I'm thankful for the brave women of the peace movement.

Ann Wright, Jodie Evans, and Medea Benjamin are in Iran on a citizens diplomacy mission. I just finished reading a blog entry from Jodie. Thank heavens for citizens like them. They are such a disparate group: retired military, green party and fair trade activist, and political and eco campaigner and activist. I have met and talked to and protested with and shared floor space and food with Ann and Medea more often than with Jody, so I know a have stronger impressions of Ann and Medea than Jodie, but I know each of the three is dedicated to working for peace in the way every CODEPINK activist knows peace must be created -- through person to person contact and understanding.

These women have blazed some amazing trails. I never thought I would travel around as an activist, but for me trekking to D.C. to be a main street lobbyist has become "normal." The paths these women opened up were just too tempting for me and thousands of other U.S. women to resist following.

With diplomacy once again an officially sanctioned mode of interaction, who knows what sort of wonderful connections could be forged or furthered by women who read Jodie's blog entry about her travels and are inspired to undertake their own diplomatic missions.

We rarely know what impact we may have on people -- but we can know that if we work for good in all our interactions that well, we should have positive impact. Enough of those little nudges can move a planet.

So read Jodie's recounting of the things these three women are up to, and then be thankful for all we have and then go out and change the world.

Virtual Worlds, Social Media, & Social Justice

I'm coming up for air in physical life and immersing myself in virtual life after the U.S. election.  I've been a CODEPINK Women for Peace activist for over five years.  This election does not signal the end of CODEPINK work; we're not politically motivated, we are peacefully motivated.  

Military forces are still making war, not promoting peace, so our work isn't done.  I am however breathing deeply and relaxing a good bit now that an intelligent, diplomatically inclined man (sigh)  is headed for the White House.  This gives me the freedom to branch out a bit in my efforts to work for peace and justice.  

On December 10th people from all over the world will join together to celebrate and further advance the goals of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that was adopted and proclaimed by
General Assembly resolution 217 A (III)  on 10 December 1948.  I'm working with people from the U.S., U.K, Sweden, Italy and a host of other countries on a celebration that will last almost a week in the common countryside that is the virtual world of Second Life.  I won't try to explain virtual worlds beyond saying what was once a game platform where people moved online characters that represented them in a game around a 3D graphic representaton of a world.  My online representation, my avatar, is named Ana (Ana and Nancy have the same root meaning so that let's the very nerdy me identify with my avatar more deeply than a silly name might have allowed)....  Anyway Ana has been an entity in the virtual world of Second Life for two and a half years. In that time she/I has started a virtual chapter of CODEPINK Women for Peace and developed real relationships with people around the world who are also working for peace and justice.

I've linked avatar hands in solidarity with hundreds of other folks in support of Burmese Monks standing up to tyrrany and protesting for democracy,  protested Newt Gingrich's first major Second Life appearance that was streamed into the virtual world from where he was speaking in Atlanta, joined with lots of avatars from around the world protesting the G8 summit, and dropped virtual banners off virtual Washington monuments, as well as providing information about things CODEPINK was doing in the physical world.  You can see pics of some of these actions in Ana's Flickr pics.
Many folks say this is just "play" protest, but it is just as real as protesters you may drive by on the street and think for a second or two (or hopefully more) about the cause they in which they are proclaiming support.   The ultimate aim of any protestation is influence through the dispersal or broadcast of information to an audience that does not already possess that information.
The structure of the celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights draws on Second Life's popular usage as a "place" to share and enjoy live music.  People in their homes or studios around the globe have their avatars "play" at virtual clubs and cafes in the virtual world and people from everywhere have their avatars show up to listen to the music and dance.   It can be difficult to picture until you have done it, but the experience is very real for the participants.   The HRF (Human Rights Festival) in SL (Second Life) is gathering together some of the most sought after performers in Second Life who will play at various locations around "the grid" which is just another name for any virtual world or all virtual worlds.  (Yes, Second Life is but one of many virtual worlds in a rapidly developing interconnected grid of grids.)  People (avatars) who follow those particular performers or want to take a date to a concert or cafe or club will show up at the various places where the music is being played.  Non-activists will be exposed to the Human Rights Exhibits that are also in those locations.   Mission accomplished.  

Anyway I wanted to share my happiness that I can now more fully dedicate myself to exploring how to use the grid for the betterment of humankind now that I don't feel I have to dedicate most of my energies to counteracting the influence of the Bush-Cheney administration.  
I'm very excited about the development of the virtual world as meeting space as it allows a much greater potential for global friendship and interaction than has previously been possible as well as a host of other benefits such as the saving of fuel when complex meetings that require more presence and personal commitment than a simple cnference call or video conference.   Promoting virtual meetings is such a great area for women entrepreneurs, too.  And then there is the whole "differently abled people are not differently abled in virtual worlds - unless they want to be" thing, and how these virtual platforms will liberate the eldery, mobility challenged individuals to walk hand in hand on beaches with old and new loves.  

I'm so psyched up about all this, there are so many opportunities to explore and create!  

post script:  I will cross post this to a couple of my blogs as well as an entry on Blogher.  I apologize for any duplication to which you may be exposed due to this cross posting.  

Act NOW or kiss your freedom good-bye

The Bush Coup is happening.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XgkeTanCGI
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article20975.htm

The coup occurred on October 1, 2008. An armed insurrection has taken place.

Press your District Attorneys NOW to arrest the Bush Administration.

Here Come The Fascists

RFK, Jr. leads a call for awareness of the vile and violent bigoted philosophies that informs Palin's small town conservatism.

Fascist writer Westbrook Pegler, an avowed racist who Sarah Palin approvingly quoted in her acceptance speech for the moral superiority of small town values, expressed his fervent hope about my father, Robert F. Kennedy, as he contemplated his own run for the presidency in 1965, that "some white patriot of the Southern tier will spatter his spoonful of brains in public premises before the snow flies."

