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Meryl Ann Butler is an artist, author, educator and OEN Editor who has been actively engaged in utilizing the arts as stepping-stones toward joy-filled wellbeing for over 25 years. She studied art with Harold Ransom Stevenson in Sea Cliff NY for seven years before opening her own art school. Stevenson had been a student of Norman Rockwell.
Her art in a wide variety of media can be seen on her YouTube video, "Visionary Artist Meryl Ann Butler on Creativity and Joy" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcGs2r_66QE
A NYC native, her response to 9-11 was to pen an invitation to healing through creativity, entitled, "90-Minute Quilts: 15+ Projects You Can Stitch in an Afternoon" (Krause 2006), which is a bestseller in the craft field. The sequel, MORE 90-Minute Quilts: 20+ Quick and Easy Projects With Triangles and Squares was released in April, 2011. Her popular video, How to Stitch a Quilt in 90 Minutes with Meryl Ann Butler can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrShGOQaJQ8
She has been active in a number of international, arts-related projects as a citizen diplomat, and was arts advisor to Baltimore's CIUSSR (Center for Improving US-Soviet Relations), 1987-89. She made two trips to the former USSR in 1987 and 1988 to speak to artists, craftpersons and fashion designers on the topic of utilizing the arts as a tool for global wellbeing. She created the historical "First US-Soviet Children's Peace Quilt Exchange Project" in 1987-88, which was the first time a reciprocal quilt was given to the US form the former USSR.
Her artwork is in collections across the globe.
Meryl Ann is a founding member of The Labyrinth Society and has been building labyrinths since 1992.
She has written over 130 articles for OEN since 2004. Archived articles www.opednews.com/author/author1820.html
Older archived articles, from before May 2005 are here.,
Monday, February 13, 2012 Elizabeth Warren: A girl who soared, but longed to belong (5 comments)
Elizabeth Warren grew up amid the infinite expanse of Oklahoma, the finite expectations of her place and time, and financial pain at home. The lessons of those years still drive her. This Boston Globe article includes a video which examines her life story and career.
Monday, February 13, 2012 France Defeats Monsanto
France has held firm in its opposition to Monsanto's genetically modified MON 810 maize - and the agri-chemical multinational has admitted defeat.
Monday, February 13, 2012 Homeowners sue megabank (1 comments)
A GA couple, threatened with foreclosure, takes a stand against megabanks! Jay & Beverly Fenello, acting as their own counsel, filed a lawsuit in the Cherokee County Superior Court against Bank of America, Shuping, Morse & Ross LLP and The Bank of N.Y. Mellon, charging 13 causes of action, including fraud, bad faith, equitable estoppel, as well as violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Truth In Lending Act, and the Real Estate Settlements Procedure Act. The 13-count complaint further accuses the defendants of bad faith based on false verbal instructions; violating the FDCPA as BofA was acting as a debt collector for The Bank of N.Y. Mellon; and failed to comply with a consent order in response to the "robo-signing scandal," where more than 100,000 falsified and fraudulent affidavits were filed by large banks in support of illegal foreclosures.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 The First American Freedom Fighter (6 comments)
Hatuey's armed resistance began on the island of Hispaniola [today's Haiti and the Dominican Republic] during the age of Columbus, and probably increased after 1502 when a fleet of 30 Spanish ships arrived. Hatuey's message has been recorded: (the intruders) "worship gold," "fight and kill," "usurp our land and make us slaves" (for gold) ... they persecute us and that is why we have to throw them into the sea." His last words before being burned at the stake by the Spaniards will ring in your ears.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 Bradley Manning nominated for Nobel Peace Prize 2012 (5 comments)
Bradley Manning, the US army officer accused of leaking information to WikiLeaks, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his "individual effort to have an impact for peace in our world." The letter nominating him states the former soldier deserves it since he brought to light "a long history of corruption, war crimes, and imperialism by the U.S. government in international dealings," which they believe fueled the Arab Spring uprising and contributed to the withdrawal of troops in Iraq in 2011. Manning is faced with charges that include aiding the enemy, wrongfully causing intelligence to be published on the internet, theft of public property or records, transmitting defense information and fraud and related activity in connection with computers and could face life in prison if convicted.
Monday, January 23, 2012 'Hate religion, love Jesus' video goes viral - cnn
This video featuring an enthusiastic young Christian from Washington state has been viewed 15 million times and liked more than a quarter-million times since it was posted on January 10. "What if I told you Jesus came to abolish religion?" 22-year-old Jefferson Bethke says in the video, reciting a poem he wrote. "What if I told you getting you to vote Republican really wasn't his mission?"
You might or might not agree with everything he says, but he deftly turns the tables on the religious right.
