ArmonieMuse

Rock in a hard place: First all-girl Saudi band, AccoLade

2008-11-25T16:18:00.001-05:00

This all-girl Saudi band shreds guitars -- and taboos. The members of Saudi Arabia’s first all-girl rock band, AccoLade, are clearly not afraid of taboos. The group can't appear in public, but Saudis are already downloading their first single, "Pinocchio," from the group's MySpace page. Listen for yourself!

read more | digg story

Pema Chodron explains Maitri - Unconditional Friendship with Ourselves

2008-11-17T16:52:00.001-05:00

An excellent clip from the wonderful Tibetan Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron, on developing unconditional friendship with ourselves. Beautiful, compassionate - and funny:)

Our Home-Grown Melamine Problem

2008-11-17T13:47:00.001-05:00

For all the outrage about Chinese melamine, what the United States has failed to scrutinize is how much melamine has pervaded our own food system. From the NY Times.

read more | digg story

Peace Now. "The End of Suffering", with words of Thich Nhat Hanh

2008-11-13T11:26:00.002-05:00

It seems like a good time to post this again, and share a moment of peace.

Documentary "The End of America: Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot", by Naomi Wolf

2008-11-12T14:06:00.003-05:00

My America Project is a grassroots campaign that engages citizens in direct democracy with the documentary film, "The End of America", by Naomi Wolf.
http://www.myamericaproject.org/

“The true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope."
President-Elect Barack Obama
November 4, 2008

Write a letter to Senator Obama. Tell him why you voted and what matters to you.
http://obama.senate.gov/contact/

“My sense of alarm comes from the clear lessons from history that, once certain checks and balances are destroyed, and once certain institutions have been intimidated, the pressures that can turn an open society into a closed one turn into direct assaults; at that point events tend to occur very rapidly, and a point comes at which there is no easy turning back to the way it used to be.”
Naomi Wolf
"The End of America: Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot"

Planned Parenthood Offering Free, On-Site Adoption Services

2008-11-12T14:03:00.000-05:00

Planned Parenthood of Indiana (PPIN) is dedicated to ensuring our patients and supporters know that we offer a full range of choices at our health centers--which is why this November, we are celebrating National Adoption Awareness Month.

During the course of this month, PPIN will be highlighting the free, on-site adoption services offered at three of our health centers in Merrillville, Indianapolis and Bloomington. So far, these services have led to two successful placements with Indiana families!

“The key goal of our organization has always been to offer women every reproductive choice available. By facilitating adoption services, we are affirming our dedication to that goal,” said Planned Parenthood of Indiana President and CEO Betty Cockrum.

PPIN realizes the importance of choice, which is why we need you to help us continue to offer a variety of options to our patients. If you could donate $25, $50 or even $100 today to help benefit this cause, we would be extremely grateful.

“Having the option of adoption at our centers allows women to be more empowered in the decisions they must make when facing an unintended pregnancy,” Cockrum said. “A woman who chooses adoption will be responsible for providing a lifetime of happiness to a family.”

CCR and the Online Premiere of the Movie "THE END OF AMERICA"

2008-11-12T13:56:00.001-05:00

Today is the online premiere of the movie "THE END OF AMERICA" - a feature-length documentary based on Naomi Wolf's bestselling book of the same name. You can watch the web stream of it now by going to the MyAmericaProject website.

CCR's Michael Ratner and Maria LaHood as well as our client Maher Arar are featured in "THE END OF AMERICA," and CCR is privileged to partner in this online premiere.

Watch THE END OF AMERICA online now
http://www.myamericaproject.org/

You can also screen THE END OF AMERICA for your friends and neighbors one of two ways - you have a unique opportunity to get a copy of the film now before it hits stores in early 2009. Host a free public screening of the film before November 4, 2008 and they'll provide you with a free DVD. Show it at school, work or place of worship; take it to your local coffee shop or bar; urge organizations you're a member of to host a free screening. They'll send you posters and postcards to promote your event. For more information contact info@myamericaproject.org. You can also support the project by purchasing a special Election Edition DVD, available to Center for Constitutional Rights members through this indiepix films on-line store link.