I read that she tried to get one of my favorite authors, Madelaine L'Engle, books banned from her town's library. Here's the story,

"Sarah Palin never asked anyone to ban a book as Mayor. As Mayor -- of a Wal-Mart and a snowmobile trail -- she was only interested in censorship in general.

As the New York Times reported this weekend, she only pushed to ban books by name when she was on the city council.

I hope that clears up everything.

Why was it so important for Brian Rogers to slip in the words "as Mayor" a week ago, before anyone had heard about Sarah Palin's city council campaign to protect Alaska from Daddy's Roommate?"

I no longer have any tolerance for hair splitting truth tellers who are micro-meters from lies in order to further their goals through deception. Vile, lying, neo-con, fundamentalists who would impose their narrow, violent, sexist, biogoted world view on us all. Eff em. This is war. I'm declaring war on fundamentalism -- all fundamentalism descended from the intolerance of Abraham's world view -- Christian, Islamic, or Judaic.

(P.S. if such attitudes of "I'm doing well so God must favor me " informed by just this kind of thinking hadn't been allowed to prosper under deregulated skies, the 2nd Great Depression wouldn't be gaining steam as we speak. Squelch the facsistic tendencies of the police state that can flip into power seemingly in an instant in such times. Poll watchers/election observers arrested. Peaceful protesters exercising their rights of free speech and journalists attempting to cover their stories are intimidated, brutalized, and jailed. What are we waiting for, a "Krystal Nacht?" -- I write this as Alan Greenspans wife, Andrea Mitchell, interviews Carly Fiorino, a fired HP Exec who walked away with a severance balloon of somewhere around 40 million dollars, about the mess our country is in. Now that is journalsim.... AAEEeee and ARGH!")

Palin is sooo retro!

RNC protest - it's a wrap.

There is so much that didn't make it in to the corporate media -- I don't know where to begin. So I will start with CODEPINK. It is interesting to note that the dark blond woman who had the banner ripped out of her hands is a constituent of John McCain who knows he has done nothing for the people of Arizona although he has helped corporate Arizona -- and with the trickle down effect has p---ed all over the people of Arizona.




The night before Medea and Jodie engaged in a free speech act at Palin's speech.


Here you can see real journalistic news coverage of the act of free speech:

A very Republican friend of mine summarized his reaction to the free speech engaged in by Liz and Nancy last night during the McCain speech after I distributed a URL to AP coverage of my pink sisters that lands at a video of the event near the spot on the page where the speech act is accessible under the heading "Protest...." I find it interesting that I couldn't link directly to the proper video. Oh well.

"I KNEW it. You CodePinksters are a resourceful, albeit deeply irritating (but that is the point, after all, isn't it?) lot!

Though I disagree with your group's policy prescriptions, I am glad to see someone was able to penetrate the unconstitutional barriers to free speech both parties erected on the pretext of security concerns. I only wonder why Code Pink did not crash the love fest at Mile High Stadium, also, or did they but went unheard in such a massive, outdoor venue?"

You can see that Pinksters interupt Obama too in the video immediately above.

CODEPINK actions at the RNC on Flickr.

I believe the Make Out Not War action best captured the spirit of CODEPINK - presenting the other side of the coin per the war in and occupation of Iraq in a non-violent jester inspired manner that can even make people laugh until they stop and think deeply about the action -- then tears are likely.

Things were not quite as peachy for journalists engaging in what is supposed to be doubly protected reporting through free speech acts instances of free speech acts. Amy Goodman was arrested when asking to speak to a police officer in charge so as to find out where the cops in Darth Vader suits had taken two of her producers they had arrested. I recommend watching the entire program to get a feel for the abuse of power that went on throughout the entire RNC. Amy Goodman got the most attention of the group but several other journalists were detained, arrested, and charged with very serious misdemeanors or felonies.

If you don't have time to watch the entire video -- go to the end so you can see a reporter summarize another event where the police were way out of line to begin with... but then exaccerbated the situation by rounding up the journalists too.

This doesn't even begin to cover the huge number of other outrageous acts instigated by the police. Here are links to just a few.

Pepper spray directed directly and purposesively into the eyes of a photojournalist.

From the blogosphere, Pam's House Blend covers the situation well.

Here's the photo of police abuse of a protester that got the photographer arrested. This could have broken the protester's neck or crushed his throat.

More than 50,000 have already signed on to a petition delivered today to St. Paul City Hall to have charges against journalists dropped.

Photography is not a crime discussion on flickr is worth checking out. So is this about photographer's rights.

And then there are the hundreds of arrests that even CNN finds used questionable tactics as well as pre-emptive search and seizures.

And then there was the arrest of a photographer last week at the DNC who took a pic of a democratic honcho and some big donors who was arrested -- that must have been a warm up.

Information Inequity - Candidates & Protesters

According to Project Vote Smart: Senator John Sidney McCain III repeatedly refused to provide any responses to citizens on the issues through the 2008 Political Courage Test when asked to do so by national leaders of the political parties, prominent members of the media, Project Vote Smart President Richard Kimball, and Project Vote Smart staff. So he doesn't want to share his intentions with his constituents.

Contrast this with the information stolen from the Convergence Center in a raid - at gunpoint - by St. Paul cops for reasons they don't want to make public. Sounds just a bit Gestapo-esque to me. They took pictures of the 50 people inside the rented space. These protesters were the ones who dress in black and wear bandannas to protect their identity. I guess the cops wanted to be sure they knew the identity of all the protesters even though the cops guard their identities with face shields and depersonalizing armor that masque their faces the whole time they are in the streets, and even when their is no provocation as was the case in Denver their mirrored sun glasses and weapons will strike down any imagined threat before it can develop.

