Joy & Blues

Strike Against The War, All Out Mayday

SunflowerRae — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:43:33 GMT

Tuesday, April 8, 2008 (SF Chronicle) Longshoremen to close ports on West Coast to protest war by Jack Heyman (Jack Heyman is a longshoreman who works on the Oakland docks.) While millions of people worldwide have marched against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and last week's New York Times/CBS News poll indicated that 81 percent believe the country is headed in the wrong direction - key concerns being the war and the economy - the war machine inexorably grinds on. Amid this political atmosphere, dockworkers of the International Longshoreand Warehouse Union have decided to stop work for eight hours in all U.S. West Coast ports on May 1, International Workers' Day, to call for an end to the war. This decision came after an impassioned debate where the union's Vietnam veterans turned the tide of opinion in favor of the anti-war resolution. The motion called it an imperial action for oil in which the lives of working-class youth and Iraqi civilians were being wasted and declared May Day a "no peace, no work" holiday. Angered after supporting Democrats who received a mandate to end the war but who now continue to fund it, longshoremen decided to exercise their political power on the docks. Last month, in response to the union's declaration, the Pacific Maritime Association, the West Coast employer association of shipowners, stevedore companies and terminal operators, declared its opposition to the union's protest. Thus, the stage is set for a conflict in the run up to the longshore contract negotiations. The last set of contentious negotiations (in 2002) took place during the period between the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the invasion of Iraq. Representatives of the Bush administration threatened that if there were any of the usual job actions during contract bargaining, then troops would occupy the docks because such actions would jeopardize "national security." Yet, when the PMA employers locked out the longshoremen and shut down West Coast ports for 11 days, the "security" issue vanished. President Bush then invoked the Taft-Hartley Act, forcing longshoremen back to work under conditions favorable to the employers. The San Francisco longshore union has a proud history of opposition to the war in Iraq, being the first union to call for an end to the war and immediate withdrawal of troops. Representatives of the union spoke at anti-war rallies in February 2003, including one in London attended by nearly 2 million people, the largest ever held in Britain. Executive Board member Clarence Thomas went to Iraq with a delegation to observe workers' rights during the occupation. At the start of the war in Iraq, hundreds of protesters demonstrated on the Oakland docks, and longshoremen honored their picket lines. Without warning, police in riot gear opened fire with so-called less-than-lethal weapons, shooting protesters and longshoremen alike with wooden dowels, rubber bullets, pellet bags, concussion grenades and tear gas. A U.N. Human Rights Commission investigator characterized the Oakland police attack as "the most violent" against anti-war protesters in the United States. And finally, last year, two black longshoremen going to work in the port of Sacramento were beaten, Maced and arrested by police under the rubric of Homeland Security regulations ordained by the "war on terror." There's precedent for this action. In the '50s, French dockworkers refused to load war materiel on ships headed for Indochina, and helped to bring that colonial war to an end. At the ILWU's convention in San Francisco in 2003, A. Q. McElrath, an octogenarian University of Hawaii regent and former ILWU organizer from the pineapple canneries, challenged the delegates to act for social justice, invoking the union's slogan, "An injury to one is an injury to all." She concluded, "The cudgel is on the ground. Will you pick it up?" It appears that longshore workers may be doing just that on May Day and calling on immigrant workers and others to join them. May Day protest WHEN: 10:30 a.m., May 1, followed by a rally at noon. WHERE: Longshore Union Hall, corner of Mason and Beach (near Fisherman's Wharf). WHAT: March to a rally at Justin Herman Plaza along the Embarcadero. FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.ilwu.org/ and www.transportworkers.org/ or call (415) 776-8100. Jack Heyman is a longshoreman who works on the Oakland docks. Copyright 2008 SF Chronicle Also see: ILWU to Shut Down Ports May 1 Demanding End to War in Iraq, Afghanistan http://tribes.tribe.net/nobloodforoil/thread/f02f3fd2-9632-403e-8829-e3817def77c0 This has been distributed by Liberation News, subscribe free: http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/liberation_news Join the Cool Earth Party http://tribes.tribe.net/coolearth

Of Witches and the Wait for Justice

SunflowerRae — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:38:03 GMT

By MAURA J. CASEY In 1662, the colonists of Hartford accused 39-year-old Mary Sanford of witchcraft. Based on evidence — drinking wine and dancing around a bonfire — the court pronounced her guilty “for not having the feare of God before thyne eyes.” Sanford was hanged, leaving behind five children and a shaken husband who was later acquitted of similar charges. More than three centuries later, Sanford’s descendants, 14-year-old Addie Avery and her mother, Debra, of New Milford, Conn., have petitioned the State Legislature to exonerate their distant grandmother and 10 other people executed for witchcraft. The fight has taught them something, perhaps more than they wanted to know, about the mob mentality. The Averys did not always know they had a forebear accused of being a witch. A relative told them of their lineage and Sanford’s fate before a 2005 lecture on the Connecticut colony’s witch trials, which were sparked by widespread hysteria long before the better-known Salem witch trials of 1692. The lecture led to research, and the Averys took the first small steps toward asking the Legislature for exoneration. Along the way, they have learned what comes of taking a public stand. Addie, who is home-schooled, researched every witch case in the colony. She was surprised to learn that all but two of the executed were women. Community leaders had presided over trials where the accused were usually the least educated and the least powerful. Women fit that bill nicely. (Not much has changed there. Of the 170 people Connecticut has executed in over 300 years, only one was a college graduate, said Lawrence B. Goodheart, a University of Connecticut professor of history.) Soon, the Averys’ lobbying attracted the support of other descendants of those who were accused. But critics spoke out, too, lashing out on Internet blogs. Ms. Avery was shaken to read the harsh comments, which reminded her of the mob frenzy that her ancestor faced. “The world has changed, but people haven’t,” she said. Addie said she got a new education when she decided to publicly defend her ancestor. To her mother’s amazement, the attacks didn’t bother the suddenly thick-skinned teenager. “There are worse things than mockery,” Addie said. “Now, I’m not afraid to stand up when I see something wrong.” Connecticut is slow to admit fault. It is not likely to soon join such states as Massachusetts and Virginia in acknowledging the injustice done to those accused in the witch hunts. A legislative committee passed on the issue this year. But the prospect of returning to the Legislature next year, attending hearings and beginning the process all over again doesn’t seem to bother the Averys, least of all Addie. It may have taken more than 340 years, but finally someone is speaking up for Mary Sanford. “I’ve discovered myself by honoring Mary,” Addie said. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/13/opinion/13sun2.html?_r=2&th&emc=th&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Public Advertising Ban - how cool is that?!