Naomi Wolf, a long-time supporter and ally of CCR, set out on a national tour over the past year to discuss the evolution of America from a functional democracy into a closed, fear-driven society with a terrifying absence of due process. She lays out what she calls the 10 steps necessary to end a democracy and shows us just how close we are to completing them:

1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy.
2. Create secret prisons where torture takes place.
3. Develop a thug caste or paramilitary force not answerable to citizens.
4. Set up an internal surveillance system.
5. Harass citizens' groups.
6. Engage in arbitrary detention and release.
7. Target key individuals.
8. Control the press.
9. Treat all political dissents as traitors.
10. Suspend the rule of law.

In her film, Naomi Wolf makes a plea for Americans to stand up and fight for our most cherished rights. One thing you can do is check out our new 100 Days Campaign (with this link) and stay tuned for ways to get involved in telling the next administration what they must to do to restore, protect and expand our constitutional rights.

Sincerely,
Annette Warren-Dickerson
Director of Education and Outreach

Naomi Wolf interviews Sgt. Matthis Chiroux re: Police Brutality Against Vets & Peaceful Protestors

2008-11-12T13:52:00.001-05:00

Naomi Wolf discusses with Veteran Sergeant Matthis Chiroux the events that took place on October 15th, 2008 at the final Presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York.

From Heifer International: Share Hope. Support US families.

2008-11-12T13:50:00.001-05:00

From Heifer.org:
Hunger is a crisis we know how to fix. Not just in developing countries – right here in America.

Heifer's model ends hunger and poverty for thousands of families in the US. The good thing is, it's already in place, and it's proven successful. We need your financial support to keep it going.

Support our work to end hunger and poverty.

You may know us best for our groundbreaking work in Asia, South America, Africa and Europe, yet Heifer has always been a leader in fighting hunger and poverty and building strong communities in the United States.

In Portland, Ore., Heifer is helping immigrants and refugees grow vegetables and raise goats, chickens and bees, improving their nutrition and teaching them entrepreneurial skills for long-term self-sufficiency.

The Mississippi Delta Farmers Agricultural Network is helping small family farms diversify and improve their livestock, with special emphasis on helping youths and new farmers.

The Red Bird Farmers Project provides 20 families in the impoverished Appalachian region of southeastern Kentucky with livestock and training, with 40 additional families reached through Passing on the Gift.

Heifer economics work - from community gardens that give urban youth healthy food and a fresh start, to agricultural initiatives that help small farmers thrive, we're helping support local agriculture in the United States. In turn, Heifer-supported farmers provide nutritious, sustainable local food to their neighbors.

Our dividends are hope, peace and a healthy planet. That's something everyone in America can support. Can we count on your gift of $100 or more to help end hunger and poverty?

Yours in peace,
Ashley Michael
Heifer International

From Amnesty International: Three Crucial Actions for President-elect Obama

2008-11-12T13:46:00.001-05:00

The world is waiting to hear from the America we believe in. That's why it's so critical that we act immediately to reverse the damage of the last seven years.
Urge President-elect Obama to take 3 crucial actions to renew America's commitment to human rights.

Last week's election signaled a turning tide. But as President-elect Obama made clear, all we have is a chance for change. Change will only come if we act: send a message to President-elect Obama to recommit America to human rights.

Today we launch our 100 days campaign. Our goal is to make it clear that there can be no genuine renewal in America without a renewed commitment to human rights. During his first 100 days in office, Amnesty International is urging President-elect Obama to take three crucial actions:

* announce a plan and date to close Guantánamo;
* issue an executive order to ban torture and other ill-treatment, as defined under international law;
* setup an independent commission to investigate abuses committed by the US government in its "war on terror".

There is much more that needs to happen, but we believe these three concrete actions are crucial to resetting America's course and to letting the world hear from the America we believe in. See the rest of our checklist for President-elect Obama's first 100 days in office.

Urge President-elect Obama to take these important first steps.
Take Action Now!

Do not doubt the power of your action. The same grassroots energy that propeled Barack Obama to victory can now be the driving force behind America's renewed commitment to human rights. And, because the impact of bold action on human rights can and must be heard around the world, Amnesty's 100 Days effort is global in its reach.

As you send your letter, millions like you in every continent will be doing the same, from Australia, to Great Britain, to France and Japan.

Join us. Take action now and urge President-elect Obama to take these important first steps.

And stay tuned. This is but a first step in our 100 days campaign. Be sure to get more information about the other items on our checklist for the new president.

