from: William Hughes

Activists demonstrated, in a steady rain, in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 15, 2009, at the office/PR branch of the insurance giant, WellPoint. It is located only blocks from the White House. The demonstration was part of a growing national campaign by the “Mobilization for Health Care for All” group. The activists were demanding “real healthcare reform” that puts the needs of the patients before corporate profits, and also that is not scripted by the powerful insurance companies. For more information, check out: mobilizeforhealthcare.org See also related video of that protest action, at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxtN19Ug8ew

from Morris

Muhamed a Gazan journalist tells us what life in Gaza is like. He is jolly and articulate. Descriptive images and footage accompany his talk.

http://www.pmptv.tv

The trials and tribulations: Skype didn't work, Yahoo and Messenger didn't work. Phone calls could not get through. The electricity in Gaza went down. YouTube failed on two uploads.

Finally made a lower resolution quality in order to upload successfully.
http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=TV077SgyHyE

from: William Hughes

On February 11, 2008, then U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) made a campaign stop at College Park, MD. This was the day before the Democratic presidential primary in Maryland. At this event, Sen. Obama promised a cheering audience at the Comcast Center: “I will bring this [Iraq] war to a close. In 2009, I will bring our troops home. It is time for the Iraqis to stand up and stabilize their country. We cannot have a permanent occupation in Iraq...We are going to close Guantanamo and restore Habeas Corpus...No more FEMA Justice...We are going to have...a Justice Department that believes in Justice. And, you will elect a president who has taught the Constitution, and believes in the Constitution and will obey the Constitution of the United States of America.” For background on the Feb. 11, 2008 rally, check out: http://baltimore.indymedia.org/newswire/display/16834/index.php For how President Obama has waffled, dodged and/or broken many of his campaign promises, see: Author/Activist David Swanson’s commentary, “Not What Obama Promised,” at: http://www.opednews.com/articles/Not-What-Obama-Promised-by-David-Swanson-090720-253.html and http://open.salon.com/blog/behind_blue_eyes/2009/05/22/obama_proposes_indefinite_preventive_detention_without_trial and
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/04/11/bagram/ and http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2009/05/15/obama-reinstates-bush-kangaroo-courts/ and
http://news.antiwar.com/2009/09/15/obama-seeks-patriot-act-extensions/

from: William Hughes

Ralph Nader is an American original! He’s activist, a courageous gadfly, a former presidential candidate, a champion of social justice and a best selling author. His latest book is: “Only the Super-Rich Can Save Us!” On the evening of Oct. 8, 2009, he spoke at the popular restaurant/bookstore “Busboys & Poets,” in Washington, D.C. Nader, during the Q&A period, said that the late, great President Franklin D. Roosevelt had a “fighting personality,” unlike President Barack Obama, who has an “excessively concessionary personality.” Nader added that he sees Obama as being “not wanting to take on the power structure.” He spoke before a SRO audience. For background on his tome, watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=liamh2#p/u/11/wdZZuniQno8

From Morris

His articulateness reveals him as one of the leading thinkers within the Occupation - Indeed he was released from prison only because of a public outcry

This is the fourth in a series of five Khalid Amayreh videos:

1. Khalid Amayreh: Goldstone report, the PA and Abbas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b8jwTeBBaw
2. Khalid Amayreh: One state or endless conflict: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7rqJQm8PDk
3. Khalid Amayreh introduces himself and the West Bank: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yvd563ZfcYI

This is one of five videos of Khalid Amayreh, an American educated journalist living in the West Bank, Khalid Amayreh: Goldstone report, the PA and Abbas

This is one of five videos of Khalid Amayreh, an American educated journalist living in the West Bank, Khalid Amayreh: Goldstone report, the PA and Abbas.

from: William Hughes

Today, Oct. 7, 2009, is Mayo Shattuck, III’s 55th birthday. He’s the CEO of Constellation Energy (CE) and he’s set to receive a $33 million golden parachute! This is so even though many, like the advocacy group, Progressive Maryland Education Fund (PMEF), feel he doesn’t deserve a penny of it. They claim he’s done a lousy job as CEO and that he has driven the company to the “brink of bankruptcy.” The group also charged, at a press conference held on President Street, opposite CE’s Baltimore headquarters, that the $33 million pay out, which is at the expense of the beleaguered ratepayers, “could be illegal.” PMEF is asking the Maryland Attorney General, Doug Gansler, to investigate, and hopefully, “nullify Shattuck’s bonus.” Maryland State Senators Jamie Raskin (D-Montgomery CO) and Jim Brochin (D-Baltimore CO) are joining in that effort. Sean Dobson and Matt Weinstein of the PMEF spoke at the press conference, where they revealed their “birthday surprise” presents for Mr. Shattuck: a fake-golden watch valued at $14.95, a twinkie birthday cake and a huge handmade birthday card which mocked his supposedly unearned bonus of $33 million. After the press conference, the group marched over to CE’s headquarters on Pratt Street, entered the building, and tried to present their “birthday surprise” personally to Mr. Shattuck. They were rebuffed from doing so and requested to: “leave the building!” For background, go here: http://progressivemaryland.org/page.php?id=268 and to http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/12/best-boss-09_Mayo-A-Shattuck-III_QHRA.html

from: William Hughes

On Monday, Oct. 5, 2009, just after noon, about 60 activists were arrested at the White House for failing to obey a police order. The nonviolent “Civil Resistance” action was the largest such antiwar demonstration at this particular site, since President Barack Obama took office. Hundreds more participated in the event, but chose not to get arrested. Some of those arrested wore orange jump suits and black hoods. A few had chained themselves to the White House fence. “Peace Mom,” Cindy Sheehan was one of those arrested. According to the press release of the sponsoring groups the action was carried out in order to focus attention on ending the U.S. war in Afghanistan and the U.S. occupation of Iraq; stopping the U.S. drone bombings in Pakistan; and to demand the closing, as a moral and legal issue, of the Gitmo and Bagram prisons. The activists also want the culpable members of the Bush-Cheney Gang brought to the Bar of Justice for their role in sanctioning and carrying out the illegal policy of torture. See: http://www.iraqpledge.org/ and http://www.democrats.com/node/21009 and http://vcnv.org/ncnr and for a legal perspective on the practice of nonviolent resistance, check out Professor Frances A. Boyle's’ excellent book, “Protesting Power: War, Resistance, and Law” at: http://baltimore.indymedia.org/newswire/display/16855/index.php
For the exact charges placed against each activist arrested and for the exact numbers arrested, and for the organizers’ estimate of the crowd size, go to sites of the groups linked in the above cited press release.

from: William Hughes

One of Hollywood’s greatest flicks, “Casablanca,” came to mind yesterday, Oct. 5, 2009. It happened in front of the Obama-occupied White House, where a nonviolent antiwar protest action was taking place. All of sudden, it was like the Police Captain, Louis Renault, (played by that marvelous English actor, Claude Rains), made an appearance at the scene and barked out that memorable line: “Round Up the Usual Suspects!” For background on the protest rally, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l9PEDaSyqU