick. The reunion will feature music and dancing, a buffet dinner, as well as a raffle and '80s trivia contest. Tickets are $50 in advance or $75 at the door. Invitations will be mailed soon. For more information or to provide current addresses for invitation mailing, call reunion organizer Jen (Gordon) Silverio at 508-845-3148, or e-mail jsilverio at townisp.com. Nominate a youth The Youth Commission, in conjunction with the Needham Business Association, is accepting nominations for their RAY of Hope program (Recognize A Youth). Every month the award is given to one young person who has distinguished himself/herself through service in the community or who has acted as an outstanding role model. The youth receives a gift from the participating NBA business, a certificate from the Youth Commission, and recognition in the newspaper and on the local cable news. Nomination forms are available at the Youth Commission, located at Town Hall, and at the Peacock Feather. Young Widowed Group meets The Young Widowed Group of Greater Boston, a support group for young widows and widowers in the Greater Boston area, meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., September to June, at the Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, Needham Campus Administration Building Coffee Shop, 148 Chestnut St., Needham Center. Recent and longtime widowed individuals who could still benefit from interaction with others in the same situation, are invited to join the group. This informal support group is open to all men and women, regardless of length of time widowed, aged 55 and younger, with the focus on those in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. The discussions will cover topics such as family, work, financial and social changes, grieving through the holidays, and finding the day-to-day strength to move forward. For more information, call Chris Clancy at c2sclancy at aol.com. In-home after-school care The Needham Youth Commission announces that it has several teens looking for baby sitting jobs after school. Residents looking for after school care for their children for the upcoming year may call Carol Rosenstock at 781-455-7518, ext. 267 for more information. Information is also found at www.town.needham.ma.us/youth; click on "Employment Programs," and download the "Job Posting Request Form." Fill out the form and either mail it to Rosenstock, Needham Youth Commission, 1471 Highland Ave., Needham, MA 02492; or fax 781-449-4569, Attn. Carol Rosenstock. Residents reminded to maintain property With the school year beginning, students will be walking the sidewalks to and from school. Residents are reminded that under Chapter 87, Section 5 of the General Laws, it is their responsibility to keep their bushes, shrubs and trees from overhanging the streets and sidewalks, impeding the passage of pedestrians, vehicular traffic, and particularly persons with disabilities. Article 2, Section 2.2.4.2.7 of the town's General By-Laws requires that residents of corner lots keep their shrubbery, foliage, hedges and trees at a height which will not interfere with the sightline across the intersection thereby keeping visibility at its maximum. The Department of Public Works anticipates residents' continued cooperation in helping to keep sidewalks and roadways safe. For more information, call DPW Parks & Forestry Division at 781-455-7534. Youth Commission employment program The Needham Youth Commission offers an employment program to help businesses in need of part time help after school or weekends. The commission maintains a listing of job opportunities for teens, ages 12 and older, who live in Needham and are seeking employment. Businesses are invited to come to the Youth Commission Office and check out how they can be listed in the Business Employment Book. Call Carol at 781-455-7518, ext. 267 for full details. Forms can also be obtained by faxing the Youth Commission Office at 781-449-4569, or online at needhamyouth at town.needham.ma.us. Go to the Web site and click on "Programs," then on "Employment Program" to read about business employment programming and download the "Job Posting Request Form" which can be filled out, mailed or faxed back to the office. Businesses are invited to come into the office any Tuesday, from 9 to 4 p.m. to learn more about the Employment Program, in the basement of Town Hall at 1471 Highland Ave. Needham. Things you can do to pre-plan Disaster can strike quickly and without warning. It can force you to evacuate your neighborhood or confine you to your home. The Needham Emergency Management Agency suggests that you keep enough supplies in your home and automobile to meet your needs for at least three days. Assemble a disaster supplies kit with items you may need in case of an emergency. Include: a three-day supply of water (one gallon per person per day) and food that will not spoil. one change of clothing and footwear per person, one blanket or sleeping bag per person. a first aid kit that includes your family's prescription medications. emergency tools including a battery powered radio, flashlight and plenty of extra batteries. sanitation supplies. special items for infant, elderly or disabled family members. create a disaster plan. Complete a checklist. Practice and maintain your plan. Remember your pets. Neighbors helping neighbors. Working with neighbors can save lives and property. Meet with your neighbors to plan how the neighborhood could work together after a disaster until help arrives. If disaster strikes, remain calm be patient put your plan into action. Prepare as you would for storm related emergency's and become aware of the world changing events that are taking place. Riverside announces new Community Education Program Riverside Community Care has announced its newest initiative, the Community Education Program. This new program is designed to provide education and information to organizations and groups on a variety of topics that are timely and affect all generations. Presentations will be provided by Riverside staff, which is comprised of professionals with a range of clinical specialties and experience including psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers. "Riverside has always been about helping people in their communities. Through our new Community Education Program, we'll be able to reach people in their own surroundings, where they'll be more comfortable receiving information," said Scott M. Bock, president/chief executive officer. Presentations can be made on a variety of topics such as: "Sticks and stones can break my bones, and names CAN hurt me too." Bullying in schools: solutions for helping the victim and the bully. "My child has been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. Now what do I do?" "Easing the teasing: How parents can help their children deal with teasing." "Self-esteem in teens: Tools for helping teenagers maintain a positive image of themselves." "The mind/body connection in wellness and mental health." "Signs that someone you love may have a drug or alcohol problem." "Managing anxiety and stress in an uncertain world." ''Caregiver burnout: Taking care of yourself while taking care of a loved one." "Who will be here when I'm gone?" Planning for your disabled family member. Programs located in Needham include Riverside Early Intervention at Needham, Riverside Alternative Youth Services, Riverside Family Partnership - South & West Suburban, and Riverside Life Skills Center. Riverside staff is available for single educational events or for a speaker series. For more information on the Community Education Program, call Margaret Carr, Community Education coordinator, at 781-329-0909, ext. 198. Springwell expands senior lunch program Needham residents discover a fresh new lunch menu with choices as part of Springwell's senior lunch program at the Stephen Palmer Senior Center. Meals are served to seniors 60 years and older at noon, Monday through Friday. More than 20 residents currently participate in the Senior Lunch Program to enjoy a hot cooked meal and companionship with conversation. Seniors may choose their lunch three times a week. In addition to the standard meals served on the other two days. Menu options will include a traditional hot lunch entree or a sandwich and salad. All meals are nutritionally balanced by a registered dietitian and include hot soup, one percent milk and dessert. For example, a senior will now have a choice between pot roast with gravy, whipped sweet potatoes, whole wheat roll, a fresh orange, beef barley soup and milk, or a seafood salad sandwich on rye bread with rice vegetable salad, Rivera blend salad, a fresh orange, beef barley soup and milk. Springwell has added menu options to its Senior Lunch Program to reach more seniors. Jennifer Pereira, operations manager of nutrition at Springwell, feels "by offering options, the Senior Lunch Program will appeal to more seniors. Some people prefer a lighter lunch meal. The new menu offers this option." Springwell hopes that seniors who have never considered attending the senior lunch program will now have every reason to try it out. The new menu will be posted at the Stephen Palmer Senior Center, printed in the Council on Aging's newsletter and in the Needham Times. Residents may also call Springwell at 617-972-5700 for more information. The Stephen Palmer Senior Center is located at 83 Pickering St., and lunch is open to all seniors regardless of income. Though meals are offered at no charge, participants are encouraged to make an anonymous donation of $1.75 per meal. All donations help defray the cost of meals and support elders who may not have the means to contribute. To reserve a meal, residents should place their order a day in advance by directly calling the Stephen Palmer Senior Center at 781-455-7555. NEF accepting grant applications The Needham Education Foundation is accepting applications for its Autumn Grant program for the 2004-05 school year. NEF is a nonprofit community foundation chartered to fund innovative educational programs that are outside normal public funding. Each year, NEF awards dozens of grants that make learning come alive for hundreds of public school students. Applications for NEF grants may be made by teachers, staff and administrators in the Needham Public Schools, or by any organization or individual including students, parents and other members of the community. Applications are available at the Needham Public Schools Administrative Building, 1330 Highland Ave., as well as through all Needham public schools, the Needham Town Hall and the Needham Public Library. Applications may also be found at www.nefneedham.org, along with a list of prior grants. The completed applications are due in superintendent Stephen Theall's office by Friday, Oct. 15. Questions about the NEF annual Grant Program may be directed to NEF Grant Committee co-chairwomen Mary Piltch (781-444-0383 or mpiltch at comcast.net) or Linda Bauer (781-449-2048 or lbauer at massbbo.org). The NEF is an independent, community-based, not-for-profit organization raising funds for the enrichment of public school children in Needham. Its fundraising programs include the annual Spelling Bee, teacher recognition cards and the year-end appeal, among others. NEF's purpose is to stimulate innovation and excellence by supporting educational programs that are outside normal public funding and to maintain a permanent fund to implement such programs and activities. For more information about NEF, visit www.nefneedham.org. Presbyterian Church dedicates labyrinth The Presbyterian Church in Needham recently dedicated its new labyrinth. Built to fulfill a requirement for a Boy Scout Eagle Project for Bob Frantz and to honor a former member of the church, the labyrinth is available to the community as well as to church members as a place for quiet meditation. Unlike a maze, a labyrinth is typically a single path that winds back and forth, moving toward and away from the center as it progresses through all quadrants of a circle, and leading to a central circle. Walking a labyrinth provides an opportunity to leave behind one's normal activities and preoccupations, be open to a possibly transforming encounter, and then bring that experience back to one's everyday life. Some find walking to the center of the labyrinth to be a healing experience; others use it as a form of prayer or meditation. The community is invited to walk the labyrinth at any time. It is located on the front lawn of the Presbyterian Church in Needham at the corner of Great Plain and Central Avenue. VNA needs volunteers to assist terminally ill VNA Care Hospice, an affiliate of VNA Care Network, needs volunteers to provide practical and emotional support to terminally ill patients and their families in eastern and central Massachusetts. Training, supervision and support are provided. Call Nancy Barcelo, volunteer coordinator, at 888-663-3688, ext. 3471, or 781-455-6661, ext. 3471. Mothers of Twins The West Suburban Chapter of the Massachusetts Mothers of Twins Association meets the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at St. John The Evangelist Church, 9 Glen Road at Route 16 in Wellesley. There are no meetings in December, June, July or August. Meetings include discussion rooms grouped by age of twins and a guest speaker or social activity. New members are welcome. For more information or to join, visit www.wscmmota.org. Volunteers sought Volunteers are needed to present the Child Assault Prevention Program curriculum in Needham and Newton elementary schools. Teams of volunteers teach children strategies aimed at reducing vulnerability to verbal, physical and sexual assault. The fall training will begin Oct. 29. For more information, call Gail Sommer at 617-969-5906, ext. 143. Preschool program offered at Newman Needham Public Schools continues to have openings in the early childhood center integrated preschool program located at Newman Elementary School. The focus of the program is to meet the individual needs of children, some of whom have been identified as having disabilities. A developmental teaching approach is utilized to meet the child's current level of functioning and encourage continued growth in all areas of development. The program has been accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Applications are being accepted for 3-year-old children for the 2004-2005 school year. A three-day program is available on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings at a tuition rate of $2,250 for the year. A four-day program is held on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings; tuition is $3,000. The preschool follows the Needham Public Schools' calendar. For enrollment information, call Phyllis Uhl or Leslie Hatton at 781-455-0400, ext. 233. Families can participate in Parent Child Home Program Needham families are eligible to participate in the Parent Child Home Program, a free enrichment program that helps parents to prepare their children for kindergarten. A home visitor visits the family once a week bringing interesting books and toys. Eligible families have: a child between 1 1/2 and 5 years of age and are willing and motivated to keep appointments once a week. The program is free to low and moderate income families. If interested or for more information, call Carol Rubin at 617-969-5906, ext. 144. Charles River Arc announces directors Charles River Arc announces the new and re-elected members of its board of directors: Peter Adams, William Day, Edward Pierce, Douglas Tashjian and Mel Colman, all of Needham; William Kelly of Newton; and Alice Taylor of Waltham. Business network to meet Anyone who would like to be a local business owner or is looking to market a business should consider joining the Business Network International Network Exchange Group in Needham. BNI is an organization dedicated to building successful businesses. The group meets every Wednesday, noon to 1:30 p.m., at the Masonic Hall, 1101 Highland Ave. For more information, call Paul Sullivan at 800-650-4560. NHS Landscape Group seeks community's help The Needham High School Landscape Group met June 3 with Steven Popper of the town's Permanent Public Building Committee and Scott Koestrich of John G. Crowe Associates which is overseeing the high school construction. The proposed landscaping was reviewed by the NHS Landscape Group to the approval of all. Several issues did arise, and the NHS Landscape Group seeks the cooperation of the greater high school community. First, the group seeks the identity of any plantings that commemorate graduates, faculty or staff. Second, Koestrich raised the question of any memorial plaques located inside the school. Those with knowledge of memorial plantings are asked to contact Brooks Goddard at goddard at rcn.com. Those with knowledge of memorial plaques are asked to contact Mora MacDonald at 781-455-0800, ext 1200. Third, the NHS Landscape Group is looking to form a landscape committee and landscape fund at the high school. Interested parties can contact Goddard. The Needham High School Landscape Group was formed in September 2002 with the blessings of principal Paul Madden. The founders of the group are Abbi Canney, Brooks Goddard and Kathy Pinkham. Canney and Goddard are Needham residents who wish to improve the landscaping around the school, and Pinkham is an NHS faculty member with similar goals. The first contributions of the group are the plantings in the circle at the top of the school's Admiral Gracey driveway enhancing the memorial to Susan Blair, an NHS graduate who died Sept. 11, 2001. The planting of 20 shrubs and 200 bulbs was done Sept. 9, 2003. First Baptist offers session on spiritual gifts discovery As special opportunity for the Lenten season, First Baptist Church is offering sessions to help people discover their spiritual gifts. "We believe that the Holy Spirit gives to every believer spiritual gifts to be used to do the work of the church," says Debora Jackson, associate minister of the First Baptist Church. She adds, "However, most people do not know their particular gifts and as such are not serving to their full potential." "We want to move from awareness to action by applying our gifts intentionally," says Minister Jackson. For more information about the program dates and location, call the church at 781-444-1179. Passes available to New England Quilt Museum Thanks to the generosity of the Quinobequin Quilters' Guild, the Needham Public Library now has museum passes to the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell. The New England Quilt Museum is the only museum in the region dedicated solely to the preservation and study of American quilt making, past and present. To reserve a pass, call the library at 781-455-7559, ext. 4. Other museum passes available at the library include: the Children's Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Science Museum, Garden in the Woods (Open through Oct. 31, and the Discovery Museums of Acton. Charles River Arc cookbook for sale Charles River Arc announces that residents may now order Arc's cookbook. It includes more than 125 simple recipes, such as prized recipes from popular local restaurants, family favorites, and healthy recipes, desserts, and more. To order a copy, call Charles River Arc at 781-972-1014. All proceeds benefit the programs and services offered to children and adults with developmental disabilities. NEF awards funds for school labs The Needham Education Foundation announced it has awarded two grants totaling $30,000, which will enable the expansion of the Pollard Middle School Music Lab and will fund a second Science Mobile Technology Lab at Needham High School. Both programs were started with funding from NEF. An NEF Large Grant in 2002 enabled Pollard to replace aging acoustic pianos with electronic keyboards. This second year of funding will transform the lab from an electronic keyboard set-up to a computerized MIDI lab. The grant, led by music teachers Jenna Davy, Jonathan VanderWoude and Todd Young will bring an additional six keyboards along with six Apple Computer iMac laptop computers, creating 16 keyboard stations, eight of which have access to MIDI technology. With the current set-up, students are able to play the piano with interactive feedback from the teacher. With the addition of computers and new keyboards, students will now be able to compose, record, store and print out music, as well as learn from music and information downloaded from the Internet. Approximately 600 students in a three-year time span will have the opportunity to take advantage of the music technology lab. In 2003, NEF funded Needham High School's first Science Mobile Technology Lab, which allows science teachers to bring wireless technology to the students, rather than moving students to computer labs, so they can spend more time on science learning. This year's Large Grant, again led by science teachers Jennifer Woo and Deanna Riseman, will fund 10 additional wireless iBook student laptops, one teacher laptop, one remote desktop and one cart, effectively doubling the capacity of the lab. The science department will be able to set up two carts, one for data collection with specialized probes and one for data analysis and Internet usage. Once up and running, approximately 1,300 students will be able to use the art lab for biology, physics and chemistry classes as well as some senior electives. "The teachers who spearheaded these efforts are to be commended for their creative and thoughtful grant applications. More than mere equipment purchases, these are inspired applications of technology that allow teachers to teach - and students to learn - in fundamentally new ways," said Judy Safian, co-president of NEF. Now in its fourth year, the NEF Large Grant program supports one- or two-year projects, either schoolwide or systemwide, that are innovative, collaborative and of broad and lasting impact for Needham schoolchildren. Applications for NEF grants may be made by teachers, staff and administrators in the Needham Public Schools, or by any organization or individual including students, parents and members of the community. NEF's Large Grants, each of which may be up $15,000, complement NEF's Autumn and Spring Grant programs, which may be up to $3,500 each. For information on NEF's Large Grant program, contact Jodi Traub at 781-449-0206, or joditraub at comcast.net. For information about NEF, visit www.nefneedham.org. Temple Aliyah introduces Our Jewish Home Temple Aliyah is introducing, Our Jewish Home, a new pilot program beginning in March, for young families of the greater Boston community and individuals of any background. This home-based program is for families with young children ages 3 to 5; older and younger siblings may also participate. Our Jewish Home brings a trained, caring Jewish educator into a home with an individualized curriculum to meet the needs and interests of the family. Participation is based on the family's desire to learn, not on the present level of practice. This program is open to all, both members and non-members of Temple Aliyah. The program features four individualized home visits over the course of eight months, beginning in March, covering Passover, Shabbat, fall holidays, and Jewish values. Each hour-long visit includes creative hands-on activities for the whole family as well as a variety of written materials, fun activities and ideas for enriching a Jewish home life. Although this program is being offered for the first time in the Boston area, it has been successfully run for more than five years in St. Louis, Philadelphia, San Francisco and northern Israel. Registration for Our Jewish Home is now under way. For more information, including program fee and a registration form, call OJH coordinator Terri Swartz Russell at 781-444-8522; or e-mail terri at templealiyah.com. Hillside cookbook for sale Artichoke dill dip; grilled potato salad; Jambalaya; peanut butter creams. These are just a few of the recipes in the collection of favorites from Hillside School families and teachers, called "Hillside Cooks." The book is now on sale for $12, or $10 each for two or more. Funds raised from book sales will help pay for playground equipment for Hillside. To buy books, call Jennifer Sexton at 781-449-9466. Parking clerk hours changed The Needham parking clerk is longer available on Tuesday mornings. She will now be available for hearings regarding any parking tickets received in Needham on Tuesday evenings from 4 to 8 p.m. only. Hearings will be held in the office of Veteran's Affairs, Town Hall, 1471 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA 02492. If you have any questions regarding the change in hours, contact the treasurer/collector's office at 781-455-7504. Commission on Disabilities offers grants The Needham Commission On Disabilities is accepting grant applications from local not-for-profit organizations. The grant money, received from the Handicapped Parking Violation Program, is designated for materials and programs that will benefit those residents of Needham who have disabilities. If your organization is interested in this funding opportunity, write to The Needham Commission On Disabilities, c/o Office of the Selectmen, Needham Town Hall, 1471 Highland Ave., Needham, MA 02492. Volunteer opportunities The Board of Selectmen is seeking volunteers interested in town government to serve as a member of a board or committee. These volunteers work toward solving complex issues and recommending policy that helps to shape the community. There are various opportunities available that may correspond with your expertise and/or interest. For more information, contact the town administrator's office at 781-455-7512 or e-mail edennis at town.needham.ma.us. Needham Channel listings Program listings for the Needham Channel, the town's local access cable network, are now available on the station's Web site at www.needhamchannel.org. Volunteer drivers needed The Needham Community Council needs volunteer drivers to transport elderly residents to medical appointments in the Needham/Wellesley area. You would be needed for less than one hour a week, and you can choose your schedule. To help keep this service available, call the council at 781-444-2415. Contact information for Rep. Harkins Constituents with any concerns, questions or comments may contact Rep. Harkins in the following ways: By mail: Rep. Lida E. Harkins, majority whip, State House, Room 343, Boston, MA 02133. The phone number to the representative's office at the State House is 617-722-2300; and the fax number is 617-722-2750. Also, via e-mail at Rep.LidaHarkins at hou.state.ma.us. Free 'Choosing Hospice' booklets available "Choosing Hospice," a guide to specialized care for the terminally ill, is available for free from VNA Care Network Hospice. The booklet answers common questions about hospice and gives a list of resources. To receive a free copy of the guide, call VNA Care Network Hospice at 1-888-663-3688, ext. 1206 or e-mail kstrogney at vnacarenetwork.org. More information about VNA Care Network Hospice is available at www.vnacarenetwork.org. Elder services agency seeks volunteers Help a frail or homebound elder with grocery shopping or transportation to a medical appointment. Visit a lonely elder in his or her home and develop a friendship. Volunteers are needed in Belmont, Brookline, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown, Wellesley and Weston on a weekly, biweekly or as-needed basis. Opportunities can accommodate a working person's schedule. Support and training are available to volunteers. For more information about what volunteer opportunities are available, call Wendy Adlerstein, volunteer services coordinator at Springwell, at 617-926-4100. Veterans officer available The veterans officer of Needham wants to remind all veterans that his office is available to assist them in acquiring a copy of their discharge from the service. A copy of a discharge is required with all dealings with the Veterans Administration, state agencies, and funeral directors. Veterans who don't have a copy of their discharge and need one in a hurry, may have to wait weeks to acquire one from St. Louis, Mo. The veterans office is also there to assist families of deceased veterans get a grave marker from the U.S. Government, or assist widows and veterans in filling out VA forms for benefits they are entitled to. For veterans who have served in a war time period and are out of work, the veterans officer may be able to give them some assistance. The Needham veterans officer is located in room 23 in Town Hall. For more information, call the office at 781-455-7532. Community Council seeks volunteers The Needham Community Council is looking for a volunteer to accompany a group of women that visit a Needham nursing home Monday afternoons. The group allows the elderly residents to shop for personal items and gifts. For more information, call the Needham Community Council at 781-444-2415. Senior SAFTE program available The Needham Health Department has established the Senior SAFTE Program, Senior Safety and Food Training and Education program, a free service in town to help provide for a safe home environment. A public health nurse will personally discuss issues with regards to medication, nutrition and a safe home environment. She will fill out a File-of-Life card, an emergency contact card that is left in the home and provides vital emergency medical and contact information. Police and fire emergency personnel are trained to look for this card on the refrigerator to quickly obtain medical and other potentially life-saving information. For more information, call Donna Carmichael at the Needham H Homepage (as of NOV-01-2002): http://www.SeattleActivist.org To unsubscribe, send an email to: SeattleActivist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:50:38 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:50:38 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Red carpet treatment for President Bush -- Plan your travels now to Ottawa Message-ID: Dear friends, especially those within travel distance from Ottawa [Canaduh]. If you take seriously issues of global development and well-being [for all, including the environment and animal life], justice and an end to global impunity, then please consider travelling to Ottawa to properly receive President George Bush of the USA. We re-distribute the following info, for your info ... And please re-distribute your own invitations far and wide. === Bush is coming to Ottawa! All out to stop Bush! ************************** MASS DEMONSTRATION AGAINST BUSH AND FOR JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND EQUALITY Rallying point Confederation Park, Ottawa (Corner of Elgin and Laurier) 12:00pm Tuesday, November 30 MASS DEMONSTRATION AGAINST WAR Rallying point With candles Parliament Hill 5:00pm Tuesday, November 30 *************************** Paul Martin announced yesterday that George W. Bush will be in Ottawa for a state visit from November 30 to December 1--just two weeks away! This will be Bush's first international visit since his 're-election' as president two weeks ago (only 28% of voting-age Americans voted for Bush while 98 million Americans didn't vote at all). Activists from across the country will be descending on Ottawa to give Bush the welcome he deserves. The Toronto Coalition to Stop the War is organising buses to send activists from Toronto to Ottawa to participate in the mass actions against the Bush agenda. Details of the demonstrations in Ottawa are listed below, in the call-out from the "No to Bush" committee in Ottawa. For more information or to book a seat on one of our buses, please contact us: E-mail: stopthewar at sympatico.ca Phone: 416-795-5863 Because this will be Bush's first trip outside the U.S. since his election, it will be important for us to build the biggest possible mobilisation to show our opposition in Canada. We want to send a message of support to the people of Iraq and all oppressed people around the world: we stand in solidarity with you. And to our sisters and brothers in the American anti-war movement: the world still says no to the Bush agenda. To that end, the Toronto Coalition to Stop the War is calling an emergency general meeting for next Monday where all those interested in going to Ottawa can discuss how we're building our mobilisation. The details of the meeting are as follows: Emergency General Meeting Monday, November 22 7:00pm Metro Hall 55 John Street Room number to be posted in lobby Information about buses--time and date of departure and return, pick-up and drop-off locations, ticket costs, etc.--will be ready within a day or so. As soon as our bookings are confirmed, all information will be circulated on this list and posted on our website: www.nowar.ca. Don't wait to book your seats! Let us know you're interested now! Toronto Coalition to Stop the War www.nowar.ca stopthewar at sympatico.ca 416-795-5863 Is it not the rich who oppress you, is it not they who drag you into court? (James 2:6b, RSV) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:51:30 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:51:30 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Dec. 3 Play and Stop Hate Curriculum Program Message-ID: This is, unfortunately, on the same night as the Bhopal movie Group 4 is also co-sponsoring and going to, but if anyone else is interested in either tabling with me or attending; the following play is part of an ambitious Project Stop Hate program started by the Organization of Chinese Americans, Hate Free Zone, the King County Human Rights Commission and others which we've been asked to table. Project Stop Hate is a multi-year program which is developing curriculum for elementary grade levels in the Seattle Public School district and eventually spreading throughout the state. This play by 4th & 5th grade ORCA Elementary School students is the kick off event. Colleen --------------------------------------- Local 4th and 5th Graders Present Play That Brings Forth Discussion on Hate Organization of Chinese Americans - Greater Seattle Chapter Hosts Children's Play at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 3, at Rainier Beach Performing Arts Center Seattle, WA, November 15, 2004 - The Organization of Chinese Americans Greater Seattle Chapter (OCA-GS) launches anti-hate initiative by hosting children's play titled "The First Day," starring fourth and fifth grade students from ORCA Elementary. The event is at 7 p.m., on Friday, December 3, at Rainier Beach Performing Arts Center at Rainier Beach High School. The play is based on the seminal Brown vs. Board of Education case, following the journey of two young girls as they are forced to become the symbol of "what should be" while trying to understand the reality they live in. Tickets are available in advance at the OCA-GS Office & at the Door. Cost is $5 per person. The characters are framed ala Dr. Seuss-style with the orange and green communities of the Snookles and the Snikels. The play, sponsored by Allstate Insurance Company, is being produced as a collaborative effort between OCA-GS and ORCA Elementary teacher Donte Felder, and co-sponsored by several local civil rights organizations; including the Hate Free Zone, and the King County Civil Rights Commission, Japanese American Citizens League - Lake Washington Chapter (JACL/LW), Washington Asian Pacific Islanders Families Against Substance Abuse (WAPIFASA), Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS), Korean American Voters Alliance (KAVA), Safe Schools Coalition, Wing Luke Asian Museum, Washington Educators Association and individual donors. Additional supporters include Asian Community Leadership Forum (ACLF) and Washington State Commission on APA Affairs. ORCA elementary is part of the Powerful Schools program, which aims to unite students, teachers, parents, volunteers, and neighborhood resources into a powerful community dedicated to helping all children succeed in school. The Organization of Chinese Americans is an advocacy and educational group dedicated to ensure equal treatment and equal justice for Asian Americans and all people in the United States. OCA maintains its headquarters in Washington, D.C. Susanna Chung & Kathy Law, OCA-GS Project Stop Hate Co-Chairs -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:52:08 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:52:08 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Tenzin Delek Week of Action Message-ID: Action for Tenzin Delek Students for a Free Tibet Tens of thousands of people around the world have been organizing activities to stop Tenzin Delek Rinpoche's execution and press for his unconditional release. The number of people alone that have contacted the SFT office and who are spending hours working to save his life is truly amazing. Your actions ARE making a difference. Pressure from citizens has inspired many governments to take a strong stand on Tenzin Delek's case. While we have no new news yet, every signature, letter, phone call, sticker, and postcard increases the stakes for the Chinese government and decreases the chance that they will execute him. If we can sustain, and increase, this worldwide pressure on the Chinese government, we can stop Tenzin Delek Rinpoche's impending execution and free him soon. There are two major ways that you can contribute to Tenzin Delek's release over the next few weeks: organize an event in your area during the Tenzin Delek Rinpoche Week of Action between December 2nd, the date he was first sentenced, and December 10th, International Human Rights Day, and phone/meet with your political representatives to ask them to speak up on his behalf. HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO: 1) Pressure the Chinese embassy or consulate nearest you about Tenzin Delek's case during the International Week of Action from December 2-10. The actions you take will affect the decisions being made in Beijing. - If you don't live near a city with a consulate or embassy, you can have a huge impact by contacting them through mail, phone, and fax! Be creative - print out the image of Tenzin Delek's face, set up a table in a public place and ask people to write a short message underneath calling for his release, and then send them by mail or fax. Get a group of friends together near a phone to call and ask for his release, or set up a table with information about Tenzin Delek and have a cell phone ready that people can use to make calls. Get petitions signed beforehand and fax or mail them that week. *If you live in the UK, you can take part in a fax action that is being organized there by emailing info at sftuk.org for details. - If you are in a city with a consulate or embassy and would like to participate in or organize an event, please contact us at campaigns at studentsforafreetibet.org. There may already be an event being planned that you can take part in, and if not, we can help you organize something yourself - from delivering letters and petitions that you have previously gotten signed to organizing a demonstration. 2) From now until January 26th, work to set up face to face meetings and write letters to your elected representatives, your State Department/Foreign Ministry and your country's ambassador in China. HERE ARE THE TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP YOU: Week of Action: 1) Location and contact information for the embassy or consulate nearest you. Click here for embassies and here for consulates. 2) A stylized image of Rinpoche's face, available here (PDF format). A flyer using the same image, with text "Sentenced to Die, You Can Save My Life," available here (PDF format). Downloadable photos of Rinpoche with text "Free Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche," here (partway down page). 3) A downloadable fact sheet on Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, sample letters, and petitions, available here. Political Education: 1) Tips on writing to and meeting with your elected officials here. 2) Contact information for Canada, USA, and the European Union, and links for the contact info for other Foreign Ministries here. THANK YOU for all of your work on behalf of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche. Together our efforts will succeed. For freedom, Freya, Lhadon, Tendor, Han, & the SFT office crew -------------------------------------------------------------- Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this. Tell-a-friend! If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for Students for a Free Tibet's Action Center. This message was sent to deano700 at msn.com. Visit your subscription management page to modify your email communication preferences or update your personal profile. To stop ALL email from Students for a Free Tibet's Action Center, click to remove yourself from our lists (or reply via email with "remove" in the subject line). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:53:00 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:53:00 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Bush must solve Palestine issue to beat terror: Musharraf - Pakistan Message-ID: Bush must solve Palestine issue to beat terror: Musharraf TIMES NEWS NETWORK FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2004 10:48:51 AM FROM: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/927790.cms ISLAMABAD: Solving the Palestinian dispute must be the top priority of US President George W Bush's second term, if terrorism is to be defeated, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf told AFP. "Wherever there's a political dispute, they form the breeding grounds for militancy and extremism," General Musharraf, one of Bush's closest allies in Washington's war on terrorism, said in an exclusive interview late on Thursday. "Therefore you must fight at the root, and that is the resolution of the political disputes, and the root of the root is the Palestinian dispute. "We look forward in his second tenure to his closing fronts, starting with the Palestine dispute, because that is the core of the core." "I expect President Bush and the US to play a much more proactive role and a just role to resolve disputes, political disputes." Musharraf has won Bush's firm alliance since he sided with Washington to oust Afghanistan's Taliban rulers, originally backed by Pakistan, after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks and sent tens of thousands of troops on a hunt for Al-Qaeda fugitives. "He must work out an exit strategy, for both Iraq and Afghanistan. Having said that, it's easier said than done," Musharraf said. "He must bring stability, he must ensure the territorial integrity of both Iraq and Afghanistan. They must bring stability there before they leave." Homepage (as of NOV-01-2002): http://www.SeattleActivist.org To unsubscribe, send an email to: SeattleActivist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:54:29 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:54:29 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Palestine candidates registered Message-ID: Palestine candidates registered Nov 21, 2004 FROM: http://tvnz.co.nz/view/news_world_story_skin/460054%3fformat=html Palestinians has begun registering candidates for a presidential election to replace Yasser Arafat, while officials warned the vote may be delayed if Israel does not halt military activities. Palestinian election officials urged Israel to ensure a free and fair ballot by redeploying troops away from Palestinian population centres and curtailing military operations. Ammar Dweik, chief election official, said candidates will have 12 days to register to run in the election on January 9, 60 days after Arafat died of an undisclosed illness at a French hospital. The last poll was in 1996. The election winner would steer Palestinians through a hoped for resumption of deadlocked peace talks with Israel and a revival of an internationally-backed "road map" to peace that calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state. "We have been repeatedly demanding that Israel should withdraw its forces from Palestinian areas so that our teams can do their job without obstacles," Dweik told Reuters. "Any assassination, incursion or curfews will definitely affect the election timetable," he said. Israel has promised to do "everything that is needed" for democratic Palestinian elections, including probably allowing Palestinians from East Jerusalem to participate in the ballot. But Israeli soldiers killed two Palestinian youths in the northern West Bank city of Nablus on Saturday. Palestinian medical sources said the two 15-year-olds were shot dead when Palestinians hurled rocks and firebombs at Israeli forces. Acting Palestinian President Rawhi Fattouh called on Israel to redeploy to positions held before a Palestinian revolt began in 2000. He hoped international monitors would oversee the vote. "We urge the international community to pressure Israel to allow Palestinians to practise their election rights," he said. International efforts to restart stalled peace talks were expected to begin next week with visits by US Secretary of State Colin Powell on Sunday and British and Russian foreign ministers Jack Straw and Sergei Lavrov later in the week. Homepage (as of NOV-01-2002): http://www.SeattleActivist.org To unsubscribe, send an email to: SeattleActivist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:54:07 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:54:07 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Protest Biased Media Coverage of Palestine and Palestinians Message-ID: I have seen Arab based media (al-jazeera for example)allow the use words like zionist when refering to the government of Israel so they are not as clean as they'd like to make themselves out to be... ========= Protest Biased Media Coverage of Palestine and Palestinians Action Alert, ADC, 12 November 2004 FROM: WASHINGTON DC -- The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) expresses deep concerned by the alarming hostility expressed by media commentators towards the Palestinian people in the wake of the death of Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat. These comments, with exceptions, contain a surprising array of dehumanizing and overtly racist comments against the Palestinian people. Comments such as the ones listed below can only be regarded as an incitement to ethnic hatred of the Palestinians. Surely the denigration of an ethnic group, a people who have been living under an ongoing 37-year Israeli military occupation, constitutes a violation of any system of journalistic standards. For good reason US media commentators have expressed deep concern at the negative effects of hateful rhetoric directed against the United States in some elements of the Arab press. But we must also be keenly aware of the damaging and irrational rhetoric against Arabs, Islam, and in particular Palestinians expressed by commentators in the US media. We should be seeking and working towards a just and lasting peace for the Israelis and the Palestinians instead of engaging in hateful rhetoric which dehumanizes a people and affects perception of television viewers. We call on all members of the media to be objective in their reporting and commentary. Examples An outrageous and repeat offender of what can only be described as hate speech, is "Imus in the Morning," shown weekends on MSNBC. During the funeral proceedings in Ramallah, the show host Don Imus, described Arafat as "stinky," a "rat," with "beady eyes." He also added statements claiming that "all Palestinians look like him." Additionally, one guest described the crowds of Palestinians attending the funeral as "animals" and joked about their hygiene. "They're dropping soap from the helicopters," the guest laughed. Also on MSNBC, Joe Scarborough, host of "Scarborough Country," began his program by declaring "Some are calling Yasser Arafat's passing a tragedy. The 'Real Deal?' He's actually the father of modern terrorism. Good riddance." He later added, "This was, after all, the man who invented modern terrorism in the Middle East and by extension was the godfather of September 11." Among the guests on the show was the Palestinian Authority Representative to the United States Hasan Abdul Rahman, who while attempting to express his view, was interrupted by shouts of "where's the money?" by Scarborough in reference to international aid. Such outwardly one-sided comments were also prevalent in many other news channels during coverage of the funeral. "Plans call currently for Yasser Arafat to be buried in his compound in Ramallah, which will eventually be turned into some kind of shrine. Maybe they'll put a sign out front for the Palestinian people, that read 'here lies the body of the thief who robbed you blind," said Jack Cafferty on CNN's "American Morning." It should be noted that Jack Cafferty has a history of making racist comments directed not only at Arabs, Muslims, Arab Americans, but also Asians. Action requested 1. ADC encourages you to contact the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) at: http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/complain.html Please note that the FCC website has been down but should be up and running soon, use the link above to express your concern. 