Protesters use convergence centers for regrouping, eating, internet connectivity for research, props creation, training of newbies in safety and legal issues.


This pre-emptive strike by cops does not bode well for the next week.

Unity or Bust

I wish things were different than they are, but all things considered, H. R. Clinton did an admirable job tonight at the DNC. I wish I could have supported a woman. I wish I could have supported Clinton. But her stance on the war made that impossible. At least it was good to see that she got to use the best of the campaign slogans her team had created. No way, no how, no McCain. Twins McCain and Bush in the Twin Cities. Can't survive four more years of the past eight years. And the evocation of Tubman's "keep on going" was very moving. I for one was impressed.

Now if Obama would just address torture, surveillance, and endless war in an appropriate manner I would be a happy camper.

There is much more to say on this topic... per parallels with slavery and womens suffrage for example... but I'm on a borrowed computer. My hard drive mysteriously died yesterday as the DNC opened. 10th hard drive in 5 years. Hmmmm. Statistically improbable. Put that together with them dying when week long progressive protest actions were beginning and well... that is statistically impossible.

Oh well.

Wake Up America. John McCain is Senator from a Pit of Corruption.

This is the first of many posts that will be made over the next couple of months that highlight John McCain and what his interests and protection of interests vital to his family's continuing wealth have done to Arizona. This article by Halbfinger in yesterday's New York Times offers tantalizing details that require further investigation about financial holdings and interests of the McCain family. Family is an interesting term to use here, as it also has a more foreboding connotation illustrated to me by a friend of mine who was told by his Chicago-based "labor relations" father-in-law ---whose son has a beer distributorship in Northern Indiana--- "Ya don't juss marry da girl, ya marry da Family." McCain's children and wife, THE McCAIN FAMILY either run and/or hold significant shares in the massive Cindy Hensley McCain owned beer distributorship in Arizona.

I live in Arizona. October 2nd I will be into my third decade lived in Arizona under the regal rule of the very small number of families that control almost every aspect "plantation Arizona." My life has been impacted by the lack of concern these families, such as the McCain family, have for the people of the state. John McCain has never lived in this state, he has flown over the lives of the little people in strata above the everyday lives his entire time he has been associated with the richest women the state. He was arm candy for little Cindy Lou.

• ranks second highest nationally in franchise jobs
• 50th in education
• in top three in foreclosure rates
  
• Above average drug use, among the top in violent teen death, near the top in teen pregnancy, and citizens living below poverty rate usually comes in around 20 %
  
• highest national crime rates

But Arizona ranks low in taxes on beer. Close to 20% lower than the national average on alcohol taxes. Hmmmmm. What people are side-stepping is what the beer distributorship, the Keating Five, and Marley connections imply. Organized crime. Perhaps mobster perhaps not.... organized crime comes in all sorts of white collars in Arizona.

Wake up America! You don't want anything to do with any successful politician from this corrupt state.

Women Political Commentators Score! But...

Rachel Maddow gets her own show on MSNBC! I'm reporting solely from what I read in a Commondreams repost of a Washington Post article as I just got home from work and opened my laptop and whooped with joy at seeing a female Rhodes scholar rewarded for her wit and wisdom in political reporting. About damn time!

I could not care less about what Maddow's sex life does or does not include. Not my business. I don't know what Keith Oberman is into sexually nor would I care to know -- yet I am given information by national print media that is of absolutely no business of mine about Rachel Maddow 's sexual orientation. Two steps forward, one step back.

I was delighted when I started seeing the Air America radio host turn up on Keith Oberman's show. Maddow is well spoken, intelligent, witty, well-informed, young and female.

We're getting there. No where close to 51-52% of the hosts and commentators in political media though.....

Week in Review: Baby Steps Toward Justice Just a Diversion

Ted Stevens' indicted for falsification of documents yet Halliburton continues on unscathed though they broke contracts, failed to deliver on what they had contracted to do, and allowed men and women to be killed for no purpose rather than profit.

This McClatchy article links to all the pertinent documents on the Stevens indictment. This DPC report links to House testimony and supporting documentation of abuse.

So what has McCain done for the people of Arizona this week, or ever? Oh, we know he helps out his buddies such as Don Diamond but really what has he done for Arizona? Someone, please help me out here. Seems to me like he is only around Tucson for photo ops with Bush, or to meet with corporate interest groups. I'd loe to have some answers to this question.

Rambling, Synchronicity & Stuff in the Offing

No time to write (and that really means research as after the research is done the writing happens as if by magic.... yeah right on a good day....) involved posts in the last week. Immediately after returning from BlogHer 08 I came down with a hellacious case of cold/flu. Now I'm really behind and I have to return Rae's call about blogging and/or Second Life involvement of CODEPINK in the DNC and RNC activities, protests, marches and street art. Of course there is work, my personal life and my non-blog writing. Oh there is also the intermittent activity with the property back in Indiana. If I start sounding sloshy it is just because I am drooling in my shoes --- too many things going on and I can't really piggy back any of them on each other. AND ---- my cat has started taking the occasional crap on the thrown rug in our bathroom in front of my husband's sink.

Speaking of smelly disgusting things, check out this pic of the diagram from Salon about the overlapping criminal spheres and which scum bags were involved in which treasonous activities. I can't bring myself to use the namby pamby word "scandals" for these overt criminal acts of deception and hundreds of other misuses and abuses of the judiciary and unconstitutional attacks on privacy.



On Slate you can click on the various plots, ugly actions, and crimes against the constitution and the various criminals and find out a bit about the facts and interpretations of actions. Well worth checking out.

When I start to get too over-heated with steam coming out of my ears about the state of the nation (not to mention the world) I've found that hunting for public domain out of copyright images (see below) for import into Second Life, and playing Scrabble on Pogo.comis really a good getaway from politics and the frustration I feel about politics.