SunflowerRae — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:29:05 GMT

Down in São Paulo, Brazil, the Paulistas completely stripped their public spaces of all advertising including neon signs, electronic panels and billboards as of the start of 2008... As the corporate media peels back its in-your-face advertisements the city is finally allowed to define its own beauty. Outside of communism, a city this large and expansive has never before been given a blank slate. Over-materialized citizens around the world are watching closely to see how the Paulistas, not the media, will exemplify their city. In the meantime, as the city cleans up its image, there are heaps of propaganda garbage piling up with no place to go. A collaboration between TOUCH and StraaT turns the forbidden into fashion. Hundreds of banners have been reclaimed from post-consumer São Paulo and are ironically ushering their way out as tote bags. They are highly durable, one of a kind, limited edition relics of what is now history to Brazil's largest economy." http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/news/green-design-repurposed-billboards-in-sao-paulo-after-public-advertising-ban-046075

See this!

SunflowerRae — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:09:59 GMT

it is so good

More on US Tap Water

SunflowerRae — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 22:57:26 GMT

Pharmaceutical drugs in your drinking water. Yes, according to a five-month investigation by the Associated Press. The AP found a vast array of pharmaceuticals - including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones - with unknown health effects - in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans. The AP reported that even though U.S. waterways coast to coast are contaminated with residues of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, there's no national strategy to deal with them - no effective mandates to test, treat, limit or even advise the public. Now, how did we get to this point in our history? In 1974, Ralph Nader was instrumental in getting passed into federal law the Safe Drinking Water Act. The idea was to ensure that the water we drink is safe and regularly and publicly tested for heavy metals and other contaminants. But years of budgetary neglect by the corporate controlled two parties has eviscerated the law and undermined enforcement. The corporations and their political puppets have made regulation a dirty word. And, so, here we are. Time to bring back some law and order for corporations. But how? Help get Nader/Gonzalez back on the ballot in states across the country. Yesterday, we announced a drive to get Nader/Gonzalez on the ballot in New Mexico. To give the people of New Mexico a choice for law and order for corporations. We need to raise $10,000 by midnight tomorrow, Wednesday, to fund the New Mexico effort. Yesterday, thanks to your support, we raised $5,002.26 from 51 donors. So, we're halfway home. Once we hit the $10,000 mark, we'll ship off our eight young volunteers to New Mexico and put Nader/Gonzalez on the ballot there. The deadline for the New Mexico signatures is April 1. So, there's no time to lose. We're looking for 100 people to give $100 each for our New Mexico ballot drive. Please help push us over the top now. Again, thank for your support in this historic effort to challenge the two corporate parties. Onward The Nader Team

water

SunflowerRae — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 04:32:18 GMT

Nadar/Gonazalez '08

SunflowerRae — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 19:20:44 GMT

Obama. Clinton. McCain. Nader/Gonazalez. Which one supports the deep, broad Israeli/Palestinian non-violent peace movement? Nader/Gonzalez. Which would reverse U.S. policy in the Middle East? Nader/Gonzalez. Which one dares speak out about the world's largest prison - Gaza - with 1.5 million inmates, many of them starving, sick and penniless? Nader/Gonzalez. If you want to ensure robust debate about non-violent, peaceful solutions to the Middle East conflict this election year, then support Nader/Gonzalez. Show your support for peace in the Middle East. Nader/Gonzalez. For a peaceful future. Onward The Nader Team