Sincerely,
Larry Cox
Executive Director
Amnesty International USA

Free Press on the President-Elect & Net Neutrality, Universal Internet, & Media Consolidation

2008-11-12T13:31:00.002-05:00

From Free Press, freepress.net:
Now that the reality of an Obama presidency is sinking in, I want to give you a sense of what it means for the future of the media. In a nutshell, if the new president lives up to his campaign promises, we are poised to see an unprecedented transformation of U.S. media.

Unlike George W. Bush, the president-elect is a strong supporter of Net Neutrality and universal, affordable Internet access. He is opposed to further consolidation of media ownership, and he is a friend to public broadcasting. Obama's election represents a sea change in leadership that allows us to go from playing defense to offense. These are exciting times.

While Free Press is a tax-deductible, nonpartisan organization that cannot and does not endorse political candidates, we are heartened by our nation’s new direction.

Obama's election rekindles hope that media reform may finally claim its rightful place in American politics as a bona fide political issue -- one whose success is essential to progress on every other issue: from health care to the environment; from financial reform to war and peace.

Free Press has worked tirelessly since our founding five years ago to stop the Bush White House from allowing runaway consolidation of media ownership, from slashing funding for public broadcasting, and from handing over control of the Internet to the largest phone and cable companies. Thanks to your unwavering support and activism, we have succeeded to an extent that few thought possible.

However, as the new president inherits a severe economic crisis, two wars, and myriad other problems, it will be too easy for media reform to get pushed down the to-do list (click here for a look at Obama's important media reform pledges during his campaign).

Our job -- your job -- is to keep our momentum going and make sure President Obama makes good on his campaign pledges in the face of competing priorities and well-financed lobbyists from the phone, cable and broadcasting companies.

* The future of our economy and our democracy requires that Congress and FCC pass policies that get fast, open, affordable Internet to every home and business in America, urban and rural, rich and poor.
* We must foster hard-hitting journalism that holds the powerful accountable and covers the issues that affect you most.
* There must be no more consolidation of media ownership, and we must create incentives for more independent, local radio, television and print media.
* We must double funding for public media -- for PBS as NPR, as well as for community media and other noncommercial outlets, and ensure that public media are protected from undue political influence.

Free Press has emerged as one of the most effective advocacy groups in the nation, with a top-caliber combination of grassroots activism, legal capacity, aggressive communications and legislative expertise. Our success is driven by you and the thousands of others who support Free Press and take action when you are most needed.

We are building a new and unstoppable coalition of every constituency, company and organization that uses the Internet -- young people, religious organizations, nonprofits and labor. Together, we can wage and win this looming battle for media that nourish -- rather than undermine -- our democracy.

We are pulling together the countless millions of Americans who treasure public and independent media to create the political will to dramatically increase funding and distribution of alternative media.

And we are going to fight efforts by the Bush administration to give more handouts to Big Media before they leave office on January 20. Free Press is already mobilizing to block eleventh-hour moves.

Over the next few months, we will have a rare moment of opportunity to turn President-Elect Obama's pledges for media reform into a reality in the next FCC and Congress.

Together, we will determine whether critical, independent voices will reach living rooms in red states and blue states, East and West, rural and urban.

If we do our job right, we could advance several crucial issues in 2009: a permanent Net Neutrality law; redirecting billions of dollars in the "Universal Service Fund" away from subsidizing telephone service and toward high-speed Internet deployment; and laying the groundwork for a major increase in support for public, noncommercial media -- the crucial alternative to our failing commercial media system. Thanks to overwhelming public opposition, we do not anticipate further efforts by the FCC to let Big Media get bigger.

We have a lot of work to do, but Free Press is ready. I trust you are, too, because we'll need you next to us more than ever.

Sincerely yours,

Josh Silver
Executive Director
Free Press
www.freepress.net

P.S. The next 75 days until inauguration are critical, as we fight off this president's eleventh-hour gift to the largest media giants, and prepare to move from defense to offense in January. Your financial support could not be more important right now. Please consider making a donation today.

The FCNL Opportunities/Wish List for Next President

2008-11-12T13:26:00.001-05:00

Friends Committee on National Legislation
A Quaker Lobby in the Public Interest
November 11, 2008

From: Joe Volk, Executive Secretary
Re: Specific opportunities for FCNL in the first months of 2009

President-Elect Barack Obama and his administration will take office at a moment when hundreds of millions of people in the United States, and many more around the world, are eager for change and willing to work with him to achieve shared goals. The honeymoon here in Washington, throughout the United States, and around the globe will not last forever, however. These good feelings need to be acted on soon.

