A federal jury has ruled that the city of Seattle is liable for the unlawful arrests of roughly 200 protesters during the second day of the World Trade Organization meetings in 1999.
However, the jury also determined that the arrests did not violate the protesters’ free-speech rights because they were not made as a result of a city policy aimed at squelching anti-WTO viewpoints. [more]
Passionately anti-capitalist, Benjamin is widely credited as having been a chief organizing force behind the 1999 Seattle riots in which 50,000 protesters damaged millions of dollars worth of property in their effort to shut down meetings of the World Trade Organization.
Diane Baker’s voice was barely audible above the rumble of the trash can she pushed down the sidewalk. But her actions tended to speak louder, anyway.
Four months ago, Baker was one of 71 people arrested during a protest in Washington for crossing a police line to sit on the steps of a Senate office building.
As punishment, the 60-year-old was sentenced to sweep the streets of the nation’s capital for eight cold, blustery hours Tuesday.
"I’m a rather fragile, small woman," said Baker, a hospice chaplain at United Church of Christ in Dallas. "Being a minister, I offered to do counseling, but this is what they gave me."
Baker, a mother of four and grandmother of two, suffers from myoclonic epilepsy, a degenerative muscle condition that causes her voice to quiver and hands to shake. As she signed in to begin her community service, she struggled to write her name. [more]
Diane Baker who has no trouble traveling to DC (or anywhere else) and running up and down the streets protesting the US military; wants us to believe she’s just this weak little ole granny. Hopefully granny will die soon…but only after she has cleaned the streets of the US of A.
PIERRE, S.D. - The South Dakota Senate on Wednesday refused to expel a lawmaker accused of fondling an 18-year-old legislative page in a motel bed, but voted to censure him instead.
Democratic Sen. Dan Sutton had admitted sharing a bed with the page last winter but denied groping him.
Unidentified men shot and killed a brother-in-law of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in a raid on his home in Madagascar, his brother said on Wednesday.
Malek Khalifa told Dubai-based Al Arabiya television that the aim of the killers appeared to have been to rob his brother, Jamal Khalifa, who mined and traded precious stones in Madagascar.
Malek said a gang of 20 to 30 gunmen broke into his brother’s bedroom, shot him dead "in cold blood" and stole his belongings. [more]
Jill Abramson, Yale professor and New York Times managing editor, via the Yale Herald:
YH: You’ve said that you want to learn about the news consumption of college-age students, and I think that’s really interesting because we’re a strange bunch.
JA: No! You’re hardly strange, and you’ll be the next generation that traditional journalism needs to capture to stay alive. Learning about your news consumption habits is one of my goals in teaching at Yale. When I was teaching a class at Princeton in 2000, many of my students got their news from Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show. So I was introduced very early on to The Daily Show.
YH: Do you still watch Jon Stewart?
JA: I watch Jon Stewart every night, and Stephen Colbert.
YH: One of the ways I get news is by looking at the "Most Blogged" tag on the Times website. It directly calls attention to how the New York Times is going to interface with the blogosphere.
JA: Which is huge. Some worry that the dominance of the Internet has disrupted the business model of newspapers, but I see it presenting us with a great challenge. That challenge is to publish the best newspaper in the world — which still makes a nice amount of money and has a very avid readership — but also to develop what I think is the best news site on the web, and to be terrific at both. The Internet has made us more creative and more competitive in many ways.
Via Iraq4Ever, the planning for a day to celebrate their glorious leader Saddam Hussein and to slaughter the infidel pig dog:
Call the Preparatory Committee
حول أربعينية الشهيد القائد صدام حسينOn a Shiite martyr leader Saddam Husseinتدارست الجنة التحضيريةParadise had discussed preparationsالمشكلة للاعداد لاحتفالات اربعينية الشهيد القائد صدام حسين رضي الله عنه ، الاقتراحات الكثيرة التي وصلت اليها وتوصلت الى ما يليThe problem of preparing for the celebrations of a Shiite martyr leader Saddam Hussein, God bless him, the many suggestions that have been reached and reached the following::
ان يكون يوم 8 -2 –2007 يوما عالميا للاحتفال بالاربعينية في كل القاراتTo be on 2 - 8-2007 world day of celebration Balarbaineh in all the continents..
في حالة وجود عائق امام اقامة الاحتفالية يوم الخميس 8 -2 فيمكن للجان المحلية اقامته يوم 9 -2 الجمعةIn the case of a hindrance to the establishment of festivities on Thursday, 2 - 8 can be set up for local committees on Friday 2-9..
يفضل ان تبدأ الاحتفالات في الساعة السادسة مساء بتوقيت مكة المكرمة –الثالثة بعد الظهر بتوقيت لندن ، واذا تعذر ذلك فيمكن تأخير او تقديم الوقت حسب الظروف السائدةPreferably Celebrations start at six p.m. Time Mecca, the third-afternoon London time, and if not possible, could delay or time depending on the circumstances prevailing..