2. Contact the above mentioned shows. Don Imus at: imus at msnbc.com or tel: (718) 706 7690. Joe Scarborough at: joe at msnbc.com or tel: (201) 583 5000. Jack Cafferty at: am at cnn.com or tel: (212) 275 7820. 3. If you have seen similar hatred expressed in your local media and to also contact all national media outlets use ADC's website, at: http://capwiz.com/adc/dbq/media 4. Please send copies of your correspondence to adc at adc.org. Related Links American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee: http://www.adc.org/ -------------------------- The Electronic Intifada needs your ongoing help to offer information about the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. ?2000-2004 electronicIntifada.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:55:51 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:55:51 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Palestinian Folklore Message-ID: Palestinian Folklore FROM: http://www.barghouti.com/folklore/ The progress of nations does not come from totally abandoning the old but by researching and uncovering the old and taking what is best and building upon it. When nationalist ideas surfaced, the movement towards the revival of folklore started. Furthermore, as the spirit of nationalism increased, each nation increased its ties with its folklore because it is part of the nation's identity.(Alqam, 1974) According to Webster's dictionary (1983), folklore is the "traditional customs, tales, sayings, or art forms preserved among a people." In addition, "folklore of any society anywhere is the humanity of people; it unifies them and directs their wisdom towards the benefits of the human kind." (Abu Hadba, 1994) Folklore progresses as the society progresses, and it moves from one generation to another. Therefore, studying the folklore of a society helps in understanding the development of this society over the years. Because of the importance of folklore in the life of a nation, we as Palestinians carry a national duty to revive and study our folklore. There are many concerned Palestinians who set forth the efforts to work in this field. The Palestinian universities are helping in these efforts along with other specialized organizations; for example, The Palestinian Folklore Center in al-Bireh and The Center for the Revival of Arabic Heritage in al-Taybah. Many individuals are involved in folklore studies and published a number of books and articles about different areas of the Palestinian Folklore. From those individuals, Dr. Abdellatif Barghouthi, Abdul Aziz Abu Hadba, Dr. Nimr Sarhan, and Dr. Sharif Kana'na. On July 1, 1983, the International Day of Palestinian Folklore was announced inviting everybody in the world to celebrate the Palestinian Folklore. This day is still observed every year among Palestinians, especially those interested in folklore. The Palestinian Folklore covers many aspects including the popular literature, customs, clothes and embroidery, pottery, and others. In this humble effort, I will introduce the Palestinian popular literature by covering certain areas in this field. The popular literature has been circulating among the Palestinian generations vocally until books were published and people were introduced to the written form of this literature. Songs: http://www.barghouti.com/folklore/songs/ Proverbs: http://www.barghouti.com/folklore/proverbs/ Stories: http://www.barghouti.com/folklore/stories/ References: Alqam, N.: "A Study in Heritage and Palestinian Folklore", Society & Heritage, 1: 119, al-Bireh, Palestine (April 1974). Abu Hadba, A.: Interview with Ali Al-Khalili, Society & Heritage, 24: 194, al-Bireh, Palestine (July 1994). Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, p. 479, Merriam-Webster Inc., Springfield, MA, (1983). -------------------------- All contributions and comments are appreciated. Please let me know about any mistakes in these pages either in the translation or the material presented. If you would like to contribute to the material, please indicate what name and information you want to appear along with your contribution. Please forward your contributions and comments to BARGHOUTI at BARGHOUTI.COM ? Copyright 1996 - 2004 by BARGHOUTI.COM - All Rights Reserved. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:56:14 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:56:14 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Colin Powell - jumping through the hoops - before making his exit.) Message-ID: (Colin Powell - jumping through the hoops - before making his exit.) ABC News Nov 17, 2004 - By Saul Hudson MANAUS, Brazil (Reuters) - The United States has seen information suggesting Iran is working on the technology to deliver a nuclear warhead on a missile, Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Wednesday. "I have seen some information that would suggest they have been actively working on delivery systems . you don't have a weapon until you can put it in something that can deliver a weapon," he told reporters during a brief stop in Brazil on his way to an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Chile. "I'm talking about what one does with a warhead," Powell said. "We are talking about information that says they not only have (the) missiles but information that suggests they are working hard about how to put the two together." Suicide Bomber, Clashes in Iraq Kill 27 Russia Ratifies Kyoto, Starts on Feb 16 U.S. Government Missing the Mark on Bin Laden? The United States accuses Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons and wants the matter to be addressed by the U.N. Security Council, which could impose sanctions. Tehran says its nuclear program is aimed at generating electricity. U.S. officials have estimated that Iran is three to five years from developing a nuclear weapons, but some independent experts have said it could obtain one sooner. Joseph Cirincione, director of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's Non-Proliferation Project, said arms control experts have long assumed that to the extent Iran was working to develop nuclear weapons and missiles it was also pursuing the separate technological challenge of mating them. "Powell seems to be hinting at some new information that he has indicating that they are pushing to actually make this warhead design (work) with their existing missiles," Cirincione said. "We have all assumed that Iran is trying to do this." TECHNICAL CHALLENGE Cirincione said it took considerable expertise to shrink a nuclear bomb to fit on a missile with a one-ton (-tonne) payload and to make it sturdy enough to survive rocket launch and reentry, calling this "a whole separate technological" challenge. Powell's disclosure came as the United States and the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency - the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency - jockeyed over Iran's nuclear program. On Tuesday, the IAEA, summarizing its two-year probe of Iran's nuclear activities, said Tehran had not diverted any of its declared nuclear materials to a weapons program. Although the agency did not rule out the possibility that secret atomic activities existed, the report was a victory for Iran, which has been fighting off U.S. efforts to refer the issue to the U.N. Security Council. European negotiations this week produced an Iranian promise to halt uranium enrichment activities from Nov. 22 and a U.S. official acknowledged this would prevent the IAEA board from sending the matter to the Security Council at its Nov. 25 meeting. Instead, the Bush administration will try to obtain a board promise to immediately refer Iran to the Security Council at some future point if, as many U.S. officials expect, Tehran reneges on the deal, this official said. Separately, Powell said he could not corroborate details of a report by an exiled Iranian opposition group that Iran got weapons-grade uranium and a nuclear bomb design from Abdul Qadeer Khan, a Pakistani scientist who has admitted to selling nuclear secrets abroad. Copyright 2004 Reuters News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:56:42 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:56:42 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] from FRAC member Message-ID: FNAC, I would like to say congrats in getting your project off the ground. That is sometimes the hardest part. I would like to say though that as a federation you should divide the outgoing and ingoing email lists into two separate groupings. The first should or could be a friends of FNAC email lists that could include news and views relevant to FNAC and what the federation feels is important to get out to the general public. The second email list could be just internal communications for FNAC. Issues that really only pertain to the federation, such as new membership and the like. These are only some suggestions as I for one really have high hopes for FNAC and its projects. Its just that I also for one don't have the time to read over some of the stuff that really I think is internal communications, such as spreading to California or not. On the topic of keeping the federation within a confined geographic area I am interested in what folks think though. I am a collective member of North Star Anarchist Collective, part of the Federation of Revolutionary Anarchist Collectives. Our federation was (and still is for the most part) just confined to the Great Lakes region, but as time went on North Star's joined FRAC and thus opened the door to include the Midwest (although even this is all sticky as there was a collective in Chicago, and is Chicago considered Midwest or Great Lakes?). There are real problems with expanding because it becomes more of a burden on the delegates to travel to the federation conferences. It would seem fine once in awhile but after a few times a year, year after year it adds up for most working class folks. And yet to not expand can hurt the revolutionary project because although mass numbers are always the most important thing to try and achieve, I believe that it can easily be understood to be an important part of our work. The full revolutionary transformation of our repressive society into a egalitarian, classless, and non-hiarchical future society. Please send feedback as I have been very interested as of lately about the internal workings of federations and to try and develop new theory to put propel us in a forward direction. Speaking in a personal capacity, In strong solidarity JJ, North Star Anarchist Collective, FRAC --- lucas carter > wrote: > what happened to BAAC? ya know maybe those of us in > FNAC should consider > extending california into our geography, if > anarchists in cali want to join? > It seems like there is quite a vibrant anarchist > scene there, and fnac > already has the infrastructure built for > coordinating at that level. > > thoughts? > > lucas > seattle-fnac > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:57:52 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:57:52 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Civil war possible after Iraq elections: US' top soldier Message-ID: Civil war possible after Iraq elections: US' top soldier Sat Nov 20, 2:31 PM ET FROM: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1521&ncid=703&e=7&u=/afp/20041120/pl_afp/iraq_us_vote_myers LISBON (AFP) - US army chief General Richard Myers said in an interview that civil war could erupt in Iraq after forthcoming elections. However, Myers, the chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, told the daily Publico there was no indication at present this would happen. "Civil war is still a possibility. We know that there are forces for whom this is an objective," Myers said, adding: "We have not yet any signs that this will happen." The upcoming elections, pencilled in for January, are seen as a major test of the shattered country's recovery. Myers predicted there would be more violence before the elections rather than afterwards. A wave of insurgent violence continues to sweep Iraq ahead of the polls with many cities under curfew and a state of emergency declared in much of the country. "I think that there will probably be more violence before the elections than afterwards," he said. Myers was unfazed by recent declarations that several countries were planning to withdraw their troops from Iraq. "The most important question is not the figures, it's the fact that NATO should be involved, that the United Nations be involved and that the European Union be involved in providing an economic aid." Homepage (as of NOV-01-2002): http://www.SeattleActivist.org To unsubscribe, send an email to: SeattleActivist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:58:42 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:58:42 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Afghanistan's poppy crop jumps 239 per cent Message-ID: Afghanistan's poppy crop jumps 239 per cent The United States says it expected Afghanistan's illicit poppy crop to jump by an alarming 239 per cent over the past year. Last Update: Saturday, November 20, 2004. 11:11am (AEDT) FROM: http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200411/s1247817.htm "Current cultivation levels equate to a potential production of 4,950 tonnes of opium," the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) said. "This represents a 239 per cent increase in the poppy crop and a 73 per cent increase in potential opium production over 2003 estimates." It says that the estimates were based on a sample survey of Afghan agricultural regions conducted with US Government satellite imaging systems. It says that poor growing conditions are the main reason that expected opium production is not proportional to the increase in cultivation. The office says it estimated poppy cultivation in Afghanistan for 2004 to cover 206,700 hectares - a massive rise from 61,000 in 2003 and 30,750 in 2002. The Taliban, which was overthrow in 2002 for harbouring Al Qaeda and its leader Osama bin Laden, had taken some steps against Afghanistan's poppy production. The office estimates Afghanistan's total production of opium from the poppies cultivated in 2004 to be 4,950 tonnes or the equivalent of about 582 tonnes of heroin. It says the United States, along with Britain, would continue to boost eradication efforts. "Attacking the drug trade is a key step toward establishing the stability and freedom that are the aspiration of every Afghan man and women," ONDCP director John Walters said. "In the world's 'newest democracy,' a nation increasingly governed by laws, there is simply no place for drug traffickers." Homepage (as of NOV-01-2002): http://www.SeattleActivist.org To unsubscribe, send an email to: SeattleActivist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:58:16 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:58:16 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Afghan minister hails Iran's help in rebuilding Afghanistan Message-ID: Afghan minister hails Iran's help in rebuilding Afghanistan FROM: http://www.payvand.com/news/04/nov/1168.html Zabol, Sistan-Baluchestan prov, Nov 20, IRNA -- Afghan Minister of Reconstruction Mohammad Amin Farhang said Saturday that Iran has rendered to Afghanistan considerable assistance for rebuilding the country as well as combating poppy cultivation. The Afghani minister made the remark during his visit to the Afghan province of Nimroze to put into operation three projects which are being implemented by Iran. Farhang appreciated Iran's assistance for reconstructing his country in public health, development and training fields and fighting poppy cultivation, saying that poppy cultivation is amongst the major problems Afghanistan is facing. He reiterated that many states in Afghanistan namely Hilmand, Qandahar, Jalalabad and Nimroze are under poppy cultivation given the season of cultivation. At present, Afghan police has established a special committee known as Anti-Drug Committee, he said, urging further cooperation on behalf of international forums to fight poppy cultivation in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Iran's Ambassador to Afghanistan Mohammad-Reza Bahrami said that Afghan officials are determined to fight poppy cultivation in Afghanistan. During his one-day visit to the Afghan state of Nimroze to put into operation three projects, Bahrami voiced other countries' readiness to fight poppy cultivation, complaining lack of a defined and all-out program to perform this end. According to the United Nations, poppy cultivation has increased 64 percent in Afghanistan, he said, adding that terrorists play significant role in providing illicit drugs. He stressed that last year, Iran provided Afghanistan with dlrs 10 million to fight poppy cultivation and drug trafficking in Afghanistan, saying that Iran has made a great contribution to train Afghan police. Bahrami expressed hope that in future, Iran could allocate separate budget to fight poppy cultivation in Afghanistan. Homepage (as of NOV-01-2002): http://www.SeattleActivist.org To unsubscribe, send an email to: SeattleActivist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:59:42 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:59:42 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Math test Message-ID: AR Action Report Online. Falluja Arithmetic Lesson by Prof. Greg Palast Monday, November 15, 2004 New York Times, page 1: "American commanders said 38 service members had been killed and 275 wounded in the Falluja assault." New York Times, page 11: "The American military hospital here reported that it had treated 419 American soldiers since the siege of Falluja began." Questions for the class: If 275 soldiers were wounded in Falluja and 419 are treated for wounds, how many were shot on the plane ride to Germany? We're told only 275 soldiers were wounded but 419 treated for wounds; and we're told that 38 soldiers died. So how many will be buried? How long have these Times reporters been embedded with with military? Bonus question: When will they get out of bed with the military? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------- New York Times, page 1: "The commanders estimated that 1,200 to 1,600 insurgents had been killed." New York Times, page 11: "Nowhere to be found: the remains of the insurgents that the tanks had been sent in to destroy. ...The absence of insurgent bodies in Falluja has remained an enduring mystery." ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------- NOT in The New York Times: "Every time I hear the news That old feeling comes back on; We're waist deep in the Big Muddy And the Big Fool says to push on." - Pete Seeger, 1967 Greg Palast is author of the Best Democracy Money Can Buy. The New Deal: "Joker's Wild: Dubya's House of Cards" - regime change deck from 7 Stories Press available at www.GregPalast.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:00:12 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:00:12 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Israel/ Palestine - my opinion Message-ID: I'm neither for Israel or for Palestine, or against either of them. Both sides are at fault here. What I am against is only one side being heard and more times than not only Israel's side is heard. And no I do not ignore the fact that many Palestinians have killed hundreds of civilians in their terrorist campaign. It's disgusting. What bothers me is that most people ignore the fact that Israel has killed hundreds of Palestinian civilians also. Many of them women and children, but they are just collateral damage, because Israel decided to blow up a building or a car when it was "suspected" to have a "suspected" terrorist inside. All in the name of pre-emption. That's disgusting also. I'm sure many folks would like to be able to kill suspected murderers in this country also in much the same way as Israel pre-empts its terrorist problems. I can find many articles and news reports and would be happy to post them here to prove my many points, if anyone wants to question my opinion that both sides are at fault here. I encourage anyone here to do the same to support their opinion - with the permission of owner and mods here of course, d Homepage (as of NOV-01-2002): http://www.SeattleActivist.org To unsubscribe, send an email to: SeattleActivist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:59:19 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:59:19 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] FNAC and BAAC Message-ID: what happened to BAAC? ya know maybe those of us in FNAC should consider extending california into our geography, if anarchists in cali want to join? It seems like there is quite a vibrant anarchist scene there, and fnac already has the infrastructure built for coordinating at that level. thoughts? lucas seattle-fnac -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:10:15 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:10:15 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Ignoring the Israeli Nuclear Arsenal, Bush Warns Iran After Uranium Processing Reports - fr Al-Jazeerah Message-ID: Ignoring the Israeli Nuclear Arsenal, Bush Warns Iran After Uranium Processing Reports Al-Jazeerah, November 20, 2004 FROM: http://www.aljazeerah.info/News%20archives/2004%20News%20archives/November/20%20n/Ignoring%20the%20Israeli%20Nuclear%20Arsenal,%20Bush%20Warns%20Iran%20After%20Uranium%20Processing%20Reports.htm Ignoring the Israeli Nuclear Arsenal, President Bush warned Iran after uranium processing reports (see the Reuters report below). In an amazing consistent policy of serving the interests of Israel, President Bush has kept the pressure on Iran to prevent the Islamic Republic from developing nuclear weapons. Like his British, German, and French counterparts, he has been consistent on making sure that Iran is being pressured enough not to pursue development of nuclear weapons. This policy leaves Israel as the only nuclear power in the Middle East. This enables the Zionist state to continue its intimidation of the entire region in order to stop any assistance to the Palestinian people in their struggle to rid themselves of the brutal Israeli occupation. The Reuters Report Sat Nov 20, 2004 10:21 AM ET By David Morgan SANTIAGO, Chile (Reuters) - President Bush on Saturday warned Iran of growing international concern over reports that Tehran is preparing large amounts of uranium for an enrichment process that can be used to make nuclear weapons. "This is a very serious matter. The world knows it's a serious matter and we're working together to solve this matter," Bush told reporters during a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in Santiago. The two leaders were in Chile for a summit hosted by the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Bush was referring to reports from diplomats that Iran was aggressively producing uranium hexafluoride, or UF6, days before a Nov. 22 deadline by which Tehran promised the European Union that it would freeze enrichment and all related activities. UF6 is the form of uranium that is fed into gas centrifuges, which purify uranium for use as fuel in nuclear power plants or weapons. Iran had promised France, Britain and Germany to freeze its enrichment program in a bid to ease concerns that its nuclear plans are aimed at producing atomic weapons and to escape a referral to the U.N. Security Council when the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, meets on Nov. 25. "It's very important for the Iranian government to hear that we are concerned about their desires," Bush said. "We're concerned about reports that show that prior to a certain international meeting, they're willing to speed up processing of materials that could lead to a nuclear weapon." Iran, which maintains that it has no ambition to attain nuclear weapons, also denied diplomats' claims that it had ramped up UF6 production. IAEA chief Mohamed El-Baradei said Monday in a report on his two-year investigation of Iran's nuclear program that Tehran had not diverted any of its declared nuclear materials to a weapons program. ===== Homepage (as of NOV-01-2002): http://www.SeattleActivist.org To unsubscribe, send an email to: SeattleActivist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:11:25 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:11:25 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Bush Seeks Support on N. Korea, Iran - fr Chile Message-ID: Bush Seeks Support on N. Korea, Iran - fr Chile Bush Warns Leaders at APEC About Iran's Nuclear Ambition, Seeks End to Impasse With North Korea FROM: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=269310 SANTIAGO, Chile Nov 20, 2004 - Facing nuclear challenges on two fronts, President Bush warned Saturday that Iran's suspected weapons program is "a very serious matter," and he stood united with leaders of Asia and Russia in demanding North Korea's return to stalled disarmament talks. Iran and North Korea, two nations in what Bush has branded an "axis of evil," dominated the president's attention along with trade and economic issues at the opening of a 21-nation summit of Asian-Pacific leaders. Bush tried to ease global concerns about the sinking value of the dollar, a drop based in part on investors' fears about the huge U.S. trade and budget deficits. Fresh from his re-election, Bush met in rapid succession in his hotel with the leaders of Japan, South Korea, China and Russia, his partners in the talks with North Korea, which is led by the mercurial dictator, Kim Jong Il. Reporting on his discussions, Bush said that "the will is strong, that the effort is united and the message is clear to Mr. Kim Jong Il: Get rid of your nuclear weapons programs." Addressing business leaders, he urged nations to purge government corruption, support free trade and strengthen anti-terrorism efforts. Although it boycotted talks in September, the Bush administration said at the summit that North Korea has told China in recent weeks that it is prepared to participate in the six-nation negotiations aimed at ending its nuclear weapons program. The United States hopes the talks resume by year's end or early next year. Chinese President Hu Jinatao said he and Bush both hoped the North Korean crisis "can be solved peacefully through dialogue." Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi also expressed a desire for a diplomatic solution. Hu and Bush exchanged invitations for visits to each other's country, but neither leader agreed to go. None of the leaders demanded more flexibility in the North Korean talks or wavered on any of the key issues, a senior official said on condition of anonymity. The message coming out of Santiago is that "all five who are here are ready to go," the official said. On Iran, the United States is skeptical about Tehran's intentions in talks with Britain, France and Germany about eliminating or dismantling its nuclear weapons systems. Facing a Monday deadline to halt all work related to uranium enrichment, Iran reportedly is producing significant quantities of a gas that can be used to make nuclear arms. "This is a very serious matter," Bush said, sitting alongside Koizumi. "The world knows it's a serious matter and we're working together to solve this matter." The United States intends to ask the U.N. Security Council to consider economic and diplomatic sanctions against Iran. Bush praised the efforts of European nations to persuade Iran not to pursue nuclear weapons. "They do believe that Iran has got nuclear ambitions, as do we, as do many around the world," Bush said. Believed to have one or two nuclear weapons and possibly more, North Korea is demanding security guarantees as a price for ending the impasse. Washington wants an immediate halt and U.N. inspections of North Korea's nuclear activities. The United States says it can consider security guarantees and economic aid if the freeze on weapons development doesn't last long and is followed by a swift dismantling of nuclear facilities. After three rounds of inconclusive talks with the United States and others, North Korea boycotted the September session, apparently waiting to see who would win the U.S. election. "What's very important is for the leader of the North Korea to understand that the six-party talks will be the framework in which we continue to discuss the mutual goal we all have, which is to rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons," Bush said. Both Bush and the Chinese leader, Hu, expressed a commitment to success. "I look forward to working with him over the next four years to continue our close work on keeping the peace peace in the Korean peninsula, peace throughout the Pacific region and spreading peace throughout the world," Bush said. "Both sides expressed the hope that the issue will be solved peacefully through dialogue," Hu agreed. Bush also met with the leaders of Indonesia, Canada and Russia at the summit, which has been disrupted by demonstrations against Bush and the war in Iraq that erupted in poor neighborhoods away from the well-guarded luxury hotels in Santiago where Bush and fellow world leaders were meeting. Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed with Bush on the need to maintain pressure on Iran and prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons, the United States said. On a subject of U.S. concern, Bush asked the Russian leader to explain why he has taken steps widely seen as a move away from democracy. In a lengthy response, Putin looked deep into Russian past, back to the Stalinist period, and argued that his country needs a democratic approach that fits with its unique history and ethnic composition, the senior administration official said. Bush questioned how Putin's approach would move Russian democracy forward. At his meeting with Bush, Koizumi gave a hearty nod of agreement when Bush reiterated his commitment to a committed to a strong dollar and pledged to work with Congress to reduce short-term and long-term deficits. The Chinese president pledged anew that China will move to flexible exchange rates that reflects market demands. China has tied its currency, the yuan, at a fixed rate to the dollar. U.S. manufacturers say the tactic has undervalued the Chinese currency by as much as 40 percent and given Chinese companies a huge competitive advantage over U.S. manufacturers. The dollar slumped to record lows Friday against the euro and a 4 1/2-year low against the Japanese yen, prompting America's trading partners to cry foul because such currency devaluation threatens their exports into the United States by making them more expensive. But a gradually declining dollar could boost the sale of U.S. goods overseas, which could narrow America's trade deficit. Copyright 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ===== -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:16:53 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:16:53 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] The alternative yo capitalism and war: Rebuild the World Message-ID: The Alternative: Rebuild the World By Eric Lerner, New Jersey WDN In the US and in the world as a whole, there are gigantic unmet needs-- five million people a year dying needlessly of disease, two billion people undernourished, the vast majority of the world's population with adequate housing, education, or health services. There are also huge unused or wasted productive resources that could fill these needs: a hundred million workers unemployed, 20% or more of the world's factories idled, the most advanced resources squandered on arms production. What stands between those idle resources and those unmet needs is nothing more than a mountain of capitalist paper--trillions in debt, more trillions in profit-- that grip the world in an economic stranglehold. Sweep away the paper mountain of capitalism and the idle and wasted resources can rebuild the world. Here is a balance sheet of how wasted resources can be re-directed to rebuild America, to rebuild the world, if the working class unites to do it. WASTED RESOURCES International Debt service: $400 Billion of dollars per year. Interest on US federal, state, personal debt: $700 Billion of dollars per year. US Military: $300 Billion of dollars per year By wiping out the debt and by converting the high tenchology factories now producing weapons of mass destruction--aircraft carriers, fighter planes, tanks, bombers--we can redirect this $1.4 trillion dollars a year. In addition, with a 2% tax on the wealth of those in the US who have over $2 million dollars in assets (which is only 1/2% of all families) we can recover some $600 billion a year that has been stolen from us. With two trillion a year we can: REBUILD THE WORLD US Reconstruction--building schools, hospital, mass transit and 1 million new units of housing a year: $100 billion/year, 2 million new jobs. Making and exporting the machinery and goods the rest of the world needs: $200 billion year, 4 million new jobs. Hiring enough teachers to cut class size by one third: $150 billion a year, 2 million new jobs. Eliminating all tuition charges for college and universities: $30 billion a year A 20% wage increase for all workers (excluding management) and a 35 hour work week: $600 billion a year, 8 million new jobs. Doubling the health and education expenditures for every developing country in the world: $400 billion a year. Beginning a 25-year program for world reconstruction--building tens of millions of units of housing, clean water supplies, schools and hospitals: $500 billion a year, 50 million new jobs around the world. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:18:06 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:18:06 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Are you a manarchist? Message-ID: Terrific post! > ARE YOU A MANARCHIST QUESTIONNAIRE > General Questions: > > I. Do you ascribe to either: A) Passive-Aggressive Patriarchy:" (often come > across as a victim/helpless/in need/dependent and get women in your life to > be your physical and emotional caretakers? to buy you things? to take care > of your responsibilities? pick up your slack? use guilt or manipulation to > get out of your responsibilities and equal share of the work? do you treat > your female partner like a "mom" or your secretary?) > > B) "Aggressive Patriarchy:" (Do you often take charge? Assume that a woman > can't do something right so you do it for her? Believe that only you can > take care of things? Think that you always have the right answer? Treat your > female partner like she's helpless, fragile, a baby or weak? Do you put down > your partner or minimize her feelings? Do you belittle her opinions?) > > 2. How do you react when women in your life name something or someone as > patriarchal or sexist? Do you think of her or call her a "PC Thug," > "Feminazj," "Thin-skinned," "Overly-Sensitive," a "COINTELPRO-esque" or > "Un-fun?" > > 3. Do you see talking about patriarchy as non-heroic, a waste of time, > trouble making, or divisive? > > 4. If a woman asks your opinion, do you assume she must not know anything > about the subject? > > 5. Do you believe that women have "natural characteristics" which are > Inherent in our sex such as "passive," "sweet," "caring," "nurturing," > "considerate," "generous," "weak," or "emotional?" > > 6. Do you make fun of "typical" men or "frat boys" but not ever check > yourself to see if you behave in the same ways? > > 7. Do you take on sexism and patriarchy as a personal struggle working to > fight against it in yourself, in your relationships, in society, work, > culture, subcultures, and institutions? > > 8. Do you say anything when other men make sexist or patriarchal comments? > Do you help your patriarchal and sexist friends to make change and help > educate them? Or do you continue friendships with patriarchal and sexist men > and act like there is no problem. > > Activism Questions > > 9. As a. man, is being a. feminist a priority to you? Do you see being a > feminist as revolutionary or radical? > > 10. Do you think that you define what is radical? Do you suffer from or > contribute to macho bravado" or 'subpoena envy? (I.e. defining a true or > "cool" and respectable activist as someone who has: been arrested, done > lockdowns, scaled walls, hung banners, done time for their actions argued or > fought with police, done property alterations, beat up nazi boneheads, > etc.)? > > 11. Do you take something a woman said, reword it and claim it as your own > idea/opinion? > > 12. Are you taking on the "shit" or "grunt" work in your organizing? (I.e.: > Cooking. cleaning. set up, clean up phone calls, email lists, taking notes, > doing support work, sending mailings, providing childcare?) Are you aware of > the fact. that women often are taking on this work with no regard or for > their efforts? > > 13. Do you take active step to make your activist groups safe and > comfortable places for women? > > 14. If you are trying to get more women involved in your activist projects, > do you try to engage them by telling them what' to do or why they should > join your group? > > 15. Do you ever find yourself monitoring and limiting your behavior and > speech in meetings and activist settings because you don't want' to take up > too much space or dominate the group? Are you aware of the fact that women > do this all the time? > > 16. Do you pay attention to group process and consensus building in groups > or do you tend to dominate and take charge (maybe without even realizing > it)? > > Sexual/Romantic Relationships and Issues > > 17. Do you make jokes or negative comments about the sex lives of women or > sex work? > > 18. Can you only show affection and be loving to your partner in front of > friends and family or only in private? > > 19. Do you discuss the responsibility for preventing contraception and > getting STD screening prior to sexual contact? > > 20. Do you repeatedly ask or plead with women for what you want in sexual > situations? Are you aware that unless this is a mutually consented upon > scenario/game that this is considered a form of coercion? > > 21. During sex, do you pay attention to your partner's face and body > language to see if she is turned on? Engaged, or just lying there? Do you > ask a woman who she wants during sex? What turns her on? > > 22. Do you ask for consent? > > 23. Do you know if your partner has a sexual abuse, rape, or physical abuse > history? > > 24. Do you stay with your partner in a relationship for comfort and > security? Sex? Financial or emotional caretaking? If you're not completely > happy or "in love" with your partner anymore? Even though you don't think it > will ultimately work out? Because you're afraid or unable to be alone? Do > you suddenly end relationships when a "new" or "better" woman comes along? > > 25. Do you jump from relationship to relationship? Overlap them? Or do you > take space and time for yourself in between each relationship to reflect on > the relationship and your role in it? Do you know how to be alone? How to be > single? > > 26. Do you cheat on your partners? > > 27. If your girlfriend gets on your case for patriarchal behavior or wants > to try to work on the issues of patriarchy in your relationship, do you > creak up with her or cheat on her and find another woman who will put up > with your shit? > > 28. Do you agree to romantic commitment and responsibility and then back out > of these situations? > > 29. Do you understand menstruation? > > 30. Do you make fun of women or write them off as "PMS-ING?" > > Friendship Questions > > 31. Do you tend to set the standard and plans for fun or do you work with > the others in the group, including women to see what they want to do? > > 32. Do you talk to your female friends about things you don't talk to your > male friends about especially emotional issues? > > 33. Do you constantly fall in love with your female friends Are you friends > with women until you find out that they are not in love with you too and > then end the friendships? Are you only friends with women who are in > monogamous or committed relationships with other people? > > 34. Do you come on to your female friends even jokingly? > > 35. Do you only talk to your female friends (and not your male friends) > about your romantic relationships or problems in those relationships? > > > 36. Do you find yourself only attracted to "Anarcho-Crusty Punk Barbie", > Alterna-Grrrl Barbie," or Hardcore-Grrrl Barbie?" (The idea here being that > the only women you arc attracted to fit mainstream beauty standards but just > dress and do their hair alternatively and maybe have piercings and tattoos) > Do you question and challenge your internalized ideals of mainstream beauty > ideals for women? > > 37. Have you ever heard of or discussed "sizeism" and do you think it is low > on the oppression scale? > > 38. Are you aware of the fact that ALL WOMEN, even women in radical > communities, live under the CONSTANT PRESSURE and OPPRESSION of mainstream > patriarchal beauty standards? > > 39. Are you aware of the fact that many women in radical communities have > had and are currently dealing with eating disorders? > > 40. Do you make fun of "model-types" or "mainstream" women for their > appearance? > > Domestic/Household Questions > > 41. When was the last time you walked into your house, noticed that > something was misplaced/dirty/etc. AND did something about it (didn't just > walk by it, over it, away from it or leave a nasty note about it) even if it > wasn't your chore or responsibility? > > 42. Are you constantly amazed by the magical "food fairy" who mysteriously > acquires food, brings it home, puts it away, prepares it in meal form and > then cleans up afterwards? > > 43. Do you contribute equally to domestic life and work? > > 44. How many of the following activities do you contribute to in your home > (this is a partal list of what it takes to run a household): A: Sweep and > mop floors and clean carpets B: Wash and put away dishes C: Clean stove, > countertops, sinks and appliances if they are messy and each time after you > have prepared food D: Collect money, do food shopping, put away food and > make meals for people you live with E: Do house laundry (kitchen towels, > bathroom hand towels, washable rugs, etc.) F: Clean up common room spaces, > even if it's not your chore G: Pick up other's slack H: Deal with garbage, > recycling, and compost I: Take care of bills, rent, utilities J: Deal with > the landscaping and gardening K: Clean bathrooms and make sure bathroom is > clean after you use it L: Feed, clean up after, and take care of housepets > > Children & Childcare > > 45. Do you spend time with kids? If you do, do you spend time with children > (yours or anyone's) in a way that is gendered? (do certain things with boys > and other things with girls? > > 46. If you are a father, do you CO-parent your children? (Spend equal time > AND energy AND effort AND money to raise them)? > > 47. Do you make childcare a priority? (at both activist events and in daily > life) > > 48. Do you help make the lives of single mothers in your life and community > easier by finding out if and how you can assist? > > 49. Have you politicized your ideas about child rearing and parenthood > radical communities? Do you believe that individuals who are in the movement > have children or that the movement has children? > > Multi-Category Questions: > > 50. When was the last time you showed a woman how to do a task rather than > doing it for her and assuming she couldn't do it? > > 51. When was the last time you asked a woman to show you how to do a task? > > 52. Do you get emotional needs met by other women, whether or not you are in > a romantic relationship with them? Or do you cultivate caring, nurturing > relationships with other men in which you can discuss your feelings and get > your needs met by them? > > 53. If a woman discusses with you or calls you out on your patriarchy, do > you make an effort to be emotionally present? Listen? Not emotionally shut > down? Not get defensive? Think about what she said? Admit you fucked up? > Take responsibility/make reparations for the mistakes you made? Discuss your > feelings and ideas with her? Apologize? Work harder on your own shit to make > sure that you don't make the same