What do we at FCNL think is possible in the first few months of the new administration? As we look back at the election campaign and analyze the candidates' positions, campaigns, and parties, we see many openings for nonpartisan change. Even with these openings, we will be relying on your hard work lobbying at the grassroots and your financial support to help us mobilize the movement that can take advantage of the opportunities presented by a new administration.

The potential is there for change. For 65 years, FCNL has practiced hope by nurturing that kind of change potential. We are hopeful now because

* both major party candidates for president ran against the policies of the past eight years;
* both candidates spoke of the need to repair the image and role of the United States in the world;
* both parties recognized the importance of working for new international treaties on climate change and reducing the danger of nuclear war, and both candidates spoke out against wasteful military spending;
* more young people, more African Americans, and more Hispanics voted in this election than ever before, and millions of voters went to the polls for the first time; and
* both Obama and his former opponent, Sen. John McCain (AZ), have a history of working across party lines.

If the new administration and the new Congress work together, they can make real changes in the first few months of the next administration. Here are key opportunities for the president and Congress to open the doors to hope:

* Ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in the Senate. This treaty is a cornerstone of efforts to control the spread of nuclear weapons. Obama says he strongly supports ratifying the test ban treaty, but ratification requires a yes vote from 67 senators. Our lobbyists believe there are 58 votes now in the Senate in favor of ratification. The first nine months of the new Congress offer the best chance to get the additional eight votes. Obama needs to signal now that passage of the CTBT is a priority by appointing someone at a high level to secure Senate ratification.
* Ban cluster bombs. Half the nations of the world, including nearly all of the NATO allies of the United States, will sign a treaty on December 3 banning these weapons. Even before taking office, Obama could declare his intention to sign the treaty and to work for Senate ratification. FCNL helped persuade Congress to ban cluster bomb exports and has been working to persuade both the new president and the new Congress to support a ban on these weapons. The best chance for action on this treaty will be early in the new administration, while the world is still focused on it.
* Renegotiate the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with Russia. The treaty, which limits the number of nuclear warheads and other strategic weapons that each country can maintain, expires in December 2009. After he takes office, the president should propose a 12- or 18-month extension of the treaty to allow for more comprehensive negotiations toward further reducing the number of nuclear weapons in each country's stockpile.
* Ban torture, no exceptions. With the stroke of a pen on January 20, 2009, President Obama could end torture by all U.S. government agencies. We at FCNL will also be mobilizing congressional support for the repeal of the Military Commissions Act and the restoration of the full habeas corpus rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
* Start negotiations for a grand bargain in the Middle East. Obama has argued for a new, bipartisan U.S. policy in the Middle East. His administration should take a comprehensive approach that establishes a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and embraces negotiations with Iran on Iraq, on international safeguards against Iran's development of nuclear weapons, on initiatives to resolve the Israeli-Arab conflict, and on stabilizing Afghanistan. However, opposition to these negotiations and initiatives persists in Congress and must be turned around by presidential leadership and grassroots lobbying across the country.
* Invest in preventing war. The current financial crisis will put tremendous pressure on the president and Congress to reduce government spending. The president could embrace the call from House Financial Services Committee Chair Barney Frank (MA) for a 25 percent reduction in military spending and urge that these savings be invested in preventing future wars through diplomacy, development assistance, and international engagement. He would still have sufficient money left over for green infrastructure initiatives at home to create jobs and reduce CO2 emissions.
* Bring our nation's checkbook back into balance. Too much attention in the current financial crisis has been focused on saving Wall Street, while people on Main Street continue to suffer. Congress will approve a new economic stimulus package sometime in the next four months. The new president and new Congress could use this legislation to invest in reducing income disparities in the United States, making new investments in reducing the number of people living in poverty.
* Address climate change. The governments of the world will meet in Copenhagen at the end of 2009 to take new steps to address climate change. What will the next U.S. president bring to the table to show the international community that his country is serious about reducing its greenhouse gas emissions? Will Congress and the president have made real progress by passing legislation to reduce climate change and helping those most harmed by climate change?
* Bring Native American health care into the 21st century. Both presidential candidates and both major political parties have called for new efforts to help Indian Country. In 2008 the Senate passed legislation that would dramatically improve health care for nearly 2 million Native Americans by bringing modern health care services such as hospice and mental health care to Indian Country. Unfortunately, the House has so far failed to act. Reauthorizing Indian health care programs should be on the 60-day agenda for the next president and the new Congress.