Okay, that's it for now -- next time -- P. W. Songbird.

Rove, Citizen's Arrest, and Federal Judges

Four peace activists Mona Shaw 57, Kirk Brown 25, Chet Guinn 80, and Frank Cordaro 61 were arrested and charged with trespassing when they attempted to place Karl Rove under citizen's arrest yesterday as Rove spoke at a Wakonda Country Club in Des Moines where he was scheduled to speak at a Republican Fundraiser. Iowa law contains reference to the obligation of citizens to place persons who have committed felonies under arrest until law enforcement can transport the person to a hearing before a Federal Judge.

The only problem is that these sort of people, people within the Bush administration who are guilty of treason or sedition, never step foot outside walled enclaves when coming out "in public" and walk very quickly between limos and heavily policed buildings. There is something wrong with this picture.

Shouldn't the police have assisted these patriotic folks, average age 62, who were only doing their civic duty (remember that phrase from your high school government class?) Instead they arrest citizen's doing what the law and a good conscience requires of them.

Cordara and Shaw had previously attempted a citizen's arrest of Rove in 2007. Last year these two were released without charge when detained by the police, this year they were charged with trespassing.

I hope this sort of thing happens more and more frequently. These criminals believe they are above the law. They are not. Condi had to dodge New Zealand Students as the Auckland University's Student Association is offering $5,000 reward for the citizen's arrest of Condoleeza Rice.

I like the way this is progressing. " If not us, who? If not now, when? "

"Yee Ha! Let's arrest us some war criminals!"

Read the press release from the Reverend and the Catholic Workers DesmoinesCatholicWorker.org has video, news coverage, and additional information for those interested.

Senate Hearing on FLDS/Polygamy and a personal rant on religious freedom and the separation of church and state.

I didn't catch most of this hearing as I didn't read my email that said that Terry Goddard would be testifying in front of the Senate Judiciary panel on the FLDS and Polygamy and that it would be on C-Span 3 as well as streamed on the internet. My sketchy notes are at the very bottom of this rant. :-)

Many women I know watched in horror as the abuse of children became evident when the FLDS compound in Texas came under scrutiny and massive media coverage a few months ago when hundreds of children were removed and again when they were returned to the compound.

The absolute authority of religious doctrine over how a family conducts its business, both private and public, if it wishes to remain within a congregation of a church is nothing new. I happen to have a couple of my ancestral family branches come from a group of people who attempted to leave the Catholic Church a few centuries ago in Switzerland only to meet with horrific torture and death before escaping the country and then continent. The FLDS may be a much smaller group than other larger organized religions within which the repressive doctrine of absolute servitude to a single person through whom God speaks is at the core of the religion but it is not the only one and certainly not the most sizable example.

This is why the men, with significant input from their wives and scholarly female friends, wrote the constitution to address the centuries of inequity in European governments and religions with which they were most familiar and which they were specifically addressing in the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States of America, and the Bill of Rights - the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. They addressed both the tyranny of monarchy and religion albeit they addressed it in a bit more diplomatic manner speaking of freedoms. The flip side of any freedom is the tyranny to which it stands in contrast.

People in the United States, especially in the Mid-West where I grew up, don't like to talk about religion or politics,at least not in "polite company." As far as I have been able to discern, "in polite company" means in the company of women, children, in groups of diverse background be they socially, ethnically, or economically diverse. In other words, don't stir up the rabble with potentially revolutionary thought. Ha! They don't know me very well do they? Obviously someone like me, questioning everything from the get go, did not fit in well with those folks who were interested in preserving or conserving the status quo. Society needs a few folks like me or we would stagnate and die. Too many folks like me and we would become unstable with a lack of integrative infrastructure. At least that is the simplistic view. Complex systems are way too hard to talk about, so we simplify and get the basics wrong from time to time. That is just the human condition.

Let me let you in on a little secret. Tories still exist. Monarchists still exist. Just because people are living in the U.S.A. doesn't mean they actually support the tenets of our Representative Democracy. Most of the folks who don't support democracy don't even know they aren't supporting it. Religious freedom (which can also be read as freedom from specific religious tenets,) equal protection under the law, and freedom of speech are the pillars of our fledgling democratic state. And yes, we are still fledgling. The United States is less than 250 years old. We allowed slavery until 150 years ago, and women have had the vote for less than 100 years. This is all transitory and very unstable. This is why every citizen of the U.S.A. has responsibilities as well as rights. If we don't exercise these responsibilities then everything will disappear. Poof. No more democracy. Anyone who attempts to impose his or her way of thought and belief on you is engaging in distinctly un-American activities. When people say that by not allowing them to impose their way of thought that I am imposing mine, well let's just say that a mind is a terrible thing to waste. I don't expect or want others to view the biosphere as a complex living system that holds special spiritual meaning for them. I like my own view of life and love.

Don't talk about religion or politics (or sex) in polite company. WTF? We have to talk about these things. Nothing gets me madder than a swarm of killer bees than perfectly competent women saying that they don't get involved in politics. Ick. Ptooey. Hack. Spit. That leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. Who is carrying their share of the political responsibility? No. NOT their husbands! Their husbands do not understand the impact of current policies on families in the intimate way that women do. Allowing men more political input than women pretty much guarantees that education, health and the general welfare of the common person will take a back seat to areas where there is a concentration of male power: territorial aspects of life like borders, both real and imagined, and large symbolic tributes to power and status. It's okay, that is just how they are, for the most part.

I simply wish women would look at where submission, deference, and allegiance to a centralized patriarchy leads... to Warren Jeffs and if allowed to become ineradicably entrenched in society and culture to the cruel and immoral domination of papacy as represented by many corrupt papal regimes throughout the ages.