the last sentence rings truest

SunflowerRae — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 23:20:10 GMT

The Double Standard By Ralph Nader The breaking news about 23 year old Prince Harry secretly being deployed in Afghanistan as a “battlefield air controller” since December created a public sensation in Britain. It also resulted in the quick return home of the Prince – third in line to the British throne – for security reasons. The episode pointed to the British tradition of expecting the sons of British kings and queens to enter military service during periods when their country is at war. The same was true during World War II when four of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s sons entered the armed forces, as did General Eisenhower’s son, John Eisenhower. Since the expansion of the number of women in the military, what about George W. Bush’s daughters – Barbara and Jenna? Their father repeatedly describes the war in Iraq as crucially important to protect the United States and to spread democracy in the Middle East. Early on, he called it a “crusade” until his advisers made sure he never mentioned this word again, since it has a special meaning for the Islamic world. President Bush also repeatedly asserted that the losses of life and the costs of the Iraq war are “worth the sacrifice.” Whose sacrifice? Certainly not that of the family in the White House. There have been no indications in this town of 24/7 gossip of either the parents urging or the daughters considering joining the armed forces. Recently, a Midwestern mother, who lost her son in Iraq, declared, half weeping, “Why am I planning for a funeral when George W. Bush is planning for a wedding?” Is this mother being unfair? Or is she reflecting a feeling that there is a double standard operating here? Senator Jim Webb and Senator John McCain, against and for the war respectively, each have a son who has served in Iraq. No double standard for them. There is a certain moral authority to govern—setting an example—sharing in the sacrifice initiated by the White House – that escapes both George W. Bush and Dick Cheney – both early draft dodgers who were gung-ho for the Vietnam war so long as someone else in their age group was doing the fighting. They both have children who have declined to serve during the Iraq war—occupation. It would be a different question if the Bush and Cheney offspring had come out publicly against the war or were conscientious objectors. No signs of these positions thus far. Although Bush and Cheney register very low in the polls; they were re-elected in 2004, with some help from Republican voting shenanigans in Ohio. It was already known that both Bush and Cheney were against full Medicare for all Americans, against raising the minimum wage to 1968 levels, adjusted for inflation, against a decent budget for investment in public housing, against defending the pensions of millions of workers from the erosions and crimes of their corporate bosses. Yet both Bush and Cheney received a big pay increase from a big tax cut for the wealthy President Bush signed that included their total investment income and salary. They live in exquisite public housing, with great pensions and marvelous health insurance. This double standard between the political rulers and the ruled extends to Congress as a whole and mirrors the double standards between corporate executives and their workers. There is a simple safeguard regarding the decision to make war while leaving the younger adult sons and daughters of Congress and the White House enjoying civilian life as the casualties and illnesses of the “other Americans” keep mounting in counted and deliberately uncounted ways, Ask your member of Congress to introduce a one page bill that says the following: Whenever Congress and the White House take our country to war, all able-bodied military-age children of every member of Congress, the President and the Vice-President will be conscripted automatically into the armed forces. That simple law will generate deliberations containing relevant, accurate information and assumption of proper constitutional responsibilities by the Congress and the President. When politicians’ children are required to go off to war, it tends to concentrate their minds toward waging peace before waging false pretense wars.

Moses Was High on Drugs: Israeli Researcher

SunflowerRae — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 22:55:03 GMT

Moses was probably also on drugs when he saw the ˝burning bush,˝ suggested Shanon, who said he himself has dabbled with such substances. High on Mount Sinai, Moses was on psychedelic drugs when he heard God deliver the Ten Commandments, an Israeli researcher claimed in a study published this week. Such mind-altering substances formed an integral part of the religious rites of Israelites in biblical times, Benny Shanon, a professor of cognitive psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem wrote in the Time and Mind journal of philosophy. "As far Moses on Mount Sinai is concerned, it was either a supernatural cosmic event, which I don't believe, or a legend, which I don't believe either, or finally, and this is very probable, an event that joined Moses and the people of Israel under the effect of narcotics," Shanon told Israeli public radio on Tuesday. Moses was probably also on drugs when he saw the "burning bush," suggested Shanon, who said he himself has dabbled with such substances. "The Bible says people see sounds, and that is a clasic phenomenon," he said citing the example of religious ceremonies in the Amazon in which drugs are used that induce people to "see music." He mentioned his own experience when he used ayahuasca, a powerful psychotropic plant, during a religious ceremony in Brazil's Amazon forest in 1991. "I experienced visions that had spiritual-religious connotations," Shanon said. He said the psychedelic effects of ayahuasca were comparable to those produced by concoctions based on bark of the acacia tree, that is frequently mentioned in the Bible. http://www.javno.com/en/world/clanak.php?id=128936

The Moon-Based Holidays

SunflowerRae — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:27:14 GMT

The holiday of Easter is observed on the Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon— the first full moon after the vernal equinox. The Paschal moon this year will be on March 21. When the Paschal Moon occurs on a Sunday, Easter is then celebrated on the following Sunday. Easter can fall as early as March 22 and as late as April 25. This year it will be celebrated rather early, March 23 — the earliest since 1856! Additionally, the term "Paschal" refers to the Jewish holiday of Passover, which also begins on the evening of the full moon, this year it will be celebrated on April 19th just after sundown. You may have heard of the "Paschal Lamb", referring to the lamb traditionally slaughtered for the first night of Passover. The date of Passover is determined by the hebrew calendar, which is a lunar calendar of twelve lunar months with a thirteenth month seven times in the cycle of the calendar, which repeats itself every 19 years. The sacred year begins in Nisan, or Abib, or about March and ends with the month of Adar as the twelfth month, or Adar II as the thirteenth month. Thus, the moon determines both holidays. The full moon in March is sometimes called the "Sap Moon" or "Maple Moon" as this is the beginning of maple sugaring season and farmers are often up all night boiling sap. April 20, 2008 will be the full moon known as the "Planter's Moon" by the American Colonists. With the snow melted and the warmer days, farmers could begin to prepare their fields for planting. The farmer had waited so long for the warm weather, that he would be found in his fields, late into the night, lit by the "Planter's Moon". Farmer folklore has advocated planting root crops during the waning moon (after the full moon until the new moon) and planting above ground crops during the waxing moon (like the dipping of a candle in wax, the moon thickens), from the new moon until the full moon. This practice stemmed from the belief that the moon's magnetic force pulls all that contains water: the sea, the blood in our bodies, and the water in plants, thus expanding or contracting the life force within each living thing. The green, leafy plants patterning from the beginning of life by striving upward toward the moon during its waxing phase and the root crops growing below the ground, needing to push its energy down, away from the moon, during its waning phase. Although much has been made of the moon's effects on humans—hence the word lunatic— there has not been enough scientific evidence to back it up. Meanwhile, people will continue to enjoy their moon-determined holidays! - from the o'mama report