Last Tuesday night, President-Elect Obama said, "This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change, and that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you. So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of service and responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other."

We at FCNL look forward to working with President Obama on these opportunities. We will need your participation in FCNL, and we look forward to working with you in our common practice of hope.

More thoughts on the next few months.

Please consider making a donation to help FCNL with this work.

Obama Transition Team Adopts Ethics Rules

2008-11-11T17:17:00.001-05:00

President-elect Barack Obama's transition team would raise $7 million to cover costs, but will eschew donations from lobbyists and corporations.

read more | digg story

Official Google Blog: Tracking flu trends

2008-11-11T17:11:00.000-05:00

Official Google Blog: Tracking flu trends

Dogs Serving Veterans

2008-11-11T17:09:00.001-05:00

Those disabled at war are paired with service dogs, companions trained to help them through daily life.

read more | digg story

Simon's Cat 'TV Dinner'

2008-11-11T14:34:00.001-05:00

Excellent "true to life" kitty behavior, just for a laugh:)

We Must Listen to Veterans Not Just Today, But on the Other

2008-11-11T11:39:00.001-05:00

It is fitting that our nation reserves a day to honor the sacrifice of our soldiers, but we have fallen short of caring for our veterans.

read more | digg story

Three huge, immediate reasons to be happy about last night

2008-11-05T10:32:00.001-05:00

John Paul Stevens is 88; Ruth Bader Ginsberg is 75; David Souter is 68; and all are expected to leave the Court within the next four years. With Barack Obama likely to replace these judges during his presidency, we have a chance to keep our constitution.

read more | digg story

Hockey Mama for Obama

2008-10-31T17:01:00.001-04:00

So worth watching - intelligent, witty, musical homegrown political satire!

How McCain Turned His Back on the Vietnamese Man Who Saved Him

2008-10-28T13:26:00.001-04:00

Forty-one years after McCain was shot down in Vietnam, the man who saved his life has died in obscurity.

read more | digg story

Protect the '08 Election: Join Immediate Response Network

2008-10-24T13:58:00.001-04:00

All of us are hoping that the November 4th election comes off without a hitch. But if it doesn't, are you ready and willing to take action? Since time may be too tight for email on Election Day, CREDO Mobile has setup a text-activist response network to deliver a text message straight to your phone.

read more | digg story

McAngry: Debate edition!

2008-10-16T00:05:00.001-04:00

Tell McCain to End the Politics of Hate

2008-10-16T00:02:00.001-04:00

What's Really Happening to Americans

2008-10-15T23:09:00.004-04:00

This clip from the American News Project (ANP) shows real Americans and real struggles in the current crisis.

Troy Davis - Take Action for Social Justice. Amnesty International

2008-10-15T14:03:00.002-04:00

Troy Davis
Finality Over Fairness

UPDATE - The Supreme Court has declined to hear Troy Davis' case.
The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles denied clemency for Troy Anthony Davis shortly before 5 p.m. on Friday, September 12. They did so despite overwhelming doubts of Davis' guilt - and after stating last year that they would "not allow an execution to proceed in this State unless and until its members are convinced that there is no doubt as to the guilt of the accused." On September 23, The U.S. Supreme Court stayed Troy Davis' execution "pending the disposition of [his] petition for a writ of certiorari." On October 14, the Court decided not to accept his petition.

The Georgia Board has the power to step in at any point, so we encourage you to continue to collect letters and petitions asking them to issue clemency. These letters are being collected in Amnesty International's Atlanta office to be delivered to the Board at the appropriate time. Please do not send your letters directly to the Board. Take action below, or fax your letter to 404-876-2276.

» TAKE ACTION! Write a letter to the Georgia Board of Pardon and Paroles

To see what activists are doing in Georgia, please visit GFADP.
Write a letter to the editor of your local paper. It's quick and easy using the ACLU's website.
Text "TROY" to 90999 to help spread the word with your cell phone.
We respectfully ask you to not contact the US Supreme Court or the Governor or Attorney General of Georgia because it could be detrimental at this time.

» Listen to Troy tell his story
» Hear from Troy's sister
» Join the discussion on our blog

http://www.amnestyusa.org/death-penalty/troy-davis-finality-over-fairness/page.do?id=1011343