We need equal access to education so that all children are presented with access to the best understanding of art, literature, science, and world geography and history that our country can offer them. These children have a right to be well fed before the school day starts, as well as well fed in the evening when they complete their homework. These children have a right to healthcare. These children have a right to childhood, adolescence and early adulthood that broadens their understanding of the world and opportunities that it holds.

Religious indoctrination cuts off these avenues of learning and opportunity at an earlier age than the age of consent, the age of majority, and the age of full adult citizenship. Anything that cuts off opportunity to full rights and privileges as an adult is decidedly not American in spirit if not in law.

The separation of church and state, equality under the law, and the right to freedom of expression are all being denied by religious groups in the United States. Speak up women. Speak up for our children.


----------
Notes from the last few minutes of the hearing
______



human trafficking -- it is not the travel - it is the servitude.

the land they purchase

income streams, laundry of money in Nevada and Wyoming through corporations

task force

centralization of property and power to the leaders of FLDS
Bryce canyon property sold for 8 million - probably to fund legal
members of the community regularly go without pay for work
businesses were expected in the 1980s to turn over ownership to the church
mid to late 1990s leadership determined not only who marries whom but also how long they stay married to whom. "shem dear you need to get dressed and meet me at uncle Rolands--- I've been released from your father. 3 wives of his father -- he was not worthy of three wives. sons were admonished to support the church. "the time is too short, there is no support
waren and roland. women were remarried to others -- home was taken -- financial support without visitation of children. 2000 - stop doing business with those who have left and remove any such employees. 1999 end of the world was immanent. This gentleman spoke of his father, himself, his brothers -- 70 year old father had to drive alone -- unlike usual practice of traveling with a family member which he no longer had -- and he careened into a ravine to his death later that day --- with no skid marks evident.

Wooing the Blogging Mama Demographic -- my notes on Hybrid Media session

I am so amazed by the energy put into commercial support of this conference. That is both good and bad. Corporatization (is that a word?)-- changes the game.

----------------
Panel:
redbook, essence, bravo
Lisa Stone (moderator), Stacy Morrison, Lesley Inckney and Lisa Hsia
----------------

Bravo -- old media &. new media

revenues from this

also learning how to monetize and grow the audience

project runway (Hsia)

1-2 % respond in most interactive polls
98% respond to bravo and project runway

-------
Redbook -- diary of V. Diary of E. biggest draw. 2nd referer after giveaways. authentic -- comments have to
2nd largest web mag. property.
but if you like redbook please buy one once in a while.

--------
Time Warner/ Essence not as restrictive as they once work. have loosened up.

media is inherently is grassroots now

malest oldest rooms she's ever been in.

-------
fox & nbc
huloo (spelling?)
trying all the new ad models


kaboodle -- hearst


redbook
i only want to make the best mistakes

essence
try telling these old male folks that they will
never be dominant
never be perfect

-------
constant effort to tell personal stories

-----
sex life roadtest
take it to tv

----
shoot em up kill em
romantic comedies
oscar winners
-----

recruiting bloggers
creating an ad network

--

ivillage = nbc = fox

-----
innovation
corp. won't do quick......

time warner wants to own twitter not use it

smaller network and just do it

it's not don't do it
it is you have to wait

redbook reaches across the country evenly
except washington and oregon
not just shoes and cosmopolitan
thinks that redbook is a family magazine

change the font - lose the audience
she is a professional empath.

she represents an openness to every idea
but she has to censor 25 % of her self

-----

use versus be the media

-------
would be nice to have mega corps change from support incubation .....rather than just buy/own......

--------
big furry beard
snowboarder
mike dunn
if you see him at a meeting it is going to be big

---------

netroots & blogher joint session

twitter as a support tool
gives reg. folks undeniable voice and reach.
it's been fun too
celebs and pol. change. -
how to reach nonpolitical folks -- what political social networking tools -- harry potter & sirius black - dumbledors army ---- dumbledoors army in the real world
myspace ---bands -- wizards rock the vote --

"voldemore can't stop the rock"

love of a mother for her child is the greatest force

36 million women on line and blogging and they are talking about politics

mommy bloggers aren't just about potty training

corporations?

twittering.... facebook...

streaming netroots blogher and live from the web and twittering
reflexivity on reflexivity
fractal communication

darfur tibet myamar/burma..... allow supportive action and giving

all this intersects.

we need to become the traditional media and have it take a back seat

world domination

2012!

What we believe: how to take names and be taken seriously as a political blogger.

Morra Aarons-Mele,Fausta ,Mona Gable, and Shark Fu (Pamela) are the panel members that will be speaking at this session of BlogHer '08 and I will be posting while in this session, probably about the session but maybe not.... who knows?

This is the "first" session I've attended. I was on a panel in SL this a.m.

Topics:

Anonymity and political blogging.

Comments versus getting out there.

The bias question.

What actually happened versus the take on it.

choose your battles

tone vs. true to yourself

authenticity

both news in one post and perhaps later doing a commentary on the same topic

dont think before you hit publish (Shark Fu)

Personal entries within a political blog
do you talk about your children brothers spouses etc.?

do you use your kids pics?

compartmentalize.

multi-sourcing

Facts. Do they exist?

Show, don't tell. Quote, reference.....

question on networks.... some don't network with comments at all. some do. some answer comments, most don't. but serial volunteerism is one persons network. one is cozy with sources.

you are a source.

Gone to BlogHer

and I'm also at:

BlogHer in SL


So tired. Traveled to SF today on 2 hours of sleep. Wrote like a mad woman on the plane! Every other word in The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein set me off on a major scribble event in my ever present little black moleskine book with a pencil. I have my work cut out for me later to attempt to get it posted somewhere. Maybe here.

Took BART (much dirtier than I remember it being) to The Westin St. Francis -- Got settled in. Met some of the speakers and key BlogHer players. Woot! Woot! Great Roomie too! Amy from Ohio. She gave me a buckeye. Shoot. I should brought cactus spines. LOL. I also caught up with last years roomie -- Ann Marie -- she's on the BlogHer Speakers page.