Sunday, December 25, 2011 Only Romney and Ron Paul Qualify for the VA Ballot (Gingrich and Perry excluded)
Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry have been disqualified from appearing on the Virginia Republican primary ballot, a significant blow to two candidates relying on southern state victories to carve a path to the GOP nomination. The disqualification is particularly devastating for Gingrich, who is the frontrunner in Virginia, according to polls.The ouster of the two candidates means that only former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Rep. Ron Paul will appear on Virginia's primary ballot. Former Sen. Rick Santorum, Rep. Michele Bachmann and former Gov. Jon Huntsman lacked the campaign resources to gather enough qualifying signatures.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 Why Iceland Should Be in the News, But Is Not
An Italian radio program's story about Iceland's on-going revolution is a stunning example of how little our media tells us about the rest of the world. Americans may remember that at the start of the 2008 financial crisis, Iceland literally went bankrupt. The reasons were mentioned only in passing, and since then, this little-known member of the European Union fell back into oblivion ... Contrary to what could be expected, the crisis resulted in Icelanders recovering their sovereign rights, through a process of direct participatory democracy that eventually led to a new Constitution.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011 Time magazine's Person of the Year: The Protester! (1 comments)
Time magazine's Person of the Year: The Protester! From Arab Spring to Zuccotti, the world's 99 percent has the center stage in a global revolution. "If you Twitter it, they will come."
Thursday, December 8, 2011 Occupy the Hallelujah Chorus: A Must See Musical Tribute to Wall St Excess
Hallelujah Corporations: This musically excellent and lyrically inspired redux of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus was conceived, rehearsed and filmed in Tamworth, NH. Tamworth, the summer home of President Grover Cleveland, is a small town with a population of 2556 that has as its backdrop Mt Chocorua, the most photographed mountain in America. It is part of Occupy The Mt Washington Valley, and it is clearly home to four of the most talented voices you are likely to hear this holiday season. This is a must-see!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011 Pregnant Seattle protester miscarries after being kicked, pepper sprayed
Jennifer Fox, who was pepper sprayed during during a raid on Occupy Seattle last week is blaming police after she miscarried Sunday. She claimed that police hit her in the stomach twice before pepper spraying her. One officer struck her with his foot and another pushed his bicycle into her. Sunday when she went to the hospital, doctors told her that the baby had no heartbeat.
"They diagnosed that I was having a miscarriage. They said the damage was from the kick and that the pepper spray got to it [the fetus], too," she said.
Sunday, November 20, 2011 Exclusive: Lobbying Firm's Memo Spells Out Plan to Undermine Occupy Wall Street (2 comments)
Up with Chris Hayes, Exclusive of the Week, Sat. Nov. 19: A well-known Washington lobbying firm with links to the financial industry has proposed an $850,000 plan to take on Occupy Wall Street and politicians who might express sympathy for the protests, according to a memo obtained by the MSNBC program "Up w/ Chris Hayes." Hayes posted the pdf of the memo here: http://tinyurl.com/79uhy6q
Sunday, November 20, 2011 NYC Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez Detained in Zuccotti Raid, Urges Mass Involvement in OWS
Nov. 18: Democracy Now interviews NYC Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez. He was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest and then held in a police van alone for two hours. Rodriguez's arrest came just a week after he helped organized an 11-mile march from his district in the Manhattan neighborhood of Washington Heights, a largely immigrant community, to Occupy Wall Street. He describes his ordeal in police custody and why the experience has only emboldened him to continue his involvement with the Occupy movement.
Saturday, November 19, 2011 Rachel Maddow Interviews Mark "OWS bat-signal Projection" Read (1 comments)
Mark Read, who organized the Occupy Wall Street "bat-signal" for the November 17 Day of Action, talks with Rachel Maddow about how the project came together. Denise Vega, whose apartment served as the base for the projection, joins to describe her role in the event.
Related Quicklinks on OEN:
Interview with creator of Occupy Wall Street "bat-signal" projections during Brooklyn Bridge #N17 march
In Case You Missed It: Occupy Wall Street Put A Bat Signal Message On The Verizon Building Last Night
Saturday, November 19, 2011 Cookie Monster: Cookie for your thoughts on Occupy Wall Street?
Even as we get older Sesame Street still manages to find a way to explain to us all the fundamentals. For months, a gimmick poster on the Onion A.V. Club's message boards has been posing as Cookie Monster, giving his take on the issues of the day in Cookie Monster's own unique syntax. His latest opus is a piece of sheer amazingness on Occupy Wall Street, that sums up the issues in one, oh so very insightful and brilliant post.