In a rational world, American universities would lead the way in exposing the noxious roots of Islamic terrorism. Instead of psychoanalyzing Rush Limbaugh or President Bush, they would devote their attentions to what makes terrorists tick. Readers of FrontPage Magazine are uniquely educated about the unholy alliance between academia and jihadists. Thus, we have launched the Terrorism Awareness Project – www.TerrorismAwareness.org – to educate college students directly.
In conjunction with the organization and website, we have produced the flash movie The Islamic Mein Kampf, as well as a scholarly pamphlet by the same name. Together, they provide a chilling and compelling testimony to the depths of bitter Islamic hatred and the threat a growing radical Muslim population poses to Europe, Israel, the United States, the Jewish people, and the world.
Every human culture has believed in spirits, gods or some other divine being. That’s why human beings have often been called Homo religioso. Some people take this long history of belief in the otherworldly as evidence for God; doesn’t it explain why religion continues to be so pervasive? But many scientists are coming up with their own, decidedly secular, theories about the origins of faith. In fact, over the last few years, a small cottage industry made up of scientists and philosophers has devoted itself to demystifying the divine. [more]
What Mr. Paulson neglects to state is that spirits, gods, divine beings, were merely titles attributed to or a gift bestowed upon, the decidedly stronger male species. However, in the spirit of fairness and newly found fear of the opposite sex, exceptions were made. Gods with female attributes (Women) were anointed to balance things out. The male species however found (a little too late) that their newly appointed goddesses had a propensity for dining on gonads. The Exodus Gonadus in -1 BCE was the pivotal turning point for the female species. The male species has yet to recover.
OTTAWA, Canada (Reuters) — Immigrants to the small Quebec town of Herouxville must not stone women in public, burn them alive or throw acid on them, according to an extraordinary set of rules made public by the local council.
The declaration, published on the town’s Web site, has deepened a debate in the predominantly French-speaking Canadian province over how tolerant Quebecers should be toward the customs and traditions of immigrants.
"We wish to inform these new arrivals that the way of life which they abandoned when they left their countries of origin cannot be recreated here," said the declaration, which also says women are allowed to drive, vote, dance, write checks, dress as they want, work and own property. [more]
Safety System Problem Prompts Emergency Shutdown at Russian Nuclear Plant
MOSCOW (AP) — An unspecified safety problem prompted an emergency shutdown at a Russian nuclear power plant, but no increase in radiation levels were reported, federal officials said Tuesday.
The incident occurred at the first unit of the Balakovo plant around 11:15 p.m. Monday, the Emergency Situations Ministry said. The plant, located near the Volga River city of Saratov, about 450 miles southeast of Moscow, has four 1,000-megawatt pressurized water reactors. [more]
Red indicates the extent of the radiation cloud on April 27, just after the accident in Chernobyl April 26th 1986. Blue, indicates its distribution until the 6th of May.
BERLIN (Reuters) - Nearly 30 years have passed since Dirk Schleyer’s father was kidnapped and murdered by the Red Army Faction (RAF), a violent group of young revolutionaries that terrorized West Germany in the 1970s and 80s.
But his voice still quakes with anger as he reflects on one of the darkest chapters in the country’s post-war history and contemplates the possibility that his father’s killers could soon be released from prison.
"These people haven’t even shown remorse," Schleyer, 54, told Reuters. "It’s all very tough for my entire family."
Earlier this month, federal prosecutors filed a request for the release of Brigitte Mohnhaupt, a leading RAF member who was sentenced to life in prison in 1985 for her role in the murders of leading German establishment figures, including industrialist Hanns Martin Schleyer. [more]
RICHMOND, Va. - When an 80-year-old white Virginia legislator recently came out against a resolution apologizing for slavery because blacks, he said, should "get over it," he ignited a storm of protests from black leaders. [more]
TOKYO: With his support plunging and elections looming, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan issued a stern warning to his cabinet Tuesday — watch your mouths. [more]
Truth is, we’re not sure who this wanna be black guy is but apparently there’sa shit loadof hoopla about this commercial. Nevertheless, we’re staying away from Nationwide Insurance and fast food fries.
A U.N. human rights investigator said on Tuesday torture is both widespread and routine in Jordan, especially to extract confessions from “terrorism” suspects, while security forces enjoy total impunity. [more]
Unless alleged torture involves the evil Imperial Pig Dogs (Americans), no one gives a shit if other nations are actuallyinvolved in torture.
WESTERVILLE, Ohio - A high school lunch period was disrupted Monday by a greased, naked student who ran around screaming and flailing his arms until police twice used a stun gun on him, authorities said.