Bush to be in Tucson July 18, 2008

Drat it all -- Bush buzzes into Tucson for a $1000 a plate breakfast fundraiser for Tim Bee on July 18, 2008 -- next Friday,





















and I'm I'm going to be out of town pushing for the online women's peace cause. A large protest is being planned. Get your "Bush Be Gone" on!!! More details soon!

The Face of the Anti-War Movement Fires Back

The Face of the Anti-War Movement Fires Back - CommonDreams.org: ""

This article perfectly illustrates the problem with the core of the Democratic Party. I will probably vote for Obama, but after the 2006 elections rolled Democrats onto Capitol Hill with a massive mandate to end the war and get control over Bush, and they did nothing, I have little tolerance left. My earlier post today was about Obama potentiall showing mainstream namby pamby Democratic innards beneath his novel filled -with-change veneer. I hope it isn't true. But there are so many of us out there, just like Cindy, who are ready to leave the Democratic Party if there are any smoke and mirror tricks in the campaign that become clear as policies emerge.

It is well worth noting that at least one Cindy Sheehan basher has changed his mind about just who Sheehan is and what she stands for.

I've only met Cindy a couple times myself. She is a very serious person and not the type of person to seek attention for herself. God &/or Goddess bless her for being willing to speak out, continue to speak out, and most importantly, her willingness to act. Pelosi needs someone speaking truth opposing her in her own district. I am very impressed with Cindy for doing this.

(Via .)

Wal-Mart Defender To Direct Obama’s Economic Policy

This isn't a good sign. Folks who are nutso for Obama need to email the heck outta this link and say, no plastic crap from China, and no low prices built on the backs of the working poor.

Wal-Mart Defender To Direct Obama’s Economic PolicyAppointment of Jason Furman Immediately Meets With Skepticism - CommonDreams.org: ""

This position appointment bothers me for so many reasons. If Obama turns out to be status quo per corporations in policy, well, then we will have to set him right.

Change and hope are not fueled by Wal-Mart supporting economics.

(Via .)

Bush & McCain in Bed Together

This morning three of us Tucsonans, Sue, Kim and I drove up I-10 to our State Capitol to help the Phoenix type folks unwelcome Bush as he came in to Mesa to visit the military contractors at visit to the company was probably only arranged so he could use Air Force One toSilverado Cable Company -- this come to Phoenix forMcCain fund raising events. A couple hundred folks gathered on S. Dobson Road at 1st Avenue.
Susan and I are holding the "Get the Balls to Prosecute War Criminals" sign. I had the pink balls, Susan had the lettering talent, and Kim had the attitude (as you will see further down the page.)

The crowd was quite diverse and included Phoenix CODEPINK, local folks, young and old people, folks from Flagstaff -- first time protestors and seasoned professionals.

It was difficult for me to get a picture of the lineup of a couple hundred people along the street as I couldn't get into the street or across the street due to the police presence.






















Met up with Arizona Liz (here shown with Kim & the "Balls" sign.) Liz has been a busy little pinker in D.C. representing our state with other CODEPINK women from around the country. I've written about her being assaulted when Desiree managed to let Condi know that the blood of scores of thousands is on her hands.

Overall this was a good event with lots of people venting at the motorcade as it drove by so as to let Bush and Co. know that he isn't welcome here by regular folks and McCain is not being supported by most folks in Arizona now either. Liz walked out into the street with a huge sign that said "Pray for Insane McCane" as the motorcade was passing by on its way to the fundraiser that had been moved to an undisclosed location after they couldn't sell enough tickets to have the event at a large arena. I hear it was also because of the protests to some degree.

The most disconcerting thing that happened was a cop with major camera apparatus who was filming every one in the crowd. When one young woman asked if that was going to get her on a list, the cop put his camera down and came over and got in her face and yelled, "What did you say to me?" She was quite taken aback and obviously a bit frightened. First, why are cops taking pics of people lawfully gathered together to send a message to the administration. Secondly, why did he have to act like and A**hole? Unfortunately my pic of him taking a pic of me turned out blurry. I'm putting it up any way.

Then is was on to Cesar Chavez Plaza in downtown Phoenix to Pink Slip Bush. I don't have any pics of that as I was one of the women who had to physically drag Bush away from the adoring cadre of Billionaires for Bush to that we could Pink Slip him. You can see his back and one of the Billionaires in the pick I snapped as we were getting ready to grab him. I will have pics of that sent to me tomorrow and I hope to have them up tomorrow evening.

McCain that was of course followed by a honeymoon in whichAfter that there was a marriage ceremony for Bush and it was clear that McCain is in bed with Bush as they were escorted in their bed through the streets of downtown Phoenix.

Then it was on to grab a bite to eat at Rosie's (10th and Camelback) to refuel and hear a few words from Rae , CODEPINK 's national liason with local groups. There were Gilbert folks there who were PDA affiliated, and folks from various other groups affiliated with the Phx End the War Coalition. After that we then decided on the way to where we were crashing, that we would stop by and chat with Blair and his buddies who are all associated with 9/11 Truth. Bryce is fasting for the next few weeks to bring attention to our nation's "Hunger for Truth." If you go to this site you can find out about it. It is always good to connect with other groups who want the same end result as you even if you differ on the details and issues.

The next post I will talk more about why all this was happening.

Off to Rally Against Idiocy and Fear-Mongering

Heading to Phoenix to protext Bush coming to Arizona to join with Insane McCain , the Manchurian Candidate, in a fund raising attempt. I say attempt as last week they had to cancel the planned venue for one of two reasons (and probably some of both)

1) the venue wasn't filling up, that's right in McCain's own State Capitol, Phoenix, Republican masterminds couldn't sell enough tickets to fill it up

2) they also were worried about the number of protesters coming from around the state and even beyond Arizona's borders -- it would be really embarrassing for the party loyalists and corporate stooges to be outnumbered by protesters.