Saturday, November 19, 2011 Occupy Seattle: Octogenarian activist Dorli Rainey on being pepper-sprayed by Seattle police, importance of activism (1 comments)
Eighty-four-year-old activist Dorli Rainey tells Keith Olbermann about her experience getting pepper-sprayed by the police during an Occupy Seattle demonstration and the need to take action and spread the word of the Occupy movement. She cites the advice of the late Catholic nun and activist Jackie Hudson to "take one more step out of your comfort zone" as an inspiration, saying, "It would be so easy to say, "Well I'm going to retire, I'm going to sit around, watch television or eat bonbons,' but somebody's got to keep 'em awake and let 'em know what is really going on in this world."
Friday, November 18, 2011 Interview with creator of Occupy Wall Street "bat-signal" projections during Brooklyn Bridge #N17 march (4 comments)
NYC, Nov. 17: Tens of thousands of Occupy Wall Street protesters marched throughout NYC, many making their way on to the Brooklyn Bridge, carrying LED candles and chanting. As Occupiers took the bridge in a seemingly endless sea of people, words in light appeared projected on the iconic Verizon Building nearby: 99% / MIC CHECK! / LOOK AROUND / YOU ARE A PART / OF A GLOBAL UPRISING / WE ARE A CRY / FROM THE HEART / OF THE WORLD / WE ARE UNSTOPPABLE / ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE / HAPPY BIRTHDAY / #OCCUPY MOVEMENT / OCCUPY WALL STREET / list of cities, states and countries / OCCUPY EARTH / WE ARE WINNING / IT IS THE BEGINNING OF THE BEGINNING / DO NOT BE AFRAID / LOVE." In an interview, Mark Read, who organized the "bat-signal" project, tells how and why he did this.
Monday, November 7, 2011 A Tale Of Two Protests
Nov. 3, 2011, Oakland. Bix Weir's personal experience at the peaceful Occupy Oakland Protest included marching with kids holding balloons, school teachers, veterans and little old ladies, all while bands played. At least 7,000 participated peacefully. He shares a video of Black Hoods and notes that the "real" protesters tried to stop them.(So one wonders - who were those black hoods?)
Friday, October 28, 2011 Letter From ACLU & Nat'l Lawyers Guild To Oakland Police Dept. Re: Conduct 10/25/11
This letter begins- "Dear Chief Jordan: The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California and the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild have grave concerns about the conduct of the Oakland Police Department in connection with its raid of the Occupy Oakland encampment during the early morning hours of October 25, 2011 and its response to an evening demonstration in support of Occupy Oakland on the same day." (This letter requests 16 multiple disclosures to be made within 10 days, including the identities of those ordering the crackdown. Could a lawsuit be brewing?)
Monday, October 17, 2011 A Letter from Goldman Sachs Concerning Occupy Wall Street
Dear Investor:
Up until now, Goldman Sachs has been silent on the subject of the protest movement known as Occupy Wall Street. That does not mean, however, that it has not been very much on our minds... (satire by the Borowitz Report)
Friday, October 14, 2011 BREAKING: #OCCUPY WINS! Bloomberg backs down! (Video) (1 comments)
Here's the amazing, energized scene when the announcement came out at Zuccotti Park early this morning, video posted by MoveOn.org.
Saturday, September 3, 2011 Cause of shutdown at North Anna nuclear plant sought - Richmond Times-Dispatch (1 comments)
MINERAL, VA- Dominion Virginia Power officials are working to discover exactly what caused the North Anna nuclear reactors to trip off line in the Aug. 23 earthquake. The powerful magnitude 5.8 quake's epicenter was 11 miles from the North Anna Power Station in Louisa County. The quake shut down the plant's two reactors, an unprecedented event in the United States. [[NUKECONT]]
Sunday, August 21, 2011 In the weeds of bureaucratic insanity there sprouts a small reprieve - LA Times (1 comments)
Ron Finley planted a garden that fed both stomachs and souls in an area where healthful food is scarce. When the city demanded he remove it, neighbors protested and a councilman stepped in to mediate. Article by Steve Lopez for the LA Times.
Saturday, August 20, 2011 Genius 13-Year-Old Has a Solar Power Breakthrough - gizmodo.com (4 comments)
7th grader Aidan Dwyer was walking in the woods during the winter, and looking up, he noticed something about the bare branches above him. They didn't appear to be growing randomly. So he took some measurements of the angles of the branches, crunched some numbers, and wouldn't you know it, he found that the ubiquitous Fibonacci Sequence was behind it all. He suspected there was a reason behind this. That trees were using this pattern to gather more light. So he did an experiment...
