The Rag Blog

SGT. MARSHALL THOMPSON: Most soldiers want to withdraw. That is proven. There was a Zogby poll. 72% of recently turned Iraqi vets want to be out of Iraq by 2006.

[snip]

I got an email yesterday from a soldier in Iraq who said, “I know what you’re saying. I can’t publicly support you, because I’m afraid of what might happen to me, but thank you for what you’re doing. And I’ll be walking with you in spirit.”

To read the entire interview, click here. You can also visit Marshall Thompson’s Web site, A Soldier’s Peace.

Awaiting the Rebellion
by Fred Reed

So do I …

And so do we. Read the rest here.

A Perfect Martini

Somehow this recipe goes with today’s movie. I can’t say how exactly; it’s just a feeling I have. The movie’s title is The Money God.

Into a well-chilled shaker, pour a couple of tablespoons of the best white (dry) vermouth you can find. Swirl vermouth to coat all sides of the shaker completely. Sit down and rest for two minutes.

Pour vermouth down the sink, or save it for the next time. In shaker, place 6 large ice cubes, then add 3 jiggers of the best gin you can find. Tanqueray is one of the best. Close shaker, do a Maquarena with your partner for just twenty seconds with the shaker in your hand (be sure not to break any bones), then immediately strain the result into martini glasses that have been chilled in your freezer for two hours. You can finish dancing now if you want.

Garnish with large pitted green olives on toothpicks (with or without the pimiento or other cool or hot stuffings, or pickled onions – I believe any garnish except olive makes a slightly different drink).

And if that isn’t enough for you ….

On October 4, the College Republicans at Columbia University hosted Minuteman Project founder Jim Gilchrist. The Minutemen are known for inciting racist violence against immigrants. In an exercise of free speech, students unfurled a banner on the stage reading “No One is Illegal”, prompting audience members to join them on the stage with another banner with the message, “No to Racism”. These peaceful protesters were violently assaulted. Below is their initial statement published the night of the protest as well as a link to a video showing parts of the event. They are now under attack from the administration and potentially face disciplinary charges. Please support them by signing the online petition at this URL. The students are also soliciting letters of support and solidarity, which can be sent to them at nominutemen@… .

Statement of the Student Protestors:

We celebrate free speech: for that reason we allowed the Minutemen to speak, and for that same reason we peacefully occupied the stage and spoke ourselves. Our peaceful protest was violently attacked by members of the College Republicans and their supporters, who are the very same people who invited the Minutemen to our campus in the first place. The Minutemen are not a legitimate voice in the debate on immigration. They are a racist, armed militia who have declared open hunting season on immigrants, causing countless hate crimes and over 3000 deaths on the border. Why should exploitative corporations have free passes between nations, but individual people not? No human being is illegal.

Links to coverage, including video:
Columbia Spectator

http://nyc.indymedia.org/en/2006/10/76890.html

http://www.bwog.net/index.php?page=post&article_id=2265

Police Go Nuts: Six Arrested after Anti-Minutemen Demo at Mexican Consulate

About 6 anarchist and sds folks were arrested today at the anti-minutemen demo at the consulate. One of them is being charged with spitting on the floor, and the other five are charged with 1 misdemeanor count of inciting a riot and 2 misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct. They were at the 13th precinct at 21st st between 2nd and 3rd, but they’re being moved to the tombs at 100 centre st i believe. There are gonna be folks outside the criminal courts there from now till morning, i presume, waiting until they get out. If anyone wants to get out there and show support, go for it. There are NLG people and mds and sds and nymaa and others working on getting bail, figuring out the next step.

To read more, go here.

Chapters, caucuses and organizers may access a broad range of press contact information at these websites.

I have been working on compiling an email address directory for press releases and letters to the editor. It is a work in progress, but anybody requesting a copy of the current draft will be sent one. I am also interested in collaborating on this project with others in SDS. It is something people can do, regardless of proximity (or lack thereof) to an active local chapter.