So they changed the venues. The fundraisers are now just listed as "at private residences" and I would suspect that these residences are in walled against the riff raff gated communities. The Bush schedule for Tuesday shows him arriving at Silverado Cable Company in Mesa, AZ at 3:05 p.m. After King George and Prince John zip off to private residence land everyone will head for Chavez Plaza, downtown Phoenix, to rally together against any continuance of war, war crimes, and governance by war criminals -- there will be music, speeches, skits and general reconnecting and strengthening of the bonds and determination of Arizona activists, Democrats, and veterans groups as they seek to let the country know that Arizona people don't back McCain.

Here's the info from the flier that was distributed about these protest events:

We Turned Them Away –
Downtown Phoenix is a Bush-McCain Free Zone!

Tuesday’s Phoenix Downtown Rally and March Still a go – 4:00 p.m.

Also, Big Protest Against Bush in Mesa- 2:00 p.m.

Please Distribute Widely!!

Bush and McCain

are on the run!

from OUR protest

of THEIR endless war!

Read all about it!

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/05/19/daily77.html?jst=b_ln_hl

So,

PROTEST BUSH

IN MESA

at

Defense Contractor Silverado Cable Company

this Tuesday, May 27^th

2:00 – 4:00 p.m. corner of 1st Avenue and Dobson Rd. (south of Main Street and Dobson Road) in Mesa

Parking available in shopping mail on Dobson between Main and 1^st Avenue, Mesa

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&safe=off&client=opera&rls=en&hs=dDJ&q=Mesa,+AZ,+USA&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&resnum=1&ct=image

AND

Rally at César Chávez Memorial Plaza

in Phoenix

Music, speakers and a celebration!

Watch CodePink Phoenix “pink slip” the prez.

Washington Street at Second Avenue (in front of Phoenix City Hall)

http://virtualguidebooks.com/Arizona/CentralArizona/Phoenix/ChavezPlazaPhoenix.html

4:00 - 5:30 PM - Tuesday, May 27th

Join us at a rally where we anticipate a disconcerting sight:

McCain in Bed with Bush!

5:30 – 6:00 p.m. Tuesday May 27th
Help us chase embedded McCain & Bush out of Phoenix.

March down Adams Street to the Phoenix Convention Center

(Second Street between Adams and Monroe)

http://www.ci.phoenix.az.us/CIVPLAZA/plazaidx.html

Park on the street (free after 5 pm) or in surrounding parking garages.

http://www.ci.phoenix.az.us/CIVPLAZA/parking.html

.

Bring water to drink and sun protection.

Sponsored by End the War Coalition - Code Pink Phoenix, Progressive
Democrats of America, Phoenix Women in Black, Arizona Alliance for Peace & Justice,
Phoenix Chapter 75 Veterans for Peace, Arizona Vietnam Veterans Against the War,
Arizona Green Party, Grandmothers for Peace, Arizona Christian Peacemakers and Arizona Democratic Progressive Caucus

For more information call 480-894-2024 or e-mail endthewarcoalition@cox.net, codepinkphx@yahoo.com, dan@pdamerica.org, or go to http://www.azpeace.org

----------------------------------------------

This is the info that arrived from the Democrats:

Many of you have heard that President Bush's fundraiser for John McCain had to be relocated due to the promise of massive protests (and poor ticket sales!). They may be able to run, but they can't hide! Here's the most up to date info on where to be and when to get there.

Rally in Mesa

(Mesa) 2:00pm Protesters should begin to arrive at Rally location. (Rally participants wll converge on the SE Corner of Dobson and 1st Ave.)

Parking is available at the Main Street Market Place on Dobson between 1st Ave and Main St.

(Mesa) 2:30pm Rally participants must be in place. (Road closures take effect because of President's arrival)

(Mesa) 3:00 - 3:30pm Rally continues as Pres. Bush prepares to address a private crowd. (Demonsration is expected to be captured by media)

Rally in Phoenix

(Phoenix) 3:00pm Rally Participants may opt to arrive at Democratic Party Headquarters to be shuttled to Cesar Chavez Plaza

(Phoenix) 3:30pm Rally Participants Begin to arrive at Cesar Chavez Plaza (On Washington St and 2nd Ave -in front of Phoenix City Hall)

(Phoenix) 4:00pm Rally Begins (with Speakers and Special Guests)

(Phoenix) 4:30-5pm Downtown Protest March begins (towards the Convention Center)

(Phoenix) 5:30-6:30pm Arizona Democratic Party Shuttles begin shuttling back towards Headquarters (Shuttled participants will meet at Cesar Chavez Plaza to be shuttled back)

For more information on these events or to RSVP to the shuttle, please call 602-298-4200 or email Amanda Jaksich at ajaksich@azdem.org

I will post impressions and pics after these events tomorrow. Hasta.

Precedent Setting Election Integrity Ruling In Pima County Superior Court.

Every once in a while our Old Pueblo manages to do something that impacts world history. A ruling on Friday addressed the right of the people to have access to election records and databases. The county had argued that releasing such records would be a security risk. Pima County Superior Court Judge Michael Miller ruled on May 23, 2008 for the release of databases for the primary and general elections in 2006.

Of course the Arizona Daily Star hid the information about this landmark ruling deep inside the paper even though this news made the Daily Voting News.

The Tucson Citizen reports:

Judge Michael Miller Friday issued his under advisement ruling declaring that the interests of the state and public outweighed unproven vote security concerns voiced by county attorneys and witnesses.

"All existing electronic databases must be disclosed," the judge ruled.

It is the first time a judge has ordered any governmental entity to turn over all records from electronic elections and ballot tabulating systems past, present, and future to political party officials for scrutiny for signs of tampering.