Friday, August 19, 2011 Architects & Engineers - Solving the Mystery of WTC 7 - AE911Truth.org (2 comments)
AE911Truth is partnering with the 9/11 family members and first responders of RememberBuilding7.org in the 10th Anniversary Campaign to raise awareness about WTC 7 in cities across America. This is AE911Truth's new 9/11 documentary on the mysterious destruction of World Trade Center Building #7 on 9/11/01. Join actor, Ed Asner and Architect Richard Gage, AIA and Architects and Engineers as they narrate an unfolding story that decimates the official account ("collapse due to normal office fires") of this 47 story high-rise which was destroyed on the afternoon of 9/11 in record time: top to bottom in under 7 seconds - and at free-fall acceleration for a third of its fall. Solving the Mystery of the Free-Fall collapse of WTC 7.
Thursday, August 4, 2011 Court rules organic farmers can sue conventional GMO farmers whose pesticides "trespass" and contaminate their fields (12 comments)
Ethan A. Huff, staff writer, NaturalNews.com: Purveyors of conventional and genetically-modified (GM) crops - and the pesticides and herbicides that accompany them - are finally getting a taste of their own legal medicine. Minnesota's Star Tribune has reported that the Minnesota Court of Appeals recently ruled that a large organic farm surrounded by chemical-laden conventional farms can seek damages for lost crops, as well as lost profits, caused by the illegal trespassing of pesticides and herbicides on its property.
Thursday, August 4, 2011 Law experts speak out - academics who "guest author" medical journals guilty of fraud (20 comments)
(NaturalNews) In 2008, Mike Adams sounded an alarm about Big Pharma companies which had long been paying in-house writers to ghostwrite scientific research articles, and then paid doctors and high-level academics to pretend they were the authors. Now two prominent attorneys are calling the practice a sham that constitutes legal fraud, saying, "Guest authorship is a disturbing violation of academic integrity standards, which form the basis of scientific reliability. The false respectability afforded to claims of safety and effectiveness through the use of academic investigators risks undermining the integrity of biomedical research and patient care."
Monday, June 27, 2011 Why Do People Believe Stupid Stuff, Even When They're Confronted With the Truth?
The Misconception: When your beliefs are challenged with facts, you alter your opinions and incorporate the new information into your thinking.
The Truth: When your deepest convictions are challenged by contradictory evidence, your beliefs get stronger. This "backfire effect" helps explain how strange, ancient and kooky beliefs resist science, reason and reportage.
Friday, June 24, 2011 The Breast Milk Cure - Nicholas D. Kristof (1 comments)
NY Times OpEd columnist Nicholas D. Kristof says, "When we think of global poverty, we sometimes assume that the challenges are so vast that any solutions must be extraordinarily complex and expensive. Well, some are. But almost nothing would do as much to fight starvation around the world as the ultimate low-tech solution: exclusive breast-feeding for the first six months of life. "
Monday, May 16, 2011 Time Lapse Clouds and Sky Over the Canary Islands,by Daniel López, Matti Paalanen (1 comments)
Stunning 3-minute time-lapse movie shot from the Teide National Park on Tenerife in the Canary Islands includes clouds that seem to flow like water, the Milky Way Galaxy rising behind towering plants, a colorful double fogbow, lenticular clouds and colorful moon coronas. Accompanied by inspiring music. (APOD for May 16, 2011 - Astronomy Picture of the Day.) Photography by Daniel López, IAC; Music: Matti Paalanen, Angel's Tear (Aeon 2)
Sunday, May 1, 2011 Why do Americans still dislike atheists? Washington Post (6 comments)
Long after blacks and Jews have made great strides, and even as homosexuals gain respect, acceptance and new rights, there is still a group that lots of Americans just don't like much: atheists ... Rarely denounced by the mainstream, this stunning anti-atheist discrimination is egged on by Christian conservatives who stridently - and uncivilly - declare that the lack of godly faith is detrimental to society, rendering nonbelievers intrinsically suspect and second-class citizens... Is this knee-jerk dislike of atheists warranted? By Gregory Paul and Phil Zuckerman. ("The Atheist Spoof Movie Poster" by atheist_tees on zazzle.)
Friday, April 22, 2011 "What on Earth' Probes Mysteries of Crop Circles - NY Times (3 comments)
A cheery, chummy documentary about the pastoral patterns inaccurately described as crop circles, Suzanne Taylor's "What on Earth?" musters a gaggle of enthusiasts to dish on the phenomenon. "I knew that something beyond the beyond was going on," one interviewee says, echoing the metaphysical beliefs of many circle fans. But it's the film's geometrists who enthrall most, revealing that many of the shapes -- one of which famously made the cover of a 1990 Led Zeppelin album -- hold entirely new answers to Euclidean problems.
Monday, April 4, 2011 Dream Rangers (1 comments)
Elderly Taiwanese bikers seize the day! Stunning! (This is a video commercial for a bank that went viral ... wow, what a way to advertise!)