mistakes again with her or other women? > > 54. Do you look inside yourself to find out why you fucked up in these > relationships and work to both change your behavior and be a better > anti-patriarchy ally in the future? > > 55. Do you organize regular house meetings or activist meetings to resolve > conflict in the house/group? > > 56. Do you use intimidation, yelling, getting in someone's physical space, > threats or violence to get your point across? Do you create and atmosphere > or violence around women or others to threaten them (i.e.: throw things, > break things, yell and scream, threaten, attack, tease or terrorize the > animals or pets of women in your life)? > > 57. Do you physically, psychologically, or emotionally abuse women? > > 58. Do the women in your life (mothers, sisters, partners, housemates, > friends, etc.) have to "remind" you or "nag" you or "yell" at you in order > for you to get off your ass and take care of your responsibilities? > > > 59. Do you talk to other men about patriarchy and your part in it? > > 60. When was the last time you thought about or talked about any of these > issues other than after reading this questionnaire? > > Scoring: ALL MEN need to work on issues of patriarchy, sexism and misogyny. > However, this questionnaire may point out to you areas of particular focus > or concentration for your own anti-patriarchal/sexist/misogynist process and > development. > > > ----------------- > "The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the > oppressed." (Steve Biko) > > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:24:37 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:24:37 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Anatomy of a CIA-DIA-Mossad Message-ID: http://mparent7777.blog-city.com/read/915666.htm Margaret Hassan execution: Anatomy of a CIA-DIA-Mossad Counterinsurgency operation? ? H ? email link Margaret Hassan execution: Anatomy of a CIA-DIA-Mossad Counterinsurgency operation? November 17, 2004 "It is with profound sadness that we have learnt of the existence of a video in which it appears that our colleague Margaret Hassan has been killed. We are shocked and appalled that this has been the apparent outcome of her abduction," CARE International said in a statement released yesterday. "Through her courage, tenacity and commitment, she assisted more than seventeen million Iraqis living in the most difficult of circumstances." CARE's statement followed a video received by al-Jazeera "showing a hooded militant shooting a blindfolded woman in the head," as the Associated Press describes it. "On Sunday, U.S. Marines found the mutilated body of what they believe was a Western woman on a street in a Fallujah during the U.S. assault on the insurgent stronghold. Officials have not said if the body has been identified." Disgusting. However, we still do not know who allegedly killed Hassan, since no group has claimed responsibility. Of course, the corporate media and the Bushcons want you to believe it was the Iraqi resistance. As I said when Hassan was abducted, if the resistance killed her they are the stupidest resistance movement in recent memory. It makes absolutely no sense for the resistance to kill a "humanitarian worker known around the Mideast for her concern for Iraqis-particularly during the years of U.N. sanctions, whose effects on children she vocally denounced," as the AP notes. It is curious the video of Hassan's execution surfaced at the same time allegations of civilian mass murder, the execution of wounded prisoners, and other war crimes in Fallujah made the rounds. I believe-admittedly without any evidence-that the abduction and now apparent murder of Margaret Hassan is a counterinsurgency intelligence operation run by the Americans, the Israelis, or both, as a way to sow chaos and discredit the Iraqi resistance (a resistance the United States cannot possibly hope to crush militarily). Discrediting the resistance is particularly important, as a psychological warfare tactic. Although I have no direct evidence of this, there are several factors currently in play that make the US/Israeli counterinsurgency operation plausible: More than 200 college professors since April 30, 2003, according to the Iraqi Union of University Lecturers, have been the targets of assassination. In addition, many intellectuals have disappeared. (See Andrew Rubin's Bloodbath.) In December, 2003, Julian Borger of the Guardian reported, "Israeli advisers are helping train US special forces in aggressive counter-insurgency operations in Iraq, including the use of assassination squads against guerrilla leaders. . US forces in Iraq's Sunni triangle have already begun to use tactics that echo Israeli operations in the occupied territories." "A new Special Forces group, designated Task Force 121, has been assembled from Army Delta Force members, Navy seals, and C.I.A. paramilitary operatives, with many additional personnel," according to Seymour Hersh. Israel funded Hamas, as the UPI's Richard Sale reported in 2002. The Palestinian Authority arrested a group of collaborators who confessed they were working for Israel, posing as al-Qaeda operatives in the Palestinian territories, in December, 2002. A PA official said the collaborators sought to "discredit the Palestinian people, justify every Israeli crime and provide reasons to carry out a new (military) aggression in the Gaza Strip." Israel currently runs covert ops in the Kurdish area of Iraq (see Seymour Hersh's Plan B) A CIA instruction manual entitled Psychological Operations in Guerrilla Warfare, written in the 1980s, states the following: "Bring about uprisings or shootings, which will cause the death of one or more persons in order to create greater conflicts." US military (and CIA operative) officer Major Edward Geary Lansdale's "psy-war tactics" used in the Philippines against the Huk. Lansdale's methods "centered on measures of deception similar to those employed in the British and French colonial campaigns in Kenya and Indochina," including the creation of bogus guerilla units used to discredit the enemy. (See Michael McClintock's Instruments of Statecraft: U.S. Guerilla Warfare, Counterinsurgency, and Counterterrorism, 1940-1990.) Of course, the above is hardly conclusive evidence that Hassan was killed by counterinsurgency operatives, only establishes a track record for similar behavior on the part of the Americans and Israelis over a period of decades. As noted above, the Iraqi resistance has absolutely nothing to gain by brutally murdering a high profile humanitarian worker such as Hassan, even though we are told she was abducted and threatened with execution in response to the British presence in Iraq (and the part Britain played in the recent attack on Fallujah). If the resistance seriously believes the British or the Americans will respond to such threats, they are not only sadly mistaken, they are unbelievably naive, possibly even stupid. The abduction and murder of Margaret Hassan is a prime example of cui bono, who benefits. It certainly isn't the Iraqi resistance-that is if we believe, as we are told through the corporate media, that they are responsible for this heinous act. However, when we consider the past behavior of the CIA and its long and sordid history of covert activity, another dimension emerges, one that cannot be discarded out of hand. Kurt Nimmo posted Wednesday, 17 November 2004 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:26:47 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:26:47 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: JINSA Report #451 A JINSA Contest Message-ID: JINSA 1779 Massachusetts Ave., NW Suite 515 Washington, DC 20036 202-667-3900 202-667-0601 Fax November 19, 2004 JINSA Report #451 A JINSA Contest "Chicken Hawk" is a derisive term sneeringly applied by anti-military types to people who have not served in the armed forces but who nevertheless understand the utility of military force in service of American national security ends. It has been applied to some in the Pentagon, in fact, who are responsible for our forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a clever turn of phrase. Wrong, but a clever turn of phrase. We are not that clever, so we're turning to you, our readers. We are holding a contest for an appellation for those who have never supported our troops but who publicly castigate soldiers in the field for doing their jobs. Those who have not served in the military but insist they know how it "should" be done. Those who have never found a military action that they could support, but insist they know a "war crime" when they see one ? and who see one in every military action. Those who claim to support our soldiers if not their war ? and then use their access to the media to make the soldiers' jobs harder by an order of magnitude. Those who took a single moment out of 10 days of non-stop fighting in Fallujah and offered it up as propaganda for the enemies of a single Marine, all the Marines and all the troops fighting for a free Iraq. Those people need a name. We will publish the best ones you send us. But there are other people who need a name. What can we call people in the American military and civilian hierarchy who should have leapt to the defense of the Marine who shot a military aged man in a bunker during a battle, but who hid instead behind the promise of an "investigation"? Are they afraid to say that all over Iraq (and the PA territories) mosques can no longer be considered holy because they are routinely used as military installations, and that shooting from mosques, schools and hospitals is routine? Why didn't they say booby-trapped bodies ? living and dead ? have been found in Iraq and there was no reason for any Marine to believe a wounded man was "safe"? Why didn't they say that just the day before, a booby-trapped corpse had killed the Marine's buddy? Why didn't they talk about the mutilated body of a blond woman found in the streets of Fallujah, and other mutilated bodies found by the troops ? making it extremely unwise to put idealism ahead of a soldier's personal safety, given the realities of this battlefield? In Fallujah, and elsewhere in Iraq, we have seen butchers whose depravity knows no bounds. They kidnap aid workers, blow up women and children, and have no respect for human life or religion ? even their own. We have thrown young Americans into that furnace and asked them to do the almost impossible ? to fight that enemy and retain their humanity and uphold the standards of conduct of the American armed forces. Some soldiers have done and will do things for which they should and no doubt will be sanctioned by their superiors. Some might have done them in Fallujah. But no one should be allowed to take 15 seconds of film with no context as an excuse to ruin one soldier or all of the soldiers. Give us a name for people who try. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:33:39 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:33:39 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: (Redneck) State Mottos Message-ID: State Mottos (okay, some of these are a little insulting. I know.) Alabama: Yes, We Have Electricity Alaska: 11,623 Eskimos Can't Be Wrong! Arizona: But It's A Dry Heat Arkansas: Literacy Ain't Everything California: By 30, Our Women Have More Plastic Than Your Honda Colorado: If You Don't Ski, Don't Bother Connecticut: Like Massachusetts, Only The Kennedy's Don't Own It Yet Delaware: We Really Do Like The Chemicals In Our Water Florida: Ask Us About Our Grandkids Georgia: We Put The "Fun" In Fundamentalist Extremism Hawaii: Haka Tiki Mou Sha'ami Leeki Toru (Death To Mainland Scum, But Leave Your Money) Idaho: More Than Just Potatoes ... Well Okay, We're Not, But The Potatoes Sure Are Real Good Illinois: Please Don't Pronounce the "S" Indiana: 2 Billion Years Tidal Wave Free Iowa: We Do Amazing Things With Corn Kansas: First Of The Rectangle States Kentucky: Five Million People; Fifteen Last Names Louisiana: We're Not ALL Drunk Cajun Wackos, But That's Our Tourism Campaign Maine: We're Really Cold, But We Have Cheap Lobster Maryland: If You Can Dream It, We Can Tax It Massachusetts: Our Taxes Are Lower Than Sweden's (For Most Tax Brackets) Michigan: First Line Of Defense From The Canadians Minnesota: 10,000 Lakes ... And 10,000,000,000,000 Mosquitoes Mississippi: Come And Feel Better About Your Own State Missouri: Your Federal Flood Relief Tax Dollars At Work Montana: Land Of The Big Sky, The Unabomber, Right-Wing Crazies, And Very Little Else Nebraska: Ask About Our State Motto Contest Nevada: Whores and Poker! New Hampshire: Go Away And Leave Us Alone New Jersey: You Want A ## $ %##! Motto? I Got Yer ## $ %##! Motto Right Here! New Mexico: Lizards Make Excellent Pets New York: You Have The Right To Remain Silent, You Have The Right To An Attorney ... North Carolina: Tobacco Is A Vegetable North Dakota: We Really Are One Of The 50 States! Ohio: At Least We're Not Michigan Oklahoma: Like The Play, Only No Singing Oregon: Spotted Owl ... It's What's For Dinner Pennsylvania: Cook With Coal Rhode Island: We're Not REALLY An Island South Carolina: Remember The Civil War? We Didn't Actually Surrender South Dakota: Closer Than North Dakota Tennessee: The Educashun State Texas: Si' Hablo Ing'les (Yes, I Speak English) Utah: Our Jesus Is Better Than Your Jesus Vermont: Yep Virginia: Who Says Government Stiffs And Slackjaw Yokels Don't Mix? Washington: Help! We're Overrun By Nerds And Slackers! Washington, D.C.: Wanna Be Mayor? West Virginia: One Big Happy Family ... Really! Wisconsin: Come Cut The Cheese Wyoming: Where Men Are Men ... and the sheep are scared !!! -------------------------------------------------------------------- Rednek Dave Address: Truck Stop #77, Dumpster #11, Moonshine Alberta, Phone: usE dA CB radio, Fax: Yell Louder I sppurt publikk edjucayshun!!! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:35:42 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:35:42 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Phishing Feeds Internet Black Markets BEWARE Message-ID: washingtonpost.com Phishing Feeds Internet Black Markets By Brian Krebs washingtonpost.com Staff Writer Thursday, November 18, 2004; 6:34 AM William Jackson never thought he would be grateful for going bankrupt. Nine months ago, the 44-year-old resident of Katy, Texas, got an e-mail message from what appeared to be eBay's PayPal online payment division. It warned him that his account would be suspended unless he updated it with his personal financial data. The e-mail directed Jackson to a Web site that looked like PayPal's. He keyed in his checking, credit card, bank routing and Social Security numbers, his birthday, his mother's maiden name and the personal identification number for his bank card. The Web site was a fake. Within a week, the people who created it used Jackson's data to steal $200 from his PayPal account and run up $1,000 in credit card charges. Jackson cleared up the problem with his bank after two months, and a short while later the activity ceased. But late this summer, his car insurance company sent him a letter rejecting an application for a $30,000 car loan that he never requested. The only thing that stopped this latest attempt to use Jackson's identity was the 1997 bankruptcy filing that he and his wife made after the military base where he was stationed closed and his civilian job left them with a hefty pay cut in the face of mounting debt. "Basically every piece of personal data about me had been compromised," Jackson said. "It's pretty simple to get another credit card number and [e-mail] address and switch banks, but what do you do when these guys know the stuff that doesn't change?" Thousands of consumers like Jackson are taken in each month by phishing, a rapidly growing form of fraud that blends old-fashioned confidence scams with innovations in technological trickery. The crooks often are members of criminal networks that traffic in stolen data, perpetuating a crime that can haunt victims for years after it was committed. Jackson's case is typical. The scammers make a few small credit card charges or take little bites from the bank account. Then they stop, giving the account holder a false sense of security. In reality, their data is being moved into online black markets. There, it is sold to criminal gangs based in places such as Russia, Ukraine or West Africa. The gangs profit by using the data to open new credit lines for buying high-priced items that they sell for cash. Much of this activity occurs in password-protected chat rooms, but open-air "carder" Web sites are showing up more frequently. One Russian site advertised batches of 10 stolen credit card numbers with limits above $10,000 for $50. That price is common at carder sites, and climbs sharply if the seller offers extra data such as the corresponding "card value verification" number, the three-digit code found on the back of credit cards that many online merchants use to verify that the buyer is the same person holding the card. A year ago, carders could expect to reap $5 by selling fewer than a dozen stolen credit card numbers, regardless of the limit or other information the thief had about the rightful owners, said John Watters, chief executive officer of iDefense, a Reston, Va.-based online security company. "[Phishing] has really helped this market to mature, because we're now seeing these offerings being parsed into differently priced segments according to what sorts of other information the seller has," Watters said. The preferred method of payment also has shifted in a way that suggests a more organized, businesslike clientele is co-opting the once-informal marketplaces, said Marcus Sachs, a former White House cyber-security adviser who directs the Internet Storm Center, which monitors hacker trends. For years, hackers were content to barter credit card numbers for stolen passwords, custom-made computer code or e-mail address lists. Now, Sachs said, "they just want to get paid." Pure Fakery Another trick that harkens back to the dawn of the World Wide Web is starting to see new life: fake online storefronts that harvest credit card information. In these scams, thieves build Web sites hawking everything from sporting goods to contact lenses at bargain-basement prices, advertising the wares with large doses of spam. The Web sites look authentic thanks to pictures and descriptions of goods lifted from real online stores. "We've seen a lot of really good ones that include fake testimonials and links to their privacy and security policies," said Dan Hubbard, director of security and technology research for Websense, a San Diego-based company that offers online content blocking services for businesses. Fake e-commerce sites work so well that they recently outpaced the number of phishing sites, according to Websense. In a study released in September, the company found that there are between 800 and 1,100 fraudulent and phishing Web sites online at any time, and slightly more than half of those are pure fraud sites. The average phishing site usually has a lifespan of a few hours to three days before banks and Internet service providers locate and scuttle them. Bogus e-commerce sites, however, generally stay in business for six to eight days before their operators close up shop and disappear, Websense found. Target eBay William Jackson's case placed him in the company of thousands of online shoppers who responded to e-mails that they thought were from eBay or PayPal. From January to October this year, almost 30 percent of all phishing attacks targeted those customers, according to the Anti-Phishing Working Group, a coalition of banks and technology companies dedicated to fighting phishing fraud. Phishers who steal login data from eBay and PayPal members typically change passwords to lock the owners out of their accounts. Then they siphon cash from the victim's account or use it to set up phony auctions to sell stolen items. Sometimes the scammers auction off items bought using the victim's financial data. Frank Carpenter, 53, of Charlotte, N.C., could no longer use his Microsoft MSN e-mail account after falling for an eBay phishing scam. Each time he called MSN to reset his password, the thieves would change it. Carpenter thinks they did this to keep him from seeing the confirmation e-mails that eBay sends when a seller lists auction items. In the ensuing weeks, his positive eBay feedback rating -- reviews submitted by buyers and sellers to rate the quality of previous transactions -- took a beating as the scammers seized his account and stiffed winning bidders. Weeks after he discovered the fraud, Carpenter's bank contacted him to verify that he authorized the clearance of a $1,200 electronic check from his account. "My bank is still trying to get me to pay for that. Meanwhile, I've had to start over again as a new [eBay] member," Carpenter said. Fraud experts say phishers also are targeting their scams to particular recipients at particular times. According to Netcraft, an Internet security firm based in Bath, England, some of the sneakiest "spear phishing" scams target eBay customers, mainly because buyers and sellers are accustomed to receiving e-mails prompting them to take certain actions at specific times. In one attack, scammers use eBay's "contact member" form to ask questions of people who have placed bids on a high-priced item, collecting e-mail addresses from bidders who respond to the questions. Days after the auction ends, the bidders receive e-mail messages from someone pretending to be the seller, explaining that the winning bidder backed out and offering them a "second chance." A variation involves sending fake eBay invoices via e-mail to winning bidders shortly after the end of an auction. "These guys are always trying to get more and more clever, and now they're not only getting better at working out who would be best to send these phishing e-mails to but when," said Paul Mutton, an Internet services developer at Netcraft. "We're certainly going to be seeing a lot more temporal aspects incorporated into phishing, because as the good guys get better at catching up it's really the only way these scams are going to stay lucrative." Marked for Life Some phishing victims find that they become an attractive target to other fraudsters. Woodland Hills, Calif., resident Gary Wales fell for a PayPal phishing attack almost a year ago, but hardly a day goes by without a suspicious e-mail or phone call from someone asking for his personal information. Most recently, Wales said, someone called claiming to be a New York stockbroker in charge of his investment account. Figuring it was another con, Wales left him on hold until he hung up. "You make one stupid mistake and it's like you get put on some giant idiot list that they sell to people saying here are all the people we've been able to steal stuff from," said the 65-year-old Wales, who restores classic cars for a living. "It's gotten to the point now where I just try to have fun toying with them on the phone." Two weeks after the scam, the fraudsters made 17 withdrawals of $100 from his PayPal account in one day. For the most part, the fraudulent activity stopped after he changed his checking, credit card and savings account numbers. Then, one week ago, Wales received a call from a fraud investigator at Gateway.com who wanted to know whether he asked to open a new line of credit with the computer maker. Wales said he had to call the man back to be sure it was not just the beginning of another scam. Later, he verified that someone did try to use his information to secure a $4,000 line of credit. The constant attacks have left Wales feeling paranoid and angry, and all but ready to give up on e-commerce. "I'm getting close to disconnecting the phone and throwing the damn computer out the window," he said. "Who needs this kind of aggravation?" -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:39:00 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:39:00 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Please Do not delete Message-ID: IncrediMail - Email has finally evolved - Click Here ---- I HOPE I DO NOT HEAR OF ANYONE BREAKING THIS ONE OR SEE DELETED This is a ribbon for soldiers fighting in Iraq. Pass it on to everyone and pray. Something good will happen to you tonight at 11:11 PM. This is not a joke. Someone will either call you or will talk to you online and say that they love you. Do not break this chain. Send this to 13 people in the next 15 minutes. Go. SLEEP LAST NIGHT? Bed a little lumpy... Toss and turn any... Wish the heat was higher... Maybe the a/c wasn't on... Had to go to the john... Need a drink of water... ? ? ? Scroll down Yes... It is like that! Count your blessings, pray for them, Talk to your Creator and the next time when... the other car cuts you off and you must hit the brakes, or you have to park a little further from Walmart than you want to be, or you're served slightly warm food at the restaurant, or you're sitting and cursing the traffic in front of you, or the shower runs out of hot water, Think of them... Protecting your freedom! DO NOT DELETE-PLS PASS ON-Message from Iraq The proud warriors of Baker Company wanted to do something to pay tribute To our fallen comrades. So since we are part of the only Marine Infantry Battalion left in Iraq the one way that we could think of doing that is By taking a picture of Baker Company saying the way we feel. It would be awesome if you could find a way to share this with our fellow countrymen. I was wondering if there was any way to get this into your papers to let the world know that "WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN" and are proud to serve our country." Semper Fi 1stSgt Dave Jobe The attached photo was forwarded from one of the last U.S. Marine companies in Iraq. They would like to have it passed to as many people as possible, to let the folks back home know that they remember why they're there and that they remember those who've been lost. --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.794 / Virus Database: 538 - Release Date: 11/10/04 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image0022.gif Type: image/gif Size: 494 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image0033.gif Type: image/gif Size: 3878 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: blessusa[1]10111.mid Type: audio/mid Size: 14897 bytes Desc: not available URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:41:46 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:41:46 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: soldiers posing next to the bodies of dead Message-ID: aljazeera.net (english version) Israeli troops accused of corpse abuse Friday 19 November 2004, 14:37 Makka Time, 11:37 GMT Some Israeli soldiers press their feet into dead Palestinians Related: Israel kills resistance fighters Israeli troops kill two Palestinians Tools: Email Article Print Article Send Your Feedback The Israeli army has launched an investigation into photographs apparently showing soldiers posing next to the bodies of dead Palestinians. One such picture, published in the mass-selling Yediot Aharonot Israeli daily, shows a soldier pointing his weapon at a corpse while pressing his foot into the half-naked body. "I ordered the military police to open an investigation and I intend to shed full light on this matter," chief of Staff General Moshe Yaalon told military radio on Friday. "It is inconceivable that such things should happen in the ranks of Israel's army," he added. "They shoot and have their pictures taken" read Yediot's headline as the paper went on to detail "ways that soldiers play with bodies". Another picture shows a dead man, a cigarette allegedly stuck in his mouth by troops. When walking by a Palestinian shot in combat, several troops would "fire into the dead body. One of them even shot four bullets," one soldier is quoted as saying by the newspaper. "Our unit commander told us it was morally wrong, especially for that soldier who fired the four shots. His punishment? He was downgraded to serving as the commander's driver and then radio," the soldier was reported as saying. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:42:14 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:42:14 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: 'Narco-State' - UN Message-ID: (The narco-lords which comprise the USG made out the Taliban to be "terrorists" AFTER this Muslim religious body outlawed opiate production and distribution in Afghanistan and began to burn poppy crops. The decision to "launch" Bin Laden as the evil master mind behind 9/11 was absolutely necessary in order for the invasion of Afghanistan to commence. Quickly, the Taliban were identified and exterminated. Then, the opiates began to flow again, courtesy of the internationalists who have profited from its distribution since the 50s or before. Heroin is now plentifully in the hands of every street dealer of every town throughout America.) rense.com Afghanistan Becoming 'Narco-State' - UN By Paul Geitner in Brussels The Scotsman - UK 11-19-4 Afghanistan is in danger of becoming a "narco-state" because soaring opium cultivation now accounts for 60 per cent of the economy, the United Nations warned yesterday. The country?s poppy crop jumped 64 per cent to a record 131,000 hectares this year - the highest figure in the country?s history. Ten per cent of the population, or 2.3 million people, are involved in poppy farming as poverty makes it more attractive than other crops. "Cultivation has spread ... making narcotics the main engine of economic growth and the strongest bond among previously quarrelsome peoples," said Antonio Maria Costa, executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. The Afghanistan Opium Survey 2004, which Mr Costa launched yesterday, estimates the opium economy is now worth ?1.5 billion. Only bad weather and insect infestation stopped it being a record year for heroin, although production still rose 17 per cent to 4,200 tonnes compared to the 1999 record of 4,600 tonnes under the radical Islamic Taleban regime. "The fear that Afghanistan might degenerate into a narco-state is slowly becoming a reality. Opium cultivation, which has spread like wildfire throughout the country, could ultimately incinerate everything: democracy, reconstruction and stability," Mr Costa said. In an example of the scale of the problem, Mr Costa said Iranian intelligence had recently shown him pictures of a drug convoy of 62 vehicles with military protection. "We can?t hope that the Afghan police or army could possibly take on a convoy of 62 vehicles," he said. As well as a narco-economy, Afghanistan was a narco-society, he said, with so many people benefiting from the business: farmers pay a "tax" of about 10 per cent of their earnings to local warlords; laboratories pay 12 to 15 per cent; and export convoys pay 15 to 18 per cent. He said the commitment of President Hamid Karzai?s government to eradicating the business meant it was not yet possible to say Afghanistan was a narco-state. The United States and NATO-led forces in the country should get more involved in fighting the drug trade, he said. "It would be an historical error to abandon Afghanistan to opium, right after we reclaimed it from the Taleban and al-Qaeda," he added. NATO nations have been reluctant to involve their troops in the drug fight. Last week in New York, however, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the secretary general of NATO, urged the UN to come up with a drug-fighting plan for Afghanistan and said the NATO-led mission in the country would be willing to discuss working under that umbrella. Mirwais Yasini, the head of Afghanistan?s counter- narcotics directorate, said the government was determined to eradicate drugs but needed foreign help. "It is undermining our national security, it is undermining our good name among the international community. We cannot live with this dragon any longer." Bill Rammell, a Foreign Office minister, conceded that NATO members had been slow to build up forces in Afghanistan. But he said recent moves to extend NATO patrols outside the capital and broaden their mandate, as well as to build a judiciary and penal system, should begin to pay off next year. "The troops will now destroy seizures and hand over suspects," he said. "That will have an impact." ?2004 Scotsman.com http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=1332502004 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:43:03 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:43:03 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] New Book: "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" Message-ID: >From http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/11/09/1526251 Democracy Now - Tuesday, November 9th, 2004 Confessions of an Economic Hit Man: How the U.S. Uses Globalization to Cheat Poor Countries Out of Trillions We speak with John Perkins, a former respected member of the international banking community. In his book Confessions of an Economic Hit Man he describes how as a highly paid professional, he helped the U.S. cheat poor countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars by lending them more money than they could possibly repay and then take over their economies. [includes rush transcript] John Perkins describes himself as a former economic hit man - a highly paid professional who cheated countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars. 20 years ago Perkins began writing a book with the working title, "Conscience of an Economic Hit Men." Perkins writes, "The book was to be dedicated to the presidents of two countries, men who had been his clients whom I respected and thought of as kindred spirits - Jaime Rolds, president of Ecuador, and Omar Torrijos, president of Panama. Both had just died in fiery crashes. Their deaths were not accidental. They were assassinated because they opposed that fraternity of corporate, government, and banking heads whose goal is global empire. We Economic Hit Men failed to bring Rolds and Torrijos around, and the other type of hit men, the CIA-sanctioned jackals who were always right behind us, stepped in. John Perkins goes on to write: "I was persuaded to stop writing that book. I started it four more times during the next twenty years. On each occasion, my decision to begin again was influenced by current world events: the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1980, the first Gulf War, Somalia, and the rise of Osama bin Laden. However, threats or bribes always convinced me to stop." But now Perkins has finally published his story. The book is titled Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. John Perkins joins us now in our Firehouse studios. * John Perkins, from 1971 to 1981 he worked for the international consulting firm of Chas T. Main where he was a self-described "economic hit man." He is the author of the new book Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. AMY GOODMAN: John Perkins joins us now in our firehouse studio. Welcome to Democracy Now! JOHN PERKINS: Thank you, Amy. Its great to be here. AMY GOODMAN: Its good to have you with us. Okay, explain this term, economic hit man, e.h.m., as you call it. JOHN PERKINS: Basically what we were trained to do and what our job is to do is to build up the American empire. To bring -- to create situations where as many resources as possible flow into this country, to our corporations, and our government, and in fact weve been very successful. Weve built the largest empire in the history of the world. It's been done over the last 50 years since World War II with very little military might, actually. It's only in rare instances like Iraq where the military comes in as a last resort. This empire, unlike any other in the history of the world, has been built primarily through economic manipulation, through cheating, through fraud, through seducing people into our way of life, through the economic hit men. I was very much a part of that. AMY GOODMAN: How did you become one? Who did you work for? JOHN PERKINS: Well, I was initially recruited while I was in business school back in the late sixties by the National Security Agency, the nation's largest and least understood spy organization; but ultimately I worked for private corporations. The first real economic hit man was back in the early 1950's, Kermit Roosevelt, the grandson of Teddy, who overthrew of government of Iran, a democratically elected government, Mossadeghs government who was Time's magazine person of the year; and he was so successful at doing this without any bloodshed -- well, there was a little bloodshed, but no military intervention, just spending millions of dollars and replaced Mossadegh with the Shah of Iran. At that point, we understood that this idea of economic hit man was an extremely good one. We didn't have to worry about the threat of war with Russia when we did it this way. The problem with that was that Roosevelt was a C.I.A. agent. He was a government employee. Had he been caught, we would have been in a lot of trouble. It would have been very embarrassing. So, at that point, the decision was made to use organizations like the C.I.A. and the N.S.A. to recruit potential economic hit men like me and then send us to work for private consulting companies, engineering firms, construction companies, so that if we were caught, there would be no connection with the government. AMY GOODMAN: Okay. Explain the company you worked for. JOHN PERKINS: Well, the company I worked for was a company named Chas. T. Main in Boston, Massachusetts. We were about 2,000 employees, and I became its chief economist. I ended up having fifty people working for me. But my real job was deal-making. It was giving loans to other countries, huge loans, much bigger than they could possibly repay. One of the conditions of the loanlet's say a $1 billion to a country like Indonesia or Ecuadorand this country would then have to give ninety percent of that loan back to a U.S. company, or U.S. companies, to build the infrastructurea Halliburton or a Bechtel. These were big ones. Those companies would then go in and build an electrical system or ports or highways, and these would basically serve just a few of the very wealthiest families in those countries. The poor people in those countries would be stuck ultimately with this amazing debt that they couldnt possibly repay. A country today like Ecuador owes over fifty percent of its national budget just to pay down its debt. And it really cant do it. So, we literally have them over a barrel. So, when we want more oil, we go to Ecuador and say, Look, you're not able to repay your debts, therefore give our oil companies your Amazon rain forest, which are filled with oil. And today we're going in and destroying Amazonian rain forests, forcing Ecuador to give them to us because theyve accumulated all this debt. So we make this big loan, most of it comes back to the United States, the country is left with the debt plus lots of interest, and they basically become our servants, our slaves. It's an empire. There's no two ways about it. Its a huge empire. It's been extremely successful. AMY GOODMAN: We're talking to John Perkins, author of Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. You say because of bribes and other reason you didn't write this book for a long time. What do you mean? Who tried to bribe you, or who -- what are the bribes you accepted? JOHN PERKINS: Well, I accepted a half a million dollar bribe in the nineties not to write the book. AMY GOODMAN: From? JOHN PERKINS: From a major construction engineering company. AMY GOODMAN: Which one? JOHN PERKINS: Legally speaking, it wasn't -- Stoner-Webster. Legally speaking it wasn't a bribe, it was -- I was being paid as a consultant. This is all very legal. But I essentially did nothing. It was a very understood, as I explained in Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, that it was -- I was -- it was understood when I accepted this money as a consultant to them I wouldn't have to do much work, but I mustn't write any books about the subject, which they were aware that I was in the process of writing this book, which at the time I called Conscience of an Economic Hit Man. And I have to tell you, Amy, that, you know, its an extraordinary story from the standpoint of -- It's almost James Bondish, truly, and I mean-- AMY GOODMAN: Well that's certainly how the book reads. JOHN PERKINS: Yeah, and it was, you know? And when the National Security Agency recruited me, they put me through a day of lie detector tests. They found out all my weaknesses and immediately seduced me. They used the strongest drugs in our culture, sex, power and money, to win me over. I come from a very old New England family, Calvinist, steeped in amazingly strong moral values. I think I, you know, Im a good person overall, and I think my story really shows how this system and these powerful drugs of sex, money and power can seduce people, because I certainly was seduced. And if I hadn't lived this life as an economic hit man, I think Id have a hard time believing that anybody does these things. And that's why I wrote the book, because our country really needs to understand, if people in this nation understood what our foreign policy is really about, what foreign aid is about, how our corporations work, where our tax money goes, I know we will demand change. AMY GOODMAN: We're talking to John Perkins. In your book, you talk about how you helped to implement a secret scheme that funneled billions of dollars of Saudi Arabian petrol dollars back into the U.S. economy, and that further cemented the intimate relationship between the House of Saud and successive U.S. administrations. Explain. JOHN PERKINS: Yes, it was a fascinating time. I remember well, you're probably too young to remember, but I remember well in the early seventies how OPEC exercised this power it had, and cut back on oil supplies. We had cars lined up at gas stations. The country was afraid that it was facing another 1929-type of crashdepression; and this was unacceptable. So, they -- the Treasury Department hired me and a few other economic hit men. We went to Saudi Arabia. We-- AMY GOODMAN: You're actually called economic hit men --e.h.m.s? JOHN PERKINS: Yeah, it was a tongue-in-cheek term that we called ourselves. Officially, I was a chief economist. We called ourselves e.h.m.'s. It was tongue-in-cheek. It was like, nobody will believe us if we say this, you know? And, so, we went to Saudi Arabia in the early seventies. We knew Saudi Arabia was the key to dropping our dependency, or to controlling the situation. And we worked out this deal whereby the Royal House of Saud agreed to send most of their petro-dollars back to the United States and invest them in U.S. government securities. The Treasury Department would use the interest from these securities to hire U.S. companies to build Saudi Arabianew cities, new infrastructurewhich weve done. And the House of Saud would agree to maintain the price of oil within acceptable limits to us, which theyve done all of these years, and we would agree to keep the House of Saud in power as long as they did this, which weve done, which is one of the reasons we went to war with Iraq in the first place. And in Iraq we tried to implement the same policy that was so successful in Saudi Arabia, but Saddam Hussein didn't buy. When the economic hit men fail in this scenario, the next step is what we call the jackals. Jackals are C.I.A.-sanctioned people that come in and try to foment a coup or revolution. If that doesn't work, they perform assassinations. or try to. In the case of Iraq, they weren't able to get through to Saddam Hussein. He had -- His bodyguards were too good. He had doubles. They couldnt get through to him. So the third line of defense, if the economic hit men and the jackals fail, the next line of defense is our young men and women, who are sent in to die and kill, which is what weve obviously done in Iraq. AMY GOODMAN: Can you explain how Torrijos died? JOHN PERKINS: Omar Torrijos, the President of Panama. Omar Torrijos had signed the Canal Treaty with Carter much -- and, you know, it passed our congress by only one vote. It was a highly contended issue. And Torrijos then also went ahead and negotiated with the Japanese to build a sea-level canal. The Japanese wanted to finance and construct a sea-level canal in Panama. Torrijos talked to them about this which very much upset Bechtel Corporation, whose president was George Schultz and senior council was Casper Weinberger. When Carter was thrown out (and thats an interesting storyhow that actually happened), when he lost the election, and Reagan came in and Schultz came in as Secretary of State from Bechtel, and Weinberger came from Bechtel to be Secretary of Defense, they were extremely angry at Torrijos -- tried to get him to renegotiate the Canal Treaty and not to talk to the Japanese. He adamantly refused. He was a very principled man. He had his problem, but he was a very principled man. He was an amazing man, Torrijos. And so, he died in a fiery airplane crash, which was connected to a tape recorder with explosives in it, which -- I was there. I had been working with him. I knew that we economic hit men had failed. I knew the jackals were closing in on him, and the next thing, his plane exploded with a tape recorder with a bomb in it. There's no question in my mind that it was C.I.A. sanctioned, and most -- many Latin American investigators have come to the same conclusion. Of course, we never heard about that in our country. AMY GOODMAN: So, where -- when did your change your heart happen? JOHN PERKINS: I felt guilty throughout the whole time, but I was seduced. The power of these drugs, sex, power, and money, was extremely strong for me. And, of course, I was doing things I was being patted on the back for. I was chief economist. I was doing things that Robert McNamara liked and so on. AMY GOODMAN: How closely did you work with the World Bank? JOHN PERKINS: Very, very closely with the World Bank. The World Bank provides most of the money thats used by economic hit men, it and the I.M.F. But when 9/11 struck, I had a change of heart. I knew the story had to be told because what happened at 9/11 is a direct result of what the economic hit men are doing. And the only way that we're going to feel secure in this country again and that we're going to feel good about ourselves is if we use these systems weve put into place to create positive change around the world. I really believe we can do that. I believe the World Bank and other institutions can be turned around and do what they were originally intended to do, which is help reconstruct devastated parts of the world. Help -- genuinely help poor people. There are twenty-four thousand people starving to death every day. We can change that. AMY GOODMAN: John Perkins, I want to thank you very much for being with us. John Perkins' book is called, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. Gregory C. Lewis, Certified Personal Trainer and Clinical Exercise Specialist(ACE). Certified Instructor; Kenzen Karate. 