"Everyone is going to be looking at this ruling and realize that electronic records are public records," said Vince Rabago, chairman of the Pima County Democratic Party.

Earlier this year Pima County Board of Supervisors decided to release the database records for the May 2006 Regional Transportation election.

The Pima County Democratic Party had brought suit last year against Pima County for the release of electronic voting records for the 2006 elections under the basic logic that electronic elections require electronic monitoring. Pima County Dems have more guts and good sense than the state level party as a whole I would say.

The judge has not yet ruled on a request that Pima County pay the Democratic Party's legal fees that reportedly run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

With the advent of Diebolt voting machines that can be easily hacked, election results locations in the United States have come under suspicion of tampering since before their adoption as voting technology.

Arizona is one of the places leading the way for requisite scrutiny of electronic voting databases, in my humble opinion, due to a few dedicated folks, such as John Brakey. Individual action does make make all the difference in the world between freedom and servitude. I think John's comment on a Tucson Citizen article from April of this year is worth republishing.

DEMOCRACY DEPENDS ON WHAT “WE THE PEOPLE” DO!

Joseph Stalin said, “Those who cast the votes DECIDE NOTHING. Those who count the votes DECIDE EVERYTHING.”

Folks, Election Integrity is NOT about the RIGHT or LEFT. It’s about citizens challenging injustice, greed, and corruption.

Yesterday we stood together in court NOT just for our County; but as Americans concerned for our Country!

NY Times article 1/6/08 Can You Count On These Machines? “One might expect computer scientists to be fans of computer-based vote-counting devices, but it turns out that the more you know about computers; the more likely you are to be terrified that they’re running elections.”

Fact: Since then, Huckelberry's Election Department has been ILLEGALLY printing election summary reports of early ballots (WHO'S WINNING AND LOSING) way before Election Day.

Fact: County Manger Chuck Huckelberry has known about the back door to our voting system since 1996. That's when Huckleberry authorized Bryan Crane to use that “back door” to merge two databases. What Crane did wasn’t in the manuals.

Huckelberry and the country ridiculous delusional defense for keeping the databases secret -- that releasing them would result in "Mayhem and Chaos" – lost!

Casting secret ballots is essential in our democracy. Counting them in secret is contrary to everything our Founding Fathers fought for.

I’ve learned, after three years of investigating Pima County Government, that it's NOT JUST voting that makes democracy, its TRANSPARENCY IN COUNTING VOTES and we still have a long way to go getting it right in Pima County.

Vigilant Patriots, practicing the rights of citizenship in a democracy with civility, can make the Difference!

Hope, Peace & Democracy,

John Brakey, co-founder of AUDIT-AZ (Americans United for Democracy, Integrity, and Transparency in Elections, Arizona) & Co-Coordinator Investigations for Election Defense Alliance.

Arizona Fair Elections is another source of information on this topic.

I previously wrote about related Arizona and political manipulation of voting records in 2005.

Arizona may have a reputation for a quirky libertarian streak, but we have Clean Elections and now a precedent setting ruling that helps to insure election record transparency. The western states gave women the right to vote before the nation did too. Yee-ha! Now if we could just translate this fierce patriotism into booting McCain and Kyl from office, well, then I would be downright proud to call myself an Arizonan.

"Chicago 10" Revisits 1968 Democratic Convention and the Festival of Life

Last night I went to see the Chicago 10 (2007) at The Loft last evening. Director Brett Morgan, a combination of historic footage and animation, this project has been panned by corporate media critics and surprisingly suggested as a potential educational tool for parents to use to instruct mature teens about history by other reviewers. Most film review sites seem to have a mixed review.

My original experience with the Chicago 8 (10 now per this movie's inclusion of defense attorneys Weinglass and Kunsler) is just as divergent from the mainstream as my critique of the movie. I won't say watch it or don't watch it although I definitely lean to the former. That is up to you.

What I find most compelling about the film are things that few if any of the "top" reviews choose to comment upon -- metacomentary, framing for a new generation, the ability to capture the essence of a very complex time. Actually, for me all the events of 1968, MLK Jr.'s assassination, RFK's assassination, the Chicago Democratic Convention, will always pale in comparison to my brother catching a gut full of shapnel as he lifted a mortally wounded buddy into a medivac chopper on his birthday on August 4th, 1968. I was 11 years old.

Of course there are the 2008/1968 parallels. War that the country no longer supports, a divisive Democratic party that could end up losing the fall election to the Republican nominee. A profound sense of hope and and equally profound sense of despair that pulsates just below the surface of every political discussion.

The use of now common academic/analytically informed protest tactics and the acute understanding of the role of the media in shaping political thought and dissent was brought to mid/late 20th Century U.S. by the Yippies. The contemporary grandfathers of Billionaires for Bush, CODEPINK, and YellowCakeWalk were Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin. (Be careful crossing the street all you street theater of today types.) My life partner in cultural critique says I should mention The San Francisco Mime Troupe.

The concept of "The Jester" who embodies the upside down analysis of things not spoken about in kingdoms and monarical courts is an ancient concept. Successful street theater is the stuff of intellectually trained and culturally astute critics of the powers that be. Laughter mixed with the possibility of death is edgy and illustrates that all humor comes from discomfort.

No other film of which I am aware of so effectively presents the layers of meta-messages that bombarded the TV watching U.S. population in 1968. The trial scenes in the film were exclusively presented as animation -- this perfectly addressed the surreal nature of the trial.... of course it also was necessary as there were no courtroom cameras allowed in the winter of 1969 and 70 the date of the trial.

I definitely think that Tucsonans of the activist stripe or anyone interested in the presentation of historic information to contemporary audiences would be rather negligent if they did not take advantage of the local showing of this film on a large screen and get over to The Loft between now and Thursday, May 29th, 2008.