Thursday, March 31, 2011 A Culture's History Written in Thread - NY Times
New book "Splendor & Pageantry: Textile Treasures from the Orthodox Churches of Istanbul," explores artifacts that hold the secrets to the unheralded role of women artisans in the church who stitched their devotion onto luscious silks and velvets. Some artifacts are hundreds of years old yet showcase outstanding workmanship and anatomical accuracy. Image shows a 6-inch diameter embroidered patch.
Monday, March 28, 2011 Time-Lapse Auroras Over Norway - Terje Sørgjerd / APOD (4 comments)
Astronomy Picture of the Day: One of the largest auroral displays in recent years appeared over far northern locations including the border between Norway and Russia, and are pictured in this 2-minute time-lapse movie in which auroras flow over snow covered landscapes, trees, clouds, mountains and lakes near Kirkenes, Norway. High energy particles strike the Earth's atmosphere, causing the air to glow green as electrons recombine with their oxygen hosts. With the Sun expected to become more active over the next few years, there may be many opportunities to see similarly spectacular auroras much closer to the equator.
Thursday, March 24, 2011 The Wayseer Manifesto
ATTENTION: All you rule-breakers, you misfits & troublemakers, all you free-spirits & pioneers... Everything the establishment has told you is wrong with you - is actually what's right with you..
Monday, February 21, 2011 Institute for Peace Budget Cut by Congress: Zero Funding for U.S. Institute of Peace
Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) released the following statement on Feb 17 after the House of Representatives voted 268-163 to eliminate all funding for the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP). "It is a sad day when the House votes to eliminate one of the few programs in the budget which is dedicated to conflict prevention and non-violence, while at the same time, enabling another $158 billion in the same budget for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have spent $1.1 trillion for war in the past decade, and in striking funding for USIP, Congress has demonstrated that it is on the war path. Everything in the path of war had better take careful notice," said Kucinich."This is a wake up call for all Americans who believe in the cause of peace."
Saturday, February 12, 2011 Prostitution Is Illegal (10 comments)
A la Mark Twain, Greg Tamblyn's singing satire jabs congress, health care, wall street and cable news. (If "View Article" button doesn't work, check comments for link.) More of his off-beat songster humor at gregtamblyn.com
Saturday, January 29, 2011 Less God and more democracy
Analysis shows that the least religious countries are more peaceful, have less corruption, more telephones, do better at science, have less inequality and other problems, and are generally just less dysfunctional.
Friday, January 28, 2011 With Twitter and Facebook Blocked in Egypt Protesters Turn to Proxies (by movements.org)
It's unclear whether the service was cut off because of signal overload or government intervention but tech-savvy protesters take advantage of proxies and circumvention software to bypass the block. Info at this link is being consistently updated.
Thursday, January 13, 2011 Why Not Regulate Guns as Seriously as Toys? (3 comments)
NY Times, Nicholas D Kristof: Jared Loughner was considered too mentally unstable to attend community college. He was rejected by the Army. Yet buy a Glock handgun and a 33-round magazine? No problem.
Saturday, December 25, 2010 African Huts Far From the Grid Glow With Renewable Power- NY Times
As small-scale renewable energy becomes cheaper, more reliable and more efficient, it is providing the first drops of modern power to people who live far from slow-growing electricity grids and fuel pipelines in developing countries. Although dwarfed by the big renewable energy projects that many industrialized countries are embracing to rein in greenhouse gas emissions, these tiny systems are playing an epic, transformative r
Saturday, December 25, 2010 Stop the Inhumane Treatment of Bradley Manning: Sign Our Letter
Bradley Manning deserves humane treatment while he awaits trial. Please add your name to our letter urging the Marines to lift the heavy restrictions of Manning's unnecessary "Prevention of Injury" order.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010 Alice Dancing Under the Gallows - Official Trailer (3 comments)
The oldest Holocaust survivor is a 107-year-old woman who survived, even flourished, in the death camps of Auschwitz through the transformative power of music. A well-known concert pianist before the war, her music continues to delight listeners. This peek at her optimism and her art offers an insight into a vibrant and happy life.
Sunday, October 24, 2010 Congressional hopefuls avoid media, events at 11th hour of elections by Sandhya Somashekhar
"With less than two weeks before the midterm elections, candidates all across the nation are doing . . . not much of anything?" They have been evasive, and unwilling to debate their opponents because they "don't want to risk a gaffe that will sabotage their campaigns." In a democracy turned on its head, these candidates believe that the less they say, the better chance they have of being elected.