Fidel's Resignation by Mumia Abu-Jamal

SunflowerRae — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 23:39:29 GMT

As news flashed of the formal resignation of Cuba's Fidel Castro from the office of the President, morbid celebrations broke out in 'Little Havana' (Miami), Florida, the U.S. capital of the Cuban exile anti-Castro movement. Just as they rejoiced at his illness in 2006, they reveled at his resignation. But, Fidel's almost 50-year run as Cuban head-of-state has had a momentous impact, not just in Cuba, but in Latin America, and the vast world beyond. For as Fidel steps down from power, almost a 1/2 dozen of his ideological sons and daughters have come to power throughout Latin America. While nominally socialist, and deeply nationalist, many of them were inspired by the Cuban Revolution. Some, like Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, have embraced a continental and internationalist perspective, one that is overtly opposed to the interventionist policies of the U.S. backed IMF (International Monetary Fund) and the World Bank. Latin America, largely through Cuba's steadfast example, has turned away from the draconian U.S. backed rule of the generals, to the rule of democratic and leftist populists.* In the realm of education, Cuba's performance has been exemplary. In Central and South America, the average literacy rate is 86.4 percent. Cuba's literacy rate is 98%. Under its socialist system all education is free. In fact, Cuba is the educator of choice for thousands of people from around the world, especially in higher, and medical education. All of this --for free! Castro didn't inherit a country with such a high literacy rate. Indeed, in 1981 over a million Cubans (mostly folks in the nations's rural areas) were illiterate. Over 100,000 children over 10 years of age volunteered to participate in the "literacy brigadistas" covering the country to teach the poor and the peasants how to read and to write. One such man, an alfabetizado (or student) named Juan Martinez wrote, in one of the first sentences of his life, "Nunca me he sentido cubano hasta que aprendi a leer y a escribir..." (In English his words meant, "I never really felt Cuban until I learned to read and write." (Keeble, 54) In foreign affairs, Cuba put her considerable military power in the front ranks against the racist apartheid system of South Africa. Cuba, supporting the armed forces of Angola, fought South Africa at a place called Cuite Carnivals, inflicting such losses on the apartheid army that it began the long road to negotiation, settlement, and dissolution. Yes, Castro is laying aside his office, a process which, for U.S. presidents usually means the opportunity to accrue obscene amounts of money. But he leaves a proud tradition of Latin American sovereignty, impressive successes in the field's of education and medicine, and revolutionary resistance to the racist apartheid regime of South Africa. In large part, his efforts paved the way to peace and democracy in South Africa. His name, and his example will be remembered for centuries, for the ability of the small to stand up to the mighty.

Korks 4 Kids Program

SunflowerRae — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 00:30:55 GMT

We never waste the wine, DON'T waste the cork ! Your contribution of wine cork stoppers will greatly help a child. Recycle Cork USA, LLC. is committed to collecting natural wine corks from consumers, restaurants, winery's, local taverns and other businesses with wine cork for disposal. Engaging consumers and other collection sites to become proactive in their recycling efforts and realize the impact of the end result. We are not only helping our environment but, also working towards enriching the lives of our future. Korks 4 Kids Wine Cork Collection - Consumers. Korks 4 Kids welcomes you to send us your cork. Our system is simple. 1. Start collecting your corks today, in a drawer, basket or even a grocery bag. 2. Once you have a sizable amount. Send your corks to : Korks 4 Kids Program c/o RECYCLE CORK USA, LLC. 510 Wynwood Road York, Pennsylvania 17402 3. Kindly send us your contact information with your collection so that we may continue to keep you informed of the charities your contribution has helped. 4. The US Postal Service offer flat rate shipping through their Priority Mail Service. Hold on to your receipt for charitable contribution.Korks 4 Kids Wine Cork Collection for Organizations and Collection Sites. Korks 4 Kids is excited about partnering with you. If you are a restaurant, tavern or wine distributor - your contribution can make a huge difference in a child's life. Our Program is simple. 1. Contact Korks 4 Kids, at (717) 880-1709. Our collection team will discuss your specific organization and the best solution for collection. 2. We will provide you with the appropriate number of recycling containers for your business. If applicable. 3. For large quanity shipments - please contact our organization for instructions.

What Makes Kids Happy?

SunflowerRae — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 23:30:13 GMT

UBC Researchers Surprised at the Role Spirituality Plays By Bud Mortenson What makes you happy? Spirituality typically accounts for four or five per cent of an adult’s happiness, but new research has found a much stronger influence of spirituality in children. Mark Holder, Assoc. Prof. of Psychology at UBC Okanagan, and graduate student Judi Wallace recently tested 315 children aged nine to 12, measuring spirituality and other factors such as temperament and social relations that can affect an individual’s sense of happiness. “Our goal was to see whether there’s a relation between spirituality and happiness,” Holder says. “We knew going in that there was such a relation in adults, so we took multiple measures of spirituality and happiness in children.” The results were a surprise – 6.5 to 16.5 per cent of children’s happiness can be accounted for by spirituality. “From our perspective, it’s a whopping big effect,” says Holder. “I expected it to be much less – I thought their spirituality would be too immature to account for their well-being.” “Spirituality is easiest to describe as having an inner belief system,” Wallace notes. Although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, she cautions that “spirituality is not religiosity, which is often more organized, and may be church-based.” To describe their daily spiritual experiences, private religious practices, and whether they think of themselves as religious or spiritual, children in the study rated statements such as “I feel a higher power’s presence,” and answered questions including “how often do you pray or meditate privately outside of church or other places of worship?” Parents were also asked to describe each child’s apparent happiness and spirituality, and teachers rated each child’s happiness level. While the connection between spirituality and happiness in adults has been established, Holder says relatively little is known about the connection between spirituality and happiness in children. Factors such as gender or money contribute very little to happiness, says Holder. “In fact, the contribution of money to happiness explains less than one per cent.” They found that whether children attend public or private school has virtually no impact on their happiness. There are lots of new questions to explore – such as how to improve the well-being of children by applying this new understanding of what contributes to happiness. “This research represents the first steps in that direction,” Holder says. With funding from UBC Okanagan and the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, he has formed a research group nicknamed the Happy Lab to examine the biology, psychology and assessment of happiness. The researchers have identified several possible reasons why spirituality and happiness are linked. Spirituality produces a sense of meaning, it stimulates hope, reinforces positive social norms, and can provide a social support network – all things that can improve a person’s well-being. Wallace, who conducted the in-school testing, envisions a day when activities that improve happiness are built into the school experience. “We would love to have a way to apply our research findings in the schools,” she says. “A program in elementary schools promoting positive psychology might involve giving students cameras to take pictures of things they think are beautiful or give meaning to their life.” “It creates a ‘search image’ – an anticipation – to look for beauty in the world,” Holder explains, adding that a number of simple activities can go a long way to promote student happiness. “Rather than a child saying ‘this is what I did today,’ they could be asked to come up with three things they’re thankful for – different things each day. That greatly increases happiness,” he says. “Or students could list daily activities that contributed to the community, or teachers could have them look at what they do that makes a difference.” Happier people are more tolerant, creative, and productive, Holder says. “If we could promote happiness in children, it might come with these attractive traits.” The team’s findings were presented at the World Congress on Psychology and Spirituality in India in January. “People from Portugal, Australia and India are interested in our research and possibly trying to duplicate it in their own countries,” says Wallace. But, she says, the findings are also having an impact much closer to home. “What we’re learning is useful in our own lives,” Wallace says. “At the dinner table, we ask our own children to list all the good things that happened that day. It’s actually pretty easy to increase the happiness of your family.” “We do take the research personally,” Holder agrees. “It’s not just academic to us.” The next phase of the study will look at families, not just the children. “We have collected data on the parents’ happiness and spirituality,” Holder says, “so we will be able to look at the relation and independence of parents and their children’s spirituality.”

An Entire Apartment's Furniture in One Small Box

SunflowerRae — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 17:18:02 GMT

It might not look like it, but inside this box, there's an armoire, a desk, a height-adjustable stool, two more stools, a six-shelf bookcase, and a bed with a mattress. Casulo, the brilliant, modular setup designed by Marcel Krings & Sebastian Mühlhäuser, hides furnishings enough for an entire room -- or, heck, an entire apartment -- in a small 31"x47" (that's 80 cm x 120 cm) box. Two people can lift, carry, and assemble (and then disassemble, when it's time to move) each piece of furniture within the Casulo in about 10 minutes -- it requires no tools for assembly -- and every part of the boxy exterior is used, negating any need for extraneous, wasteful packaging. Smart. Casulo won the "Abraham & David Roentgen Award" in November 2007 for its "cleverness, finesse and qualitative realisation of the idea" and we think it's quite well-deserved; what a perfect solution for frequent movers and small space dwellers alike. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/02/casulo_an_entir.php

Happy Valentine's Day!

SunflowerRae — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 22:40:03 GMT

My Beating Heart

SunflowerRae — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 23:49:36 GMT

Hug Me When hugging My Beating Heart, the physical heartbeat may remind you of hugging a purring pet or loved one. Hold the Heart a moment and you'll begin to sense your own heartbeat slowly syncing with My Beating Heart's carefully designed rhythm. A Dancing Beat An amazing thing about My Beating Heart is that everytime you turn it on, an entirely uniqure heartbeat rhythm is created. In fact, every rhythm itself gradually changes and subtly dances, algorithically modelling the heartbeat in a deep meditative state. This isn't a pre-recorded rhythm and this isn't a "heartbeat sound." This is a physical heartbeat that realistically changes over time. Our hearts naturally begin to dance and sync with the hearts of others' we hold or hug. This is a phenomenon we have observed for ages. Hugging the Beating Heart a few minutes allows the calm and dreamy beat to relax the body, ease the mind, and cajoles the spirit. Haptics for the Heart, Made with Meditation My Beating Heart employs new advances in computer science, Artifical Intelligence, and haptic design. But we also developed the technology inside each Heart by combining the practice of meditation and yoga with software and hardware development. This lead us to design a small micro-computer to run of out specially made software. As you hug My Beating Heart you may notice subtle changes to the heartbeat. Our "secret sauce" technology is at work inside algorithmically modeling the human heart in a deep meditative state. Your own heart would only beat as slow as My Beating Heart's if you were in a very deep sleep or in a very deep meditation. The changes are slight but we think they are powerful in helping people relax and become more aware of themselves and their surroundings. Each Beating Heart rhythm is entirely unique and we truly hope you enjoy yours. http://www.mybeatingheart.com

Disney Dreams of a White Pocahontas?

SunflowerRae — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 17:09:22 GMT

I was thinking this myself so I was happy when I saw this article: ************************** The NAACP announced the nominees for their Image Awards last month, and lo and behold, the awards, which are dedicated to the “outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in the arts as well as those individuals or groups who promote social justice,” nominated Angeline Jolie for her role as Mariane Pearl in A Mighty Heart. When I heard about this I laughed out loud. I find it pathetically comical. Is it a sign of desperation? Are the pickings of performances by actual women of color so spare the NAACP had to celebrate a white woman for her brownface turn as Afro-Cuban and Dutch Pearl? Or is it a victory? A sign of our supposed “post-race” times that the NAACP feels free to anoint white-as-bread Angelina Jolie as a woman of color? But the NAACP’s not the only group with questionable decision-making. Check out these photos, just released by Disney as part of their 2008 “Year of a Million Dreams” campaign. They’re part of a slew of others taken by famed fashion photographer Annie Leibovitz depicting, according to Disney’s press release, “celebrities living out their fantasies by starring in Disney dream scenes.” Apparently, Jennifer Lopez and her husband Marc Anthony, both of Puerto Rican descent, wish they were Arab royalty. And Jessica Biel fancies herself as American Indian cultural broker Pocahontas. Now I know Disney is not known for sensitive portrayals of people of color, so it’s not entirely shocking the company’s foregone any notion of cultural authenticity in their latest ads. It’s just galling to see how little they care, how indifferent they are about their ignorance. For one, brown folks are not indistinguishable from each other, and ethnicities are not interchangeable. Even though their Princess Jasmine’s “Arabian” roots are never explicitly identified, Disney went pretty far afield casting Jennifer Lopez. And Jessica Biel’s prancing around with a deer in a torn brown frock as Pocahontas is another notch on the long-standing tally of white actresses cast as women of color. Turns out Biel is part Choctaw Indian, but I can’t say I’ve ever heard her claim this part of her heritage for anything more than its cultural cachet. She’s recognized foremost as a seductive woman, and I think that’s why Disney wanted her for the hyper-sexualized part. Disney’s suggestions about where folks of color belong in the American fairytale narrative are egregiously offensive. And they dispense these attitudes in a two-fold manner: first by manipulating history, smushing it into the mold of a tidy American Myth, and selling it as aspirational fantasy, and then by selectively casting only folks who are white or ethnically ambiguous enough to play these roles. Disney’s ignorance burns but barely shocks anymore. If Angelina Jolie wins the Image Award though, I’ll probably stop laughing and start crying. By Julianne Hing, RaceWire Posted on February 8, 2008, Printed on February 9, 2008 http://www.alternet.org/bloggers/http://www.racewire.org//76478/

16 Year Old Builds Working Wooden Bicycle

SunflowerRae — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:42:43 GMT

As a 16-year-old high school student in the International Baccalaureate program, I am required to complete a 'personal project' on a non-academic topic that is of interest to me. I have always enjoyed woodworking and design, so I decided to build a functional wooden bicycle. There was to be no metal used in its construction, only wood and glue. I wanted a project that would be a challenge. This project came to mind as I was reflecting on the many stories my opa, Case Vandersluis, told me about his adventures in Holland during World War II. Opa was roughly the age I am now when he had to build wooden wheels for his bicycle, as rubber was scarce during the war. I wasn't sure my wooden bicycle would actually work. I quickly realized the first pieces of the puzzle I needed to figure out were the chain and the sprockets (gears), since the design of all the other components depended on these. Designing and building a wooden chain that would actually work without breaking proved the greatest challenge. I was mostly concerned that the wooden chain would break. I researched the strength of different types of wood and built jigs to test the stresses that each of the chain's components would undergo during use. First, I used my weight (150 lbs) to see if the wood could endure this amount of force. Then, my father would stand on the jig. I calculated that my dad's weight would be twice the force each chain component would need to withstand. I made the specs high to ensure the chain and sprockets would work even if the wood had imperfections. During testing, I made adjustments to the chain's components, and once I had it figured out, I realized that completing the project was within my grasp. http://www.leevalley.com/newsletters/Woodworking/2/3/article1.htm

I would if I could

SunflowerRae — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 22:45:51 GMT

Here’s a safe bet: the two major political parties will nominate Presidential candidates from the corporate wings of their parties. What will that leave us in this election year? Corporate control as usual. If this happens, we have two choices – throw in the towel. Or fight back. If we choose to fight back, here’s a good option: Join with a person whose life is one of dedicated service to the public interest. To help him organize a political campaign in every state against corporate control over our lives. Luckily, that person – Ralph Nader – is considering such a campaign. But he will need active and informed citizens in every Congressional district in the country. He will need volunteers. He will need funds. He will need dedication. That’s why we’ve signed on at Nader’s exploratory web site: www.naderexplore08.org Check it out. And spread the word. In 2008, it’s either sit back and watch the drift. Or get off the couch and fight back. Hope you will join us. Thank you. The Nader Team P.S. Hear Ralph On Democracy Now Thursday Morning at 8am: Click on www.democracynow.org to check for local listings or to listen live online.

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SunflowerRae — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:34:03 GMT

Heath Ledger's director on the 2002 adventure movie Four Feathers, Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, had plans to meet up with his former star – until tragic fate intervened. "I last spoke to him the night before he died. I had just arrived in New York last night, he said he could not see me that night but really wanted to meet me the next day," Kapur, 62, whose films also include the two Elizabeth movies starring Cate Blanchett, says in a posting on his personal Web site. Adds Kapur: "He made me promise that I would call him in the morning and wake him up. I tried. Little did I know that his soul had already left his body." Lamenting his loss, Kapur writes, "In Heath I have lost a younger brother He was one the most gentle, the most honest, most caring and most compassionate persons I had met. And one of the most honest actors I worked with." Of Ledger's talent," I often told him that he had the ability to completely bare his soul in front of the camera, and all I needed to do was make sure the camera could look into his eyes, and through his eyes, the audience could clearly look into his soul," says Kapur. The moviemaker concludes, "Farewell Heath. I always knew you had an ancient soul. I always said you had a wisdom beyond your years. And somehow I always knew that your spirit was too restless. Goodbye, my brother."

Americans are shrinking

SunflowerRae — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:21:19 GMT

Height appears to be a useful measure of the well-being of a nation's citizens. Sunday, January 06, 2008 by Linda McQuaig Many adjectives come to mind when thinking of how to describe Americans. But "short" probably isn't one of them. We're used to the notion of the United States as the world's dominant power – a land of untold resources, wealth and consumption. And one reflection of this abundance is the fact that for most of the past 2∏ centuries, Americans have been literally the tallest people on the planet. Feeding off the abundant wild game and rich agriculture of their vast new land, colonial Americans measured a full three inches taller than Europeans. Our tight-fisted approach to meeting social needs takes its heaviest toll on the poor, but it has a huge impact on the middle class as well Not so any more. Compared to Europeans, Americans have effectively shrunk. Indeed, among all advanced industrial nations, Americans are now at the bottom end of the height scale. And, no, it's not the influx of short Hispanics. The height pattern is the same for Americans even when the sample is limited to non-Hispanic, native-born Americans. It seems to be a reflection of something more basic. According to an influential paper in Social Science Quarterly last June by economic historians John Komlos and Benjamin Lauderdale, "height is indicative of how well the human organism thrives in its socioeconomic environment." The relative shrinking of Americans on the world scene is perhaps then an indicator of something Americans are doing badly – not in Iraq, but right at home. And that something should be of more than passing interest to Canadians as we continue, consciously and unconsciously, to shape our economic and social systems with the US in mind. Actually, Canada has traditionally been a blend of the US and European approaches. But in the last couple of decades, as we have focused increasingly on cutting taxes and have adopted the attitude that individuals must make it on their own in society, we've veered more closely to the US model. We tend to view the low-tax, low-spending US model as simply the norm in the era of globalization. But in fact it is only the US norm. Europeans, particularly northern Europeans, have traditionally done things differently – imposing much higher taxes and delivering much more generous social programs that provide a striking array of benefits to every member of society. Contrary to our impressions here in the West that globalization has fundamentally redesigned the world, the Europeans have stuck with their high-tax, high-spending model in the globalized era. Which is why the "shrinking" of Americans relative to Europeans is so intriguing. Almost three inches taller than Americans, the Dutch are now the tallest people in the world. Dutch males average six foot one – seven inches taller on average than they were just over a century ago. Crowded around the towering Dutch at the top end of the height scale are other northern Europeans – Norwegians, Swedes, Danes, Belgians and Germans. Height is a rather potent symbol. But it also appears to be a useful measure of the well-being of a nation's citizens, particularly its young people, since height is determined early in life. Komlos and Lauderdale note that a wide range of factors determine height: "(T)he political economy of the health-care system, education, transfers to the poor, and government policy toward equality (hence taxation policy) all matter." They go on to suggest that "perhaps the western and northern European welfare states, with their universal socioeconomic safety nets, are able to provide a higher biological standard of living to their children and youth than the more free-market-oriented US economy." Height is in fact just one of many measures of well-being where the Americans increasingly find themselves at the bottom of the heap among industrial nations. Equally telling is the Innocenti Report Card, a broad measure of physical and material child well-being in 21 OECD countries, prepared by a UN-affiliated Italian research institute. Once again, the Netherlands tops the list, in a cluster with Sweden, Denmark and Finland. One has to go all the way down to the Number 20 spot to find the United States. (It narrowly edged out last-place Britain, which with the Thatcher revolution in the 1980s, joined the US in adopting the low-tax model.) Canada, in keeping with its blended approach to the US and European models, comes in at a middling Number 12. The strikingly strong performance of the northern Europeans and the dismal performance of the US (and Britain) when it comes to child well-being would presumably set off alarm bells in any nation with aspirations for its future. Yet we remain strangely oblivious here in Canada, continuing our obsession with low taxes and our acceptance of minimal social programs, even as the Europeans show us what appears to be a far better way to equip our children for the future. One of the key differences for European children – in addition to excellent public health care and even free public dental care in some Nordic countries – is universal access to amply-funded child-care programs, which are typically housed in attractive buildings and staffed with teachers trained to encourage creative thinking and interest in the arts. By contrast, we in North America have embraced an "individualistic" approach, leaving it up to individual families to take care of the needs of their own children. This has left millions of children in poorly funded private daycare facilities or fending for themselves after school. After years of pressure by activists, Ottawa finally brought in a bare-bones national child-care program in 2005. Yet that minimal program was cancelled by Stephen Harper's Conservative government, which replaced it with an even more meager child allowance paid to individual families, with no guarantee the money even be spent on children. And even as the federal budget surplus ballooned to $16 billion this year, the Harper government steadfastly avoided enriching social programs, directing the surplus instead to tax cuts and military spending increases. Our tight-fisted approach to meeting social needs takes its heaviest toll on the poor, but it has a huge impact on the middle class as well. The extensive benefits in the northern European countries include many that would make dramatic differences in the lives of just about all Canadians, including free university tuition, extensive in-home care of the elderly and the disabled, generous pensions, maternity and paternity leaves, job retraining and mandatory paid vacations (for all workers) of four, five or even six weeks. Many Canadians might be inclined to dismiss these sorts of benefits as unaffordable luxuries – luxuries that would risk diminishing our economic performance in the highly competitive global economy. After all, the US, with its low-tax, low-spending model, is the powerhouse of the global economy. But just as Americans aren't actually as tall as we think, they're not so clearly the towering economic giants we've made them out to be. To be sure, the US is one of the most competitive countries in the global economy, but it shares that elevated status with the Nordic nations, which, along with the US, consistently rank at the top end of the scale of competitive nations, as measured by the World Economic Forum in Geneva. This suggests that both the US and European models can work well economically, leaving it a matter of which model the electorate prefers. But there are other important factors that may reduce the room for choice. The real imperative in the future may not be the demands of "globalization," but rather the demands of global warming. Overall, Americans live in bigger homes, drive bigger cars and consume more. Not surprisingly, then, Americans produce much larger carbon emissions roughly 20 tons on average per person, compared to only nine in the Netherlands or just under six in Sweden. (And in this area, Canadians are much closer to Americans, producing almost 18 tons per person.) But oddly there's little attention paid in Canada to the striking differences between the US and European models. Indeed, as the northern Europeans grow ever taller, more attentive to the environment and better at preparing their children for the future, we in Canada seem blindly attached to doing things as they're done south of the border – where climate change hasn't sufficiently registered as an issue, where people are getting relatively shorter, and where it's pretty much every kid for himself. Journalist and best-selling author Linda McQuaig has developed a reputation for challenging the establishment. As a reporter for The Globe and Mail, she won a National Newspaper Award in 1989 for writing a series of articles, which sparked a public inquiry into the activities of Ontario political lobbyist Patti Starr, and eventually led to Starr's imprisonment. In 1991, she was awarded an Atkinson Fellowship for Journalism in Public Policy to study the social welfare systems in Europe and North America. She is author of seven books on politics and economics – all national bestsellers – including Shooting the Hippo (short-listed for the Governor General's Award for Non-Fiction), The Cult of Impotence, All You Can Eat and It's the Crude, Dude: War, Big Oil and the Fight for the Planet. Her most recent book is Holding the Bully's Coat: Canada and the US Empire. Since 2002, McQuaig has written an op-ed column for the Toronto Star. This article, which appears here with permission, previously appeared in The Star.

Three Canadians face extradition to, and life imprisonment in, the United States - but they've never been there!

SunflowerRae — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 20:28:56 GMT

The extradition hearing is scheduled to begin on January 21st - January 25th, 2008. Please phone (613) 957-4222 to tell the Canadian Minister of Justice it would be "cruel and unjust punishment" to extradite Canadians Marc Emery, Michelle Rainey and Greg Williams to the United States to face life in US prison, especially when a $200 fine -- not jail time -- is the BC Supreme Court precedent for selling cannabis seeds (See R. v. Hunter, 2000). "If Canadians have broken the law in Canada, they should be given a fair jury trial in Canada. If they wouldn't face any imprisonment in Canada for the charges laid, they should not be extradited to another country to face life imprisonment." Marc Emery, Michelle Rainey, and Greg Williams are Canadian citizens who were heavily involved in anti-prohibition activitism for over ten years. The United States Justice Department and DEA want Canada's government to extradite these three political activists to face 10 years up to life in US prison! Canadians and Americans MUST do their part to help prevent the extradition from happening -- even a phone call makes a difference! http://www.petitiononline.com/Emery/petition-sign.html http://www.cannabisculture.com/noextradition/

Vancouver, January 1, 2008

SunflowerRae — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 22:50:54 GMT

Happy 2008!

SunflowerRae — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 01:00:45 GMT

Peace and blessings to all.

Lakota Indians Secede From the United States

SunflowerRae — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 21:59:10 GMT

Descendants of Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse break away from US Agence France-Presse Published: Thursday December 20, 2007 The Lakota Indians, who gave the world legendary warriors Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, have withdrawn from treaties with the United States, leaders said Wednesday. "We are no longer citizens of the United States of America and all those who live in the five-state area that encompasses our country are free to join us," long-time Indian rights activist Russell Means told a handful of reporters and a delegation from the Bolivian embassy, gathered in a church in a run-down neighborhood of Washington for a news conference. A delegation of Lakota leaders delivered a message to the State Department on Monday, announcing they were unilaterally withdrawing from treaties they signed with the federal government of the United States, some of them more than 150 years old. They also visited the Bolivian, Chilean, South African and Venezuelan embassies, and will continue on their diplomatic mission and take it overseas in the coming weeks and months, they told the news conference. Lakota country includes parts of the states of Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. The new country would issue its own passports and driving licences, and living there would be tax-free -- provided residents renounce their US citizenship, Means said. The treaties signed with the United States are merely "worthless words on worthless paper," the Lakota freedom activists say on their website. The treaties have been "repeatedly violated in order to steal our culture, our land and our ability to maintain our way of life," the reborn freedom movement says. Withdrawing from the treaties was entirely legal, Means said. "This is according to the laws of the United States, specifically article six of the constitution," which states that treaties are the supreme law of the land, he said. "It is also within the laws on treaties passed at the Vienna Convention and put into effect by the US and the rest of the international community in 1980. We are legally within our rights to be free and independent," said Means. The Lakota relaunched their journey to freedom in 1974, when they drafted a declaration of continuing independence -- an overt play on the title of the United States' Declaration of Independence from England. Thirty-three years have elapsed since then because "it takes critical mass to combat colonialism and we wanted to make sure that all our ducks were in a row," Means said. One duck moved into place in September, when the United Nations adopted a non-binding declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples -- despite opposition from the United States, which said it clashed with its own laws. "We have 33 treaties with the United States that they have not lived by. They continue to take our land, our water, our children," Phyllis Young, who helped organize the first international conference on indigenous rights in Geneva in 1977, told the news conference. The US "annexation" of native American land has resulted in once proud tribes such as the Lakota becoming mere "facsimiles of white people," said Means. Oppression at the hands of the US government has taken its toll on the Lakota, whose men have one of the shortest life expectancies -- less than 44 years -- in the world. Lakota teen suicides are 150 percent above the norm for the United States; infant mortality is five times higher than the US average; and unemployment is rife, according to the Lakota freedom movement's website. "Our people want to live, not just survive or crawl and be mascots," said Young. "We are not trying to embarrass the United States. We are here to continue the struggle for our children and grandchildren," she said, predicting that the battle would not be won in her lifetime.