Taylor Killian, 18, had rubbed his body with grapeseed oil to keep from being caught, and got up after the first time he was shocked to continue running toward a group of frightened students huddled in a corner at Westerville North High School, Lt. Jeff Gaylor said. [more]
Let’s recap here. So, it’s okay for Muslim mommies to split open their baby’s head and for Muslim men to attack and wound themselves for the Ashura holiday like this:
The World Can’t Wait is launching a speaking tour to campuses and military bases across the country. We are leaving immediately. This is an emergency. We are counting on everyone who knows that the arrogant escalation of the Bush war is a turning point– and how we respond will impact the whole world, one way or another, for years to come.
When Nixon said he’d end the war by escalating it to Cambodia in May 1970, campuses across the nation were shut down in the largest student strike in the history of this country. This is something the purveyors of war for empire fear…
In the wake of Bush’s recent speech, the campuses are appallingly quiet. But it is an intense calm. This tour aims to lift the lid by bringing the truth, including an eyewitness report on the debacle in Iraq from recently returned Marine, Liam Madden.
"Mission of a Generation" will also take its daring message to military bases around the country. It’s an open secret that there are countless soldiers who want to connect with GI’s who are refusing to be mercenaries for empire and are saying no …
The "Mission of a Generation: Stop the War Now! Drive Out the Bush Regime!" speaking tour will put out the challenge directly to youth and students:
Will we be remembered as the generation who sat back and allowed illegal wars to spread throughout the Middle East, torture legalized, the rights of women and gays eviscerated, and a fascistic police-state constructed? Or will we refuse to go along with this? Will we lead millions to erupt in political protest and defiant truth-telling? Will we make it our mission to bring the crimes of the Bush regime to a halt!?
The Tour begins this week at New York University and other New York City campuses as part of building for the January 27th anti-war protests in D.C. From there it will travel to Chicago, the Bay Area, the Los Angeles area, Washington State, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, Atlanta, Wisconsin, Texas, Virginia and North Carolina.
If you are in one of these areas and would like to book or help promote an event OR if you would like to bring this tour to another area, contact us immediately at speakingtour@worldcantwait.org.
There is little else that will have greater impact in bringing millions out into the streets to stop the war and drive out the Bush Regime than rousing a determined political movement among students and young people.
This could be the tour that unlocks our moment, bridging the gap between 70+% who hate where things are going, but are not yet acting.
Transportation, promotion, materials and other costs of this tour will come to $31,000.
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Sunsara Taylor, a rising star in the belly of the communist beast, needs you to pay exactly 31K for beastly upkeep so it can eat its way across the US.
Seriously, is it a prerequisite that you be pig ass ugly (to swine everywhere, we apologize) in order to be a communist? Maybe that’s why these communist women are free to travel all over the world protesting life, they haven’t one.
Hamas and Fatah have agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza effective from 3:00 am (0100 GMT) on Tuesday, the Palestinian foreign minister has said.
Mahmoud al-Zahar said: "A ceasefire will come into force at 3:00 am. All clashes must stop and armed men must withdraw immediately from the streets.
Reading out a joint statement by the two sides, al-Zahar said the factions have agreed to "pull all gunmen from the streets and remove checkpoints… return all security forces to their positions and end all forms of tensions". [more]
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has ordered his militia not to confront U.S. forces and has endorsed negotiations aimed at easing the deployment of American troops in his strongholds, according to Sadrist and other Shiite officials.
Ahead of a planned surge of 21,500 U.S. troops intended to secure Baghdad, the cleric has instructed his al-Mahdi Army, recently described by the Pentagon as the biggest single threat to a stable Iraq, to keep a low profile and stay off the streets, Sadr officials say. [more]
Accused terrorist David Hicks has told his lawyers that conditions at Guantanamo Bay, where he has been held for five years, are "like a Nazi concentration camp".[more]
One of the reasons Hicks compares GITMO to a Nazi concentration camp; because he hasn’t been issued a comb or brush and his hair is a fucking mess. Holy shit! Those barbaric American bastards at GITMO!
David Hicks posing with weapons borrowed from a storeroom in a photo taken in Albania on his first day of training.
and the AP reports that his name is Stephen Green, the founder and chairman of the New York-based SL Green Realty Corp. If the surname sounds familiar, it might be because Stephen’s brother is Mark Green, a New York politician.
The struggling liberal radio network, which launched in 2004 to much fanfare but struggled almost immediately, has been looking for a buyer since last fall.
In other Air America news, February 14 will mark Al Franken’s last broadcast. The reason for his departure is unknown, but speculation is that he will either make a bid for a Senate seat in Minnesota or begin a training regimen for his upcoming steel cage match with Bill O’Reilly.
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and two other prominent Democrats have failed to disclose they are officers of family charities, in violation of a law requiring members of Congress to report non-profit leadership roles.
Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, the fourth-ranking House Democrat, and Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana also did not report they serve as family foundation directors, according to financial disclosure reports examined by USA TODAY. [more]
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