Thursday, October 21, 2010 When Drugs Cause Problems They Are Supposed to Prevent By Gina Kolata (2 comments)
In the past month, the Food and Drug Administration has concluded that in some cases two types of drugs that were supposed to be preventing serious medical problems were, in fact, causing them. (Whoa, what a surprise!)
Thursday, October 21, 2010 Why McDonald's Happy Meal hamburgers won't decompose - the real story behind the story by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
No normal animal will perceive a McDonald's hamburger bun as food, and as it turns out, neither will bacteria or fungi. To their senses, it's just not edible stuff. That's why these bionic burger buns just won't decompose. (EVER!) "In my estimation, the reason nothing will eat a McDonald's hamburger bun (except a human) is because it's not food!"
Friday, September 24, 2010 Bill Clinton Embraces Near-Vegan Diet - John Hudson, Atlantic Wire (3 comments)
Daddy's "little (vegan) girl" must have finally won out, as Bill Clinton gives up the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) for a plant-based menu to lose weight for the wedding - and he looks and feels healthier.
Thursday, September 23, 2010 How Democrats, Republicans Compare by Yagil Hertzberg
SFGate, Yagil Hertzberg : Last week, when three politically minded friends came over for an evening of snacks and politics, I unleashed my new one-two approach to political persuasion. That's when I was rewarded with my first success at achieving a crossover vote.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010 An Eye for an Eye by Tom Rees
"Religious people are more likely to approve of capital punishment ... Maybe there's something in the creed of certain religions, or sects within religions, that encourages notions of revenge and retributive justice."
Friday, August 20, 2010 Target Tries to Buy Election, Artists Respond Theatrically!
In an inspiring artistic response, an unexpected musical performance at a Target store in Minnesota showcases the power of the arts after the corporation gave over $150,000 to buy ads supporting a far-right Republican candidate for governor. See more info and get active at MoveOn
.
Monday, June 28, 2010 BP Spills Coffee
Einstein said, "You cannot solve a problem from the same consciousness that created it." Humor can shift consciousness, allowing problems to be seen from a new perspective. Lowering stress, daydreaming, and laughter all contribute to creative problem solving. Therefore, this short video may help. It's had nearly 8 million views on YouTube. From UCBComedy.com
Monday, June 14, 2010 U.S. Identifies Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan
The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according to senior American government officials.
Thursday, April 22, 2010 Close Encounter with Icelandic Volcano
Father and son from Massachusetts, on vacation in Iceland, take stunning still and video shots of volcano's eruption.
Sunday, April 18, 2010 Teabonics: the most ridiculous - and misspelled- tea party protest signs (5 comments)
Teabonics: A new dialect of the English language created by sign wielders at Tea Party protests. Some call it 'creative spelling,' others call it carelessness. Either way, it's pretty amusing. Take a look at the best of the worst use of Teabonics...
Wednesday, March 24, 2010 Kucinich: What President Obama Didn't Say (2 comments)
The gentleman from Ohio - the last man standing on health care, as he put it in this conversation with Esquire.com just before Sunday's vote - reveals the personal moments behind his decision, and how the fate of a nation, if not a presidency, could have turned out a lot differently had he said "no."
Wednesday, December 30, 2009 Dennis Kucinich: US War Presidents ignore Congress & Constitution (2 comments)
Anger is growing among Americans - who say less money should be spent on the country's overseas military campaigns and more on tackling the country's domestic problems. U.S. congressman Dennis Kucinich, who spoke exclusively to Russia Today's Dina Gusovsky, says America can no longer afford war-based economy.
Friday, December 11, 2009 Bacteria Engineered to Turn Carbon Dioxide Into Liquid Fuel - ScienceDaily
ScienceDaily (Dec. 11, 2009) â"” In a new approach, researchers from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have genetically modified a cyanobacterium to consume carbon dioxide and produce the liquid fuel isobutanol, which holds great potential as a gasoline alternative. The reaction is powered directly by energy from sunlight, through photosynthesis.
Thursday, October 1, 2009 Protection or Peril? Gun Possession of Questionable Value in an Assault
ScienceDaily (Sep. 30, 2009) - In a first-of-its-kind study, epidemiologists at the U of PA School of Medicine found that, on average, guns did not protect those who possessed them from being shot in an assault. The study estimated that people with a gun were 4.5 times more likely to be shot in an assault than those not possessing a gun.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009 Carbon Negative Hemp Walls are 7x Stronger than Concrete
Buildings account for thirty-eight percent of the CO2 emissions in the U.S., according to the U.S. Green Building Council, and demand for carbon neutral and/or zero footprint buildings is at an all-time high. Now there is a new building material that is not just carbon neutral, but is actually carbon negative: Hempcrete. (But, alas, it's illegal to grow the raw materials in the U.S.)