206-956-4043. How is YOUR nutrition? Find out now: http://147.208.9.133/Default.asp Take the Self-Protection Quiz (For Women): http://www.aware.org/quizzes/quizindex.shtml -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:44:16 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:44:16 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: VA Citizen arrested for maligning the UN Message-ID: Subject: VA Citizen arrested for maligning the UN (Preliminary report) 11 November 2004, Madison, VA Armistice/Veterans Day From: Al Cuppett TO: All concerned Americans Subject: Patriotic Virginia Citizen arrested for maligning the United Nations This is a preliminary report. Final/full details, i.e., names, etc, may follow as soon as the law suit is filed. Be advised, that for over two weeks I could not contact my close friend, "Mick"; neither by email or phone??? He was supposed to have arrived here on the 26th for a get-together of Believers to hear a guest speaker from South Africa. Mick did not show up. Here's what happened: On the 25th of October, Mick went into an auto parts store near Norfolk, VA. Outside was a Ford Crown Vick sedan with "US Govt" plates on it; to include a blue, serial-numbered "UN Peacekeeper" decal on the rear of the car. Inside were two Caucasian men, who spoke with accented English. Within the two men's hearing, and I suppose on purpose, Mick commenced a spirited conversation with the auto parts clerks, wherein the UN was severely maligned. To wit, the clerks got over pretty hard on the UN, with the two "foreigners" within earshot. [This means they speak fluent English!] The two then went outside, and were sitting in their car as Mick drove away. Within one half hour, as he pulled into his driveway, four "straight" FBI agents, in two cars drove up. They put him under arrest, apparently under the Patriot Act. No charges, no papers; nothing but a phone call from "our shadow government". He was finally released about 15 days later. Note: For right now, the UN cops would not come, in daylight, to his house to make the arrest themselves. Not yet! Not as long as citizens are armed! Here's what happened, i.e., the mechanics of the whole scenario: The two foreigners took his license number, and called their "superiors", i.e., via the command/control infrastructure which I have warned was in place as far back as 1995. The "superiors" then called their liaison officer, either in "Homeland Security", or the Justice Dept; probably the former, and reported what you just read above. Homeland Security, or the Justice Dept, whichever, under the auspices of our post-911-discovered "shadow govt", and in accordance with the provisions of the Patriot Act, then called directly to the Norfolk FBI Field Office. This all happened in less than 45 minutes from "some talk" in a store until the arrest! I'm warning you people.. wake up! They have absolute command and control of their forces, and OUR police within the USA! Moreover, I discussed the above with (R) Delegate Ed Scott, 30th Legislative District, just one hour after I got this report from Mick; which was today at 10:15 AM. Delegate Scott asked if I had contacted my congressman, Eric Cantor. I advised him that Cantor, along with 433 members of the US House, [Dennis Hastert not included, he saw it] had signed Patriot Acts I and II, without ever seeing them! Furthermore, I told him there was a set of Jesuitic-type "handlers" around every government VIP, including all members of the US Senate/House, which makes it impossible to get through; unless you meet him/them in person out in the hustings. Mick spent about 15 days in jail, as close as I can determine. Consequently, the FBI agents, and jail personnel, are somewhat smarter, and when I get through they'll be a whole lot more savvy; as will several other Virginia FBI Field Office Chiefs, and several local sheriffs and Virginia State Policemen. I'm gonna make "hay" outta this one! Be advised, I, TEN YEARS AGO, briefed the Virginia State Police Commander, Colonel Wayne Higgins, in April 1994 that such was going to happen in the USA. I told him all of our troops would be sent overseas, and UN cops/troops sent here. It has happened! These two UN "Operatives" at the parts store were surely armed, and will, as we have found, quickly display their "Homeland Security" federal ID cards when challenged! We are in imminent peril people! Born again Believers had better pray for guidance; and my Jewish friends had better make Aliyah! Folks, these UN cops will soon be in your face, and mine, to arrest all of us "crimes-against-humanity" folks who believe in Jehovah God/Elohim; and who support Israel/and the Jewish people. Be advised they are already clandestinely arresting "Red and Blue-Listed" US citizens!!!! How much money and time shall I have to spend to get you all to escape the coming Holocaust!?? Can you not see it coming? Or will you say, "Well, I don't bad mouth the United Nations in auto parts stores, so they won't bother me." That's the same line of thinking reminiscent of the German Rabbis who said, "Oh, the German SA won't arrest us Jews, we're the bankers, the bakers, the CPAs, and the store owners, etc." No, but the SS sure did as soon as they had knocked off the SA cops and the loyalist Weimar Republic military officers; and in a blood letting exercise [The Night of the Long Knives] seized control of all in-country weapons, and took over. The same scenario is planned here; the only difference is the participants -- and a 70 year span of time. The "spirit" of the Third Reich was not defeated! It exists here, now, as the Fourth Reich! Our cops will suffer the same fate as the "brown shirted" SA, as soon as our personal guns are outlawed and the rest of our troops are deployed overseas to fight the UN's wars! They have a continuing "operations plan" to make this all happen! The above "Mick vs. FBI" incident is just one case more wherein the New World Order, has pitted [armed] Americans against other [armed] Americans. In this case it was a patriotic American against the FBI; who are obviously armed Americans. Fortunately a cool head prevailed in Norfolk. The FBI agents don't have a clue what's happening. They were just "following orders" from higher up; and does that not sound familiar? Their orders to arrest Mick were made possible by the post-911 scenario; i.e., "Ordo Ab Chao", or in English, the "Order out of Chaos" campaign against us. That is, a [New World] "Order Out" of the "Chaos" they have planned and perpetrated against the USA! What you saw and heard on Sept 11th 2001, was not what actually happened. To get up to speed see: www.americasoldout.com or www.infolords.com or www.thebyteshow.com/Library/html or www.israelnationalradio.com - at the "Tamar Yonah Show" - permanent archives - wherein you'll find "The New World Order - Are we safe?" Or may go to www.google.com and search for "concentration camps" and "chemtrails" to get a miniscule glimpse of what's happening to our Republic. You may also see www.infowars.com but take much offense if you hear Jones say," Zionism is Racism!" He has now come under the judgment of God for that line! My Jewish friends had best check our the Israel National Radio program noted above! Godspeed, as you're going to need it. Am Israel Chai. Al Cuppett -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hard Lesson in Battle: 150 Marines Meet 1 Sniper My hat is off for this Iraqi Sniper. You gota be kidding, all day holding down 150 over armed US invaders and after several tons of bombs being dropped on him he gets away and starts shooting from somewhere else. This Professional Iraqi solder needs a bloody medal. Neal FALLUJA, Iraq, Nov. 10 - American marines called in two airstrikes on the pair of dingy three-story buildings squatting along Highway 10 on Wednesday, dropping 500-pound bombs each time. They fired 35 or so 155-millimeter artillery shells, 10 shots from the muzzles of Abrams tanks and perhaps 30,000 rounds from their automatic rifles. The building was a smoking ruin. But the sniper kept shooting. He - or they, because no one can count the flitting shadows in this place - kept 150 marines pinned down for the better part of a day. It was a lesson on the nature of the enemy in this hellish warren of rubble-strewn streets. Not all of the resistance are holy warriors looking for martyrdom. At least a few are highly trained solders who do their job with cold precision and know how to survive. "The idea is, he just sits up there and eats a sandwich," said Lt. Andy Eckert, "and we go crazy trying to find him." The contest is a deadly one, and two marines in Company B, First Battalion, Eighth Regiment of the First Marine Expeditionary Force have been killed by snipers in the past two days as the unit advanced just half a mile southward to Highway 10 from a mosque they had taken on Tuesday. Despite the world-shaking blasts of weaponry as the Americans try to root out the snipers, this is also a contest of wills in which the tension rises to a level that seems unbearable, and then rises again. Marine snipers sit, as motionless as blue herons, for 30 minutes and stare with crazed intensity into the oversized scopes on their guns. If so much as a penumbra brushes across a windowsill, they open up. With the troops' senses tuned to a high pitch, mundane events become extraordinary. During one bombing, a blue-and-yellow parakeet flew up to a roof of a captured building and fluttered about in tight circles before perching on a slumping power line, to the amazement of the marines assembled there. On another occasion, the snipers tensed when they heard movement in the direction of a smoldering building. A cat sauntered out, unconcerned with anything but making its rounds in the neighborhood. This day started at about 8 a.m., when the marines left the building where they had been sleeping and headed south toward Highway 10, which runs from east to west and roughly bisects the town. At the corner of Highway 10 and Thurthar, the street they were moving along, was a headquarters building for the Iraqi National Guard that had been taken over by resistance. Almost immediately, they came under fire from a sniper in the minaret of a mosque just south of them. Someone in a three-story residential building farther down the street also opened up. The marines made 50-yard dashes and dived for cover, but one of them was cut down, killed on the spot. It was unclear what direction the fatal bullet had come from. "I don't know who it was," Lt. Steven Berch, leader of the fallen marine's platoon, said of the attacker, "but he was very well trained." After two hours of bombardment, the sniper at that mosque ceased firing. But just around the corner at the famous blue-domed Khulafah Al Rashid mosque, another sniper was pinning down marines, and airstrikes were called in on it, too. By noon, the marines had worked their way down to the national guard building, still taking fire from the sniper, or snipers, on the other side of Main Street. Inside was a sign in Arabic that said: "Long live the mujahedeen." For the next five hours, they could not kill whoever was running from window to window and firing at them from the other side of Main Street, despite the expenditure of enormous amounts of ammunition. "We're not able to see the muzzle flashes," said Capt. Read Omohundro, the company commander. "As a result," he said, "we end up expending a lot of ammunition trying to get the snipers." At one point, they thought that they had a bead on someone running back and forth between the two buildings. Then Capt. Christopher Spears exclaimed: "He's on a bike!" And somehow, through a volley of gunfire, whoever it was got away. At 5 p.m., the marines finally crossed Highway 10 and searched the smoking remains of the two buildings. At 5:30 p.m., a sniper opened up on them. When a few snipers are capable of holding scores of marines for a day in Fallujah - an eerie replay of the second part of Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket - and when eight of 10 US divisions are bogged down by a few thousand Iraqis with Kalashnikovs and grenade launchers, the fact is the US does not control anything in Sunni Iraq. It does not control towns, cities, roads, and it barely controls the Green Zone, the American fortress in Baghdad that is the ultimate symbol of the occupation. Fallujah - a city of originally 300,000 people. All this destruction - which any self-respecting international lawyer can argue is a war crime - for the Bush administration to send a brutal message: either you're with us or we'll smash you to pieces. The Iraqi resistance does not care if thousands of mujahideen are smashed to pieces: it is actually gearing up for a major strategic victory. The strategy is twofold: half of the Fallujah resistance stayed behind, ready to die like martyrs, increasing the already boiling-point hatred of Americans in Iraq and the Middle East and boosting their urban support. The other half left before Phantom Fury and is already setting fires in Baghdad, Tikrit, Ramadi, Baquba, Balad, Kirkuk, Mosul and even Shi'ite Karbala. The Sunni Iraqi resistance is now configuring itself as a full-fledged revolution. According to sources in Baghdad, the leaders of the resistance believe there's no other way for them to expel the American invaders and subsequently be restored to power - especially because if elections are held in January, the Shi'ites are certain to win. Contemplating the dogs of civil war barking in the distance, no wonder Baghdad's al-Zaman newspaper is so somber: "Iraq will remain a sleeping volcano, even if the state of emergency is extended forever." November 11, 2004 - Once again the US has been caught in a giant spider's web. Fallujah now is a network: it's Baghdad, Ramadi, Samarra, Latifiyah, Kirkuk, Mosul. Streets on fire, everywhere: Hundreds, thousands of Fallujahs - the Mesopotamian echo of a thousand Vietnams. The Iraqi resistance has even regained control of a few Baghdad neighborhoods. Baghdad residents say there are practically no US troops around, even as regular explosions can be heard all over the city. Baghdad sources confirm to Asia Times Online that the mujahideen now control parts of the southern suburb of ad-Durha, as well as Hur Rajab, Abu Ghraib, al-Abidi, as-Suwayrah, Salman Bak, Latifiyah and Yusufiyah - all in the Greater Baghdad area. This would be the first time since the fall of Baghdad on April 9, 2003, that the resistance has been able to control these neighborhoods. Massive US military might is useless against a mosque network in full gear. In a major development not reported by US corporate media, for the first time different factions of the resistance have released a joint statement, signed among others by Ansar as-Sunnah, al-Jaysh al-Islami, al-Jaysh as-Siri (known as the Secret Army), ar-Rayat as-Sawda (known as the Black Banners), the Lions of the Two Rivers, the Abu Baqr as-Siddiq Brigades, and crucially al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (Unity and Holy War) - the movement allegedly controlled by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The statement is being relayed all over the Sunni triangle through a network of mosques. The message is clear: the resistance is united. (This should give HOPE to those desiring to fight the globalists HERE in the U.S.) -- Visit my Website at ... http://iron-clay.cloudnine.net.nz/one_world_government.html See my "Why Come Out" page here ... http://iron-clay.cloudnine.net.nz/why_come_out.html But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood." - Eze 33:6 To be added or removed from future mailings put "Please add" or "REMOVE" in the subject line, and email to iron_clay at clear.net.nz -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This article shows the utter stupidity of the American Sheeple!! Most are living, if you can call it that, in total slavery at the beck and call of the "government! First and foremost, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO LICENSE THAT ANYONE HAS TO OBTAIN TO DO BUSINESS AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN!! Even if one did have a "license" all he would have to do is sell his wares is to conduct his business on PRIVATE PROPERTY under PRIVATE CONTRACT! There is absolutely no law in this country. Statutes, codes, regulations and Executive Orders are not law! They are ALL "color of law". Color meaning "having the form and semblance of law but not the substance. There hasn't been anything except "colorable law" since 1861. Since Lincoln declared martial law (which utterly destroyed the CON-stitution and left the government without any control) this country has been under "Martial Rule" where the "Commander in Chief" makes all law. The above only touches the tip of the iceberg! I am not going to spend a lot of time typing this information out ( I'm not a typist) rather anyone who wants to know more can ask! Billy-Joe; Mauldin Subject: WorldNetDaily How gun show was shut down.htm This is a WorldNetDaily printer-friendly version of the article which follows. To view this item online, visit http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=15180 Friday, July 16, 1999 How gun show was shut down FBI turns off insta-check system, halts business By Jon E. Dougherty ? 1999 WorldNetDaily.com Despite a turnout of "record numbers" of people at the Crossroads Gun Show in Phoenix, Ariz., not one gun dealer sold a single firearm. That's because earlier in the day on Sunday, July 11, the Federal Bureau of Investigation turned off its instant background database system for, according to a source who spoke with FBI officials, "routine maintenance." As a result, dealers were not able to perform the required background checks on potential customers and, hence, could not sell any guns. "In what seemed like an arbitrary and capricious attack on U.S. commerce, the FBI, without warning, closed gun shows and the firearms business in general," said http://www.gunlaws.com">Alan Korwin, noted gun law expert and an opponent of the FBI's background check system, who attended the Phoenix event. Korwin is the author of "Gun Laws of America," a reference almanac that lists every state and federal law pertaining to firearms in the country. The move sparked widespread anger and resentment from local Phoenix firearm dealers and patrons alike, as well as charges of an anti-gun conspiracy by the federal government. Though Korwin admitted the move was dubious, he told WorldNetDaily there was "absolutely no evidence" that the FBI "maliciously" turned off NICS "for the sole purpose of thwarting national gun sales." However, he said, "Did the FBI know such a move would thwart gun sales? Of course they had to know that because they're not stupid. I'm just saying I don't know if the move was malicious or conspiratorial." The system, which is known as the National Instant (Background) Check System, or NICS, is a result of the Brady Law, which mandated such a system by Nov. 30, 1998. Specifically, it is a computer database located in Clarksburg, W.Va., and is used to "check available records on persons who are disqualified from receiving firearms." Clinton administration advocates have touted the system as a legitimate crime-fighting tool. Critics of the system, however, claim that NICS is a waste of taxpayer money and violates Second Amendment restrictions on the "infringement" of the right to keep and bear -- and purchase -- firearms. At the Phoenix event, Korwin said that although licensed dealers were unable to sell firearms, private transactions between individuals occurred. "And as you know," he added, "there currently is a move to close that so-called loophole in the law as well." President Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and a number of Republican lawmakers have recently said they will seek legislation mandating that all firearms transactions -- including those at gun shows -- also be subjected to a NICS check. Korwin said the most frustrating aspect of the July 11 incident was that gun dealers "had no prior knowledge" that the system would be shut down. "That was quite a surprise" to dealers, he said. But he added, "I don't think any attention was paid, that I'm aware of, that this action could put people out of business by stopping commerce. It was government regulation of free enterprise in a way that had never been done." According to the FBI's own "fact sheet" on the NICS system, "In accordance with the Brady Act, the NICS shall allow Federal Firearms Licensees ... to contact the system by telephone or by other electronic means in addition to the telephone, for information, to be supplied immediately." If the gun buyer has no disqualifying criminal record, the transaction is approved and a "NICS transaction number" (NTN) is assigned to the purchase. "If the FBI determines that disqualifying information exists on the prospective purchaser," the rules state, "the Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) will be advised that the transfer may not proceed and will be given an NTN to record on the ATF Form 4473 and retain the form for auditing purposes." States can also decide if they want FFLs to contact a state agency for sales approval instead of the federal government. Korwin said that in the event the NICS system is down for any reason, the Brady law "only requires its use if it is up and running." He said gun dealers may sell guns without a background check if the system is down, "but dealers don't do that because they are terrified of reprisals by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms" -- the agency primarily responsible for regulating firearms sales. He also said the NICS system "has been temporarily down before, but never for a full day." "I've asked them for information on their down time," he said, "but so far I haven't gotten any." Typically, he said, the system "glitches" from time to time, which does not suggest any duplicity on the part of the FBI. On the other hand, he added, when the system is down it is costly for gun dealers. "There are some 23,000 guns sold daily in this country, so you can imagine the economic impact" of repeated system glitches or prolonged down time, Korwin said. He also said the Arizona show promoter, Bob Templeton, "spoke with the FBI (on the day of the Phoenix show) and Templeton told me the FBI had shut off the NICS system for the day." Templeton could not be reached for comment. Also, an attempt was made by WorldNetDaily to fax a list of questions to the FBI facility in West Virginia, per the agency's request, without success. Korwin questioned the necessity of the NICS system on the whole, and said the weekend shut down illustrates why it is important to prevent the government from overregulating the firearms industry. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jon E. Dougherty is the author of "Illegals: The Imminent Threat Posed by Our Unsecured U.S.-Mexico Border." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: CHEROKEE To: "Undisclosed-Recipient:;"@bluemarble.net Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2004 4:25 PM Subject: US makes 'weather control powder' Classified - if you can get clearance: Counterforce Weather Control http://www.au.af.mil/Spacecast/App-Q.html Air Force research paper: Owning the Weather http://www.au.af.mil/au/2025/volume3/chap15/v3c15-1.htm Weather Modification and Mind Control in the news: Dangerous testing went beyond vets http://www.freep.com/news/nw/vets-bar111e_20041111.htm US makes 'weather control powder' http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/1469610.stm Sapping A Hurricane's Strength http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/10/29/tech/main652303.shtml Understanding Weather Modification http://www.usatoday.com/weather/research/wmodify.htm Websites: Air Force 2025: http://www.au.af.mil/au/2025/ HAARP Defensive Economic Warfare: http://www.superforce.com/email-releases/HAARP.htm A Partial History of Aerosol and Weather Related Technologies http://users.ev1.net/~seektress/patlist.htm When the Army Owns the Weather http://www.alternet.org/story/12342 Vandalism In The Sky http://www.earthpulse.com/haarp/vandalism.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Greetings 2 reports one new and the other a bit on the old side................... Stay calm everyone, there's Prozac in the drinking water Mark Townsend Sunday August 8, 2004 The Observer It should make us happy, but environmentalists are deeply alarmed: Prozac, the anti-depression drug, is being taken in such large quantities that it can now be found in Britain's drinking water INDUCED APATHY Actually there is little that is novel in the concept of controlling the minds and manners of the multitude by chemical/dietary means. That it was practised by Hitler's regime is made the more credible when we know that as far back as 1938 the US Government, and ally to boot, and the government of a democratic Christian country, was considering the transformation of American citizens and others into 'zombies' by a number of proposed techniques. The US Army searched for "the perfect incapacitating agent", according to General Fellenz, "to put in the enemy's water supply". Included in the drugs tested were the hallucinogenic LSD and the amnesiac BZ (10 times more potent than LSD), and a "schizophrenic agent called bulbocapine". Full Story http://befreetech.com/fluoridation.htm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (I'm not including the photos from this article but you CAN click on this URL and see them if you wish...) http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/story_pages/news/news2.shtml EXCLUSIVE: MoD probe into video exposing boozy squaddies leering at lesbian sex show in Iraq Squalid & depraved By Neville Thurlbeck & David McGee THESE sickening scenes are from the secret lesbian sex show video at the centre of a Ministry of Defence investigation. OVER THE TOP: Jane is engrossed in romping with Angie while some male comrades try to muscle in on the action to a chorus of sick jeers SQUALID MANOEUVRES: Squaddies get tanked up and move in for grope as Jane straddles Angie in one of our stills from shock video STATEMENT FROM THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE: The MoD takes this video very seriously indeed. Those responsible will be dealt with very seriously, too. This is no way reflects badly on the many hundreds of decent soldiers SORDID: Squalid squaddie action DEPRAVED: Sickening sex scenes JEERING: Squaddies cheer on show URGENT PROBE: MoD are shocked EXCLUSIVE: MoD probe into video exposing boozy squaddies leering at lesbian sex show in Iraq Squalid & depraved By Neville Thurlbeck & David McGee THESE sickening scenes are from the secret lesbian sex show video at the centre of a Ministry of Defence investigation. The depraved film of two pretty girl soldiers performing degrading acts as drunk squaddies jeer them on was shot six weeks ago-inside a British Army tent in the heart of the Iraqi war zone. But last night the two blondes and other troops involved-all members of the Royal Engineers-were being quizzed by the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch. Top brass launched their urgent probe into the squalid show -which took place in Shaiba, near Basra airport-after the whistle was blown by an outraged soldier from another regiment. He saw one of dozens of copies made of the tape, now being shown on bases all over Iraq, and it was passed to the Ministry of Defence. The stunned informant said: "While our lads in the north are giving their lives, this tiny bunch in the south seem to think it's a party. It came as an utter shock to me because this sort of behaviour is so rare. "I've never come across debauchery like this in 15 years in the Army." The embarrassing video, seen by the News of the World, could not have surfaced at a worse time for the Army. Catcalls The service is still reeling from the killing of three Black Watch soldiers in Thursday's suicide bombing. Army investigators studied the tape's contents carefully and quickly identified those taking part, which unit they belong to and where they're based in Iraq. Many pictures of the scenes are too disgusting to print in a family newspaper. The girls, referred to as Angie and Jane, are seen writhing on top of each other and performing explicit sex acts together. Giggling and laughing, they are urged on by the men who bellow streams of unprintable four-letter obscenities. Milder catcalls that can be repeated include "Go on bitch!", "Rip her jeans down!", "On your knees!" and a raucous "Get 'em off!" As Jane, in pink shorts, and Angie, in black sweatshirt, kiss and grope each other intimately several of the bellowing crowd lunge forward to join in. But some of the male soldiers object-not on moral grounds but because their view of the action is being obstructed. Although much of the dialogue on the chaotic video is obliterated by lust-fuelled chanting, one lad can plainly be heard yelling: "No touching lads! No touching!" Another yells: "Oi! Let the girls enjoy their time together!" A third barks: "Dave, don't touch 'em! Don't ****ing touch 'em!" While some soldiers take damning close-up pictures of the sex using mobile phone cameras others drunkenly swig beer and cider, despite a strict two-can daily ration on operations. The drinking scenes will worry top brass as well as the sex. There is currently a high profile Special Investigation Branch inquiry taking place into the booze culture among British troops in Iraq and another in Afghanistan. Genuine Astonishingly, the makers of the tape did not try to hide the location or the fact they were on Army operations. Although no one is in uniform and everyone appears to be off duty a soldier's Mark 6 armoured helmet and body armour is plainly visible in the background. And there are clear shots of the distinctive floor webbing used in Army quarters. There is also a stack of mineral water-the type imported by the Army from Kuwait-and an Army regulation air-conditioning unit. Yesterday a Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "Our investigations show this video is genuine and was shot by soldiers on active operations in Iraq six weeks ago. "We take this very seriously indeed. Those responsible will be dealt with very seriously, too. This is a rarity and it in no way reflects badly on the many hundreds of decent soldiers." As the inquiry progressed last night, a source from the Redcaps' investigation team told us: "This is the first time in my 20-year Army career I've come across something like this. It's very much a one-off. "But it's an utter disgrace and these few bad apples will be rooted out." The Corps of Royal Engineers has an illustrious and distinguished history going back more than 900 years. They can claim direct descent from the military engineers brought to England by William the Conqueror and have an unbroken record of service to the Crown since then. One of their mottoes is 'Ubique' meaning 'Everywhere', signifying that they have taken part in every single battle fought by the British Army. Idiots A regiment insider told us: "The Royal Engineers have been in the thick of every major combat zone for nearly 1,000 years and have a proud tradition. "Everyone in the regiment is mortified that the actions of a few drunken idiots risks our fantastic reputation. "We want them drummed out of the Army. We can do without them." DO you have a story? Call us any day free on 0800 279 3786 or email us by clicking here -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ACTION ALERT October 22, 2004 Establishing a national ID and building a national database to hold information on every man, woman and child in the U.S., has been a priority of big-government elites for years. Those elites are just about to get their way. Those of us who strongly object to their plans for us and want to preserve the American way of life had better act today. Two weeks ago, we alerted you to the U.S. House's vote on H.R. 10 -- The 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act. That act takes the final step to establishing a national ID to track American citizens and authorize the creation of a national database to hold the information collected. Unfortunately, H.R. 10 passed in the House. In a slightly different version, it also passed in the Senate. Now, a House-Senate conference committee is meeting to iron out those differences and come up with a final version. Gun Owners of America, a leading opponent of the national ID and master database, today alerted Americans that H.R. 10 would: 1. Create a master database containing personal information on every American man, woman and child (section 2173). The content of this database would be within the exclusive discretion of the bureaucrats, but could include medical records, confidential financial records, library records and gun records. 2. "Standardize" or nationalize the process of issuing state driver's licenses -- an action which takes the final step in creating a national ID (section 3052). With a national ID, master database, and the new powers granted by Patriot Acts I and II, politicians and bureaucrats, in office today and in the future, will have unchecked access and power over the American people. We must stop the national ID. Please do three things: 1. Urge your U.S. representative to get the House-Senate conference committee to remove the provisions that will create a national ID and master database. Use this link to send your message: http://capwiz.com/liberty/issues/alert/?alertid=6562946&type=CO 2. Urge House Majority Leader Tom DeLay to intervene and get those two provisions removed. His office telephone number is 202-225-4000 and fax number is 202-225-5117. An e-mail form is at http://www.majorityleader.gov/CONTACT.ASP?a=form 3. Spread the word. Forward the following link to family and friends: http://www.thelibertycommittee.org/update10.22.04.htm The House-Senate conference committee will continue to meet over the weekend. Therefore, we must act today to get the committee to remove the national ID and master database provisions before the House and Senate vote on the final version. That vote might take place as early as Wednesday or Thursday of next week. Kent Snyder The Liberty Committee http://www.thelibertycommittee.org -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2004 9:31 PM Subject: [American_Revolution_II] MKULTRA Experiments in Montreal 1957-1961, Canada: MKULTRA Experiments in Montreal By Joseph Rauh, Jr. and James Turner, the lawyers who litigated against the CIA in the 1980s. Early in 1957, Dr. D. Ewen Cameron, Director of the Allan Memorial Institute in Montreal, formally applied for funding from the "Society for the Investigation of Human Ecology," a CIA front at Corn-ell University Medical School, New York City. Cameron described his brainwashing experiments as follows: "(i) The breaking down ongoing patterns of patient's behavior by particularly intensive electroshocks (depatterning). (ii) Intensive repetition (16 hours a day for 6-7 days) of prearranged verbal signal. (iii) During this intensive repetition the patient is kept in partial sensory isolation. (iv) Repression of the driving period is carried out by putting the patient, after the conclusion of the period, into continuous sleep for 7-10 days." Cameron also proposed testing "LSD and similar agents" in "depat-terning" his patients. Sidney Gottlieb and other CIA officials approved the application and over four years, provided $60,000 for the experiments. Canada's Government Aided the CIA's Legal Defense In the 1980s, the CIA and State Department launched a public counterattack on the Canadian government for questioning the propriety of CIA activities. The CIA effectively converted the Canadian government into an active and hostile opponent. In press briefings, interviews and Court pleadings, the CIA hammered away at one theme - Canada funded Cameron too. Legally, this was irrelevant, but politically, it was devastating. As one U.S. Attorney said, "We're going to wrap the Canadian Government financing of Cameron right around their necks." This steady counterattack left the Canadian government completely cowed, apparently a fairly easy thing for the U.S. to accomplish. To turn off the public heat for supporting our case, the Mulroney government commissioned an "independent study" by a former Tory M.P., John Cooper. The result was neither independent nor a study, but a several hundred page brief concluding Canada was blameless, and CIA involvement was "a red herring." The "Cooper Report" was compiled and written by Canadian Justice Department lawyers, whose job was to defend Canada against claims of liability based on its involvement with Cameron. A more clear conflict of interest is difficult to imagine. No Canadian Bar disciplinary committee has investigated the lawyers who did it. The "Cooper Report" asserted that Cameron had done nothing wrong. Without interviewing any of our clients or reviewing their medical records, the report announced there was probably little if any lasting harm to the victims. The report reproduced the CIA's principal defenses, now as the "independent" conclusions of an official Canadian government investigation. The "Cooper Report" was a complete whitewash. What once had appeared to be our strongest potential ally, threatening even to take the U.S. to the International Court of Justice at the Hague, now sought to exonerate the CIA in every conceivable way possible. The Canadian government did such a good job for the CIA that the "Cooper Report" became the first exhibit in the CIA's final effort to defeat our case through a motion for summary judgment. In addition, the same psychiatrists who the Canadian government had retained to ratify the Cooper whitewash were the CIA's expert witnesses. Canada completed the legwork that an associate in a good law firm usually does for a senior partner. Source: Rauh and Turner, "Anatomy of a Public Interest Case against the CIA," Hamline Journal of Public Law and Policy, Fall 1990. www.radix.net/~jcturner/anat-tofc.html Dr. Ewen Cameron (1901-1967) President of the: a.. Quebec Psychiatric Association b.. Canadian Psychiatric Association c.. American Psychiatric Association d.. World Psychiatric Association e.. Association for Biological Psychiatry Source: www.datafilter.com/mc/scienceAbuse.html a.. Director of Research, Worcester State Hospital, Massachussetts (1936) b.. Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry, Albany State Medical School (1938) c.. Professor of Psychiatry, McGill (1943) d.. Director, Allan Memorial Institute, at McGill University, Montreal (1943) e.. Professor, Albany Medical School (1964) f.. Director, Lab. for Research in Psychiatry & Aging, Veterans' Hospital, Albany (1964) Source: www.archives.mcgill.ca/guide/ Nuremberg Tribunal Member Dr. Ewen Cameron was a member of the Nuremberg tribunal (1945). He examined and diagnosed Rudolf Hess, Hitler's devoted "deputy Fuhrer" responsible for Nazi party matters, saying that he was insane, thus helping to save Hess' life. In 1961, Cameron became president of the World Psychiatric Association, which was riddled with Nazi psychiatrists and apologists. Cameron's mind control experiments violated the Nuremberg Code for medical ethics. Source: www.mentalhealthfacts.com/blackribbon/wpanazimembers.html -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:45:44 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:45:44 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Who Killed Margaret Hassan Message-ID: (Likely another Mossad "hit". Margaret Hassan was considered to be a 'daughter of the Iraqi people' (despite her Irish roots) because of her dedication to the plight of the Iraqi people and her work with Iraqi spinal cord trauma treatment centers. She was beloved in that country. It does not make a lick of sense that Iraqi insurgency groups would take out this revered woman.) rense.com Mystery Remains Over Who Killed Margaret Hassan Iraqis Say They Have No Clues To Group Which Shot Aid Worker By Rory McCarthy in Baghdad The Guardian - UK 11-18-4 Iraqi authorities yesterday admitted they still had no clear idea about who killed the aid worker Margaret Hassan. Investigators are being hindered by the uniqueness of the case, and the complexity of the insurgency. In previous kidnappings, Iraq's several insurgent groups have been quick to identify themselves and claim responsibility, using videos to make their demands. From the moment Mrs Hassan was seized her case was different. Mrs Hassan, who had Iraqi nationality and spoke fluent Arabic, was taken from her car as she drove to work at the Care offices in Baghdad on October 19. Two videos emerged, showing her in an increasingly desperate state pleading for her life and asking for the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq. At one point her kidnappers described themselves as an "armed Islamic group". But unlike previous incidents they gave themselves no specific name and used no banners or flags to identify themselves. Again in the final video showing her apparent death, shot in the head by a masked gunman, there was no insignia to identify a particular group. Efforts were made to begin negotiations with her kidnappers but to no avail. Information campaigns were started and a poster showing Mrs Hassan holding a sick Iraqi child was put up on billboards across the capital. "Margaret Hassan is truly a daughter of Iraq. She is against the occupation," they read. Her kidnappers were unmoved. At one point they threatened to hand her over to Tawhid and Jihad, the extreme militant group based in Falluja that is led by a young Iraqi named Omar Hadid and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the wanted Jordanian militant. But Tawhid and Jihad, which has produced several videos of gruesome murders including that of Ken Bigley, the British contractor, promised to release Mrs Hassan if she was handed over to them. Her case appears to confirm accounts from figures in the insurgency that the movement is made up of several independent groups with little overall leadership and with frequently different methods and agendas. It is most likely she was captured by a radical Sunni Islamic group, since they form the core of the violent guerrilla movement that has fought the US occupation. Among them are several better known groups, including Tawhid and Jihad, which now calls itself al-Qaida in Iraq, as well as the Islamic Army, Ansar al-Sunna, the First Army of Mohammad and the 1920 Revolution Brigades. But there appear to be other smaller offshoots. For some their agenda appears to be simply to force the US military and all other Westerners from Iraq and to destabilise the Baghdad government into collapse. Most were based in Falluja, at least until the US military operation last week, but have bases elsewhere including Baghdad and the town of Latifiya, south of the capital. The mutilated body of a woman, apparently a westerner, was found on a street in Falluja last week, though British officials said yesterday they have yet to determine whether it was Mrs Hassan. Canon Andrew White, of Coventry Cathedral and the international director of the Iraqi Institute of Peace, was involved in negotiations to obtain Mrs Hassan's release. He said that "rogue terrorist groups" had begun to emerge and that her kidnappers were "very likely criminal". "One of the worrying things about the development of the whole kidnapping scenario is that we are no longer dealing with the established groups where at least we understood something of their methodology. Now kidnapping is the kind of thing taken up by any kind of rogue terrorist group," he told the Guardian last night from Dubai. "They don't play by the rules of kidnapping." He said the situation in Iraq appeared increasingly out of control. "It is very difficult to have any sense of where things are going. I don't think there will be any magical cure to the tragedy at the moment." He said elections should still be held. "It is really important to push ahead with the plans, otherwise the insurgents will say they have won. They are trying to prevent any sort of order being re-established." The leadership of the insurgent groups are predominantly Iraqi, though there are other Arab fighters involved at lower levels. Some of their agendas are regarded as too extreme even by mainstream insurgent figures. Guardian Unlimited ? Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004 http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1353695,00.html -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:45:18 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:45:18 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Analysis: Israel hand seen in Ivorian clash Message-ID: FYI http://www.wpherald.com/Africa/storyview.php?StoryID=20041117-021251-983 2r Analysis: Israel hand seen in Ivorian clash By Martin Sieff UPI Senior News Analyst Published November 17, 2004 WASHINGTON -- New allegations that Israeli arms dealers helped the army of Ivory Coast attack a French military base look likely to reignite long-tense relations between Israel and France. "Israeli mercenaries assisting the Ivory Coast army operated unmanned aircraft that aided the aerial bombing of a French base in the country on Nov.9," France's TF-1 television station reported Wednesday. Also Wednesday, the respected Paris newspaper Le Monde reported that a group of 46 Israeli advisers were running an electronic-surveillance center for the Ivory Coast army, which has turned on French peacekeepers invited in by the government two years ago. Israel Radio cited an Israeli defense source as denying the reports. The attacks on French bases cost the lives of at least nine French soldiers. "Israel is unaware of such a thing," the Jerusalem Post quoted the Israeli Foreign Ministry saying. Earlier, French troops at Abidjan airport in Ivory Coast, now Cote D'Ivoire, seized an Israeli-built drone, or unmanned-surveillance aircraft. In September, France called on Israel to clarify its role in Ivory Coast. On Nov. 9, the Israeli Defense Ministry's Director General Amos Yaron promised to stop supplying military equipment to the army in the poor West African nation. "The decision was made in the light of recent developments in this country and at the request of the French government," a Defense Ministry statement said. "It will remain in effect until the situation in that country becomes clear." The allegations are political dynamite for many reas ons. France was so incensed by the deadly Nov.9 air attack on its troops it responded with overwhelming force, wiping out the entire Ivory Coast air force. In retaliation, enraged mobs attacked French troops and citizens in the former French colony and France evacuated more than 5,000 Westerners in the country. The U.N. Security Council Monday approved an arms embargo on Ivory Coast, a move that was a blow to President Laurent Gbagbo, who had pledged to rebuild the air force. On Wednesday, the African Union called for an urgent meeting of its Peace and Security Council to prevent Ivory Coast from collapsing into full-scale civil war like its West African neighbors, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The AU issued a statement that called for "the early convening" of the PSC "to review developments in Ivory Coast and agree on steps to be taken to contribute tot eh restoration of lasting peace and security." France has significant economic interests in Ivory Coast as well long-time ties to the country, but in recent months its 2002 intervention there has become a hot potato and President Jacques Chirac might well want to divert popular attention from the casualties that French troops have suffered. Israel makes some of the most advanced unmanned drone surveillance aircraft in the world and has been a significant arms exporter to sub-Saharan Africa for more than 35 years. But the Israelis are not eager to infuriate the French government or rally the French public around Chirac who has often clashed with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on many issues. France is one of the most powerful nations in the 25-country European Union. It also has the largest Jewish community in Europe and one that has been targeted by Islamist extremists from the country's Algerian-Muslim community. The last thing French Jews would want is for Israel, and by implication them, to be scapegoats for mainstream French nationalists because of the deaths of French troops in Ivory Coast. Tensions between Israel and France are based on serious policy differences between the governments but there is much more personal animus to them than between Israel and most other members of the EU. A few years ago at a large dinner, France's ambassador to Britain was reported as having described Israel as "a shitty little country." More recently, Sharon enraged the French government and many Frenchmen by calling on French Jews to immigrate to Israel for their own safety. Few took his advice. The tensions are particularly ironic as no nation did more to help Israel during the first and most dangerous 20 years of its struggle for existence than France. Under both the Fourth and Fifth Republics, Israel received more important weapons for its army and air force from France than from any other country. Israel won the 1967 Six Day War with then state-of-the-art Mirage fighter-bombers supplied by France when neither the United States nor any other European nation would or could supply comparable weapons. Ivory Coast is the largest cocoa exporting nation in the world and its resources have long made it a magnet for Westerners eager to do business. But Israel is now finding out, as France already has, that the messy complications involved may not be worth it. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:46:08 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:46:08 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: The Night Westerners Were Hunted For Being White Message-ID: rense.com The Night Westerners Were Hunted For Being White Aid Workers Faced Mobs Of Africans On The Rampage By Colin Randall The Telegraph - UK 11-19-4 As experienced aid workers they have seen some of the world's worst conflict zones. But nowhere, they believe, was as dangerous as the Ivory Coast capital of Abidjan when thousands of Africans rioted, intent on robbing, raping or killing foreigners. Peter Robinson, a Scottish-Canadian architect who turned to voluntary work to get fit, has dealt with the Taliban in Afghanistan, found a mass grave in Kosovo and worked in Iraq. His ebullient French colleague, Pierre Bourguignon, is a veteran of emergency evacuations from several trouble spots and has vivid memories of a Kalashnikov rifle being prodded at his throat in southern Sudan. They might be expected to have hardier nerves than most. But both say they were terrified when mobs of "young patriots" loyal to President Laurent Gbagbo took to the streets 12 days ago in response to calls to avenge France's destruction of the entire Ivory Coast air force. They confirmed claims by officials in Paris that European expatriates, especially the 14,000 French people living in their country's former colony, were the specific target of the protesters. Dozens of white women were allegedly raped during the worst of the rioting on the nights of Nov 6 and 7. Mr Robinson, 52, and Mr Bourguignon, 62, a former restaurateur, work for Merlin, one of three causes chosen to benefit from this year's Telegraph Christmas Charity Appeal. Both are now resting in Mr Bourguignon's home village near Chateau-Thierry, in France's Champagne-producing region. The two men were in different parts of the Ivory Coast, where the British charity is setting up health centres and schools, when they heard of the attack by Mr Gbagbo's forces in rebel-held territory to the north. Nine French soldiers were killed along with an American scientist, provoking France's instant retaliation against the Ivorian military air fleet. Heading back to their homes in Abidjan, they heard of demonstrations. "I got my driver to take what I thought would be an indirect but safe route," said Mr Bourguignon. "But we ran into a crowd of about 1,000 people. As the only white in our group, I was hiding under the luggage." Two French schools and several French-owned businesses and homes were looted. Mr Robinson was one of three white people who hid in a residential complex, protected by African workers who assured protesters that no white workers were there. Both men later opened an evacuation centre for foreigners until they, too, were flown to France after five days. "There were some very frightened people," said Mr Robinson. "One poor French girl was shaking like a leaf. A French-Ghanaian girl was badly beaten around the breasts." A group of Lebanese women, a mother with her daughter and two employees, had all been raped. "It's something they cannot report to anyone in their community," said Mr Bourguignon. Mr Robinson served in Baghdad until the threat to westerners forced Merlin to pull out its staff. "But at least in Iraq, I felt it was a question of not being caught," he said. "Only two or three per cent of the population wished you harm. I never felt anything like the same danger as when tens of thousands of people wanted to kill me because I am white." Merlin prides itself on emergency relief. Mr Robinson said the EU-funded mission in the Ivory Coast was continuing. "After Iraq, I was offered Georgia or the Ivory Coast," he said. "I am beginning to wonder if I made the right choice. But there must be something about people like us that makes us do it, and love doing it." ? Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2004. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;sessionid=XB0IFQXHJ0VQ3QFIQMFS M5WA VCBQ0JVC?xml=/news/2004/11/19/wapp19.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/11/19/ixnewsto p.html &secureRefresh=true&_requestid=19093 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:46:35 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:46:35 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Expert Warns Against 5 FDA-Approved Drugs Message-ID: rense.com Expert Warns Against 5 FDA-Approved Drugs By Lisa Richwine and Ransdell Pierson 11-19-4 WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. Food and Drug Administration reviewer who has accused the agency of being lax in monitoring drug safety on Thursday said five medicines on the market need closer scrutiny. Shares of several makers of the drugs, including British rivals GlaxoSmithKline Plc and AstraZeneca Plc, fell sharply after the testimony. Dr. David Graham, speaking at a Senate hearing, singled out Abbott Laboratories Inc.'s weight-loss drug Meridia, AstraZeneca's cholesterol fighter Crestor, Pfizer Inc.'s arthritis treatment Bextra, Roche's acne drug Accutane and GlaxoSmithKline's asthma drug Serevent. "There are at least five drugs on the market today that I think need to be looked at quite seriously to see if they belong there," said Graham, associate director for science in the FDA's Office of Drug Safety. Graham in August presented his FDA-sponsored study suggesting Merck & Co's arthritis drug Vioxx caused heart attacks and stroke, the month before Merck recalled its $2.5 billion-a-year drug. Graham has alleged senior FDA officials tried to suppress his findings. "David Graham was the FDA researcher who had questioned Vioxx's safety before it was recalled, so a list of drugs he's also concerned about is going to be taken quite seriously," said David Moskowitz, an analyst at Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co. A top official at the FDA's Office of New Drugs, however, disagreed with Graham's list. "I do not have reason to believe that set of five drugs is specifically more concerning," Dr. Sandra Kweder, deputy director of the Office of New Drugs, told the Senate Finance Committee hearing on Thursday. Henry Dummett, an analyst at World Markets Research Center, said he was concerned about "a degree of paranoia" about drug safety in the wake of the Vioxx recall. AstraZeneca last year launched Crestor as a challenger to Pfizer's Lipitor. The new drug had global third-quarter revenue of $260 million. Graham said a serious look was needed at the chances of Crestor causing kidney failure and a potentially fatal muscle breakdown. "The FDA to date has not given us any indication of a major concern regarding Crestor," said AztraZeneca spokeswoman Rachel Bloom-Baglin. AstraZeneca closed down 8.6 percent to $40.34 on the New York Stock Exchange. Serevent is used by itself and also as one of two ingredients in GlaxoSmithKline's asthma treatment Advair, the company's biggest product with sales of $4 billion a year. Graham said he was worried about reports Serevent might increase the chances of dying. Serevent carries a warning of rare cases of asthma-related fatalities in studies. "Any issues concerning mortality associated with Serevent have been fully considered by the FDA," Glaxo said. Glaxo shares fell 3.2 percent at $43.59, also on the New York Stock Exchange. Pfizer's Bextra is in the same class of arthritis drugs as Vioxx, which was recalled Sept. 30 after a company study showed it doubled heart attack and stroke risk. The FDA is planning to look at the entire family of Vioxx-type drugs at an advisory committee meeting next year, including Pfizer's older treatment Celebrex. "I would be looking at Bextra very, very carefully," Graham said at the hearing, which was called to examine the actions of the FDA and Merck regarding Vioxx. Pfizer last week said it is considering a "black box" warning on Bextra's package insert label that the drug can cause a rare but sometimes fatal skin disorder called Stevens-Johnson syndrome. The pill, launched in 2001, had sales of $687 million last year. "Bextra has been found safe and effective when used as indicated," Pfizer spokeswoman Susan Bro said. Pfizer last month acknowledged, however, that Bextra has been shown to raise risk of heart attacks and stroke in patients undergoing heart bypass surgery. Roche's Accutane, also sold generically under the name isotretinoin, has been on the market for 22 years and is reserved for the most severe forms of acne that are not responsive to other treatments. It can cause birth defects. "Over the years a strong risk management program has evolved with the drug to make sure it is used appropriately," said Roche spokeswoman Carolyn Glynn. She said the drug is expected to have sales of about $84 million this year. Graham said Abbott's Meridia diet drug only works if used long-term, but many people stop taking it early on because of side effects. "Is there a need for this product in the first place?" he asked. Abbott spokesman Tim Lindberg defended Meridia as a "safe" treatment for obesity. Copyright ? 2004 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=6859417 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:47:02 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:47:02 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] US to boost forces in Iraq Message-ID: U.S. Likely to Boost Forces in Iraq By ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer WASHINGTON - Commanders in Iraq (news - web sites) probably will expand their troops by several thousand as the January elections approach, the No. 2 commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East said Friday. Lt. Gen. Lance L. Smith told a Pentagon (news - web sites) news conference that no final decisions have been made and that the size of the troop increase will depend in part on whether the insurgency grows or weakens in the aftermath of the Fallujah offensive, which he called a major success. Smith estimated that commanders would ask for about a brigade's worth of extra troops, which would be roughly 5,000. He said that probably would be achieved by keeping some units that were scheduled to serve 10 months in Iraq for an extra two months. He did not name the units. There now are about 138,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, he said. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&e=1&u=/ap/20041119/ap_on_re_mi_ea/us_iraq_7 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:47:36 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:47:36 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] APEC protest photographs Message-ID: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?g=events/wl/111704apecprotest&a=&tmpl=sl&ns =&l=1&e=1&t=&prev=137 Quite a slide show, with some nice photographs. I found it really interesting to see the street art and street fights being used at this round of the APEC Summit. It reminds me of our turn in 1997. Irwin ============================================== List Rules: http://www.lefthook.org/Rules.html [Please clip all unnecessary text if you are replying to a previous e-mail.] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:49:43 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:49:43 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Afghanistan's economy Message-ID: Afghanistan's economy Nov 19th 2004 >From Economist.com FROM: http://www.economist.com/research/backgrounders/displaybackgrounder.cfm?bg=1010697 Afghanistan is one of the world's poorest countries. Though it acquired a new currency in October 2002, its banking system is under-developed and its central government raises a pathetic amount of revenue. War, earthquakes and drought have left its infrastructure in ruins and many Afghans (millions of whom have returned from abroad) mainly dependent on foreign aid. Agriculture is the largest sector of Afghanistan's economy and the source of livelihood for most of its people. Banned, with astonishing success, by the Taliban in July 2000, opium cultivation has returned with a vengeance since their ouster. Hamid Karzai, the president, is struggling to build alternative industries, such as carpet-making and the production of dried fruit. Afghanistan also has untapped hydrocarbon and mineral resources, but there has been little foreign investment in them. In January 2002 rich countries promised the country's government $4.5 billion over five years to fund rebuilding efforts (some, but not all, was doled out). Another $4.5 billion was promised in March 2004. Hamid Karzai's government is banking on a surging private sector. Yet without new thinking, Afghanistan will fail again. ===== Homepage (as of NOV-01-2002): http://www.SeattleActivist.org To unsubscribe, send an email to: SeattleActivist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:50:13 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:50:13 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Soaring drug production threatens stability in Afghanistan Message-ID: Huge Afghan poppy crop raises fear of 'narco-state' >From Rory Watson in Brussels A boom in opium production threatens to wreck stability FROM: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1364976,00.html THREE years after the Taleban were overthrown, Afghanistan leads the world in the production of illegal recreational drugs. Opium farming soared by 64 per cent last year, prompting fears that it could undermine moves to bring stability to the country and turn it instead into a "narco-state". A United Nations report released yesterday shows that opium cultivation has spread to all 32 provinces, making narcotics the main engine of economic growth. The opium economy, valued at $2.8 billion (?1.55 billion), represents 60 per cent of Afghanistan's gross domestic product. Presenting the findings, Antonio Mario Costa, executive director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, said: "With 131,000 hectares (324,000 acres) dedicated to opium farming this year, Afghanistan has established a double record - the highest drug cultivation in the country's history, and the largest in the world. "Corruption in the public sector, the diehard ambition of local warlords and the complicity of local investors are becoming a factor in Afghan life," he said. Despite the huge increase in the land set aside for farming poppies - which supply the main ingredient for heroin - the actual growth in production from 2003 was only 17 per cent because of bad weather and disease. Even so, the total output of 4,200 tonnes of opium was only marginally below the record 4,600 tonnes harvested under the Taleban in 1999 and represents 87 per cent of world production of opium. Most of the drugs, turned into heroin using imported chemical precursors, are smuggled across the Pakistan border, where Taleban and al-Qaeda forces in hiding demand protection and transit fees. The narcotics are eventually delivered to the Netherlands for distribution across the Continent. The drugs explosion in Afghanistan runs counter to trends elsewhere in the world, where output is decreasing on every continent. According to the UN agency, cocaine production in the Andes region has fallen by 30 per cent in three years, and in South-East Asia opium production has decreased by 75 per cent. Signor Costa said that it would be an error to abandon Afghanistan to opium after the country had been reclaimed from the Taleban. He added that opium cultivation, which now involves 10 per cent of the country's population, could "ultimately incinerate everything - democracy, reconstruction and stability". Nato and the coalition forces are under pressure to take tougher action against the traffickers. Bill Rammell, a British Foreign Office Minister, said: "A change is taking place. Troops will now destroy seizures and hand over suspects. We need to increase the number of arrests and send a strong message to police and government officials that it is not business as usual." Britain is leading efforts to fight the drugs trade, as part of moves to establish democracy in Afghanistan. It has earmarked ?70 million for a three-year campaign, already under way, to crush the heroin trade. Mr Rammell confirmed that Britain would fully back Hamid Karzai, recently elected President, who has made the clampdown on drugs a priority. As part of the strategy, the Government is hoping to create alternative livelihoods for farmers, although persuading them to change crops will not be easy when for one hectare of opium they can receive ten times as much as they get for wheat. Britain is also helping to create an effective criminal justice system by training investigators, prosecutors and judges, and giving advice on building high-security court and prison facilities. Yesterday the United States confirmed that it would spend an extra $780 million next year on the fight against drugs in Afghanistan by destroying poppy fields and providing alternative employment. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:51:10 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:51:10 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Sudan, Rebel Leaders Sign Peace Agreement Message-ID: Sudan, Rebel Leaders Sign Peace Agreement By Chris Tomlinson The Associated Press Friday, November 19, 2004; 1:35 PM FROM: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62607-2004Nov19.html NAIROBI, Kenya -- The Sudanese government and southern rebel leaders pledged again Friday to end a 21-year civil war -- this time making the commitment before the U.N. Security Council holding a special meeting in Africa. U.N. officials hope the promise to reach an accord by year's end will also help quell a separate ethnic conflict in Sudan's western Darfur region, but warned against unwarranted optimism. "We are very close to peace, but we have been close before," said John Danforth, who was Washington's special envoy to Sudan before becoming U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. "Do not let this opportunity slip away," he told the Sudanese negotiators. In 48 years of independence, Africa's biggest country has spent 39 years at war with itself. And both the south and west have long histories of internal conflict even before independence. International attention has focused on three major rebel groups -- one in the south and two in Darfur -- but there are more than a dozen militia leaders who constantly shift alliances. Cementing a full peace will require negotiations with all those militias, which have been responsible for most violations of an informal cease-fire that has largely held for two years in the south. The southern war has pitted Sudan's Islamic-dominated government against rebels seeking greater autonomy and a greater share of the country's wealth for the Christian and animist south. The conflict is blamed for more than 2 million deaths, primarily from war-induced famine and disease. Both sides have already agreed on power and wealth sharing and how to integrate their armed forces. All that remains is how to implement the agreements -- for example, who will pay the rebel soldiers until they join the government forces and whether or not money distributed to the south will be in local or foreign currency. The negotiators have promised to meet deadlines before, including a pledge to Secretary of State Colin Powell to reach a final agreement by last Dec. 31. They have missed two further deadlines since then. "We are keen, we are fully committed, to give the people of Sudan and to give Africa and the whole international community the gift of an agreement for the end of the year," Sudanese Vice President Ali Osman Taha told the Security Council. John Garang, leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Army, the biggest southern rebel group, welcomed a resolution the council passed Friday demanding that the two sides sign a final agreement by Dec. 31. "We will do our best to fulfill our commitment," he said. But as the government and the southern rebels have come closer to forming a new government, other insurgencies have emerged, complicating efforts for nationwide peace. Renewed fighting in Darfur erupted in February 2003, when two non-Arab rebel groups took up arms contending Sudan's leaders leaned toward Arab tribes in disputes over the region's water and land. The government responded by backing Arab militias, which have been accused of targeting non-Arab civilians in a campaign of murder, rape and arson. President Bush's administration believes the militias have committed genocide, Danforth said. The Darfur conflict has driven 1.8 million people from their homes. At least 70,000 people, mostly civilians, have died since March because of disease, hunger and hardships from being uprooted. Many more have been killed in fighting, but no firm estimate exists. The Security Council came to Nairobi this week to pressure the Sudanese government and the southern rebels to finalize their deal. The council also used the extraordinary meeting -- only the fourth outside New York since 1952 -- to highlight the deteriorating situation in Darfur and demand an immediate end to violence there. There was near consensus that settling the southern war would make it easier to bring peace to Darfur, because a new power-sharing government would include southern rebels who are sympathetic to the western region's rebels. But human rights groups and aid agencies wanted the council to take stronger action on that conflict, complaining that a new national government would take months to start work, leaving the people of Darfur in limbo. "From New York to Nairobi, a trail of weak resolutions on Darfur has led nowhere," said Caroline Nursey of Oxfam International. Homepage (as of NOV-01-2002): http://www.SeattleActivist.org To unsubscribe, send an email to: SeattleActivist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:52:22 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:52:22 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Arafat Message-ID: (This is astonishing...as the Palestinians explore the possibility (probability) that Arafat had been poisoned to death by the Mossad; Israel begins to leak dis-information that Arafat had AIDS.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------- TROUBLE IN THE HOLY LAND Israel considering AIDS in Arafat's death Palestinians set up team to determine cause of late PLO leader's illness ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------- Posted: November 18, 2004 1:00 a.m. Eastern By Aaron Klein ? 2004 WorldNetDaily.com Israel has been investigating the possibility the late PLO leader Yasser Arafat died of AIDS, while the Palestinians said yesterday they would set up an official commission of inquiry into Arafat's demise amid rumors among some Palestinians that he was poisoned. Arafat's official cause of death has not been released by the Paris hospital in which he was treated because French law prohibits distribution of medical records to anyone other than immediate family. Arafat's widow, Suha, refuses to divulge any details of his illness. Arafat's doctors and Palestinian leaders have ruled out the possibility he died of poisoning, although Hamas and Islamic Jihad continue to accuse Israel of killing Arafat. The Israeli intelligence community the past few days has been using what they know about Arafat's symptoms and the information surrounding his hospitalization to determine, along with medical experts, the most likely cause of death. Sources have said AIDS is being considered, and seems to fit with some of the results of Arafat's blood chemistry, including a low blood platelet count that indicates a weakened immune system - a characteristic of the disease. While Arafat was sick, some publicly speculated he was dying of AIDS. The homosexual site, 365Gay.com, which deals regularly with issues related to HIV/AIDS, ran a piece reminding readers that, for several years, it has been suggested Arafat is bisexual, and could have contracted the disease. "If suggestions that Arafat has AIDS are true, it is doubtful it would be made public," wrote 365Gay.com European bureau chief Malcolm Thornberry. National Review diarist David Frum suggested in a column Arafat contracted AIDS from homosexual sex with his bodyguards. Ion Pacepa, who was deputy chief of Romanian foreign intelligence under the Ceaucescu regime and who defected to the West in 1978, says in his memoirs the Romania government bugged Arafat and had recordings of the Arab leader in orgies with his security detail. Various Israeli security sources have in the past suggested publicly Arafat might be homosexual. They've claimed Arafat's former personal driver - a Mossad double agent - used to find teenage boys to bring back to the PLO leader. His wife, Suha, mostly lived abroad and rarely saw her husband. France's Le Monde newspaper yesterday quoted unnamed doctors who say they treated Arafat as believing he died of a blood clotting disorder called disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). The condition is described as "the complete disruption of the mechanisms which normally assure proper blood clotting ... It can lead to major internal bleeding and possible death." DIC is usually triggered in a person Arafat's age by either infection or a cancer, but his doctors have publicly stated they found no indication of either. Meanwhile, the Palestinians set up a commission that will take testimony from Palestinian and other Arab doctors in an effort to remove questions surrounding Arafat's death. One commission member, Palestinian Minister of Health Jawad Tibi, said he is planning to visit France to pursue the investigation. The French government insisted again yesterday Arafat was not poisoned, but said it would not release Arafat's medical records to the public. They said any information would have to be obtained from Arafat's family. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------- Aaron Klein is WorldNetDaily's special Middle East correspondent, whose past interview subjects have included Yasser Arafat, Ehud Barak, Shlomo Ben Ami and leaders of the Taliban. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:53:26 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:53:26 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Zionists Behind Revival Message-ID: rense.com Zionists Behind Revival Of 1932 'Hateful Comments' Law Reuters/AP 11-17-4 THE HAGUE -- Dutch leaders debated Tuesday about invoking a rarely used law banning blasphemy in response to a wave of ethnic tension and violence. Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner told Parliament that he wanted to revive a 1932 law to isolate radicals and curb "hateful comments." But he was vague on how it would be applied, which he said would be up to the courts. Under the law, violators could face jail terms of up to three months and a fine for insulting a person's religious faith, either orally or in writing. It was last invoked in 1968. The debate comes two weeks after the slaying of Theo van Gogh, a filmmaker whose film "Submission" criticized the treatment of women in Islam and enraged many of the country's Muslims, who number about a million. The main suspect in van Gogh's murder is Islamic. Donner did not respond when asked whether the law was intended to restrict mosque sermons that could be considered inciting, or whether it could target provocative films like van Gogh's. "If the opinions have a potentially damaging effect on society, the government must act," he said. "It is not about religion specifically, but any harmful comments in general," he said in a parliamentary debate. Political leaders angrily responded to Donner's proposal. D66, the smallest party in the governing coalition, submitted a motion to remove the blasphemy clause from the criminal code. "Since van Gogh's murder there are great doubts about what can and cannot be said," said Lousewies van der Laan, parliamentary leader of D66. Instead of addressing those concerns, he said, the minister proposes "to dust off a barely used law on blasphemy." Van Gogh was shot and stabbed to death Nov. 2 on an Amsterdam street. More than 20 arson attacks and reprisals against churches and mosques followed his killing, revealing previously hidden ethnic hatreds. Donner said the law was "part of promoting integration, part of taking away the possible explosive material in society to avoid reactions like we had last week." Much of the recent public debate has come down to the perceived gap between the values of Dutch natives and foreign imams who preach at Dutch mosques. An adviser to Queen Beatrix said Tuesday that the Netherlands must clamp down on the far-right and shun anti-immigration populists. "How is it possible that in Spain, after the attacks on trains in which 191 people died, not a single mosque was set on fire?" said Max van der Stoel, a former Dutch foreign minister. "It happened in the Netherlands, which makes you think." Van der Stoel, a former national minorities high commissioner for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, urged the Dutch government to build bridges with Muslims. His comments came a day after Pim Fortuyn, the maverick anti-immigration populist who was killed by an animal rights activist in 2002, was voted "Greatest Dutchman" in a television contest. Historians expressed shock that Fortuyn had been chosen as "Greatest Dutchman" ahead of William of Orange, the postwar Prime Minister Willem Drees, the diarist Anne Frank, and Vincent van Gogh and Rembrandt. About 300,000 people voted in the television contest broadcast late Monday. "Extreme right-wing youths must be dealt with firmly," van der Stoel told the Algemeen Dagblad daily. "Burning mosques show tensions increasing in an intolerable way. Then relations between natives and foreigners are really in danger." Van der Stoel said the situation in the Netherlands reminded him in the last few days of religious violence in Macedonia in 2001. "If we don't do anything, the chasms will get deeper and the walls of distrust will become ever higher," he said. http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/11/16/news/dutch.html -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:54:56 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:54:56 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Troops On A Killing Spree Message-ID: rense.com The New Mongols - US Troops On A Killing SpreeBy Sam Hamod 11-18-4 There is an old prophecy among the Iraqis that says that when the Khan was wounded, after he'd conquered Iraq, that as he went home to die that he would return some day to once again conquer Baghdad. The Iraqis remember this prophecy and they have sworn on the Qur'an that when he returned he might once again burn Baghdad as did Ibn Timur (Tamerlane) but that they would set fire to his camps wherever they found them until the Mongols had to go home again. America was basically a true Christian leaning nation, America as far as the world was concerned followed Jesus' dictum in the Beatitudes and in Matthew where Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers," and things that relate to justice, peace and mercy. Somehow, Bush, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and Allawi have turned the American troops, most of whom were raised as God-fearing, decent, merciful Christians into Mongols. It's as if they never read Jesus' words, or that they forgot the New Testament, that they read the Old Testament or some Mongol book on warfare. Or America may have let the Mossad of Israel and the IDF teach American troops the Israeli/ Nazi SS style which has been used for years on the Palestinian civilian population. There are strong parallels between what happened in Fallujah and what the Israelis did in Ramallah, Hebron and other Palestinian cities. The dictum was, "Destroy everything, kill anything that moves and terrorize them into submission." This is exactly what our troops are doing in Iraq, just as their Israeli trainers told them to do. But, as with Palestine, in the short term it may work, but in the long term, you will have made enemies who will never forget and who will someday take their revenge. Otherwise, why would our young men and women go into battle saying, "Let's kill'em all," and "Send their souls to hell," and other such things when they gunned down women, children and Iraqi resistance fighters. Why would an American helicopter crew gun down women and children trying to escape Fallujah who were crossing a river in broad daylight. Why would one of our officers gun down wounded civilians in a mosque. We have no excuses except that somehow our troops have become dehumanized. I lay the blame at the U.S. leadership who had the gall and immoral judgement to bring in the Mossad and the Israeli IDF and to send commanders to Israel for further training in this brutal style of warfare not seen since the Mongols (but then again, perhaps we did see it in Viet Nam with Agent Orange and My Lai, etc. but not on this scale). Perhaps this is also why even in Israel there are more and more refuseniks, and in America over 30% of our troops are coming back with mental problems-because it's in conflict with their Christian upbringing and for the refuseniks it's in conflict with the moral aspects of Judaism. There are hundreds of stories as of this past week from eye-witnesses, from photographers, from BBC correspondents, from NBC and from independent writers and people who escaped the blistering shelling and helicopter straffings who have spoken of women and children trying to escape the bombing who were gunned down by our troops, gunned down by helicopters as they were trying to cross a river, being blown to bits by tanks as they hid in their homes. THE QUESTION WE MUST ASK OURSELVES IS, WHO MADE OUR TROOPS INTO MONGOLS ON A KILLING SPREE? We must also ask, as I did over 2 years ago, what is going to happen "'When the Killers Come Home"? We already have evidence from North Carolina and other bases that many of these men abused their wives on their return, others killed them, others are so mentally sick that they cannot return home. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHRISTIAN TRAINING OUR TROOPS HAD. I think it has been corrupted by the un-Christian commanders who claim they are Christians, like General Boykin, Settle in Morocco, Bush in the White House and the Israeli influence on our military commanders. This also is related to the new batch of ministers that have been sent in by the military, most of whom are "born again Christians, " who have somehow developed a hatred for Islam and an allegiance to Israel through their political indoctrination by such as Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. A friend of mine, a Christian minister had asked the same questions when he visited Camp Pendleton, the big Marine base close to San Diego. I do not use his name or denomination for fear of what he called, "possible reprisals from the base command," but he said that many hundreds of troops who came back from Iraq had either turned so cold that they refused to talk about Christ and mercy, and others broke down and cried about what they'd done to women and children. Many of them spoke of the commanders ordering them to terrorize everyone in Iraq in order to make victory short and sweet, that these Iraqis were "heathens," and "sons and daughters of satan," and that they were doing "God's work." Unfortunately, too few of our troops have had the courage to say, "NO." Or the intelligence or religious training to know how to stand up to what was an obvious lie and distortion of the teachings of Jesus Christ. IT IS TIME TO CALL GEORGE BUSH, IYAD ALLAWI, DONALD RUMSFELD, PAUL WOLFOWITZ, GENERAL MYERS, GENERAL ABIZAID BEFORE A CIVILIAN TRIBUNAL, MADE UP OF HONEST SENATORS AND CITIZENS, TO PUT A STOP THIS NEW MONGOL HORDE, AND IF NECESSARY PUT THEM UP BEFORE A CIVILIAN JUDGE OR AN INTERNATIONAL COURT TO BE TRIED FOR WAR CRIMES AGAINST CIVILIANS IN IRAQ, ESPECIALLY IN FALLUJAH, IN BAGHDAD AND IN OTHER CITIES WHERE THEY HAVE ATTACKED CIVILIAN POPULATIONS WITH UNDUE FORCE AND THEN, AS IN FALLUJAH, DEPRIVED THEM OF MEDICINES, WATER, FOOD AND A CHANCE TO SAFELY ESCAPE. My- Lai in VietNam pales beside the butchery our Mongol-like troops, on the ground and in the air, have performed against these civilians and even against the resistance fighters who were but defending their families, their homes, their city and their country. Wouldn't we have done the same; wouldn't we do the same, defend our families, our homes, our cities and our country? It is time we all did something about this, for a start, send this article to your ministers, to your rabbis, to your friends and most of all to your senators and congressmen and to George W. Bush himself so that he may hopefully wake-up from the narcotic of war and return to the words of Jesus, "Mercy, " and "Blessed are the peacemakers," not those who make war or kill women and children. This curse of the Mongols is on his head and ours if we don't stop this-Bush has no mandate from God or man to order the killing on this scale (and yes, he is the man who pulls the strings on Allawi, to order this brutal and inhumane attack on Fallujah), everyone knows that unless they were born without a brain or a moral conscience. As you are all aware, the world now sees us as butchers. One German friend said it reminded him of Dresden; I agree. One British friend who has lived in London all his life said it reminded him of when Hitler would bomb and sent rockets into London in WWII. A friend who served in Viet Nam said he can no longer watch the news because it brings back memories of atrocities in Viet Nam. Muslims from all over the world have written me saying they cannot believe the Americans have allowed themselves to become so bestial-they now see America as in league with the devil. Ironically, Khomeni could not get anyone to see America as "the great satan," but it took George W. Bush and his minions only a few years to do exactly that, to show America is now the great satan in Muslim eyes. We must all do what we can to turn our nation around. After all, as I pointed out, this election and the previous one did not give G.W. Bush a mandate to do these brutal things in the world. His pursuit of war and his bullying is going to backfire, but we must find legal ways to stop him spreading his bestiality further. Even now, the Russians have created a new nuclear device, the Chinese and Russians the Sunburn Missile and its successor that can destroy ships with one missile (so much for our vaunted carrier fleets)-the world is becoming aware that Bush's voracious appetite for power may lead to a world war of devastating consequences. If we can stop his carnage and his illegal puppet government in Iraq, it will be a good start to righting the world. It's time we all pull together and become creative in ways to legally stop this mongol leader of ours; if not, then we shall be judged guilty along with him when the court calls us to justice either on the earth, or if you are a religious person, on the Day of Judgement before God. Sam Hamod is an expert on the Middle East, a former advisor to the U.S. State Department on Middle East and Islam; he also edited, 3rd World News (in D.C.). He also edits www.todaysalternativenews.com . He is at shamod at cox.net http://www.todaysalternativenews.com /index.php?event=link,150&values[0]=&values[1]=1987 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:54:16 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:54:16 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] light bulb... Message-ID: Q: How many Bush Administration officials does it take to screw in a light bulb? A: None. There is nothing wrong with the light bulb; its conditions are improving every day. Any reports of its lack of incandescence are delusional spin from the liberal media. That light bulb has served honorably, and anything you say undermines the lighting effort. Why do you hate America? -- -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:56:40 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:56:40 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: Hit Teams Message-ID: rense.com Zionist Hit Teams To Assassinate Palestinian Leaders 11-18-4 TEHRAN (MNA) -- A special Zionist commando group has been established in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to assassinate Palestinian leaders, informed sources announced on Tuesday. The group is comprised of members of the Gush Emunim organization, which is connected with extremist Israeli settlers. The operation is led directly by Israeli intelligence agency (Mossad) chief Meir Dagan, who is strongly opposed to the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The death squad aims to prevent elections from being held in occupied Palestine and to assassinate Palestinian leaders. The group recently failed in an attempt on the life of Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), the new chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization, who may become the next president of the Palestinian Authority. The sources say that PLO Political Department director Farough al Ghudumi, Hamas spokesman Mohammad al Hendi, Palestinian politician Ghasem Abdulsattar, Palestinian Parliament Speaker Ruhi Fatouh, Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath, PA Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei, and former PA labor minister Mostafa al Barghusi are on the hit list of the Zionist group. Gush Emunim members are equipped by and receive their orders directly from the Mossad chief, without the knowledge of Israeli cabinet ministers. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:56:15 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:56:15 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: To The Father in Fallujah Who Buried His Son in His Garden Message-ID: To The Father in Fallujah Who Buried His Son in His Garden By Nesreen Melek To The Father in Fallujah Who Buried His Son in His Garden Lift your warm son's body and scream as you haven't screamed before and ask them what has your son done to them? Let his blood drip on the soil, don't wash it, let it stay to remember their atrocities and ask them what has your son done to them? Dig a small hole in your garden, let your son?s body rest in peace and ask them what your has your son done to them? Spread his arms like a bird, let his soul fly far away and ask them what has your son done to them? Cover his body with the fertile soil from your garden, and ask them what has your son done to them? Plant a white flower on his grave and ask them what has your son done to them? Water the flower with your tears and ask them what has your son done to them? Fertilize the flower with the blood of the Iraqi civilians who were killed during their shock and awe bombing and ask them what has your son done to them? Sit every day beside his grave, cry for your loss and ours and ask them what has your son done to them? Pray for his soul to rest in heaven and ask Him to forgive them for their acts and ask them what has your son done to them? Get a white tombstone, write the names of all the kids who lost their lives during their liberation and ask them what has your son and all other son other sons, done to them Let the tombstone be as high as it should be, take a picture of the tombstone, give it to them and ask them what has your son done to them? ------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 18:27:35 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 18:27:35 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] How Revolting! Message-ID: <20041124022735.30636.qmail@web20824.mail.yahoo.com> *sending greetings and blessings to my friends* my revolt for the week: im fasting on thursday in protest of "National Simultanious (rub our privilage in the rest of the worlds face) Celebration of Gluttony Day" (and btw, a big fuck you to the Indians) and you thought it was called thanksgiving its lemonade and miso soup for me :D and its a beginning of a movement for our country (imagine fist up in cutthroat air) love, revolution and a hot bath liberty YA! Santa Cruz! i JUST felt a lil earthquake! wheeeee! ===== DEMOCRACY IS A STRUGGLE FOR PROGRESS NOT A FORCE OF DESTABILIZATION __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Read only the mail you want - Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard. http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 10:33:25 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 10:33:25 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] Iraq: Marines kill Muslims During Friday Prayers Message-ID: <20041123183325.58610.qmail@web13601.mail.yahoo.com> U.S. Marines attacked and killed Muslims at *Jumu`ah* at the Abu Hanifah Masjid, which is one of the largest masjids in Baghdad. Here is the news article: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&e=1&u=/ap/20041119/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq Here is a chilling eye-witness account, which I have included below: http://dahrjamailiraq.com/weblog/archives/dispatches/000126.php#more ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? The all-new My Yahoo! ? Get yours free! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 10:37:56 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 10:37:56 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] Rove shaved off 5% and thus W won Message-ID: <20041123183756.90916.qmail@web13622.mail.yahoo.com> Rove shaved off 5% and thus W won Monday, November 22, 2004 commentary: States with electronic voting machines gave Bush mysterious 5% advantage; bloggers do the math that broadcast networks fail to follow Is Bush trying to pull a fast one? It's not fooling bloggers over at www.DemocraticUnderground.com, who have put together some fascinating numbers showing that a mysterious "5% advantage" goes to Bush only in those states using electronic voting machines. Or, put another way, all the exit polls showed Kerry winning, and the exit polls asked people who they actually voted for. But strangely, the "official" count appears to have been boosted in favor of Bush. How was it boosted? Read up at www.BlackBoxVoting.org to learn how electronic voting machines can easily be hacked. And since there's no paper trail -- are we insane? -- there's no record of how the votes were actually cast. Another burning question is surfacing: if this was such a record turnaround, with long lines all over the country, where did all the votes go? Because the vote totals don't show much of a difference from the 2000 election. It's as if a few million votes just vanished... Just to make things even more frustrating for Democratics, the e-voting machines have no way to offer a meaningful recount of votes. As this WIRED article explains, the machines leave no paper trail. The votes are recorded as mere bits and bytes, meaning there's really no way to tell how the people actually voted in the first place. (Only in America could we decide our national elections with the aid of voting machines that leave no paper trail.) Developing... News summary: Source: http://www.bluelemur.com/index.php?p=388 An analysis of exit polling, which showed Kerry with a tighter margin and leading in myriad states, raises serious questions about the authenticity of the popular vote in several key states, RAW STORY has learned. The analysis, conducted by a poster at the popular Democratic forum, Democratic Underground, suggests possible voter fraud in states that do not have electronic voting receipts. An exit poll involves asking someone after they walk out of the election booth who they voted for. Exit polls were recently used in Venezuela to ensure the vote was accurate and legitimate. Perhaps more importantly, while exit polling is unreliable, the odds of President Bush having gaining an advantage from every exit poll in swing states is an extremely improbable coincidence. Actual voting counts found that Bush trailed by 5 percent, with a 5 percent discrepancy favoring Bush. http://www.newstarget.com/002076.html ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Discover all that?s new in My Yahoo! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 10:40:30 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 10:40:30 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] WMD found in Iraq!!! Message-ID: <20041123184030.95635.qmail@web13623.mail.yahoo.com> PHYSICIAN CONFIRMS THAT U.S. USED CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN FALLUJAH ATTACK Iraqi Physican Confirms US Chem Weapons Use In Fallujah By Omar al-Faris - JUS Jihad Unspun 11-18-4 Anger that is seething throughout Iraq and the world over the assault on Fallujah turned to rage yesterday as an Iraqi physician came forward to confirm reports of the use of banned chemical weapons in Fallujah. Speaking on the condition of anonymity to the Panorama radio station, the physician said he had just examined two dead bodies and confirmed that the victims died of banned chemical weapons. The physician found no evidence of bullet wounds, shrapnel, or any objects penetrating the bodies. It is worth noting that Mufkarat al-Islam was the first to alert readers to the use of chemical weapons by American occupying force on 11/11/2004. Since that time there have been several reports that US occupation troops has resorted to using chemical but none that could be independently verified. 34 Victims Of Banned Chemical Weapons Buried In Fallujah It is also interesting how concerned the American occupying forces were about burying the bodies that lay on the outskirts of the Jowlan neighborhood for burial in Al-Saqlawiah, with many mainstream reports that the occupiers where "cleaning up the dead. Now we have the answer. Local citizens who came to retrieve their lost ones were frisked to make sure that none of them brought cameras to document the crime using chemical weapons. American occupiers also insisted on accompanying those citizens from the moment of removing the bodies up until the final burial. 20 bodies including two women and a child were removed on Monday, 14 more on Tuesday. Mufkarat al-Islam correspondent confirmed that the dead bodies were swollen, yellow colored, and had no smell. A number of citizens requested permission to go inside Jowlan neighborhood to remove the dead but they were told (through an interpreter) that Americans cannot go with them because they do not control that area inside. A woman fleeing the war torn zone informed Mufkarat al-Islam,s correspondent that she witnessed Americans putting bodies in black plastic bags and dumping them in the river. Observers agree on one thing- Americans decided to use chemical weapons after they failed to defeat the Mujahideen in Fallujah both a cowardly and inhumane act. The Mujahideen inflicted heavy losses on the US forces in al-Fallujah prompting the Americans to employ chemical weapons for the first time since the fall of Baghdad. Reports have been received that US forces used chemical weapons in the al-Jawlan, ash-Shuhada,, and al-Jubayl neighborhoods and again last night in al-Jubayl neighborhood. Is this how intends to deal with the rest of the Sunni heartland? PHYSICIAN CONFIRMS THAT U.S. USED CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN FALLUJAH ATTACK ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Discover all that?s new in My Yahoo! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 11:10:05 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 11:10:05 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] Investing in War - The Carlyle Group profits from government and conflict Message-ID: <20041123191005.47441.qmail@web13625.mail.yahoo.com> http://www.publicintegrity.org/pns/report.aspx?aid=424&sid=200 Investing in War The Carlyle Group profits from government and conflict By M. Asif Ismail WASHINGTON, November 18, 2004 ? The Carlyle Group, a Washington, D.C.-based private equity firm that employs numerous former high-ranking government officials with ties to both political parties, was the ninth largest Pentagon contractor between 1998 and 2003, an ongoing Center for Public Integrity investigation into Department of Defense contracts found. A dozen companies in which Carlyle had a controlling interest netted more than $9.3 billion in contracts. Overall, six private investment firms, including Carlyle, received nearly $14 billion in Pentagon deals between 1998 and 2003. (See related report, "The Sincerest Form of Flattery.") >From its founding in 1987, the Carlyle Group has pioneered investing in the defense and national security markets, and through its takeover of companies with billions of dollars in defense contracts became one of the U.S. military's top vendors, ranking among better known defense firms like Lockheed Martin, Boeing Co., Raytheon Co., Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics. Unlike those firms, however, the Carlyle Group itself is not a manufacturer. It offers no services directly to the Pentagon, and has no defense contracts. Rather, it manages investments?some $18.4 billion from 600 individuals and entities in 55 countries, according to its Web site. The firm's business is making money for these investors, the vast majority of whose identities are not disclosed to the Securities and Exchange Commission or other government bodies. Though Carlyle itself has won no contracts, the companies it has owned or controlled have done billions of dollars worth of business with the Pentagon. The Carlyle unit that brought in the largest share?$5.8 billion?was United Defense Inc., which manufactures combat vehicles, artillery, naval guns, missile launchers and precision munitions. United Defense also owns the country's largest non-nuclear ship repair, modernization, overhaul and conversion company, United States Marine Repair Inc. Its most famous product may well be the Bradley fighting vehicle. United Defense brought in more than 60 percent of Carlyle's defense business. Carlyle took United Defense public in 2001; by April 2004 it had sold all its shares in the company. Lear Siegler Services, a leading contractor in aircraft logistics support, maintenance, pilot training and ground support, received contracts worth more than $1 billion. Carlyle sold the company in August 2002. Southwest Marine Inc. also received contracts worth more than $1 billion since 1998, and Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock received contracts worth $827 million. In 1998, Carlyle merged these two companies into United States Marine Repair. Vought Aircraft Industries, a large subcontractor doing work for military cargo planes, bombers, and fighters, received contracts worth $85 million. Vought is among the few defense contractors that the Carlyle Group has not sold. Among other private equity firms, New York-based Veritas Capital Management firm that employs many former high-ranking military officials received Pentagon contracts to the tune of more than $2.2 billion. Veritas is the 41st ranked defense contractor. Companies under the ownership of Vectura Holding Co., another New York-based group, got deals to the tune of $1 billion, while companies controlled by Berkshire Hathaway, led by billionaire investor Warren Buffett, won contracts worth $688 million. Companies owned by Green Equity Investors II LP ($275 million) and Gores Technology Group ($153 million) also received substantial defense money. New market Private equity firms did not have any significant presence in the defense industry until the end of the Cold War. Traditionally, the Defense Department depended on mega contractors such as Boeing Corp., Lockheed Martin and Raytheon for weapons and services. But since the 1990s, the military has increasingly outsourced to private contractors a variety of jobs and services, ranging from planning of operations to the supply of linguistic services. A U.S. government decision in the 1990s to encourage small-business participation in contracts also contributed to the expansion of the market for smaller, privately-owned companies. The Carlyle Group acquired controlling interests in several underperforming defense contractors, installed its own management teams and revitalized the companies, in part by landing big Pentagon contracts. Then, they sold the contractors to other investors for a large profit. "There have always been [private equities] that went in with management and bankrolled management," said Stuart McCutchan, editor of Defense Mergers & Acquisitions. "What Carlyle has done differently is they have taken it to a new level both in terms of size and in terms of being committed to an entire sector." "Carlyle is the biggest single success in Washington of a venture capital firm," Dr. Loren B. Thompson Jr., a national security expert at the libertarian Lexington Institute, said. In 1997, for example, the group made a 650-percent profit when it sold BDM International Inc., a McLean, Va., defense contractor. And in December 2001, Carlyle sold off the majority of its holdings in United Defense Inc. Altogether, Carlyle earned $1 billion in profit from the United Defense investment. A windfall of war The group cashed out many of its investments when the stock of defense companies rose dramatically in the aftermath of September 11 and the buildups to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. "Defense properties are too expensive these days," explained Carlyle spokesman Chris Ullman. In 1997, Carlyle liked the price of United Defense, and beat out General Dynamics and Alliant Techsystems, which also coveted the underperforming artillery firm. General Dynamics bid more than Carlyle offered for the company, but potentially faced a lengthy, drawn out antitrust battle if it acquired United Defense. Carlyle ended up winning the bid. Carlyle finally sold its stakes in United after taking it public in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. The Washington Post called the hugely successful public offering "one of the most successful single venture investments of recent years." But United did not seem all that lucrative before September 11. "They [Carlyle] were really kind of in a pickle with United Defense," McCutchan said. "They wanted to cash out on the equity. There wasn't much money to be made... When 9/11 happened and the defense budget took off, suddenly they had a winner on their hands." Even Carlyle, which typically does not disclose its financial and operational details, crowed over the sale. "It was one of Carlyle's best investments," Carlyle's Ullman told the Center. "We did make more than a billion dollars on that deal, and we are very pleased that we served our investors quite well." The reason Carlyle's defense portfolio is lean at the moment is the high value of defense firms, thanks in part to the ongoing U.S. wars. "If there comes a time when defense properties are priced in a way that we think makes sense for private equity investors, then we will certainly consider investing more of our dollars in that sector," Ullman told the Center. Investment expertise Carlyle has a diversified portfolio, focusing its investments in sectors that have heavy government regulation and contracting?defense, telecommunications and banking. Carlyle has matched its investments with the expertise of high ranking government officials, whom the firm has courted almost from its inception. It was under the leadership of former Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci?first as a managing director, from 1989 to 1993, and as chairman from 1993 to 2003?that Carlyle grew from a small private equity to a global investment giant, and became a major player among defense contractors. Other former government officials who have recent or current ties to the firm include former British Prime Minister John Major and former Philippines President Fidel Ramos; former Office of Management and Budget director Richard Darman; former Clinton chief of staff Thomas F. "Mack" McLarty; former Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Arthur Levitt and former Federal Communications Commission chairman William E. Kennard. Former Secretary of State James Baker works for the firm, as did his former boss, President George H.W. Bush, who was an adviser for the firm's Asian investment funds until he left Carlyle in 2003. Critics have long denounced Carlyle's practice of recruiting former high-ranking government officials at the same time as it invests in companies regulated by their former agencies, dubbing it "access capitalism." For example, Kennard, who served as Bill Clinton's FCC chairman, is now managing director for Carlyle's global telecommunications and media group, directing the firm's business investments in companies he regulated. "Carlyle would never have gotten to the level that it is at today had it not been for this premeditated commingling of business and politics," said Dan Briody, author of The Iron Triangle: Inside the Secret World of the Carlyle Group, a book that takes a critical look at the rise of the firm. One of Carlyle's most controversial hirings was of former president Bush to serve as a senior adviser for its "Asia advisory board." "The fact that George H.W. Bush was working for them while his son was president, while his son, in fact, was dramatically increasing defense spending?that seems to me one of the most blatant conflicts of interests in history," Briody said. Bush?who joined Carlyle in 1998, before his son, George W. Bush, became president?ended his relationship with the firm in October 2003, Ullman told the Center. But that hasn't stopped the former president from continuing to give speeches for Carlyle, which he did at a Shanghai event sponsored by the firm in April 2004. Ullman refused to disclose the remuneration Bush received for his services. "That's not information that we disclose," he said. "That's his personal business. You are certainly welcome to ask him." Bush's office did not respond to the Center's request for an interview. Written questions faxed to the former president's Houston office, at an aide's request, did not elicit any response. Though none are placed as closely as the president's father, Carlyle's other Washington insiders have ties to current Bush administration officials. Current Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Carlucci went to college together, for example, and Secretary of State Colin Powell was Carlucci's deputy on the National Security Council in the mid-1980s. The continued presence of Baker and Carlucci riles critics such as Briody. "If you look at the relationship that Frank Carlucci still maintains with Don Rumsfeld and Colin Powell and the reach that he has to those folks?and he has in fact used that reach in the past and tried to influence decisions those folks were making, decisions that could directly or indirectly affect Carlyle's fortune," Briody said. Carlyle dismisses the notion that Carlucci or any other former government or military leader on its payroll has any conflicts of interest. "Are you aware of any solicitations from [Carlucci] to Secretary Rumsfeld to ask for any particular benefits to United Defense or any of our other portfolio companies?" Ullman said. "All they [Carlyle critics] do is, they say: 'Oh, Carlucci used to work in the government and he went to college with Donald Rumsfeld, and Carlyle has defense investments, and now Secretary Rumsfeld is secretary of defense. Therefore, there is a conflict of interest.'" Despite Ullman's assertions, media accounts have noted occasions when former government officials working for Carlyle have approached the Pentagon brass. For example, Fortune magazine reported in March 2002 that Carlucci had contacted at least two senior Pentagon officials, though Carlyle claimed these contacts did not constitute lobbying. Ullman added that all former government officials working for Carlyle abide by "all of the conflict of interests rules related to lobbying former colleagues for a year." He pointed out that the Pentagon had cancelled the Crusader artillery system, produced by United Defense, adding, "So if we are as powerful as everyone thinks, why did they cancel it?" Rumsfeld announced in May 2002 the termination of the artillery system; until then, the Pentagon had paid United Defense some $2 billion to develop the Crusader. Researcher Sheetal Doshi contributed to this report. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Discover all that?s new in My Yahoo! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 13:02:45 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 13:02:45 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] (Reuters) Dolphins protect NZ swimmers from shark Message-ID: <20041123210245.33458.qmail@web13608.mail.yahoo.com> http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=857&ncid=757&e=10&u=/nm/20041123/od_uk_nm/oukoe_life_newzealand_dolphins Dolphins protect NZ swimmers from shark Mon Nov 22,10:26 PM ET WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A pod of dolphins circled protectively round a group of New Zealand swimmers to fend off an attack by a great white shark, media have reported. Lifesavers Rob Howes, his 15-year-old daughter Niccy, Karina Cooper and Helen Slade were swimming 100 metres (300 feet) off Ocean Beach near Whangarei on New Zealand's North Island when the dolphins herded them -- apparently to protect them from a shark. "They started to herd us up, they pushed all four of us together by doing tight circles around us," Howes told the New Zealand Press Association (NZPA) on Tuesday. Howes tried to drift away from the group, but two of the bigger dolphins herded him back just as he spotted a three-metre (nine feet) great white shark swimming towards the group. "I just recoiled. It was only about 2 m away from me, the water was crystal clear and it was as clear as the nose on my face," Howes said, referring to a distance of 6 feet. "They had corralled us up to protect us," he said. The lifesavers spent the next 40 minutes surrounded by the dolphins before they could safely swim back to shore. The incident happened on October 30, but the lifesavers kept the story to themselves until now. Environment group Orca Research said dolphins attacked sharks to protect themselves and their young, so their actions in protecting the lifesavers was understandable. "They could have sensed the danger to the swimmers and taken action to protect them," Orca's Ingrid Visser told NZPA. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Discover all that?s new in My Yahoo! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 21:43:14 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 21:43:14 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] FactCheck Subscribers Find Us Clear, Unbiased, Reliable and Useful Message-ID: <20041124054314.28339.qmail@web13624.mail.yahoo.com> FactCheck Subscribers Find Us Clear, Unbiased, Reliable and Useful More than 21,000 respond to our survey. A very few say we tilt left. Even fewer say we tilt right. Summary More than 21,000 FactCheck.org subscribers responded to our online survey conducted Nov. 13-19. That's roughly 30% of all those who signed up to get our articles emailed to them. Overwhelmingly, those who responded found our articles clear and easy to understand, politically unbiased, reliable, and helpful in forming opinions about the candidates and their positions. Journalists make up only 2 percent of respondents, but most of them found our articles helpful and nearly half quoted us as an authority. Teachers made up 10 percent of the respondents, and one in three used our articles in class. One in six who responded worked in ther 2004 presidential campaign at some level. Few Kerry nor Bush workers thought our articles made their opponent more careful about stating the facts, however. A note of caution as you read these results. Our subscribers are not a random sample of everybody who visits our site, and the subscribers who chose to respond to our invitation to take this survey are not a random sample of all subscribers. So we don't pretend that these results are anything like a scientific sample of all who visit our site. But with that said, we are gratified at what we consider a very high response rate for such a survey and at the very favorable results. Click the link below for the full survey: http://www.factcheck.org/article300m.html ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Read only the mail you want - Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Wed Nov 24 10:22:50 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2004 10:22:50 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] Huge Afghan poppy crop raises fear of 'narco-state' Message-ID: <20041124182250.81826.qmail@web13608.mail.yahoo.com> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1364976,00.html Huge Afghan poppy crop raises fear of 'narco-state' >From Rory Watson in Brussels A boom in opium production threatens to wreck stability THREE years after the Taleban were overthrown, Afghanistan leads the world in the production of illegal recreational drugs. Opium farming soared by 64 per cent last year, prompting fears that it could undermine moves to bring stability to the country and turn it instead into a ?narco-state?. A United Nations report released yesterday shows that opium cultivation has spread to all 32 provinces, making narcotics the main engine of economic growth. The opium economy, valued at $2.8 billion (?1.55 billion), represents 60 per cent of Afghanistan?s gross domestic product. Presenting the findings, Antonio Mario Costa, executive director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, said: NI_MPU('middle');?With 131,000 hectares (324,000 acres) dedicated to opium farming this year, Afghanistan has established a double record ? the highest drug cultivation in the country?s history, and the largest in the world. ?Corruption in the public sector, the diehard ambition of local warlords and the complicity of local investors are becoming a factor in Afghan life,? he said. Despite the huge increase in the land set aside for farming poppies ? which supply the main ingredient for heroin ? the actual growth in production from 2003 was only 17 per cent because of bad weather and disease. Even so, the total output of 4,200 tonnes of opium was only marginally below the record 4,600 tonnes harvested under the Taleban in 1999 and represents 87 per cent of world production of opium. Most of the drugs, turned into heroin using imported chemical precursors, are smuggled across the Pakistan border, where Taleban and al-Qaeda forces in hiding demand protection and transit fees. The narcotics are eventually delivered to the Netherlands for distribution across the Continent. The drugs explosion in Afghanistan runs counter to trends elsewhere in the world, where output is decreasing on every continent. According to the UN agency, cocaine production in the Andes region has fallen by 30 per cent in three years, and in South-East Asia opium production has decreased by 75 per cent. Signor Costa said that it would be an error to abandon Afghanistan to opium after the country had been reclaimed from the Taleban. He added that opium cultivation, which now involves 10 per cent of the country?s population, could ?ultimately incinerate everything ? democracy, reconstruction and stability?. Nato and the coalition forces are under pressure to take tougher action against the traffickers. Bill Rammell, a British Foreign Office Minister, said: ?A change is taking place. Troops will now destroy seizures and hand over suspects. We need to increase the number of arrests and send a strong message to police and government officials that it is not business as usual.? Britain is leading efforts to fight the drugs trade, as part of moves to establish democracy in Afghanistan. It has earmarked ?70 million for a three-year campaign, already under way, to crush the heroin trade. Mr Rammell confirmed that Britain would fully back Hamid Karzai, recently elected President, who has made the clampdown on drugs a priority. As part of the strategy, the Government is hoping to create alternative livelihoods for farmers, although persuading them to change crops will not be easy when for one hectare of opium they can receive ten times as much as they get for wheat. Britain is also helping to create an effective criminal justice system by training investigators, prosecutors and judges, and giving advice on building high-security court and prison facilities. Yesterday the United States confirmed that it would spend an extra $780 million next year on the fight against drugs in Afghanistan by destroying poppy fields and providing alternative employment. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? The all-new My Yahoo! ? What will yours do? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Wed Nov 24 10:58:04 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2004 10:58:04 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] The Fish Stick Jesus is Next Message-ID: <20041124185804.41839.qmail@web13623.mail.yahoo.com> Hello all, OK, this makes it way to easy to mock these people but, what the hell, I'm game. Specially when it comes to the "G" word and pointing out how low on the evolutionary chain these people appear to be. As most of you saw, Item number: 5535890757 on EBay sold for an unheard of $28,000! The original owner of this no nutritional value white bread and no doubt, a slice of no nutritional value American Cheese, had her front teeth missing. OK no big deal, she's just clumsy or maybe a traffic accident. Then today on CNN there is word of a fish stick on EBay, http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20041124/NATS24-8/TPNational/Canada And guess what? This guy has his front teeth missing too! I tried to find the picture showed on CNN, but wasn't as lucky as these two. So I am offering to call anyone that can produce these two pics my own personal god for a period of one week! IBB ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? The all-new My Yahoo! ? What will yours do? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Wed Nov 24 12:29:23 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2004 12:29:23 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fwd: Clean Energy Partnership Web Site Re-Design Message-ID: <20041124202923.33004.qmail@web13606.mail.yahoo.com> Folks, check out the Clean Energy Partnership's completely re-designed web site! It's at http://www.cleanenergypartnership.org We have a new eNewsletter and new way to become a member. For those that don't know, the Clean Energy Partnership is the first and only group in the Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia area that is organizing businesses to fight global warming and air pollution through practical solutions. We are trying to increase demand for clean, renewable energy sources. Regards, Gary Skulnik The Clean Energy Partnership Businesses and People working together for sustainable solutions 301-754-0430 or 202-413-8534 (c) www.cleanenergypartnership.org ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? The all-new My Yahoo! ? What will yours do? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Wed Nov 24 12:51:51 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2004 12:51:51 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] How Many Lives Per Gallon Is Your Hummer Getting? Message-ID: <20041124205151.14344.qmail@web13609.mail.yahoo.com> http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/11/22/BAG7S9VIKS1.DTL Hummer foes take message to auto show Protesters see link between war, Americans driving gas guzzlers Delfin Vigil, Chronicle Staff Writer Monday, November 22, 2004 Amid hundreds of new cars, prototypes and sparkling antiques, the Hummer SUV was the center of attention Sunday for a group of zero-emission supporters at the 47th Annual San Francisco International Auto Show. Carrying signs that read "Dumm and Hummer" and singing songs like "Drive a Hummer, What a Bummer," about 60 demonstrators gathered outside of show at Moscone Center to demonstrate against American dependency on oil. "I'm doing this because I have a 15-year-old son who I don't want to send off to war just so that someone can drive a Hummer," said Kirsten Moller of San Francisco. Moller, 49, is a member of Global Exchange, which along with the San Francisco Bike Coalition, Amazon Watch, Code Pink and several other political activist organizations protested for nearly two hours along Howard Street. It was the opening day of the weeklong auto show, which is being presented by The Chronicle. The exhibition features more than 40 international auto manufacturers displaying 2005 models and cars of the future along with motorcycles, antique autos and exotic sports cars. The show is expected to draw about 400,000 people, according to spokesman Kevin Diamond. The demonstrators, who were also highly critical of the Ford Motor Co., placed mock body bags along the sidewalk with tags identified as innocent Iraqi civilians, U.S. soldiers, rain forests and Alaskan tundras. About 2,000 pamphlets were distributed, some of which compared the 1923 Ford Model T's 25-mpg rate to the 12-mpg rating of a 2003 Ford Expedition. Some of the visitors who passed by the protesters and accepted anti-Ford Motor Company pamphlets before entering the exhibition appeared to support the demonstration. "It's absolutely appropriate for people to protest here," said Phillip Halley, a 35-year-old hospital worker from San Jose. "Not everything is truthful and right in this country and things change through protest," he said, while standing between a 2005 Ford Excursion, which gets an estimated 15 to 20 mpg, and a Ford Escape Hybrid, which gets close to 36, according to a Ford customer information manager. Several in attendance said that part of the inspiration for visiting the auto show was to get a glimpse of the hybrid and alternative fuel automobiles on display, including hybrid and hydrogen models from Chevrolet, GMC, Honda and Hummer. "We would all like to see more cars running on alternative energy," said Neal Grock, a 53-year-old mortgage broker from Danville who drives a Volkswagen Passat. "They're still so hard to get. Dealers jack the prices up because they know they can sell them within 20 minutes. But I think things will improve within two or three years from now," said Grock, while inspecting a $440,000 silver metallic 2005 Porsche Carrera GT. Attitudes toward the protesters became somewhat less supportive when about 10 demonstrators entered the Moscone Center and marched through the exhibition chanting "Driving a Hummer Is Driving Us to War," as they climbed aboard a prototype of a 2006 H3 Hummer. The vehicle was parked on a platform intended to be off limits to the public. The group, all of whom were members of Code Pink and who paid for their tickets, agreed to be escorted from the building within about 20 minutes. An auto show spokeswoman approached the group outside and accused them of scratching and denting the Hummer. A heated argument ensued with the spokeswoman informing the group that charges would be pressed against them for the damage. However, as the Code Pink group waited to be arrested amid a growing crowd of detractors, a police officer said charges would not be filed. "I think they're a bunch of morons," said Mike Silva of Riverbank (Stanislaus County) as he watched the Code Pink protesters celebrate the news. "It's cool if you want to protest outside, but coming in here and bothering people who just want to enjoy the show is crossing the line. It's not like I went and drove a big truck over them." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Wed Nov 24 13:18:04 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2004 13:18:04 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] [freejeffluers] Update on Jeff's appeal! Message-ID: <20041124211804.52513.qmail@web13621.mail.yahoo.com> Finally, we have some news to share with you about the status of Jeff's appeal. It's not great but for everyone that has wondered, here it is. As you can see, this process is remarkably slow and the end is nowhere in sight. PS-Jeff's birthday is December 5th. While Jeff has asked that people NOT send him cards etc, please hold him in your thoughts that day and consider doing something to help his case. The holidays are rough times for prisoners. Update on Jeff 'Free' Luers' appeal November 24, 2004 Jeff's appeal is currently on hold. In June, the United States Supreme Court decided Blakely v. Washington, 542 US ___, 124 S Ct 2531, ___ L Ed 3d ___ (2004). The case has the potential to affect the sentences of thousands of people sentenced under Oregon's sentencing guidelines, including Jeff's. The Oregon Court of Appeals has received requests for additional briefing on Blakely in so many cases that it has delayed ruling on these requests until Oregon courts have a chance to figure out the impact of Blakelyon sentencing in Oregon. The Oregon Court of Appeals and Supreme Court are expected to begin issuing opinions in some representative cases (also called "lead cases") soon. After that, the Court of Appeals will decide to allow or deny additional briefing in cases like Jeff's, and his appeal will go forward from there. How can you help the appeal and Jeff's case: You can contribute funds to Jeff?s appeal or to his commissary account a few different ways: ? Online: donations can be made online on a secure server through Paypal. To make a donation, click here: All names/addresses are kept confidential. These donations go to fund Jeff?s appeals. ? Snail Mail: You can send checks/money orders made out to ?Free?s defense network? to POB 3, Eugene, OR 97440. Specify legal fund or commissary. ? Directly to Jeff?s commissary account: These funds are used by Jeff to buy necessities like pens, stamps, envelopes etc. Money orders only [no checks] can be made out to: DOC Central Trust for (For Jeffrey Luers, #13797671) and sent to DOC Central Trust for (For Jeffrey Luers, #13797671) .DOCCentral Trust, PO Box 14400,Salem OR 97309-5077. 2. Jeff?s case desperately needs to stay in the news and in the public?s mind in order to affect his appeal and chances of getting out. Letters to Oregon based media are very useful. Here are a few media outlets you can write to. For examples of letters sent on Free?s behalf, see here. ? Eugene Weekly, 1251 Lincoln, Eugene OR 97401. editor at eugeneweekly.com ? Register Guard, PO Box 10188, Eugene, OR 97440-2188. rgletters at guardnet.com ? Portland Mercury, 605 NE 21st Avenue, Suite 200, Portland, OR 97232. mercuryeditorial at portlandmercury.com ?Willamette Week, 822 SW 10th Avenue, Portland, OR 97205. mzusman at wweek.com It is also a good idea to write to the Governor of Oregon to urge him to intervene on Free?s behalf: Governor of Oregon Ted Kulongoski, 160 State Capitol, 900 Court Street, Salem, Oregon 97301-4047. Fax: 503.378.6827. 3. Form a support group/work directly with Jeff Local support groups can do everything from hosting benefits to web based activism to staging protests. You can write Jeff at Jeffrey Luers, #13797671, Oregon State Penitentiary, 2605 State Street, Salem, OR 97310. Also, feel free to get involved with a pre-existing group like Break the Chains 4-Sign Jeff's solidarity statement: Check it out at http://www.freefreenow.org/signon.html 5-Buy a Slingshot 2005 organizer from Friends of Jeff Luers for $6. Proceeds benefit Jeff's legal fund. Email freefreenow at Mutualaid.org for details. Write Free at: Jeffrey Luers, #13797671, Oregon State Penetentiary, Salem, OR 97310 Donate to Free's Legal Defense: 1-Online Donations-see http://www.freefreenow.org/appeal.html 2-Send a check or money order to: Free's Defense Network, POB 3, Eugene, OR 97440. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Read only the mail you want - Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Wed Nov 24 18:06:25 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2004 18:06:25 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] World Festival of Sacred Music 2005 Application Deadline is Here ! Message-ID: <20041125020625.37162.qmail@web13608.mail.yahoo.com> Call for Artists, Venues, Presenters 2005 World Festival of Sacred Music-Los Angeles (WFSM-LA) Sept 17-Oct 2, 2005 16 days, 35 events... ...music, dance, visual arts, & theatre... ...classical, traditional, & contemporary... Applications must be received in the Festival office by Wednesday, December 1, 2004. Please send all applications and supporting materials to: World Festival of Sacred Music-Los Angeles UCLA Center for Intercultural Performance A129 Fowler Museum of Cultural History Box 957173, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7173 T: 310-825-0507 - F: 310-825-5152 www.festivalofsacredmusic.org; info at festivalofsacredmusic.org Download a Festival Application: http://www.festivalofsacredmusic.org With the success of the 1999 and 2002 Festivals, a powerful coalition of arts, faith, cultural, community, and environmental groups announce that in one-year a third citywide festival will be hosted in Los Angeles. The 16-day multidisciplinary Festival will share music and movement in places large and small, sacred and secular, public and private -- crossing neighborhoods, cultural, religious, and ideological boundanaries. The 2005 World Festival of Sacred Music - Los Angeles is a project of Foundation for World Arts, UCLA Center for Intercultural Performance, and Earthways Foundation ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Get it on your mobile phone. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 09:37:20 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 09:37:20 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Left Hook Special: An Essay Contest Message-ID: Special Announcement: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 Left Hook Exclusive: Essay Contest The Editors Left Hook is pleased to announce an essay contest for leftist youth, sponsored by the good folks at Monthly Review. Here are the details: Monthly Review magazine wants to know why you are a radical. Write a short essay (500 words or less) telling us why you are a radical or why you became a radical, and what fighting for a better world means to you. The first twenty-five respondents will receive a one-year subscription to Monthly Review magazine. The two essays adjudged by MR's Associate Editor Michael Yates to be the best will each receive $50. Send your essay to Michael at mikedjyates at msn.com, along with your mailing address and your university e-mail address for verification (if in college). Deadline for submissions is January 1, 2005. Good luck! Sincerely, Derek Seidman and M. Junaid Alam -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 03:07:46 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 03:07:46 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Fw: U.S. border agent guilty in B.C. Message-ID: CBC News. U.S. border agent guilty in B.C. pot smuggling case Last Updated Thu, 18 Nov 2004 14:31:27 EST SEATTLE - A U.S. Customs agent is facing a long prison term after pleading guilty to trying to import marijuana into Washington state from British Columbia. Cory Whitfield had worked as a screener at Vancouver International Airport for six years. When he was arrested at the border crossing just north of Lynden, Wash., in September, inspectors found more than 240 kilograms of marijuana in the white van he was driving. The pot was worth an estimated $1.6 million US on the street. Prosecutors said Whitfield tried to influence border guards not to search his vehicle by suggesting he was one of them. Assistant U.S. Attorney Janet Freeman said he was wearing a shirt with the initial "INS" on the collar. "And as you may know, those initials represent the Immigration and Naturalization Service in the United States." Whitfield also produced a diplomatic passport, the court was told. He pleaded guilty to the charges in front a magistrate in Seattle on Wednesday. He faces a minimum sentence of five years in prison. Freeman said her office will ask for a longer term than that, arguing he violated a position of public trust. Written by CBC News Online staff -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Tue Nov 23 04:50:39 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:50:39 -0800 Subject: [Shadow_Group] Rise in Afghanistan drug production alarms US Message-ID: Rise in Afghanistan drug production alarms US FROM: http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=43386 [World News]: Washington, Nov 19 : Alarmed over a 60 percent rise in opium production in Afghanistan over the past year, the US has suggested creating "counter narcotics battalions" to target and destroy drug producing labs and storage depots in that country. House International Relations Committee chairman Henry J. Hyde, in his comments Thursday on a UN report on the 60 percent increase in Afghan opium production, attributed it to lack of a coherent and coordinated US anti-drug strategy. "Drug production and smuggling are a chief source of income for anti-government forces and terrorists targeting coalition troops in Afghanistan," the Republican from Illinois said in a statement. "We should move expeditiously to create counter-narcotics battalions - modelled on those fielded by the Turkish government - to target and destroy heroin production labs and opium storage depots until Afghan drug fighting institutions are in place and operational." To discourage cultivation of opium, the US and Europe should embrace a trade preference to give easy access to Afghan products in US and European markets to encourage sustainable development necessary to stabilize the country, Hyde said. --Indo-Asian News Service Homepage (as of NOV-01-2002): http://www.SeattleActivist.org To unsubscribe, send an email to: SeattleActivist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Thu Nov 25 11:41:35 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Thu, 25 Nov 2004 11:41:35 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] Veterans for Peace Sue United States for Breaking Geneva Conventions Message-ID: <20041125194135.95035.qmail@web13606.mail.yahoo.com> Veterans For Peace 216 S. Meramec Ave. St. Louis, MO 63105 314-725-6005 vfp at igc.org November 23, 2004 Veterans For Peace (VFP), a national organization of veterans of all eras whose mission is to increase public awareness on the true costs of war, has agreed to endorse a petition for legal action filed by the Los Angeles-based Humanitarian Law Project/International Educational Development (HLP/IED and San Francisco-based Association of Humanitarian Lawyers (AHL) against the United States. The petition was filed on behalf of "unnamed, unnumbered patients and medical staff both living and dead" at the medical facilities in Falluja on grounds of the Geneva Conventions. VFP believes in abiding by the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit attacks on any medical facility or medical personnel, whether civilian or military. A copy of the filed petition can be obtained from attorney Karen Parker (tel. 415.668.2752 or 415.533.1066, ied at igc.org.) VFP would like to encourage all concerned groups and individuals to support this action. Veterans for Peace Orange County Chapter welcomes you to the Arlington West Project held each Sunday just north of the Huntington Beach pier at Sixth Street. This is one of the most powerful statements being made against this illegal and immoral war. We welcome your participation and need your help. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - You care about security. So do we. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Thu Nov 25 14:52:45 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Thu, 25 Nov 2004 14:52:45 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] Nordstrom Anti-Fur Leafleting (FUR FREE FRIDAY) Message-ID: <20041125225245.93356.qmail@web13609.mail.yahoo.com> FUR FREE FRIDAY: Nordstrom Anti-Fur Leafleting Leaflet Nordstrom: This Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is Fur Free Friday, a national day of protest against the fur industry. AFA has a Nordstrom specific anti-fur flyer and we need your help to distribute them! We need you to leaflet throughout the winter and especially on Fur Free Friday against Nordstrom, as Nordstrom continues to carry fur coats and fur trimmed products. Unfortunately we can not afford to send out mass quantities of the flyers this year, but if you would like a PDF (printer ready version) please let us know by replying to this email. You can print out the flyers on your printer or print just one and have them copied. The flyers are 3 to a page and single sided so printing just 50 will create 150 flyers! Write to Nordstrom: Please contact Nordstrom and let them know that as long as they profit off the misery of fur-bearing animals you will not shop there! Mailed letters are by far the most effective was to get the point across, though calling, emailing and writing will send the strongest message! Mr. Bruce Nordstrom, Chair & CEO 1617 Sixth Avenue Seattle, WA 98101 Toll Free: 1-888-282-6060 Flagship Store (Seattle): 206-628-2111 Email via web site: https://secure.nordstrom.com/services/storefeedback.asp Activist Contest! If you leaflet at a Nordstrom store this Friday please write to us to let us know how it went and give us details! From your emails we will pick one lucky activist to receive a $30 shopping spree at http://www.afastore.com Thank you for making a difference in the lives of animals! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? The all-new My Yahoo! ? What will yours do? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Fri Nov 26 11:01:26 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2004 11:01:26 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] Seven retired military leaders agree: Bush Screwed Up.: Message-ID: <20041126190126.94310.qmail@web13623.mail.yahoo.com> Seven retired military leaders agree: Bush Screwed Up. The Generals Speak Seven retired military leaders discuss what has gone wrong in Iraq By PAUL ALEXANDER The nineteen months since the war in Iraq began, some of the most outspoken critics of President Bush's plan of attack have come from a group that should have been the most supportive: retired senior military leaders. We spoke with a group of generals and admirals that included a former supreme Allied commander and a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and they all agreed on one thing: Bush screwed up. Gen. Merrill "Tony" McPeak Air Force chief of staff, 1990-94 We have a force in Iraq that's much too small to stabilize the situation. It's about half the size, or maybe even a third, of what we need. As a consequence, the insurgency seems to be gathering momentum. We are losing people at a fairly steady rate of about two a day; wounded, about four or five times that, and perhaps half of these wounds are very serious. And we are also sustaining gunshot wounds, when, before, we'd mostly been seeing massive trauma from remotely detonated charges. This means the other side is standing and fighting in a way that describes a more dangerous phase of the conflict. The people in control in the Pentagon and the White House live in a fantasy world. They actually thought everyone would just line up and vote for a new democracy and you would have a sort of Denmark with oil. I blame Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and the people behind him -- Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and Undersecretary Douglas Feith. The vice president himself should probably be included; certainly his wife. These so-called neocons: These people have no real experience in life. They are utopian thinkers, idealists, very smart, and they have the courage of their convictions, so it makes them doubly dangerous. The parallels between Iraq and Vietnam have been overblown, because we were in Vietnam for a decade and it cost us 58,000 troops. We've been in Iraq for nineteen months and we're still under 1,200 killed. But there is one sense in which the parallel with Vietnam is valid. The American people were told that to win the Cold War we had to win Vietnam. But we now know that Vietnam was not only a diversion from winning the Cold War but probably delayed our winning it and made it cost more to win. Iraq is a diversion to the war on terror in exactly the same way Vietnam was a diversion to the Cold War. Adm. Stansfield Turner NATO Allied commander for Southern Europe, 1975-77; CIA director, 1977-81 I think we are in a real mess. There are eighty-seven attacks on Americans every day, and our people in Baghdad can't even leave the International Zone without being heavily armored. I think we are in trouble because we were so slow in terms of reconstruction and reconstituting the military and police forces. We have lost the support of the Iraqi people who were glad to see Saddam go. But they are not glad to see an outside force come in and replace him without demonstrating we are going to provide them with security and rebuild their economy. I am very frustrated. Having a convincing rationale for going in gives our troops a sense of purpose. Whatever you call it, this is now an insurgency using the techniques of terrorism. With the borders poorly guarded, the terrorists come in. All in all, Iraq is a failure of monumental proportions. Lt. Gen. William Odom Director of the National Security Agency, 1985-88 It's a huge strategic disaster, and it will only get worse. The sooner we leave, the less the damage. In the months since the invasion, the U.S. forces have become involved in trying to repress a number of insurgency movements. This is the way we were fighting in Vietnam, and if we keep on fighting this way, this one is going to go on a long time too. The idea of creating a constitutional state in a short amount of time is a joke. It will take ten to fifteen years, and that is if we want to kill ten percent of the population. Gen. Anthony Zinni Commander in chief of the United States Central Command, 1997-2000 The first phase of the war in Iraq, the conventional phase, the major combat phase, was brilliantly done. Tommy Franks' approach to methodically move up and attack quickly probably saved a great humanitarian disaster. But the military was unprepared for the aftermath. Rumsfeld and others thought we would be greeted with roses and flowers. When I was commander of CENTCOM, we had a plan for an invasion of Iraq, and it had specific numbers in it. We wanted to go in there with 350,000 to 380,000 troops. You didn't need that many people to defeat the Republican Guard, but you needed them for the aftermath. We knew that we would find ourselves in a situation where we had completely uprooted an authoritarian government and would need to freeze the situation: retain control, retain order, provide security, seal the borders to keep terrorists from coming in. When I left in 2000, General Franks took over. Franks was my ground-component commander, so he was well aware of the plan. He had participated in it; those were the numbers he wanted. So what happened between him and Rumsfeld and why those numbers got altered, I don't know, because when we went in we used only 140,000 troops, even though General Eric Shinseki, the army commander, asked for the original number. Did we have to do this? I saw the intelligence right up to the day of the war, and I did not see any imminent threat there. If anything, Saddam was coming apart. The sanctions were working. The containment was working. He had a hollow military, as we saw. If he had weapons of mass destruction, it was leftover stuff -- artillery shells and rocket rounds. He didn't have the delivery systems. We controlled the skies and seaports. We bombed him at will. All of this happened under U.N. authority. I mean, we had him by the throat. But the president was being convinced by the neocons that down the road we would regret not taking him out. Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy Army deputy chief of staff for intelligence, 1997-2000 >From the beginning, i was asked which side I took, Shinseki's or Rumsfeld's. And I said Shinseki. I mean, Rumsfeld proudly announced that he had told General Franks to fight this war with different tactics in which they would bypass enemy strongholds and enemy resistance and keep on moving. But it was shocking to me that the secretary of defense would tell the Army how to fight. He doesn't know how to fight; he has no business telling them. It's completely within civilian authority to tell you where to fight, what our major objective is, but it is absolutely no one's business but uniformed military to tell you how to do the job. To me, it was astonishing that Rumsfeld would presume to tell four-star generals, in the Army thirty-five years, how to do their jobs. Now here's another thing that Rumsfeld did. As he was being briefed on the war plan, he was cherry-picking the units to go. In other words, he didn't just approve the deployment list, he went down the list and skipped certain units that were at a higher degree of readiness to go and picked units that were lower on the list -- for reasons we don't know. But here's the impact: Recently, at an event, a mother told me how her son had been recruited and trained as a cook. Three weeks before he deployed to Iraq, he was told he was now a gunner. And they gave him training for three weeks, and then off he went. Rumsfeld was profoundly in the dark. I think he really didn't understand what he was doing. He miscalculated the kind of war it was and he miscalculated the interpretation of U.S. behavior by the Iraqi people. They felt they had been invaded. They did not see this as a liberation. As for the recent news about the 380 tons of explosives that disappeared, it's irrelevant when they disappeared. This was known by the International Atomic Energy Agency as a site to be watched. Here is the issue: Bush tried to turn this into a political matter instead of answering questions about why he didn't follow the warnings of the IAEA. It was another example of Bush being a cheerleader instead of a leader. Nothing in Iraq was guarded except for the oil fields, which tells you why we were there. There are any number of indications that with a larger troop strength we would have been able to deal with such sites. Here is my other concern: The IAEA gave us a list of sites to be watched, so there may have been other dumps that were looted. After all, you don't just put one item on a list. So what do we do? I think it would be very irresponsible for us to simply pull out. It sounds like a very simple solution, but it would have some complexity and danger attached. Still, Iraq is a blood bath, and we need to be dealing with this in a much more sophisticated way than the cowboy named Bush. Gen. Wesley Clark NATO supreme Allied commander for Europe, 1997-2000 Troop strength was not the only problem. We got into this mess because the Bush administration decided what they really wanted to do was to invade Iraq, and then the only question was, for what reason? They developed two or three different reasons. It wasn't until the last minute that they came up and said, "Hey, by the way, we are going to create a wave of democracy across the Middle East." That was February of 2003, and by that time they hadn't planned anything. In October of 2003, Donald Rumsfeld wrote a memo asking questions that should have been asked in 2001: Do we have an overall strategy to win the war on terror? Do we have the right organization to win the war on terror? How are we going to know if we are not winning the war on terror? As it has turned out, the guys on the ground are doing what they are told to do. But let's ask this question: Have you seen an American strategic blunder this large? The answer is: not in fifty years. I can't imagine when the last one was. And it's not just about troop strength. I mean, you will fail if you don't have enough troops, but simply adding troops won't make you succeed. Adm. William Crowe Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1985-89 We screwed up. we were intent on a quick victory with smaller forces, and we felt if we had a military victory everything else would fall in place. We would be viewed not as occupiers but as victors. We would draw down to 30,000 people within the first sixty days. All of this was sheer nonsense.They thought that once Iraq fell we'd have a similar effect throughout the Middle East and terrorism would evaporate, blah, blah, blah. All of these were terrible assumptions. A State Department study advising otherwise was sent to Rumsfeld, but he threw it in the wastebasket. He overrode the military and was just plain stubborn on numbers. Finally the military said OK, and they totally underestimated the impact the desert had on our equipment and the kind of troops we would need for peacekeeping. They ignored Shinseki. The Marines were advising the same way. But the military can only go so far. Once the civilian leadership decides otherwise, the military is obliged. There is not a very good answer for what to do next. We've pulled out of several places without achieving our objectives, and every time we predicted the end of Western civilization, which it was not. We left Korea after not achieving anything we wanted to do, and it didn't hurt us very much. We left Vietnam -- took us ten years to come around to doing it -- but we didn't achieve what we wanted. Everyone said it would set back our foreign policy in East Asia for ten years. It set it back about two months. Our allies thought we were crazy to be in Vietnam. We could have the same thing happen this time in Iraq. If we walk away, we are still the number-one superpower in the world. There will be turmoil in Iraq, and how that will affect our oil supply, I don't know. But the question to ask is: Is what we are achieving in Iraq worth what we're paying? Weighing the good against the bad, we have got to get out. (Posted Nov 03, 2004) --------------------------------- _______________________________________________ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Read only the mail you want - Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Fri Nov 26 11:02:33 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2004 11:02:33 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] Screw you, America (A Loveless Letter to the Red States) Message-ID: <20041126190233.48900.qmail@web13607.mail.yahoo.com> http://indyweek.com/durham/current/news.html Screw you, America Sometimes the fish in the barrel deserve to die B Y C L I F G A R B O D E N America speaks with one voice. Unfortunately, it emanates from its ass. --Barry Crimmins November 17, 2004 N E W S F E A T U R E Don't forgive my anger. All this needs to be said. And I know that as soon as that stiff-faced to-the-manure-born right-wing lackey in the White House tries to appoint a 21st-century counterpart to Roy Bean to the Supreme Court in a few weeks, more people are going to wish they'd said it sooner. John Kerry fucked up. More important, America fucked up. And the people who fucked up the most--you infamous red-staters--are going to suffer along with the rest of us. To put it in lingo a NASCAR devotee would understand, "Y'all deserve a good talkin'-to." John F. Kerry, you're first. In your befuddling concession speech, you actually called for unity and healing. Sounds good, clown, but can't you even imagine for a second that the people who supported you so zealously for the past five months might just see that insincere gesture of good sportsmanship as a betrayal? See, unlike you pols, we voters actually believe in shit. We believe that George W. Bush and his henchpeople are a real threat to the survival of democracy. We believe that they're killing people for profit. And we believe that they don't have a goddamn clue about forfending terrorism on U.S. soil. That's not a position gap; that's an ideological gash. And it's not going to heal, because, unlike you expedient professional truth-manipulators, I'm not prepared to meet the enemies of freedom halfway just because you lost the election. Your speechwriters might see the Bush administration's failings as nothing more than convenient fodder for your campaign blather, but the GOP junta's sins don't go away just because decrying them no longer serves your ambitions. Last week they were the imperialist pigs who misled us into war and you were the savior. Now we're the goddamn Getalong Gang?! Screw that. Fight back or shut up. Now, the rest of you. ... A lot of us effete Easterners want to know: What the fuck is wrong with you?! You voted against your self-interest at every turn (you dumb-asses in South Dakota deserve special credit for voting out one of the most powerful Democrats in the Senate) and re-elected an ignorant cowboy who can't be trusted to remember a lunch order, never mind run a country. What in the name of God...?! Wait, it was in the name of God, wasn't it? Rendered weak and ignorant by a spoon-fed climate of fear, you slack-jawed inbred flatlanders have sought refuge in the traditional twin towers of mindlessness--jingoistic patriotism and fundamentalist religion. God's on your side. Like hell. Jesus loves us, dammit. Okay, you want God? Let's talk about God. Your religion is bogus. Fundamentalism, the facile belief in the unexplained and un-researched, is something you born-agains (couldn't get it right the first time, huh?) share with Al Qaeda, whose ideologues doggedly adhere to religious misinterpretations every bit as silly and dangerous as yours. Just like you, Muslim fundamentalists long to impose an unrealistic and intolerant pseudo-Calvinist morality on the world. In fact, America's religious right has so much in common with the Shiah, it's a wonder you guys don't invite them to join the Rotary. Born-againsters look for the face of Christ in the wallpaper; fundamentalist Muslims hallucinate the voice of the 12th Imam; but aside from that (and extremely divergent attitudes toward pork), you both hate the same stuff--homosexuality, pacifism, Jews, education, uppity women, enlightenment, short skirts, gangsta rap, tattoos, infidels. ... (They also share your love of super-lethal weaponry.) Well, sorry to burst your holy bubble, Jesus freaks, but God did not create the world in seven days; that's just ignorant. Like a lot of stuff in the Bible, it didn't happen. And Moses looked more like Jeff Goldblum than like Charlton Heston. Jesus didn't hunt; he fished. Jesus wouldn't want you (or anyone else) to have an assault rifle. What would Jesus do if he met you? He'd ask you to stop ruining his hard-won good reputation. (Y'know the guy died to redeem your sorry ass; you might at least show a little respect for what he was really about.) What else is bothering you self-destructive morons? What other overwhelmingly urgent issue caused you to vote yourselves into the retirement poorhouse and sacrifice the four freedoms? Gay marriage? Dig it. Right at this moment in your little picturesque insular East Silage-for-Brains, U.S.A., there are gay and lesbian couples walking around--possibly even copulating. Really. It's been going on around you all your lives, and you've never been hurt by it. Now, if these same couples were "married" in any legal sense, they'd still walk and copulate as usual and it still wouldn't make any difference to you. You don't like or understand homosexuality? Fine. Nobody's asking your permission. But it's not your problem. And hiding it won't make it go away. Nor will persecuting gays change anybody's sexual preference. So, to put it aptly, go fuck yourselves and leave other people alone. Anything else? Education deform ... er, reform. Some of you weren't even born the first time when, in 1968, legendary secular-humanist prophet Frank Zappa wrote: "All your children are poor unfortunate victims of lies you believe. A plague upon your ignorance that keeps the young from the truth they deserve." We repeat, creationism is absurd. Yet in the name of protecting this ridiculous and irrelevant belief, you toothless crank-heads are willing to eschew all science and learning this side of Copernicus. (Or do you still think the sun orbits the earth?) The Bushies really are on your side here. Leaders like G.W. and (yes, it's a fair comparison) Hitler rise to power by exploiting the support of the weak and stupid, so it's in their interest to encourage weakness and stupidity. That's where universal education becomes a threat. Education encourages creative thought. Creative thought empowers people. Fascists hate creative thought. So it's incredibly convenient for the GOP that you folks actually want your kids to be dumb. Which is why the No Child Left Behind initiative you endorse has, in fact, done nothing! Happy? Perhaps ignorance really is bliss. What else is on your hate-laden Limbaugh-laid table? Flag burning? It's just cloth, guys. Sex ed? Heaven forbid your daughters learned the facts of life in time to prevent having to avoid an abortion. Gun control? We said "control," not confiscation. And there are high-powered automatic weapons most civilians really do not need. Even moose tend to come at you one at a time. "But shooting's fun!" you argue. "It's a sport." Breaking windows and driving 100 miles an hour are fun, but they're legally controlled activities. "But," you object, "how do I defend my family when the nigras and the Jews and the Communists from Harvard come on my property?" Right. Lock the gate; everybody covets your Tupperware and your chard. We'll be right over. Does it really bother you cornpone chuckleheads that "we" think you're under-educated, culturally limited and ignorant? Well, how about proving us wrong? For starters, get this straight: There were no weapons of mass destruction; the Iraqis did not attack the World Trade Center; lots of children (including many of yours) are left behind every day; the greenhouse effect is for real; and the Dixie Chicks were right. Pin down a few of those basics and then perhaps we'll talk. Am I being elitist here? Disrespectful of the dignity of the masses? I fuckin' hope so, because 51 percent of the masses have had their say and it doesn't make sense. Besides, when I think about people being tortured while they're held without representation at Guantnamo and Iraqi families crawling out of the rubble of their own homes, I'm not too worried if I insult some Bible-sucking insurance salesman or a possum-breathed saw sharpener. Too harsh? I know (because I've been so chided) that there are lots of good, right-thinking/left-leaning liberals out there who feel it's my responsibility to "understand" you. These are good people; unlike you assholes, they voted the right way. But this is why in true progressive circles the word liberal attracts adjectives such as "wishy-washy," "self-serving" and "useless." In its own well-intentioned way, liberalism is, when you think about it, almost as big a problem as fundamentalism is. See, as much as I disagree with you and am disgusted by the shallow and pathetic pawns you've become, I respect your potential. That's why liberal Democrats can't bring themselves to do what the Republicans do so well -- cynically lie to you for selfish gain. (Do you really think Kerry would have banned the Bible?) We nice people actually expected reasoned arguments, logic and incontrovertible evidence to convince you that Kerry was the better candidate. Turns out that the GOP's double whammy of fear and loathing is a more powerful vote-getting tool. Of course they, not we, laid the groundwork there. And that's the real shocker you fly-over chicken-rubbers are going to realize just before the end (of freedom, that is; I don't mean the Rapture, which is something else you believe in that's not going to happen): You've been duped, and the Bushies are laughing at you behind your spineless backs right now. The Republicans don't care about you; they just wanted your vote so they can stay in power and make their oil-and-blood-soaked cronies even richer. They're going to send your job overseas and destroy Social Security. In the name of catching terrorists, they're going to make sure you don't read any interesting books or travel without permission. They're going to toss you a minuscule tax cut in exchange for under-funding public education and social services, so there will be more poor people around to bother you. Perhaps you will become one of them. They're going to shower the pharmaceutical companies with excess profits while denying you life-saving medical attention. They're going to let corporate conglomerates fill the air you breathe with carcinogens while they discourage clean-energy research. They're going to insist the ozone layer's OK until y'all bake your little red asses off. They're going to alienate the rest of the Western world and any portion of the Eastern world that isn't willing to supply Wal-Mart with cheap labor. They're going to throw more Saddam-esque bogeymen in your face while tacitly supporting Saudi terrorists and ignoring nuclear-armed Korean dictators. They're going to rig the system so that even you law-abiding yahoos won't be able to get a fair trial. And worst of all, they're going to dehumanize your children and send them off to kill or be killed in the name of oil profits. And you bought into it all because you're afraid. And you're afraid because they scared you. And it was all so unnecessary. You don't have to be frightened. You (okay, most of you) aren't really stupid or helpless. I know you at your worst and best. I grew up with you; I shared outdoor plumbing with you; I complimented the dead deer hanging on your front porches. You can open your minds and accept or reject things on their merits instead of on their reputations in small-minded circles. You can think for yourselves. And some day, you might figure that out. Meanwhile, you deserve what we all got thanks to you, you bastards. Clif Garboden is senior managing editor of The Boston Phoenix and president of the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. He can be reached at cgarboden at phx.com. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Get it on your mobile phone. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Fri Nov 26 11:03:16 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2004 11:03:16 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] The Successes of President George Bush Message-ID: <20041126190316.96830.qmail@web13603.mail.yahoo.com> ----- Original Message ----- From: _Scott Peden_ (mailto:scotpeden at cruzio.com) The Successes of President George Bush Dear Reader, I'm getting sick and tired of my fellow Americans saying that the presidency of George W. Bush is a failure. With the string of successes he's had,nothing could be further from the truth. Let me list a few: 1. He has successfully rid America of that troubling budget surplus and turned it into a $500 billion deficit. 2. He has successfully helped America's trading partners have the highest trade surplus with us in America's history. 3. He has successfully lowered the taxes for the richest Americans and corporations at the expense of 99% of the American population. 4. He has successfully started another Viet Nam in Iraq after lying to the whole world. 5. He has successfully pushed the price of gas up to the highest level ever here in America. 6. He has successfully allowed American corporations to damatically increase their pollution. 7. He has successfully thrown about 10% of the population out of work. 8. He has successfully allowed corporations to export our best middle-class jobs. 9. He has successfully divided our country as never before. 10. He has successfully driven our oldest allies away. 11. He has successfully united the terrorists as never before (he said all along he was a uniter, not a divider). 12. He has successfully broken his oath to uphold the constitution of the United States of America. 13. He has successfully united Democrats (yay!) as they haven't been for years (I told you he was a uniter). 14. He has successfully driven moderate Republicans out of the Republican party, and driven the party platform off course. 15. He has successfully lied to Americans with out being responsible for the actions of his administration. 16. He has successfully weaken decades old rule that protects wildlife in forest. 17. He has successfully approved plans to move ahead with new nukes, announcing a plan to spend $2-4 billion. You know, with a string of successes like that, it's a wonder America is still standing. (It probably wont be for long!) Feel free to add to this list and pass this on. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Get it on your mobile phone. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Fri Nov 26 12:23:59 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2004 12:23:59 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] Censored 2005: The Top 25 Censored Media Stories of 2003-2004 Message-ID: <20041126202359.85463.qmail@web13604.mail.yahoo.com> Censored 2005: The Top 25 Censored Media Stories of 2003-2004 http://www.projectcensored.org/publications/2005/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Read only the mail you want - Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Fri Nov 26 12:24:16 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2004 12:24:16 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] PALESTINE: An American Photographer's Collection Message-ID: <20041126202416.18936.qmail@web13602.mail.yahoo.com> A very powerful collection... www.onebrightpearl.com IBB ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? The all-new My Yahoo! ? What will yours do? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Fri Nov 26 12:43:25 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2004 12:43:25 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] UNITED JESUS STATE:Justice Scalia Rejects Separation of Church and State Message-ID: <20041126204325.62881.qmail@web13606.mail.yahoo.com> Justice Scalia Rejects Separation of Church and State http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/112704X.shtml ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? The all-new My Yahoo! ? Get yours free! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Sat Nov 27 14:36:09 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Sat, 27 Nov 2004 14:36:09 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] Congress Seeks to Curb International Court Message-ID: <20041127223609.23276.qmail@web13606.mail.yahoo.com> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13257-2004Nov25.html Congress Seeks to Curb International Court Measure Would Threaten Overseas Aid Cuts to Push Immunity for U.S. Troops By Colum Lynch Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, November 26, 2004; Page A02 UNITED NATIONS -- The Republican-controlled Congress has stepped up its campaign to curtail the power of the International Criminal Court, threatening to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in economic aid to governments that refuse to sign immunity accords shielding U.S. personnel from being surrendered to the tribunal. The move marks an escalation in U.S. efforts to ensure that the first world criminal court can never judge American citizens for crimes committed overseas. More than two years ago, Congress passed the American Servicemembers' Protection Act, which cut millions of dollars in military assistance to many countries that would not sign the Article 98 agreements, as they are known, that vow not to transfer to the court U.S. nationals accused of committing war crimes abroad. A provision inserted into a $338 billion government spending bill for 2005 would bar the transfer of assistance money from the $2.52 billon economic support fund to a government "that is a party" to the criminal court but "has not entered into an agreement with the United States" to bar legal proceedings against U.S. personnel. The House and Senate are to vote on the budget Dec. 8. Congress's action may affect U.S. Agency for International Development programs designed to promote peace, combat drug trafficking, and promote democracy and economic reforms in poor countries. For instance, the cuts could jeopardize as much as $250 million to support economic growth and reforms in Jordan, $500,000 to promote democracy and fight drug traffickers in Venezuela, and about $9 million to support free trade and other initiatives with Mexico. The legislation includes a national security waiver that would allow President Bush to exempt members of NATO and other key allies, including Australia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Argentina, South Korea, New Zealand or Taiwan. The waiver was added to the provision, which Rep. George R. Nethercutt (R-Wash.) introduced into a House appropriations bill in July, after the State Department raised concern that the cuts could undermine key programs that advance U.S. foreign policy. State Department lawyers are studying the language to determine what portion of the economic support fund could be withheld under the law. But congressional staff members say the legislation would disproportionately hurt small countries with limited strategic importance to the United States. The criminal court was established by treaty at a 1998 conference in Rome to prosecute perpetrators of the most serious crimes, including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The treaty has been signed by 139 countries and ratified by 97. Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo of Argentina has begun investigating widespread human rights violations in Congo and Uganda. The Clinton administration signed the treaty in December 2000, but the Bush administration renounced it in May 2001, citing concern that an international prosecutor might conduct frivolous investigations and trials against American officials, troops and foreign nationals deployed overseas on behalf of the United States. "This is a body based in The Hague where unaccountable judges and prosecutors could pull our troops, our diplomats up for trial," Bush said in his first campaign debate with Sen. John F. Kerry. Since the tribunal began in July 2002, the Bush administration has been struggling to secure guarantees from governments to sign the pacts exempting U.S. citizens from investigation or prosecution by the court. The congressional cuts would not affect 96 countries that have signed the immunity pacts. Other governments, including Jordan, have been trying to negotiate the terms of an agreement with the United States that would not violate their own laws that bar them from undermining the court. Jordan's King Abdullah, who supports the tribunal, is expected to discuss the issue with Bush in Washington next month. But Washington's key European allies, including Britain, France and Germany, have opposed the U.S. effort on grounds that it undermines the treaty. In June, the Europeans spearheaded a campaign to block the United States from securing passage of a U.N. security resolution extending immunity to U.S. citizens in U.N.-sanctioned peacekeeping operations. The court's advocates maintain that the Bush administration's fears of frivolous prosecution are overstated. They say that the tribunal was created to hold future despots in the ranks of Adolf Hitler, Pol Pot and Idi Amin accountable for mass killings, not to pursue U.S. officials responsible for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. They note that the court will take on cases only when a state is unable or unwilling to do so. "The continuing attempt to cut aid to countries that do not support the International Criminal Court is unnecessary; the U.S. doesn't have anything to worry about," said Sally Eberhardt, a spokeswoman for the Coalition for the International Criminal Court. "There are enough safeguards built into the treaty, which the United States helped draft." Brian Thompson, a specialist for the court at Citizens for Global Solutions in Washington, said, "They are taking another swing at international relations that I think are already damaged by cutting off economic support programs that promote American ideals." ? 2004 The Washington Post Company ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Get it on your mobile phone. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Sat Nov 27 15:54:01 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Sat, 27 Nov 2004 15:54:01 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] Poachers may have killed 'dolphins that saved swimmers' Message-ID: <20041127235401.16379.qmail@web13605.mail.yahoo.com> http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1362192004 Poachers kill 'dolphins that saved swimmers' /ALEX MITA/ POACHERS in New Zealand may have killed two members of a pod of dolphins that recently saved the lives of swimmers from a great white shark attack, lifeguards said yesterday. The mutilated carcasses of the two bottlenose dolphins were found on Wednesday in the Awaroa River, which branches off the upper reaches of Whangarei Harbour on North Island's east coast. Staff from New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DOC) believe the dolphins died about two weeks ago after drowning in fishing nets set out by criminals poaching fish. DOC officer Richard Parrish said their tails had been hacked off, probably to free them from the net. Three weeks ago, seven dolphins protected Ocean Beach lifeguard Rob Howes, 45, his 15-year-old daughter Nicky, 16-year-old lifeguard trainee Helen Slade, and Karina Cooper, 15, from the jaws of a great white shark at Ocean Beach, Whangarei Heads. The protective dolphins have been hailed as the humans' saviours after the incident was reported this week. Mr Howes was on a training swim with the teenagers to mark Helen's first day as a lifeguard. The group was 100 metres from the beach when around seven agitated dolphins appeared. The pod formed a protective shield around the swimmers and even herded Mr Howes back when he tried to swim away. The girls thought the dolphins were playing as they swam round them in tight circles, thrashing their tails, but Mr Howes finally spotted the outline of a 10ft great white. The dolphins warded off the shark for 45 minutes and only when it moved off did they allow the swimmers to head for the shore. The discovery of the dead dolphins has outraged the local community and shocked Mr Howes and Miss Slade, who feared the two mammals may have been a part of the pod that saved them. An angry Mr Howes said whoever mutilated the dolphins should be castrated. "In light of what has happened at Ocean Beach I would give them a taste of their own medicine," he said. "This is how we repay them for their help?" He said setting illegal nets where dolphins could get tangled up in them amounted to "indiscriminate murder," and added that the discovery would put a lot of fishermen under pressure. "There will be a public outcry against the use of nets," he said. Miss Slade said she was disgusted to hear what had happened to the dolphins. "Why would they do such a thing?" she asked. Fishing with illegal nets, failing to report finding a dolphin in a net, and mutilating a marine mammal are all offences carrying a maximum 10,000 New Zealand dollars fine. Bay Of Islands SPCA inspector Jim Boyd said fishermen needed to change their habits and not set nets where dolphins could be caught. "(Dolphins) drown in the nets because they cannot get to the surface for air," he said. Mr Boyd called on the Government to impose legislation to protect the dolphins. "If (illegal netting) doesn't stop then dolphins will become extinct," he said. "That would be a sad indictment on society that we cannot look after a creature as special as this." *This article:* http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1362192004 *Sharks, whales & dolphins:* http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=226 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? The all-new My Yahoo! ? Get yours free! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Sat Nov 27 16:58:07 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Sat, 27 Nov 2004 16:58:07 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] LA BIKE COMMUNITY ON A ROLL! Another article in LATIMES Message-ID: <20041128005807.84894.qmail@web13602.mail.yahoo.com> http://www.calendarlive.com/printedition/calendar/cl-et-bike27nov27,2,6668855.story Blazing trails to urban freedom Legs churning, hearts pumping -- every trip's a thrill ride for L.A.'s street cyclists. By John Balzar, Times Staff Writer "It's better than a video game! It's better than a movie!" Ben Guzman's eyes widen. Sure they do. He stands a half-inch taller just thinking about Southern California's most daring thrill ride ? propelling a spindly, stripped-down bicycle straight into the fury of big city traffic. Guzman's friend ponders the remark, and shakes his head. "No," says Jimmy Lizama, flashing a ferocious grin. "It is the movie." Traffic got you down? It's no consolation but merely an inevitability that some among us have found exhilaration in the narrow blacktop spaces between the city's torment and temper. Urban cyclists are the judo artists of the urban landscape; the sluggish weight of traffic is their launch pad. Over the course of time, they'll actually make friends out here on the roads, not just exchange glowers with strangers ? although, yes, they'll get plenty of glowers too. They will ride in the "Tour de Tamal" to taste delights of hidden-away Mexican eateries. They will rally for an "Ice Cream Sunday" to sample the city's dessert palaces, and work them off at the same time. They know the city by its seams and intersections, by the smells of its neighborhoods and by the school kids who wave along the way. The strangest thing of all: They believe in their hearts that they are ascendant. They are pathfinders, utopians with a more livable city in their sights. Takes all kinds "It's a clich?, I know. But it's freedom," says Lizama, a downtown Los Angeles bicycle messenger and bicycling activist who turned 30 this month. "My mom raised five kids in L.A. without a car. I've never had a car." People have sharply different ideas about engaging urban traffic on a bicycle. A good many earnest, and accomplished, cyclists ? perhaps most of them ? go out of their way to avoid busy streets. In contrast, confrontational activists group together loosely under the banner of Critical Mass and periodically tie up the roads, protesting the tyranny of cars and infuriating everybody who drives one. Working bicycle messengers, small in numbers but oversized in cultural influence, are notorious for their outlandish bravado, grace and opportunistic disregard for traffic laws. Then too there are the traditionalists, the "vehicular cyclists," as they call themselves ? commuters with mirrors bristling from their helmets, grocery-store shoppers with their grandpa handlebars, and Lycra-wearing weekend athletes, all of them adhering to the rules of the road and seeking peaceful coexistence with motorists. "In between," says Guzman, a 30-year-old film editor, "is everybody else, like us." Lizama and Guzman, along with throngs of their friends and others of like mind, approach the city with an ecumenical view: Borrow freely from every good strategy. Whatever makes sense, whatever keeps you safe, whatever gets you where you're going, whatever keeps it fun. Bombastic street protest? Sure. Pub crawl? Most definitely. Espresso run? Let's go. Costume caravan? Once a month. A midnight ride whooping and whistling into the core of the city? Pick your theme. Monday morning commute? Every week. How about a night ride down some of Echo Park's steep pedestrian stairways? Well, gulp, OK. "We were out the other night, maybe 50 of us, and a guy in a car yelled, 'What are you riding for?' " Guzman recounts. The motorist guessed that only a protest or a crusade could explain such a cavalcade of cyclists in the heart of the city. He smiled when Guzman shouted back: "For fun!" It's all personal "Yeah, I've been accused of talking about nothing but bike, bike, bike." Lizama is holding forth at a sidewalk caf?, consuming a large portion of his body weight in greasy carbs ? which is what devotion to bikes will allow you. "So, I get in an elevator and I hear, 'Commute, commute, commute.' I go into an office and I hear people talking about the mess getting to work ?. I say, bike it." Two years ago, Lizama and Guzman ? with the support of a few pals ? opened a community workshop called the Bicycle Kitchen in an empty apartment off of Vermont Boulevard, not far from the 101 freeway. It sounded a bit grandiose when they proclaimed the Kitchen a "cultural space dedicated to propagating bicycles as a way of life." Then, that's what it became. As a consequence, Lizama and Guzman and the Kitchen regulars have become notable in the city's cycling scene. One cannot quite call them leaders, because the community of bicyclists is far too diffuse for leadership. In fact, cyclists tend to have such personal motives for riding and such specific relationships with their bicycles that they seldom regard themselves as part of a community that could be led anywhere. Yet these young cyclists represent an idea that seems to be catching on, here and elsewhere: If cycling is good for city dwellers and good for cities, the case cannot be postponed. Today in L.A. County, 20,670 miles of riding opportunities begin at the doorstep, down the sidewalk, onto the neighborhood street, across the alley, through the parking lot, up to the arterial ? right into the busy, rumbling gullet of the beast. Theirs is not an argument to eat your peas and bicycle for the sake of saving the world. More, it's about finding exhilaration in the city and seeing if it won't catch on. In a meditative how-to manual published this year called "The Art of Urban Cycling," writer Robert Hurst concluded: "We could argue for years about whether the post-modern, motorized metropolis is good or bad for our souls. Better we should tackle a question that we can really sink our teeth into: How is it for cycling? The question is complex, and the answer, it turns out, has much to do with attitude ?.As cyclists, we are in prime position to make the best of what we cannot change." A lesson in diversity It's midmorning, Sunday. Eight cyclists congregate outside the Bicycle Kitchen for a ride to lunch. There's a woman with a nose ring and bleached white hair. Another wears a T-shirt and the torn-off sleeves of a man's dress shirt pulled up her arms to guard against the chill. There are a few tattoos in this circle and the usual assortment of ratty street clothes, sweat-ringed fingerless gloves and rolled-up pant legs to keep cuffs off the chain. Not everyone is wearing a helmet. You know the type. Or do you? A couple of bicycle messengers in the group surely fit the stereotype of the urban insurgent. But there is a pediatrician here (the one with the nose ring), a language translator, an agent and two people whose business is television commercials, plus a tag-along reporter. Likewise diverse are their bicycles. Unlike either mountain bikers or "roadies," urban free riders face only modest group pressure to conform to equipment trends ? except for the fact that nearly all serious urban bikes, including the fanciest, are plastered with stickers or tape or otherwise "uglified" to reduce their appeal to thieves. Most bikes on hand today have their gears stripped off. Three of them are sleek, lightweight "fixed-gear" machines, bicycles that require uncommon skill to master and therefore represent the boldest expression of city cycling. On a fixed-gear, the rider cannot coast. Lizama ? tall, gangly, strong and graceful in the way a long-legged bird is graceful ? is so at one with his bike that he rides his fixed-gear without brakes, relying on the muscles of his legs to stop. Actually, stopping isn't the point of fixed-gear riding. Rather, it's being able to waltz, samba, hip-hop, swing and salsa through traffic, in traffic, across traffic ? anticipating everything that's going to happen ahead, behind and beside, in order to avoid having to stop at all. His bicycle is built up from a castoff frame. He doesn't know the brand. It is the best bicycle in the world because of the way it feels under him. Guzman ? compact, big-boned and quick like a college wrestler ? also rides a fixed-gear. His track-style bike is a KHS, a proven urban workhorse with its precision components camouflaged under a patina of hard use. There is quick discussion of route and destination. Koreatown will lead to Echo Park and Sunset Boulevard, and then ? "Let's go," Guzman says, stabbing the pedals. Two clicks tell him the metal cleats on his shoes are locked into matching spring-loaded clips underfoot. He rises off the saddle and leans forward. His 19-pound bicycle springs ahead as if it were alive and hungry and dancing on tiptoes. Edge of disaster "It's kind of like love. It wouldn't be exciting if there wasn't a possibility of extreme disaster." Lizama, with a 6-pound boron manganese locking chain slung around his waist, sprints to the front of the pack, down a backstreet grade and into one of the city's old, calm, tucked-away, freeway-adjacent neighborhoods. Others follow in a loose file of twos. The city energizes senses in the cyclist. The eyes search for cracks in pavement and grates that will grab the slender road-bike tires, and for glass and sand and oil and waxed-paper wrappers. The ears scan for threats amid the noise ? like the sound of an aggressive driver approaching from behind. The neighborhood street leads to a feeder road, where the traffic intensifies, speeds increase and margins of error diminish. This is where it kicks up ? adventure riding. What cannot be seen or heard must be accounted for: doors of parked cars that are about to fling open in the riders' faces. Side streets that are ready to launch hidden cars into their path. Oncoming drivers on the verge of turning in front of them. Kids, dogs, a cloud of debris shot into the air by a leaf blower. When Lizama wants the attention of a motorist, he howls in a perfect imitation of the "whoop, whoop" of a police siren. Then he smiles. The smile is important. "Don't let them get to you," he says. "I swear, wearing a smile makes better commuters out of more than just yourself." Confidence is important too. Hesitation arouses the predator instinct in a motorist. With a fast glance over their shoulders, the riders calculate the velocities of two lanes of traffic moving behind them, locate a plausible opening between cars and merge across both lanes for the upcoming left-turn pocket. At the corner, the group stops. "Espresso?" Guzman asks. All heads nod yes. Why not a little caffeine to crank things up? The rush of traffic On Sunset Boulevard, traffic roars ? all the louder for being only a foot or two away. Hugging the right-hand side of the slow lane, the group is split by a bus. The driver swoops in and brakes to an angled stop. Riders at the rear have no escape except to merge into the stream of fast traffic to the left. Two blocks later, the bus returns and again muscles into these easy pickings. For the most part, bicycling in a group is a powerful sensation. Motorists who might grow impatient or aggressive in encountering a lone cyclist are calmed in the presence of many. The bus driver is an exception. At the next intersection, Guzman glides to the front of the bus and raps hard on the driver's window. "It's your responsibility to drive safely, you know!" There is edge to his voice. He has a large and expressive face, and his expression is reproachful. The driver is taken aback. He is not receiving an everyday, so-what, finger salute from a motorist cocooned in distant armor. Guzman is only inches away, a human, not a motorist. The driver nods sheepishly and mouths, "I know, I know." Past Echo Lake, the group veers right. Traffic eases. Into downtown, the riders soar onto open Sunday streets, occupying one lane and then two, exhilarated as the city flashes by in glass and marble and tall shadows. It's not always this smooth. Lizama earlier recounted the night he made an instantaneous turn in an alley-cat race, plunging through the 2nd Street tunnel rather than huffing over Bunker Hill. Rush hour was ending, streams of stragglers were hot-footing it home. With no lights, no helmet and no chance to merge over to the tunnel's sidewalk, Lizama rode the windstorm down the double-yellow line, threading the furious, honking traffic. "The energy was amazing," he says. "I've never felt so powerful." A sweeping right-hand turn leads from the city core toward MacArthur Park, into the inviting pepper-and-smoke smells of Latin kitchens, and to lunch. 'I am in control' Want to stir up an argument? Raise the question of traffic laws and road etiquette with cyclists. Include motorists in the conversation if you dare. The fact is, savvy urban cyclists disagree among themselves, often strongly, about the need to stop at all red lights, about the efficacy of threading traffic, about riding on sidewalks, about when to share lanes with cars and when to "take" lanes, about helmets. These same riders also inevitably recognize that the city is home to legions of unthinking, oblivious, inexperienced and barely competent cyclists. No wonder motorists are bewildered and sometimes angry. Cyclists are apt to do anything ? because they do. In the end, there is little doubt that the illusion of danger is greater than the actual danger in urban cycling. Otherwise, bicycles would have been expunged from the roads long ago. But there also is no question that the danger is quite real indeed. There's no such thing as a fender bender on a bicycle. Four friends of the Bicycle Kitchen have gone down in recent days. On a sidewalk table at Mama's Hot Tamales, the group recharges on caffeine and calories. A conversation ensues: "You can't think about that, really. You have to act like you're on top of the world. You have to always be on top of your game," Guzman says. "Every car is a weapon of mass destruction." In the creed of urban cyclists, there is a keen sense of self-responsibility that accompanies the freedom of moment. It's the key to survival. Lizama puts it this way: "As a rider, there are two things I keep in mind. I never, ever assume that a car sees me. I assume they're after me. Two, I am in control. I assume that it's my duty to tell them what to do and where to go." Wait, there's a third point. Seasoned riders of all types talk about it. "It's instinct," Lizama says. "You listen to your guts." When to dodge. When to hold your space. When to go left. When to hammer down and when to stop. Those who master it never tune to drive-time traffic reports; they move to the music of the streets. "Out here, it's as much fun as when you were 8 years old," says Aaron Salinger, an English-Spanish translator. "Think how bad it would be to spend your life on a couch." "What I like about it is thats it's always improvisational," says Kelly Martin, a visual image researcher. "It is," says bicycle messenger Orlando Godoy, "a feeling of anywhere-ness." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? All your favorites on one personal page ? Try My Yahoo! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Sun Nov 28 23:17:12 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 23:17:12 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] Dear Red State Cousin - Keep Your God Off My Country, Body and Earth Message-ID: <20041129071713.11938.qmail@web13625.mail.yahoo.com> From: Dr. Glen Barry Dear Red State Cousin - Keep Your God Off My Country, Body and Earth Earth Meanders http://www.environmentalsustainability.info/ By Dr. Glen Barry November 21, 2004 The following essay is a response to the recent American Presidential election, in which differences in moral values between the liberal "blue states" and conservative "red states" were widely perceived as decisive. I argue below in an imaginary letter to my "red state cousin" that environmental conservation is the ultimate moral issue, and insist that born again christians keep their god off my country, body and Earth. Dear Red State Cousin, I have read with interest your emails full of christian wit and patriotic passion. This must be a time of heady optimism for the far right faithful, as Christian crusaders are on a roll in America and throughout the world. I thought it time to respond. Please forgive me for using this as an opportunity to clarify my own thoughts on god, the Earth, humanity's place in the universe and moral values in politics. And to take exception with christian extremism. Firstly, let me state I do not believe in your god. I feel the passion of your belief in Christ and know this is so very important to your philosophical foundation and well-being. But not all share this believe, nor should we be required too. Diversity in all things is a virtue. Religious self-righteousness, self-proclaimed omnipotence and blind self-assuredness are but a wee distance from nationalism, totalitarianism, and despotism. Instinctively I am leery of those who are certain in matters of faith. I note you and your president are so very sure of yourselves and your moral footing. Oh that I could feel such sanctimonious certainty but once in my lifetime. Oh how I long to be sure of anything. The closest I have come is to be sure that we need the Earth to live. We come from the Earth, are nourished by her fruits, her waters slack our thirst, and her atmosphere constantly replenishes our lungs. No human endeavor - be it economic, political, cultural, social, or religious - is possible without Mother Earth being healthy and stable. I can think of no more self-evident truth. I am also as certain as a human can be that religion indeed is the opiate of the masses, as conflicts over gays and prayer obscures the demise of humanity's habitat. I would not deny anyone comfort found in acts of blind faith, but it should not free its practitioners from critical thinking. In turbulent and changing times, I would suggest decisions are best based upon scientific knowledge, humanism and ecological intuition. Not based upon what some Middle Eastern people may or may not have said and done two millennia ago. Both muslim and christian fanatics want us to live based upon centuries old rules and an understanding of reality that no longer applies. Humanity desperately needs a new vision free of the dogmas of the past, and based upon concrete logical analysis of human and ecological necessity. Religion should be a deeply personal experience, not something forced upon others. Too many people have died fighting for something that can never be known. My faith comes from knowing that the sun shines each day, that the seasons pass on schedule and that all types of life abound (however, the actions of your faithful president threaten the latter two). I recently saw The Passion of The Christ. I would have been nice to see a bit more on Jesus' teachings, and a little less of him getting beaten up. In seeing Jesus' non-violence, I am at a loss to explain how much war and suffering has been and continues to be carried out in his name. I do not think Jesus would have bombed anybody, nor given tax cuts to the wealthy at the expense of the poor. I would never presume to demand that you worship my God. But under our nation's laws I will insist that you not force me to worship yours - nor to live under laws based upon your religion's tenets. Regarding moral values: how about a little consistency - do we stop caring about unborn children after their birth? Thousands of children die a day from bad water and hunger, where is the outrage? Many, many innocent children have died in our unprovoked invasion of Iraq. Is it moral that a few children have so much while most have so little? Do you grasp the violence and un-ethicalness of grinding poverty and hopelessness which is the norm for most of the world's children? One of the primary reasons I take exception to christianity is that the focus on the afterlife has, for some, become a reason not to be concerned about the condition of the Earth and all her peoples now. The demise of the Earth and the presence of grotesque poverty becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy, as the faithful wait to be whisked off to paradise after their death. Climate change, forest loss, water scarcity are all moral issues. All are various expressions of global ecological un-sustainability that threaten us all. People are dying from ecosystem collapse every day, and our species and many more are threatened with extinction. The collapse of human civilization (such as it is) into barbarism and anarchy is a near certainty if the dominant culture - based largely upon christian traditions - continues to view rapid diminishment of the Earth's riches as a desirable norm. But if I accept Jesus as my savior, then everything is all right? Yes I am a liberal, a free thinker, a bit of a bohemian, and a worshipper of the Earth. This is what I believe: there have been, are, and will be many prophets, a spiritual force that is good exists, and humans are on their own to live their worldly lives without divine interventions or a mystical afterlife. I find inspiration in christian values, as well as those of buddhism, islam and multitudes of pagan faiths based upon intimate knowledge of the Earth. To presume that all human knowledge regarding what is and ought to be is tied to one rather insignificant messianic cult from way before the middle ages is dangerous and cult like thinking that will not meet the challenges of the coming millennia. Further, I believe women are the only legitimate authority over their body. In a world rife with hate, loving relationships between adults should be supported wherever found. It is obscene that some have so much while most struggle to meet basic needs. The world will not long survive such gross economic imbalances. Equity, justice and sustainability are universal values that must be embraced now for the world and our children to have a chance. There are some people very angry with America - including those that terrorize innocent people. Such anger results from our opulence and arrogance, and we had best understand this fury is more than just islamic fundamentalism. Personally, I would certainly fight to protect my family and our Earth, and perhaps even my country, but not for your or anyone else's god. Unilateral war = state sponsored terrorism, and while I feel pity for the plight of American soldiers (and their victims) overseas, there is little heroism in their brutal occupation. Given our utter dependence upon the Earth for our every physical need, clearly we would be wise to realize that the Earth is the best representation of the father figure found throughout religious faiths. I believe the Earth is alive and is godlike. We come from and are one with the Earth. Gaia heals our wounds, provides for our needs, and we return to her upon death. I am writing to ask that you keep your God off my country, body and Earth. May Gaia bless you and yours. ***** Earth Meanders is a series of personal essays that place questions of environmental sustainability within the context of other contemporary issues. Past writings can be found at http://www.environmentalsustainability.info/blog/archives/cat_earth_meanders.htm Permission is granted to reprint this essay provided it is properly credited. They are purposefully raw and unedited, frequently written in one sitting due to a lack of time and resources. You can support future Earth Meanders by Dr. Barry, as well as his environmental activism, by making a donation to Forests.org at http://forests.org/donate/ . Donations are tax-deductible, and are being doubled by a matching grant. If you give $50, Forests.org receives $100. Please donate now! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - You care about security. So do we. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Sat Nov 27 17:55:44 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Sat, 27 Nov 2004 17:55:44 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] Q - What Country that is almost exclusively Muslim would allow 3% to live as Christians? Message-ID: <20041128015544.21009.qmail@web13622.mail.yahoo.com> Question - What Country that is almost exclusively Muslim would allow 3% to live as Christians? Answer - Iraq http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/iraq/complete/la-fg-christians14nov14,1,1746786.story?coll=la-iraq-complete THE CONFLICT IN IRAQ After Years of Relative Peace, Christians Live in Fear Church bombings, threats and attacks have driven tens of thousands to leave Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein. Many fear a pogrom. By Patrick J. McDonnell, Times Staff Writer BAGHDAD ? A wave of attacks on churches and Christians viewed as infidels or collaborators is generating alarm among a Christian community that has long lived in relative peace alongside Iraq's Muslim majority. Growing antagonism from Islamic extremists and insurgents has driven tens of thousands of Iraqi Christians from the country in the last 18 months, and many more are planning to emigrate. "We are crying tears of blood in grief for what is happening in Iraq," said Khayri Estayfan Abona, a 44-year-old mechanical engineer and father of three who was among a number of Christians lined up at a passport office here. "We are weak and helpless, so we are made into scapegoats." In the northern city of Mosul, home to a large Christian population, leaflets from self-described mujahedin warned women to cover their faces and dress conservatively during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Christian students at Mosul University boycotted classes last month after threats from extremists. Rumors have spread of expropriation of Christian property. Graffiti have warned Christians to leave or face death. "Muslims and Christians have been living together on this land for more than a millennium, as brothers living in one homeland," declared several Christian groups in a public appeal issued last month seeking support from Muslims. "The blood of Christians mixed with the blood of Muslims in defending this land." Privately, some Christians fear repression and a sanctioned pogrom if conservative Islamists come to power next year, when Iraq is scheduled to hold its first democratic elections. Islamic groups long repressed under Saddam Hussein's secular regime have moved to the forefront of Iraqi political life since U.S.-led forces ousted the dictator. Christians have endeavored to maintain a low profile amid the turmoil. Christians are said to have resided in what is now Iraq since the early days of their religion. Today, Iraq's diverse Christian population stands at about 800,000, according to community estimates, or about 3% of the nation's population of 25 million. Although Christians have long been marginalized in Iraq, and suffered like most Iraqis under totalitarian rule, even Hussein's Baathist regime did not systematically persecute them. Christian villages in the north were emptied as part of Hussein's "Arabization" campaign, but that drive was primarily aimed at displacing Muslim Kurds and creating a new Arab majority in areas close to the lucrative oil fields. Many Iraqi Christians did well in business and assorted trades, particularly the hotel and restaurant sectors. Hussein's deputy prime minister, Tariq Aziz, currently in U.S. custody, was perhaps the best-known Christian in Iraq. Christians here generally are considered pro- democracy and liberal. Driving away this generally well-educated and moderate population can only harm a nation with a dire need for economic advancement and tolerance, Christian leaders say. "What worries us is the tyranny of the majority," said Wathiq Hindo, a U.S.-educated businessman and prominent Christian whose uncle was an archbishop of the Syriac Catholic Church. "Saddam was a dictator, but he was not a religious fanatic. Religious fanaticism is a threat to us," said Hindo, who graduated from a Jesuit high school and college in Baghdad. Although fanaticism may motivate some of the attacks, others probably are related to the widespread perception that Iraqi Christians welcomed the downfall of Hussein and the arrival of the U.S. military. Insurgents have targeted anyone working with U.S. troops, be they Muslim or Christian, Arab or Kurd. Late last month, Christian representatives here estimated that about 7% of their fellow Christians ? or more than 50,000 people ? had left Iraq since Hussein was toppled. A large number headed initially to Syria, where many have relatives. But the ultimate hope of a great number of Christians is to immigrate eventually to the United States, Canada, Australia or other destinations for the Iraqi Christian diaspora. One of the largest Iraqi Christian communities in the United States is in San Diego County. Iraqi immigrants there say they are increasingly dismayed as they hear of difficulties for Christians in their homeland. Efforts to get approval from the federal government to allow fleeing Christians into the U.S. have been unavailing, community leaders said. "It's very bad," said Jibran Hannaney, a civil engineer. "As much as I thought the grace of God was coming to our people when Saddam Hussein was pushed from power, basically it's been the wrath of the devil instead. This liberation-turned- occupation has not helped our people." Hannaney said almost all Iraqi Christian families in San Diego County have relatives and friends who have fled Iraq for Jordan, Syria, Australia or another country after learning that they could not enter the United States. The recent migration is an acceleration of an established trend of Iraqi Christians seeking opportunities elsewhere. The withering cycle of warfare and sanctions has prompted as much as half of the nation's Christian population to emigrate since the 1980s, community leaders say. The great majority of Iraqi Christians are Chaldeans, an Eastern Rite Catholic group. Other groups ? Assyrians, Syriacs and Armenians ? also have lived here for generations. One sect, the Mandaeans, are followers of John the Baptist. Some Christians still speak and hold services in a modern-day form of Aramaic, the language Jesus is said to have spoken. A smattering of Protestants and Roman Catholics also have lived in Iraq since the period of British rule after World War I. In addition, the fall of Hussein has drawn Protestant missionaries. Coordinated bombings of at least seven Baghdad churches in the last four weeks followed attacks on churches in Baghdad and Mosul in August that left 11 dead and 50 wounded. Some churches have suspended Sunday services. Numerous Christian-run liquor stores have been firebombed and forced to close. Because alcohol is taboo to Muslims, Christians traditionally have been the only Iraqis licensed to sell it. "We've always been able to do our job and live with our Muslim neighbors in peace, but now all that is changed," said Imad Polis Jajo, whose liquor store in Baghdad was firebombed last summer. A few days after the bombing, a letter arrived at Jajo's door. If he attempted to restart the business, it warned, his 15-year-old son, Rafeef, would be kidnapped. Jajo is now unemployed and must seek help from relatives, he said during a recent interview at a near-deserted Christian social club in central Baghdad. Its gloomy emptiness attested to the fear that has gripped the Christian community here. "Even during the time of Saddam we were free to come to our club," said Sameer Khouri, the administrative secretary of the facility. "Now, people are afraid to leave their homes." In Mosul, some Christian women have acceded to anonymous demands to modify their dress in accordance with Islamic code as a means of self-protection. "I put on the hijab [head scarf] ? to prevent being harmed by these crazy people," said Dalia Ishaq, 18, a student at the Fine Arts Institute for Girls in Mosul. She blamed the excesses on extremists. "All my friends are Muslim girls," Ishaq said, "and this threat would never change my relationship with them." Throughout Iraq, Christians interviewed echoed those sentiments, emphasizing their ties to Muslim neighbors. "I have so many Muslim friends, and they have never treated me harshly ? they are just like my sisters," said Rana Saeed Jerjees, 25, a teacher in Mosul. "I think there are certain people who want a civil war to break out in Mosul and all over Iraq. This is all part of a major plan, and we must never surrender to such schemes." Mainstream Muslim clerics and the Iraqi interim government have repeatedly condemned sectarian attacks on Christians. The nation's interim constitution explicitly recognizes religious freedom and the rights of minorities. However, many Christians wonder whether the government ? battered by an insurgency and needing U.S.-led multinational troops to maintain some semblance of order ? can prevent such violence. One plan under consideration is for Christians to field a slate of candidates for January's elections to ensure that they are represented in the 275-member National Assembly. Another idea that has met with a cool reception among Christians is the creation of a kind of Christian safe haven in the plains of Nineveh province, outside Mosul. Proponents hope to attract Christians who have left the country, but others fear a kind of rural ghettoization. "We don't want to be refugees in our own homeland," said Yunadam Khanna, a Christian representative in Iraq's interim parliament. "There is a general crisis in Iraq, and what is happening to the Christians is part of that crisis." * --------------------------------- Times staff writer Suhail Ahmed and special correspondent Said Rifai in Baghdad, special correspondent Roaa Ahmed in Mosul and staff writer Tony Perry in San Diego contributed to this report. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? The all-new My Yahoo! ? What will yours do? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Sat Nov 27 19:21:08 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Sat, 27 Nov 2004 19:21:08 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] The Tale of Two Accused Fire Bugs Message-ID: <20041128032108.65562.qmail@web13604.mail.yahoo.com> The Tale of Two Accused Fire Bugs These two cases will be very interesting to watch in the coming months. Both are charged with destroying about the same amount of property, about 5 million. The good guy was doing this to make a political statement. The bad guy was playing a good guy, a fireman, that went off the deep end somewhere along the way. Needless to say I will be watching both cases closely and if I was a betting man, I would have my money on the good guy getting the worst penalty. IBB Student Is Guilty in SUV Bombing http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-guzzler20nov20,1,7391863.story Fireman Charged in 3 California Wildfires http://ktla.trb.com/news/local/la-me-firefighter25nov25,0,4379517.story?coll=ktla-newslocal-1 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? All your favorites on one personal page ? Try My Yahoo! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Sat Nov 27 19:27:43 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Sat, 27 Nov 2004 19:27:43 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] ALF Suspected in String of Vandalism Cases Message-ID: <20041128032743.7605.qmail@web13624.mail.yahoo.com> http://ktla.trb.com/news/local/la-me-vandals25nov25,0,5100322.story?coll=ktla-newslocal-1 LOS ANGELES Animal Rights Group Suspected in String of Vandalism Cases By Wendy Thermos and Greg Krikorian Times Staff Writers November 25, 2004 Los Angeles police are investigating whether three recent vandalism cases are part of a nationwide string of destructive attacks linked to an animal rights group that is high on the U.S. Justice Department's list of domestic terror organizations. The Animal Liberation Front, a militant and secretive international group, is suspected of vandalizing two fast food outlets and a Hollywood Hills home. Vandals shattered plate-glass windows and painted slogans on walls early Saturday at a McDonald's in the Harbor Gateway district just east of Torrance, LAPD spokesman Ed Funes said. Days earlier, a McDonald's in the Crenshaw area was defaced with spray paint. In both cases, vandals had scrawled the letters "ALF." Police believe the same group earlier this month targeted the Hollywood Hills home of an executive with a company that uses animals in drug testing. The executive was not identified, but authorities said someone threw a smoke bomb into the garage, broke windows and spray-painted "ALF" on the house. The Harbor Gateway McDonald's was spray-painted with "Don't feed your kids McKillers," "Stop McKiller" and "We won't sleep until the slaughter ends," Funes said. "It's very probable that it is associated with [domestic] terrorism, but we don't yet know," Funes said. "Just because they spray 'ALF' doesn't mean they are involved." LAPD investigators suspect that the crimes are part of a growing list of attacks, some involving bombs and arson, that authorities believe the animal rights group has carried out since 1996 against fast food outlets in Chico, Calif., and in Arizona, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Utah and Virginia. The Animal Liberation Front's stated purpose on its website is to carry out acts "causing financial loss to animal exploiters, usually through the damage and destruction of property." The site says members are told to remain anonymous. None could be reached Wednesday. "Any chain that sells meat is a target," said David Martosko, research director of the Center for Consumer Freedom in Washington, D.C., which has studied the group for years. McDonald's is one of the world's largest buyers of beef. A spokesman at the firm's Oak Brook, Ill., headquarters did not return a call seeking comment. In congressional testimony, FBI officials have identified the Animal Liberation Front and a similar organization, the Earth Liberation Front, as among the most dangerous domestic terrorism groups in the U.S., largely because of fears that their actions could one day take lives. --------------------------------- Times staff writer Andrew Blankstein contributed to this report. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - You care about security. So do we. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Sat Nov 27 20:31:02 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Sat, 27 Nov 2004 20:31:02 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] New prisoner and FBSN/ELP statement Message-ID: <20041128043102.32418.qmail@web13609.mail.yahoo.com> Urgent ELP! Bulletin (26th November 2004) Dear friends ELP (Earth Liberation Prisioners) bring this news for you today: 1) Former British animal rights prisoner, Sarah Gisborne, has been remanded. 2) Joint statement by FBSN & ELP regarding William "Billy" Cottrell. 1) Yesterday former British animal rights prisoner,Sarah Gisborne was remanded into custody accused of "conspiracy to commit criminal damage". At this stage it is unclear what, if any, criminal damage was caused and who else was involved with this conspiracy. However Sarah is a well known activist and therefore please send urgent letters of support to: Sarah Gisborne LT5393 HMP Edmunds Hill Stradishall Newmarket Suffolk CB8 9YN England 2) As reported on the 19th of November 2004, William "Billy" Cottrell, has testified against two other people and he is now regarded as a police informant by ELP. The following is a joint statement written by the former "Free Billy Support Network" and ELP. As everyone reading this will be aware, a couple of weeks ago William "Billy" Cottrell went on trial accused of involvement in a series of ELF arsons which targeted SUV dealers in the Los Angeles area. What is less well known is that a week before the trial began, his support network learned that Cottrell's defence lawyers intended to run a defence argument which involved blaming two other named individuals for the arsons. We have confirmed that these additional people were identified without any cooperation from Cottrell. It is believed that the information was obtained through Grand Jury testimony and various forms of electronic surveillance. It should be mentioned that Cottrell's attorneys filed a motion to exclude these additional names from court and the media, but Judge Klausner denied the motion. Before activists were involved with the legal side of his case, non-movement attorneys were hired and a direction for court strategy was developed. Neither Cottrell, his attorneys, or his community received any support from local activists throughout the Grand Jury and investigation process. It should also be noted that Cottrell was never part of any movement or activist community. As a result, serious mistakes were made both in testimony before the Grand Jury and the handling of alleged evidence. As it turned out, the defence strategy which subsequently developed was to admit that Cottrell was at the scene of the actions and spray painted ELF slogans, but did not participate in the planning or execution of the arsons. His defence would argue that Cottrell had Asperger's syndrome and so did not have the mental state required to engage in conspiracy; instead, they would claim he was the innocent dupe of the two other named individuals. However the trial Judge rejected a defence plea of Asperger's syndrome and ruled to exclude any mention of the syndrome from the trial. As soon as the full defence strategy was known, FBSN (Free Billy Support Network) was shocked to learn that the defence lawyers intended to name other people as being responsible for the arsons; FBSN had received assurances throughout Cottrell's imprisonment that this would not be the case. The FBSN strongly advised Cottrell, his family and his lawyers against this defence strategy. FBSN also informed ELP about what was happening and ELP likewise raised concerns, with Cottrell et al, about the implications of such a strategy. It was decided, at that time, by FBSN & ELP, not to publicise Cottrell's defence strategy in order to allow Cottrell and his defence team time to alter their course. However despite the advice of both FBSN and ELP, this was not the case. In court, Cottrell's lawyers alleged that Tyler Johnson and Michie Oe were responsible for the arsons Cottrell was charged with. Due to various factors, including his diagnosis with Asperger's and imprisonment at MDC, FBSN believe that this decision was made largely without the input of Cottrell himself. However, on Wednesday the 17th of November 2004, William "Billy" Cottrell was called to testify. Cottrell's testimony was witnessed by members of his support network. In his testimony Cottrell stuck to his lawyers defence argument and blamed Tyler & Michie for the arsons. To make matters worse he also extensively detailed their conversations and actions, providing information that could not be obtained by authorities in any other manner. Cottrell even confirmed their images when shown pictures of Tyler & Michie. In the interests of protecting all individuals currently under investigation for the ELF actions of August 2nd, 2003, FBSN & ELP cannot condone any court strategy which implicates or exposes others. This is particularly important considering the brutality and wrongful prosecutions which characterise previous investigations by the FBI and associated agencies. Because of Cottrell's actions in naming and implicating two other people for the arsons, Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network has been forced to withdraw all their support for Cottrell and instead have named him as a police informant. Likewise FBSN cannot approve of Cottrell's actions and as such, the Free Billy Support Network has been dissolved. As for Cottrell himself, despite his testimony, on the 19th of November 2004 he was found guilty on seven counts of arson and one count of conspiracy to commit arson. The Jury did, however, clear him of the most serious charge, that of using a destructive device during a violent crime. Sentencing is not expected until March 5th, 2005. A full Court Report about Cottrell's trial will appear in the next issue of Spirit of Freedom (due out in January 2005). In the meantime both ELP and FBSN would like to apologize to all those people who have supported Cottrell due to our efforts. Throughout his imprisonment, Cottrell received amazing support from liberationists across the globe. We sincerely apologize to everyone who contributed; we had no idea, until the very end, that Cottrell intended to testify against others and we did everything we could to dissuade him from his testimony. Despite the fact that Cottrell has testified, both ELP and the former FBSN would like to remind everyone that although Cottrell has turned traitor there are many other good prisoners who need our support and we hope this will not put people off supporting them. For a full up-to-date list of eco-prisoners please e-mail ELP4321 at Hotmail.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Prison is a weapon used by the State to crush individuals who step out of line" (Michael Collins - former Mayday 2000 prisoner) Support All Animal & Earth Liberation Prisoners Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network BM Box 2407, London, WC1N 3XX, England E-Mail < ELP4321 at hotmail.com > < www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk > Earth Liberation Prisoners Poland c/o E-Mail < ELP4321 at Hotmail.com > Italian Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network E-Mail < italianelp at yahoo.com > < www.italianelp.net > (Under Construction) North American Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network c/o E-Mail < ELP4321 at Hotmail.com > < www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk > Turkey Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network E-Mail < elp_tr at hotmail.com > < www.geocities.com/yesilanarsi/elp.htm > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? All your favorites on one personal page ? Try My Yahoo! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Sat Nov 27 22:27:03 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Sat, 27 Nov 2004 22:27:03 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] MSNBC Welcomes Citizen Journalists-Send them your news stories Message-ID: <20041128062703.43238.qmail@web13609.mail.yahoo.com> MSNBC welcomes Citizen Journalists http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/index.php?showtopic=6974 Got tons of detailed analysis, proof and other assorted on vote fraud 2004 and other stories? MSNBC is calling on you They are now going to air as much stuff as they can get away with without upsetting the big "NBC" network, and they are hand asking for it. Send all your news to CJ at MSNBC.com and JTrippi at MSNBC.com MSNBC welcomes Citizen Journalists (Joe Trippi) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6348977/ During this year's election MSNBC tried something different. We accepted real reports from Citizen Journalists. MSNBC posted these reports from everyday folks across the country on our blogs, and talked about many reports on the air. It was an experiment that worked. With over 4,000 stories received and 500,000 hits on our site, Citizen Journalists helped MSNBC cover the election from every angle. We want to continue this experiment. At MSNBC, we embrace the change the Internet can bring to the way we report things - and that experiment starts with you. So, we are giving Citizen Journalists a regular home for coverage on events large and small. We will post some stories you file up on our Citizen Journalist blog, and take the best reports and put them on the air. MSNBC has a great team of reporters trying to keep you informed - but they can't always be where you are - and they can't see the things you see. Send us your insight. Be creative. Become a Citizen Journalist to start telling your story to the MSNBC community. So over the Thanksgiving Holiday we hope you will join our growing group of Citizen Journalists and file your story. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - You care about security. So do we. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Sun Nov 28 18:58:31 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 18:58:31 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] Vandals Glue Store Locks on 'Black Friday' Message-ID: <20041129025831.395.qmail@web13604.mail.yahoo.com> Vandals Glue Store Locks on 'Black Friday' LAFAYETTE, La. (Nov. 26) - The busiest shopping day of the year turned out to be a sticky affair. Vandals apparently glued the locks on dozens of Lafayette's biggest retailers, preventing managers from opening up promptly on lucrative "Black Friday." Hundreds of shoppers, some of whom arrived before dawn, were forced to wait outside Barnes & Noble, Old Navy and other stores while managers summoned locksmiths. AP Hundreds of early-morning shoppers wait outside an Old Navy store after vandals apparently glued the lock. At least 200 locks on dozens of businesses were glued, including main entrances, rear doors and employee entrances, locksmith Garan Wilson said. Wilson's first job at about 5 a.m. Friday was to make his way to the front door lock at Old Navy - by pushing through about 500 shoppers waiting outside, he said. "I found about a half a tube of glue stuck inside," he said. Kevin Vizena, head locksmith for Pop-A-Lock in Lafayette, said the vandals squirted the glue deep inside the keyholes, forcing him to drill holes and remove the locks from the doors. "We've never run into a day that's been quite so busy with these particular problems," Vizena said. Chuck Trenchard, an employee of S&K Menswear, said the prank had cost his store more than $1,000 in business, because potential customers had arrived early, then took off because they couldn't get inside. Most of the stores had their doors open for customers by midmorning, Vizena said. Lafayette Police had no suspects but were investigating the vandalism as cases of possible criminal mischief or criminal damage to property, both misdemeanors, Lt. Angelo Iorio said. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Meet the all-new My Yahoo! ? Try it today! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Sun Nov 28 21:14:04 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 21:14:04 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] LA Times | Chipping Away at Roe vs. Wade Message-ID: <20041129051404.2423.qmail@web13625.mail.yahoo.com> LA Times | Chipping Away at Roe vs. Wade http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/112904Y.shtml ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - You care about security. So do we. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca Sun Nov 28 22:07:31 2004 From: shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca (shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca) Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 22:07:31 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Shadow_Group] NEW MOVIE: Weapons of Mass Deception (Distributors Take Note) Message-ID: <20041129060731.20598.qmail@web13607.mail.yahoo.com> http://www.wmdthefilm.com There were two wars going on in Iraq - one was fought with armies of soldiers, bombs and a fearsome military force. The other was fought alongside it with cameras, satellites, armies of journalists and propaganda techniques. One war was rationalized as an effort to find and disarm WMDs - Weapons of Mass Destruction; the other was carried out by even more powerful WMDs, Weapons of Mass Deception. IBB ++++++++++++++++++++++++++STOP THE WALL++++++++++++++++++++++++++ www.stopthewall.org www.nad-plo.org www.hrw.org www.pal-arc.org www.endtheoccupation.org www.sustaincampaign.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? The all-new My Yahoo! ? What will yours do? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: