Less Is Moore In subdued, Effective '9/11'
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
by Roger Ebert
http://www.suntimes.com/output/eb-feature/cst-ftr-cannes18.html

Impeach the SOB - Damn the Republicans & Full Speed Ahead!
Written by “kucinich4president” Yahoo Group Member Daniel Welch
Tuesday, May 18th

It's time to stop beating around this Bush and start beating up on him—but good. There is no set of humanitarian or democratic principles by which this administration would not have been removed in any sane society. The last election was questionable at best, and his reckless, dangerous and criminal actions in the ensuing years have shown the whole world he is unfit to govern. The only democratic remedy, impeachment, was set aside early and forcibly by an opposition still afraid of its own shadow. It did make some sense, early on, to argue that, since the Greasy Oil Plutocrats (GOP) controlled both houses, it was a waste of time and energy.

Cynical political calculation is the currency of a failed "democracy," and Washington is crawling with sellouts and political weathervanes. In the Sausage Factory that is the legislative process, anyone who wants to get anything done had best be ready to hold her nose and roll up her sleeves. The principle still counts for something. To hear either of the Mega-Parties talk, you'd think they were all about principle. Grandiose rhetoric covers the tiniest focus-grouped nuances; minor tweaks to failed policies are disguised as major ideological shifts, their proponents bravely marching, Quixote-style, into the windmill of their ever-so-slightly differing opponents.

So maybe it's time for a simple, radical proposition: Truth is True. Of course Republicans will fight impeachment like crazy--so what? Anyway, it's past time to put to rest the right-wing myth that Nixon was "hounded out of office" by the opposition. By the time Barry Goldwater met with Nixon to tell him the jig was up, he reported that the president could expect no more than ten votes in the Senate. "And," he is reported to have added, "I'm not one of them." Politicians don't always toe the party line, especially when it is one drawn in the sand by a crook. The damage done to decades-long international agreements, to the reputation of the US, and simply the revulsion at all the atrocities committed in our name, is almost beyond calculation, and quite likely beyond repair. Cornered at every turn, the thieves and liars of this junta respond to every new self-inflicted crisis with greater abandon.

There are dangerous and powerful forces trying to keep this man in power, and there is no doubt that confronting them head on will prove difficult. But there is no choice left. The iceberg whose tip is now poking its way into the eye of a weary world is gargantuan, and will not melt of its own accord. These men intended all along to shred the Geneva Convention, the US constitution and every safeguard in between. The "Iraq Prison Abuse Scandal," a misnomer if ever there was one, is not about a few hicks on a rampage. Anyone with a brain could see that immediately, and once again we were proven right. The attempt to end-run the CIA and establish a fully secret system of torture and "intelligence gathering" lays bare the core of these men's "principles:" utter contempt for democracy and due process.

It should be something of a clue to learn that the CIA was too accountable for these guys. The CIA, as we well know, is loath to bend any rules or skirt accountability in pursuit of its own shadowy goals. Doug Feith, apparently, knows better than the CIA, and he wouldn't trust them for...well, let's say for all the assassination manuals in Central America. It has become the unspeakable, torturous mess we knew it would, and they still won't come clean. That's why they mustn't be let to leave of their own accord. Next January is far too long, too many wars, atrocities and frayed alliances too late. These guys, and yes, I mean all of them, from Dubya and Lon Chaney on down--these guys have to go now. And I don't mean back to cutting brush in Crawford. (What's the deal there, by the way? Does this guy live on a billion acres that he cuts himself, or what? Isn't he done yet?).

No, not back to Crawford or off to some slimy lobbying firm--they need to go sit in a dock in The Hague and await the judgment of the world. The world's responsibility is to convene an ad hoc tribunal to prosecute the war crimes of the Iraq war--just as they do with other rogue nations who refuse to subject themselves to the conventions of international law. Our responsibility in the US is to facilitate the process by first removing the war criminals from power, and then not stopping the international peacekeeping force when they come to arrest them. Shocked? Why? Of course, it is often shocking to turn the looking glass around, but if we try to see what the rest of the world sees, these are the logical next steps. Instead, the internal "debate" grows more and more deaf to the outside world. The Democrats have already picked their pro-war candidate, and he is staying the course, while rumors about a "unity ticket" with McCain swirl above the wreckage of the international scene. What planet are we on? I actually saw an article recently chiding the left with the specter of 1968, claiming that it was our fault (the antiwar crowd) that Humphrey lost. Huh? I guess it couldn't have been Humphrey's fault that he saddled himself with Johnson's War. At least he was the sitting vice president--what's Kerry's excuse?

And as long as we're playing the bogus counterfactual history "whose fault was Nixon" game, there are plenty of turns to go around. Assume that RFK had not been killed in June of 1968. Having won the California primary, he was poised to wrest the nomination from Humphrey, relieving the Democrats of their war burden, and would presumably have swept to victory over Tricky Dick. Imagine...no Houston Plan, no destabilizing Chile--maybe a few million still alive in Southeast Asia.... Well, maybe it's a bit tongue-in-cheek, but the point is history is not an a la carte menu. You can't pick and choose once the opportunities are gone.

The only way the Democrats can lose this election, as I see it, is to fail to embrace and stay ahead of the exploding buyer's remorse now coming into focus over the quagmire in Iraqnam. The RFK analogy is with us still, in the person of Dennis Kucinich. Kucinich is RFK for 2004--the late-surging candidate whose war stance-deemed opportunistic by some, too establishment by others--represents the hope of the party but whose candidacy, alas, is not to re: RFK's because he was shot in the head, and DJK's because he was shot in the image, budget, soul...take your pick. But it doesn't graft well a generation later. No bullets were necessary to doom Kucinich's candidacy, and no matter what changes between now and July, it is exceedingly unlikely that Democrats in the "disciplined," slick "modern" era would abandon the walking disaster that is the Kerry candidacy--although they should be thinking hard about it. But of course, it's beside my point. Who cares who's running in November? Impeach the bastards now. By the time the dust settles and the indictments are all handed out, we may well have come far enough down the chain of succession to where a new government might mean something: Bernie Sanders, or Kucinch, and Barbara Lee. Full speed ahead!

© 2004 Daniel Patrick Welch. Reprint permission granted with credit and link to http://www.danielpwelch.com. Writer, singer, linguist and activist Daniel Patrick Welch lives and writes in Salem, Massachusetts, with his wife, Julia Nambalirwa-Lugudde. Together they run The Greenhouse School. His website is at http://www.danielpwelch.com

KUCINICH WINS DELEGATES IN OREGON

With about 90% of the votes counted in yesterday’s Oregon primary, Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich appeared headed toward a final total of about 16%, enough to win several delegates to the Democratic National Convention in July. “I’m grateful to the voters of Oregon for their support, their encouragement, and their hospitality,” said Kucinich, who spent a good part of the past month campaigning throughout the state. “Oregonians responded to my message about the importance of the Democratic Party taking a stand on the crucial issues facing our country, and now we’ll have additional delegates to help take that message to the convention in Boston.”

Kucinich said the response of Oregonians was especially strong on the issue of the war in Iraq, and he intends to continue making that a centerpiece of his ongoing campaign in Montana, South Dakota, Alabama, New Jersey and Puerto Rico. “When you reach out to voters, and you listen to what they have to say, you hear loudly and clearly that they want the Democratic Party to end this war and bring our troops home,” Kucinich said. “Even though the party’s nomination was locked up two months ago, tens of thousands of Oregonians voted their consciences and their beliefs.” Oregon is considered a key swing state in the November general election.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM PETER SCHURMAN AT MOVEON.ORG

As America learns more about the prisoner abuse scandal, it's becoming clear that the path to the crimes committed at Abu Ghraib prison began at Donald Rumsfeld's office in the Pentagon. According to an article in the New Yorker magazine, a policy put in place by Secretary Rumsfeld "encouraged physical coercion and sexual humiliation of Iraqi prisoners in an effort to generate more intelligence about the growing insurgency in Iraq." Despite this horrible scandal and the cascading failures of U.S. military policy in Iraq, President Bush says that Rumsfeld is doing "a superb job." In the absence of presidential leadership, Congress must step in and hold the administration accountable. Please call your Senators and Representative today and tell them to call on President Bush to fire Donald Rumsfeld.

Senator Charles E. Schumer
Washington, DC: 202-224-6542

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
Washington, DC: 202-224-4451

Congresswoman Nydia M. Velazquez
Washington, DC: 202-225-2361

President Bush approved a policy that the Geneva Convention wouldn't apply to suspected al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. When the war in Iraq started to go badly, Rumsfeld extended these aggressive interrogation policies to Iraqi prisons. According to the current issue of Newsweek ... "It was an approach that they adopted to sidestep the historical safeguards of the Geneva Conventions, which protect the rights of detainees and prisoners of war. In doing so, they overrode the objections of Secretary of State Colin Powell and America's top military lawyers - and they left underlings to sweat the details of what actually happened to prisoners in these lawless places. While no one deliberately authorized outright torture, these techniques entailed a systematic softening up of prisoners through isolation, privations, insults, threats and humiliation - methods that the Red Cross concluded were ëtantamount to torture."

High-level officials in the Pentagon were sent from Guantanamo Bay to Iraq to implement the more aggressive policies, and it appears that command of the prison was placed in the hands of military intelligence officers. Techniques that had been approved only for suspected al-Qaeda terrorists were suddenly applied to Iraqi prisoners (up to 90% of whom
>were mistakenly detained, according to the Red Cross). Despite the eagerness of the Bush administration to blame the torture at Abu Ghraib on a few rogue soldiers, it is now clear that real responsibility lies at the top of the chain of command. As the Commander-in-Chief, it's President Bushís job to decide who runs the Pentagon. If he won't take the steps that are needed to restore American credibility around the world, Congress needs to use its power to convince the president to do the right thing - whether it issues a clear public call for the Secretary's resignation or whether it uses other leverage to force the Administrationís hand.

Media's Isolated Flights Of Fiction Less Damaging Than Skipping Story
DAYTONA BEACH NEWS JOURNAL
by Pierre Tristam
We're living through fabulist times, which shouldn't be confused with fabulous times. The two words are next-door neighbors in the dictionary but have as much in common as George W. Bush and George Carlin. The first makes stuff up like Zane Grey on speed, the other deconstructs it with punch lines. Carlin has a glut of material to work with these days because from the president on down, fabulism is everyone's branding iron of choice. Corporations invent profits. Big oil companies invent big oil deposits. The military fakes heroic feats and global alliances. The Treasury fakes impending surpluses. Researchers fake data. Employers fake time-clocks. Employees fake illnesses. Insurers fake coverage. Priests fake trust. Entertainment passes off for fact, propaganda passes off for news and advertisers begin to look like truth-tellers. Is it any wonder that the nation's big news media have produced some of the biggest fabulists of them all? I'm referring to Jayson Blair and Jack Kelly. At The New York Times, Blair fabricated and plagiarized national stories by the dozen, most notably about the Washington, D.C., sniper and Pfc. Jessica Lynch, who -- to be fair to Blair -- was the inspiration for compulsive fabrication mediawide. At USA Today, Kelly took his fabrications global, inventing Egyptian and Pakistani terrorists, a Starsky and Hutch-like hunt of Osama bin Laden, Cuban exiles a-drowning, and the flash-portrait of a suicide bomber just before he blew himself up. Click on following link to read more: http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0518-05.htm

9/11 Scrutiny Turns To New York
BBC NEWS
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3725225.stm

Holding Halliburton Accountable
ALTERNET
by James Carter
http://alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=18718

Kucinich Makes Pitch In Oregon
THE OREGONIAN
by James Mayer
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1084881910205370.xml

Liberal Talk Radio - Let The Water Cooler Wars Begin
COMMON DREAMS
by Thom Hartmann
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0517-04.htm



Fahrenheit 9/11 Could Light Fire Under Bush
GUARDIAN/UK
by Charlotte Higgins
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0517-10.htm

Moore's 9/11 Movie Riles Cannes Audiences
YAHOO NEWS
by David Germain
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=13&u=/ap/20040517/ap_on_en_mo/film_cannes_fahrenheit_911_5



Baghdad Blast Kills Iraq Leader
BBC NEWS
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3720161.stm

Down But Not Out, Kucinich Keeps On Fighting
NEW YORK TIMES
by Rick Lyman
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/17/politics/campaign/17kucinich.html?ex=1085371200&en=4fd2c2f611b1e896&ei=5062

Personal News - Part XXI

Back on Monday, May 10th, was our monthly NYC Friends Of Kucinich general meeting. [I put in a cardio workout at the gym before heading to the 7pm meeting.] The following Kucitizens were present: Bill, Paul, Cielito, Mike, Kim, Thomas, Jane, Larry, Efram, Steve, Marlene, George, Pam, Jessica, Linda, Mark & myself. The next General Meeting was announced for June 2nd and hopefully at same location. Plus the next Kucinich Meetup is June 3rd. We started off the meeting with roll call and then jumped onto first item on Agenda. This was regarding the "Progressive Candidates Forum" we're trying to organize for either late June or early to mid July. Bill is in charge of the committee, of which I am part of and our first committee meeting is set for today at 6pm. The forum would bring together Kucinich, Nader, Dean and Sharpton to present their views on the issues and help build a progressive block at the July Convention AND within the Democratic party. Discussion was long and at times abit heated. Touching on locations, dates, outreach, issues, etc. Then Paul asked Kim to talk about second item on agenda, which is doing Candlelight Vigils in NYC at time of Republican National Convention. Discussion was mostly on where it could take place and many suggested churches, since we wouldn't require a city permit. [City has been denigning many organizations permits for even the simplest of protests/rallies. Grrrrrrrr] Kim is head of that "Candlelight Vigil" committee. Last item on agenda was talking about joining NJ Kucinich folk at their June 3rd meetup. Plus passing around flyers at that time to commuters heading home from Penn Station, Port Authority and PATH trains. George, who is one of our NJ Kucitizens, handed out flyers for us to copy and distribute. Afterwards we broke off into committee groups to discuss topic and location for future meetings. I also purchased a funky, black t-shirt from Thomas ... which says on the front "Got WMD?" and on back says "Bush Lied".

The following night, May 11th, after the Kucinich general meeting I was at Rob Jereski's place, along with Deborah G, to help him fine tune his Bio and 14 points of campaign. It was abit of a learning experience and half of what was discussed was new to me. [Appraised Rob of what I'd worked on since last meeting towards his campaign.] I also mentioned to Rob how I was having some serious troubles with my Blog and hoped to have it resolved shortly. Those of you who pop in regularly to the Duchess page will have noticed it's absence from the Internet for a few days. Troubles with the template and not fully resolved as I type this, but hope it soon will be. Its great to see some of my dear Blog pals posting the Jereski banner w/link on your sites. I mentioned this to Rob and so happy to hear it.

Took a break on Wednesday ... then an intense workout with personal trainer on Thursday ... followed by the first meeting of the "Progressive Candidate Forum" committee meeting on Friday @ 6:30pm. Several of us Kucitizens [ie: Thomas, Cielito, Mark, Marlene, Bill & I] were there to get the ball rolling on this project and brainstorm ideas. Our meeting went on till about 9:30pm with only Bill, Cielito and I fleshing out the presentations "objective", plus proposed moderators and locations for forum. This forum or "Democracy Shakedown" will showcase Kucinich, Sharpton, Dean and Nader sometime in July before Democratic Convention. [These esteemed leaders must be heard and not silenced by the media.] It was a good, productive and fascinating meeting. If you live in the NYC area, read my Blog, are into grassroots politics and would like to help out our committee ... please contact me [cblossom@mindspring.com] or Bill Delp [BilDel@MUZE.com]. Merci!

What amazing weather we had yesterday ... felt more like summer than a spring day. It was sunny, a few clouds, slight breeze, warm and abit humid. After a busy work week, along with other commitments, I spent Saturday catching up on many errands. During the afternoon, in between errands, I ran into a few of my neighbors and we caught up on stuff. Gail and Rob took up a suggestion I made last Autumn, regarding Twin Gables Inn down in Cape May and are staying there next month. When making reservations they mentioned to Regina and Harry [owners of Twin Gables] that I highly recommended their Inn to them. I've been visiting that particular Inn since 1998 and love it there. Gail and Rob told me they've been visiting Cape May alot over past 20 years. Whoa! We talked about our fav places to dine in that charming seaside resort. As well as experiencing hurricanes while down there. Their a delightful couple and the outside of their apartment building is prettily done up with flowers, plants and rose bushes. [Gails got the magic touch when it comes to gardening.] Then I ran into another neighbor [Nick] and got to talking about Iraq war, economy and politics. He loves Bush, hates all Muslims, supports Iraq war and thinks that Bush Administration is doing a great job. Sigh! I said "Nick, I don't agree with you and since I respect you, I'll refrain from arguing or forcing my opinions down your throat". He was cool with that. I asked him if he watches Fox News or reads the NY Post. Nick said no on both counts, as he feels both are a crock of crappy, corrupt beans. That was one of the few things we did agree on. [smiling]

Well, its now Sunday, May 16th, and another lovely day outside. What do I do on a lovely day such as this ... well I sit my ass inside an air conditioned cinema [ticket price is $10.50] watching the film TROY. While on line at cinema waiting to get my ticket, who is standing five people in front of me, but British actor Roger Rees. He to bought a ticket to see same showing of TROY as me. Cool! The film stars Brad Pitt, Peter O'Toole, Sean Bean & Orlando Bloom. [Even the lovely Julie Christie makes a cameo appearance.]

Quite frankly I'm no fan of Brad Pitt, but he comes across rather nicely in this movie and yes, I do recommend others see it. True, its no LOTRs, but it does hold its own quite well. Have to admit the real reason I wanted to see TROY, was due to the fact that Sean Bean [Odysseus] and Orlando Bloom [Paris] are in it. Of the movies previewed before TROY played, I saw two I'd like to see very much. THE TERMINAL starring Tom Hanks and CONSTANTIN starring Keanu Reeves. And that's it, for now, on the personal news front. Peace, Joy, Hope, Justice & Solidarity!

Trojan War Shows Bush & Blair's Achilles' Heel Say Actors Who See A Modern-Day Similarity
INDEPENDENT/UK
May 14, 2004
by Louise Jury in Cannes
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0514-02.htm

Kucinich: Oil Co. Profiteers Pushing Up Gas Prices
BEND.COM NEWS SOURCE
At the same time, Kucinich said, major oil companies are capitalizing on that uncertainty and are earning record profits. Five of the world’s largest oil companies had combined earning of more than $17 billion in the first three months of this year*. "It's an outrage that a working family has to pay $2.40 or more for a gallon of gas while oil company executives, speculators, and commodities traders are raking in billions of dollars in profits," Kucinich said. "First, the Bush Administration concocted reasons to go to war. Then, it began paying billions of dollars to private, hand-picked contractors to reconstruct what the war destroyed. And now, on top of that, it has created a climate that enables its friends in the oil industry to make billions more." To read more, click on to the following link: http://www.bend.com/news/ar_view%5E3Far_id%5E3D15546.htm

Cheney Sings Wal-Mart's Praises
GADFLYER
by Paul Waldman
It was fitting that Cheney came to hail the success of Wal-Mart, because there are few American institutions that so embody the Bush administration's vision of what the American economy should look like. Like Wal-Mart, the administration has done all it can to encourage the accumulation of great wealth in a few hands (and worked to make sure that wealth will not be subject to taxation), while the men and women who actually do the work receive obscenely low compensation. Like Wal-Mart, the administration has been unconcerned about the lack of health insurance in America, leaving people to fend for themselves in the private market (whose rates are ridiculously out of reach for Wal-Mart employees) or, more often, rely on costly emergency room care and federal poverty programs. Like Wal-Mart, the administration has waged unrelenting war on labor unions, lest ordinary people obtain a voice for fair treatment in the workplace and cut into corporate profits. [Click on following link to read more: http://alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=18704

The Nation Institute & New Democracy Project Are Hosting A Progressive Agenda Conference This Weekend, Here In NYC

In the past three years the US has suffered a dramatic decline in its fortunes, moving from prosperity to recession, from peace to war, from record budget surpluses to record deficits. We've seen pre-emptive strikes; destabilizing tax cuts; the rollback of protection for workers, consumers and the environment, and an assault on the rights of women and minorities. It's time to lay out a forward-looking progressive agenda to counter the rightwing. In that spirit, the Nation Institute and the New Democracy Project are hosting a sold-out conference this weekend with many of America's leading scholars, thinkers and advocates. And see the full conference schedule: http://www.newdemocracyproject.org/events/special_events/wwsf_schedule.cfm

The entire two-day event will be available for web viewing in the weeks ahead. Finally, please visit http://www.thenation.com regularly for new weblogs, exclusive online reports, info on nationwide activist campaigns, Nation History offerings, reader letters and special weekly selections from The Nation magazine.

SEAN PENN, THE ANTI-WAR ACTIVIST, CAMPAIGNS WITH KUCINICH IN OREGON

As one of Hollywood's biggest stars and this year's Best Actor Oscar Winner for his role in Mystic River, most people know Sean Penn for his on-screen acting abilities. It was Penn's off-screen opposition to the Iraq war, however, that brought him to Oregon Tuesday night to stand with Kucinich at a press conference in Portland. Like Kucinich, Penn has opposed the war from the start; he even traveled to Iraq before the war to call attention to the added suffering war would bring to Iraq. The pair called for U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraq and lamented the prison abuse scandal. "This is only consistent with the history of all wars," said Penn. "What is happening in all of those prisons is no surprise to those people who have paid any responsible attention to what's gone on in the history of the planet in wars. So this is something we can expect to get worse in a lot of the corners of the world." See video of press conference: http://www.kucinich.us/messages/superstarpower.php#videos

OREGON STATE REPRESENTATIVE ENCOURAGES VOTE FOR KUCINICH

Northeast Portland state representative Joe Smith asked Oregon voters to "help put Kucinich ideas on the table" in a letter to the editor printed in today's Oregonian. Representative Smith wrote: "The issues Rep. Kucinich, D-Ohio, has raised, and the goals he has urged us to look at, demand attention in the coming national debate, and we can assure that by sending a few Kucinich delegates to the Democratic National Convention who will see to it those issues and goals are clearly on the table." Read full letter: http://www.oregonlive.com/letters/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1084535951289780.xml

KUCINICH IS COMMITTED TO REMAINING PRIMARY SCHEDULE

After Oregon, Congressman Kucinich is still committed to campaigning in the remaining Democratic primaries and caucuses. He will be making campaign stops in Alabama, Puerto Rico, Montana, South Dakota, and New Jersey. Check the schedule (http://www.kucinich.us/schedule.php) for more details.

STAND WITH DENNIS AT CONVENTION: ORDER YOUR CONVENTION PACKAGE TODAY!

Finding accommodations in Boston during the Democratic National Convention is certain to be very difficult. Unless, of course, you are a Dennis Kucinich supporter! The Kucinich Campaign has secured nearly three thousand beds in Boston to accommodate the many supporters coming to participate in activities surrounding the Convention. Reserving your Convention Package is quick and easy with our new online reservation system. Read More: http://www.kucinich.us/convention/housing.php Make reservation: http://www.kintera.org/autogen/home/default.asp?ievent=54828

Be Different, Kucinich Urges Democrats In Speech At OIT
HERALD & NEWS
by Brook Reinhard
http://www.heraldandnews.com/articles/2004/05/12/news/top_stories/top1.txt

Important Message From NARAL Pro-Choice America

The thousands of women serving abroad in our military are being denied their freedoms, even as they are fighting to defend ours. Servicewomen and female military dependents are banned from accessing abortion services - even when using their own private funds - at military hospitals overseas. They don't even have the same right Medicaid recipients do to public support in cases of rape or incest. Our overseas military personnel deserve the same rights as women here in America. Please take action today to defend the rights of those who defend us - click here: http://prochoiceaction.org/campaign/congress_dod_504/b7e33ur4je8mx5

Urge your federal lawmakers, when they consider the Defense Authorization Act, to support amendments that would repeal current-law bans and oppose any attempts to make it more difficult for women to access safe abortion care.

The Official "No To Bush" Website
Click on the link to view the website: http://www.notobush.com

It is the hope of us at notobush that the designs herein will gain presence both domestically and internationally, in order to help build the single largest protest in history - the day prior to the start of the RNC in NYC. We were there on Feb 15, 2003 and we know that we are the majority. The world still says no to war and on August 29th, 2004 - the world will say no to bush. And in november - bush will lose - again.



Notobush.com is an independent project of Forth Position Design. based in Brooklyn, NYC: Forth has been active within the peace & justice movement, working within several coalitions formed in response to the tragic events of 9.11 and the bush administration’s exploitation of the tragedy as an excuse for war.

Though we encourage everyone to come to NYC in August, the “no to bush box” graphic can be customized to accommodate other cities if ordered in bulk. Arrangements can also be made to do translations into other languages. Contact us to explore the possibilities.

Dems Roll Out Welcome For Kucinich
May 11th Press Release
http://www.kucinich.us/convention/dem_hq.php

Sean Penn, Kucinich Preach Troop Pull-Out In Portland
KATU NEWS
http://www.katu.com/news/story.asp?ID=67251

The America We Know
ALTERNET
by J.D.Allen-Taylor
http://alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=18659

Kucinich: Bush's Support Of Rumsfeld "Misses The Whole Point"
May 10th PRESS RELEASE
http://www.kucinich.us/pressreleases/pr_051004.php

When You Wish Upon A Star....
ALTERNET
by Michael Moore
http://alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=18646

Kucinich Targets National Convention
PLAIN DEALER BUREAU
by Tom Diemer
http://www.cleveland.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/108427863161610.xml?nnusa

An Important Message From The Exploratory Committee to Elect Robert Jereski to Congress ... Taking On The Bush Agenda

Our campaign is preparing to move into a higher gear and we need the assistance of committed people like you to elect a representative who will help bring an end to the Iraq War. This month will include our official campaign announcement and preparation for the petitioning process that is crucial for getting Robert Jereski on the ballot. We will be holding another fun and exciting friendraiser this Thursday, May 13th, 2004 to recruit more friends and raise more funds for our efforts.

Please feel free to forward this message/invitation to others who may be interested in volunteering or contributing to our campaign. This event will be an opportunity to meet and greet other Jereski supporters and to participate in an engaging salon to discuss the critical issues of the day. Light refreshments will be served. Please join us at the home of candidate for U.S. Congress, Robert Jereski from 6:30 pm till 8:30 pm on May 13, 2004. The address is 2 Tudor City Place, Apt 9AS (East 41st Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenues).

A suggested minimum donation of $25 is requested, however, donations of $50, $500, or $1,000 would be welcome. No one will be turned away for lack of funds, as we appreciate all of your support. Please RSVP to "mutualaid@earthlink.net" or call 212-973-1782. If you cannot attend, but still would like to contribute, you may mail your contribution to 2 Tudor City Place, Apt 9AS, New York, NY 10017. Make checks payable to "E. C. to Elect Robert Jereski to Congress". You may also contribute through our web site, please click on the following link: http://www.jereskiforcongress.com We hope you will join us and look forward to seeing you there.

[Came Across The Below Tidbits From FLYBY NEWS ... Link To Website Is Located In Left Side Column. Some Of The Similarities Are Truly Frightening. God & Jesus DID NOT Put These Evil Men Into Power, Only Corrupt Individuals Did These Dirty Deeds. Church & State Do Not Belong Together.]

"Why is this man in the White House?
The majority of Americans did not vote for him.
Why is he there? And I tell you this morning
that he's in the White House because God put him there
for a time such as this."

– Lt Gen William Boykin, speaking of G. W. Bush,
New York Times, 17 October 2003

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

"God gave the savior to the German people.
We have faith, deep and unshakeable faith,
that he was sent to us by God to save Germany."

Hermann Goering, speaking of Hitler

The Next Step In Iraq
THE AMERICAN PRESPECT
by Dennis Kucinich & Michael O'Hanlon
http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId=7681

Kucinich wins Boulder(CO)County

An already enthusiastic crowd of Democratic delegates, many of them new to the political process, burst into cheers and applause yesterday with the surprise announcement that Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich won 51 percent of the vote in Boulder County. According to the Boulder Daily Camera online news service, front runner John Kerry received 49 percent.

Many of the delegates who showed up Saturday were newcomers to party activism, and their preference for president says a lot about the local Democratic party, said Hillary Hall, the county Democrats' chairwoman. "It's grass roots at its grass rootiest," Hall said.

Outgoing County Commissioner Ron Stewart, the outgoing county commissioner, said he couldn't recall a more lively crowd at a Democratic county assembly — a sentiment echoed many long-time party activists. Many Democrats have been motivated by the idea that the country is a mess now because the Republicans took the White House in 2000. "We're not gonna sit by and let it happen again," Stewart said.

Lawyer Says Accused Soldier Is Scapegoat
ASSOCIATED PRESS
by Robert Weller
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040510/ap_on_re_us/prisoner_abuse_england_3

Esteemed Journalist Lectures On Ethics
OREGON DAILY EMERALD
by Ayisha Yahya
He added that a difference exists between journalism and propaganda. As he addressed some of the hard hits journalism has taken in the field of ethics, Carroll noted that anyone could be a journalist because, unlike other fields, journalism had no qualification tests, boards to censure misconduct or a universally accepted set of standards. However, Carroll said a great depth of feeling remains on the importance of ethics that is centered around newspapers' sense of responsibilities to their readers. "I've learned that these ethics are deeply believed in even though in some places they are not even written down," he said. When ethical guidelines are ignored, their proponents respond with 'tribal ferocity,'" he added. "If you stray badly from these rules, you will pay dearly," he said. To read the whole article, click on the following link: http://www.dailyemerald.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/05/07/409bbfc0d5b00

Jail Don!
ALTERNET
by G. Pascal Zachary
Rumsfeld deserves to be sent to prison for his acts as Secretary of Defense. So the President is doing the right thing: he is keeping Rumsfeld in place in order to give the legal system time to do maximum damage against our country’s arrogant, pompous and unrepentant war chief. Surely, any legal case against Rumsfeld would be strong. Let’s start with misappropriation of federal funds. As Bob Woodward details in his new book, “Plan of Attack,” Rumsfeld directed funds appropriated for Afghanistan to be used for the preparation of the Iraq invasion. He blithely ignored a requirement that Congress approve any such spending. That’s against the law. Not a gray area. Not a maybe. It is a crime. Then there are Rumsfeld’s lies to Congress. Weapons of mass destruction, anyone? Rumsfeld’s mis-statements about Iraq’s potential to harm the U.S. can no longer be dismissed as mere “failures of intelligence,” as if the Defense Secretary might have decided differently on the matter had he received other advice. A special prosecutor will clearly document that Rumsfeld knew that Saddam Hussein had no WMDs and that he lied to Congress, repeatedly, in order to obtain the necessary legal mandate to go to war. Click on the following link to read more: http://alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=18635

A Special Message From The Women Of The Dennis Kucinich Campaign.

We, the women of the Kucinich Campaign, on behalf of the children of the world ask you to join us in remembering the meaning of Mother's Day as we read the Mother's Day Proclamation, penned in Boston by Julia Ward Howe in 1870:

Arise, then, women of this day!
Arise all women who have hearts,
Whether your baptism be that of water or of tears
Say firmly:
"We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands shall not come to us reeking of carnage, for caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We women of one country
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.
From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with
Our own. It says, "Disarm, Disarm!"
The sword of murder is not the balance of justice!
Blood does not wipe out dishonor, nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons of war.
Let women now leave all that may be left of home
For a great and earnest day of counsel.
Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them then solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace,
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar, but of God.
In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality
May be appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient
And at the earliest period consistent with its objects
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions.
The great and general interests of peace.

In Vast Philanthropy, Kerry's Wife Wields Sway
NEW YORK TIMES
by Stephanie Strom
[Duchess Note ... I find Mrs Heinz-Kerry a far more important, fascinating, worthier person than her husband.] Click on the link to read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/09/politics/campaign/09TERE.html

Kucinich Continues Fight For Democratic Platform
HERALD DISPATCH
by Jim Ross
Dennis Kucinich knows he will not be the Democratic nominee for president. What he's fighting for now, he says, is to remind his party of what it stands for. "The direction of the Democratic Party has not yet been determined. This is a critical time to keep the debate going," he said during a visit to Huntington on Friday. To read more, click on the following link: http://www.herald-dispatch.com/2004/May/08/LNtop2.htm

BILL MOYERS [PBS show NOW] ON THE MEDIA, POLITICS & CENSORSHIP

The war in Iraq has become also a war of images. This week, we were troubled by pictures of tortured Iraqi prisoners. Last week, it was photographs of American soldiers who have given their lives there. On Friday a week ago on NIGHTLINE, Ted Koppel read the names of the dead and showed their photographs. But their faces and names were blacked out on ABC stations owned by Sinclair Broadcasting. Sinclair accused Koppel of "…doing nothing more than making a political statement."

But what about Sinclair's own political agenda? With 62 stations the company is the biggest of its kind in the country and has lobbied successfully in Washington for permission to grow even bigger. Its executives are generous contributors to the Republican party. After 9/11, there were reports their on-air talent had been required to read statements affirming a station's 100% support for the President. And the company's Vice President for Corporate Communications, Mark Hyman, doubles as the on-air commentator on The Point, a daily commentary segment that airs in cities across the country via Sinclair's News Central channel. Hyman is known to regularly "stimulate public discourse" with statements like, "Clinton was too busy chasing skirts to chase terrorists."

Earlier this year, he was sent to Iraq to editorialize on the good things happening there. That's Sinclair's prerogative, of course. Every news organization has First Amendment rights, just as I'm exercising mine right now. But speaking out is one thing, keeping others from being heard is another. Sinclair censored Koppel. And when the Democratic National Committee wanted to buy time for a spot critical of the President, Sinclair's station in Madison, Wisconsin, said no.

Sinclair's not alone with cozy ties to Washington. Clear Channel, the biggest radio conglomerate in the country (with twelve hundred stations plus), was a big winner in the deregulation frenzy triggered by Congress in 1996. Last year Clear Channel was a cheerleader for the invasion of Iraq with pro-war rallies. Rupert Murdoch's a big Washington winner, too. Congress and the Republican controlled Federal Communications Commission let him off the hook even though his News Corp. owned more stations than the rules allowed.

Murdoch also controls Fox News, another big cheerleader for American policy in Iraq, the NEW YORK POST. For a week, the Post refused to publish photographs of those tortured Iraqi prisoners saying the pictures would "reflect poorly" on the troops risking their lives there. Again, it's their right. Freedom of the press, it has been famously said, is guaranteed only to those who own one. That's just the point. These media giants can be within their rights even while doing wrong. It's the system, dear Brutus, the system…a cartel, in effect, of big companies and big government scratching each other's back.

It wasn't supposed to be that way. The founders of our government didn't think it a good idea for the press and state to gang up on public opinion. So they added to the Constitution a Bill of Rights whose First Amendment was to be a kind of firewall between the politicians who hold power and the press that should hold power accountable. The very first American newspaper was a little three-page affair whose editor said he wanted to "cure the spirit of lying…" The government promptly shut him down on grounds he didn't have the required state license. Nowadays, these mega-media conglomerates relieve government of the need for censorship by doing it themselves. So we're reminded once again that journalism's best moments have come not when journalists make common cause with the state but stand fearlessly independent of it. A free press remains everything to a free society.

Personal News - Part XX

Good Evening Everyone and welcome back to more news from Brooklyn & NYC. Pull up a chair and have a nice, comfy amble through some funky thoughts & reflections. Its okay ... no harm will come to you ... well ... not at first. :-)

Back on Tuesday, May 4th, a few of my bosses took me out for a belated Administrative Professional Assistant lunch to a restaurant of my choice. I very much enjoyed dining at ARNOs on West 38th Street a week or so back, when a Senior Manager [Debra] took me to lunch. The food and service were quite good. I mentioned that to Marc, Angela and Rich ... they were all for it, so I made reservations. We had a great time and I partook of salad, fillet of sole and abit of chocolate mousse cake. Divine! That evening, after work, I went to Rob Jereski's place for a working meeting on certain campaign points. Ed and Deborah were also there. We worked on re-writing Rob's bio for website and press releases. Also worked on his "stump speech" and fine-tuned the 14 "important points" that he's focusing on in campaign. I'd say about 50% of the stuff we worked on kind of boggled my mind, as I'm not too familiar with much political lingo. It was definitely a learning experience.

Then on Thursday, May 6th, I had another busy evening. My personal trainer [Jamie] really put me thru the paces with a good workout at gym. As I type this I'm still alittle bit sore in some spots. Afterwards, I hightailed it to the subway to get out to Sunnyside neighborhood in Queens to attend a Community Board #2 meeting at 7pm. Took me 5 to 10 minutes to find the place after I got off the subway, as I'd never been in that neighborhood. These monthly community meetings take place in a Senior Citizen Center and about 50 people were there, along with NY1 news crew. I'm attending these meetings at Rob's suggestion, to get a feel of the community and what is discussed. I also took some "Jereski for Congress" flyers out with me. Of which I pasted out some when leaving subway, placed a stack on a special table at meeting and spoke to a few folk. When I was leaving the meeting at 8:30pm, I noticed several of the NY1 news crew took some flyers. Great! At the beginning part of the meeting some folk from the community would go up to the podium to air complaints and board answered questions. These complaints ranged from topics regarding Con Edison, work or lack there of on Queens Blvd, parking facilities, buildings for businesses and much talk regarding mosques [they need support from community]. Then a roll call of Community Board members was done and we all had to stand to recite the "Pledge of Alligence". I omitted saying "under god" and received a few sly looks. People are so strange. Then came the evenings big discussion on current project, this one involving helping out those in community with drug problems and setting up a mobile van to distribute clean syringes, as well as other helpful services. The board voted on certain points and most members were very favorable. And everything was recorded by NY1, as well as by a few reporters. On May 18th there is another Community Board meeting that Rob wants me to check out in Astoria.

Finally on Friday, May 7th, another Senior Manager [Scott] took me out to lunch. Same as Tuesday lunch ... appreciation of my Administrative Assistant services to the department. We originally wanted to go to HARU on West 43rd Street, which is a very nice Japanese cuisine place. I should of made a reservation, as they were booked solid and put us at a shabby corner table. [Before being seated I noticed an ex co-worker (Jack E @ WCP) of mine having lunch with a client. Hadn't seen him since 1997 and let me tell you his hair went from chestnut color to gray/white, plus many wrinkles. Despite that he still looked like the same amiable, charming man I knew from WCP. I didn't chat with him, as I wasn't sure if he'd remember me.] Scott and I decided not to have lunch there and instead strolled over to 42nd Street to eat at Times Square Brewery. We had a fun time ... talked about travel and rock concerts. I had a delicious grilled salmon with rice pilaf and creamed spinach. Service was okay and we had a nice view of 42nd Street from our table.

I'm really enjoying and getting into this DVD technology. So many features are offered to viewers when you purchase many films on DVD. [Back in the 1980s one used to think VHS was so groovy & now its DVDs that thrill.] Not just the movie, but extra film footage, commentary on making of the film, trailers and so much more. Case in point ... the directors cut DVDs of first two LORD OF THE RINGS films ["The Fellowship of the Ring" and "The Two Towers"]. Back on Friday, after work in my neighborhood, I stopped by Blockbuster to see if they had any cool DVDs for sale or discount. They did ... I purchased "Patriot Games" starring Harrison Ford and Sean Bean, plus "Pirates of the Caribbean" with Johnny Dep and Orlando Bloom. I'll definitely be purchasing more down the road, when I have some extra cash. :-)

MORE EXCITING NEWS FROM THE DENNIS KUCINICH 2004 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN TRAIL

Petitions Pouring In (http://www.kucinich.us/petitions/) Thank you to everyone who is out there gathering petitions. We have already received tens of thousands of petitions in both online signatures and hard copies mailed in to Headquarters. However, there is still much work to be done in order to deliver a million signatures to the Democratic Party platform committees. Remember to encourage anyone who supports these issues to sign the petitions? It's about influencing the Party. Click here to sign petitions. (http://www.kucinich.us/petitions/)

This week is "Cover the Uninsured Week," a nationwide effort to raise awareness about the 44 million Americans who lack health care. Go to: http://www.covertheuninsuredweek.org/ for information about local events to collect signatures for our universal health care petition.

Convention Coordinator Pins Hopes on Changing the Democratic Party. In an interview with KPFK, a Pacifica affiliate in Southern California, Kucinich Convention Coordinator Tim Carpenter discussed the campaign's hopes for influencing the Democratic Party at Convention. Click here to download the interview (Mp3 format) (http://www.kpfk.org/0503Kucinich.m3u).

Read Tim Carpenter's bio (http://www.kucinich.us/carpenterbio.php)

From the streets of Boston to the Mountains of West Virginia? Calling West Virginia! If you have any relatives or friends in West Virginia, make sure to give them a call or send them an email to remind them to vote for Dennis in next Tuesday's primary election there. Just in case they're not sure why, please direct them to: http://www.kucinich.us/

Leaders of the West Virginia Democratic Party hosted and campaigned with Dennis on Thursday and Friday as he traveled around the state. Click here to see more photos. (http://www.wvdemocrats.com/photo_gallery/photos_may06.php)

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM NARAL PRO-CHOICE AMERICA ON LATEST NEWS

President Bush's administration proved yet again that it will allow a small number of conservative extremists to prescribe policy for women's health and birth control options. Just yesterday, May 6, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rejected a proposal to allow the Plan B emergency contraceptive to be sold over-the-counter, overriding the overwhelming recommendation of two scientific advisory committees. Bush has played politics with women's reproductive health throughout his presidency, but he crossed a line when he sacrificed an effective and underutilized birth control option to the agenda of conservative extremists. If President Bush is serious about reducing abortion, he should make better access to contraception a priority.

Help us get President Bush's attention. We know that Americans support contraception - now we need your help to make sure Bush knows it, too. What policies do you think President Bush should support to reduce unintended pregnancy? Send us your prescription for President Bush. We'll deliver it to the White House. Click here to download a prescription form for President Bush: http://prochoiceaction.org/ct/PdqUhrF17BQF/

Print it out and mail it back to:

Prescription from Pro-Family Planning Americans
NARAL Pro-Choice America
1156 15th Street, NW Suite 700
Washington, DC 20005

Bush's New, New Lie
ALTERNET
by Christopher Scheer
http://alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=18626

For months we've been encouraged by spinmeisters in Washington to believe that there is something momentous about the so-called handover. The national media, too, has relentlessly trumpeted the event so often and so simple-mindedly as a watershed moment that it has taken on the hue of history in the making. In reality, the United States plans to send new troops to Iraq. It is building 14 "enduring" bases in the Tigris and Euphrates river basins. And we have appointed tough-guy Reagan-era hatchet man John Negroponte to run the world's biggest embassy in the same building that currently houses the CPA. The United States will continue to control all the money, all the military forces (U.S., Iraqi, foreign mercenaries) and all the key political appointments in Iraq. To call this "limited" sovereignty is a bit like describing the situation in Iraq as "volatile."

100 Mistakes For The President To Choose From
CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS
http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=64326

Recent Comments From Jude At iddybud Blog

Difference between Kerry and Bush is clear:

"When I was in the Navy, the captain of the boat was in charge and the captain always took responsibility. Today I have a message for the men and women of our Armed forces ... I will take responsibility for the bad as well as the good.'' --Sen. John F. Kerry today at Colton High School in California

Think about that seriously, good readers. Bush couldn't bring himself to make a simple apology, which would have been incredibly powerful on his nation's behalf. We decent people of America are sorry...he's supposed to be our first-line representative. The Iraqis weren't looking to Scott McLellan with hopeful eyes or ears. They were looking to Bush. They probably didn't even notice the squeaked-out limp after-the-fact apology forced by the King of Jordan today.

I realize our troops have had to dig up their POW-comrades' cut-up body parts in shallow sand-graves in Iraq. The savagery of our enemy has been abhorrent. The answer is not this appalling cruelty in return....not if we mean what we say about winning the Iraqi heart and trust in the good faith of our intentions. Convincing Iraqis of our good faith is already a challenge when you're bombing a nation to rubble. Torturing prisoners who may or may not be guilty of a damned thing? Definitely worth an immediate apology. If we're truly "better" than savages, then there should be no question. Once again, why couldn't Bush bring himself to do it on Arab television? I submit that Bush doesn't have the character of the kind of leader we so desperately need in this post-9-11 world.

http://www.jereskiforcongress.com

Michael Moore Says Distributors Are Lining Up After Disney Drops His Film
YAHOO CANADIAN PRESS
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/cpress/20040506/ca_pr_on_en/film_disney_michael_moore_1

A New Voice Echoes Kucinich's Message on Iraq

Read the following statements, and try to guess who's making them:

"The administration's Iraq policy is in shambles.and the time has come for the United States to withdraw." The United States" should suspend all offensive military operations in Iraq, pull its forces back to defensive enclaves well away from Iraq's cities, and commence a withdrawal of American forces from Iraq that will be completed on December 31." "The administration has dug a hole in Iraq. It is time to stopping digging deeper. The war was a tragic, avoidable mistake, and those who opposed it have been vindicated. The administration should be held accountable, both for leading the nation in war under false pretenses and for its willful failure to think through the consequences of going to war with Iraq." "staying the course--continuing to pay these costs in pursuit of policy objectives that cannot be attained--is not the answer. Instead of compounding our losses in Iraq, we should be cutting them." Answer: The American Conservative magazine, one of the nation's leading conservative voices. In a cover story in its May 10 issue (The No-Win War), the American Conservative publishes an insightful and compelling look at the failures and futility of the Bush Administration's policy in Iraq. It was written by Christopher Layne, a member of the Coalition for a Realistic Foreign Policy and a Visiting Fellow in Foreign Policy Studies at the Cato Institute. "The time has come," Layne writes, "for a statesman to step forward and ask the American people the question that must be asked: if the United States remains in Iraq, how do we tell the U.S. troops there that one of them will be the last one to die for a mistake?"

Read the entire story: http://www.amconmag.com/2004_05_10/index1.html

KUCINICH BOSTON CONVENTION HQ OPENS MAY 10

BOSTON -- Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, who has been promising supporters for months that he intends to take his campaign all the way to the Democratic National Convention in Boston, just moved closer to that goal. When the Convention opens at the Fleet Center on July 26, Kucinich and his staff will be headquartered in offices near the Boston Common, about six minutes away. And the Kucinich convention team will be headed by Democratic convention veteran and long-time political activist Tim Carpenter. "We intend to wage an aggressive campaign within the Democratic
Party at the convention on issues like peace, health care, jobs and trade agreements, and civil liberties," said Kucinich.

Kucinich said he will challenge the leadership of the Democratic Party on several fronts, foremost among them the war in Iraq. "The Party needs to take a strong stand on Iraq, which means ending the occupation and bringing our troops home. We will do everything in our power to deliver that message," said Kucinich, the Congressman from Ohio who led the fight on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to oppose the 2002 war authorization resolution. On Monday, at a combined headquarters-opening and news media briefing, Kucinich and his convention team will outline their plans "to move the Party in a new direction." Kucinich, who will be campaigning in Oregon that day, will address his staff and speak with the news media via telephone.

Carpenter, 45, is the western Massachusetts director of the Clean Elections campaign. He also served as field organizer for Warren Tolman's 2002 gubernatorial campaign. He was a national delegate at three previous conventions and served in key positions in the presidential campaigns of Jesse Jackson (1988), Jerry Brown (1992), and Bill Clinton (1996). In 1992, he spoke from the podium at the national convention in New York City along with Hollywood film maker and author Oliver Stone. Over the years, Carpenter, a teacher, has been deeply involved in a variety of political and social issues, ranging from peace activism and nuclear disarmament to abolishing the death penalty and defending the homeless. The new Kucinich headquarters office is at 59 Temple Place, Suite 449, in the central business district. The grand opening event will from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The office phone number is (617) 542-3509.

NEW YORK SESSION ON THE WORLD TRIBUNAL ON IRAQ ON SATURDAY, MAY 8TH

Bombs have been dropped and lives shattered. Much of Iraq lies in ruins, smashed, looted and then occupied by a hostile and unwanted invasion force. In the face of the human suffering caused by the war on Iraq we must act now against the crime of silence and impunity to write a counter-history. Could the doctrine of "preventive war" ever be legal under international law? Can we record the crimes committed in launching this war of aggression, during the military campaign and ongoing occupation? Can the initiation of any war be legitimate when overwhelmingly opposed by a global anti-war movement that includes the citizens of every state involved? Can there be a grassroots space where we can initiate the process of providing justice and accountability?

PRESENTATIONS, TESTIMONY AND VISUALS WILL INVESTIGATE

* The U.S.-led war of aggression against Iraq
* Crimes committed during the declared military campaign
* Crimes committed during the ongoing occupation

JURY OF CONSCIENCE: Rabab Abdulhadi, Sinan Antoon, Dennis Brutus, Hamid Dabashi, Bhairavi Desai, Eve Ensler, Jenny Green, Lisa Hajjar, Elias Khoury, Robert van Lierop, Motarilavoa Hilda Lini, Kiyoko McCrae, Ibrahim Ramey.

New York PREMIERE of "ABOUT BAGHDAD", an independent film by InCounter Productions, to be screened at the end of session. World Tribunal on Iraq is a project of the global anti war movement with sessions and events held in London, Mumbai, Copenhagen, Brussels, Hiroshima, Paris, Monterrey, Munich, Seoul, Barcelona, Istanbul, Rome, Berlin, San Jose, Stockholm, Lisbon, New York.

Saturday, May 8, 2004 Cooper Union, Great Hall
7 East 7th Street at 3rd Av, NYC
ALL DAY - Starts 10:00 a.m doors open 9:30 a.m.
FREE - donations welcome

For more information: www.worldtribunal-nyc.org ... info@worldtribunal-nyc.org ... www.worldtribunal.org

"We reject the false doctrine that the church could have permission to hand over the form of its message and of its order to whatever it itself might wish or to the vicissitudes of the prevailing ideological and political convictions of the day."

You are Karl Barth! You like your freedom, and are pretty stubborn against authority! You don't care much for other people's opinions either. You can come up with your own fun, and often enough you have too much fun. You are pretty popular because you let people have their way, even when you have things figured out better than them.

What theologian are you?

A creation of Henderson

A MESSAGE FROM MOVEON.ORG ... DISNEY - DON'T SILENCE MICHAEL MOORE

Oscar-winning director Michael Moore has finished his latest documentary, but The Walt Disney Company is refusing to let the American public see it. The film, "Fahrenheit 911," is critical of President Bush's actions before and after Sept. 11 and describes Bush's relationships with powerful Saudi families, including that of Osama bin Laden. According to the New York Times, Moore's agent says embattled Disney chief Michael Eisner feared the documentary could endanger the company's tax breaks in Florida, where Bush's brother, Jeb, is governor. [Duchess Note ... To damn bad Eisner! The truth must come out and Americans need to know of the deep corruption, not only in the Bush Administration, but Walt Disney Company too. The lies and deception must not continue ... we want truth & democracy.]

We can't let corporate favors for politicians dictate what movies we see. Tell Disney to show us Michael Moore's documentary:

Thomas Staggs
Chief Financial Officer
The Walt Disney Company
Phone: (818) 560-1000

If the line is busy, call a Disney store near you. The salespeople aren't responsible for this decision, but ask them to pass your concerns on to the manager:

http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=498&AD3=11222&sPaMw=e

Finally, if you own any Disney stock, call:

Wendy Webb, Investor Relations
The Walt Disney Company
Phone: (818) 560-5758

Let us know that you've called:

http://moveon.org/disney_moore.html?id=2791-2148547-ZUZOg3XZEIDfqBxT0675wA

The documentary, which heads to the prestigious Cannes film festival next week, was expected to be distributed by Miramax this summer. But Disney, which owns Miramax, blocked the plan. Denying allegations of political favoritism, Disney said it doesn't want to be involved with a partisan film. Moore responded, "If this is partisan in any way it is partisan on the side of the poor and working people in this country who provide fodder for this war machine." The film details financial connections between the Bush family and powerful Saudi Arabian families over the last thirty years, including the evacuation of Osama bin Laden's relatives from the United States two days after Sept. 11. Also included are American soldiers in Iraq describing their doubts about the justification for war.

Michael Moore has commented, "At some point the question has to be asked, 'Should this be happening in a free and open society where the monied interests essentially call the shots regarding the information that the public is allowed to see?' " Today, we will tell Disney the answer is no!!

BUSH DEMOCRACY: DO YOU RECOGNIZE HIS AMERICA? By Arianna Huffington

Welcome to George W. Bush's version of America. "Bush Democracy. Apparently, he's had his fanatical neo-con programmers working overtime to iron out all those bothersome bugs and kinks that have been holding the United States back for the last 228 years" exasperating glitches like openness, integrity, accountability, responsibility and the value of an informed public. I have to admit, this new edition has been a little hard for me to get used to; it's a lot different than the America that I grew up studying and revering. You might be having a similar problem, so, as a public service, I've decided to provide this helpful primer. Think of it as Bush Democracy for Dummies.

In Bush Democracy, the messy concept of the public's right to know has been replaced by the far more user-friendly "don't worry, we know what's right for you." Why clutter up the citizenry's hard-drive with all sorts of unimportant facts and information? Which is why, just to be on the safe side, Bush Democracy comes with a helpful, one-step fact-check-and-delete program. No need to bother with taping or even transcribing important meetings like the president's three-hour appearance in front of the 9/11 Commission last week — Bush Democracy decides what's pertinent and discards the rest into the unrecoverable recycle bin of history.

That's why the White House helpfully confiscated the notebooks of the 9/11Commissioners as they were leaving the Oval Office. Hard copies are so 20th century. To see how liberating this kind of updated Democracy can be, look no further than the reports of the frequent laughter that occurred during the Commission's two-birds-with-one-stone questioning of Bush and Cheney. No longer burdened with having to fill the public in on whether our leaders did all they could to prevent 9/11 — and have done all they can to make sure something like it never happens again — the president and his inquisitors were free to trade quips and zingers like a gang of Borsht Belt second bananas at a Friars Roast. "The president got off a couple of good shots," said Commission member John "Shecky" Lehman, while Commissioner Jim "Soupy" Thompson labeled the president a "bit of a tease." We don't know the specifics of anything important that was said, or if anything important was said at all, but, hey, at least they had some fun. For his part, the president stressed the importance of his and Cheney's tandem testimony: "I think it was important for them to see our body language . . . how we work together." Body language experts agree that subtle shifts in physical positioning — such as
Cheney sticking his hand up the president's back and making his mouth move — can often provide significant behavioral clues.

Bush Democracy also automatically eliminates a number of pesky problems historically associated with that overrated First Amendment. For example, this convenient feature allows President Bush and his Man in Mesopotamia, Paul Bremer, to tout the freedom of speech now permitted in post-Saddam Iraq while simultaneously shutting down Iraqi-run newspapers and radio and television stations. And whereas previous versions of Democracy were systemically incompatible with the quashing of dissent, Bush Democracy makes clamping down on the free flow of information as easy as hitting a hot key and issuing a Pentagon ban on media coverage of flag-draped coffins arriving at Dover Air Force Base.

What's more, Bush Democracy's state-of-the-art media manipulation software makes it incredibly easy to get away with misstatements, half-truths and out-and-out lies. Witness the lack of outraged coverage of Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz's astounding assertion in front of Congress last week that the U.S. death toll in Iraq was "approximately 500" — when, in fact, at the time of his testimony, the correct number was 722. But what are a couple hundred dead Americans among friends? Especially when they're other people's children? Or observe the scarcity of critical voices when,
on the anniversary of Bush's infamous "Mission Accomplished" photo op, the president boldly declared that, as a result of the removal of Saddam, "there are no longer torture chambers or rape rooms or mass graves in Iraq" — a statement directly contradicted by a top-secret Army report completed two months before the president indulged in his soaring rhetoric. And last week we had the ultimate contradiction: the release of enough vile, barbaric and disturbing photographs to stock a triple-X S&M Web site.

But Bush Democracy's killer app has got to be its ability to retain the outward appearance of unabashed patriotism while sacrificing the lives of American soldiers on the altar of its tax-cutting fanaticism. Thus, candidate Bush is able to cloak his campaign in red, white and blue at the same time a defense industry study concludes that major budgetary shortfalls have left U.S. soldiers seriously under-equipped — leading to the preventable deaths of close to 200 brave Americans, and the maiming of thousands more. Shortfalls caused, in large measure, by the president's tax cuts. So while many of our soldiers have to make due without body armor, combat helmets and properly protected vehicles, America's millionaires are receiving an average tax cut of $130,783. And yet Bush is still able to continue painting himself as the war president. How's that for performance? The guiding principle behind George Bush's rebooted Democracy is a deep mistrust of the American people and an undying faith in the ability of "the elites" to decide what is best for America — and the world. Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer the old 1776 version, where We the People get to make up our own minds. Bush Democracy has crashed in Iraq and crashed here at home. I personally can't wait for November to press the Escape Key and shut it down for good.

ACT FOR CHANGE ACTIVISM MESSAGE

Don't Reinstate the Draft

On the eve of Mother's Day, a holiday with its origins rooted in the peace movement, it's hard to believe that chatter to reinstate the draft appears to be gaining momentum by the day. A return to the draft is not the answer to our problems in Iraq. Click here to take action!

http://act.actforchange.com/cgi-bin7/DM/y/eYv50FFlNw0KzF0mam0As

In times of great national purpose, such as World War II, an all-inclusive draft (with exceptions for conscientious objectors) is the right way to share fairly the burden of a rapidly expanding military. However, the current war with Iraq is not such a time. Today, the Bush administration presides over an increasingly unpopular war that has strained to the breaking point our military's capacity. Rather than admit to a failed invasion of Iraq, the administration's approach (resorting to extremely aggressive corporate outsourcing of jobs and aggressive call ups of both the National Guard and Reserve) is busting the budget and is unsustainable.

While the Bush administration publicly opposes reinstatement of the draft, the Selective Service System has quietly begun planning in case it is needed, and growing numbers in Congress are calling on the President to begin to prepare the public for the need. With an election a few months away, it is hardly surprising that an administration that won't even include the real cost of the occupation of Iraq in its proposed budget is unwilling to discuss renewing the draft. Urge your representatives in Congress to face honestly the human and budgetary costs of our occupation of Iraq but also let them know that you oppose reinstituting the draft. A far better alternative for relieving the strain on our military would be to create a strong strategic plan to leave Iraq and to bring in military forces from other countries. Click here to take action! http://act.actforchange.com/cgi-bin7/DM/y/eYv50FFlNw0KzF0mam0As

Join the Million Mom March Rally to 'Halt the Assault'

This Mother's Day, Sunday, May 9, join the Million Mom March united with the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence at our nation's Capitol to bring the 'Halt the Assault' message to the front door of Congress. This day will be an opportunity to tell Congress to 'Halt the Assault' on our safety, our families and our gun laws. The march and rally will be the send-off for a summer long, coast-to-coast 'Halt the Assault' Tour. In addition, there will be a lobby day at Congress the following Monday, May 10, where participants will deliver collected Lobby Day cards as well as meet with targeted Senate and House members who appear to be undecided on renewing the Assault Weapons Ban.

When? Sunday, May 9, Mother's Day, 10am-3pm
Where? West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC

To sign up to attend the rally or lobby day or for more information, please click here: http://www.mmm2004.com/

Democratic Party Says Stop Bush's War on Women & Demand Apology from GOP Advisor

The race for the White House is heating up - the primaries are almost over, campaigns are in full swing, and over one million activists descended on the capital last weekend to defend women's rights. Topics of discussion:

1. Bush Advisor Implies Pro-Choice Equals Terrorist

Demand an Apology ... http://www.care2.com/go/z/13812

Over one million people marched for reproductive freedom at the March for Women's Lives two Sundays ago. Yet that night, on CNN, President Bush's top campaign advisor Karen Hughes attempted to define the abortion debate by invoking 9/11 and the war on terror. The difference between Kerry and Bush's positions on choice, she explained, was that unlike terrorists (and unlike pro-choice supporters, she implied), people who are anti-choice value life: "I think after September 11th, the American people are valuing life more...our enemies in the terror network...don't value any life, not even the innocent, not even their own."

Perhaps Hughes forgot about the kill-list websites advocating the murder of doctors who perform abortions, or the anti-choice zealots who have shot dead conscientious doctors in front of their families? Comparing the pro-choice majority in this country to terrorists is a new low, even for the Bush administration. Sign this petition to send a message to Bush, demanding an apology from both Bush and Hughes. http://www.care2.com/go/z/13812

2. Stop the War on Women - Defend Reproductive Freedom!

Sign Petition ... http://www.care2.com/go/z/13814

Anti-choice hardliners in the White House, Congress, and in state legislatures across the country have launched a war on women. It might be hard to believe, but it's true. The president signs federal abortion ban, passed by Congress earlier in the year, criminalizing abortions as early as 12 to 15 weeks in pregnancy and imperiling women's health (November 5, 2003). The president signs the so-called "Unborn Victims of Violence Act," passed by Congress earlier in the year, giving a zygote, embryo, or fetus the same legal rights as a person and further undermining a woman's right to an abortion (April 1, 2004). The FDA bows to political pressure and delays making decision on converting emergency contraception to over-the-counter status (February 13, 2004). Anti-choice hardliners resort to intimidation tactics to pressure NIH scientists to abandon research on AIDS, sexuality, and high-risk behavior (October 28, 2003).

If you want to stop this war, there is something you can do. Join with Planned Parenthood to call on anti-choice politicians to stop their war on women. Sign this petition and demand that our government help save lives, protect our health, and respect our privacy by supporting legislation that affirms reproductive and social justice for women at home and abroad. http://www.care2.com/go/z/13814

Message From NARAL Pro-Choice...March Roundup...One Week After Making History

It's only been one week since 1.15 million pro-choice Americans marched shoulder-to-shoulder in our nation's capital. Since then we've received an overwhelming response -- every day hundreds of Choice Action Network activists send us photos, stories and messages of support about this historic event. Check out our March Map and see what your fellow pro-choice supporters from around the country have to say -- and use it to share your experiences and stories with them, too! Just click here: http://prochoiceaction.org/ct/ApqUhrF1tBpl/

The March for Women's Lives has really gotten people talking and it's not just pro-choice America that's weighing in, either. Have you heard what the White House has to say? Dick Cheney's top advisor, Mary Matalin, called the March "out of touch and irrelevant." [Duchess Note ... Ms Matalin is the one who is "out of touch and irrelevant". Big time! Wake up and smell reality you damn corrupt cow!!] And President Bush's closest confidante, Karen Hughes, compared pro-choice Americans to terrorists. When asked by CNN about the March, she responded, "I think that after September 11, the American people are valuing life more and we need policies to value the dignity and worth of every life... Really, the fundamental issue between us and the terror network we fight is that we value every life."

Since then, hundreds of Choice Action Network members have emailed us, outraged at these comments. They want us to get this story out. Well, we're ready to take on this challenge! But we need your help to do it. Help us place TV ads to show pro-choice Americans that the Bush administration is dismissing the 1.15 million marchers and the millions more who supported them. [Duchess Note ... The lack of compassion, plus immense arrogance in this administration is so blatantly obvious. They don't give a damn about average Americans, whether its in an illegal war or botched healthcare.] Worse, they're comparing us to terrorists! Want to see the commercial? Click here! Note -- the ad may take a few minutes to download, thanks for your patience: http://prochoiceaction.org/ct/N7qUhrF1tBpT/

And more than 3,800 of you who could not attend the March sent messages of support:

* I would be there, but I'm giving birth to my first child any day now. I'm grateful to live in a society in which I can choose to have children when it is best for me and my husband, and not simply when fate dictates. I was born before Roe v. Wade, when segregation still existed in the South, and women were denied many basic rights all over the country. We can't go back! I DO NOT want my daughter to be denied the rights I enjoyed as a young woman. Thank you all for marching for all of us! ~ Maurine, MI

Click here to see more stories (and photos, too) on our March Map: http://prochoiceaction.org/ct/ApqUhrF1tBpl/

[This photo, from last night's vigil at Kent State University, shows the place where Allison Krause was killed when the Ohio National Guard was ordered to fire upon students during an anti-war protest on May 4, 1970. Also killed were students Jeff Miller, Bill Schroeder, and Sandy Scheuer.]

MESSAGE FROM DENNIS KUCINICH REGARDING THE EVENTS AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY ON MAY 4, 1970

Hi , I'm Congressman Dennis Kucinich. This is an important day for the Kent State community. And it's an important day for the United States, because on this day, we remember the lives of those who died and were injured so many years ago on May 4. And we remember the confluence of events which came to the fore on the campus of Kent State University. We remember the striving for social justice, the passion for peace, the concern about the rights of people 10,000 miles away, that brought students to protest an unjust war. And we also remember those who felt they were pursuing their civil obligation in defending order. What we know too today in looking back at that time, that so often our government can take positions that appear to be defending the established order, but actually those positions end up undermining it.

Let us learn a lesson, not only of compassion from that May 4 so long ago, but let us learn a lesson about our potential to be able to transform conditions which are right for conflict, and turn them into opportunities for peaceful dialogue, for non-violent conflict resolution. We can take from May 4 a lesson that we share with the world. And that is that we renew our commitment to peace, we renew our commitment to peaceful resolution of conflict, we renew our commitment to the celebration of our First Amendment rights, we renew our commitment towards fulfilling community, and the potential that it offers, to elevate the human condition.

Tak and his father Tom ring the Liberty Bell at Kent State University last year in honor of the students who were shot. Tak and Tom passed through Kent on their walk across America called "Steps for Peace." May 4 has so much meaning, and what it means today is an opportunity to remember and to celebrate the deeper meaning of Kent State, of May 4 so many years ago, and the deeper meaning which we bring each day when we remember Kent State and vow to continue our commitment to peace. Thank you.

'Merchant of Shame'
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
by Ruth Rosen
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0503-07.htm
Duchess Note: Like the Bush (empire) Administration ... Wal-Mart is totally arrogant and corrupt. Both don't give a damn about human-beings [employees] or our precious environment. And will stop at nothing to get what they want ... which is domination of the globe. Their both scary as hell and must be brought down, the way David did against Goliath.

Comments From Blog "The Liquid List" Regarding The BUSH BUS TOUR SCAM

President Bush's bus tour is a scam on several levels. First, he isn't actually using the bus: "The bus tour, about 60 miles through western Ohio, actually includes two airplane flights — one from Detroit to Toledo and another from Toledo to Dayton." Second, Bush skipped mentioning the torture -- and that's what it is, by the way -- of Iraqis in U.S. custody. That's because he did mention that the "world is better off without Saddam Hussein in power," and that "torture rooms are closed." Oh, we closed them, did we? And when the president opened it up for questions, he had some nice plants such as one, heard this morning on NPR, in which an earnest-sounding man named Joe Francisco asked how he could help the president win more Latino votes in Michigan. Aww. Maybe if the president offered people a chance to become citizens rather than just indentured servants, eh Joe? Oh, how do I know the questions were planted? Here's Don Gonyea's money quote: "There were no direct questions about Iraq or even the economy in a state that has lost 300,000 jobs since the president took office. " Okay, maybe they weren't plants. Maybe they were just lobotomized.

[Duchess Note ... Link to "The Liquid List" is under "Blog Websites" on left. Check it out!]

Dave The Brave
LA WEEKLY
by Nikki Finke
http://alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=18561

But the end result is really something. Enough fodder for the show to spotlight snarky segments like "George W. Bush: Inspiration to America" featuring the president flippantly telling a classroom, "Look, I didn't like to take tests either, but that's too bad." Or, wearily listening to a business speech, nodding like a bobble-head doll and repeatedly checking his watch. (Déjà vu, anyone? Remember Daddy Bush checking his watch during the 1992 debates, a move that helped cost him the election?) This past Monday, Dave's people labeled a segment "Who Does George W. Bush Remind You Of?" and, while Hail to the Chief played loudly in the background, Shrub, talking about taxes, was shown stuttering, "the market . . . the market . . . the market . . .," followed by a cut to a cartoon starring Porky Pig. These undoctored snippets show Bush being Bush: a stumbling and fumbling orator, a why-can't-I-just-take-the-money-and-run campaigner, or worse. This, of course, is in stark contrast to what happens to the footage once it's edited by the news media. Miraculously, Bush's actual inarticulate ramblings or arrogant posturing are prettied up to the point where he's made virtually coherent and semi-mature.

LIVE FROM NYC ... HERE NOW THE NEWS!

Hundreds Turn Out For May Day Rally
KATU NEWS
by Sarah Linn
http://www.katu.com/news/story.asp?ID=66935

What's Wrong With Curves?
ALTERNET
by Ruth Rosen
http://alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=18569

Wolfie's Fuzzy Math
NEW YORK TIMES
by Maureen Dowd
http://truthout.org/docs_04/050304I.shtml

But it's unhealthy to censor the ugly realities of war. The real danger is when the architects of war refuse to rethink bad assumptions, wrapping themselves in the blindly ideological nobility of their mission. Senator John McCain let Sinclair have it with both barrels, noting that the public needed "to be reminded of war's terrible costs, in all their heartbreaking detail" and calling the pre-emption "unpatriotic." (Shouldn't John Kerry be running as John McCain's vice president?)

The Pictures That Lost The War
SUNDAY HERALD
by Neil Mackay
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0502-02.htm

Grim images of American and British soldiers torturing Iraqi prisoners have not only caused disgust and revulsion in the West, but could have forever lost Bush and Blair the moral high ground that they claimed to justify the invasion of Iraq.

I received the message below from the "NYC Friends Of Kucinich" group and thought it would be of interest ALL volunteers/supporters of Kucinich & Jereski Campaign's. Please read on............

On Tuesday, May 4th, there will be picketing, organized by United for Peace and Justice, of the offices of Senators Clinton and Schumer regarding their position on Iraq. We hope you can make it.

PICKET CLINTON AND SCHUMER'S OFFICES

Bring the Troops Home Now! Picketing and protesting to begin at 6:30 - 8:00 pm. Assemble at 780 Third Avenue between East 48 & 49 Streets. One year after President Bush declared "mission accomplished," U.S. troops and Iraqis are dying in greater numbers, and the illegal occupation has exploded into an all out war again. Now is the time for action! Around the country, people are responding to the call from United for Peace and Justice to pressure our representatives in Congress to take action to help end the crisis. In New York City we are organizing an emergency picket at the Manhattan offices of Senators Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer calling for an end to the occupation of Iraq. We picket to remind our Senators of the U.S. troops and Iraqis who are dying in a war based on lies. The longer the U.S. occupation continues, the greater the escalation in violence, and the longer it will take for the Iraqi people to achieve control over their country.

We urge you to come out in large numbers: share this message with others, call your friends, tell your co-workers. And we ask that you bring flowers to leave at the Senatorsí offices in memory of the U.S. troops and Iraqis who are senselessly being killed every day. Picket begins at 6:30 pm in front of Hillary Clinton's office at 780 Third Ave. between East 48 & 49 Streets. We will then walk down Third Avenue to Charles Schumer's office at 757 Third Ave. and East 47 Street.

Personal News - Part IXX

Another busy, productive week comes to an end ... much of which involved work, overtime and other activities. Weather wise ... its been more spring like and I actually got to wear my sandals two days in a row. Sweet! Was getting damn tired of socks, boots and closed toe shoes. As I type this entry I'm listening to a CD by a group called "Death Cab for Cutie". Nope, not a rock band, but music that is softer and groovy.

Also this week I received the DVD sets I'd ordered ... directors cut of first two LORD OF THE RINGS films. I watched them both [well not in the same evening (smiling)] and the additional scenes or footage to the films are brilliant. The additional footage really flesh out the films more and follow the books. I highly recommend purchasing these DVDs. The extra features on both DVDs is well worth the money spent. Totally ... trust me on this one.

Back on Wednesday, April 28th, I attended two functions after work. The first was connected with work and end of the tax season. E&Y is in the same business as KPMG, Price Waterhouse and Arthur Anderson. E&Y threw a party at Planet Hollywood in Times Square for the employees of the NYC firm. It started at 5:30pm and I walked over with two co-workers [ie: Michelle & Paula]. I was only able to stay an hour, as I had another commitment at 7pm. Upon arrival we headed straight for the bar and ordered our free drinks. Paula and Michelle had Apple Martinis and I asked for a Mango Daiqari [spelling?]. We sampled some tasty nibblers, walked around, spotted other admins we know and grabbed some tables. Then it was time to hit the buffet tables filled with lots of goodies. After a delightful hour of noshing and shamooshing with my co-workers I headed out to catch a bus across town.

Got to Rob Jereski's [Progressive Democrat running for Congress] place just as they were starting the weekly committee/campaign meeting. Those in attendance were Deborah, BC, Ed, Alden, Bob, Rob, Harry and I. As always Harry typed up the minutes, while I took my usual notes. Of the many topics we discussed over next 1 3/4 hours were EC Blog, petitioning, fundraiser [collected over $1,800 a week ago], website status, platform issues, scripts for cold calling, campaign office space, press agent [Susan], need of a campaign counsel, recruit volunteers at next Kucinich/Dean meetups, etc. The next fundraiser is being held at Rob's place at Two Tudor City Place (Apt 9a) on May 6th at 7pm. Also the next committee/campaign meeting is set for May 4th at 6:30pm. If you'd like to become involved with the "Jereski for Congress" campaign, then by all means drop me an email at cblossom@mindspring.com.

Yesterday, for first time in about two months, I headed up to Yonkers to do my beloved volunteer work at Joanne's ferret shelter. I miss those little, darling furkids. Took the subway up to Woodlawn in the Bronx and was picked up by Aliza, plus her daughter Briana was with her. It was great seeing them again, but so sad that she had to give up her ferrets due to pesky landlord. So back they went to Joanne's shelter where they'd been originally 1 1/2 years ago. Aliza asked if I would give some extra love, cuddles and attention to her two darlings [ie: Chocolate & Vanilla], which I happily did. It was great seeing Joanne again and doing better since her surgery back in February. Her daughter Liz's puppy Mikey has gotten bigger and is so full of bubbly energy. And yes, he has been "fixed". Aliza and Briana couldn't stay long. We communicate via the Yahoo Group "Metro Ferret" and also emails. While at shelter I took care of two different groups of new, adoptable ferrets. Did the usual duties of socializing, brush fur, clean ears, give them treats and put fresh water in all their cage bottles. Joanne showed me how to take special care of a particular sickly furkid. After a tea break with Joanne, during which we discussed latest news & politics, I finished cleaning up the shelter and then changed into cleaner clothing. I then took the 5:30pm Metro North train back to NYC.

Lately I Don't Always Agree With DNC & Feel They Need To Make Lots Of Changes. Be More Progressive & Liberal! At Times I Firmly Believe Their Just "Republican Light". Occasionally They Get Issues Or Situations Correct & Try To Do Good. The DNCs Statements Below Are When They Do Manage To Hit The Nail Squarely On The Noggin. Bravo!

A year ago, on the deck of the USS Lincoln, under a banner reading "Mission Accomplished," President Bush told America that "major combat operations in Iraq have ended." In April 2004, more U.S. soldiers died in Iraq than during the entire period that Bush considered "major combat." We now know that President Bush misled the American people in the run up to war. We know that he had no plan for post-war Iraq. We know that, thanks to the arrogance and incompetence of this administration, our mission is not accomplished. Click below to view our new video, "Mission Not Accomplished," and be sure to pass the word on to your friends.

http://mailer.democrats.org/rdr/002Qe048oZ0001D

PRESIDENT BUSH: THE WRONG CHOICE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY

This past week, President Bush and Vice President Cheney testified together before the September 11 commission. There was no recording or official transcript of the meeting. Why did President Bush insist on appearing only with Cheney by his side? Bush has repeatedly refused to answer that question, both before and after his testimony. But maybe we should be thankful that Bush agreed to speak to the commission at all. Although the goal of the commission is to learn the best ways to keep Americans safe from future terrorist attacks, Bush has done everything in his power to block their work, whether it was opposing the creation of the commission in the first place, withholding important documents, or trying to block the commission from extending its deadline so that it could complete its work. The American people's overwhelming support of the commission's work has kept President Bush from succeeding in his attempts to block its efforts. But make no mistake: Bush's actions are making America less safe. But why should we be surprised? President Bush has always used national security for political purposes, whether it's declassify information to attack his critics, tying the attacks of September 11 to his entire domestic agenda, or misleading the country as he led us into war.

The truth is clear: America cannot trust President Bush to keep us secure. TAKE ACTION...NOW!

President Bush refuses to answer the simple question: Why did you insist on having Vice President Cheney in the room with you when you testified before the September 11 commission? Here's your chance to answer it for him. Click here to tell us why you think Bush needed Cheney with him, and we'll publish the best answers on our website.

http://mailer.democrats.org/rdr/002Qe048oZ0001E