Friday, August 7, 2009 Episcopal Bishop's letter to Sec'ty of State re: eviction of Palestinian families (1 comments)
Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton August 5 expressing sorrow over the Israeli government's August 2 eviction of two Palestinian families from East Jerusalem, and asked Clinton and the Obama administration to call for the families' immediate return.
Saturday, July 25, 2009 The best place one could be on Earth: by Alice Walker
In March, poet, novelist and feminist Alice Walker joined a Code Pink delegation to travel to the Gaza Strip just weeks after the 22-day Israeli bombardment and invasion. In this excerpt, Walker recounts the stories of the people she met, and offers a lyrical analysis that ties their oppression and struggles to what she and her community experienced growing up in the violence and fear of the segregated American South.
Friday, July 24, 2009 Ernestine on Bill Moyers Journal: Fri. July 24, 9 pm Pacific Time
When politics fail, artists come to the rescue! Fri. July 24th, the California OneCare spot featuring Lily Tomlin's Ernestine will appear on Bill Moyers Journal at 9 PM on PBS (check local CA listings). As this broadcast shows, this is how they are going to make the media take notice of single payer universal health care. Many Hollywood stars and celebrities are in line to do more spots! (See video at link.)
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 Vice President Comforts Ill Child
Alice Sparks is a long-time politically active woman from Kentucky who has done much for both women and men candidates and never asks for anything in return. The political reporter for the Kentucky Enquirer wrote the following story about Alice and her 13-year-old grandson. Sometimes a story is so compelling that you want to share it. Kathy Groob, Publisher, ElectWomen Magazine
Tuesday, July 21, 2009 Walter Cronkite and Dennis Kucinich Chat About Dept. of Peace (video)
Kucinich says: "My generation came of age at a time when Walter Cronkite was the name in American culture synonymous with credibility and respect." Watch this video to see these two extraordinary men engage in a heartwarming discussion that is now especially poignant.
Thursday, July 16, 2009 Chavez to Join Next Blockade-Busting Trip to Gaza, Says British Activist
(CNSNews.com) – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, one of Israel's fiercest critics, will join a future convoy on a solidarity visit to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, according to the British lawmaker and convoy leader George Galloway. He arrived arrived in Gaza on Wed, where he joined a group of American activists, including former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and NYC Councilman Charles Barron.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 Viva Palestina Convoy Arrives in Gaza (2 comments)
To chants of 'Viva! Viva! Palestina!' more than 200 members of the Viva Palestina convoy made it into the Gaza Strip Wednesday after spending about six hours at the Rafah border processing paperwork.
Thursday, July 9, 2009 Freedom Rider: Silence on Cynthia McKinney - by Margaret Kimberley
Black Agenda Report: The shallowness of what passes for Black leadership reveals itself most dramatically at times of outrage and death. "While Cynthia McKinney languished in an Israeli jail, black leaders mobilized to say and do absolutely nothing," preferring to make themselves part of the Michael Jackson story.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009 How Cynthia McKinney honored America on the 4th of July from an Israel Jail by Franklin Lamb, Beirut
Tuesday, 7 July 2009, 10:04 am. Former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney returned home today after 6 days being held by the government of Israel while attempting with 21 colleagues to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza on the vessel, the Spirit of Humanity. Without support from her own government, McKinney stood up for the principals on which her country was founded 233 years ago and spent Independence Day inside a foreign jail.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009 [Audio] Cynthia McKinney Lands in NYC, speaks to Wake-up Call
Around 7:20 a.m. EST July 7, Cynthia speaks in NY's JFK airport to WBAI 99.5 FM NY. Welcome back, Cynthia!
Audio of Cynthia Mckinney Speaking to WBAI's Wake-up Call. The web radio Cynthia mentions in the interview is WBAIX.org (WBAI-in-Exile) http://wbaix.org run by Don DeBar, the fired and banned news editor of Wake-up Cal at this time, it is actually Part 1.)
Monday, July 6, 2009 Cynthia McKinney reportedly in flight
According to a post at her FaceBook page, Cynthia McKinney is on board an El Al flight headed to New York City and eventually to Washington DC.
Sunday, July 5, 2009 New Report from Cynthia McKinney (Prisoner number 88794) - audio (3 comments)
Former Rep. Cynthia McKinney and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Mairead Maguire filed a new report from Ramle Prison, Israel, today, and they were joined by some of their Gaza 21 colleagues. Tune in to hear it at http://www.WBAIX.org - playing now until 11am Sun., 05 Jul 2009.
Saturday, July 4, 2009 Israel pisses on Britain (again) – and our craven leaders love it- Stuart LIttlewood
Stuart Littlewood considers Israel's latest act of piracy on the high seas – the seizure of an aid ship bound for Gaza and the kidnapping of its passengers and crew – and highlights the complicity of the British government, which is forever fighting a rear-guard action on behalf of Israel.
Friday, July 3, 2009 Cynthia McKinney Phone Call from Prison - recording (16 comments)
Cynthia McKinney calls WBAIX from Israeli prison. She and 20 others where detained after being seized by Israeli Navy while in international waters. They were attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. To watch live updates, interviews, protests go to livestream (dot) com (slash) wbaix
Friday, July 3, 2009 Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire Speaks from Israeli Jail Cell After Arrest (3 comments)
Irish Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire is interviewed from her jail cell in Israel. She was taken into custody along with twenty others, including former US Congress member Cynthia McKinney, when the Israeli military boarded their ship in international waters as it tried to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. She says "we were in grave danger of actually being killed at one point."
Friday, July 3, 2009 UN expert says Israeli seizure of aid ship a crime - Reuters (2 comments)
GENEVA, July 2- A U.N. human rights investigator called Israel's seizure of a ship carrying relief aid for the Gaza Strip "unlawful" and said its blockade of the territory constituted a "continuing crime against humanity". Richard Falk said the move was part of Israel's "cruel blockade of the entire Palestinian population of Gaza" in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009 Israel Attacks Justice Boat; Kidnaps Human Rights Workers; Confiscates Medicine, Toys, Olive Trees (4 comments)
June 30. Press release from freegaza.org: Israeli Occupation Forces attacked and boarded the Free Gaza Movement boat, the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY, abducting 21 human rights workers from 11 countries, including Noble laureate Mairead Maguire and former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney. Passengers and crew are being forcibly dragged toward Israel.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009 Call on Congress to Condemn Israel's Seizure of Humanitarian Aid Ship on Route to Gaza, Call for End to Siege
Press Release: Washington, DC. June 30, 2009. www.adc.org The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) condemns the Israeli naval commandeering of a ship carrying humanitarian supplies to the besieged territory of Gaza. Send a note to your member of Congress, President Obama and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton demanding the release of the crew members of the "Spirit of Humanity" and an end to the siege.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 Israel's richest woman gets messages, has visions
Shari Arison, Israel's richest woman and the controlling shareholder of the country's second-largest bank, said on Sunday she has visions and receives messages "from above" ... "For the past year I've been seeing peace and happiness," she said. "I don't know when that will happen. I know I have a role to tell people ... Everyone has to make it happen."
Monday, May 18, 2009 Paying With Our Sins: NY Times OpEd Solves Economic Crisis
A creative and direct route toward economic stability: legalize vice and take a cut. Marijuana is already the top cash crop in 12 states, with a total annual value of $36 billion. And, imposing state taxes on existing brothels in NV could raise $2 million a year, and legalizing prostitution in cities like Las Vegas could raise another $200 million. Why not let consenting adults contribute to economic revival?
Monday, April 27, 2009 What Happened to the Ban on Assault Weapons?
by Pres. Jimmy Carter who says, "The evolution in public policy concerning the manufacture, sale and possession of semiautomatic assault weapons like AK-47s, AR-15s and Uzis has been very disturbing. Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and I all supported a ban on these formidable firearms."
Friday, April 24, 2009 Father of Young 'Slumdog Millionare" Actress Tries to Sell Her
Even adorable child acress Rubina Ali, made famous for playing the young Latika in the 2009 Oscar-sweeper Slumdog Millionare, isn't safe from the rampant child trafficking in India. Her father recently offered to sell her for about $300,000.
Sunday, April 19, 2009 You are being lied to about pirates (1 comments)
In 1991, the government of Somalia collapsed. Its 9 million people have been teetering on starvation ever since, and forces in the Western world have seen this as a great opportunity to steal the country's food supply and dump our nuclear waste in their seas. This is the context in which the men we are calling "pirates" have emerged. So who is the real robber?
Monday, April 6, 2009 Eaglets Hatching Now on Live Web Cam (4 comments)
A pair of wild eagles are hatching three eggs at Duke Farm in NJ - one hatched the morning of April 6! Sometimes the mother eagle takes a break and the father sits on the eggs for a few hours but fidgets, offering a glimpse of the new eaglet.
Friday, March 27, 2009 Dance Like Nobody's Watchin': Cockatoo Luvs Ray Charles (2 comments)
For your daily hilarity and culture break, don't miss this bird gettin' down to Ray Charles' "Shake Your Tailfeather." For optimum enjoyment google the lyrics.
Sunday, March 22, 2009 Are You Going to Finish Strong? - Video
Nick Vujicic has no arms or legs but his inspirational speech to school kids is one that they will surely never forget. This clip, under 3 minutes, is not-to-be-missed!
