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January, 2005 | ABOUT INTERACT | JOIN | ACT | DONATE | CONTACT |
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Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. ...This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron. Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Wishing You Love, Peace, and Forgiveness in 2005
"Doves, sparrows, and other low-flying birds
gather together, but eagles soar alone and must be gathered one at a
time."
You, as an individual citizen, are America's best hope to clean up elections. This does not always require a group. One person can make a real difference. Indeed, as anthropologist Margaret Mead said, “One person can make a difference. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Falluja Arithmetic Lesson Monday's New York Times, page 1: "American commanders said 38 service members had been killed and 275 wounded in the Falluja assault." Monday's 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: 1. If 275 soldiers were wounded in Falluja and 419 are treated for wounds, how many were shot on the plane ride to Germany? 2. 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? 3. How long have these Times reporters been embedded with with military? Bonus question: When will they get out of bed with the military
Monday's New York Times, page 1: "The commanders estimated that 1,200
to 1,600 insurgents had been killed."
NOT in the New York Times: "Every time I hear the news Most Iraqis refer to the Iraqi Resistance as "patriots." Which of course most of them are-they are, especially in Fallujah, primarily composed of people who simply are resisting the occupation of their country by a foreign power. They are people who have had family members killed, detained, tortured and humiliated by the illegal occupiers of their shattered country. This exclusive interview with un-embedded journalist Dahr Jamail reveals an almost unrecognizable picture of Iraq and its people
It was a little more than two weeks ago that NBC
News broadcast a piece of video from Fallujah that was both startling
and sickening. U.S. Marines are seen walking into a mosque where
several injured, unarmed Iraqi insurgents are lying on the floor.
Although NBC censored the audio, we now know that one of the Marines
excitedly said, "He's fucking faking he's dead. He's faking he's
fucking dead." The Marine aims his rifle – and shoots the insurgent in
the head.
Faces of Death
by Dan Kennedy
Weapons Of Mass Deception
Why is Wal-Mart evil? This is really a request for more information. I
have often heard that the company has a weak environmental track
record, treats its employees poorly, and generally is Satan incarnate.
However, when challenged on this position, I have no data. My
opponents argue that shopping in bulk reduces packaging. I also have
to admit that a case of Pellegrino for $10 pulls me closer to the dark
side. I am growing weak. Please combat my temptation with information.
Hurry before I have lost my soul.
Eco-Activist
Wangari Maathai wins Nobel Peace Prize
Environmentalists across the world celebrated Friday at the news that Wangari Maathai, Kenyan activist and founder of the Green Belt Movement, is to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The Green Belt Movement organized poor Kenyan women to plant and maintain some 30 million trees, at once battling the deforestation to which they are disproportionately vulnerable, providing thousands of jobs, and inspiring similar movements in other East African countries. source
Bush
administration cancels plans to drill in Rocky Mountain Front
The Bush administration announced last week that it will suspend plans to drill for oil and gas in Montana's beloved Rocky Mountain Front pending a comprehensive study of the area -- a study that will not begin until 2007 and will last at least two years, taking the ultimate decision out of Bush's hands. source
Voters refuse to
relax mining restriction
Reaffirming a decision they made six years ago, Montana voters refused to relax an environmental restriction on mining as they decided one of the hottest measures on the state ballot. source
Colorado Voters
Pass Renewable Energy Standard
Amendment Creates First Ever Voter-Approved Renewable Energy Standard
Spain makes solar
panels on new homes mandatory
Hoping to catch up to solar powerhouse Germany, sunny Spain has announced that as of next year, solar panels will become mandatory on new and renovated buildings. The government is shooting for a tenfold increase in the total square footage of solar panels by 2010. source
On November 20, Congress said 'NO' to new nuclear
weapons!
The omnibus appropriations bill for fiscal year 2005 deleted all funds for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP) and advanced concepts for nuclear weapons.
President Bush released his
Ocean Action Plan, formally responding to a comprehensive report by
the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy on the decline of the world's
oceans. His order includes creating a Cabinet-level Committee on Ocean
Policy to advise him on oceans issues.
I'm growing a little weary of post-election European commentary about the
dangerous "stupidity" of the American masses. The reason for the
commentary is of course the, well, unwise election (the first one
actually) of the dangerous Bush, an action that was in fact based to no
small extent on mass ignorance. The overseas reaction is understandable
and predictable.
Dear Europe by David Peterson   
At
Bush's recent White House conference on the
economy, some things—such as getting the correct spelling on
this sign —just proved to be too much of a "challenge.' |
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