Yours in solidarity from my (now officially illegal even if on appeal) NSA party line,
Monty Reed Kroopkin
San Diego

PRESS CONTACT INFORMATION SOURCES

Congress.org Media Guide home page:
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/

The CP Network (College Publisher)
http://cpsite.collegepublisher.com/thecpnetwork/index.cfm

Current U-Wire Members (University Wire)
http://www.uwire.com/members/currentmembers.html

Independent Press Association’s Campus Journalism Project (List of Alternative/Independent Newspapers)
http://www.indypress.org/cjp/papers.html

Campus Progress member publications (Center for American Progress)
http://www.campusprogress.org/tools/90/campus-progress-publications

Alternative Press Center’s Online Directory
http://www.altpress.org/direct.html

and Alternative Viewpoints on the Internet
http://www.altpress.org/links_a.htm

AAN Directory (Association of Alternative Newsweeklies)
http://aan.org/alternative/Aan/NewsweeklyDirectory

ZNET’s Alternative Media Resources
http://www.zmag.org/altmediaresources.htm

ZNET’s Alternative Media Watch
http://www.zmag.org/altmediawatch.htm

Different format, same stump speeches
By JOHN MORITZ, ANNA M. TINSLEY and AMAN BATHEJA
Star-Telegram Staff Writers

“Everybody’s ganging up on me,” the singer-songwriter-entertainer said at one point. Friedman said the others were tackling him because he’s the one carrying the ball, rather than Perry, whom he described as still being on the sidelines. He added another of his stock stump speech quips in which he breaks down the word politics: “Poli means more than one. Ticks are bloodsucking parasites.”

Read the rest here.

Castro Foe With C.I.A. Ties Puts U.S. in an Awkward Spot
By MARC LACEY, The New York Times

Instead, Mr. Posada faces immigration charges, as the Bush administration tries its best to deport him somewhere else, where he would walk free.

Read the rest here.

I’d flat run out of ideas when I found this ditty two days ago. As I listened to it for the first time, I thought, “This is perfect for Singin’ on Sunday.” I looked for copyright information and this tune is public domain. Thank you to whoever put this together. And thank you for another little synchronous event that brings it to me just when I need it. Hey, Mariann – would you like to dance with me? I bet we’re singin’ the chorus by the end of the tune ….

This article reports an incident that is significant – the corruption is clearly in the White House, the trail of slime leads right to Karl Rove’s office. The statement by the official White House spokesperson in the last paragraph is as nice a summary as I’ve ever heard of the attitude of these criminals toward the American people. Matt of TiI

“Susan B. Ralston, a former aide to the disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff who went on to work for the presidential adviser Karl Rove, has resigned from the White House in the wake of a report that she served as a conduit between the two men.

Ms. Ralston submitted her resignation to President Bush on Thursday night, saying the time had come “to pursue other opportunities.”

But administration officials acknowledged that she quit as a result of a Congressional report, released last week, that documented hundreds of contacts between Mr. Abramoff and the White House.

“A protracted discussion of the report was not in anyone’s best interest, and when she chose to step down, we supported her decision,” a White House spokeswoman, Dana Perino, said today.”

h/t to Today in Iraq

Today, I found a story that has big implications. I listen to CBC Radio 2 in my little car, and I had to go to the post office this morning. It turns out that Stuart McLean, of The Vinyl Café, was talking about the Arthur Awards as I backed out of the driveway. He was awarding all the Moms and Dads across Canada who took their kids on a road trip this Summer an Arthur Award. Because my daughter did just that to visit all her Family in the Pacific Northwest, I sent her an e-mail about it. And that led me to look for the Vinyl Café Web site, which led me to find this story that is posted there:

*****
Tall Grass Prairie Bread Company

…

Finally they asked … what could they do? Could they do anything to support farmers in some larger way?

To read the entire story, which is well worth the time, please click here.
*****

My daughter Rachel happens to live in Winnipeg, so maybe she can go find the Tall Grass Prairie Bread Bakery. And maybe all of us can give some thought to sustainability and what we might like to do to promote it in and bring it to our communitities. Me, I believe this is just another example of a small synchronous event on a Saturday morning.

Richard Jehn